Sept. 29, 2012 - Share # 12

 IN THE BOX:

SPINACH

Frosty dill plant rising above the carrot patch

LETTUCE

TOMATOES

SORREL - spear-shaped leaves, lemony flavor 

ASIAN GREENS -pac choi and/or tat soi

GREEN BEANS

BEETS

HAKUREI TURNIPS-small white "salad" turnips

SWEET POTATOES

ONIONS

GARLIC

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

The sweet potato digging crew

You might notice a change in the share this week. Only tomatoes and beans represent warm weather crops, and this is the last time we will have a significant amount of beans. Tomatoes may be with us a bit longer if the weather stays moderate. The river of summer squash has slowed to a trickle, and, despite all our coddling, the basil has protested these cool nights by turning yellow with black spots - not pretty!

But we harvested sweet potatoes and the first of the winter squash this week! We dodged a hard frost so the lettuce continues to grow; late cole crop plantings still have a chance in this race to the finish line, and hardy greens say "Bring it!".

NOTES FROM THE NY TIMES: :-) Perhaps you saw this article that was published last Monday. It might have been written about our crew - it even starts out in the sweet potato patch!

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX:

We're commemorating the last green bean distribution with this green bean casserole recipe that has been a hit at the Frog Holler lunch table. Takes a little work, but this is a vegan version of comfort food at its finest!

Try roasting the Hakurei Turnips - they come out sweeter and very moist and tender. But they aren't called "salad turnips" for nuthin'! Grate or dice them into salads for a little zip, without being overpowered by turnip spiciness. But our favorite way to prepare them really is roasting. Include them in the oven when you roast the sweet potatoes. (Btw, these sweet potatoes are freshly dug and not fully cured, so they aren't appropriate for long-term storage.)

One of our farm dinners this week was a roasted vegetable extravaganza, with four full trays of potatoes, daikon radishes and/or hakurei turnips, and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were flavored with cinnamon, butter and a little maple syrup. Who needs dessert? Well we had it anyway because we were celebrating a birthday. Whose birthday? We shall see when we...

MEET THE INTERNS: COLLEEN PERRIA, WITH HER FRIEND FROM SWEDEN, FILIPPA SVENSSON!

Filappa (left) and Colleen

Yes, Colleen just celebrated a milestone birthday, and she has covered a lot of miles in her first twenty one years. Although born in California, Colleen's father's work took the family on the road, and despite spending four years in the UK, Colleen had attended fourteen  schools by the time she graduated from high school!

Colleen had generated her own interest in seeing the world, and traveled to Ghana in 2007 as an AFS (American Field Service) exchange student. As fate and luck would have it, Filippa was also assigned to Ghana as an AFS volunteer. The girls met, hit it off, and a friendship began that would span the globe!

Sharing a mutual love of travel, Colleen and Filippa met again in California, then in Denmark, and most recently, they spent three months exploring Peru together, saying goodbye in December of 2010. Now Filippa has been visiting Colleen in Michigan, first spending time in northern Michigan, where Colleen's family now lives, and then spending the last week at the farm.

Colleen with a really big sweet potato

Colleen came to Frog Holler last June, after spending the year after her return from Peru in New York City, where one of her sisters was based. We had just realized that we needed more help when Colleen contacted us. We were happy to sign her up, and she jumped in with both boots - a very willing and enthusiastic worker!

Colleen reports her time at Frog Holler has been a happy one; she  appreciates the combination of idealism grounded in practicality. And despite having seen "the seven wonders of the world", she especially enjoys the unique natural beauty of Frog Holler.

Filippa dittoes what a pretty place the farm is. She admits that she hadn't expected to have quite such a "working vacation", but firmly claims that she has enjoyed the work and commented how surprised she was, after an especially long day, when she finally looked at the clock - the time had seemed to fly!

Filippa and Billy on the digging line. What kind of tool is Billy using?

Filippa will be heading back to Stockholm after her stay at Frog Holler. Colleen will finish out the harvest with us, and then is formulating a plan to hike in the Southwest during the winter. Although these two good friends are going off  in opposite directions to other adventures, one thing is certain - they will meet again - we just don't know where!

Good luck to Colleen and Filippa and thanks for all your hard work and good spirits!

bff's!

Have a great week everyone!