Acorn and Delicata Squash---The acorn is the dark green one. Both squashes are sweet and rich tasting. Easy to prepare: cut in half, scoop out seeds, put a dab of oil on cut side, turn upside down and bake at about 350 until tender, about 45 minutes. Or do Jeff’s version: cut, etc. only bake cut side up with a bit of butter inside. Sure to please. If it’s too hard to get them cut, poke with a bunch of holes and bake whole.
Cauliflower---These are so sweet! Wait until you taste them. Steam or saute until tender.
Cabbage---Ditto for sweet and ditto for saute or steam. Don’t limit yourselves to salad. But if you do make one, make it simple with a bit of vinegar, honey and oil.
Carrots---Everything is sweet this week! Sweet carrots to cook with or munch on or make a salad with the cabbage or all by itself. Try baking them up with the sunchokes. Put in a pan with a bit of butter, cover and bake until tender, about 40 minutes or so.
Prunes---These prunes were actually dried on old prune trays right out in the field. Child approved, they do have a pit so be careful with the little ones. Yummy!!!
Green Tomatoes---Remember the green tomatoes from a couple of weeks ago? Here are some more. The plants think that it’s summer again, or did with that last burst of heat. Make fried green tomatoes again or stew them or make a nice tomato relish.
Sunchokes---AKA Jerusalem Artichokes. The gnarly root in the box. These are a native American food introduced by the Indians to the settlers. Raw, they are kind of like water chestnuts and cooked they are nutty and, to some, a little bit like artichokes. They are free of any starch and have instead a polysaccharide called inulin, which is slowly digested and lowers blood sugar. Roast up or steam/ boil and mash like mashed potatoes. Try the recipe below.

Sunchokes Au Gratin
from, From Asparagus to Zucchini, A Guide to Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce
1 pound sunchokes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter in pieces
Scrub and peel sunchokes. Steam or boil until just tender. Slice thinly and lay out in a casserole dish. Add salt and pepper. Cover with cheese and dot with butter. Bake at 375 for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and browned.

Cabbage and Carrots Slaw
thanks to Mariquita Farms website*

4 cups finely shredded carrot

4 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 cup rice vinegar (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets)
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
In a large bowl toss together the carrot and the cabbage. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar,the sugar, the oil, and the salt. Just before serving add the dressing to the vegetables and toss the slaw well.
Serves 6. adapted from Gourmet Aug. 1993

* For lots of recipe ideas, go to mariquitafarms.com/ recipes. This farm has a CSA down in Watsonville. Lots of recipes and interesting info.

THANKSGIVING WEEK BOXES: All boxes will be delivered on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We will be taking the day off! Also, next week’s box will include Pie Pumpkin, Onions, Celery, Parsley, Potatoes, Parsnips.

Gift Certificates/ Other Gifts: We will have Gift Certificates available for both the Farm Stand and CSA if you are interested for all
your gift-giving needs. We also have gorgeous wool scarves and blankets as well as beautiful chile vinegar to name a few items.


Wool Products: We have some gorgeous hand woven scarves and blankets/ throws from the WE Tierra Shetland Sheep. Stop in the Farm Stand for a look-see.




VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED: We could really use some help with winnowing the beans. It is a low key, rather relaxing experience consisting of helping to clean the beans as they are pushed over the “wind” of a fan. If
you’d like to check it out, call or come by the Farm Stand and we’ll show you how it’s done.




Come visit: Please all of you who pick up at drop off locations, come visit. We are open Saturdays from 11 to 6 and you are all more than welcome to come take a walk in the field and visit with your vegetables/ fruits.

HONEY: We’ve got honey from the field: Tierra Vegetables Estate Honey. It is really sweet and flavorful. Scott, our beekeeper at Nelson Family Apiary, is using it for his honey of the month! We can put it in your box. We’ve got two sizes: 10 oz for $8.50 and 20 oz for $12.00. Let me know.



PLASTIC BAGS; We need lots of CLEAN plastic bags, please. We go through a lot and are not ordering any more until we can get the non-GMO biodegradable ones.



PICKLE NEWS: PICKLES! We have pickles! For those of you who remember from last year, we have great old fashioned dill pickles. They are fermented in a crock the old fashioned way and are crisp and slightly sour. Come have a taste and get a few pickles.






PICK UP POLICY NOTE: We are experiencing an issue with boxes not being picked up at various locations, including the Farm Stand, on a timely manner. We understand that sometimes you forget or something comes up that you can’t get your box of vegetables. If this happens, please call me at 696-8148 and we will bag it up for those picking up at the farm or hold it at the drop off locations. Otherwise, boxes left over 24 hours will be donated or used by our hosts. Thank you.

Reminder: The Farm Stand is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 to 6:00.

VISIT THE FARM: Please come on in for a visit whenever you can and bring the kids!


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EGGS---Our chickens are starting to lay their eggs! Hooray. These beautiful and delicious eggs are available at the Farm Stand. Better watch out, though: the customers at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market would take them all if we'd let them. You all get priority! Come check them out and see what a really fresh egg looks and tastes like.




Calling all loyal CSA members. We would love to put your recipes in the Menu. If you have anything that you'd like to share, please e-mail me at evie@tierravegetables.com and most likely your recipe (or comment) will make its way to this little Menu.

Regular Season starts May 29th. If you want to sign up and you haven’t yet, please call or e-mail.

Reminder: The Farm Stand is now open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 to about 5:30. Come on in. Bring the kids!