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Frederick's Farms: It's turkey time at Open Book Farm - Frederick News Post

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Frederick News Post
Frederick's Farms: It's turkey time at Open Book Farm
Frederick News Post
Open Book Farm near Middletown is gearing up for Thanksgiving and their 110 broad-breasted white turkeys are almost ready to take center stage ... well, center table. As an organic vegetable and pasture-based livestock farm, turkeys have become a ...

Week 24 of 28 from Valley Flora!

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Week 24 of 28 from Valley Flora! Cipollinis and Chicories!
Thanks for eating locally from our family farm!
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What's Cookin' on the Farm...
  • Cipollinis and Chicories
  • Last Call for Winter CSA Sign-ups!
  • Thanksgiving Pick-up Schedule
  • Tamales this Week!
Fenice, a speckled Castelfranco chicory new to our fields this year.
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What's Probably In Your Share This Week:*
  • Carrots
  • Cipollini Onions
  • Lettuce
  • Radicchio
  • Collard Greens
  • Yellow Potatoes
  • Red Kuri Kabocha Squash
  • Radishes
  • Red Cabbage
On Rotation:
(Some locations will receive it this week; others in a future week)
  • Romanesco
*Harvest Basket contents may vary between pickup sites in a given week depending on what's ripe and ready on the farm. Don't worry - if something is on the list but not in your tote, you'll get it soon!

The VF Crystal Ball - What Might be in your Share Next Week...
  • Yellow Onions
  • Carrots
  • Celeriac
  • Kohlrabi
  • Turnips
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach?
  • Beets
  • Spaghetti squash
Cipollinis and Chicories
This week we're putting some Italian flair into the Harvest Basket in the form of cipollini onions and radicchio, a form of chicory. The cipollinis are coveted by many of the chefs we work with, but we saved every last one of them for our CSA members this year. Across the board our onion yields were drastically lower than usual due to a summer infestation of thrips (a tiny sap-sucking insect that flocks to onion leaves and steals energy away from the growing bulb). They're an especially pungent onion (guaranteed to make you cry) but also have more residual sugars than your typical yellow onion, which makes them incredible for roasting or caramelizing. Their thin skin and flattened shape make them a little trickier to peel, but it's well worth the paring knife effort.

We are crushing hard on radicchio this fall, with five varieties starting to come out of the field. Four of them are new trials for us, inspired by the passion of our friends at Local Roots Farm who shared some of their favorite varieties and growing tips with us last winter. I think everyone will see a variety called Fenice (picture above) in their tote this week, a speckled Castelfranco type.

Radicchios all belong to the chicory family alongside endive, escarole and dandelions, and they come in countless colors, shapes, and sizes. They tend to be mildly bitter and pair well with toasted nuts, cured meat, fresh or dried fruit, and cheese. If you're averse to bitterness, you can slice up radicchio and soak it in cold water for 10-20 minutes before making a salad, or you can wilt or grill it. Tangy salad dressing using citrus or vinegar also cuts the bitterness. I don't usually munch on plain, raw radicchio but I love the flavor in combination with seasonal fruit like pears, apples, pomegranates and citrus, some toasted nuts, parmesan or goat cheese, and a good sweet/tangy homemade dressing. I came across some great recipes courtesy of Whistling Train Farm that I'm going to try out this week.

Here are some pics of some of the other beauties coming out of the field in limited quantity right now. Next year I think we'll grow a few more for you :). It's hard not to swoon over a vegetable the color of a bridesmaid's dress!

Clockwise from top left: Treviso, Rosalba, Chioggia Radicchio, Fenice

 
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Last Call for Winter CSA Sign-Ups
Winter CSA Sign-Ups are under way! We have a limited number of spots left, so get yourself signed up ASAP. Current CSA members will have priority until November 8th, at which point we'll open it up to folks on our waiting list.

A few details to keep in mind if you're interested in signing up:
  • The cost of a winter share is $400, payable by check or via PayPal on our website. Payment is due by December 1st.
  • Candace's eggs will also be available, 10 week shares for $55.
  • Winter CSA shares are limited! We can only do about half our summer volume due to winter production constraints, so I encourage you to sign up and reserve your spot as soon as possible on our website!
  • We do not deliver in the winter. All Winter CSA shares (veggies and eggs alike) must be picked up at the farm. Pick-up is every other Wednesday from 9 am to 4 pm at our barn, 2 miles up Floras Creek Road. Because pick-up is from our walk-in cooler, it's fine if you come a day or two late, so long as you pick up during daylight hours.
  • Concurrent with Wednesday CSA pick-ups, we will have our farmstand set up in the barn in case you want to purchase any additional goodies.
Don't hestitate to reach out with any questions!
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Thanksgiving Pick-Up Schedule
Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us fast! As many of you know, our CSA delivery schedule changes the week of Thanksgiving. We will be delivering ALL shares to ALL pick-up sites on Wednesday, November 21st. Pick-up times will be as follows at each location:
  • Valley Flora: Wednesday 9 am - 4 pm, no change
  • Coos Bay: Wednesday 12 pm - 5 pm, no change
  • Port Orford*: Wednesday 8 am to 5 pm
  • Bandon*: 10:30 am to 5 pm
*Port Orford and Bandon members, please note that there will be no Saturday pick-up on November 24th that week.

We will resume our usual delivery schedule the week of November 26th.

If you will be out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday and can't pick up your CSA share, we are happy to hold your food for you in our walk-in cooler and you can pick it up upon your return. Please email me by November 18th to request a cooler hold. We need your name, usual pick-up location, the items you want us to hold (Harvest Basket and/or Eggs), and the date you plan to pick them up from the farm.

Happy Thanksgiving!
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Tamales this Week!
Don't forget to pick up your tamale share from the marked blue coolers this week!
 
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The Farmstand is Open for Winter Hours!
Every Wednesday 10 am to 2 pm, rain or shine!
(No more Saturdays until next June)

Fresh Produce
Homemade Jam & Hot Sauce

Please bring your own bags and u-pick containers!

Please note our hours are slightly changed from year's past, closing at 2 pm instead of 3 pm
 
For Recipes & Cooking Inspiration:
 
Valley Flora Recipe Wizard
Our own collection of recipes gathered over the years.
 
Epicurious
A vast collection of recipes, searchable by one or multiple ingredients
 
Full Belly Farm
Recipes from one of my favorite farms in California, pioneers of the organic movement since the 80s.

Farm Fresh to You
A storehouse of recipes, searchable by ingredient.
 
Helsing Junction Farm
A Washington farm that has a good collection of seasonal recipes geared toward CSA members.
Copyright © 2018 Valley Flora, All rights reserved.


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Veterans Who Want To Be Farmers In Northern California Get Support From VA - Capital Public Radio News

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Veterans Who Want To Be Farmers In Northern California Get Support From VA
Capital Public Radio News
This is according to Marisa Alcorta, who runs the California Farm Academy Apprenticeship Program at the Center For Land-Based Learning in Winters, 40 minutes west of Sacramento. She says farming “is not ... really know how to farm.” He also noticed ...

Local farmer on mission to bring great food to community - Eastern Arizona Courier

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Eastern Arizona Courier
Local farmer on mission to bring great food to community
Eastern Arizona Courier
Berry Hill Gardens is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a type of farming business that allows growers and consumers to build a strong relationship, from seeing firsthand where food is grown to meeting the growers and even checking in on how ...

Organic Farm Becomes Fertile Training Ground for Students - ithacaweek-ic.com

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ithacaweek-ic.com
Organic Farm Becomes Fertile Training Ground for Students
ithacaweek-ic.com
The season's harvest is sold to local businesses and to those who take part in CSA, Community Supported Agriculture. Temple of Zeus cafe and Anabel's Grocery, both in Collegetown, are two of four stores that purchase from the farm. The CSA program is ...

25 Organizations Growing Change in the San Diego Food Ecosystem - Food Tank (blog)

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Food Tank (blog)
25 Organizations Growing Change in the San Diego Food Ecosystem
Food Tank (blog)
Since inception, the organization has donated over half of their harvest to community members who lack access to fresh food through their pay-what-you-can farm stands, Community Support Agriculture (CSA) program, and direct donations to local hunger ...

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