Posts from the ‘CSA’ category

T.G.I.F. – Thank Goodness It’s Fall

It’s also Friday but on this Friday, I am mostly thankful that it is Fall … as of 2:02 p.m. MDT – the Autumnal Equinox – official Fall (Autumn).

Hoo … I say HOO-RAH!!!

When last we left our story, the air was clearer and it was cooler. It did not get HOT again but on the day before the forecast “PATTERN CHANGE”, the smoke came down with a vengeance. It was the absolute worst in a summer of really bad smoke. If the cold front and subsequent rain had not been in the forecast I might have been tempted to curl up in a ball and weep. As it was, I just kept saying “Tomorrow will be better”.

And it was.

The front came through with rain and snow and cool.

We had a bit of smoke in the days following, but nothing like the extreme conditions of late August/early September.

That first day…

I put away the air conditioners … all THREE! My two new ones came with handy covers complete with pouches for the remotes. I followed the manual instructions: drained, cleaned filters and ran fan only to dry out their insides. Then covers and into closets. I will pretend that they do not exist and will never be needed again. BUT, as noted previously, I am so grateful that I was able to get them and that they kept Bear, Auggie and me comfortable.

And while I’m being grateful …

Vegetables from Lower Valley Farm continue to be wonderful, varied and a pleasure to have and enjoy.

Week 18: radishes, lettuce mix, kohlrabi, carrots, cucumber, onion, shallots, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, patty pan and parsley.

And so, we went from hot and smoky to cool and…

Graupel. Actually a Graupel Thunderstorm. It thundered, it lightning-ed, it graupel-ed. It POURED graupel!

And while it was doing that, UPS delivered my new little freezer:

That’s it under the table… the table that was to be the craft table that became the cat eating table that is now sort of an extension of the kitchen as it is home to the ice cream maker, the coffee pot (drip option for when a button push is preferred to a pour over) and the microwave.

The little freezer.

I’d filled my regular freezer and also the motorhome freezer with things from my CSA boxes and Farmer’s Market. It is the time of year when I start stocking up frig/freezer/pantry so that if driving is bad I do not NEED to go out and about for food. Enter this little freezer which fits under the table and gives me a bit of extra.

For extras like:

Week 19 of 21: Fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, baby arugula, garlic, red onions, cucumber, basil, zucchini, eggplant, delicata squash, red beets!

I continue to freeze or ferment anything I don’t eat during the week.

And on the way to pick up week 19:

It was a perfect Fall day and the barn was the perfect thing to set off the sky, the snow topped mountains and the clear air.

And now we are to today.

As Fall officially arrived…

Auggie started using the shelf above the dryer as his preferred napping spot.

Bear has become like his younger self, shedding the lethargy of the hot, smoky summer.

Peek-a-boo snow on the mountains to the East as we took our evening walk.

Sunset through the woods to our West.

T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness It’s Fall!

Still smokin’

The Road Home … smoky version.

By all accounts, including my own 23 years in this area, this is the worst wildfire smoke ever. Even short exposure dries the throat and lips, starts a headache and generally makes a person feel uneasy and unwell. Mr. Bear licks his lips, sneezes and occasionally includes a hacky cough. We go out only as absolutely necessary. Auggie is confined to quarters and not very happy about it!

The crew of Lower Valley Farm, my CSA source, is working in masks as are many who must work outdoors. The local dragon boat race and festival was cancelled. School sports cancelled and all recess activities are happening inside.

BUT.

NOAA says, with some confidence, that things will be a bit better tomorrow afternoon and Sunday. AND THEN … Thursday into Friday they forecast a significant “pattern change” and a hopefully “last gasp” of smoke. I hope they are correct. At any rate, it is wonderful to have some hope of an end to this after forecasts that continued with the same “hot and smoky” line.

Meanwhile…

The recipe: Breadtopia’s Zucchini Sourdough .

This is the BEST sandwich bread I’ve made to date. I had a good one in Quinoa Sandwich Bread , but this is better, although I have a thought to combine the two because quinoa!

The zucchini sourdough bread is soft in crumb and crust but does not come apart even with a gooey-ish filling. And unlike the typical zucchini baked goods, this recipe uses all the moisture from the zucchini. I absolutely love it.

I am headed to Farmer’s Market in the morning to stock up on zucchini which I will shred and freeze so I can make this bread through the Winter.

And this week’s CSA box:

Eggplant, green bell pepper, potatoes, cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, golden beets with greens, red leaf lettuce, long red onion and basil!

A new recipe planned for this week: stuffed eggplant kind of a moussaka-light.

And so…

Still smokin’ but with an end in sight!

***Edit at 7:29 p.m. From the NOAA Forecast discussion for my area:

A significant Fall pattern change will take place Wednesday
evening through Thursday night. It`s finally happening.
Anticipate widespread precipitation during this time, with
temperatures and snow levels (yes, snow levels) decreasing during
this time. Snow levels down to 6000 feet appear plausible by
Thursday night. This system is likely to put a significant dent in
the wildfire season, which has gone on longer than most already.

Cool and showery weather will continue across the Northern Rockies
Friday through the weekend. Fall is here; Fall is here!

I just love our local NOAA writers. They write friendly and locally with good weather info and a minimum of “jargon”. I think most of the writers must be outdoors people as they seem enthusiastic about conditions for outdoor activities. I laughed out loud to see the “Fall is here; Fall is here!”

*** Bonus *** From “Great Big Story”. Leif Haugen – I met Leif briefly years ago when he delivered a cup of coffee to his wife Heidi on the way to delivering May Day baskets. Heidi worked in a book store that I frequented and also is the potter that made my sage green dishes with words (circa 1999!). I follow Heidi on Instagram ( Heidi Haugen Pottery Instagram ) and she often includes photos Leif takes from the Thoma Fire Lookout.

Labor Day weekend: gateway to Fall ???

Labor Day weekend in Northwest Montana is usually a beautiful gateway to Fall. Whenever anyone asks me about visiting Montana, I always suggest September if they don’t have school age children to consider. September weather is typically warm but not hot with cool, crisp nights and all of the July crowd is long gone.

But, this year – YIKES!

The beginning of September is darn ugly! However, when I’m tempted to complain too much I remember that unlike southeast Texas, my pain will be over in 10-14 days … hopefully.

Still, it has been a hot, dry, smoky summer through most of July and August and now into September. I usually am able to put the A/C units away on my birthday in mid-August. Maybe by mid-September this year.

There is good news about the heat.

The vegetables! Above is week 16’s box: fingerling potatoes, long red onions, baby romaine, baby kale, basil, sweet corn, red beets and greens, braising greens, cucumber, zucchini, patty pan, bell pepper and TOMATOES! I get a box of an heirloom mixed with cherry tomatoes. Both were gone the first night – sliced and eaten plain.

So … off to Farmer’s Market on Saturday. Bear and I left early, snagged a shady parking spot and I was at Lower Valley Farm’s spot for the opening bell.

I added more patty pan, cucumbers, rainbow chard, golden beets and greens, fresh flowers and a box of mini-slicer tomatoes to my week’s vegetable store. I’ve been blanching and freezing some of the beet greens, basil, chard and braising greens to have for Fall and Winter cooking but everything else I eat during the week.

The partial share (half share) with some occasional additions from the market has been working very well for me this summer. The variety of vegetables from Lower Valley Farm, courtesy of Jay and Mandy’s extensive research, is much better than my prior CSA experience which makes it easier to prepare a variety of things and not get tired of many, many greens as I did last round.

This week’s CSA newsletter says that the fall squash are doing very well so I am already planning on where I will store as much extra as I have room for.

Meanwhile…

Another smoky sunrise.

I’m ready for a Montana Fall and/or Winter!!!

This ‘n that

According to an article in the local paper, July was the Fifth Hottest July on Record . We had plenty of days in the 90’s but some of the upper 90/100 forecast did not come to pass so YEA!

Still, I am happy that we’ve cooled a little, although part of the reason for the cooling is smoke from fires in Washington, British Columbia and Montana.

BUT!! – they are saying that there is a chance that some of the monsoon moisture hitting other parts of the Rocky Mountain West, just might make it into our territory. THAT would be welcome!

Meanwhile …

A broccoli rubble beetza! The sweet roast beets go nicely with the salty broccoli-asiago cheese mix.

On to a non-vegetable treat: ice cream.

Early last Summer, I saw No-churn Birthday Cake Ice Cream from In Jennie’s Kitchen . I have an ice cream maker so I took the easy route and churned it. The cake mixed in with the ice cream, absorbing some of the cream is very good! I made it several times. Last year I made it with a bakery white cake but this year I took it up a notch and made it with Mel’s Kitchen Café Mel’s Kitchen Café Lemon Blueberry Cake .

The other thing I like about the recipe is no eggs. I am not a fan of the custardy ice cream base even though that is supposed to be the best and according to gourmet recipes … the more eggs, the better. Jennie’s recipe is heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla … plus the cake. I’ve been using the cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla base in various ice creams and not only do I like it, but it is almost too easy.

Then one day I wanted ice cream but did not have heavy cream. I did have cashews and I have often subbed cashew cream for heavy cream in recipes. I gave it a try and it worked and I liked it. Heavy cream is mostly fat and while cashew cream has fat it also has protein and fiber. Probably more than you care to know…

This week’s ice cream is to be vanilla-mint with chocolate brownie crumbles in lieu of cake.

The cashews soaked for about 4 hours and then a whiz in the Vita-Mix…

… and we have cashew cream.

Ready to mix the ice cream: cashew cream, sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, a wee bit of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

The container and utensils go in the freezer when the ice cream goes in the maker.

Thirty minutes in the ice cream maker and we have the base.

Mix in the brownie crumbles and freeze. The brownies are Mel’s Kitchen Café Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies .

Vanilla mint ice cream with brownie crumbles. It’s pretty good :) !!

Back to vegetables.

This weeks box and extras: purple onions, zucchini, tomatoes, new potatoes, cucumber parsley, braising greens, lettuce mix 1/2 cabbage and the extras being a whole cabbage and red beets with greens. More good eating this week!

And a post would not be complete without some help from Bear (so tired!) and Auggie.

The weather outside is frightful…

After a week of mid 80’s F, we went back to 90’s, although thankfully low 90’s so far. But 90’s are the forecast future and NOAA says that next week it might go to upper 90’s.

Frightful!

And no rain.

The no rain is typical, and the string of 90’s days is not unheard of but still, not quite typical. And certainly unwelcome!

The wet spring caused grasses and underbrush kind of things to grow and grow and grow. And now they are dead, dead, dead.

Which means they are fire fuel.

Frightful.

But the good news is that Lower Valley Farm – my farmer – has summer vegetables kicking in with a vengeance.

From last week’s haul:

A colorful slaw of red cabbage, rainbow carrots and purple onion.

Red raspberries on sourdough waffles!

Beetza-Beetza!! A pizza with slices of roast beets, drizzled with olive oil, and then roast Romanesco and some cheese. I could do worse for a mid-week supper.

Salmon, sliced cucumber, fresh raspberries – dinner heaven. I drizzled a light sesame oil vinaigrette over the cucumber.

Stuffed Patty Pan squash. The stuffing was hot smoked salmon, purple onion, asiago, mayo and a bit of monterrey jack.

Stuffed zucchini. Stuffing = a tomato-beef-Italian sausage sauce and some cheddar-mjack mix for cheese. Baked potato wedges for a side.

Week 11’s bounty: green onion, purple onion, lacinto kale, lettuce mix, basil, rainbow carrots, cucumber slicer, broccoli, zucchini, patty pan.

Extras purchased: another patty pan, red beets and TOMATOES!!!

The weather outside is frightful.

But the air conditioned inside is delightful.

Onward.

Sneak preview: CSA week 10

Good grief!

I cannot believe that we are 10 weeks in.

There are only 11 weeks to go. It feels like we just started and here we are almost half-way.

But WHAT a GREAT half way!

Romanesco (new to me and I can’t wait to try it!! … a broccoli-cauliflower kind of thing), chioggia beets, raspberries, patty pan, zucchini, baby kale, red cabbage, basil, tri-colored carrots, onions, cucumber.

The raspberries, patty pan and cucumbers were extras. The rest was the normal distribution.

Where did the week go???

Happy almost Friday!