Turtle Times

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Vol. 16, No. 22, October 4th, ‘11    319-331-2367 (Ben) 278-4522 or 577-9208 (Angela)

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Rain:  None

In the Box . . .

 

Winter Squash: ‘Winter Luxury’ pumpkin or ‘Spaghetti’

Cabbage: ‘Storage #4’

            Or

Broccoli: ‘Arcadia’

Beets: ‘Lutz’

Leeks: ‘Blue de Solaize’ or ‘King Richard’

Kale: ‘Red Russian’

 

 

Ala Carte Items:

Rosemary, thyme, ($1 each) and potted Rosemary Plants ($5 each)

Free (upon request):  sage  

Please email Angela to request the ala carte and free items (angela@turtle-farm.com).

 

Farm Update

 

Your brassica crops (cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) have been growing very well this season.  As some of you may remember from last season’s Oct. share, black rot made an appearance and really devastated the brassicas.  It was very disappointing to me because, honestly, Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite fall veggies.  This season (because of last year) I have watched your brassica crops and was fearful that a new “pest” had found them.  I showed a researcher (doing an experiment at Turtle Farm) my new found “pest” and discovered that it was actually beneficial and a testimony to the diversity we all are supporting at Turtle Farm.  It turns out what I was seeing were “aphid mummies”.  These mummies were created by black wasps that lay an egg in each aphid.  Once they hatch, they inhabit the aphid just like the Trachid wasps do to a tomato horn worm (there is a picture on the website of an affected tomato horn worm).  So this “new-found pest” I saw on your cabbage leaves were actually the former “homes” of wasp larvae.  There is a neat (possibly gruesome) video from National Geographic at: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/animals/bugs-animals/bees-and-wasps/wasp_parasitic.html .

 

October share:  If you have an October share, look for two boxes this week (Oct. 4 or Oct. 7) unless you are a “B” week. Starting Oct. 11, everyone will pick up their October shares on Tuesdays.  Those who normally pick up on Fridays will have a change in their pickup site to the Tuesday sites.  So starting Oct. 11 and continuing through Oct. 25th, here are the Tuesday pickup sites for everyone who does not pick up at the farm:

Des Moines      680 Harwood

W. Des Moines 1055—21st St.

Urbandale        4120—79th St.

Johnston          7260 NW 58th St.

 

 

 

Recipes (from Angela)

 

This time last year, my husband, John, and I had just returned from a trip to Italy.  The recipes that I found for this week both have ties to that trip.  The first calls for orecchiette, a type of pasta that looks like ears.  I think you can use other pastas if you don’t want to go out and purchase it.  Our last Italy stop for our return flight was Genoa, and we found so many shapes and types of pasta there, it was more than my luggage could handle, but orecchiette was among them.  The second recipe calls for saffron.  We stayed at an organic farm in Tuscany that grew saffron, although it wasn’t in season when we were there, since it’s the stigmas from crocus flowers that bloom in the spring.  Needless to say, affordable amounts of this expensive herb/spice did not stretch the luggage.  Both recipes are from Asparagus to Zucchini MACSAC.

 

Orecchiette with Pumpkin, Pecans, and Shallot Sage Brown Butter

5-6 oz orecchiette pasta                                               3 c. cubed, cooked pumpkin

6-8 T. butter                                                     salt and pepper to taste

3 T. finely schopped shallots                           ½ c. chopped, toasted pecans (350 degrees,

2 tsp. minced garlic                                                      6-10 minutes)

2 T minced fresh sage                                      freshly grated Parmesan

 

Cook pasta in lots of boiling salted water until tender.  Meanwhile, heat butter over medium flame in large skillet.  Add shallots, garlic, and sage; cook until butter just begins to brown.  Reduce heat to low and stir in pumpkin.  Add salt and pepper.  Drain pasta; toss with pumpkin and pecans.  Serve immediately with freshly ground parmesan.  Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Winter  Squash, Leek, and Saffron Risotto

5-6 c. chicken stock                             1 ½ c. Arborio rice

½ tsp. saffron threads, pulverized        2/3 c. dry white wine

3 T. olive oil                                        2-3 c. cooked, pureed winter squash

½-1 c. finely chopped leeks                 ¾-1 c. grated Parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese

(white and pale green parts only)         salt and pepper

 

Bring stock and saffron to a simmer in saucepan.  Heat olive oil in large, heavy saucepan. Add leeks; cook over medium-low heat until softened, several minutes.  Raise heat to medium-high and stir in rice.  Keep stirring rice 1-2 minutes, then add wine.  Stir and cook until nearly all the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Add two ladlefuls hot stock (enough to barely cover the rice); stir frequently until most is absorbed.  Continue to add stock a ladleful at a time and stir very frequently until nearly absorbed.  Risotto is done when rice is barely tender and mixture is creamy; this should take 25-35- minutes.  (Adjust heat if rice is absorbing liquid too quickly.)  Stir in squash during last 10 minutes.  Fold in most of the grated cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately, with a little more cheese on top of each serving.  Makes 6-8 servings.