NEWSLETTERS

McDougal’s Farm LLC

What’s Growing On !

Yes an EOW week

October 14th, 2021

Farm News

This is the last veggie delivery for the season

When you pick up this week, you are going to notice something new. We packed your veggies in boxes this week because of the weight. The standard shares will be in a “white” box and the large share will be in a “brown” box. They will also be marked with stickers like usual. These boxes are heavy weight, coated in wax to hold moisture and are great for storing veggies. These are yours to keep…no need to return.

At the end of every season we take a little time to look back and re-evaluate the year. Compared to last year, this year was a walk in the park, but nevertheless, like every year, there are lessons to be learned… and this year was no exception. This year we learned;

• Plan all you want, life is going to happen the way it is supposed to. Some of life’s best surprises are the ones that were never planned.
• Bobcats will take, and take, until the chicken coop is empty…. humans are really no different; plant a tree, conserve….confuse a bobcat.
• When planting late crops, calculate daylight hours, not days to maturity.
• Some of our most favorite things that have sprouted from/on this farm were not vegetables at allJ

A few of our favorites from past years:

• When it is a good mistake, act like it was intentional.
• Beat your own drum no matter how unique or ridiculous….your tribe will find you.
• Weeding increases your crop fivefold…same goes for weeding out in life. If it is stealing your energy, get rid of it.
• Listen to your gut….it is the closest thing to your heart.
• Simplifying is very complicated.
• When you are really tired and really dirty, if you smile big sometimes they don’t notice the rest….We would like to continue to believe this so please don’t tell us any difference.
• If you think you don’t have time to do something, do it anyway. You will be amazed how much you accomplish.
• The more you understand, the less you judge. The more tired and dirty you are, the less energy you have to judge. Conclusion: Don’t want to be judged? Hang out with dirty people…
• If you forgot the lesson learned, the lesson may be, to…. write… it…. down!
• Talk slowly, think quickly, and work even faster.
• Giving people more than they expect makes some happy, others suspicious.
• Broccoli may get stuck in your teeth but French fries get stuck in your ass- not the author but we do love this truth.

We will be sending out another newsletter soon with all the details regarding our “End of the Season, Bulk up Sale”. We haven’t had time to wrap our brains around it yet, but we will keep you in the loop.

Our work has taught us to appreciate a good pair of boots and a quality mattress maybe a little more than most, but we do believe we found a group of people that appreciate good food as much as we do! Hope your CSA experience was a good one. It has been a pleasure being your growers this summer. We are humbled, and honored to be trusted farmers…THANK YOU! Hope to see you again in the spring. Stay well!

Jerry and Maydene

What’s in the Bag/BOX

That is right, this week you get a box and when you open it you will understand why…actually, when you lift it, you will understand whyJ. It has lot of the heavy veggies in it this week from everything for Boiled Dinner to veggie soup, starting with green cabbage, Kennebec potatoes (good storing, great for frying), a bag of carrots, , a rutabaga, celery, onions, a bag of beets and romaine….and for dessert, a pie pumpkin and squash (mixed varieties) for dessert, whew!!…hope these boxes close. The large shares will also get a head of broccoli. Now we are really pushing the limit….enjoy the abundance!

Using squash to make pumpkin pie: Did you know that just about any winter squash can be substituted for pie pumpkin when making pumpkin pie? Matter of fact a lot of your canned pumpkin is squash. Bake your squash like you normally do, pie pumpkins are done the same…(wash, cut in half, remove seeds and bake face down on cookie sheet until you can pierce with a fork  and then scoop out the flesh)…but when you are going to use your squash for pie, soup or the following pumpkin torte recipe, after it is baked you want to put it in a food processor or use a Immersion blender (my first choice) to break up the fibers and smooth out the lumps before adding the rest of your ingredients. No time to make pies now? No problem…after blending it smooth, put it in freezer bags and throw it in the freezer. Keep in mind most recipes use 2 cups or 4 cups. You can even use this for pumpkin muffins later.

A family favorite from my sister…enjoy! Thanks for sharing Glenda

Glenda’s Pumpkin Tort

4 cups baked pumpkin or squash puree to smooth

¾-1 cup sugar (some squash is sweeter than others, so adjust)

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

4-6 eggs (I always use 6)

1 large can of evaporated milk

1 cup of milk

Crunchy topping: use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter into the dry cake mix

1 stick of butter

1 spice cake mix

Blend the top 10 ingredients to make a smooth batter. Pour into an ungreased 9” x 13” cake pan.

Sprinkle over batter the butter/spice cake mix mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and a butter knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool, chill and serve with a dabble of fresh whipping cream.

The following recipe gets a big thumbs up from Amy,… “It was delicious, so rich and creamy.  I think crispy onions or pumpkin seeds would be great on top.  Using a mixture of squash really added to the flavor.”- Amy…  thanks for sharing Amy!

Acorn Squash Soup from wellplated.com

• 3 whole acorn squash
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt plus additional to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon ground black or white pepper
• 6 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock plus additional as needed, divided
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme tied into a bundle
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan plus additional for serving (see notes to make vegan)

Crispy sage topping

• Canola oil
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• Kosher salt or flaky sea salt

 Bake the squash: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. For easy clean up, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. With a sharp, sturdy chef’s knife, carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the stringy core and seeds. Arrange the halves cut-sides up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Place in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges begin to wrinkle and the flesh is fork-tender. Set aside to cool, then scoop out and reserve the flesh.

In a large Dutch oven or similar sturdy soup pot, heat the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Once the butter has melted, add the carrots, shallot, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook until the shallot is beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes.

Pour ½ cup of the stock into the pan and stir to remove any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan (this is flavor!). Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the reserved squash, garlic, and honey. Cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant, and then stir in the remaining stock.

Add the thyme bundle and bay leaf. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a simmer. Let simmer gently for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed and stirring periodically.

Remove the thyme and bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (or you can transfer to a regular blender in batches and puree it that way; be careful as hot soup will splatter; return the soup to the pot). Stir in the sage, nutmeg, and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve hot with a sprinkle of additional Parmesan and crispy sage leaves (if using).

For the Crispy Sage (optional but great for a special occasion): In a small skillet, heat 1/8 inch of canola oil over medium high. When the oil is very hot, add the sage and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, turning the leaves to crisp them on both sides (be careful not to burn yourself). When the bubbling subsides, the leaves should be crisp. Carefully drain the sage onto a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle it with salt.