Appleton Farms Blog: Week 19: Acorn Squash and Sweet Potatoes!

The theme this fall seems to be rain, rain and more rain. While we’ve been privileged to some beautiful fall foliage this year, the weather has made for less than ideal conditions. The constant moisture has made it difficult to conduct late season field operations, such as digging storage potatoes and turning over spent fields to seed cover crops. It’s also made for many soggy harvests. But our willing crew has maintained a positive attitude throughout and we’re having fun nonetheless!

We partnered with Picadilly Farm again this year to provide our shareholders with sweet potatoes, a crop we do not grow here. Their farm is owned and operated by Appleton Farms’ original CSA managers, Jenny and Bruce Wooster, who many of you know and fondly remember. We are happy to continue working with them and maintain their connection here.

This week the share will include:

Greens
Kale
Collards
Kohl rabi
Rutabaga
Green cabbage
Radicchio
Head lettuce
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Acorn squash
Sweet potatoes (Picadilly Farm)

Despite our best efforts to keep a good stash of scissors for the pick your own field, every week many go missing. We encourage you to bring your own scissors if you plan on picking.
Our hours for pickup are on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 12:30-6:30PM. We are also open for pick your own on Saturdays, 8AM-Noon. Shareholders are free to pick up their share any day that best suits their schedule, and do not need to commit to the same day each week. Additionally, shareholders do not need to tell us which day they will be picking up.

Vegetable of the week!

SWEET POTATOES belong to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are a root vegetable-unlike a white potato is, which a tuber. George Washington Carver, a famous scientist, developed 118 products from sweet potatoes including glue for postage stamps and starch for sizing cotton fabrics. Sweet potatoes are high in Beta Carotene and also an excellent source of copper, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin B-6.

Melting Sweet Potatoes:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, sliced 1 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Honey, for drizzling

Heat oven to 475. Melt butter, sage, thyme, and garlic in small pot, and toss with sliced sweet potatoes, salt and pepper. Place on a large rimmed metal sheet pan and bake 15 minutes, flip, bake 15 minutes more, add broth and continue to bake until potatoes are soft and liquid is almost reduced (15 mins). Transfer to serving platter, season, and drizzle with honey.

Bonus Recipe: Sweet Potato Energy Bites
1 cup mashed sweet potato
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Unsweetened shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until well combined. Place mixture in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to allow to firm up. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of sweet potato mixture and roll into a ball. Gently roll into shredded coconut and place back into refrigerator to firm up.

Farm Store News

Only 2 more weeks left of the CSA! Oh, dear, I hope to see all your smiling faces even after the share ends. We will a lovely array of holiday offerings to keep you coming back into the New Year.

Trick or Treat with Harbor Sweets! Stop in the store on Halloween (it's a Wednesday, so you can get fresh milk while you are here) & receive a free goodie bag of Harbor Sweets chocolates and honey candy (while supplies last).

'Tis the season to give thanks, and cheese! Sign up now for Thanksgiving cheese boxes. We have custom made wooden gift boxes filled with delicious Appleton Farms cheeses and other goodies for $50 or $100. Flat rate FedEx shipping anywhere in the US for only $25. Sign up by 11/1 to guarantee availability.

Dreaming of holiday pies? Pumpkin & apple & pecan. Oh my! Pre-order your pie by 11/1 to guarantee availability. This holiday season we are happy to feature freshly made pies from Bushel & Crumb, frozen ready-to-eat Ever So Humble Pies as well as gluten and dairy free options from Kim Gregory Pure Pastry.

Farm Events & Programs

Thursday, October 18, 2018

From the Orchard: Autumn Apple Harvest

Thursday, October 18
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops

Appleton Farms Cheese Making Intensive

Thursday, October 18
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops

October Barnyard Story Hour

Thursday, October 18
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Family Fun, Farms & Food

Saturday, October 20, 2018