Fall 2025 CSA Newsletter - November 18, 2025 (Week 2)

Howdy Folks,

We saw and certainly felt 20º this morning!  The frost lingered until 10:30!  If it didn’t kill the greens then it certainly made them sweeter!

What doesn’t kill us makes us stonger and then there is usually a pretty good story that goes along.  The darkness coming earlier, does leave less time for field work and more time for rest and stories!  Stories, made of movies, stories of good games around a table, and soon time for reading.  Chris and I are both wondering what books to begin!  

The building projects on the farm are still happening, so we have our favorite Amish family, the Hostetler’s crew helping us on all the projects.  The worker housing as well as an addition to our house, and last but certainly not least, the expansion to our packhouse.  The packhouse is the biggest ordeal.  It has been on Chris’ wish list for a long while. Pretty much as soon as we built our packhouse we outgrew the storage it provided.  So we are looking at two more big coolers in the addition as well as an ideal curing area and then a bigger storage area for longer term storage crops. In this space we will also have more room to offer more of other farmers items to our CSA.

Aeros drives to get Elmer the Construction crew lead every morning.  It’s a great time of getting to know him and his family and all that goes into the mind of someone who builds from scratch.  I cook from scratch a lot, so there is a lot of scratching of the head in wonder, of what should i do now, what’s next?  How will I do it?  Many a morning he hops in the car and the thoughts and wondering roll of his tongue.  The boys wrestle during lunch break.  Mose, Elmer’s son, who has recently been handed the foreman position from his dad, initiated the wrestling matches!  With fun in mind of course it’s a room of laughs, cheers, hoots and hollars!  The crew is delightful to have around.  Every day Mose starts with, “Good Morning, on this beautiful morning”, this greeting comes with joy and vigor no matter the weather!  It creates many smiles at the early 6am start time.

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: White Beech

White Beech mushrooms have an almond-like aroma and a sharp, bitter flavor when fresh. When cooked, the texture is crunchy with a buttery and nutty, shellfish flavor. White Beech mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as sautéing, braising, stewing, and roasting, as their raw flavor tends to be strong. They should not be washed, as the mushrooms are porous and too much water will change the texture. They can be incorporated into different cuisines including European and Asian and hold their shape well for use in soups, bisques, stews, omelets, noodle dishes, stir-fries, rice dishes, flatbreads, and sauces.

Cheese: Goat Rodeo 

Hootenanny “A goat’s milk Gouda cheese made from spring and summer milk. It is smooth with “notes of hickory nuts and wild flowers within a cream wax rind. Pairs well with crisp white wine or an amber ale”

Fruit:  Goldrush & Pink Lady

Goldrush late season long storage tart sweet apple that becomes sweeter as it’s stored.  They are firm and crisp and great for fresh eating and baking. Pink Lady are a rosy colored apple that is both sweet and tangy with a special floral finish. They are great eaten raw for their spunky flavor or they also hold up well to baking!  They are a newer apple developed in Australia.

FARM PICTURES

RECIPE IDEAS

Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Adapted from kalynskitchen.com

Ingredients:

• 12-oz Tatsoi leaves

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger root

• 1 teaspoon Golden Monkfruit Sweetener

• ½ teaspoon Sriracha Sauce

• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Step 1 -

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes.

Step 2 -

Wash the Tatsoi leaves and cut into thick strips. Dump Tatsoi into boiling water, time for exactly one minute, then drain immediately into a colander.  Then, dump it into the bowl with ice water.

Step 3 -

While Tatsoi is cooling in ice water, get a plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid that’s large enough to hold all the Tatsoi.

Step 4 -

Mix dressing ingredients together in this bowl, then drain Tatsoi well and add to dressing.

Step 5 -

Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more, turning the bowl over a few times so that Tatsoi remains coated.  Serve with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Carrot Bread

Adapted from dinnerthendessert.com

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• ⅔ cup vegetable oil

• 1 ½ cups flour

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups carrots, shredded

• 1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Step 1 -

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2 -

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Then, mix in the sugar and vegetable oil.  Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and beat well.

Step 3 -

Stir in carrots and 1 cup of walnuts.

Step 4 -

Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and pour in the batter.  Top with the remaining walnuts.

Step 5 -

Bake for one hour.  Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick and removing it; if any batter sticks to the toothpick, continue to bake until the toothpick comes out clean.

Step 6 -

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Adapted from food52.com

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 cups (about 1 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, plus more for serving

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (about 3 sprigs)

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves (about 12 leaves)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 cups warm water, plus more if needed

• 1 ½ cups (1 12-oz can) full-fat evaporated milk

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 pound dried elbow macaroni pasta

• 12-oz sharp white cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)

• 2-oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about ⅔ cup), plus more for serving

Directions:

Step 1 -

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the squash and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender enough to smash with a spatula without much resistance and beginning to brown, 15 to 17 minutes.  Add the rosemary, sage, and garlic and cook, stirring often, just until the garlic is aromatic and no longer raw, about 1 minute.

Step 2 -

Increase the heat to high and add the warm water, evaporated milk, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil and add the pasta (the pasta won’t be completely covered by the liquid).  Boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente and about two-thirds of the liquid has evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes.  If at any point the liquid evaporates before the pasta is tender, add additional water (½ cup at a time) and continue cooking.

Step 3 -

Remove the pot from the heat and add both cheeses.  Stir until the cheese is completely melted and has emulsified into a creamy sauce.  Let the pasta sit for 10 minutes.  If the sauce becomes too thick, adjust the consistency by adding additional warm water ¼ cup at a time.

Step 4 -

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.  Serve immediately with more black pepper and parmesan, if desired.

Cheesy Beef and Sweet Potato Taco Casserole

Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 large bell pepper, diced

• 1 cup corn kernels, frozen

• 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 14.5-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (do not drain)

• 2 cups chunky salsa

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• Corn tortilla chips, as needed

• 8-oz shredded mexican cheese blend

• 4-oz shredded pepper jack cheese

• Sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Step 1 -

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

Step 2 -

Peel and spiralize sweet potatoes, chopping just a bit to shorten very long strands.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, just dice the sweet potatoes into small cubes.  Set aside.

Step 3 -

In an extra-large skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef with onion, breaking up any large chunks and stirring occasionally.  When the pink color is almost gone from the beef, stir in garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.  Stir in bell pepper, corn, and sweet potato.  Then, add the beans, tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, folding to combine.  Turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times.  If you are using diced sweet potatoes, you will need to cook this longer until the potatoes are softened.

Step 4 -

Spread 2 cups of the beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Layer the tortilla chips on top, slightly overlapping the chips.  Drop half the remaining beef mixture by spoonfuls over the chips, then spread it out into an even layer.  Sprinkle half of the Mexican cheese and half the pepper jack cheese over the beef mixture.  Top with another layer of tortilla chips, followed by the remaining beef mixture and then the cheeses.

Step 5 -

Cover the pan loosely with foil (so the foil doesn’t touch the cheese) and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated throughout.  Remove foil, place pan under broiler, and broil until cheese is browned to your liking.  Remove from the oven and top with optional green onion and/or cilantro.  Serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa on the side.

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