Farm News

Joshua, 11, snuggles with the puppy that he’s temporarily adopted, the only brown one in the litter.
PUPPY LOVE – It won’t be long before our little puppies open up their eyes and start getting more rambunctious. We so enjoy these weeks when the puppies are tiny and cute and so much fun. And because we have a big family, puppy socialization happens naturally and is especially fun! Each of our seven children claims a pup as their own until it goes off to its new owners. The kids are in charge of snuggling and playing with “their” puppy, so in addition to tumbling around with his or her littermates, each puppy has special human attention. Because this is a litter of eight, we have a “bonus” pup that has been claimed by Farmer Jean, and she is especially enjoying puppy time! If you are interested in a Mini-Australian Shepherd pup for a family pet, call or text Farmer Jean at 612-245-6271 or visit our puppy page here.

Puppy parents Diesel and Daisy and their sweet litter of eight.

The Braatz sisters love to snuggle the new pups. 17-year-old Abby thinks puppies are the best break ever from her college studies, while 6-1/2-year-old Ellie looks cool while she cuddles with puppy pals.
In Your Share Box This Week
Click on the blue links for recipe ideas. 
Tomatoes – Use your tomatoes in BLTs, caprese salad, chips and salsa, grilled tomatoes, marinated tomatoes, or in salads or sandwiches. You can make tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup or salsa, too. Do you need to purchase bulk tomatoes for canning tomato sauce, salsa or soup? Scroll down to see the links for ordering bulk tomatoes.
 Peppers – We grow a lot of peppers here. They start green and turn red. We also grow some light green ones that turn a delightful yellow or orange. These are great for fresh eating or you can cut them up and freeze them for use during the winter.
 New England Pie Pumpkin – Pie pumpkins are smaller in shape and size than jack-o-lantern pumpkins. These small, round pie pumpkins are packed full of flesh that is good for cooking. The pulp has a better texture (less stringy) and is sweeter. The size of this pumpkin makes it perfect for decorating, too. Need a reminder about how to make pumpkin puree? Click here, scroll down and read our easy method!
Garlic – Garlic adds depth and flavor to your dishes. Enjoy it in your casseroles, garlic roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes, or grill the cloves with your grilled veggies.
 Kale – Kale, that powerhouse of nutrients, is great in salads, kale chips, or as a healthy addition to your fruit smoothie. Or sauté it lightly in olive or coconut oil and, when finished, add a dash of apple cider vinegar for a tasty side dish.
  Squash – You will receive Butternut, Kabocha or Acorn squash in your box this week.
 Bok Choy (possibly) – Bok Choy leaves work well for wraps and the base can be eaten like celery. The greens can also be used as a substitute for lettuce or chopped up and sautéed. You can also use bok choy as a substitute for celery in soups or stews. When cooked, it has a very mild flavor. Also, the outside stalks can be eaten raw with or without dip.
 Summer Squash and/or Zucchini (possibly) – As we glean the fields, we are still harvesting some mid-summer squash, and if we have enough will add them to this week’s boxes.
 Apples or  Pears (maybe) – Our apples are close to ready, and if we have enough, you may find some in your boxes this week. The pears are reaching peak ripeness, so if we have enough, you may find some of those in your boxes, as well.
 Surprises! – Depending on weather conditions and what’s ripe and ready, you may receive some surprises in your box this week!
NOTE: We make every effort to pack into your box the items listed in this email. However, as farming is dependent on weather and growing conditions, we sometimes get surprises and pass them on to you. This list is our best guesstimate. You may not receive every item listed AND you may receive some surprises that were not listed. Please be assured we have packed into your box the value you’ve paid even if the items don’t exactly match the items listed in this email. Thank you for your understanding!

Fall Harvest Supper

Quick easy dinners are the best! At this point in the season, members can look at the produce they’ve received and create a quick “chop and sauté” dinner. One member submitted this picture of her no-recipe supper. Her “clean-out-the-refrigerator” meal included saluted bok choy, celery, kale, orange peppers, onions, a bit of leftover pork sausage and chopped, leftover chicken breast. She reports she sprinkled on a little balsamic vinegar and it was delicious! Who needs a recipe? It’s so fun to be creative in the kitchen!

Send your pictures and recipes!!
We love to see pictures of your culinary masterpieces and we’d love to share your recipes. Send your pictures and recipes to [email protected] and we’ll include them in an upcoming email and on the recipe page of our website!

     
Bulk tomatoes are still available!
Get them while they’re ripening!
Homemade salsa? Tomato sauce? Tomato soup? Spaghetti sauce?
Homemade pizza sauce? Homemade ketchup? What’s your specialty?
Follow these links to purchase the tomatoes that meet your fall canning needs!

Canning Tomatoes (approx. 20 pounds/seconds) click here.
Half Bushel of Tomatoes click here.
Half Bushel of Roma tomatoes click here.
20 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.
3 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.
     

YOU CAN HAVE MY MINNESOTA FARMER PRODUCTS
DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THURSDAY, OCT 7!
Order Thanksgiving Turkey, bulk tomatoes, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, hot dogs, sausage, hamburger patties, hot beef, vegetables, granola and much more to be delivered Thursday, Oct. 7.
Order deadline for the Oct. 7 delivery is 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.

Click here for delivery to your door Thursday, Oct. 7.

 Farm News


FALL FUN – A lot happens at the farm during September! We make our way out into the field and harvest the crops (like the melons and pumpkins pictured above), and we order new chicks to raise so we have good producing laying hens for next year. In the middle photo, Ellie sits beside boxes full of the baby chicks your farmers recently picked up from the post office. (I bet the postmaster was happy when they picked them up! PEEP PEEP PEEP PEEP PEEP!)  In the third picture, the baby chicks settle into their warm, new home.
In Your Share Box This Week
Click on the blue links for recipe ideas. 
 Watermelon – Enjoy sweet delicious melon sliced, in a salad or in a smoothie. Yum!
 Butternut Squash – Butter and brown sugar will turn these squash into a baked treat your whole family will love. These store well, too, so you can keep them for later in the winter. See below for a delicious butternut squash bisque (soup) recipe. Delicious!
Tomatoes – Use your tomatoes in BLTs, caprese salad, chips and salsa, grilled tomatoes, marinated tomatoes, or in salads or sandwiches. You can make tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup or salsa, too. Do you need to purchase bulk tomatoes for canning tomato sauce, salsa or soup? Scroll down to see the links for ordering bulk tomatoes.
Summer Squash or Zucchini – Summer Squash and Zucchini are excellent sliced and sautéed with onions as a side dish. Or either of these squash can be shredded to make a moist zucchini or squash bread.
 Peppers – We grow a lot of peppers here. They start green and turn red. We also grow some light green ones that turn a delightful yellow or orange. These are great for fresh eating or cut them up and stick them in the freezer to use during the winter.
 Bok Choy (possibly) – I have learned to love raw bok choy as a treat. The leaves work well for wraps and the base can be eaten like celery. The greens can also be used as a substitute for lettuce or chopped up and sautéed. You can also use bok choy as a substitute for celery in soups or stews. When cooked, it has a very mild flavor. Also, the outside stalks can be eaten raw with or without dip.
 Rainbow Chard (possibly) – Rainbow Chard is great to sauté or stir-fry. For the evenest cooking, remove the colored ribs/stems from the leaves, then chop the stems and start cooking them before you add the leaves. Chard can also be eaten raw in salads. If eaten raw, complement its earthy flavor with apples, raisins or dried cranberries.
Yellow Potatoes – So many good ways to use potatoes …  baked, boiled, mashed, put into a salad or made into a delicious fall soup! Enjoy.
 Surprises! – Depending on weather conditions and what’s ripe and ready, you may receive some surprises in your box this week!
NOTE: We make every effort to pack into your box the items listed in this newsletter. However, as farming is dependent on weather and growing conditions, we sometimes get surprises and pass them on to you. This list is our best guesstimate. You may not receive every item listed AND you may receive some surprises that were not listed. Please be assured we have packed into your box the value you’ve paid even if the items don’t exactly match the items listed in this newsletter. Thank you for your understanding!

Farmer Jean with Daisy, the amazing Puppy Mom. Also pictured, Daisy with her new puppies born yesterday morning.

Daisy’s last litter of seven puppies at their final vet visit before going to their new homes.
Send your pictures and recipes!!
We love to see pictures of your culinary masterpieces and we’d love to share your recipes. Send your pictures and recipes to [email protected] and we’ll include them in an upcoming newsletter and on the recipe page of our website!

Butternut Bisque

3 T. butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves sliced
½ t. dried thyme
¼ t. ground cinnamon
⅛ to ¼ t. cayenne pepper plus more for garnish
Coarse salt
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. half-and-half
3 c. water
1 T. lemon juice
Sour cream for serving

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon and cayenne. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add squash, broth, half-and-half, and 3 c. water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. Working in batches, puree in a blender or blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt. Serve with sour cream, garnished with cayenne, if desired. – Recipe from Martha Stewart Living

Homemade pico de gallo is a great way to use those delicious peppers and tomatoes you’ve been finding in your box! Here’s a recipe for fresh homemade pico de gallo sure to please the family during your game-day entertaining! Serve with chips or on tacos, or mix it into rice or scrambled eggs. YUM!

     
Bulk tomatoes are still available!
Get them while they’re ripening!
Homemade salsa? Tomato sauce? Tomato soup? Spaghetti sauce?
Homemade pizza sauce? Homemade ketchup? What’s your specialty?
Follow these links to purchase the tomatoes that meet your fall canning needs!

Canning Tomatoes (approx. 20 pounds/seconds) click here.
Half Bushel of Tomatoes click here.
Half Bushel of Roma tomatoes click here.
20 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.
3 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.
     

YOU CAN HAVE MY MINNESOTA FARMER PRODUCTS
DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THURSDAY, OCT 7!
Order Thanksgiving Turkey, bulk tomatoes, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, hot dogs, sausage, hamburger patties, hot beef, vegetables, granola and much more to be delivered Thursday, Oct. 7.
Order deadline for the Oct. 7 delivery is 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.

Click here for delivery to your door Thursday, Oct. 7.

FALL BOUNTY – You know it’s the fall harvest season when your box of produce gets heavier and much more colorful! Our New England Pie Pumpkin harvest has been wonderful! Scroll down to find a tip for using the pie pumpkin that you received last week. (Also, you can order more pie pumpkins by clicking here.) In the second picture, Ellie chomps into a watermelon right out in the field. (This is just one way your farmers test for ripeness. *wink*)
In Your Share Box This Week
Click on the blue links for recipe ideas. 
Tomatoes – Use your tomatoes in BLTs, caprese salad, chips and salsa, grilled tomatoes, marinated tomatoes, or in salads or sandwiches. You can make tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup or salsa, too. Do you need to purchase bulk tomatoes for canning tomato sauce, salsa or soup? Scroll down to see the links for ordering bulk tomatoes.
Onions – Onions are a beautiful addition to any meal. These are great for storage. Put them in a cool place if you plan to store them for a while.
Red Potatoes – Red potatoes are less starchy and more sugary than white potatoes. Enjoy them in potato salads, garlic roasted potatoes or boiled for a side dish.
Jalapeno Peppers –  Jalapenos are three times as spicy as bell peppers. Red jalapenos are hotter than green.
Cantaloupe or  Watermelon – Enjoy sweet delicious melon sliced or in a smoothie. Yum!
Squash or  Cabbage – Depending on our yield from the field, you’ll find Cabbage or Acorn or Kabocha Squash in your box.

Pears – (full shares) – Full share subscribers will receive locally-grown pears.
Surprises! – Depending on weather conditions and what’s ripe and ready, you may receive some surprises in your box this week!  

NOTE: We make every effort to pack into your box the items listed in this newsletter. However, as farming is dependent on weather and growing conditions, we sometimes get surprises and pass them on to you. This list is our best guesstimate. You may not receive every item listed AND you may receive some surprises that were not listed. Please be assured we have packed into your box the value you’ve paid even if the items don’t exactly match the items listed in this newsletter. Thank you for your understanding!

Make your own Pumpkin Puree – Easiest Method
You received a New England Pie Pumpkin last week. If you’re wondering what to do with this orange cucurbit, remember that you can make your own pumpkin puree!. Pumpkin puree can be frozen and used throughout the year for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, cookies, muffins and even pumpkin soup! Here’s our tried-and-true, easiest method for turning New England Pie pumpkins into smooth, delicious pumpkin puree. (Note: This method will work for your jack-o-lantern pumpkins, too, though the puree will be coarser than it is with pie pumpkins.) If you’d like to order more pie pumpkins for decorating and for freezing puree, click here.

1. Cut the top off of the pumpkin to create flat top.
2. Place pumpkin on flat (cut) side and cut pumpkin in half.
3. Scoop out seeds
4. Put 1 to 1-½ cups of water in the bottom of a crock pot – just enough to keep pumpkin moist. Don’t submerge pumpkin pieces in water.
5. Cook pumpkin halves in crockpot on high for 3 to 4 hours. You can cut halves into quarters to make more pumpkin fit in the crock pot, if desired.
6. Once pumpkin is soft (poke with fork to check), take out of crock pot and set on a cookie sheet or tray to cool.
7. When pumpkin has cooled enough to handle, use a spoon to remove pumpkin pulp from skin.
8. Place pumpkin pulp in a mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender or potato masher to reduce lumps. If the pumpkins are good pie pumpkins, very little blending/mashing should be necessary to make a nice smooth puree.
9. Freeze pumpkin puree in amounts needed for favorite recipes.

Send your pictures and recipes!!
We love to see pictures of your culinary masterpieces and we’d love to share your recipes. Send your pictures and recipes to [email protected] and we’ll include them in an upcoming newsletter and on the recipe page of our website!

Cantaloupe Smoothie
Three weeks of receiving cantaloupe might have you wondering what to do with all that melon. Here’s a recipe that you will enjoy … a very simple Cantaloupe Smoothie!

Joshua and Grandpa John help with the tomato harvest.
Bulk tomatoes are available!
Get them while they’re still ripening!
Homemade salsa? Tomato sauce? Tomato soup? Spaghetti sauce?
Homemade pizza sauce? Homemade ketchup? What’s your specialty?
Follow these links to purchase the tomatoes that meet your fall canning needs!

Canning Tomatoes (approx. 20 pounds/seconds) click here

Half Bushel of Tomatoes click here.
Half Bushel of Roma tomatoes click here.
20 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.
3 pounds Heirloom Tomatoes click here.

.

PEAR HARVEST – In what has becoming an annual tradition, Farmer Jean and her children made their way over to her cousin Nick’s house to harvest pears. Some My Minnesota Farmer subscribers will enjoy the fruits of this prolific tree. Full-share subscribers will receive pears, and if there are enough, half-share subscribers will receive pears as well.
YOU CAN HAVE MY MINNESOTA FARMER PRODUCTS
DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THURSDAY, OCT 7!
Order bulk tomatoes, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, hot dogs, sausage, hamburger patties, hot beef, vegetables, granola and much more to be delivered Thursday, Oct. 7.
Order deadline for the Oct. 7 delivery is 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.
Click here for delivery to your door Thursday, Oct. 7.

 FARM NEWS

CELEBRATING OUR TOMATO BONANZA! – No kidding, our tomato crop is beautiful this year, and we are so excited! This is the time of the year when our subscribers and farmers market customers just gush about our beautiful round red, cherry and heirloom varieties. We know we’re getting stronger every day from the nutrients in the tomatoes we eat AND the fact that we’re harvesting and hauling so many heavy totes of them! In the picture, Joshua and Ellie take a break from harvesting to pose by a tote full of the versatile fruit. Yes, tomatoes are botanically defined as fruits because they form from a flower and contain seeds. Still, they’re most often used like a vegetable in cooking, so back in 1893 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the tomato should be classified as a vegetable! Fruit or vegetable? We don’t care! We just know that tomatoes are versatile, delicious and very good for us! Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Hooray for tomatoes!
In Your Share Box This Week
Click on the blue links for recipe ideas. 
Tomatoes – Tomatoes just make us happy! We love BLTs, caprese salad, chips and salsa, grilled tomatoes, marinated tomatoes, tomatoes in salads and sandwiches. And then there’s canning. We put up quarts and quarts of tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup and salsa. Do you need to purchase bulk tomatoes for canning tomato sauce, salsa or soup? Scroll down to see the links for ordering bulk tomatoes.
 Pumpkins – New England Pie Pumpkins are smaller in shape and size than jack-o-lantern pumpkins. These small, round pie pumpkins are packed full of flesh that is good for cooking. The pulp has a better texture (less stringy) and is sweeter. The size of this pumpkin makes it perfect for decorating, too.
Baby Red Potatoes – Baby red potatoes make delicious garlic roasted potatoes. Don’t bother peeling them! Just wash, cut into pieces, and roast with a little minced garlic and olive oil. Scroll down for the recipe! Delicious!
 Cantaloupe, Watermelon or Honeydew Melon – (full shares; maybe halves, too) Enjoy sweet delicious melon sliced or in a smoothie. Yum!
 Peppers – You will receive bell peppers or Anaheim peppers in your box. There are so many ways to enjoy bell peppers. Stuff ’em, slice them on your relish tray, chop them for your salsa – those are just a few ways to use them. Anaheim peppers are quite mild. In fact, mild enough that many people enjoy eating them raw! They rank from 500 to 1,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale. For reference, bell peppers are at zero, while jalapenos can be as hot at 8,000 SHU.
 Kale – Kale is a powerhouse of nutrients. Cooked kale offers more iron per ounce than beef. Enjoy kale in salads, smoothies or make kale chips
Cucumbers – (full shares) – Cucumbers are such a fresh tasting complement to your salads or relish tray! Make a cucumber salad with vinegar and sugar, or put cucumber slices into your sandwiches for a tasty crunch!
 Surprises! – Depending on weather conditions and what’s ripe and ready, you may receive some surprises in your box this week!

NOTE: We make every effort to pack into your box the items listed in this newsletter. However, as farming is dependent on weather and growing conditions, we sometimes get surprises and pass them on to you. This list is our best guesstimate. You may not receive every item listed AND you may receive some surprises that were not listed. Please be assured we have packed into your box the value you’ve paid even if the items don’t exactly match the items listed in this newsletter. Thank you for your understanding!

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Send your pictures and recipes!!
We love to see pictures of your culinary masterpieces and we’d love to share your recipes. Send your pictures and recipes to [email protected] and we’ll include them in an upcoming newsletter and on the recipe page of our website!

Homemade Tomato Sauce
Making your own tomato sauce is easy and delicious.
You can freeze or can the sauce for use all year long!
Click here to see the recipe!

YOU CAN HAVE MY MINNESOTA FARMER PRODUCTS
DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR THURSDAY, OCT 7!
Order bulk tomatoes, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, hot dogs, sausage, hamburger patties, hot beef, vegetables, granola and much more to be delivered Thursday, Oct. 7.
Order deadline for the Oct. 7 delivery is 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.

Click here for delivery to your door Thursday, Oct. 7.
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