Last week was a milestone for the farm. All-star volunteers Gretta and Kathleen watered the greenhouse and checked in on the farm on Sunday while Lise was in New Hampshire and Melissa was in Maine. It was the first time we had both left the state during the farm season and the greenhouse has never been so well looked after! We came home to healthy plants and spent time this week with the crew transplanting much of the greenhouse out into the field including lettuce, Salanova lettuce mix herbs, fennel, scallions. We have just a few more weeks of planting lettuce, spinach, herbs, and beets before transplanting season is done for the year (with the exception of fall planted strawberries and garlic for next year).
While we are nearing the end of planting season the harvest season is not quite halfway done. This week is number 10 of our 20 week Main Season CSA and then we will be harvesting for our 4 week Late Fall CSA (Thursdays 2-7pm October 26th- November 16th). Crops for late fall include carrots, Romanesco cauliflower, butternut squash, potatoes, lettuce, kale, leeks, popcorn, sweet potatoes and more. Sign-up forms are on the website and printed in the farm store if you'd like to join us!
In the CSA:
Pink Damsel tomatoes.
- Leeks
- Tomatoes - Our red slicer "defiant," a pink tomato called "damsel," "pink berkely tie die" (red and green striped) and a variety of heirlooms are now ripening.
- Watermelon - We have two varieties, Blacktail Mountain (dark green) and Starlight (striped). Both are red inside with seeds.
- Peppers - Green and purple
- Cucumbers
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
- Potatoes - a yellow potato variety called Nicola.
- Celery
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Chard
- Fresh onions or garlic
CSA PYO:
- Cherry Tomatoes! Sungold, jasper, black cherry, yellow mini, cherry bomb, and more are now ready! Look low on the plants for ripe fruit.
- Hot peppers
- Sunflowers
- Green Beans
- Basil
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Dill
In the store:
Most everything we have in the CSA will also be available in the store. We will also have some eggplant, tomatillos and golden beets. In addition, we'll have Verrill Farm sweet corn, Pete and Jen's eggs and Fat Moon mushrooms.
PYO Flower CSA:
Flowers ready this week include bachelors button, celosia, calendula, scabiosa, zinnias, verbena, amaranth, cosmos, orlaya, strawflower, snapdragons, gomphrena, calendula, tithonia, and more.
Recipes:
From The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia
Vinegar Carrots With Toasted Sesame Seeds
If you're sensitive to spicy foods, then start with 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and add more to taste. To make carrot ribbons, peel carrots, then swipe the peeler from the fat end to the tip to make ribbons.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled lengthwise into thin ribbons
1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegars, honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the dressing over the carrots, add the cilantro, and toss well. Season to taste with salt, and serve.
Thanks to Mimi and her sister Barbara for passing along this carrot recipe. They also shared their favorite way to enjoy farm tomatoes!
- Cut up heirloom tomato
- Cut up buffalo mozzarella and arrange on top
- Snip fresh Basil and scatter on top
- Pour on good olive oil
- Grind some salt
- Serve with forks before sunset.
Store hours:
*Tuesday and Thursday 11am - 6pm*
Wednesday and Friday 2pm - 6pm
*Saturday 10am - 3pm*
*Hours with an asterisk are also CSA pick-up hours