Halloween Market

 Happy Halloween from the Sleichters! We're taking advantage of tonights harvest moon to get some picking done before the market.

We will be at the market tomorrow in Manhattan with plenty of vegetables including...

• Sweet Potatoes
• purple and orange
• Potatoes
• Radishes
• black, red, watermelon, daikon
• Onions
• Carrots
• Orange, Yellow and Purple
• Garlic
• Beets
• Turnips
• The very last of our Tomatoes
• and Kitchen Squash galore
• Butternut, Spaghetti, Red Kuri, Delacata, Pink Banana and more

Yep you read that right. I said Kitchen Squash. We've picked SO many vegetables this year that we've ran out of storage room so we have 3 mineral tubs of squash sitting in our kitchen. They're really in our way and I trip over at least one tub daily.

If you'd like to see some great Halloween treats and goodies to make with your vegetables, just check out our CSA blog post here. 

We hope to see you at the market tomorrow and Happy Halloween!

Halloween Market

Session 4, Week 4: Happy Halloween Week!

It's a perfect week for Halloween treats, so each of today's veggies comes with a Halloween theme recipe! In this week's basket there will be Cherokee purple tomatoes (probably the last ones of the year), red radishes, a black radish, jalapenos, and some of our almost 2,000 pounds of sweet potatoes. 

Now this basket is full of things to help make some pretty creepy-cool Halloween goodies. These Radish "eyeballs" are sure to bring a little bit of a spook to your table. Also in this basket is a black radish which can be made into a spooky cauldron in less than 5 minutes. These Halloweño Jalapeño popper mummies are honestly really cute as well, and I hope to try them out myself soon. (even if its not close to Halloween). Want something a bit more kid friendly? How about the cute sweet potato monster cookies? 

The cooler weather is great for soup, and homemade Tomato Basil soup is a favorite in our house. This recipe calls for two 24 oz cans of tomatoes, which you can replace with about 4 Cherokee purple tomatoes, diced, juice and all. I plan on making it later this week, and adding a little food coloring to make it a creepier, Halloween color.

I really hope you enjoy this weeks basket and have a happy Halloween! (and look out for that snow although its WAY too early for it to be snowing in my opinion.)

Session 4, Week 4: Happy Halloween Week!

Black radish cauldron

Just in time for Halloween potlucks, our black radishes are ready for harvest. These large radishes have a mild flavor and a distinct black outer peel. You can eat them whole, slice them, or have some fun and make a one-of-kind dip holder.

1. After rinsing the radish, cut a thin slice off the bottom of the radish to make a flat base for it to sit on.

2. Cut a cone shape out of the opposite side of the radish.

3. Use a melon baller to scoop out the inside of the radish, leaving about a 1/3 inch perimeter. My kids finished off the guts of the radish in no time! 

4. Add your favorite veggie dip to the radish, and you have a black cauldron centerpiece for your veggie tray.

Black radish cauldron

CSA Delivery, Session 4, Week 3

This week is the fresh fruit before the freeze. We spent the afternoon (after church and 4-H) picking all the sweet potatoes and winter squash remaining. This week, you are getting Cherokee purple tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, spaghetti squash, red radishes, and watermelon radish. 

CSA Delivery, Session 4, Week 3

A Day in the Life of the Sleichter Squad: Fall Harvest

*By Maggie*

So to start a very busy Sunday out, we had church like we do every Sunday. This Sunday was the youth mass so the CYO youth led the service. I was an usher and it was pretty easy. After church the youth group got together and we made posters for the shoe drive.  For our trip to NCYC (National Catholic Youth Convention) in November 2021 we're going to be holding a "mildly used" shoe drive until December 18th. The shoes we bring in are going to third world countries and every pair we bring in helps. We also get 40 cents per pound of shoes towards our trip.

We had our monthly 4h meeting (Johns first!) Those meetings are always pretty fun. Since its the start of a new 4h year, we got new club officers. For the past year I was the club president but now I'm going to be the Parliamentarian. (Roberts rules of order is really going to help me out this year) 

And after a quick stop at home to change into our work clothes, we got down into the dirt and got to work.

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When we arrived at our town garden spot, the first thing I saw was Natalie holding a machete. A terrifying sight if you ask me. However, the machete was only to cut the sweet potato vines and it really came in handy.

Dad pulled out in the tractor with the plow attachment attached. We started out behind him. Mom on one side- and I was on the other. Lainie was following behind us with the tub. The plow was plowing, the wind was cold and the potatoes are (hopefully) sweet. 

We spent about an hour or so picking sweet potatoes while Nat and John were picking the squash. We picked about 10 tubs before we ran out. So with mom, we made a trip home to get more tubs to put them in.

That was also when we realized someone needed to pick the cherry tomatoes (yes we STILL have those) for the CSA baskets and since I was home, I elected to do it. With music playing and two jackets on, I got picking. I only had to get 15 baskets but it took a lot longer than I wanted it to last. 

While I was picking cherry tomatoes at home, everyone else was in town. They were picking the sweet potatoes and squash and some radishes. Some REALLY big radishes.

After we ate supper Mom went with Lainie and Nat to make the deliveries. Lainie driving is the scariest part of that. Meanwhile I went with Dad and John to pick up the sweet potatoes since the trailer didn't have room for the tubs and the tractor. 

In all we picked 19 tubs (at roughly 45 pounds per tub) of sweet potatoes but there's still more out there to pick because we only got the orange ones. There is still 2 rows of purple ones (which are probably my favorite) left in town and then like 6 rows here at the house.

All in all it was a pretty busy day full of Church, 4-H, picking vegetables and yelling at our annoying rooster (named Frank) to hush up.

A Day in the Life of the Sleichter Squad: Fall Harvest