Extended and Flex CSA Week 22, Farm Store now closed for the season

Though it’s not technically the end of the season for us, we did have a sort of “end of season” gathering for the crew last week to mark the closing of the store for the season, as well to celebrate making it to the end of October with our sanity intact! During our gathering, Siobhan (who many of you will recognize if you come to the store and CSA on Saturday) surprised us with an incredible mosaic she made of our logo using shards of plates and cups that she and the crew had collected from the fields all season! (It’s pretty common to find ceramics in farm fields - commercial composters usually take waste from dining halls, and dinnerware often ends up in the mix! We’ve found plenty of silverware and, oddly, marbles, in our fields as well!). We are so grateful for this thoughtful gift from Siobhan and the rest of the crew, and so excited to hang this up in the farm stand for next season!

Despite the store closing for the season, there are still field and high tunnel tasks to complete before Thanksgiving, when the crew usually wraps up for the season. Of course, we still some harvesting left in the fields and high tunnels for the Extended/Flex CSA (for those of you wondering, we will not likely have enough excess to do pop-up sales in late November or early December, however if things change we will announce it in our blog newsletter). In the field we also have a few clean-up projects, as well as mulching of our 2022 garlic and strawberries for protection from cold winter temps. In the high tunnels, we will soon have pepper and tomato plants to clear and beds to prep for seeding carrots, spinach, greens and ranunculus for spring harvest. In the barn, farm stand and greenhouses we have plenty of organizing to do to make room for storing whatever supplies and equipment we can fit in order to protect them from the elements. It’s a lot to accomplish in the next few weeks, but we have a great crew to make sure we get it done!

In the CSA this week (Week 22 for Extended and Flex members):

The Main Season CSA has ended, the Extended and Flex CSAs continue until November 20th. Pick up hours are Thursday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm (there are no Tuesday pick-ups). Pick ups are now inside the greenhouse attached to the farm stand (enter through the farm stand doors). Face masks are required inside the greenhouse. Please note we do our best to predict what will be available each week, but conditions change and there may be slight variations in what’s available!

• Colored peppers- the high tunnel colored peppers have continued to slowly produce and we were able to get enough for the CSA this week!

• Potatoes - Yellow potatoes from Atlas Farm (certified organic and grown in South Deerfield, MA).

• Spinach - the spinach did not germinate well this year so we have limited quantities. We will harvest from both our field and high tunnel plantings to get as much for each member as possible.

• Onions - Red and yellow storage onions

• Autumn Frost squash - a specialty butternut variety that we have found to be very tasty and stores well! It can be used in any recipe that calls for butternut squash.

• Leeks

• Garlic

• Green peppers

• Brussels sprouts

• Salad turnips

• Mini Daikon - White “mini mak” and purple “KN Bravo”

• Kale

• Red Lettuce

Still to come in the remaining 2 CSA weeks after this week: salanova lettuce mix, fennel and green tomatoes from our high tunnels, as well as watermelon radishes, more carrots, and green storage cabbage from the fields. Russet potatoes from Atlas Farm, as well as additional sweet potatoes and onions from Red Fire Farm (both certified organic and MA grown) to supplement our own supplies, as we did not have the yields we expected.

CSA PYO:

Handwashing sinks are provided at the entrance to each PYO field. For the sake of food safety, please wash hands before picking. The barn bathroom and wash area sinks in the barn are for employees only.

• Herbs (if they survive the frosts this week) - parsley, sage, thyme, oregano

The farm store is now closed for the season. The flower field is also finished for the year. Thank you for all your support of the store this season, we look forward to seeing you in 2022!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Spinach Quiche

from King Arthur Baking Company

Ingredients

Crust:

• Your favorite single pie crust recipe or our Classic Single Pie Crust, prepared (or use a store-bought crust!)

Filling:

• 1 medium-large (227g) yellow onion, peeled

• 2 tablespoons (25g) olive oil, divided

• 1 tablespoon (14g) balsamic vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups (213g) butternut squash, cut into very small cubes

• 1 cup (227g) whole milk

• 5 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped; or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 cup (113g) grated Cheddar

• 1 cup (28g) fresh baby spinach, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. To prepare the crust: Roll the prepared crust into a 12" circle (to fit a 9" pie pan). Place it in the pan and prick it all over with a fork. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.

3. To make the filling: Quarter the onion, and slice thinly. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and deep golden brown. This will take about 20 minutes. Right before the onion finishes cooking, add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and cook for a few more minutes. 

4. While the onion is caramelizing, spread the cubed butternut squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss it with the remaining olive oil, along with a couple of good dashes of salt and pepper. Roast the squash until it starts to brown and soften; this should take about the same amount of time as the onions.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the caramelized onions, roasted squash, grated cheese, and baby spinach. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Don't overfill! If you find you have too much filling, just leave a little out, baking it alongside the pie in a custard cup, if desired.

6. Bake the quiche for about 40 to 45 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center should feel just set. 

7. Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Colored Pepper and Kale Stir-Fry

By Todd Porter and Diane Cu, from Food & Wine May, 2014

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 medium onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

• 2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

• 1 bunch kale, destemmed and chopped

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Kosher or sea salt, to taste

• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and then stir in the onions. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the onions are soft.

2. Add the garlic and bell peppers; stirring occasionally, cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the peppers are softened.

3. Add the kale and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and smoked paprika. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the kale is softened. Season with salt and pepper.