10/21/26 Thank you Bobby!
Last week we said adieu to Bobby who has been on our farm for over 3 years. He lived here the first two years and created a deep community around our barn living including with farm crew and farm friends starting a band in our barn that practiced Wed nights. Some of you who picked up on the farm may have remembered hearing guitar riffs and a drum set from upstairs as you picked up your boxes.
Bobby just digs into a place and gives it his love. He got to know our property better than most not only because he lived here but he wanted to make it better. In the winter he was digging trenches when it rained to reduce erosion, fixing hoop houses, helped with tree work, learned woodworking with our son, and wanted to find a more ecological solution to out toilet needs and so we have biofiltration toilets thanks to him. Yes, Bobby has left his mark on the property, the farm and us.
In his time here Bobby loved the summer crops, especially tomatoes and peppers and helped refine systems for their care. Advocated for us to grow San Marzano and Jimmy Nardello. He was also an exquisite chef of compost piles. Bobby was an excellent educator and helped transition new crew in this fall. And he rocked the Sebastopol Farmers’ Market the last couple of years along with his sweetie Kaya.
Thank you Kaya!
Kaya (in photo with Bobby) worked the Sebastopol Farmers’ Market along with Bobby the last year and really got to know our community and make our farm shine with her welcoming and thoughtful care. Kaya is moving on to working full time at OAEC and we’re thrilled but sad to see her go.
Thank you Kayce!
After being here one year, Kayce mostly left the farm in August as she took on another job and tried to stay on one day a week because she just loves being on the farm so much. As we had so many new faces on the farm she helped the transition by having one more seasoned farmer to give their perspective. But now she’s fully transitioning out. She was truly sad to go. In addition to Another musician, having time to play viola with her American roots string band was
Good Luck Amal!
Unfortunately Amal, who moved from the UK to farm with us, could not make the move work, mostly due to health challenges. He started mid-September and was only here three weeks. We’re sad it didn’t work out and are excited to see the farm you start across the pond!
So much change…
Sometimes when I write about many people leaving the farm, CSA members get worried. To be sure this late summer has been a time of great transition and it’s been challenging but we almost feel we’ve come through it. We brought on Owen, Pippin, Amal, Glen, Sarah and Baldomero. It’s a lot of training but also our mission is to Grow Soil, Grow Food and Grow Farmers and that turn over is part of that building a greater community of ecologically minded farmers and farm advocates. With the above folks leaving (plus two more soon) we’ll have a strong core group to take us through the winter. The we have both accepted and offered jobs to start Jan, Feb, and March of three experienced farmers we’re excited to bring into the farm fold for 2027..
This Week’s Box
Panisse Lettuce
Bunching Green: Rainbow Chard (SR) OR Rainbow Kale (WC)
Brassica Head: Cauliflower (SR) OR Broccoli (WC)
Root: Mixed Beets (SR) OR Carrots (WC)
Summer Surprise: Eggplant &/or Green Peppers
Cabbage: Kohlrabi (Classic) OR Green Cabbage (Family)
Flat Leaf Parsley
Family: Cherry Tomatoes & Brussels Greens
Produce Notes & Recipes
This week our Summer Surprise is mostly Eggplant but also some Green Peppers with almost all of you getting both but some only one or the other. The peppers are all sweet although not as sweet as the red and yellow ones. As peppers grow they all start out green and then slowly sweeten more and become orange, red, or even purple. I would recommend a Mediterranean or Indian flavored roast or sauté of the two together. Here’s one idea, it’s for a little more than anyone has but you could downgrade spices to amount.
Roasted Eggplant & Green Peppers with Garlic & Balsamic
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4
2 medium Eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
2–3 Green Peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp dried Oregano (or 1 Tbs fresh)
½ tsp Salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper
¼ c chopped fresh Basil or Parsley
Optional: Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss eggplant, green peppers and onion with olive oil, oregano, salt and black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use two sheets if needed to avoid crowding.
Roast for 20 minutes, then stir and add the minced garlic. Continue roasting for 10–15 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and golden and the peppers have softened and begun to caramelize.
Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss gently.
Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley and optional red pepper flakes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Variation: Add a handful of cherry tomatoes during the last 15 minutes of roasting, or toss with cooked chickpeas for a more substantial vegetarian meal.
Now for the Autumn parts of your box! 🍂 We’re excited to have the first Cauliflower of the Autumn along with more wonderful Broccoli! It’s a bounty for sure. I don’t give many recipes for these heading brassicas because most of you already have them well worked into your kitchen. So I’ll focus on the lesser known: Kohlrabi.
5 Ways to Eat Kohlrabi (thektchn.com)
1. Raw: When raw, kohlrabi is slightly crunchy and sweet. Toss them in a salad, make a slaw out of grated kohlrabi, or on their own with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.
2. In Soup: While kohlrabi can be thrown into a basic chunky vegetable soup, we particularly like it in a creamy, pureed soup with mild spices so that sweet kohlrabi flavor can really shine through. Kohlrabi can be added to recipes for Cream of Potato, Cream of Broccoli, and even Cream of Mushroom soup!
3. Made Into Fritters: This is a great way to get kids to eat their kohlrabi! Shred it and mix with an egg and a few tablespoons of flour or breadcrumbs. Heat oil or butter in a skillet, drop on small mounds, and flatten slightly with your spatula. Turn after a few minutes, and serve when both sides are crispy.
4. Roasted: Like most other vegetables, when roasted in the oven, the outside of the kohlrabi caramelizes, and the flavor sweetens and mellows.
5. Steamed: This is kind of a cheat-suggestion because kohlrabi can be used in literally anything once steamed. We throw steamed kohlrabi into frittatas, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. We also like to puree it with a little cream and simple spices.
Carrot Kohlrabi Salad (Molly Watson)
2 bulbs kohlrabi (one of our big ones should do)
4 carrots (could it be a golden beet?)
3 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs whole grain or Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Peel kohlrabi and carrots. Be sure to cut off all of the tough outer peel of the kohlrabi. Set them aside.
In a salad bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt until well blended. Add pepper, if you like.
Using the large holes on a standing grater or a mandoline set up for fine julienne, grate the kohlrabis and the carrots into the salad bowl. Toss everything together until the kohlrabi and carrot are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if you'd like.