What a beautiful, heart-wrenching, purposeful, beyond difficult but delicious life those two kids ended up building together.

This week, I’m overjoyed and overwhelmed to celebrate not only the last harvest of the 2024 growing year, but moreover, ten wonderful years of Wild Hare Organic Farm. I’d like to say that I don’t know how we’ve pulled it off, but I am fairly certain that if you’re one of the people reading these words, you probably have a whole lot to do with our growth and success. I spent the afternoon flipping through photographs, pummeling myself with nostalgia, thinking of SO MANY wonderful crew members, customers, community members and dear friends who have comprised our farm family over the course of this decade and made this farm better for it. Thank you for helping us be good stewards of this land, for helping us raise an incredible kid, and for being willing to eat vegetables seasonally, no less…with all of the trappings that come with it. (Back when she was in preschool, Hazel told us we should have started a Candy CSA instead. It would have been a much easier sell, I’m sure). At any rate, Mark and I have a whole lot of blessings to count as we approach our Winter Break, and with any luck, we’ll get to do some more dreaming, scheming and a bit of cooking too.

As a friendly reminder, Wild Hare Organic Farm will be completely and totally closed from December 12th, 2024-January 13, 2025 for Winter Break. We hope you’ll drop by this Tuesday and Wednesday for one last opportunity to shop at Wild Hare in 2024.  We’ve topped Brussels Sprout Leaves and picked Braising Greens today, and we’ll have plenty of your favorite Fall vegetables on hand, along with a golden shelf load of Jody’s Honey, freshly-roasted coffee beans from Grounds for Change, the first bit of new-crop Winter Citrus from California and a spectacular array of Washington-grown Organic Apples and Pears that just arrived from Okanogan. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025, which is also the starting date for the 2025 Winter CSA. 

Many Thanks & Much Joy
Katie

PS: Party in 2025? Maybe when the days are long again?

IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:

• Braising Greens and/or Brussels Sprout Tops

• Mix and Match Roots

• Mix and Match Winter Squash

• Yellow Onions

• Spinach (Large Shares)

• Mix and Match Apples

AT THE FARMSTAND THIS WEEK

RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS

KALE & BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD WITH WALNUTS, PARMESAN & LEMON-MUSTARD DRESSING
Once Upon a Chef

• 1 cup walnuts, chopped, plus more for serving

• 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (about 5 gently packed cups after shredding) (OR USE YOUR TOPS, SAYS FARMER KATIE)

• 1 large bunch (about 12 oz) Tuscan or curly kale, thick center ribs removed, thinly sliced (about 5 gently packed cups after slicing)

• 1 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from one large shallot

• 1 small clove garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

RUTABAGA COLCANNON WITH KALE
Rad Foodie

• 2 pounds rutabaga (about 3 medium sized)

• 5 tablespoons butter (divided)

• 2 cups kale (shredded - about 4 large leaves)

• 1 teaspoon salt (plus a pinch)

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

• 2 green onions

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

FARRO SALAD WITH ROASTED RUTABAGA, RICOTTA SALATA & HAZELNUTS
Melissa Clark

• 1½ pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1½ cups farro

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, more for drizzling

• 1 fat garlic clove, minced

• ½ cup crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese

• ½ cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts

• 2 bunches watercress or arugula, cleaned and trimmed

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BUTTERNUT-SPICE BREAKFAST COOKIES
Dishing Up the Dirt

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil, slightly melted (you can sub with grapeseed oil)

• 2 organic free range eggs

• 1/2 cup cooked and pureed butternut squash

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 5 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1/2 cup chopped and pitted dates

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

PRESSURE COOKER CHICKEN TAGINE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Sarah DiGregorio

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 large red onion, finely chopped

• Kosher salt

• 1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about ¼ cup)

• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• ¾ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

• Black pepper

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 cup chicken stock

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon), plus more to taste

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 8 dates, such as Medjool, pitted and halved

• 1 (2- to 2½-pound) butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1-by-3-inch wedges

• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

• Cooked couscous or pita for serving (optional)

• Plain yogurt, for topping (optional)

• Toasted almonds, for topping (optional)

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

RISOTTO WITH PARSNIPS & GREENS
David Tanis

• ½ pound parsnips, not too large

• Salt and black pepper

• Olive oil

• ½ pound kale, broccoli rabe or mustard greens

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 1½ cups arborio rice

• ¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth

• 4 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth, or more if necessary

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 8 sage leaves, roughly chopped

• Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, for grating

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN
Alison Roman

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for baking dish

• 1½ cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs

• 1½ cups grated Parmesan, divided

• 6 sprigs thyme plus 1 Tbsp. leaves

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

• 1½ pounds celery root, peeled, sliced 1/16” thick

• 1 pound rutabaga, peeled, sliced 1/16” thick

• 1 pound turnips, peeled, sliced 1/16” thick

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/16” thick

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

KOHLRABI SLAW
WITH HORSERADISH & CANDIED SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Yotam Ottolenghi

• 20g sunflower seeds

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 70ml olive oil

• 1 tsp nigella seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar

• 2 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 3mm-thick matchsticks

• 2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and cut on a diagonal into 3mm-thick pieces (300)

• 20g parsley, roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp extra to serve

• 150g Greek yoghurt

• 20g fresh horseradish, peeled and finely grated (or 40g good-quality creamed horseradish)

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE