CSA ~ September 28, 2023
Weekly Shares
PICK-UP THURSDAYS BETWEEN 4-7PM
WEEKLY PICK-UP DATES
September 28
If you realize you can't make it during pick up time, please let us know and we will gladly
arrange a Friday pick up. Call 330-549-9408 if you need to contact us about your share.
Happy CSA Day!
Can you believe it's the final one of 2023???
Remember, please contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns. Your feedback helps us make the best CSA possible. Plus, we love to hear how you use your share contents!
SO...
- Do you have any favorite ways to use any share items?
- Did you find a new recipe that you love?
- Have you created a dish you are excited about?
- What was your favorite item this CSA season?
- What should we try to plant for 2024?
IN THIS WEEK'S SHARE
Homemade Applesauce (NOT canned, please refrigerate)
Tomatoes (small & large)
Bell Peppers
Mexican Gherkin Cucumbers
Pie Pumpkin
Buttercup Squash
Tomatillos
Raw Sunflower Seeds
Bouquet of Flowers
Bonus Item: Choose one when you get here: Peas, Okra, Brussels Sprouts, Turnips, Rhubarb
Dried Herbs: Choose one when you get here: Lemon Balm, Thyme, Sage
Number of crops ready and amount of harvest varies throughout the season. We pledge to provide at least six items each week. If we have crop issues, we'll supplement with produce from local farms. Some weeks will include value added items like Jungle Jam, Salsa, and more.
Basket Note ~ Several people asked last week about what to do with the basket.
Please feel free to stop here anytime and drop it off, inside or outside. OR, bring a bag today to put your stuff in rather than taking a basket home with you. OR, hold on to it and bring it back with you when you come to pick up the first share in 2024!
RECIPES & TIPS
Applesauce
One thing that is particularly tasty is to use applesauce as a topping for ice cream, and it couldn't be easier! Just heat 1/2 cup applesauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Once it's warm, spoon over vanilla ice cream. Wan to to go all in? Toast some pecans or walnuts and add to the top. Yum!
Buttercup Squash
Buttercup squash plants (Cucurbita maxima) are heirlooms native to the Western Hemisphere. They are a type of kabocha winter squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, and can be stored for a long time due to their hard rinds. As the name would suggest, the flesh cooks up with a sweet buttery flavor. Store this winter squash in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location where no freezing temperatures are expected. Buttercup squashes become sweeter with a few weeks of storage. You can store the fruit for up to four months. Source: Gardening Know How
If you have any apples left from last week, squash and apples make excellent partners in many recipes! In the links below there is at least one apple stuffed buttercup squash recipe.
Pie Pumpkin
Pie pumpkins are awesome because you can use them in a delicious recipe or just use them for decorating - so no pressure, it will have a wonderful purpose either way! Plus, a pie pumpkin in your share gets you some extremely cool pumpkin pie facts!
Did you know that the pilgrims did NOT necessarily eat pumpkin pie at the first Thanksgiving? Many sources say that pumpkin pie was not introduced until the SECOND Thanksgiving in 1623, although pumpkins were always a staple of the Native American diet. (It’s even said that Native Americans fed pumpkin to their horses.) Did you know that the FIRST pumpkin pies were actually WHOLE BAKED PUMPKINS stuffed with assorted spices and apples? Did you know 50 million pumpkin pies are baked every year?
Raw Sunflower Seeds
Here are two slightly different techniques that you could use to produce a savory sunflower snack to enjoy. (Or you could leave them raw and put them out for your feathered friends!)
How to Roast and Store Fresh Sunflower Seeds
Although you can eat raw homegrown sunflower seeds right after harvesting, roasting the seeds enhances their flavor and makes the hulls easier to remove.
To roast sunflower seeds, spread out the fresh seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake them at 400°F for five minutes. After they are roasted, sunflower hulls should crack open easily, but if they’re still hard to open, roast the seeds at 2-minute intervals until the seeds are dry. Be careful not to overcook or brown the sunflower seeds, as this diminishes their flavor.
To roast and salt sunflower seeds, place 1 cup of raw sunflower seeds in a quart of water with 2 to 4 tablespoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil on the stove, turn down the heat, and simmer the seeds for 15 minutes. Drain the seeds, spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer, and bake them at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until they are dry.
Both raw and roasted sunflower seeds can be stored in air-tight containers in your pantry for about 2 to 3 months. For extended storage, keep sunflower seeds in your freezer, where they’ll stay fresh for a year. (Source: Better Homes & Gardens)
Recipe For Roasted Sunflower Seeds
- Soak seeds in a mixture of 6 cups water and ¼ cup salt overnight. If you prefer unsalted seeds, omit the salt and soak seeds in water. If you don’t have the time to soak overnight, bring water, salt, and seeds to a boil on the stove, then turn down to a simmer and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Run them through a strainer (don’t rinse them), and pick out all of the sunflower bits.
- Dry the seeds on a layer of newspaper and paper towels for several hours before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the seeds are slightly browned and fragrant.
- They're ready to eat! For more flavor, sprinkle spices or drizzle olive oil. Store the seeds in an airtight container for weeks. Enjoy!
- Source: American Meadows
A Peek Into CSA Prep
The final pick-up of the year sure came fast! We will very much miss seeing your faces and chatting each week! Your support of GG means the world to us. Thank you! By being a part of our CSA family and telling people about our program, you help us to keep growing goodness here in Northeast Ohio. We sure hope to see you next season!
Keep an eye out for an email with CSA 2024 information. Since some folks used a share as a Christmas gift last year, we will be sure to have the info out during the shopping season!
Contact Info
Email: jlynch02@gmail.com
Website: https://www.goodnessgrows4all.org/
Location: 2310 W South Range Rd North Lima OH 44452
Phone: 330-549-9408
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodnessGrows4all/