Après moi, le déluge – Winter Baskets

And what a déluge it was – tremendous thank yous to everyone who braved the weather and came out to the Collingwood Farmers’ Market last Saturday!  I love vending at the farmers markets (and both Clarksburg and Collingwood are still open until Thanksgiving) but I can’t seem to shake the feeling like the markets are a giant dice-toss every season, as their success depends greatly on ideal weather conditions.

As the CSA is heading into week 15 of 19 we are still going strong with tomatoes, members receiving 3 L per week of mixed heirloom varieties.  However we are also delving into some of the more cool-weather crops, and with those includes some less than common vegetables, such as salsify.  First recorded as appearing at markets in the 1500’s in Syria, salsify is still making appearances today!  Once thought to ward off the bubonic plague, salsify is now more commonly enjoyed for its unique flavour as opposed to its medicinal properties, although it is very nutritious.

Try boiling it and then peeling and sauteeing in butter or coconut oil – it can be served like white asparagus with a hollandaise or bechamel sauce on top, or eaten as is, with a bit of crushed garlic.  If you peel it before you cook it be sure to put it in some water with either lemon juice or vinegar right away, as it will oxidize and discolour quickly.  If you are like me and save your creative bursts of in-depth meal preparation for special occasions, or those random times you just feel like making a hollandaise (which, I must admit, isn’t all that often for myself), you’ll be happy to know that salsify can be easily tucked into almost any stir-fry, soup, stew or roasted veggie medley.

Winter Baskets

I’ve been fielding more and more questions about what I’ll be doing once the markets finish up.  I am planning to offer bi-weekly baskets in two sizes to be picked up at a central pick-up location in:

Collingwood

Thornbury/Clarksburg

Meaford

Kimberley

The baskets will continue so long as quantities of high-quality vegetables last.  A huge interest in mine has been closing the circle by providing top-quality fresh locally produced vegetables year round – and with the help of some more appropriate storage here at the farm, we are steadily working towards that goal.

Large Baskets – $45 per basket

– suitable to feed a couple, small family or one vegetable loving individual

Small Baskets – $25 per basket

– suitable for individuals or couples who often eat out, have their own gardens or just don’t want as many veggies as are offered in a large basket

Remember I’ll be making deliveries once every 2 weeks, so this is a 2-week supply of veggies.

What to expect?  There are many variables that come into play when growing vegetables for winter storage.  Since I am still learning all of the subtleties of this art, I am offering biweekly baskets while quantities last, instead of a full-fledged winter CSA program.  Some crops to expect in the baskets include but are not limited to:

a variety of potatoes, beets (up to four different kinds), carrots, parsnips, celeriac, kale, chard, squash, onions, garlic, leeks, root parsley, and other cold-hardy crops as well as a variety of culinary herbs including oregano, parsley, sage, thyme, mint and more.

If you are interested, please send me a note and I will add your name to the growing list.  The first week of baskets will begin October 26th.