We try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares. In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. The information provided here is also published each week on our website. Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under RECIPES.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

APPLES (Liberty): modern American apple variety with deep dark red color, very similar in appearance to McIntosh, but its flavor is tarter and its flesh is crisper; it has a flavor all its own. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

FRESH SHELLING BEANS (Tongue of Fire): these Italian heirloom shelling beans are round, ivory-tan with red streaks and stringless, red-streaked cream/green pods–eat the fresh-shelled beans, not the pods; have nutty flavor and creamy texture when cooked; can be substituted in recipes calling for Cannellini, Great Northern, or Pinto beans; contain a fair source of vitamins A and C.
-How to use: fresh, shelled beans are good in soups, stews, and casseroles with shorter cooking times, but also delicious simply boiled until tender, and served with butter, salt, pepper, or herbs
-How to store: refrigerate fresh beans in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days.

BROCCOLI: deep emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems; high in vitamins A, C, calcium, potassium, and iron; known as an anti-cancer vegetable.
-How to use: use raw, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, in casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc.
-How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week.

NAPA CABBAGE: crinkly, thickly veined leaves, which are cream-colored with celadon green tips; unlike the strong-flavored waxy leaves on round cabbage heads, these are thin, crisp, and delicately mild; good source of vitamin A, folic acid, and potassium.
-How to use: use raw, sauté, bake, or braised; common in stir-fries and main ingredient in traditional kimchi; also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters; the outer, tougher leaves are used in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate, tightly wrapped, up to 5 days.

CARROTS (Red Dragon): beautiful magenta-purple, smooth, thin skin and broad, Chantenay-type shoulders with orange internal color and yellow core. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit) OR Dancer (light purple, Italian type, semi-cylindrical fruits are mid-sized, mild, and nonbitter), OR Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are tender, delicately flavored, and quick cooking). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK FLOWERS (NOW available for picking at HONEYBEE & TANTRE FARM): You may come to the farm to pick 16 stems per household on Wednesdays and Fridays during pick up times, or schedule a time and day if you would like to come on other days of the week, so we can show you where to go. For those closer to Ann Arbor, our dahlias continue to look plentiful, so you may come to our smaller, u-pick flower patch at HoneyBee U-pick (5700 Scio Church Rd., AA), but only on Saturday, Oct. 14 between 8 AM and 12 PM, since that is the only time we are open. The selection at Tantre Farm has over 30 colorful varieties to choose from, but there is a small selection of dahlias, strawflowers, and globe amaranth at HoneyBee. We will have clippers available. Your bouquet is part of your share every week until the first frost, although it is always greatly appreciated when you make a donation to pay for seeds and labor. Extra bouquets at the farm are $6/bunch for 10 stems. Extra bouquets at HoneyBee are $1/stem. We hope you can come to enjoy this food for the soul!

LETTUCE MIX (Wildfire): a bag of dark reds and vibrant greens including Green and Red Oakleaf; your lettuce has been rinsed once. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

STORAGE ONIONS: You will receive Patterson (medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh) and Red Goddess Banana Pepper (sweet banana pepper for pickling or fresh eating; 8-9” long, thick-walled, smooth fruits; fruits are mild when yellow and moderately sweet when they ripen red). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES : You will receive Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying) and/or Red Sangre (one of the prettiest of all red skinned varieties with medium-sized oblong tubers; creamy white flesh that is especially delicious boiled or baked).
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag.

RADISHES (Pink Beauty): pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor.   See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

RAPINI: also called “Broccoli Raab” or Rabe or Rape; leafy green with 6- to 9-inch stalks and scattered clusters of tiny broccoli-like buds (some of ours don’t have buds yet, so just the leaf); traditional Italian specialty combining qualities of broccoli and mustard greens.
-How to use: used for salads or light cooking; to cook simply: clean rappini with water, oil pan, add garlic and brown. Add 1 cup of water. Put in rapini, season to taste. (Lemon may be used if desired.) Cover pan and steam for thirty minutes. Pepperoni or sausage may be added to rappini after it is fully cooked.
-How to store: wrap in dampened cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

WINTER SQUASH: You will receive Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh; great stuffed with rice, breading, or soups), Carnival (multicolor Sweet Dumpling with colorful patches and flecks of dark and light green, orange, and yellow; sweet flesh and edible skin), Jester Acorn (an oval, ivory-colored squash with green striping between the ribs that is tapered on both ends with small to average ribs) and/or Starry Night Acorn Squash (unique, pixelated color pattern with attractive speckled dark green and yellow-colored skin, smooth creamy texture and sweet flavor). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. RASPBERRY SEASON IS NOW OVER, BUT HONEYBEE WILL STILL BE OPEN SATURDAYS ONLY FROM 8 AM TO 12 PM: We will be open on Oct. 14 from 8 AM-12 PM at HoneyBee Upick for extra Tantre produce, Elder Farms eggs, honey, and u-pick flowers for sale. Please also feel free to use our SELF SERVE produce wagon stand, which is open 7 days a week, but please use Venmo or bring exact change. To keep informed go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

2. PLANT WALK ON SATURDAY, Oct. 14, from 4-6 PM: We are hosting a leisurely plant walk at Tantre Farm with local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud from “Will Forage For Food”. Our discussion will include information about identification, methods of harvest, preparation, and use. We will explore the area and choose around 20-25 edible, medicinal, or otherwise useful plants and mushrooms to focus on. Kids under 12 are free with paid adult. You may want to bring a notebook, camera, and water. Unlimited class size, drop ins are welcome, and cost is $25. To register ahead of time or find more information, just go to Rachel’s website at https://willforageforfood.square.site/

3. FORAGE AND FEAST Cooking Class on Wed., Oct. 18, from 6-9 PM at Tantre Farm: Come to this foraging class and turn our collections into a gourmet meal with local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud, from Will Forage For Food. You will forage for edible, medicinal, and otherwise useful plants and then learn how to prepare and cook these items combining them with grocery store supplies and farm fresh ingredients to make a gourmet meal. Note that one or more of the dishes may include meat, eggs, dairy, wheat, nuts, etc., so if you have dietary restrictions you should let us know before signing up. Bring your harvesting basket if you have one, a kitchen knife, a kitchen towel, and a notebook to jot down recipes as we go. This class is limited to 8 participants, and sells out quickly, so don’t wait too long! Tantre CSA members are offered a discounted price of $50/person compared to $75 for nonmembers. Please register at https://willforageforfood.square.site/

4. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS: *Distribution Coordinator will be at most sites during designated times.
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.)–6 PM to 8 PM (No Volunteer, so text number on sign in sheet if questions )
*Pure Pastures (Wed.)—9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA will be there with some self check-in)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF will be there with some self check-in)
*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON & TANTRE STAFF there the whole time—Come to the market stall if no sign of Shannon)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (Staff there the whole time and inside the Hub Farm Market store)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB and staff there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat)—9 AM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF will be there the whole time)

REFLECTIONS ON THE FARM
by Richard (and Deb)

 So the cows broke out of their pasture on the very afternoon that we were gathering for our 3rd Annual HoneyBee Nut Festival as we were crushing and pressing fresh apples into cider, roasting chestnuts, sampling paw paws, sharing nut stories, and walking in the fields of native plants. Fortunately Jordan was back at the farm, and he chased those cows down the road with their hooves clopping through the dirt and gravel, manure plopping, and heads and horns tossing along the way. The cows did not want to go back in. The smells of autumn had made them flippant and sassy. Fortunately the good neighbors next door stood in the road to block their passage. Jordan was able to lure them with bushels of sweet apples into a different pasture with long, tender grass.

 The next day I came out to fix the fence, since it was still at a low voltage. I pulled the wire out of the wet grass and pokeweeds and rebraided some of the wire strands that had been pulled apart by nocturnal deer hooves. The geese hovered above the meadow and dove down into the pond calling to each other. This flock of about forty birds splashed in the morning light. As I walked past them, they suddenly became startled as a huge veil of wings and bellies seeming to bounce out of the water into flight. A honking chorus as they ascended into the sky, these fall geese in unison turned to the sun, which set their white breasts ablaze as they banked their big, fat bellies in the morning sun. I felt a little ashamed of scaring them from settling, but consoled myself in that I could enjoy their white reflection in the early light as they flew up into the clouds.

 With the fence fixed, I started walking back down the gravel road to help gather this week’s box of vegetables with the farm crew, and I reflected. Here’s this chance that we have to cross paths with the living earth, the plants, the animals, and make a connection. Sometimes we only get a brief glimpse of it. We all have a chance to find this relationship. This was one small experience that started with an anxious mess with the cows, but I realized it got me out in the pasture with the geese to experience a beautiful sunrise. It is moments like this when I feel thankful to be living on this small farm and sharing with our community. I think of autumn as the season of equanimity. The days and the nights are becoming equal. Things are slowing down. Rest is ahead. We are trying to find balance during this transitioning time of summer turning into fall. As we reignite our awareness and love of this living earth, may we rekindle this connection to nature and each other.

 Welcome to all supporters of the farm with this Extended Fall CSA. We are grateful for this connection, whether you are sporting hooves and horns, webbed feet and wings, or plaid shirts and rubber boots. Thank you for being a part of our community.

RECIPES

**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

PASTA WITH FRESH SHELLING BEANS AND BROCCOLI (from Bon Apetit) Serves 4
2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 cup chopped onion 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper 
2 lbs chopped tomatoes or 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice 
1/4 cup water 
1 1/2 lbs shelling beans, shelled and lightly steamed until tender
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 
8 oz orecchiette or medium pasta shells 
1 lb broccoli crowns, separated into small florets (about 3-5 cups) 
3 Tbsp freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with juices and 1/4 cup water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; boil gently until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in beans and basil. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook orecchiette pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add broccoli florets; cook until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite and broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes longer. Ladle out 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain orecchiette and broccoli florets; return to pot. Add tomato sauce and reserved pasta cooking water to pasta and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

RAPINI WITH SHELLING BEANS (from A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen by Lucy Waverman)
Fava bean puree:
1 cup fresh, shelling beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup Yukon gold (or yellow potato), peeled and cubed
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Rapini:
1 bunch rapini, trimmed (or kale, arugula, Swiss chard, etc.)
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Garnish:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place beans and potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 1/2-inch. Add bay leaves, thyme, onions, celery and 2 tablespoons oil and bring to a boil. Cover and gently simmer until beans and potatoes are soft and falling apart and water is nearly all absorbed (about 15 minutes). Mash beans and potatoes, leaving a little texture; add cooking liquid if necessary. Heat remaining oil and add puree and cook until hot and holds its shape. If it’s too dry, add more reserved cooking liquid. It should have the texture of very creamy mashed potatoes; season well. Blanch rapini in separate pot for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and season. Heat oil and sauté rapini and garlic until fragrant; add pepper flakes and sauté another minute. Season as needed. Spread rapini over bean puree and serve. Garnish with olive oil before serving. Treat the rapini as you would spaghetti, twirling the leaves around your fork with some of the bean puree.

SHREDDED NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH RADISHES, GOLDEN RAISINS, AND DIJON DRESSING (from https://www.marthastewart.com/317154/shredded-napa-cabbage-salad-with-radishes)
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, preferably whole grain
2 tablespoons sugar
1 small head Napa cabbage (about 12 ounces), cored and shredded (6 cups)
4 or 5 radishes, thinly sliced and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Toss together cabbage, radishes, golden raisins, and chives. Drizzle dressing over salad. Season with salt and pepper.

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