November 30, 2020
Early December Mix
by Farmer Dana

Late Fall Harvest #3 (Week A) should include cabbage, potatoes, kale, carrots, lettuce mix, baby head lettuce, baby chard, rosemary, and radishes (salad, purple daikon, watermelon). We aren't 100% certain what the variety and quantity of specific greens will be until we begin harvesting midweek but each week the total weight of fresh greens is 2.5 lbs for Full/Half shares and 1.88 lbs for Medium shares.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Early-December-Mix-2590/

November 30, 2020
Reminder: Late Fall Schedule
by Farmer Dana

Week 3/A, Wed 12/2 1-7pm & Sat 12/5 11am-1pm

Week 4/B, Wed 12/9 & Sat 12/12

Week 5/A, Wed 12/16 & Sat 12/19

Week 6/B, Tuesday 12/22 & Sunday 12/27

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Reminder-Late-Fall-Schedule-2591/

November 30, 2020
Digest
by Farmer Derek

Good morning! I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and were able to incorporate some of your share into your celebratory meals. Perhaps you introduced the interesting radish varieties to some novice eaters at the appetizer table or made a cabbage dish that could feed your family for a week. So many Thanksgiving dishes seem to be 1/3 cheese, 1/3 butter, and 1/3 vegetable. I'm ready for uncomplicated meals and salads. Fortunately lettuce and greens will not be in short supply for the final month of this growing season!

We were able to give farm work a nice break so not much has changed since we last wrote. This week we'll probably wrap up our seed and plant orders and make some serious progress with the 2021 Crop Plan and Rotation. Supplies need to be ordered soon to qualify for preseason discounts. I would love to finish the bulk of winter's administrative work during December and I may work towards that goal. The next round of holidays will be here before we know it so there's really not much time. Maybe if the ground dries out we'll spread some compost. We're seriously considering the rehabilitation of one of our outbuildings which will require a good amount of pre-construction clean up. When my mind tires and my body needs some physical exertion there's plenty of fenceline and woodland edge clean up to stay in farming shape. Otherwise I feel I can embrace the work this time of year that requires me to stay inside a bit more. Regardless there are about two full days each week devoted to harvest and distribution so there won't be too much downtime just yet. That's for January (hopefully). Happy December!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Digest-2592/

November 23, 2020
Thankful for the Abundant Veggies
By Linda Dansbury

We are so fortunate to be able to have the abundance of delicious veggies from Anchor Run! Here are a few things we enjoyed this week.

Beets, kale, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, rosemary - wow - I got to use so many things with this new dish I found. Called Whiskey Cola Chicken with Beets and Sweets it turned out delicious. It does use a lot of pans, and several steps, but the chicken part could easily be skipped. Just make half of the sauce to drizzle on the veggies. This is made in a very Chinese style, in that the chicken does not get browned - it stays soft, so if you want a crispy texture, use chicken with skin on and brown it before placing in the oven. It does have really good flavor.

Bok choy (yes, I still had one left), carrots, onions - there was leftover chicken from the dish above, so I made it into a Chinese chicken noodle soup with bok choy, carrots and onions. It was so warming on a raw day.

Sweet potatoes, potatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, kale - it is roasted veggie season. This time I added kale for the last 12 minutes. It added crunch and color - I wish I had thought of this sooner. I just left a third of the cookie sheet open when I put the root veggies in, so there was a space to put the kale in a single layer.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Thankful-for-the-Abundant-Veggies-2585/

November 23, 2020
Beyond Garden Radishes
By Linda Dansbury

Most of us love the beautiful red garden radishes we receive - now we are seeing 2 additional varieties: purple daikon and watermelon. Both keep for a long period of time in the refrigerator. So, what do you do with them?

Daikons are great when added to soups and stews - I particularly like them when paired with beef veggie soup or stew. Just add them when you add carrots or potatoes. There are also many ways to incorporate them in Chinese chicken dishes and it is a great veggie for pickling.

Watermelon radishes look like the inside of a watermelon when you slice them - they are absolutely beautiful! Sliced thin they add crunch, flavor and color to salads. I love to add them to a mix of roasted veggies - the color is so festive!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Beyond-Garden-Radishes-2586/

November 23, 2020
Giving Thanks
By Farmer Dana

Late Fall Harvest #2 (Week B) should include cabbage, potatoes, kale, carrots, lettuce mix, mild mustard greens mix, arugula, rosemary, and radishes (salad, purple daikon, watermelon).

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Giving-Thanks-2587/

November 23, 2020
Indoor Activities
by Farmer Derek

Since I wrote a week ago we endured our first seriously cold night this fall. Compared to past seasons it really wasn't that extreme, probably only bottoming out at 23 degrees, though temperatures did stay below freezing for most of that night. Prior to the cold we set up hoops in most of the tunnels and blanketed the crops with our thickest row cover. Everything appears to have made it through just fine.

Inside at the farm we just about wrapped up the 2021 seed and plant order. We'll double check the hundreds of varieties and quantities requested before we submit it as well as add blackberries, potatoes, and another flower variety or two. Next up is ordering the organic potting soil as well as greenhouse and general farm supplies. One tractor was serviced last week and the other will see the doctor sometime this winter. Fertilizers were ordered and soil samples taken and mailed. Depending on those results additional amendments may be needed but we anticipate optimum soil health results.

Normally I wait until February to update and finalize our crop plan (seeding, transplanting, rotation) but December seems wide open so I may try to tackle that now while my body still recovers from this growing season. By February we'll have departed the Persephone Period - daylight will be greater than 10hrs/day and increasing rapidly - and I'll probably be ready to resume outside physical farm activities on a more consistent basis. Crops won't be growing quite yet but there'll be plenty of barn clean up and organizing as well as fence-line and woodland maintenance. January is set aside as an off month, hopefully off the farm.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Indoor-Activities-2588/

November 23, 2020
Reminder: Late Fall Schedule
by Farmer Dana

Week 1/A, Wednesday 11/18 1-7pm & Saturday 11/21 11am-1pm

Week 2/B, Tuesday, 11/24 and Sat 11/28

Week 3/A, Wed 12/2 & Sat 12/5

Week 4/B, Wed 12/9 & Sat 12/12

Week 5/A, Wed 12/16 & Sat 12/19

Week 6/B, Tuesday 12/22 & Sunday 12/27

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Reminder-Late-Fall-Schedule-2589/

November 16, 2020
Bountiful Harvest
By Linda Dansbury

As we get closer to Thanksgiving one of the things I am thankful for is the delicious, nutritious, beautiful and abundant harvests we are receiving, and for those of us with the late fall share, we will continue to receive for the next 6 weeks. Here is some of what we enjoyed this past week.

Kale, onion, turnips instead, carrots - made a new salad called Easy Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing, which I have added to this site, because it is a delicious fall dish! It calls for broccoli, but I used turnips instead. It can easily be made into a main course by topping with some type of protein such as tofu, grilled shrimp or chicken.

Sweet potatoes, onions, turnips, carrots - made mixed roasted veggies. Love to do this because it is easy and delicious. Cut veggies into similar sized chunks so they cook at about the same rate. Place in large bowl and add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. I also like to add rough chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Bake in a 375 or 400 degree oven until veggies are nice and brown and tender. I like to make extras so I can have leftovers to put in a frittata. Yum!!

Kale, onions - I made a Cuban Pork shoulder roast in the slow cooker - the recipe didn't call for it, but I added a bunch of chopped kale during the last hour of cooking.

Onions, peppers - I sauteed onions and peppers for a topping on steak - just pointing out that I pulled peppers out of the freezer, and they were delicious.

Bok choy, turnips, radishes, carrots - I made a snack with all of these and a couple of dips - I used the bok choy stems and then I put the leaves into salads.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Bountiful-Harvest-2580/

November 16, 2020
A Mix of Fall Veggies
By Linda Dansbury

Karen Vanderwall sent the following message with how she has enjoyed some of her recent harvests. Thanks for the ideas, Karen!

Here are some of my ideas over the last couple of weeks:)

Black bean and Sweet Potato Chili - the slow cooker works well. She added diced tomatoes, corn, 1/2 cup orange juice, a little garlic, brown sugar and cumin and she likes to add chipotle in adobo (but it is spicy)

Roasted sweet potato - Karen's method is to cut in half horizontal, rub with olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder, which is optional cook face down in a 425 oven until tender.

Salmon, kale, mushroom noodle bowl - Karen uses a box of veg stock.

Bok choy, kale, mushroom, miso, ramen and bone in chicken - use slow cooker - add cooked noodles and kale at end (she uses curly soba noodles or what you can find)

One rimmed baking pan: chicken legs, turnips, sweet potato with a little ginger, soy sauce, olive oil, rice vinegar and chili paste rubbed over everything - then roast in 425 oven until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/A-Mix-of-Fall-Veggies-2581/

November 16, 2020
Welcome to 2020 Late Fall CSA
by Farmer Dana

Late Fall Harvest #1 (Week A) should include cabbage, potatoes, kale, carrots, lettuce, radicchio, greens mix, arugula, rosemary, and radishes (salad, purple daikon, watermelon).

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Welcome-to-2020-Late-Fall-CSA-2582/

November 16, 2020
Reminder: Late Fall Schedule
By Derek McGeehan

Week 1/A, Wednesday 11/18 1-7pm & Saturday 11/21 11am-1pm

Week 2/B, Tuesday, 11/24 and Sat 11/28

Week 3/A, Wed 12/2 & Sat 12/5

Week 4/B, Wed 12/9 & Sat 12/12

Week 5/A, Wed 12/16 & Sat 12/19

Week 6/B, Tuesday 12/22 & Sunday 12/27

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Reminder-Late-Fall-Schedule-2583/

November 16, 2020
A New Adventure Begins
by Farmer Derek

The 2020 Late Fall CSA commences this week. Thank you for joining us! I believe this is our 9th time embarking on this Late Fall adventure.

We're excited to share with you the continued bounty from the fields and tunnels. There's still some great looking cold hardy kale outside but most of our fresh greens will be harvested from our plethora of tunnels. These relatively simple passively temperature controlled structures provide almost enough protection to get us through even the coldest nights (we've made it through single digits several times over the years). When temperatures are forecast for mid-20s or lower we erect hoops within the tunnels and add a layer or two of row cover to provide extra protection by further trapping in earths radiant heat closer to the plants, heat that was absorbed during daytime, thank you sunshine.

Some of my focus is beginning to shift towards preparations for the 2021 growing season. Assembling the annual seed and plant order while consulting our crop plans can take up to a week. Each and every crop and variety needs to be assessed and reflected upon and any planned changes noted and the corresponding close to exact number of seeds needs to be ordered. I don't like to keep any seeds for more than one season if I can help it, mostly because I want to ensure the best germination success of those seeds the following season. I assume the seed companies have optimum storage facilities and maintain the freshest stocks. This time of year I also try to order any supplies and materials we'll need for the following year like potting soil, soil amendments, fertilizer, etc. Our inputs are minimal so this doesn't take very long but it is nice to check it off the list. I also need to reach out to experts regarding specific crop issues we had in 2020 that we can't identify, such as why the blackberries declined quickly and precipitously (could have been something simple like cold injury or something worse like a disease). Over the winter we'll update our schedules for seeding and transplanting as well as the crop rotation. Our four seasons, the winter cold break, provides a fresh blank canvas to work on the following year. It's easy to feel positively excited while working near the wood stove on cold winter days.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/A-New-Adventure-Begins-2584/

November 8, 2020
Member Turnip Ideas
By Linda Dansbury

Two members answered my call for new recipes this week and I truly appreciate it!

The first one came from Ashmali Patel, who has sent other amazing dishes:
"I have been roasting the root vegetables like you said in a sheet pan with oil salt and pepper. Then I make a hummus (with baby Lima beans ). Spread the hummus on a platter, drizzle some basil pesto or any kind of pesto and put the roasted veggies on top.
I also make a garlic chili oil which I drizzle over everything and it turns out really good. My kids have named this “Beyond Veggies”.
To make the Garlic chili oil: grate a couple of cloves of garlic into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and red chili (pepper) powder according to how spicy you want. Heat oil in a pot, add cumin seeds once oil is hot, turn off the heat and pour hot oil over the garlic. The heat from the oil will cook the garlic.
Drizzle this on anything to spice the dish up.
Hope u enjoy!"

Long time member Janine Lazur sent a recipe for Pickled Harukei Turnips, which is now posted on this site. She says she hasn't tried them yet because they are still fermenting - I find the addition of mint to be really interesting. This is an easy way to dip your toe into the world of fermentation, or if you are experienced, a new way to enjoy your veggies.

Thank you to both Ashmali and Janine!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Member-Turnip-Ideas-2574/

November 8, 2020
Loving my Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury

We started the week fairly cool so heartier meals were enjoyed this past week. How did you enjoy your veggies? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line. Even our salads contained some heartiness.

Escarole, lettuce, kale, arugula, carrots, turnips - made a couple of large salads to top with leftover proteins (grilled steak and roasted chicken). For the steak, I made a balsamic vinaigrette and for the chicken, the salad was mixed with a lemony vinaigrette.

Beets, onions - made a large batch of Pickled Beets - there are many versions of how to do this, and there are recipes for them on this site. I boiled the beets until tender, peeled and thinly sliced them and thinly sliced a few onions and placed both in a large bowl. Meanwhile I boiled a bit of honey and salt with apple cider vinegar, but any vinegar will work. Covered the beets with the mixture and tasted - I added more vinegar and pepper and then packed the finished beets in containers.

Onion, bok choy, peppers (left from my garden), garlic, hot pepper (frozen) - made a simple stir fry, this one was Thai style, made so by using a mortar and pestle to make a paste of the garlic, hot pepper and some ginger. Both the marinade and stir fry sauce contained fish sauce as well.

Turnips, leeks (had a couple left), carrots - sauteed the veggies in a large skillet with a bit of fresh tarragon (thyme would also be great) until just starting to get soft. Placed a chicken on top and roasted all together - what a yummy fall dish.

Carrots - cut up and boiled a few carrots until just softening, drained water and added a bit of butter and olive oil and cooked until a bit browned, then topped with fresh chopped herbs.

Celery, carrots, kohlrabi, turnips - ate these up as snacks with favorite dips, including an eggplant dip I had made in the summer and froze.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Loving-my-Veggies-2575/

November 8, 2020
Maple Syrup and Honey From Augusta Acres, Pre-order Only
By Farmer Dana

Augusta Acres will be back for this season's final sale of Maple Syrup and Honey. Pre-order only. Orders are due by Sunday 11/15. Susan and Todd will be at Anchor Run Farm Wednesday 11/18 1-6pm for you to retrieve your order. If you cannot make it that day, let them know on the order form. To order follow this link.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Maple-Syrup-and-Honey-From-Augusta-Acres-Preorder-Only-2576/

November 8, 2020
Ultimate
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #26 (Week B & Final Week) should include sweet potatoes, radishes, turnips, radicchio, lettuce, kale, onions, carrots, cabbage, arugula, and greens mix.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Ultimate-2577/

November 8, 2020
Thank You!
by Farmer Derek

This was one challenging season and we thank you so much for your support! We hope it provided tasty nourishment and was also a beacon of positivity during what could be interpreted as a bleak time. We always welcome feedback so if you have anything you'd like to share please do so. If we don't see you during the Late Fall, please have a good and healthy winter and we'll look forward to seeing you in the springtime (but don't rush it).

On the farm and in the fields many areas have been 'put to bed' for the wintertime. Cover crops have been established where available and very soon most of our harvests will come from the tunnels (if it ever actually turns cold). Though we love farming - the good, the bad, the frenetic, the frantic, the infinite work - we do relish the down time to reset and rejuvenate. Additionally we also have to plan for the following season by updating crop plans and schedules and the rotation, order seeds and supplies, make repairs, hire staff, and if we're lucky, take some time away. With the successful completion of the garlic planting and mulching last week, large outdoor tasks are now finished.

To prepare for Main Season 2021 we'll assess all aspects of this season, the successes and failures. We seem to remember the failures more and perhaps this will help us fix them for next season. Underperformers from this year that we'll be more careful with next year include sweet potatoes, garlic, summer celery, tomatoes, broccoli, caulifower, blackberries, and slow growing spring crops. Successes this year that resulted from growing modifications include fall arugula, turnips, and radishes that were transplanted instead of direct seeded. Successful crops from optimum soil health and weather include most fall crops like kale, chard, beets, lettuces, radicchio, carrots, kohlrabi, etc. Fall tunnel greens look stellar for the most part and we look forward to share these with you.

Happy Fall, Thanksgiving, Holidays, New Year, Solstice!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Thank-You-2578/

November 8, 2020
2021 Main Season Registration Open
By Farmer Dana

Registration is open to current members for the 2021 Main Season CSA! Follow this link to sign up.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/2021-Main-Season-Registration-Open-2579/

November 1, 2020
End is Near! Penultimate Harvest Week!
by Farmer Derek

It's hard to believe we're already at this point of this most interesting season. Thank you for joining us on this hopefully satisfying, nourishing, and comforting ride. Overall I think it's been a good season. Everything wasn't perfect but most of the crops performed well and the weather pretty much behaved. It seems like our seasonal rainfall will be near our 12-season average. This year the extreme weather was more associated with the temperature: radically cold late temperatures in the spring, some serious mid-season heat, and our first summertime frost right before the fall equinox. After that, temperatures have been moderate with our first decently heavy frost, first sorta freeze, happening at the very end of October, which is consistent with my memory. Two weeks of moist weather with perhaps one day of sunshine now leaves us mossy but this week looks stellar once we pass Monday. Come December I'll probably begin seriously looking at all the notes and records from this year and begin planning for next season. I really enjoy that time. We kind of wipe the slate clean and begin fresh with a new season. Twelve years here and I think there's always room to modify and improve. Experimentation is fun.

Covid drastically altered much of the CSA experience but didn't impact the essence of growing organic produce. Distribution was a challenge and a definite workload increase but I think we identified a functional system that worked well for everyone. It's too early to speculate on next season's methods, but we'll definitely revert to the old system if possible. There were pros and cons with this method and the main thing that was lacking was member choice in the pick up room. We did try our best to incorporate some choice as much as possible this year but it wasn't very easy. Perhaps you were forced to get creative with a new veggie or two and found a new recipe you love as a result. Perhaps your neighbor was given more of your share this year.

Two more weeks of Main Season then six weeks of Late Fall. The winter is wide open. This season has been like no other. Every season is different with unique and memorable characteristics. I look forward to down time. I hope to travel and get off the farm for a bit. We may be stuck here during another lockdown but who knows. Thankful for peace, shelter, food, and health.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/End-is-Near-Penultimate-Harvest-Week-2568/

November 1, 2020
Basket of Goodies
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #25 (Week A) should include sweet potatoes, bok choy, kale, onions, carrots, lettuce (mini/romaine), fennel, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi, lettuce mix, arugula, escarole, radicchio, and chard. Some items will be a choice and/or may not be available at all times.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Basket-of-Goodies-2569/

November 1, 2020
Registration Open for 2021 Main Season
by Farmer Derek

In case you didn't see the announcement on Saturday, registration is open to current members for the 2021 Main Season CSA! Follow this link to sign up.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Registration-Open-for-2021-Main-Season-2570/

November 1, 2020
Stew and Stir Fry
By Linda Dansbury

Up and down weather brings changes to the types of foods I desire to prepare and consume. My root crops, with the exception of potatoes, are starting to build up, so I need to figure out how to use them. If anybody has a good idea for the turnips or any other crops, I would love to hear from you - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.

Romaine, garlic - decided to make a classic Caesar Salad with that beautiful head of lettuce. I just took a recipe that looked good off of the internet.

Potatoes, onion, kale - made a Portugese Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup using a combination of linquisa and chorizo soup. It turned out delicious! There is a Portugese Kale Stew on this site that would give similar flavors. Yum...

Onions, celery, bok choy, garlic, greens - made a cashew chicken stir fry using several farm ingredients - we incorporated the celery leaves into the mix - love these fresh ingredients - so much flavor!

Greens, onions, garlic - made one of the most delicious lasagnas I have ever made - it took a long time, but was worth it. The addition I made to the recipe was to saute a bunch of chopped greens - mainly escarole and Swiss chard because I wanted it to be mild - put a layer of greens in the middle of the lasagna. It was so delicious!

Leeks (the rest of what I had), garlic and...more greens! - made a chicken stew that was flavored with oregano, apple cider vinegar, paprika, red pepper flakes and incorporated a bit of sausage. Another wonderful meal that provided leftovers.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Stew-and-Stir-Fry-2571/

November 1, 2020
The Color of Fall - Orange
By Linda Dansbury

This marks the final 2 weeks of our regular CSA season. The final new veggies we will receive store really well - carrots and sweet potatoes. For both of them, check to see if there are any cuts (from harvest) or signs of decay and use those up first rather than storing with the others. Carrots obviously store well in plastic in the fridge.

Sweet potatoes like to be stored with sufficient air movement around them and at a temperature of about 55-60 degrees. An unheated basement or garage is perfect at this time of year. Do not store them in the fridge where the texture and flavor will suffer. The sweet potatoes will still have soil on them when we receive them because sweet potato skins are very susceptible to damage and washing them will tear the skins.

Both of these fall delights are flexible in their preparation. I absolutely love to do mixed roasted veggies: sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, garlic, turnips, potatoes are delicious together. Just cut them up in similar sizes and toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on a cookie sheet in a single layer at 375 to 425 degrees until soft and somewhat caramelized. They shrink up a lot so if making for several people you will need 2 cookie sheets.

This site has a lot of sweet potato and carrot recipes, so check it out!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/The-Color-of-Fall-Orange-2572/

November 1, 2020
Workshifts This Week?
by Farmer Derek

Workshift tasks are almost over. We have one more major job: plant and mulch garlic!

As of now we hope to begin planting the garlic this Friday, November 6, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm. Divots will be made on beds with a tractor implement, we'll put the garlic clove in the hole, then cover it with dirt. Afterwards we'll cover with straw mulch. If we don't finish planting and mulching on Friday we'll do so on Sunday, November 8, 10am-12pm. If we finish the garlic work we'll probably harvest some roots.

Schedule for this week:

- Friday 11/6 10am-12pm & 1-3pm

- Sunday 11/8 10am-12pm

If you signed up for a share with the work discount but are unable to fulfill your work obligation for your discount you can simply pay the difference. E-mail us for your balance (it's $15/hour; 4 hours for half share, 6 for medium, 8 for full).

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-2573/