This week, we’re offering up a rather timely labor of love in the form of our Winter Chicories, a gorgeous assortment of Radicchio, hand harvested, sorted and mixed by your farmers so that you can treat yourself to something that looks like candy but is deliciously bitter. It is a stunner, and much like the little cards and crafts that I used to love folding and decorating for friends, this Winter delicacy has become a funny little Valentine that we offer up to you. Luckily, where there is bitterness, there’s room for sweetness (and saltiness too!). Squashes, Beets, Apples, Vinegar and Cheese are natural pairings, as well as all of the Winter Citrus fruit that is also at its peak right now. Between the Blood Oranges, Meyer Lemons, Cara Cara Navels, Grapefruit and Tangerines we’ve got on hand the timing could not be better to enjoy something really simple but very special. The tangy citrus/deep earthy flavor combination is such a winner, and all of that Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb the Iron that we get from the Beets that we’ll be pulling together from our root cellar.

XO,
Katie

I’m so excited that this year, I can at least eat like an Olympian while I’m letting my back heal.

Could you use some good news? A diversion? A little less doom in your scroll? I know I could. And thankfully, I have the pleasure of inviting you on a Virtual Farm Walk of Wild Hare! Farm Walks are farmer-to-farmer educational opportunities hosted by organic, sustainable, and innovative farm and food businesses throughout Washington State, and they have been such a helpful and inspiring way for us to learn from fellow farmers as our business has taken shape.  We were honored to be asked to host a Farm Walk of our own last Summer, and we were OVER THE MOON when we found out that the event would be crafted into a virtual format that would allow us to share our farm in such a creative and accessible way. We're so thankful to Edge Perma, Tilth Alliance, the Washington State University (WSU) Food Systems Program and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) for making this project and collaboration possible. If you've ever wanted an in-depth experience of our farm, to learn more about our growing practices, see Mark geek out on his gadgets and get to know us a little better, you can do so without having to put on a jacket or set foot in the soil thanks to this project. We hope you enjoy it!

It has been such a delight to look back on last Summer through the tour, looking back at many of the would-be overwintered beds. The fields are far muddier today, but at least they’re not frozen this week and field harvests are back on. The overwintering Kale is on the brink of budding out, so this week, we're opting  to harvest a round of small-to-mid-sized clusters of leaves that can be easily broken down into all kinds of salads, soups and such.  It is a more intact cut than our typical looseleaf method, but we think it might make for a more lush food product from field to table at this growth stage. Hardy greens like these are such a Wintertime staple for our farm, and their frost-sweetened flavor are a perfect match for the many varieties of squashes, apples, and even fun citrus that round out the seasonal eating experience as we await Spring's arrival.

Best,
Katie

Growing for the Winter season means intentionally producing and storing fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed at a time when growing and harvesting don’t necessarily come easily. This is one of those days. After clear skies and deep freezing over the weekend, and the sun didn’t bust through the clouds until it was just about to set this evening, hours after the crew called it a day. This means that we still won’t be able to evaluate what will be thawed and therefore harvestable from our fields and greenhouses until tomorrow at the earliest. Weeks like these, it is good to have a couple of coolers worth of veg stored up and remember that we’re part of a really great local food system. I plan for times like these, the ones where we I could use to give and receive a bit of comfort and ease, in nourishment or otherwise.

So, this seemed like a good time to tap into the bin of Butternut Squash that I’d been saving for a Winter’s day when only the very easiest and most coveted squash would do. Butternut is an absolute darling. That oddball, oblong shape and smooth exterior make it easy to peel in long swathes, and the seeds sit in one tidy little burrow. This makes it a sinch to scoop out, cube up and cook with, and this is one of the reasons that there’s a disproportionate number of recipes published in cookbooks call for Butternut over all others. If only were as effortless to grow as it is to work with post-harvest. It takes so much longer than the other squashes and pumpkins, and this year might be as close as we have come to the sweet spot. We’ve taken the notes and will rinse and repeat for next year! It also seemed like kismet that I was able to source locally grown Broccoli Raab (Rapini) in quantity for the CSA this week. Being in NY rekindled just enough of our family’s love for these leafy, Italian Mustard Greens and we’ve been kicking ourselves for not sneaking in a rotation to grow our own sooner. It is fantastic in pasta, with squash and/or sausage, and it is one of my favorite comfort foods. I hope it brings you a bit of comfort too this week.

Take Care (and hope to see you this week!),

Katie