CSA Week 9, So long Summer Members... it's been real.

Vegetable List
Baby Kale
Savoy Cabbage
Cucumborama
Fairy Tale Eggplant
Orion Fennel
Provider Green Beans
Husk Cherries
Jericho Romaine Lettuce
Bell Peppers
Shallots
Sungolds & Tomatoes
Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash
Notes from the Farm
This is unreal, I missed it again. The summer membership season is over... come and gone... it was over before I had a chance to realize what was going on.
The season is always a blur. The summer is a blur. The weighted expectation of summer seems to orbit with significantly more gravity... it better be good, we've got to wait 10 more months to get it again... and our season has to be good, we get one crack, and if we screw up, the consequences are varied and severe.
I'm not sure that we've ever really had a pure good year... we've done somethings well, but we always do other things on the poor side of terrible. We haven't been farming all that long... this is my 12th year and Gina's 13th. We're still figuring out how to do what we do, finding our voice, manufacturing enthusiasm. Earlier on, I'd say pre-Casco farm, I was fairly consumed with the idea of a perfect season... year in and out I'd find ways to tweak the farm system... the learning curve was steep and I took some spectacularly bizarre notes... and those notes became our reality.
This season... 2017... marked... this season is notable, from the inside out, as a the first go round done almost completely from muscle memory. This season we just did it... there were no obsessive meetings, no worrisomely psychotic note-filled seed catalogs, no nothing... we just did it. There was a great evolution going on, right under our noses, a formation of our agrarian chrysalis... and now, looking back, cracked from the chrysalis, it's remarkable to see the season and it's differences.
Frankly, we screwed up this season, kind of a lot. It still generally worked out, we're on track, the harvests are good, the vibes are good, but the graveyard is jaw-dropping... the good news is that, from this side of the fence, it's an encouraging view.
I firmly believe that if it doesn't hurt, you're not learning hard enough... learn harder. This season has been a gift, a gift of some big growth, and with a little time (and some psychotic note-filled seed catalogs) I feel like we're poised to make the dialectic leap into a phenomenal 2018...
The 2018 season is just around the corner... hope to see all you summer members there.
Recipes
Green Beans with Tapenade Dressing
Coarse salt
1 pound green beans
1/4 cup black-olive tapenade
1 clove garlic, minced, or more to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Plunge beans into boiling water, and cook until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Trim the ends off the beans, and cut in half lengthwise.
Transfer beans to a serving bowl, and toss well with tapenade, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.


Spaghetti with Savoy Cabbage and Breadcrumbs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, very thinly sliced or minced
1/2 cup fresh (not dried) breadcrumbs (from a rustic loaf)
9 cups thinly sliced Savoy cabbage (from 1 medium head)
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce), plus more for garnish
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in breadcrumbs. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat. Cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Cook, covered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover, and let any water in the skillet evaporate. Stir in cream. Cook until sauce is reduced and thick enough to coat cabbage, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add pasta and reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid to cabbage. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over top, and garnish with more cheese.