What’s Fresh from the Farm in November?

By Farm to School Educator Joia Walker

As a part of the collaborative Farm to School Program with the Ferguson-Florissant School District, the team at EarthDance Organic Farm School has started the “What’s Fresh” initiative! What’s Fresh highlights farm fresh organic produce in its season, in hopes of educating families, neighbors, staff, and students on the benefits of growing and eating fresh produce. Each produce item featured can be found and purchased right here at EarthDance growing on our organic farm.

What a wonderful season it’s been here at EarthDance. We’ve grown food and people right here in the heart of Ferguson, and now we’re welcoming fall. Fall for us means celebrating the end of our volunteer season with a bonfire, planting garlic and greens and putting our summer crops to bed. Though our pace may be a little slower, there are still a few crops that just won’t quit.

This November, EarthDance is cooking up a little 24 carrot magic, with carrots that were harvested in the early fall to be stored for winter. Carrots are jam packed with vitamin A, which can support eye health, fight cancer and even help prevent night blindness. In fact, just one cup of carrots contains 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. Hip hip hooray for vitamin A! Carrots also contain carotenoids which give carrots their beautiful orange color. Carotenoids can help balance blood sugar which is good news for those with diabetes. Need energy to last throughout the day? Carrots can help! Raw or blanched carrots can help provide steady energy to the body because they are low on the glycemic index. There are so many ways to enjoy carrots. Whether raw, steamed, roasted, or mashed, do your body a favor and grab a carrot for your next snack break.

Warm up during the cool weather with this flavorful Thai Coconut Curry Carrot Soup recipe from budgetbytes.com

SERVINGS about 1.5 cups each 

PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 40 minutes TOTAL: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil ($0.26)
• 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
• 4 Tbsp red Thai curry paste ($1.45)
• 1 lb. carrots ($0.89)
• 1 sweet potato (about 3/4 lb.) ($0.84)
• 3 cups vegetable broth* ($0.39)
• 1 13.5oz. can full fat coconut milk ($1.99)
• salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)

Optional Garnishes

• cilantro ($0.25)
• sriracha ($0.25)

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Dice the onion and add it to a large pot along with the butter (or coconut oil). Sauté the onion until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. Once the onions are soft, add the Thai curry paste and continue to sauté for about a minute more.
3. While the onion is sautéing, peel and dice the sweet potato (about 1-inch cubes). Add the sweet potato to the pot after the curry paste has sautéed, and continue to sauté the sweet potatoes while you peel and slice the carrots. Add the carrots to the pot as you slice them.
4. Add the vegetable broth to the pot, stir to combine, place a lid on top, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then turn the heat down to low (or just above low) and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes the sweet potatoes and carrots should be extremely tender and fall apart as you stir the pot.
5. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the hot stove top to facilitate cooling (to another area on the stove is fine). Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. You can reserve a tablespoon or two of the coconut milk to garnish the finished soup, if desired.
6. Use an immersion blender, or allow the soup to cool further and carefully purée in batches using a traditional blender. Once the soup is puréed, give it a taste and add salt or pepper if desired (this will depend largely on the type of broth used). Garnish with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of sriracha, if desired.