10/15/25 It feels like winter, is it already?
Although an October rain shouldn’t be out of the ordinary, it feels like a very early start to the rainy season… and no frost. We used to have our first frost around equinox (last week of September) with one as early as September 5th. But the last 6 years our first frost date has really shifted to mid and now late October. What’s next?
So our Dahlias are still rolling, but our tomatoes have pittered out. October is a time of the cross-seasonal abundance. As the fields continue without frost, we remain grateful for the little bits of summer harvest and yet enjoy little left overs of summer.
End of Egg, Tomato & Pint Shares
This week is the last week of our Egg Shares. We’re hoping to have them back again in the spring. It is also the last of our Tomato Quart Shares and we’re hoping we can get another round of Pint Shares next week but then that will likely be the end. More on this in last week’s newsletter.
This Week’s Box
Panisse Lettuce
Bunching Green: Red Russian Kale (SR) OR Rainbow Chard (WC)
Sweet Peppers (Worker Bee)
Broccoli
Carrots (Classic) OR Cabbage (Family)
Herb: Genovese Basil (SR) OR Parsley (WC)
Cameo Apples (Farmhand)
Families: Lettuce Leaf Mix
This week we have two products from other growers. Our friend Farmer Will at Worker Bee (he has a farm stand in Freestone) has good practices but still relies on tillage. At the end of the season when his farm stand closes, it’s helpful to him if we can take some of his last products. He harvested a big bounty of Sweet Peppers (a mix of Italians like ours and bells) this weekend which would have otherwise been tilled into the soil before the rains this weekend (yes, they’ve been in our walk in since Sunday but peppers last a long time in the fridge). Enjoy this last big bunch of colored peppers!!
We also have Cameo Apples from our friend Ari. Ari is the founder and lead designer of Farmhand, our software company and as of next week he’ll be a CSA member of ours (he’s been a member of another local farm that is closing for the season after this week. The apples are slightly tart and then sweet, good for snacking but could also be baked. I’m including in a salad recipe below with kale.
We have a new crop of Red Russian Kale. Enjoy it, it’s so delightfully soft. It would be excellent in a salad and may not even need much massaging to break it down it’s so soft. Our Rainbow Chard crops (there are many) are bountiful and soft as well. We are fully stocked with crops in the ground to take us through winter!!
Red Russian Kale & Apple Salad with Spiced Pecans and Maple-Cider Dressing
1 bunch Red Russian kale, stems removed, leaves sliced thin
2 apples, thin wedges
⅓ c spiced pecans or walnuts (see below)
¼ c dried cranberries or tart cherries
2 oz blue cheese or aged gouda, crumbled or shaved
Spiced Pecans
½ c pecans
1 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt
Dressing
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
⅓ c olive oil
Salt & pepper
Toast pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant. Add maple syrup, paprika, cayenne, and salt; toss until coated. Cool on parchment.
Massage kale with a pinch of salt until tender.
Whisk dressing ingredients until emulsified.
Toss kale with apples, cranberries, and dressing.
Finish with pecans and cheese on top.
Chard & Sweet Pepper Gratin with Herbed Breadcrumbs
1 bunch Chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
1 lb sweet peppers, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs butter or olive oil
½ c cream or half-and-half
½ c Parmesan, grated
½ c breadcrumbs
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
Sauté chard stems, peppers, and garlic in butter until softened. Add leaves, cook until wilted.
Transfer to baking dish, pour cream over, sprinkle Parmesan.
Toss breadcrumbs with parsley and a drizzle of oil, scatter on top.
Bake at 375°F until bubbling and golden, 20–25 min.
The last couple years we have nailed getting a late Genovese Basil crop into our hoop houses. It might not be with prime summer crops but we find it’s still lovely in dressings curries and more.
Sweet Pepper, Carrot & Basil Curry
1 lb sweet peppers, sliced
3 carrots, cut into half-moons
1 onion, sliced
1 Tbs ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk
2 Tbs red curry paste
1 bunch basil
Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger in oil until fragrant. Add carrots and peppers, cook 5 min.
Stir in curry paste, then coconut milk. Simmer until vegetables are tender.
Finish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
We usually don’t give two weeks of a big item in a row but our autumn Broccoli is just prime and we didn’t want to miss it for that reason. So enjoy a second week of Broccoli!
Stupid-Easy, Stupid-Delicious Roast Broccoli (Jose Andres from Vegetables Unleashed)
1 large head broccoli (~1½ lbs)
3-4 cloves garlic cut into slivers
½ c Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450˚F.
Cut off the broccoli stems as close to the crowns as possible. Reserve stems for another recipe. Arrange crowns, standing upright, and any loose florets in a baking dish that holds them snugly, as if you were rebuilding the heads of broccoli without the stems. Push the garlic slivers into the floretes.
Liberally brush with olive oil - don’t be shy - and season with salt. Pour about ¼ inch of warm water into the baking dish.
Roast the broccoli for about 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the remaining stems are tender. Of the tops brown before the stems are tender, cover the broccoli loosely with foil and continue cooking. Serve hot.
Optional, dress it up instead or in addition to garlic:
Olive oil, sherry vinegar, chopped fresh herbs, and chopped almonds.
Fish sauce, lime juice, chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Olive oil, lemon juice, grated or shredded Parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
Romanesco (roasted red pepper sauce)
Garlic Yogurt
Extra Shares
Flower Share: Last Bouquets going out to all Weekly, FULL and HALF Santa Rosa Members!
Lettuce Share: Cegolaine + 2x Mini Romaine 🥬
Bunched Greens Share: Toscano Kale
Tomato Quart Share: Last week this week
Summer Pint Share:🍓 Strawberries (last.
Egg Shares: 🍳 Last week!
A reminder that last week’s newsletter has a lot of information on the logistics of Winter CSA. Be sure to check it out!
Thanks everyone for your support!!