New Fall Crops Available at the Farm Stand
Fall crops are really hitting their stride as we have not one but three new crops for you this week at the Farm Stand: beets, Swiss chard, and roselle pods! You’ll be able to find bunches of red beets at the Farm Stand with their beautiful leafy greens attached. Both the root and leaves of beets are edible and have a distinctly earthy flavor. While beets can be eaten raw, we prefer to either roast, steam, or pickle them. If you’re not sure where to start, try this roasted garlic beet hummus or this beet salad with goat cheese and balsamic.
Even though Swiss chard is called a leafy “green”, its stalks and veins come in a rainbow of colors like red, orange, yellow, and pink. If you compare the leaves of Swiss chard (above) to the leafy greens of the beets in the first photo, you might notice that they have a similar appearance. This is due to the fact that they share the same genus and species (Beta vulgaris) but have different cultivar groups. Both the colorful stems and leaves of chard are edible and have a subtle earthy and mildly sweet flavor. You can try giving them a quick sauté with garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes for a quick side dish. Or, try Swiss chard in this lemony pasta dish.
Our roselle pods are finally ready for harvesting! You’ve been able to enjoy their tangy leafy greens all summer long and now you can try the beautiful red pods. The red portion of each pod is called the calyx and it has a tart cranberry-like flavor that can be used to make teas, syrups, and jams. We like to think of roselle pods as our locally available substitute for cranberries! Try them in this roselle apple compote or follow this tutorial for some iced roselle hibiscus tea.
In Season at the Farm Stand: French Breakfast Radishes, Red Beets, Hakurei Turnips, Roselle Pods, Roselle Greens, Baby Bok Choy, Komatsuna, Curly Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Rainbow Swiss Chard, Korean Melons, Okra, Long Beans, and Asian Eggplant
