CSA Update

It's truly fall! The chestnuts are falling at a rapid rate. You will see them listed on the board as a Pick Your Own item. When you pick the chestnuts, you do need to take them home and roast them, boil them or freeze them for later use. If you leave them to sit out on your counters, you will become inundated with tiny little worms! Apparently there's a little wasp that lays eggs in the chestnut flowers in July and the nuts and prickly husk form around the eggs. In late September, the husks open and the nuts fall to the ground. If they sit there for an extended time, the eggs inside hatch and little white worms emerge to carry on the wasps' life cycle. Quite the science lesson, but not really what you want to witness on your kitchen counter!

If you choose to roast the chestnuts, simple take a sharp knife and cut an "X" in the flat side for the shell (to prevent them from exploding), then put them in the oven. You can also boil them in salted water for about 20 minutes. Then, you will need to peel them! A bit time consuming, but well worth the effort!! Search the internet at www.badgersett.com for chestnut recipes.

 

A classic recipe is chestnut stuffing for Thanksgiving. Yes, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Ben is now offering his delicious pastured turkeys. Turkeys less than 15 pounds cost $3.80 per pound. Any turkey over 15 pounds costs $3.65 per pound. Turkeys will be delivered FRESH either Friday 11/20/09 or Monday 11/23/09. He will also have frozen turkeys in time for the Christmas season (but more about that later!). There will be a sign up sheet in the barn- please write your name, the weights you would prefer and the pick up day. You need to order the turkeys by November 9^th.

 

 

Sunday October 4^th, 6 pm Maysie's Farm Harvest Full Moon Pot Luck Dinner. This is our last get together of the season. Sunday is slated to be a beautiful day- join us for the potluck and bonfire under the full moon! Hope to see you there!

 

Welcome to our two new interns- Meghan Morris and Nate Ela. We're looking forward to having them here- please stop by to meet them when you pick up your food!

 

 

RECIPE:

Celery Root (or celeriac) is an edible root vegetable in the celery family. It may not look pretty, but is delicious when roasted, braised, put in soups or mashed. It can also be sliced very thinly and eaten raw.

Celery root needs to be peeled before cooking. The leaves are not very edible, as the plant puts most of its energy into producing the root. Celery root can be used in any recipe that calls for celery.

Below is a recipe for a celery root salad with apples and walnuts:

Celery Root and Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts
serves 4 to 6

2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 medium red delicious apples, cored and cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress leaves
dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine the celery root and apple in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss with the green onion and watercress. Whisk the vinegar, mustard seed, mustard, honey and oil until well combined. Toss with the celery root mixture. Taste for salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts.

 

 

 

See you around the farm!

Annmarie and Sam

 

 

Think Globally, Eat Locally
Maysie's Farm Conservation Center
15 St. Andrew's Lane Glenmoore, PA 19343
(610)458-8129 www.maysiesfarm.org