Preserving the harvest
This cool weather has got us thinking about putting food away for the winter. Now’s a great time to do some canning, freezing or drying.
1.Make some dried tomatoes! Cherry tomatoes, when split in half, dry quickly. Paste tomatoes also work. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use a slow oven, or even a car parked in the
sun all day. Once dried, pack them in airtight jars or olive oil for a midwinter treat.
2.Dried herbs- most herbs with woody stems are a snap to dry. Just hang bunches in a cool, dry, airy place out of direct sun until dry. Then store in airtight containers. For parsley or basil you need to use a dehydrator. Cayenne peppers can be dried as well and make great hot red pepper flakes.
3.Salsa! Whether it’s tomato or tomatillo based, I love having some on hand in the winter. Jalapeño, Bulgarian Carrot or Matchbox will add a kick to your salsa.
4.Pesto! The best way to preserve basil is to make it into pesto and freeze it. Even a simple basil and olive oil puree can be frozen to give winter meals a taste of summer.
Tomatillos, ground cherries and hot peppers
These three crops have made a late appearance in the picking garden, but better late than never! This year we have purple tomatillos. Look for fruits that have split the husk with a deep
purple color. Ground cherries are ripe once they fall on the ground. What hot peppers are ready? The Jalapeños are still green but may be picked this way. Bulgarian Carrot should be
bright orange when picked. Matchbox and Cayenne turn fully red when ripe.
Potato & Squash harvest days
Help us harvest this year’s potato crop! The date is Thursday, September 7th, time is to be determined. We will send an email out with the exact time. Squash harvest day will tentatively be the following Thursday.
-Aaron
Baked Chicken with cherry tomatoes and garlic
2 lbs bone in skin on thighs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dry
1.Place thighs in casserole dish and sprinkle with salt, leaving a little room in between.
2.Preheat oven to 375.
3.Halve the cherry tomatoes, and toss with garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
4.Nestle cherry tomatoes in between chicken thighs. Leave skin exposed so it can brown. Lay sprigs of rosemary over the tomatoes.
5.Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and skim off excess fat. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
recipe from simplyrecipes.com
Braised green beans with tomatoes
5 tbsp olive oil
1 onion halved and sliced
1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise on the bias
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken or veg broth
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
In a large skillet or pot, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add all other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and
then simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until beans are very tender, 18-20 minutes. Stir in
remaining oil and season.
from marthastewart.com
"the air is different today
the wind sings with a new tone
sighing of changes
coming
the harvest gathered
a flower, a nut
some mead, and bread
a candle and a prayer
returning the fruits
in thanksgiving
to the grove
and receiving
its blessing
again"
- Rhawk, Alban Elfed
Vegetables
Cucumbers or Eggplant
Scallions
Tomatoes
Green Beans
Potatoes
Peppers
Cantaloupe /Watermelon
Lettuce
Corn
Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Borage, Lemon Basil, Basil, Lemongrass
Flowers
Yarrow, Calendula, Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome,
Zinnia, Pincushion Flower, Dahlia