Helsing Junction Farm Newsletter Archive

Greetings from Helsing Junction Farm!

It’s hard to believe that the last week of CSA delivery is upon us! We will be glad to be done with the stress of harvesting, packing and delivering 800 weekly boxes, but at the same time we will miss the amazing food, camaraderie and good weather. We are making headway through the last of our fall chores, having learned the hard way to make hay while the sun shines…We planted over 15,000 row feet of garlic last Friday. We are growing 2 types for the 2010 season, the easy-peel red we grew this year called Musik and a white soft neck called Silver Rose that is a better keeper than the red. We planted 400 pounds more garlic than last year in order to compensate for rot, of which there was sadly a lot. Planting garlic is easy if not a little monotonous. You simply break a head of garlic into cloves and then plant each clove pointy side up (and repeat 15,000 times). Garlic stays in the ground from October to July, almost 10 months in all, before it is harvested and cured.

Our cover crop is all seeded as well, except for the perennial type which will be planted on ground that we’re going to fallow for the next few years. On that ground we will be planting a cover crop that attracts and sustains beneficial insects and pollinators. The rain this week will make our cover crop germinate, hopefully before the crows eat it all! We planted winter gray oats and Austrian field peas, which will grow through the winter and then be turned under by the plow in the spring to fertilize next year’s ground. Cover crops are a necessity in our flood prone area. They help to stabilize and anchor topsoil as well as providing nutrients for all of the microorganisms that live in the soil. Adding green manures to the soil is an important part of maintaining soil fertility. Cover crops provide nitrogen and improve the soil’s tilth. We didn’t realize that we were having such a problem with compaction until we opened up ground that had been fallow for awhile and could see how much more obviously fluffy it was than the ground next to it that had row crops on it for the last few years. With help from Jeff Swotek from the NRCS we took a soil probe out to the field and began testing areas for soil compaction. Jeff has shown us several ways to work on this issue, leguminous cover crops being an important first step.

We did a bunch of gleaning last Thursday with 4th and 5th graders from Lincoln School in Olympia. They harvested over 1,500 pounds of carrots, green beans, corn and tomatoes and had a great time doing it. Between harvesting for you and the hard work of the Thurston County Gleaners we have harvested almost every last edible plant on the farm, a very satisfying feeling. When we think back to the old days when we used to do a lot of wholesaling the amount of waste was staggering.

Account Balance for 2009 Season:
Please try to finish making your CSA payments by the end of this month. If you have any questions about your balance, please feel free to contact us at (360) 273-2033 or e-mail us at helsingfarm@msn.com.

Please have all empty boxes returned to your drop site by Monday October 19th.
We will be returning the week of October 19th with the truck to pick up all the empty boxes. To save yourself a trip, bring some empty bags to the drop site and leave your box there. We take our truck out of commission for the winter and we don’t want the people who host the drop sites to be stuck with the empty boxes!

In the works for next year:
We realized this year that the small amount of wholesaling we were doing was cutting into our ability to fallow land and grow more variety for our CSA, so we have decided not to do any wholesaling for the 2010 season and instead to focus solely on our CSA. We will also work on completing some projects that will help improve our farming practice. As mentioned above, we have been working with the USDA/NRCS to improve the health of our soil and to add a composting facility to the farm. They have helped us more carefully monitor and document our water usage in a crop specific manner and do some soil testing/interpret the results.

Our other project in the works for 2010 season is to do some seed saving. We went to a seed saving workshop in Port Townsend a few weeks ago that was hosted by the Seed Savers Alliance and was very informative. We plan on getting a lot of our seed for the 2010 season from Wild Garden Seed which sells seed grown in the Northwest specifically for fresh market growers. They have a lot of cool varieties that we are excited to try like rainbow carrots and heirloom lettuce. We are also going to add an extra greenhouse this winter so that we can grow Brassica starts in order to have more early Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts in the boxes next year. We are also planning on adding more eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and spring greens for the 2010 season as well. We will be sending out more sign-up info and a survey in 2 weeks, which you can use to place your vote for the things you liked or didn’t like the most. We would really love to get your opinion!

A lot of you have been asking about how to sign up for next year and secure your spot for the 2010 season. Anyone who was a member this year has first priority. By joining early, you are helping us to buy seeds, pay winter bills and plan for next year, thank you!

Early membership discounts for 2010 Season:
Early membership discounts are only available to current members. The deadline this year is November 15th, 2009. We will be sending out more early sign-up info for the 2010 season in the next several weeks.

Large shares:
Pay in full before November 15th, 2009 and receive a 5% discount; you would pay $632.50 instead of $665.

Small shares:
Pay in full by November 15th, 2009 and receive a 5% discount, you would pay $442.50 instead of $465.

Bulk & Storage Shares:
Bulk and Storage shares will be available again for $50 each next year. You may also order these shares in lieu of flowers for next year as well.

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This Week's Shares

Tuesday’s small shares contain:
1 pie pumpkin
2# fingerling potatoes (Ozette is the variety)
2 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
3# carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch cilantro
2# Asian pears

Wednesday’s small shares may contain:
1 pie pumpkin
2# fingerling potatoes (Ozette is the variety)
2 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
2# purple carrots
1# orange carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch cilantro
2# Asian pears

Thursday’s small shares may contain:
1 pie pumpkin
1 winter squash
2# potatoes
1 head savoy cabbage
2-3 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
2# purple carrots
2# orange carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
2# Asian pears


Tuesday’s large shares contain:
1 pie pumpkin
1 kabocha squash
2# fingerling potatoes (Ozette is the variety)
3 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 red cabbage
2 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
3# carrots
1# purple carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch cilantro
2# Asian pears

Wednesday’s large shares may contain:
1 pie pumpkin
1 kabocha squash
2# fingerling potatoes (Ozette is the variety)
3 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 red cabbage
2 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
1# carrots
2# purple carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch cilantro
2# Asian pears

Thursday’s large shares may contain:
1 pie pumpkin
1 winter squash
2# potatoes
3-4 leeks
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 cauliflower
2 kohlrabi
1 rutabaga
2# carrots
2# purple carrots
2 lettuces
1 escarole
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
2# Asian pears

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Recipes

Escarole Pizza with Proscutto, Pine Nuts and Smoked Mozzarella:
-Buy or make the dough for 1 large pizza. Roll it out so it fits a 9-inch pizza pan.
-Heat 3 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 1 head of chopped escarole.
-Cook stirring constantly until escarole has just wilted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
-Wipe out the skillet and add another tsp of oil. Add 2 TBS pine nuts and heat until golden, about 4 min.
-Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Brush the pizza dough with some oil. Spread the escarole out on the dough and bake for 10 min.
-Then sprinkle with 2 ounces sliced proscutto, the pine nuts and 1 cup grated smoked mozzarella.
-Bake for another 2-5 min. Garnish with chopped Kalamata olives and Parmesan.

Roasted Root Vegetables:
-Position 1 rack in the bottom third of your oven and 1 rack in the center of the oven.
-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 large heavy baking pans.
-Peel and cut into 1-inch pieces any of the following, carrots, kohlrabi, leeks, beets, potatoes, winter squash and rutabaga.
-Unpeel 1 head of garlic, leaving the cloves whole.
-In a large bowl combine all the vegetables except the garlic. Toss with ¼ cup olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh or dried rosemary.
-Divide the vegetables between the baking sheets and roast for 30 minutes.
-Stir, add the garlic, and then reverse the baking sheets in the oven.
-Continue to roast until all vegetables are tender and brown, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes more.

Winter Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts:
-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-Peel, seed and cut 1 winter squash into 1-inch cubes.
-Place the squash cubes on a baking tray and coat with 2 TBS olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt and some pepper.
-Roast until just tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally for about 35 minutes.
-Meanwhile, melt 3 TBS butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
-Add 2 sliced leeks, 1 tsp dried sage, salt and pepper.
-Sauté until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes.
-Coat an 11x7-inch baking dish with 1 TBS butter.
-Spread half the leek mixture over the bottom of the baking dish and then when finished roasting, spread half of the squash over the leeks.
-Crumble up a 5.5-ounce log of chevre goat cheese and sprinkle half over the leeks/squash in the baking dish.
-Repeat layering of leeks/squash/goat cheese.
-Pour 1 cup of heavy cream over the gratin. Sprinkle with ½ cup toasted chopped hazelnuts.
-Bake uncovered until gratin is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Scalloped Potatoes with Artichokes, Leeks, Endive and Fontina Cheese:
-Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
-Slice 2# potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices using your food processor.
-Slice up 2 leeks and wash thoroughly in a colander with a bowl underneath until all dirt is removed.
-Melt 2 TBS butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
-Add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp dried rosemary and cook for 30 seconds then add in 1 head of finely chopped endive and cook until just wilted.
-Add the potatoes and leeks, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, one 4 ounce jar drained artichoke hearts and 2 bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
-Cover and reduce heat, simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
-Transfer the potato mixture to a greased 8 by 8 baking dish, and sprinkle with 1 cup grated Fontina cheese.
-Bake until top is golden, about 30-40 minutes. Let potatoes cool 10 minutes before serving.

Escarole with Garlic and Anchovies:
From a recipe by Mario Batali.
-Wash and spin dry 1 head of escarole cut into ½ inch wide ribbons.
-Thinly slice 4 cloves of fresh garlic.
-Heat a 10-12 inch sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot.
-Add 2 TBS olive oil, 3 rinsed anchovy fillets and the sliced garlic. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 1 minute.
-Add the escarole and cook stirring constantly until wilted, about 5 minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with ½ lemon squeezed overtop and some grated Parmesan if desired.

Pearl Barley Pilaf with Root Vegetables:
-Bring 2 cups broth and 1.5 tsp salt to boil in medium saucepan.
-Mix in 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed, drained.
-Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain barley.
-Peel and chop into small cubes until you have 1.5 cups, any of the following: rutabaga, delicata squash, carrot or gold beets.
-Dice then sauté 4-6 strips of bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp.
-Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot.
-Add 1 chopped leek; stir 30 seconds. Add cubed vegetables and sauté 10-12 minutes until vegetables are soft.
-Add barley, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, some finely chopped cilantro and a pinch of dried rosemary; stir 2 minutes.
-Mix in bacon; season with salt and pepper.

Cabbage, Leek and White Bean Soup with Sausage:
-Cut 4 fully cooked chicken-apple sausages in half the long way and then cut into ½ inch slices.
-Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat then add the sausages and sauté until brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.
-Thinly slice some Napa cabbage until you have about 4-5 cups.
-Add it to the sausage and sauté 2 minutes. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl.
-Cut 2 leeks in half the long way. Wash well between layers and then chop into ¼-inch thick slices.
-Peel and then chop 1 bunch of carrots into thin rounds.
-Add 2 more TBS olive oil to the pot, add the leeks and carrots, cook for about 5 minutes stirring often.
-Add 2 TBS tomato paste concentrate, 4 TBS chopped fresh cilantro, 3-5 cloves chopped fresh garlic and 1 TBS chopped rosemary (dried works too).
-Let cook for 1 minute more, then add 8 cups chicken broth and 1-15 ounce can of drained cannellini beans.
-Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Leek, Potato and Cheddar Frittata:
-Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
-Dice up 1-2 smallish potatoes into small cubes.
-In a large skillet sauté the potatoes in about 1 TBS butter for 5-7 minutes until beginning to brown.
-Add 1 leek and 2 cloves of chopped garlic and sauté for about 4 minutes more.
-In a large bowl beat 6 eggs, 1 TBS water and a pinch of salt.
-Add the vegetables to the eggs and stir to combine.
-Cut 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese into small cubes and then stir into the eggs.
-Clean out the skillet and add 1 TBS butter.
-When the pan is hot, add the eggs. Immediately turn off the heat and put the pan in the oven.
-Cook for about 15 minutes until eggs are just set. Do not over cook the eggs.

Frizzled Leeks:
-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-Cut 2-3 leeks in half the long way leaving most of the greens and clean them thoroughly under running water.
-Slice the leeks lengthwise into long thin strips (not rounds).
-Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a large skillet and fry the leeks for 5 minutes over medium high heat, stirring frequently.
-Transfer the leeks to a baking pan, spread them out and bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until done.
-Watch them closely so they don’t burn, but they should get very crispy.
-Sprinkle with salt and let cool. Serve the leeks as a side or crumbled on to salad or soup.

Lacinato Kale Caesar:
-Take the remove the stems from 1 bunch of Lacinato kale and cut the leaves into small pieces.
-Place in a salad bowl and add 2 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press, 1-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil and toss well.
-Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and lots of freshly grated black pepper and toss again, then add the juice of 1 lemon and toss.
-Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Sautéed Kohlrabi:
-Grate 2 kohlrabi, place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to drain.
-Heat 1TBS butter over medium heat and add 1 medium diced onion.
-Sauté for a few minutes and then stir in kohlrabi, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes.

Kohlrabi with Horseradish:
-Peel 2 kohlrabi and cut into matchsticks.
-Steam until tender, 5-8 minutes and then put in a bowl.
-Add 2 TBS sour cream, a little horseradish, a pinch of dried dill and salt and pepper to taste.

Golden Beet and Carrot Soup:
-Peel and cube 2-3 golden beets and 4-5 carrots.
-Chop up 1 onion or 1 leek. Mince up 4 TBS of fresh ginger and finely grate 1 TBS of lemon peel.
-Melt 2 TBS butter with 2 TBS olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
-Add the beets, carrots and onions/leeks to the butter along with the ginger and the lemon peel. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
-Add 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until beets are very tender, about ½ hour.
-Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes. Puree soup in blender until smooth.
-Return to pot, add 1 TBS fresh lemon juice and thin with more broth if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie:
You can freeze any remaining pumpkin puree for use in later pies. This recipe is yummy and easier than it sounds.
For the pumpkin: Cut 1 pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut-side down on a rimmed cookie sheet.
-Bake at 350 degrees until pumpkin is very soft, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool and then scoop out the inside.
-Puree in a blender until very smooth, adding the juice from the cookie sheet if necessary to make s smooth paste.
For the piecrust: Put 1 cup of white flour in a medium sized bowl.
-Add ½ stick frozen grated butter and stir to mix.
-Add 1 TBS canola oil and 1/8 cup of water.
-Very gently stir/knead to get the dough to stick together (do not over-mix). Lightly flour a counter top.
-Pat the dough into a circle and then begin rolling out the dough so it is large enough to fit a 9- inch pie pan (keep adding a little more flour and turning the dough over so it doesn’t stick).
-Lay the dough in the pie pan and fold the edges over to make the edge of the crust even.
For the pie: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-Bring 1½ cups half-and-half to a boil and then remove from heat.
-Combine ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger, 1½ cups pumpkin puree and 3 whole beaten eggs.
-Add the half-and–half and then pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake for 40 minutes.
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Helsing Junction Farm
12013 Independence Road, Rochester, WA 98579 | (360)273-2033
helsingfarm@msn.com | www.helsingfarmcsa.com

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