Thanksgiving holds a special meaning to us on the farm. It’s that one day out of the year that people come together to cook, enjoy and appreciate the food that we put our heart and soul into. The 1621 Thanksgiving celebration marked the Pilgrims’ first autumn harvest. It was with help of their Native American neighbors that they learned how to grow many local vegetables such as onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots, corn and squash. Much like the ones in your share this week.
This Weeks Share Includes:
Baby Romaine– 1st of the season, its leaves are crunchy and succulent with a mild flavor making it the perfect base greens for any salad. Combine the romaine, osaka and the tops of your radishes tossed in a light vinaigrette for a pleasingly fresh and spicy green salad.
Roselle– Hibiscus are commonly found in commercial herbal teas, especially teas advertised as berry-flavoured, as they give a bright red colouring to the drink. Roselle also known as Sorrel in the Caribbean and West Indies, is a popular drink year round but particularly around the holidays when the tea is spiced up with cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Carib Brewery-a Trinidad and Tobago brewery, produces a ‘Shandy Sorrel’ in which the tea is combined with beer. Interesting, I should try that.
Purple Osaka– Beautiful reddish-purple colored leaves with a flavorful mustard taste, commonly used for baby salad and braising mixes. Did you know…different soil types and temperatures can affect the flavour and heat level of mustard greens.
Green Beans & Summer Squash– Combine the two for a fantastically fresh, colorful and healthy Thanksgiving casserole just like the pilgrims and native americans feasted on. well, kind of.
Yams-This week we packed you some medium to large oddly shaped yams to make sure you appreciate the authenticity of our vegetables and more so because they are easier to peel incase you wanted to make a homemade Sweet Potato Pie like i did. 
Tokyo Turnips– Tokyo Turnips are tender, slightly spicy and taste like a cross between a radish and a turnip. Try them raw in salads, or thinly sliced on crudite plates or with crackers and cheese. You can also cook them in vegetable or miso soups, or steam or stir fry them – they’re quite versatile!
French Breakfast Radish– Dice French Breakfast radishes and toss in salads or add to tacos and omelets. They can be used whole and roasted, braised or pickled. The subtle heat of the peppery French Breakfast radish marries well with sweet cream, butter, and salt In France they are sliced lengthwise, spread with butter and salted, or placed atop a buttered baguette. The tops are edible too, toss the greens in a vinaigrette along with your purple osaka and chopped romaine.
I wanted to take a moment to remember what Thanksgiving is all about, but after doing some research on the subject i have concluded that Thanksgiving means different things to different people and the Wampanoag tribe may have a different view of this day than that of the pilgrims. So i urge you to celebrate Thanksgiving and what it means for YOU. For me, this year Thanksgiving has a new meaning. I started working at Frog song in March of last year and I bear witness to many of the uncontrollable obstacles a farm faces, severe drought followed by monsoon like rains and hurricanes. Through it all we prevailed and harvested the food that will bring warm smiles and full bellies this holiday. This thanksgiving I celebrate life in all living things and ability to overcome. Let’s also remember that Thanksgiving is a time when people with completely different backgrounds, bloodlines, religious views and much more came together, put aside their differences, shared, and gave THANKS for what mother earth has provided. -Shani