Week 19: More squash and an announcement
Tian Tian Farm Newsletter - October 10, 2024
Logistics
This is the penultimate box! We’re still planning a make-up box after next week for those we’ve coordinated with. Here is the current list of those receiving a make-up box: Jerome, Teresa, Kristin, Carol, Stanford, Max, Annie, Molly, Cathy, Winston M, Shaun, Ryan Laura, Daniel, Amy, Felicia.
If your name should be on that list, please let us know by Thursday of next week.
Thank you!
This Week’s Share:
Shallots
Turnips
Kale
Green tomatoes
Shishito peppers
Mini napa cabbage (wa-wa cai)
Delicata OR honey nut (not pictured) squash
Futsu squash
We topped our turnips this week, due to pest damage. Hopefully that extends the life of the turnips.
Before we chucked our tomato plants in the compost, we salvaged some green tomatoes. Here are some preparation ideas.
Our current crop of napa cabbage received significant slug damage, so we peeled them down to many sizes. Mini napa is actually a pretty popular item in Asian cuisines. It’s known as wawa cai in Mandarin.
You’re receiving two types of winter squash this week. Delicata squash (pictured) does not need to be cured or peeled and should be eaten sooner rather than later. An excellent roast. Unfortunately, our delicata crop was just short of enough for the CSA so a few of you will receive a honey nut squash, which is a delightful butternut variety. The honey nut are not quite ripe yet, so wait until they turn to this color before preparing.
Your futsu squash also does not need to be cured, though it can’t hurt to let it sit for a week or so before roasting.
An announcement
I have some bittersweet news to share. This will be our last season running the Tian Tian Farm CSA.
I have decided to retire from farming. Starting and growing Tian Tian Farm with Elizabeth has been one of the great joys of my life.
That said, four years of hard physical labor has worn my body down more than I feel comfortable with, and continuing would only exacerbate the pain. I can imagine a world in which the pain would be worth it — where the farm provides enough income for us to build a retirement. Unfortunately, while our business affords us a modest lifestyle, it is enough for us to reach our goals.
Elizabeth will continue running Tian Tian Farm on a much smaller scale. For now, she plans to focus on wholesale accounts and our farm stand.
I might write more about my decision next week. For now it must suffice to say I feel blessed to have grown food for you and your family.
Thank you,
Steven