CSA #33

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will contain Spring Mix, Swiss Chard, AnueAnue Head Lettuce, Rozelles, Pesto Basil Portion, Ahi Dulce Peppers, Kohlrabi, and Oregano. For those of you placing custom orders, you may do so between now and Tuesday evening on the website at: http://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market

Pepper Poppers

Ingredients
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pound fresh jalapenos (We Used Ahi Dulce Peppers), halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• Sour cream, onion dip or ranch salad dressing
Directions
• 1. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, bacon and seasonings; mix well. Spoon about 2 tablespoonfuls into each pepper half. Roll in bread crumbs.
• 2. Place in a greased 15×10×1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 15 minutes for spicy flavor, 25 minutes for medium and 35 minutes for mild. Serve with sour cream, dip or dressing.

The colors of Autumn move into their peak brilliance as we move into mid-October. The sweet wooded maples and cherry take on their orange-red hues as some of the later-turning hickories begin their slow golden grow. The damp evening breeze is alive with the hum of crickets and leaves rain down with each breath of the Earth. Growth on the farm is slowing down as dawn and dusk become nearer each day. Yet longer nights and cooler temperatures have their perks. The rumor of winter causes our vegetables, particularly root crops, to sweeten and fill.

Though some activities have slowed, there is still much to do on the farm. We are planting the tunnels in preparation for the winter months, rotating out the existing crops, and filling them with vegetables that will serve CSA in late December or after our winter interim in the early months of 2021. Carrots planted this week will sprout and grow enough to survive the coldest months of winter tucked under the protection of the high tunnels and frost cloth.

Though the high tunnels will overwinter many cool season vegetables, the outdoor plots will become too cold for production. Though it is possible to leave many of these grow beds empty or fallow throughout winter, they become susceptible to erosion and nutrient loss in the rainy winter months. One of the environmentally minded practices we are expanding this year are our “cover crop” plantings. Cover crops sewn now grow throughout the winter and protect the soil ecosystem. This year we are experimenting with winter rye and crimson clover. In the Spring these crops will be incorporated into the soil and will release their accumulated nutrition to power next year’s vegetables. Cover crops take our soil health to the next level, and we are excited for the benefits of this Earth regenerative practice.

As always we’d like to thank your for your support of our farm and CSA service. It is your patronage and encouragement that empowers us to meet our goals. Organic farming offers many benefits for not only human health, but the health of our environment. We look forward to continuing to serve you and the land of West Kentucky.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team