Harvest Week 24 - To the Rain

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Make sure to bring an extra bag this week! We’ll be offering an abundance of out-of-bag items to make sure you have a bounty for Thanksgiving.

Garlic, Butternut Winter Squash, Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin or Sunshine Kabocha, Beets, Celeriac, Brussel Sprouts, Harvest Moon Potatoes, Jelly Potatoes, Baby Celery, Watermelon Radish, Calibra Yellow Onions, Monastrell Red Onions, Carrots, Black Magic Dino Kale, Indigo Radicchio, Red Salanova Butter Lettuce, Green Salanova Oakleaf Lettuce

U-PICK

Check the u-pick board in the barn for weekly u-pick limits.

• Frying Peppers:

  • Shishitos | Gleanings

  • Padróns | Gleanings

• Hot Peppers:

  • Jalapeños | Gleanings

  • Habanero | Gleanings

  • Thai Chilis | Gleanings | Spicy!

  • Wilson’s Vietnamese Devil Pepper | Gleanings

• Flowers! There are still some flowers to be had after the rains, particularly zinnias, marigolds (the solid orange ones are all the way to the north — towards Winter Sister Farm) and some late-season curios.

HARVEST NOTES

• Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin: Our most beautiful pumpkin! Winter Luxury are gorgeous — light orange and covered in delicate lace netting. They are the perfect pie pumpkin — flavorful, sweet and light. Kabocha squash, also offered this week, are also exceptional for pumpkin pie. A pie with Kabocha will tend to be a tiny bit denser, sweeter and more flavorful, while Winter Luxury will bring a lightness and delicacy of flavor.

• Celeriac: Also known as Celery Root, Celeriac is a traditional European winter vegetable with smooth white flesh that is packed with pure celery flavor. It’s incredible as a component of mashed potatoes or soups, and can also be roasted or eaten raw. We’ve also heard legend that celery root fries (i.e. deep fried celery root sticks) are the best thing ever. For a more refreshing take, Celery Root can be grated or julienned into a fresh salad of apples and a creamy or mustardy dressing.

WINTER LUXURY PUMPKIN PIE

Recipe by Yossy Arefi from Sweeter off the Vine

We were delighted this year to come across a pumpkin pie recipe written specifically for our favorite variety (thanks Kate!) and featuring the unbeatable combination of crème fraîche and maple syrup. If you’ve fallen in love with our old go-to pumpkin pie recipe (delicious made with Winter Luxury or Sunshine Kabocha), you can find it in a past year’s newsletter here. Whichever recipe you choose, we hope the flavor of the fresh ingredients helps it shine.

Makes one 9-inch pie

ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST

• 2 2/3 cups (340g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

• 8-10 tablespoons ice water

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a bowl, cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add the apple cider vinegar to the ice water.

Working quickly, add the butter to the flour and toss to coat. Then use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into a flat sheet. Keep tossing the butter as you go to ensure that each butter piece is coated with flour. The idea is to create thin, flat shards of butter that range from about the size of a dime to about the size of a quarter. Sprinkle about 6 tablespoons of the water over the flour mixture and mix gently. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. 

You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together easily without it falling apart. Press the dough together, then split it in half, form into discs and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight, for the best results.

WINTER LUXURY PUMPKIN PIE

• 2 cups (450g) roasted Winter Luxury pumpkin purée

• 3/4 cup Grade A maple syrup (the former Grade B)

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup (112g) crème fraîche

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 425ºF.

BLIND BAKE THE CRUST

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a roughly 12-inch circle about 1/8- inch thick. Place it into a 9 or 10-inch pie plate fold the edges under and crimp. Dock the crust with a fork. Chill the formed crust in the freezer for 15 minutes or until very firm. Line the chilled crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Slide the crust into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and crisp. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights then bake the crust for 10-15 more minutes or until light golden all over. If the crust puffs up at all while baking gently press it back into the pan with an offset spatula or fork. Let the crust cool slightly while you prepare the filling.

Turn the oven down to 350ºF. 

Whisk all of the filling ingredients together until well combined. Then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve for maximum smoothness.

 Put the baked pie shell on a baking sheet, then pour the filling mixture into the shell. (If you are concerned about over filling the pie shell, bake any extra filling alongside the pie in buttered ramekins until it puffs slightly in the center.) Slide the pan into the oven and bake until the filling is slightly puffed and the center wiggles just slightly when you shake the pan, about 30 minutes. Cool the pie completely before serving with a dollop of whipped cream.

HELP SAVE tierra vegetables

Many of you may be familiar with Tierra Vegetables — the beloved Windsor farm established in 1980 by brother and sister farmers Lee and Wayne James. Over our years of farming in Sonoma County, Lee and Wayne have provided so much support, inspiration, and mentorship. They’ve shared what they know about growing heirloom corn and allowed us to use their specialized and hard-to-find small farm equipment to process our dried corn each year.

The farm has been run on leased land for the entirety of its existence, and now, in order to continue existing, and to preserve the land for farming into the future, they face a hard deadline — the Sonoma County Agriculture and Open Space District which owns their farmland, needs them to purchase it by the end of the year. They’re currently asking for help from the community to raise $200,000 by December 1st, and they’re more than halfway there.

If you feel moved to donate or share, you can find their fundraiser here.

FARMER’S LOG

In honor of this nice rainy fall we’ve been having, and to get some rest ahead of this big Thanksgiving harvest week, tonight we will leave you with a poem by Ursula K. Le Guin, daughter of California.

TO THE RAIN

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Mother rain, manifold, measureless,
falling on fallow, on field and forest,
on house-roof, low hovel, high tower,
downwelling waters all-washing, wider
than cities, softer than sisterhood, vaster
than countrysides, calming, recalling:
return to us, teaching our troubled
souls in your ceaseless descent
to fall, to be fellow, to feel to the root,
to sink in, to heal, to sweeten the sea.

See you in the fields,
David

---

CSA BASICS

Slow on Cooper Road! Out of respect for our neighbors and the many kids and animals that live on Cooper Rd., please drive slow (20 mph)!

What time is harvest pick-up?:

• Saturday harvest pick-ups run from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

• Tuesday harvest pick-ups will run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm

U-pick hours: Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.

2025 CSA program dates: Our harvest season will run from Saturday, June 14th through Tuesday, December 9th this year.

Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.

Harvest Week 23 - Strawberry Futures

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Sweet Jade Mini Kabocha Winter Squash, Brussel Sprouts, Desiree Potatoes, Multicolored Daikon Radish, Kolibra Broccoli, Calibra Yellow Onions, Monastrell Red Onions, Carrots, Dazzling Blue Dino Kale, Italian Dandelion Greens, Indigo Radicchio, Red Salanova Oakleaf Lettuce, Green Salanova Oakleaf Lettuce

Arabella harvesting brussel sprouts this morning.

U-PICK

Check the u-pick board in the barn for weekly u-pick limits.

• Frying Peppers:

  • Shishitos | Gleanings

  • Padróns | Gleanings

• Hot Peppers:

  • Jalapeños | Gleanings

  • Habanero | Gleanings

  • Thai Chilis | Gleanings | Spicy!

  • Wilson’s Vietnamese Devil Pepper | Gleanings

• Flowers! There are still some flowers to be had after the rains, particularly zinnias, marigolds (the solid orange ones are all the way to the north — towards Winter Sister Farm) and some late-season curios.

HARVEST NOTES

• Sweet Jade Mini Kabocha Winter Squash: Kabocha is one of our absolute favorite families of winter squash and these personal-size, gray-green beauties have the superb sweetness and flaky texture of the best ones. They also store well, in case you find yourself in possession of what we like to call a “squard”, aka a squash hoard. For the best flavor, choose a Sweet Jade that’s more blue/turquoise rather than green.

• Desiree Potatoes: The Desiree potato is a red skinned, yellow fleshed variety bred in the 1960’s in the Netherlands. It is versatile and great for roasting, mashing, and salads. Fun fact: Desiree potatoes grown in Bhutan are highly sought after and fetch a high price in India.

• Brussel Sprouts: This week in anticipation of Thanksgiving we’re debuting the first of this season’s Brussel Sprouts! Seeded in the greenhouse in June, these slow-growing treasures feel like they’ve been with us all season. We’ll be distributing them on the stalk, but for storage we recommend snapping them off the stalk and storing in the fridge in a sealed container or bag.

THANKSGIVING PREVIEW

To help you plan for the big day, here is a snapshot of the share we are planning for Harvest Week 24, the week leading up to Thanksgiving:

Jelly and Harvest Moon Potatoes, Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin or Sunshine Kabocha Squash, Butternut Squash, Celery Root, Yellow and Red Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Beets, Watermelon Radishes, Brussel Sprouts, Black Magic Dino Kale, Radicchio, and Assorted Lettuce.

WINTER SISTER FARM CSA - SIGN-UPS NOW OPEN!

Want to keep getting abundant weekly veggies through the winter? Winter Sister Farm, located right next door, is open for signups for their 2025-2026 Winter-Spring CSA! They have a range of share options and sizes, including both free-choice and box shares, all of which include access to their u-pick herb and flower garden. Visit www.wintersisterfarm.com/csa for more details!

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PICKLED CARROTS, CILANTRO AND CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

From Six Seasons, by Joshua McFadden

As you may have noticed, we’ve been collectively obsessed with this brilliant cookbook this year, and we wanted to share one more recipe. While it does have a couple components, this salad is so good that it’s made its way onto Arabella’s regular Thanksgiving menu, so we think it’s worth the work. Note: Joshua McFadden uses this basic pickle brine for all kinds of vegetables, and we have been loving having it on hand for other things, most recently romanesco and cauliflower. The pickles really elevate any meal they’re included in.

INGREDIENTS

for the pickled carrots:

• 1 bunch slender carrots

• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) rice vinegar

• 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) hot water

• 5 Tbs. sugar

• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 5 smashed garlic cloves

• 2 dried chiles

• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

• 1 Tbs. toasted coriander seeds

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

• 1 orange

• 1 lemon

• 1 lime

• 1 1/2 Tbs. honey

• 1 Tbs. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

• 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

• 2 bunches green onions, 1/2 inch (12 mm) of the green tops trimmed and discarded, then thinly sliced

• 1 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the pickled carrots, cut the tops from the carrots, leaving 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the greens intact. Scrub the carrots but don’t peel them.

In a pot or big pitcher, combine the vinegars, hot water, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

Fill a clean 1-quart (1-l) canning jar with the carrots, arranging them standing up in the jar. Tuck the garlic, chiles, thyme and coriander seeds in between the carrots. Pour the brine over the carrots until they are completely covered and the jar is full, and screw on the lid. Refrigerate for at least 1 day and up to 2 months before using. When ready to assemble the dish, thinly slice some of the carrots on the diagonal until you have about 2/3 cup. Return the remaining carrots to the refrigerator and save for another use.

To make the vinaigrette, using a rasp-style grater, zest the orange, lemon and lime into a bowl. Halve the fruit and squeeze all the juice into the same bowl to get 2/3 cup (5 fl. oz./160 ml) juice (fish out the seeds). Whisk in the honey, vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and several grindings of pepper

Taste and adjust with more honey, vinegar and salt and pepper, if needed, to make the flavor vibrant. Whisk in the olive oil a few drops at a time or put the juice mixture into a blender or food processor and drizzle in the oil while the machine is running; the machine method will make the vinaigrette creamier and emulsified. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) olive oil and the garlic and cook the garlic until it’s very soft, fragrant and nicely golden brown—but not burnt—about 5 minutes. Scoop out the garlic and set it aside. (This will prevent it from burning while you're cooking the brussels sprouts.)

Increase the heat a bit and add half of the brussels sprouts, cut side down. Season well with salt and pepper and cook gently until the sprouts are tender all the way through but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat midway if the sprouts are getting too brown. Transfer the brussels sprouts to a plate and repeat to cook the second half of the brussels sprouts. Return all the brussels sprouts and the garlic to the pan, crushing the garlic to break it up and mix it with the sprouts.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the pickled carrots, half the nuts and all the green onions and toss thoroughly to mix and warm the new ingredients slightly.

Spoon 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the vinaigrette over the sprouts and toss again. Add half each of the cilantro and parsley and toss again. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper or vinaigrette so the salad is very vibrant.

Right before serving, add a little more vinaigrette if you like, along with the rest of the nuts, cilantro and parsley. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

FARMER’S LOG

STRAWBERRY FUTURES

The steady, weekly storms this autumn have been quite the taskmasters — keeping us on our toes and racing to perform our end-of-season equipment heavy tasks before our tractors are frozen out of the landscape.

The run up to the atmospheric river that dropped 2” on Thursday was all about strawberries: Shaping beds for our new strawberry patch and saying goodbye and cover cropping the old strawberry patch that so blessed us in 2024 and 2025.

All told, we estimate that that old strawberry patch produced around 30,000 pints of strawberries for our little community: 4 pints per share per week for much of last season, and 2 pints per share per week for much of this season — plus the Spring berry deluges that returning members enjoy.

4/10ths of an acre of joy and good memories. It’s hard not to be sentimental.

Saying goodbye to our 2024 & 2025 strawberry patch.

This passed Saturday afternoon, as the tractor sat poised to start flail mowing them, I had a little moment. I hopped off the tractor and, right at my feet, was what seemed like the last little perfect berry in an otherwise spent patch. I held it up to the sky and admired it and was flooded with memories from that patch over the last two years — Kayta and little baby Alice lying on their backs in the furrows staring at the clouds, catching up with old friends, meeting and interviewing Henry for the first time.

I munched the berry and hopped back on the tractor. Au revoir, old friends.

But it was time. We’re getting very excited to be in first-year strawberries again in 2026. First year strawberry plants are more abundant, the berries are bigger, and they are much less prone to disease and pernicious weeds.

And our strawberry futures are looking bright — this new strawberry patch got the deluxe treatment: A lush summer cover crop; boatloads of compost; extra tall beds to help with winter drainage.

On Tuesday, just before the storm, the new strawberry beds were shaped, and now they wait, ready for planting next week and the sweet, sweet memories we’ll make there.

See you in the fields,
David

---

CSA BASICS

Slow on Cooper Road! Out of respect for our neighbors and the many kids and animals that live on Cooper Rd., please drive slow (20 mph)!

What time is harvest pick-up?:

• Saturday harvest pick-ups run from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

• Tuesday harvest pick-ups will run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm

U-pick hours: Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.

2025 CSA program dates: Our harvest season will run from Saturday, June 14th through Tuesday, December 9th this year.

Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.

Harvest Week 22 - November Echoes

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Jester Winter Squash, Delicata Winter Squash, Lorz Softneck Garlic, Jelly Potatoes, Calibra Yellow Onions, Celery, Carrots, Black Magic Dino Kale, Mei Qing Bok Choi, Castelfranco Chicories, Indigo Radicchio, Red Salanova Oakleaf Lettuce, Green Salanova Lettuce, Mustard Mix

U-PICK

Check the u-pick board in the barn for weekly u-pick limits.

• Frying Peppers:

  • Shishitos | Gleanings

  • Padróns | Gleanings

• Time to pickle peppers! The hot peppers will be disappearing at the first sign of frost, so now is the time to preserve the abundance! It’s a great time for pickled hot peppers and making hot sauce!

• Hot Peppers:

  • Jalapeños | No limit

  • Habanero | No limit

  • Thai Chilis | No limit | Spicy!

  • Wilson’s Vietnamese Devil Pepper | No limit

• Flowers! There are still some flowers to be had after the rains, particularly zinnias, marigolds (the solid orange ones are all the way to the north — towards Winter Sister Farm) and some late-season curios.

The view from the cockpit on Saturday as we began our big fall carrot harvest.

HARVEST NOTES

• Indigo Radicchio: This is the classic red radicchio — savory and bitter with just a hint of sweetness from the cool nights its spent out in the field. Delightful added to a salad of mixed greens, or in a chicory-only salad such as the one below.

WINTER SISTER FARM CSA - SIGN-UPS NOW OPEN!

Want to keep getting abundant weekly veggies through the winter? Winter Sister Farm, located right next door, is open for signups for their 2025-2026 Winter-Spring CSA! They have a range of share options and sizes, including both free-choice and box shares, all of which include access to their u-pick herb and flower garden. Visit www.wintersisterfarm.com/csa for more details!

WINTER PANZANELLA WITH PUMPERNICKEL, CHICORIES AND ORANGES

By Jesse Szewczyk

This gorgeous, bright salad highlights the vibrant contrast of the 2 chicories we have the in share this week — deep magenta Indigo and the delicate speckling of the Castelfranco — and pairs their refined bitterness with sweet balsamic vinegar, oranges and mustard.

Indigo Radicchio in the Farfield.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. pumpernickel or other hearty brown bread (such as rye or whole wheat), coarsely torn (about 4 cups)

• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more

• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided, plus more

• 5–6 medium oranges, divided

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

• ½ large fennel bulb, cut into quarters through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise

• 3 large shallots, thinly sliced

• 8 oz. mixed chicories (such as radicchio and/or endive), leaves separated, torn into very large pieces if needed (about 6 cups)

• 2 oz. Parmesan, plus more for serving

instructions

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°. Place 8 oz. pumpernickel or other hearty brown bread (such as rye or whole wheat), coarsely torn (about 4 cups), on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil over, and season with ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper. Lightly massage with your hands to help bread absorb all of the oil. Bake until bread is dried out and fragrant, 13–17 minutes. Let croutons cool on baking sheet; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, using a paring knife, remove peel and white pith from 4 medium oranges, taking care not to remove too much flesh. Cut oranges into 1" pieces, leaving center pithy parts behind; set orange pieces aside. Squeeze juice from scraps into a liquid measuring cup, then discard. Cut remaining 1–2 medium oranges in half and squeeze in juice through a mesh sieve to get to ½ cup; discard seeds.

3. Add 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, and remaining ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil to orange juice and whisk to combine. Taste dressing and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

4. Toss ½ large fennel bulb, cut into quarters through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise, 3 large shallots, thinly sliced, 8 oz. mixed chicories (such as radicchio and/or endive), leaves separated, torn into very large pieces if needed (about 6 cups), and reserved orange pieces and croutons in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave 2 oz. Parmesan into bowl. Drizzle about half of dressing over and toss to coat. Let sit 3 minutes to absorb. Drizzle with more dressing if bread seems dry (it should be pleasantly soggy but not falling apart); season with more salt and pepper if needed.

5. Arrange panzanella on a platter and top with more shaved Parmesan.

FARMER’S LOG

NOVEMBER ECHOES

On the farm, time is full of echoes.

Moments, days, tasks, feelings… they return from the long distance of the years.

All it takes is a certain smell, or taste, or the slant of the sunlight, and there you are again, flooded with memories of who you were, and who you were with, at this time in seasons passed.

Last November 7th, we also felt laden but strong — our muscles tired and honed from handling, heaving, and stacking fall’s bounty. The warm smell of drying corn drifted from the doors of the greenhouse and the coolers were filled with the pine-fresh snap of of unearthed carrots. The giggly and cacophonous laughter of the crew, gone slightly loopy from a big harvest, could be heard over the din of the tractor. Last November 7th, we also watched, with hope and pride, our cover crop sprouting and filling out and turning our worked fields into sleek sleeping meadows. And at night, then and now, we tasted winter squashes to check for ripeness in a cozy house heated by the oven.

Aye, the slanting November light is full of echoes.

We feel them in the early morning when we head out to harvest, shimmering through the fog.

And sometimes, when we are still, the echoes seem to continue on forward, strangely, and it is as if we can hear the echoes of early-November’s yet to come.

See you in the fields,
David

---

CSA BASICS

Slow on Cooper Road! Out of respect for our neighbors and the many kids and animals that live on Cooper Rd., please drive slow (20 mph)!

What time is harvest pick-up?:

• Saturday harvest pick-ups run from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

• Tuesday harvest pick-ups will run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm

U-pick hours: Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.

2025 CSA program dates: Our harvest season will run from Saturday, June 14th through Tuesday, December 9th this year.

Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.