It was great to see all of the returning members and meet the new folks at the first CSA pick-up last week! Harvesting was the crew's top priority all week to keep the cooler stocked with fresh greens for the CSA and farm store. After the daily harvest was in we spent time mulching and staking tomatoes, planting lettuce, hoeing, and (once our friend Charlie came to help fix our tractor!) cultivating. The work days are starting to settle into our usual summer schedule: mornings are reserved for harvesting while the afternoons are spent planting and weeding to make sure that the next crops are ready on time! This week we will begin to plant our winter squash that is now filling the cold frames outside the farm stand. Other fall crops will not be far behind. This time of year is a combination of harvesting spring crops, caring for fruiting crops like summer squash and eggplant that thrive in the heat, while also planning and planting for fall. When we are in the midst of it all it can feel like a bit of a whirlwind but it's incredible that just one day of work can connect the whole farm season!
*Tuesday and Thursday 11am - 6pm
Wednesday and Friday 2pm - 6pm
*Saturday 10am - 3pm
*Hours in bold and with an asterisk are also CSA pick-up hours
In the CSA:
- Kohlrabi- These funny looking purple vegetables are a juicy and crunchy addition to salads with a mild flavor.
- Scallions
- Beets- The first beets of the season! My go-to beet preparation method: Chop off the greens (for eating later!) and boil the beets whole (skin and all). Once they are ready, run cold water over the beets and the skins will slip right off in your hands. After cooking the beets are easy to cut and keep well in the refrigerator in tupperware. Beets are also great grated in a salad, no peeling or cooking needed! Beet greens are my favorite cooking greens. Make them any way you would swiss chard or other leafy green (see recipe below for beet greens and pasta).
- Baby bok choy - This tender bok choy can be eaten raw or lightly cooked.
- Salad turnips - these white turnips are like a milder radish. They can be eaten raw in salad or roasted. The greens are also edible - they are nice sauteed.
- Easter Egg radishes- These radishes are named for their color scheme- pink, purple, white and red!
- Cherriette radishes - Classic red radishes that add some spice to salads and sandwiches.
- Head lettuce
- Salanova lettuce mix
- Arugula
- Bok Choi
- Mustard Greens- We grow just a couple plantings a year as these spicy greens have a small but dedicated following! The greens become much more mild when cooked.
CSA PYO:
We are excited for pick-your-own to start this week! The shopkeeper will be ready with containers for you for picking and directions. We also have a pick-your-own crop map up in the farm stand to help you find your way. All open pick-your-own crops have a sign up in front to let you know what they are. Please stay with your younger farm helpers to help them walk in field pathways, stay safe, and have fun at the farm!
- Strawberries - They are ripening in all of this sun! The strawberries are a bit farther from the farm stand this year to aid in our rotation for the sake of healthy soils and crops but they are worth the walk. Enjoy!
- Sugar snap peas - Pick the biggest pods you can find. The entire pea is edible including the shell so sugar snap peas make a great snack. Picking tip: Gently lift up the flopped over plants to find lots of filled out peas on the underside of the plant!
- Thyme and sage - In the raised garden bed just outside the farm stand.
In the store:
Most of the items listed for the CSA will also be available in the store. There will also be some spinach, swiss chard, and green garlic. In addition we will have mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and pasture-raised eggs from Clark Farm in Carlisle!
Recipe
Beet Greens and Feta Pasta
from chowhound.com
Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds beet greens, washed, ribs removed, and coarsely chopped (about 11 cups)
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 5 ounces crumbled feta (about 3/4 cup)
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the beet greens and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and reserve.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water Return the pasta to the pot and place over low heat. Add the reserved pasta water and the beet green mixture, then sprinkle in the crumbled feta. Stir until thoroughly combined and heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.