• 2 acorn squash
• 1 butternut squash
• 1-2 spaghetti squash
• 1 orange cauliflower
• 1 bag of salad mix
• 1 bag of sweet potatoes
• 1 bag of bok choy
• 4 peppers, one of each color

This was a fabulous CSA season. We survived hurricane Irene as well as a a number of weeks with many successive rainy days having overcast windless days in between. The effect on the crops was devastating. Despite the elements, Patti and Al managed to deliver a respectable bounty each week. This was definitely a challenging year to be a farmer!

Although the CSA is over, the farm stand at Sport Hill Farm remains open throughout the Fall.

Week 19

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 3 peppers
• 1 bag of broccoli
• 2 eggplants
• 2 leeks
• 1 bag of lettuce mix
• 1/2 dozen ears of white sweet corn (end of the season treat)

Week 20

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 buttercup squash
• 2 leeks
• 2 peppers
• 2 bok choy
• 1 lettuce mix
• 2 tomatoes
• hot peppers (optional)

Sadly, there is only one more week left of our CSA. I’ve been putting some food by and so will be enjoying the Sport Hill Farm bounty in the dark days.

• 1 bag of red potatoes
• 1 bunch of baby beets and with tops
• 1 acorn squash
• 3 bell peppers
• 1 bag of lettuce mix (Boston Bibb and Mizuna)
• 1 watermelon
• 1 bag of green beans
• 2 tomatoes

The last watermelon. Sigh.

Quite a respectable yield, considering the weather we’ve been having. The remaining weeks likely will reflect the impact that excessive rain, along with very little sun or wind can have on plants. Already Patti tells us the broccoli was a casualty. This is the fun of a CSA—chancing it along with the farmer. You never know what’s going to happen. Even with all the damage that weather’s done to our food stores and crops, we’ve fared better here than some of those in other parts of the country. All in all, we’ve done pretty well for ourselves this year.

Further on in my Saturday forage I scored a Maitake mushroom! Local mushrooms are pretty scarce in these parts, with the majority of growers dealing directly with restaurants. But I was lucky enough to be shopping at Holbrook Farm while their mycologist was paying a call!

The perfect dinner to celebrate the Maitakes:

• Maitake from Holbrook Farm
• pan-seared beef tenderloin from Stuarts Family Farm
• kale, sauteed with garlic, both from Sport Hill Farm
• purple potatoes from Riverbank Farm

Yummm…

• 1 bag of green beans
• 1 bag of potatoes
• 1 watermelon
• 1 eggplant
• 2 leeks
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 peppers
• 1 zucchini
• 1 bunch of kale

Looking forward to some more camponata, giambotta, or ratatouille.

• 1 watermelon
• 1 bag of green beans
• 2 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 1 bag of tomatoes (including Sam Marzanos and garlic)
• 2 heirloom tomatoes
• 1 bunch kale

It’s all good.

• 1 bag of Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 bag of green beans
• 1 honey dew melon
• 3 peppers
• 1 head of heirloom Deer Tongue lettuce
• 2 red tomatoes
• 1 heirloom yellow Brandywine tomato
• 1 bunch of collards

Quite a nice collection, weather notwithstanding. Now we rebuild.

Here’s the bounty from week 13 of my Sport Hill Farm CSA:

• 2 zucchini
• 1 bag of potatoes
• 1 bag of string beans
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 small sweet peppers
• 1 [huge] bell pepper
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 bunch of Tuscan kale
• 1 honeydew melon
• 2 eggplant

Nice to have fresh food again after Irene!

• 1/2 dozen ears of corn
• 1 bag of potatoes
• 1 bag of sweet onions
• 6 sweet Bianca peppers
• 1 cantaloupe
• 1 bag of cherry tomatoes (mix-n-match)
• 6-8 red or orange tomatoes (mix-n-match)
• 1 yellow brandywine heirloom tomato
• 1 bunch of kale (bonus/optional)

I’ve learned a fabulous new way to cook corn (soon to be featured in another post). I’m particularly looking forward to that cantaloupe. Al picked the first two last week and I swiped one immediately. It was delicious, refreshing, and everything else you want a cantaloupe to be. The cherry tomatoes are in the dehydrator as we speak, becoming “sun-dried.” I can and do eat tomato salads every day, and that’s what’s in store for the rest of the tomatoes. I’m thrilled to have another bunch of the Toscano kale. Kale is one of the nutrient super foods and this is my favorite variety of kale.

Here’s the bounty from week 11 (redux) of my Sport Hill Farm CSA:

• 1/2 dozen ears of sweet corn
• 2 summer squash
• 1 eggplant (purple or white, taste the same)
• 1 cucumber
• 2 peppers (purple or Bianca)
• 1 small bag of cherry tomatoes
• 6 big beef tomatoes
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 bag of garlic

Once again, a lot of food. Note that the kale is the Toscano kale (also known as cavolo nero, lacinato, or dinosaur kale). It is my favorite kale and as far as I’m concerned, it shouldn’t even be grouped with the other kales! Interestingly, this kale is sweeter after the first frost. Seems a long way off, doesn’t it?

Looks a little like Christmas.

• 1 dozen ears of corn on the cob (More niblets for the Dark Days. Although I blanch it first,  I hear you can freeze it raw—on or off the cob.)
• 1 brown paper bag of red tomatoes (I’ve been making lots of simple tomato salads: sliced with some basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle of salt. Refreshing and delicious.)
• 1 bag of cherry tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• 3 peppers, Bianca bells, I believe
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 bunch of collard greens (I don’t have any experience with collards to speak of and I’m thinking about using Paula Dean’s recipe.)