Vegetables

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Seasonal Highlights:

January: Carrots & Potatoes
February: Artichokes & Brussel Sprouts
March: Spinach & Beets
April: Asparagus & Leeks
May: Artichokes & Green Garlic & Snap Peas
June: Summer Squash & Fresh Onions
July: Cherry Tomatoes & Salad Greens
August: Eggplant & Cucumbers
September: Melons & Tomatoes
October: Tomatoes & Bell Peppers
November: Broccoli & Greens
December: Spinach & Cabbage

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TAYLOR MOUNTAIN GARDENS
MURPHYS, CA

Taylor Mountain Gardens in Douglas Flat is the primary building block that creates the Outer Aisle FOODS CSA distribution network. We are a micro-farm growing food for our local community: selling at our store on Thursdays and Saturdays in the summer months, local farmers markets and through our CSA year round. We use only compost and cover crops to build fertility and grow hundreds of varieties of crops annually on less than two acres.

For the first time, with four thousand square feet of covered greenhouse and an acre of fall and winter crops, our farm will provide a large portion (over 90%) of the veggie boxes through months of October, November and December.

Summer crops, are primarily offered through our Thursday market at our store, and to our CSA through the fall. With just the right timing we can stretch the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant into the fall months and often ride the Indian summer until the first killing frosts arrive in our neck of the woods sometime in early November.

Shop during the summer months at our store, or through our weekly CSA and you will enjoy a bounty of delicious veggies starting in late July. By early October, we convert entirely to CSA deliveries, however, the flavors of summer remain strong: tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant and squash with just the beginnings of fall with cabbages, bok choy, head lettuce and greens.

As we move into early November, the last of the summer crops will be disappearing from our tables. We’ll say goodbye to tomatoes and bell peppers and hello to potatoes and broccoli. Root crops emerge from their earthy environs around Thanksgiving with carrots, sweet potatoes and beets.

December is a bleak month outside, but inside our sun warmed greenhouses we'’ll be harvesting lettuces, bokchoy, spinach and tender greens. Outside the first frosts provide the heightened flavor and sweetness in the kales, cabbages and carrots.

During the winter months from late December through February you can expect artichokes, Brussels sprouts, leeks, carrots, beets, parsnips and other unique and wonderful vegetables from these farms. In addition our greenhouses will be putting out salads and greens all winter long.

As the seasons progress and winter arrives our garden produces less and less. In response to the changing of the seasons and the limitations in our growing season we look further a field to find the seasonal treats to fill our tables during the lean months. We work with many farms, Terra Firma in Winters, Rodoni Farms in Santa Cruz, Coke Farms in San Juan Bautista, Mariquita Farms in Watsonville to guarantee a continued supply of seasonal produce. These farms are all certified organic and are farmers of exceptional integrity that we personally trust.

Terra Firma Farms, Winters

Paul Holmes and his partner, also Paul farm a number of fertile acres to feed their CSA of over 1500, serving the Bay Area. There operation makes ours look very small indeed. They grow a wide variety of crops and make some of those available to us. Carrots, leeks, beets, winter squash, Satsuma mandarins, nuts and asian pears to name a few.

Rodoni Farms, Santa Cruz

Billie Rodoni and his family specialize in artichokes and Brussels sprouts supplying the organic wholesale market primarily as well as several farmers markets in the area. They farm the coastal benches above the Pacific Ocean north of Santa Cruz, the perfect climate for fog loving artichokes and sprouts.

Mariquita Farms, Watsonville

These folks, Andy and Julie also have a CSA of over 500. There farm is inland from the coast and in a frost free pocket and they are able to grow all winter long. They supply many of the “hip” Bay Area restaurants with all kinds of unusual vegetables during the winter months, some of which we acquire. Fennel, parsnips, celeriac and Romanesco cauliflower just to name a few.

We love finding new farmers and luckily we found Coke Farms, situated in the fertile Salinas Valley. The weather patterns this year created a situation where we needed to find another farmer or two to rely on. The coastal climate of California allows for year round frost free growing and is especially reliable during the wintery months of the year. Coke Farms has been growing organically for more than 20 years, from the first strawberries planted in 1981 to over 200 acres today. They are growers and distributers for other smaller regional farmers, so shopping with them means having access to a greater diversity of crops. During the winter months, our tables were graced with beautiful perfect heads of cauliflower and in the spring, snap and fava beans, chard and lettuce.

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Recipe:

RED BELL PEPPER SOUP *customer favorite

4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 jalapeno, split lengthwise, deveined and seeded
1 large red potato, peeled and chopped
4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 TBS olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
4 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sour cream, garnish (optional)

Chopped fresh cilantro, garnish
Place broth in large saucepan.  Add the chiles, potatoes, and tomatoes.  Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, then reduce and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Remove the chiles – very important.  In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté the garlic and peppers 10 – 15 minutes, or until soft.

Combine the garlic and peppers with the broth, potatoes, and tomatoes in a blender.  Process until smooth.  Return the mixture to the saucepan, and season with salt and pepper.  Add the milk and cream, blending thoroughly.  Reheat over low heat, so the soup does not boil.  Add the lime zest and juice.  Garnish.

Yields: 7-8 cups; serves 6

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STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH CAPER BROWN BUTTER
(from The Gourmet Cookbook)

1 ½ pounds broccoli
¾ stick (6 TBS) unsalted butter
3 TBS drained capers, chopped
3 TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cut stalks from broccoli and peel with a paring knife, trimming any fibrous parts then cut into ¼ inch thick slices.  Cut heads of broccoli into 1 ½ inch wide florets.

Steam broccoli stalks and florets in a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until tender, about 6 minutes (bright green).
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over moderate heat.  Stir in capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.

Toss broccoli with caper butter in a bowl.

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Fennel Tahini Salad Dressing
Recipe by Kathryn Lukas

1 teaspoon fennel seed, ground (toasted if you’d like)
¼ cup fresh orange juice and zest from one orange
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons cup tahini, raw
1 tablespoon white miso (or whatever you have in the frig)
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon flax oil
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fennel fluff (optional)

Puree all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
This nutrient dense dressing is exceptionally well paired with root vegetables and bitter greens. My favorite combination is fennel, carrots, radishes, and sunflower sprouts with dandelion greens. It’s also wonderful over grains.