Happy Autumn!

Featured item this week: Red Ace Beets. Just kidding! I know it has been a prolific beet year and like us, you may have an abundance of these purple roots in your fridge drawer. Remember that they store well for months. If your beets are more than a week old, remove the greens and keep the roots dry and in a bag. Use them in the coldest months roasted with herbs and olive oil, or in soups. A member shared this recipe for a fall brunch: Beet Hash with Eggs. Hearty yet elegant, delicious and nutritious! We do have more beets in the raised beds, but we thought we'd take a break this week. :)

Garlic has also been a faithful friend this year. We still have a hundred or more heads in our kitchen, labeled and separated in stainless steel bowls, lining the bricks around our not-yet-in-use wood burning stove. I am thrilled I don't have to purchase non-local garlic for a good, long while.

Also in the basket this week are baby brassica greens, Giant Mustard, or Ruby Streaks mustard greens. In addition to salads, enjoy the greens in soups, lasagnas, casseroles, or quickly steam/sauté them. We're going to try this recipe sometime soon Rustic Bread Stuffing with Red Mustard Greens, Currants, and Pine Nuts along with a whole roasted chicken from Village Acres Farm, prepared with First Muse Rosemary, Oregano, and Thyme.

I also began digging up carrots and parsnips this week. It's the most labor-intensive of all harvests, but I think one of the most rewarding as well. I found more Praying Mantis cocoons woven around carrot greens; those carrots will stay in the soil until the babies hatch in the spring. The parsnips aren't quite full size, which makes them low-maintenance since you don't have to carve out the woody core found in the more mature roots. They are also much tenderer at this stage.

Try them in any of these suggested recipes:

Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Sautéed Parsnips and Carrots with Honey and Rosemary
Baked Parsnip Fries with Rosemary
Rosemary Rubbed Side of Salmon with Roasted Potatoes, Parsnips, and Mushrooms

White turnips are also making an appearance soon. They are so tender you can enjoy them raw. This time of year, we like to throw them in a skillet with either a smoky meat or garlic cloves and lightly sauté them with their tender, earthy greens. Sometimes for breakfast, I'll top this with a fried egg and a side of toast.

We've been enjoying the cutting celery in homemade stock for the freezer and in soups and salads in lieu of larger celery. Use the leaves, too; they're delicious!

In spite of the 37 degrees last night, we still have flowers and a handful of tomatoes and peppers. If we get enough sunshine over the next 3 weeks, we'll have more sunflowers coming in as well!

Have a great week, thanks for reading,

--Calliope & Jim