THIS WEEK’S SHARE

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C.
-How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes.
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

GREEN CABBAGE: a sweet green cabbage; considered a beneficial digestive aid and intestinal cleanser; cabbage has a good amount of vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
-How to use: good steamed, stir-fried, or chopped raw into salads or coleslaw.
-How to store: refrigerate for up to 1 month.

ORANGE CARROTS (Romance): blunt-tipped, deep orange roots with impressive flavor for a summer-harvested carrot.
-How to use: can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sauteed, in stews, soups, casseroles, or stir-fries.
-How to store: refrigerate roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks

LETTUCE HEAD:   green or red heads with thick, crisp leaves and good flavor; rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or (believe it or not!) use in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

RED ONIONS (Red Zeppelin): medium to large, globe-shaped bulbs with deep red color and will store for six months or more under proper conditions.
-How to use: good in French onion soup, stews, casseroles, etc.
-How to store: can last for 10-12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.

PARSLEY: You will receive either Italian Flatleaf (used primarily in cooking because of its more robust flavor; flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong parsley/celery flavor for use dried or fresh; high in vitamins A and C, and other minerals, such as iron; good for blot clotting and bone health; especially good in omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as, sauces) OR Curly (a biennial herb with bright green, curly, and frilly leaves that are native to the Mediterranean; known for its culinary uses, health benefits, and vibrant appearance; used often as a garnish and in tabouli, but can be used exactly the same as Flat-leaf).
-How to store: store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in slightly dampened cloth or plastic bag and store in refrigerator.

CHILI PEPPERS (Poblano): a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor)
-How to use: often roasted, chopped, and used to season corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, salsa, and pickles.
-How to store: for fresh peppers, store in refrigerator; for drying peppers, place string through the stems and hang in cool, dry, well-ventilated spot.

SWEET RED PEPPERS (Carmen): You will receive several peppers today before the frost. Carmen is a tapered fruit that ripens from green to a deep “carmine” red; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe.
-How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention; can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent roasted.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks.
-How to freeze: clean, seed, and mince peppers; place in freezer containers or bags to be used later in soups or casseroles.

POTATO MIX: You will receive 3 varieties in one 4-pound net bag with All Blue (an heirloom potato with deep blue skin and flesh; moist texture; perfect in salads, baked, or boiled) *Interesting note: Most blue fleshed cultivars contain 90 times more antioxidants than white tubers, and the antioxidants in potato tubers are enhanced by cooking them AND Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying) AND AmaRosa Red Fingerling (small, oblong potatoes with smooth, ruby red skin and speckled red flesh; have a firm texture, nutty, earthy flavor, and are high in nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber: good for roasting, potato salads, and pair well with fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil)
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag. These can last for many months if not exposed to light.

SPINACH: You will receive this as a bag with a whole rosette of this crisp, dark green leaf full of chlorophyll, as well as vitamins A and C; delicious flavor when juiced.
-How to use: toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, sauté, steam, braise, or add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
-How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.

WINTER SQUASH (Delicata): small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest.
-How to use: excellent roasted in oven with olive oil; also good baked by slicing in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender and caramelized; boil or steam for 15-20 minutes, or until tender, skins are edible; mash cooked squash with butter; puree cooked squash for creamy soup
-How to store: keep for several months (depending on the variety) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75 percent humidity; will also store at room temperature.

WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS: a white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture; roots are good source of Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium
-How to use: good in salads and soups; thin slices with hummus or dipped in lemon juice
-How to store: remove greens from turnip root and store separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days; roots can last up to 1-2 weeks in refrigerator.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. LAST WEEK OF EXTENDED FALL CSA: This means Oct. 23 (Wed.), Oct. 25 (Fri.), and Oct. 26 (Sat.) are your last distribution days for our Extended Fall Shares. Please return any forgotten boxes from past weeks and bring bags or other containers to transfer your produce at your distribution sites.

2. THANKSGIVING CSA REGISTRATION IS OPEN!    A detailed email notice was sent to you last week, so please let us know if you didn’t receive it. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info” and register here soon https://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-thanksgiving-csa-work/. This share is a one-time pick-up of 60 to 80 pounds of produce for winter storage or to stock up on vegetables before the holiday for $150. It’s a perfect share to split with a friend or family member. It will be available for pick up on Nov. 23 (the Saturday before Thanksgiving) at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market 7 AM-12 PM, Tantré Farm 2-5 PM, Washtenaw Food Hub 9 AM-12 PM, Agricole in Chelsea 9 AM-12 PM, and Pure Pastures in Plymouth 9 AM-5 PM.

3. TANTRE PRODUCE BOXES ENDING THIS WEEK, BUT IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA STARTING UP AGAIN AFTER THANKSGIVING:  We took a break from this weekly collaborative Immune Booster CSA to reevaluate and make some changes, while we were finishing up our Summer and Fall CSA’s this year, but now it is coming back for the fall and winter! This is a collaborative CSA with several local farms and food businesses that you can opt in or out of each time it is offered. More details coming sometime after Thanksgiving, so that you may continue receiving local, nutritious food throughout the winter.

4. FARMERS MARKETS: If you need to supplement your share with a few extra items, we are set up at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market on Wed. & Sat. this week starting at 7 AM. We will also be at the Chelsea Farmers Market on Saturday from 8 AM-1 PM. On top of that, our Sunflower Farm Market (formerly known as the Washtenaw Food Hub Market) is OPEN on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 PM and on Saturdays as usual during our CSA pick up times from 9 AM-12 PM, so please feel free to purchase all your basic local needs and a few extra treats at any of these markets. We also have a small farm stand at the HoneyBee U-pick area (more details below).

5. HONEYBEE U-PICK BARN WILL BE OPEN THIS SATURDAY FOR THE LAST TIME FOR 2024: We will be open on Oct. 26 from 8 AM-12 PM to purchase extra Tantre produce. You also may try your hand at picking any lingering raspberries hanging on despite a few light frosts.

6. PLASTIC OR PAPER “GROCERY BAGS ONLY” ARE NEEDED, if you can donate them at the markets or the farm or the Food Hub.

7. SUNFLOWER FARM MARKET and TANTRE FARM are HIRING: Calling all locavores! Sunflower Farm Market (formerly the Washtenaw Food Hub Market) is looking for help running the market Wednesdays 3-8 PM & Saturdays 8 AM-1 PM. Contact Deb at info@tantrefarm.com for more information with SUNFLOWER FARM MARKET or TANTRE FARM WORK in the Subject line.

8. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER: *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 the whole time with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –4 PM to 8 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share! STAFF there the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) —9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA there most of the time)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there the whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share. STAFF there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM (STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM (LIZ there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)

REFLECTIONS OF THE FARM AND FAREWELL!
by Richard and Deb

Along with the golden hunter moon shining clear and bright for several nights, came several light frosts, which changed things on the farm. The deer activity increased with lots of munching on carrot tops and digging up daikon radishes. The tomato vines became brown with a few translucent, frost-softened tomatoes still hanging on. The pepper and eggplants drooped down to the ground with soft, deflated fruit. With the waning light in our days, the leaves on the trees are turning to gold and brown and red gently dropping and floating for the last few days.

The annual cycle of the harvest is coming to an end. Despite the light frosts, many frost-hardy greens are still looking fresh and alive like the kale, cabbage, and lettuce leaves. The ferny, feathery carrots tops still stand tall with their effervescence generating fat, sweet orange and purple roots under the ground. The potatoes like so many gold, blue, and red jewels are being dug up from the moist brown soil on these past sunny afternoons. All of these will be harvested in the next few weeks for late fall winter storage in our root cellar. In our dry storage area of the barn, our winter squash, garlic, and onions are already secure from winter damage. Our hands continue to be full every day, and we are grateful for the good work.

As the Extended Fall CSA draws to an end, and we are heading into the home stretch of fall harvest, we would like to show our appreciation for the soil, the sun, and the rain. We are also grateful for all this year’s hands that have pulled so many thousands of pounds of vegetables and fruit from the fields to be distributed throughout the community. This labor has afforded us a great deal of tranquility and peace along with many hours of grit and strength. A special thank you to all of our past farm crew already back to school and other adventures, but especially we would like to thank those of our farm crew who have stuck with us through the thick and the thin: Jo, Chizo, Yves, Chloe, Jordan, Gavin, Donn, Jake, Ethan, Jay, Amy, and Carrin. We couldn’t have done it without their hard work and dedication. When you see them at markets or at the farm, please thank our farm crew for all their hard, determined efforts at bringing you such flavor and sustenance.

Thank you also to you, our members, for a wonderful Extended Fall CSA season filled with gratitude and community connection with this bountiful harvest. Please feel free to contact us throughout the rest of fall and winter for any storage produce or come visit us at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Chelsea Farmers Market until this coming Saturday, Argus Farm Stop, Agricole Farm Stop, People’s Food Coop, and the Sunflower Farm Market at the Washtenaw Food Hub open year round on Saturday mornings and a few week days throughout the winter. We are looking forward to deepening and continuing our journey and commitment to local food. Thank you for being a member of Tantre Farm!!
  –Deb, Richard, and the Tantre Farm Crew

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!

CARROT TOP SOUP (from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison) Serves 4
1 bunch (6 small to medium) carrots, the tops and roots
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp white rice
2 large leeks (or onions), white parts only
2 thyme or lemon thyme sprigs
2 Tbsp chopped dill or parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water

 Pull the lacy leaves of the carrot greens off their stems (2-3 cups, loosely packed). Wash, then chop finely. Grate the carrots, or finely chop them. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the carrot tops and carrots, rice, leeks, thyme, and dill. Cook for several minutes, turning everything a few times, then season with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and add the stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until the rice is cooked, 16-18 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and serve.

DELICATA SQUASH WITH BREAD CRUMBS & PARSLEY (from https://soilborn.org/recipe/delicata-breadcrumbs-parsley/)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Delicata squash, cut lengthwise and seeded
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 fresh sage leaves, minced
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Mix the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast and 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Toast the mixture in a small skillet over medium heat until just golden. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the squash cross-wise into 1/4-inch slices and add to a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage. Heat a large skillet with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the squash and cook about 4 minutes or until they are golden and crisp. Turn them over to cook on the other side for about 4 more minutes or until they are fork-tender. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the squash in batches. Transfer the squash to a paper-towel lined plate. Arrange the on a platter and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the squash and garnish with parsley. Serve while hot.

MEXICAN STYLE FRIED RICE
3 cups cooked rice (either freshly cooked or leftover is fine too)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, julienned 
1 bunch spinach or arugula, chopped
2-6 jalapenos, minced (or use 2-3 poblano peppers for a milder rice)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup chopped tomato (optional)
1 bunch chopped cilantro (or parsley) (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil of your choice

In a heavy skillet (cast iron if you have it, or a wok will work fine), heat oil on medium high heat. Add the cabbage and greens and cook until wilted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from pan and set aside. Using a bit more oil, still with medium high heat, stir fry the peppers, onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the rice and increase the heat to high.  Stirring almost constantly, cook this mixture for about 5 minutes and season to taste. This is where you make your rice crispy if you like it this way.  Add the red wine vinegar, reserved cabbage and greens and cook until heated through. Toss with tomato and cilantro if desired and serve immediately.

ROAST PORK WITH APPLES, CABBAGE, AND TURNIPS (from https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roast-pork-with-apples-cabbage-turnips) Serves 10.
Cooking spray or cooking oil
1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
5 cups thinly sliced peeled apple (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
3 cups (1-inch) cubed turnips
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 15 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove pork from the pan. Add onion and bacon to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return pork to pan. Add apple and remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer. Place pan in oven. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155 degrees, turning pork after 45 minutes.

BRAISED CABBAGE AND POTATOES (adapted from https://thehungrybluebird.com/braised-cabbage-and-potatoes/)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeño, (or 1 poblano pepper) finely chopped
3 slices bacon, diced
1/2 pound potatoes, cut in half length-wise
1 small cabbage, cored and shredded
2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock, preferably homemade

In a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add bacon, onion and jalapeños, stir and cook until the bacon and onions start to brown, about 5 minutes. Push bacon/onion mixture to the side and add halved potatoes in the center of the pan. Let cook a minute or two and then stir and combine with other ingredients. Continue cooking and stirring for another 3 or 4 minutes until just starting to brown and get tender. Add cabbage, carrots and salt. Stir to combine and pour chicken stock into pan, reduce heat and simmer and cook, stirring often until cabbage is wilted and potatoes are tender, about 20 more minutes. Careful not to burn, adding more stock or water if needed. Taste for salt and serve with Carrot Top Soup.

YOUNG TURNIP SALAD WITH APPLES AND LEMON DRESSING (from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson and Angelic Organics) Makes about 2 cups
1 cup grated raw young turnips (about 2-4 medium/small turnips)
1 cup peeled and grated tart apples (Granny Smith–about 1 large apple)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the turnips, apples, parsley, lemon juice, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Note: For a sweet treat, try tossing in some raisins, or top with chopped and freshly toasted pecans or walnuts.

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