I think that you will get a bunch of leeks in your share this week. Leeks are a member of the family Amaryllidaceae in the genus Allium along with garlic, onion, shallots and chives. They have a mild onion-like flavor. Leeks are very fibrous, but become very rich, almost creamy, when they are well cooked. The leaves grow in a tight sheath at their base, then fan out at the top. The tightly bundled sheath is most tender and clean. The farther up on the leek leaf, the tougher the leaf becomes and dirt is often in the crevasses of the fan. I like to cut off the tender round base which I will use all of. Then, I trim the lower portion off of the green fan top, separate and rinse all of the leaves in a big bowl of water, chop and cook this part too. Everyone thinks of leek and potato soup, which is fantastic and easy to make, but leeks are delicious in any soup. I love to use them as part of the 'onion' portion of the mirepoix. They are excellent in savory tarts. I often roast a whole chicken on a thick bed of chopped leeks. For a simple but decadent side dish, you can roast leeks with a little cream and some sage. You can wash, chop and freeze leeks without blanching them to use in your winter soups. You can keep them in a bag in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. If you make your own stock, you can use any part of the leek that you do not eat in that.
What else is going on around here? We have been very immersed in our winter squash harvest. We have more squash than we have ever had before. We did put a pack saddle on a horse and tried hauling four 5-gallon buckets, but that was not very efficient. So we upgraded to two of these large crates, but that wasn't the smoothest either. We ended up with two horses pulling a little cart that we can fill with four crates of squash. The greenhouse is as full as can be. We built a little acorn crib outside because we needed extra space. Next week, once they have completed their curing period, you will get a winter squash in your share and squash will be available at the farmstand and in bulk.
The fall storage crops are looking good and after a month of weeding them, they are at a place where we can walk away for a bit. The lettuce has returned to its cool-night, show-stopping state of color and volume. The fall spinach has germinated well.
There are seven more weeks of the CSA distribution.
If you would like to trade your lettuce for onion and or garlic, that offer still stands, just let me know before Monday.
2020 CSA Archives