Week 15 - Notes from Stick and Stone Farm + Winter CSA

NOTES FROM STICK AND STONE FARM

Summer-meets-fall is the high point of the year on the farm.

The weeding in the fields is over. Harvests are rolling in, but the planting has slowed to a trickle. We are mowing down early crop plantings to make way for fall cover crops, and the summer-planted cover crop mixes are taller than we are, and full of blooming sunflowers.

We know the temperatures will go down from here, so we can enjoy a little heat while it lasts. We take advantage of cooler nights and earlier sunsets to make a good mess in the kitchen, and actually sit down to eat dinner. We know winter is coming- the greens in the seed trays for the high tunnel prove it. The second half of the share still has plenty of novel goodness to enjoy, but it feels more like we are coasting while our efforts turn towards the darker, cozier season ahead.

And as we plan and plant for continued veggie abundance for months to come, we’re excited to let you know that…

WINTER CSA SIGN UP IS OPEN!

Give yourself the gift of 12 weeks of fresh, local produce through the coldest months - 12/5/24-3/6/25. Fresh greens, abundant roots, alliums, squash, potatoes, dry beans, ferments and so much more await. We look forward to sharing the harvests with you!

♥ Winter Fruit Bowl and Remembrance Dairy Shares are on sale too ♥

Join the Winter CSA

Don’t worry, there’s still 9 more summer shares to enjoy too :)

this week’s veggies

salad greens* - remembrance
lettuce - remembrance
celery - remembrance
peppers - rotating sweet peppers and poblanos - remembrance
heirloom tomatoes - remembrance
roma tomatoes - stick and stone
madeley kale - stick and stone
acorn squash - stick and stone
potatoes - stick and stone and three stone farm
(for real this time!! The harvester broke last week delaying the potato harvest)
green beans - stick and stone
garlic - stick and stone

ROTATING —————————————

cucumbers - remembrance
tomatillos - stick and stone

crops are our best estimate & may change a bit after harvest. rotating means harvest will be enough for some, but not all locations this week; we’ll get each crop everywhere soon! *salad greens rotate btwn field greens, spicy mix, lettuce mix, arugula, baby kale & tatsoi

this week’s fruit bowl

Raspberries - Hurd Orchard, Holley, NY
Pears - Rosario Brothers Orchard
Jonamac / Linda Mac Apples - Rosario Brothers Orchard
Yellow Nectarines - Bittner-Singer, Appleton, NY

this week’s Remembrance cheese

Halloumi - a salty, squeaky cheese, unique among most for its ability to be fried, baked, or grilled to a golden exterior without melting
or choose - Feta - the crumbly salty classic - ltd availability, FCFS

preorder and pickup this week

PASTURE RAISED PORK AND LAMB FROM OUTRYDER FARM — - Pickup this week (9/11-9/14) at any pickup location (ordering closed)

ORGANIC ROMA TOMATOES — Stick and Stone — Pickup this week (9/11-9/14)

Order Roma Tomatoes

PRUNE PLUMS — Bittner Singer — Pickup this week (9/11-9/14)

Order Plums

updates from the farm & friends…

PAYMENT PLANNERS, PAYMENTS ARE DUE 9/15

All payments are $125 ($62 for HFFA members). Pay online here, pay via cash or check (to Full Plate Farms, PO Box 6898, Ithaca, NY 14851 or brought to your free choice pickup) or pay via EBT at GreenStar and send us a copy of your receipt. Find more payment plan info here. This should be your final payment for the Summer CSA, unless you are behind on pmts or have made alternate plans.

MERCH FOR SALE AT PICKUPS

We have so many cutie hats, tees, tanks, sweatshirts and more! Super soft, locally designed and printed. Share your veggie love with the world, support the farms, and enjoy the coziest and cutest merch around.

on our plates…

Share what you’ve been cooking, we’re always glad to know, and eager to pass along. Just email Molly. Find this week’s ingredients in bold.

Green Goddess Potato Salad

2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 pound onions or leeks
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 very ripe avocado
½ cup tahini
1 tablespoon capers, drained of brine
2 cups leafy herbs (u-pick!), roughly chopped— tarragon, mint, parsley, dill, basil and/or cilantro work great
The juice of 1 ½ lemons
¼ cup olive oil
2-4 tablespoons water, as needed
Kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Grill potatoes and onions: set your grill to medium-high heat. Slice potatoes and onions into ½” rounds and stagger them, slipping onion rounds between potato rounds. Place each potato (with onion rounds inserted) on its own large sheet of foil. Drizzle melted coconut oil and salt & pepper evenly over each potato. Wrap each potato/onion packet tightly in foil and place on the grill. Close the cover to the grill and grill for 25-30 minutes, turning packets occasionally, or until potatoes are completely softened. (They may have a few scorched spots, that’s okay!)
Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a food processor, combine ingredients listed from avocado through olive oil. Process until very smooth. If the mixture is too stodgy, add a few tablespoons of water until a mayonnaise-like thickness is achieved. Taste and season with kosher salt and more lemon juice, if necessary.
When the potatoes and onions are completely softened, remove from grill and carefully unwrap. Allow vegetables to cool until comfortable to handle.
Cut potatoes into cubes, discarding any scorched bits. Thinly slice onions, discarding any burnt edges. In a large bowl, combine potatoes and onions with green goddess dressing. Serve room temperature or cold.

U-Pick Gardens

open 7 days/week during daylight hours. unlimited use. for Full Plate vegetable share members only. see more u-pick info and maps!

U-PICK HOUSEKEEPING

more u-pick info and detail maps are always available here! Full of info from “where’s the basil” to “what pepper is this and will it burn my face off?” ;)
Please use the u-pick with those that come to the field after you in mind (i.e. don’t take all the ripe fruit you see). A bit of preserving from the u-pick is totally ok, if you have lofty canning/preserving goals please reach out to place a bulk order.
For those wondering… ground cherries and parsley are mostly absent this season due to mis-labeled and poor germination on seeds we received this year. We look forward to their return next season! Thank you, as always, for embracing the unique abundance and challenges of each growing season alongside us.
Now is a great time to enjoy the abundance before the weather cools :)

AT STICK AND STONE FARM

BEHIND THE BARN: So many flowers—zinnias, sunflowers, amaranth, scabiosa, marigolds, more! Plus, perilla and cutting celery.

CREEKSIDE GARDEN (tucked behind the treeline, beside the perennial beds): Tomatillos, Cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, peppers (many varieties! Mostly hot, some mild and flavorful, see detail maps for more info). Don’t miss walking to the back end of the garden to find Basil and Rosemary. And don’t forget to dig deep in those tomato plants!

AT THE YOUTH FARM PROJECT

THE MAIN GARDEN (atop the hill across the street from the barn) has beautiful basil, perilla, and flowers too! Plus paste tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are ripening, and some peppers too! Don’t forget to walk all the way to the back of the garden! SO much abundant basil and many gorgeous blooms await you

AT PRESS BAY COURT - the cutest lil Mini U-pick!

A handful of cherry tomatoes, a bit of basil and a smattering of flowers