It was a nice day for harvest – predictably chilly in the morning, but nice patches of a beautiful Fall sun to keep the cheer. I’m sure you all notice, but the cool season is obvious when looking at the baskets: roots, sprouts, and a few cool-hardy leaves for good measure.

Root-wise, we’re getting close to the end of the carrots now. I think the yield was quite good, considering the hurdles they faced! Still, we don’t have enough to store a barrel of them for the winter. Perhaps next year…

Also, Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes). Still a pain to harvest, but that nutty taste and crunchy texture make up for it. I hope you tried Catherine’s recipe for the sunchoke sandwich…!

We didn’t quite have enough of tatsoi or summer turnips, so we split them. They are similar in usage, though.

So, what’s the deal with all those sprouts? Stephanie’s initiative with the sunflower sprouts is producing amazing results. My own mung sprouts (aka the ubiquitous bean sprouts in stir-fries and such) and alfalfa/clover/fenugreek/dill mix have made their way into the baskets. I had a batch going with broccoli and such (actually, mixed brassica) but it wasn’t looking as appetizing as it should – off to the chickens it went.

Also, we sent along assorted winter squash, since we didn’t have loads of any one kind. There are delicatas, buttercups, butternuts, acorns, pumpkins, etc…

In other news, intense discussions are under way for next year’s plans. We’ll have to either increase the CSA segment quite a bit, or reduce it and develop our presence at the farmer’s market (or get a haircut and get a REAL job). Tough call! Farming seldom pays enough for such extravagances as mortgages and car payments…

…And yet, first seed catalog we get in the winter, with the cold winds howling, and we get all soft about vegetables and dirty fingernails.

cat, harvest, Stephanie, sun