Kretschmann Farm Oct. 29, 2009
don@kretschmannfarm.com www.kretschmannfarm.com
Greetings from the Kretschmanns,
We’re about done
with our winter squash storage room. For
the last several weeks, we’ve been working on this project remodeling the old
grain storage rooms in our hundred plus year old barn. These bins have always been about the
tightest carpentry in the barn because the old timers didn’t want mice eating
up all the grain. It’s always
interesting doing this work because you inadvertently connect with people and a
time long gone. We’ve pulled out boards
nearly all of which were fastened with huge old square nails. Covering old mouse holes, we’ve found license
plates from the 1920’s and 30’s.
Removing an old post, we beheld some wonderful mortise and tenon joints. We’re
insulating the room well, and making it tight from the winter winds so that
with a small heater we can keep the squash well into the winter in good
condition.
Another little
project is constructing a small hoop over part of our parsley patch. Between the parsley rows we’re planting leftover
lettuce plants for which we didn’t have room in the field. We’ll use some recycled greenhouse plastic to cover it and hope
we can have lettuce until Christmas.
If you have not
sent payment for the second half of the season, please take the time to do
so.
Note, the last week of regular veggie deliveries will be the
week of 11/16-20.
Enjoying every minute of the autumn, we are,
sincerely,
Don, Becky, & The
Kretschmann Crew
Veggie ID:
This week we’ve again included some of our own Jonafree
apples—the red ones with yellowish flesh.
These sometimes have a darkish coating which is Sooty Blotch. This disease is on the surface and sometimes
can be rubbed off or ignored altogether.
Mystery greens bunch are turnip greens which can be cooked like spinach
or swiss chard.
Acorn
Squash with Currants: Half squash brush cavity with melted
butter and bake top side down with a little water 30 min. @400 deg. While the
squash is baking, heat 3 tbs butter, 1/3 c. maple
syrup, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ c. currants, pinch salt until the butter is melted and
the currants are plumped. Remove the squash from the oven, turn it cut sides
up, and brush w/ maple mixture. Fill and return the squash to the oven. Brush
with maple mixture occasionally and add more water as necessary to keep the
bottom covered, 20-30 min until tender. Salt and pepper to
taste. (Honey and raisins work
too.)
Crockpot Apples: Remove cores from enough apples
to fill crockpot.
Mix equal amounts of raisins and sugar (1/4 c.) and fill apples. Dot with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon, put
in 1/2 c. water, and cook in crockpot for 6 h.
New
England Clam Chowder: Saute 1
diced med. onion in butter. Combine with 1 qt. minced
clams, 6-8 diced potatoes, and simmer in
5 c. water until potatoes are very tender.
Add 3 c. milk, ½ tsp pepper, and salt.
Heat thoroughly. Garnish with
parsley.
Acorn Squash Breakfast
In a blender, process 1 cup mashed acorn
squash, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, dash salt and pepper, 2
tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla or maple flavor extract. Pour into a pan and
add 1 TBS oats, or cream of wheat. Heat until slightly
bubbly, cook for 1-2 minutes.
Horseradish Maple Glazed
Beets: Heat
oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel (potato peeler works), and trim about 5 beets,
slicing them into quarter wedges. Lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until cooked through. Melt 2 TBS butter in a
saucepan. Add 1-2 TBS horseradish, 1-2 TBS maple syrup. Stir with beets.
Special Orders: Organic Apples—Golden Delicious--$25/half
bushel Fresh Cider-- $25/ 4
gallons (non-organic made by Tom &
Sally, of Sally’s Cider Press, the old fashioned cider press where we have our
apples pressed) Apple butter:
3.50/pint (This is made by Sally
& Tom Davis of Sally’s Cider Press from apples, and boiled down cider--healthful,
seasonal, and great on toast.) Acorn, Butternut Squashes --$30/bu. Beets--$25/half bushel Red
Potatoes: $30/half bushel