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Always Time for Fun on the Farm

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Always Time for Fun on the Farm
This Week's Vegetable Share Harvest:
  • Arugula
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard
  • Italian Sweet Frying Peppers
  • Chives
  • Cone Cabbage
  • Slicing Tomatoes
  • Heirloom Tomatoes
  • Broccoli
  • Dill or Rosemary
  • Garlic

This Week's Fruit Share Harvest:
  • 'Autumnstar' Peaches
  • 'Gala' Apples
  • 'Marquis' Grapes
  • 'Bartlett' Pears
Reserve Your Local, Pasture-Raised Turkey for Thanksgiving

Reserve a local, pasture-raised, organic-fed heritage turkey for a special Thanksgiving dinner from our friends at All Grass Farms.

Farmer Cliff raises Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys which are moved to pasture at 3 weeks of age.  They are free-range in and around portable shelters with their shelters being moved daily.  They are fed certified organic, non-GMO feed mixture from day one with no antibiotics or growth hormones.  They are processed at 17-19 weeks for maximum flavor and they are humanely processed at local, family-owned USDA inspected facility.

Weights range from 12-25 lbs. We will do everything we can to provide you with a turkey in your desired weight range. Turkeys are frozen and packaged in a vacuum-sealed bag. Heart, liver, neck, and gizzard included inside each turkey.

Reservation: $35 deposit per turkey due at time of order.
Final Price: You will be invoiced with your total at $7/lb (less your deposit) due upon pickup.

Turkeys will be available for pickup from the Grayslake farm on Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14 from 7am to 7pm. 

Place your reservation here. Please contact Jen with any questions. Thank you for supporting local farmers!
What's New at the Farm Stand
  • Final Week of Peaches - For both our CSA members and the farmstand, we (via our friends at Mick Klug Farm) will be offering the last peaches of the season this week. 
  • Masks: We ask that you please wear a mask while inside the farmstand. Thank you!
  • Hours: Open daily, 7am-7pm 
Farm Journal
Good afternoon from the farm!
Thank you to our CSA community for gathering together this past Saturday! Together, we enjoyed lunch and conversations while children climbed trees and played games. Jeff led a two-mile farm hike where we explored the far-fields of the farm, visited beginning farmers, and explored the food forest. Families also picked fresh sunflowers, basil, and green beans so no one left empty-handed.
We enjoyed the visits so much that we can't wait to host another event this Sunday, September 19th at the farm. All are welcomed! We will be a stop on Grayslake's first "Let's Ride, Grayslake" cycling event, in conjunction with Let's Ride, Illinois, which is an initiative across Illinois to host family-friendly, casual bike rides to inspire people to ride within their own communities. This ride is free, fun, casual, family-friendly, and begins at 9am. We look forward to welcoming riders to the farm.
After the weekend events, we usually do our farm chores. For several years now, on Sunday mornings, Owen heads to the Prairie Crossing Horse Stables where he cleans the stalls. Jen heads to the chicken coop to collect eggs and care for the animals. Jeff and Gavin head to the fields to turn on irrigation and check conditions.
This past Sunday, Jeff and Gavin found the conditions were great to fly the farm drone. Once the drone was in the air, Gavin discovered a secret Jeff had planned for him...Jeff seeded a cover crop greeting! Jeff and Gavin sent the picture to farmer Tyler to see what he thought of the secret project. They all agreed it was fun and Jeff can't wait to seed bigger words next time!
Speaking of Tyler and farm events, Tyler's family farm, Kroll's Fall Harvest Farm, opens this weekend with plenty of pumpkins, donuts, and fun. This year, the Kroll's created a huge, heartwarming message within their corn maze. We were happy that they were able to have the maze despite a season of severe drought in our county. They are truly a-mazing! (sorry) We encourage you to visit and support their family farm!
Whatever family farm you may visit this time of year, we hope you enjoy a few laughs, beautiful weather, and making memories. Happy late summer!

Warmly,
~ The Miller family and the Prairie Wind Farm Crew
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Fresh herbs make another appearance in late summer shares this week. While this picture shows the beautiful dill flowers, we've harvested the dill and rosemary prior to the plant's flowering to ensure the best flavors. We also harvest chives before they fully flower (though sometimes you'll find a flower bud) to preserve the delicate texture of the chives. We recommend storing herbs rolled in a damp paper towel, within a plastic bag, in your refrigerator. 
In this classic photo, we thought it was fun to picture the tiniest Bartlett pear next to the largest Gala apple. Don't they look like fruit buddies? Jokes aside, this week's fruit shares include a medley of late summer fruit, peaches and grapes, and only the beginning of early autumn fruit, apples and pears. These versatile fruits are perfect for school lunches or baking, eaten together or separately. 
Seasonal Recipes in the Farm Kitchen

Creamy Peach Tart with Smokey Almond Crust
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut
Broiled Tilapia with Mustard Chive Sauce
Cabbage, Leek and Broccoli Soup - add fresh herbs for additional flavor!

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