It is the first week of the CSA for 2020! The farm store and online ordering pick-up will continue to be open to all on the farm stand porch while the CSA will be set up under our new white canopy tent. We will have staff in both areas to help you access all the new veggies coming in this week (salanova lettuce mix, strawberries, snap peas, hurrah!). It has been a challenging past couple of months as we have been working extra long days to prepare to safely distribute food to our farm store customers and now also to nearly 250 CSA members. Fortunately, for the first time we feel like we have enough staff to keep up with field tasks, and thanks to our amazing crew (which includes 10 returning employees) the fields look the best that they have ever looked! The past couple of weeks have brought the added challenge of drought conditions, but Melissa has been diligently working with Phoebe, Rebecca, Rachael and Sarah to set up irrigation over the majority of our crops. Because of the drought, as well as the cold early spring, nothing right now is ahead of schedule, but also nothing is behind, which feels like a win! In the coming weeks, we’ll be adding beets, fennel, scallions, kohlrabi and carrots to our harvest lists, so we are right on track.
In the CSA this week:
The CSA distribution has moved outside under a tent. Face masks and handwashing are required before entering the tent and only one person per membership may enter. We will have portable sinks for handwashing by the white tent, farm stand, and CSA PYO fields. The barn bathroom and wash area sinks in the barn are for employees only this year due to COVID-19.
CSA members may select their own produce from the bins laid out under the tent, choosing what they would like to take home from the CSA distribution area. Loose greens are pre-bagged to minimize contact, but as long as there is no limit on a pre-bagged item, you are welcome to take more than one. As usual only 3-5 items will be limited and members may take what they would like of the remaining items until their CSA bag is full.
Green garlic - mince and use as you would regular garlic.
Spinach
Chard - see below for a simple recipe idea.
Salanova lettuce mix
Head lettuce - Panisse (a soft oakleaf lettuce), romaine and red leaf lettuce.
Red Russian kale - baby kale
Red mizuna - a beautiful mild green that can be eaten raw in salads or sauteed.
Arugula - a spicy tender salad green. Lise’s favorite!
Yukina savoy - a tender mild green that looks like spinach and can also be eaten raw or cooked.
Baby bok choi - see below for a recipe idea.
Full sized Bok choi
Salad (hakurei) turnips - these mild, sweet turnips can be eaten raw or cooked. Roasting really brings out the sweetness. See below for a recipe idea.
Mini daikon - these spicy radishes are great shredded raw on salads, roasted, in soup or pickled.
CSA PYO:
There will be capacity limits to the PYO fields. If a field is at capacity, we ask that you wait until someone leaves before entering the field. Face masks and handwashing are required before entering the PYO field. PYO items are limited to the posted amount for each CSA membership (the appropriate size container will be provided) but these items do not need to fit in your CSA bag.
Strawberries!
Sugar snap peas
Herbs - you’ll likely have a choice of oregano, thyme, or cilantro. If you would like to use scissors for pick-your-own please bring your own. Some scissors will be available to borrow but due to the necessary disinfection steps there will be a limit to the number available each day.
Each CSA membership is signed up for a designated time slot. If you can’t make it during your time slot, you may come at another CSA pick-up time. However, if there is a wait at the CSA tent we will have a pre-packed bag for you (farmers choice). CSA pick up hours are Tues/Wed/Thurs 11am-6pm (11am-12pm is senior hour) and Saturday 9am -3pm.
In the farm store:
Online pre-orders continue to be available for quick pick-up at the farm store, and walk-up sales are now also available every day. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up.
In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will also have Sweet William flowers and mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm. We’ll also have the last of the asparagus on Tuesday.
Farm Store Hours
Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 9am-3pm
Easy Swiss Chard Recipe
by Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes
The coriander seeds are optional because not everyone has them in their spice rack. But if you do, please use them! Coriander is wonderful with chard.
Ingredients
1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced (or one small head green garlic)
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds (optional) - Or use fresh cilantro!
1 Prep the chard stalks and leaves: Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Either tear or cut away the thick stalks from the leaves.
Cut the stalk pieces into 1-inch pieces. Chop the leaves into inch-wide strips. Keep the stalks and leaves separate.
2 Sauté garlic and crushed red pepper flakes: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan on medium high heat. Add garlic slices, crushed red pepper, and coriander seeds (if using), and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
3 Add Swiss chard stalks: Add the chopped Swiss chard stalks. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
4 Add the chopped leaves: Add the chopped chard leaves, toss with the oil and garlic in the pan. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes. Turn the leaves and the stalks over in the pan.
If the chard still needs a bit more cooking (remove a piece and taste it), cover and cook a few more minutes.
Serve immediately.
Roasted Hakurei (Salad) Turnips with Israeli Couscous Salad
from noteatingoutinny.com
1 bunch hakurei turnips with fresh-looking greens
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of optional red chili flakes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
juice from half a lemon
4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim radishes from greens leaving a small stub of the stems attached. Wash both well to remove dirt. Halve each turnip, keeping the long tails intact. Finely chop the greens.
Toss the turnips with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, pinches of salt and pepper, and the optional chili flakes. Place flat side-down on a roasting pan. Roast for 5-10 minutes, or just until the bottoms are lightly browned. Toss around in the pan with tongs, and continue roasting another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of 3 cups water to a bowl and add the couscous. Continue to boil for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender. Drain.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame and add the garlic. Once fragrant, toss in the leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sautee until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Combine the chopped onion with the cooled couscous and greens. Add fresh lemon juice, an extra tablespoon or so of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the roasted radishes on top.
Sautéed Baby Bok Choy
by Sam Sifton, NY Times Cooking
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (or 1 minced green garlic)
1 ½-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
4 bunches of baby bok choy, approximately 1½ pounds, cleaned, with the ends trimmed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon chicken stock or water
Toasted sesame oil for drizzling
In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add garlic, ginger and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
Add bok choy and stir carefully to cover with oil, then cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, stock or water, then cover pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, until steam begins to escape from beneath the lid of the pan.
Uncover and continue to cook until liquid is close to evaporated and stalks are soft to the touch, approximately 3 minutes more.
Remove to a warmed platter and drizzle with sesame oil.