Fall 2025 CSA Newsletter - December 2, 2025 (Week 4)

Howdy Folks,

Well well, let it snow let it snow! Getting Tuesday's CSA boxes out this week made a whirlwind of a morning.  Our box truck got stuck going up the hill above the house.  So we gathered hands and shovels and gravel and away we went.  We laid down gravel in front of the tires to get it up the hills to the main road that was plowed.  The snow was coming down quickly and it was a cold job, but it went relatively quickly once we figured out what we would do.

Winter growing and delivering definitely has its mega challenges!  This is one of the reasons that we only go so far into the winter.  Like, we don’t go into winter.  Not even a bit this season.  Our last CSA shares will be delivered December 16, 17, & 18th and then our last farmers markets will be that weekend the 20th and 21st.  Then it’s break time, just as winter begins on December 21st with the winter solstice.  

We have taken two trips to the airport in these last few weeks to send home members of our harvest crew for their winter hiatus.  They come on an H2A Visa, which requires them to be in their home country for a certain amount of time before their return to work.  In the spirit of many of the guys you can see the gittiness in them, the culminating excitement for the return to their families and some long awaited down time.  Nine of our eleven harvest and pack crew have made their way home.  Only two remain, Andres & Jorge.  They will be helping Chris and I to harvest and pack shares for the remainder of the season.  It makes for a little bit of a busy end to the season for Chris and I, but then again it’s good to feel the pulse of the harvest and pack and the push of feeding as many folks as we are.  

Last night was the coldest night yet this fall.  We dipped dowm to 5.3º!  Burr!  The head lettuce survived in our big hoophouses under several layers of row cover.  The heat retention in our big houses is awesome!  Thank goodness, cuz there are a lot of crops in there yet, so folks live it up and eat local lettuce for another week!  This is the most tender crop that we have in our hoophouses yet, so this is what we were worried about the most.

Love and Light!  Enjoy great food with family and friends.

Your Farmers, Chris, Aeros and The Who Crew!

When picking up your share…

Please remember to fold down your boxes and place them with the others to help keep your pick up location tidy and organized.  This is a very different kind of box than your normal brown cardboard box, it’s a waxed produce box,  HERE IS A LINK TO A FACEBOOK PAGE VIDEO SHOWING YOU HOW TO OPEN AND FLATTEN THIS BOX.

IN YOUR BOX: 

All contents of your box are listed on your LABEL!  If your label says something other than you think it should, please don’t take something different, please contact the farm. Note: Texting is the fastest way to reach us.

Add On Shares:

Mushrooms: Oyster & Lions Mane

Oyster Mushrooms are commonly foraged mushrooms, and they are often described as “briny” or having a delicate seafood flavor. They have a dense, velvety texture. They are often sauteed or deep fried, or used as a pulled-pork replacement for vegetarians.

Lions Mane Mushrooms are large, white, and shaggy, resembling a lion's mane. It goes well mixed into soup, or brewed into tea. It is also delicious sauteed with garlic and herbs, and added to pasta or rice dishes. 

Cheese: Cheese: Goat Rodeo’s FRESH CHEVRE

Fresh Chevre “Our fresh Chèvre is smooth and creamy with notes of sun warmed fields and a hint of lemon. Spread on a fresh baguette and a great addition to any recipe.” 

Fruit:  Cameo

Cameo are an apple discovered growing in an orchard in Washington, their suspected parentage with Red and Golden Delicious!  They aren’t the sweetest.  They are a little tart.  They are a good apple that is best cooked. We like to cook them whole.  Take out the core put in a little butter and cinnamon, and bake until they are soft, then top with a little yogurt!  Yum!

FARM PICTURES

This is our crew that got the truck out.  Chris drove the truck while, Klinton, Andres, Aeros, Cedar and Cyan laid a path of gravel for the truck to get enough traction to make up the hills to the main road that was plowed. 

Snow covered farm!  Our compound is getting bigger!  Compared to the last snow covered farm image, now there are more buildings and some that were there before are now bigger with additions.

RECIPE IDEAS

Chicken Soup with Adzuki Beans, Escarole, and Sweet Potato

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ quarts chicken broth

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 cup dry adzuki beans

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice

• 2 onions, cut into large chunks

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon dried sage

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

• 1 zucchini, cubed

• 1 yellow squash, cubed

• ⅓ medium head escarole, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Step 1 -

Place the chicken broth in a large pot. Mix in the chicken thighs, adzuki beans, wild rice, onions, and garlic.  Season with sage, thyme, and rosemary.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for one hour.

Step 2 -

Remove chicken from the pot, shred with a fork, and set aside.

Step 3 -

Stir in the sweet potato.  Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the potato is slightly tender.  Mix in the zucchini, yellow squash, and escarole.  Continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Step 4 -

Return the shredded chicken to the pot.  Cook until heated through.   Increase the amount of broth if the soup seems too thick.

Watermelon Radish Toast

Adapted from thishealthytable.com

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of sourdough bread

• 1 watermelon radish, sliced into ¼-inch pieces

• 2-oz herbed goat cheese

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• Pinch of flaky sea salt and pepper

• Sprinkle of microgreens

Directions:

Step 1 -

Toast the bread.  Spread a layer of goat’s cheese onto both slices of bread then top with the watermelon radish slices.

Step 2 -

Drizzle the toast with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and microgreens.

Carrot Pie

Adapted from myforkinglife.com

Ingredients:

• 9-inch pie crust

• 4 cups carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Step 1 -

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2 -

Place the carrots in a large pan and cover with about 1-inch of water.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook the carrots for 10-15 minutes, until softened.  Remove from heat.

Step 3 -

Drain the carrots and add them to a food processor and process until smooth.

Step 4 -

Add condensed milk, eggs, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and salt.  Continue to process until smooth.

Step 4 -

Pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish.

Step 5 -

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the pie is set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least one hour before slicing.

Leftover Turkey Shepard’s Pie

Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

Ingredients:

Mashed Potatoes -

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Filling -

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 8-oz baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

• 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cups turkey or chicken broth, warm

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

• 3 cups shredded or cubed cooked turkey

• 1 cup frozen green beans

• ¼ chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

• Cooking spray

Directions:

Step 1 -

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange an oven rack in the upper third portion of the oven.

Step 2 -

For the mashed potato layer: In a medium saucepan, add the potatoes and water until it reaches 1 inch above the potatoes. Place the pan over medium-high heat until boiling. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3 -

Drain the potatoes and add them back to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, gently stirring, until the potatoes begin to dry out, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and mash the potatoes. Stir in the melted butter. In a small measuring cup, whisk the cream and egg yolk until well combined and add to the potatoes. Stir in the cheese, pepper, and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Taste for salt, cover, and set aside.

Step 4 -

For the filling: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until the raw flour smell disappears, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 5 -

Whisking constantly to prevent lumps, gradually add the warm turkey broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream until well combined. Fold in the turkey, green beans, parsley, and sage. Taste for salt.

Step 6 -

Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the turkey layer to the prepared pan, spreading until even. Dollop the mashed potatoes over the turkey layer, spreading into an even layer. Use a fork or spoon to make ridges or decorative swirls on the potatoes.

Step 7 -

Bake until the filling is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Turn the broiler on high and cook until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes.

Step 8 -

Remove to a cooling rack and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot and sprinkle with extra parsley.

PICKING UP OF YOUR SHARE/S:

When you arrive at your pick up site, please first look for the RED CLIPBOARD!  Find your name and take a look at what is waiting for you.  Please check off all the shares listed by your name on the sign in sheet! Then look for a box with your name on the label, this is your box.  Please unpack this box and take the contents home.  You are not to take home this box! This box is for farm to pick up site transportation only!  If you do take this box, please return it the following week.  HERE IS A LINK TO A FACEBOOK PAGE VIDEO SHOWING YOU HOW TO OPEN AND FLATTEN THIS BOX.

READ YOUR BOX LABELS: On your label you will see all that you should be picking up today.  Please note, that none of the optional shares are inside of this box although they are listed on the label!  These optional shares include, Eggs, Cheese, Mushrooms, and Coffee. These shares are located in the blue coolers.  Please reference your box label & sign in sheet to make sure you get the correct optional shares that you paid for on each given week. ONLY TAKE THE ITEMS LISTED ON YOUR BOX LABEL AND SIGN IN SHEET UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED! 

• The mushrooms are in brown paper bags.

• Eggs, half dozen = 6 egg carton

• Eggs dozen = 12 egg carton

• Cheese is by the piece, just take a block. 

• Fruit - The fruit share is located in a box labeled Fruit Share, please take one paper bag per share. 1 bag is 3# of fruit.
  If you don’t see a share that you think you should be getting, please don’t take it, please instead be in touch with the farm. If you are ever missing any veggies or add on items or the quality is not up to WCFY par, please be in touch. Call/Text 814-221-7177. Or email us. info@whocooksforyoufarm.com