CSA Week 1 and Farm Stand Updates

This is the opening week of the CSA, and what a difference from where we were last year at this time! We are happy to be loosening some of the COVID restrictions we put in place last spring in both the store and CSA. One of the biggest changes is that we’re now allowing customers back inside the farm stand! On the CSA side of things, members no longer have to sign up for a pick-up time slot and we are no longer pre-bagging all of the greens. We hope that all of these changes make for a better experience on the customer side, because it has certainly reduced the workload on our end.

The slightly reduced workloads around the CSA and store have come at a good time, as we are dealing with drought conditions, a heatwave and some severe pest pressure (the Colorado potato beetles have discovered our potatoes and eggplant and a woodchuck family mowed down a newly planted summer lettuce succession over the weekend). Melissa has been diligently setting up irrigation around the farm for the past 3 weeks, so we are fortunately in a good position this week to finish getting irrigation set up on the remainder of our crops. We’re also looking forward to things cooling off by Thursday, but in the meantime we’ll be taking some afternoon water (and popsicle!) breaks. And we’re also feeling good about our planting and weeding progress over the past two weeks, so we’re optimistic that we’ll have a little time to deal with some of those pest issues this week. Hopefully we’ll still also have time to enjoy eating some strawberries as well!

In the CSA this week:

The CSA distribution is outside under a white canopy tent by the farm stand. CSA pick up hours are Tues/Thurs 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. Face masks are required under the CSA tent during the first hour of each day. We will have a portable handwashing sink by the white tent.

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. Usually 3-5 items will be limited and members may take what they would like of the remaining items until their CSA bag is full.

• Lettuce - mostly red leaf, but there may also be some romaine and butterhead mixed in as well. The heat, drought and woodchucks have taken a toll on our lettuce, so head lettuce will be limited this week.

• Salanova - a farm favorite lettuce mix. It’s a little bit crisper than mesclun mix and holds well in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper drawer in a plastic bag.

• Arugula - a spicy salad green.

• Red mizuna - a mild green that can be eaten raw mixed into a salad or sauteed.

• Baby bok choi - this variety is tender and can be sauteed whole.

• Red Russian kale - a tender baby kale that can be eaten raw in salads or smoothie, or cooked.

• Curly kale - full sized kale that is great for kale chips!

• Bok choi (full sized heads)

• Salad turnips or radishes - they are still sizing up in the field so you will have a choice of one or the other. salad turnips are mild and somewhat sweet (they gain in sweetness if roasted or caramelized). The red radishes are crisper and spicier.

• Mini mak radishes - these are mini daikon that are great for pickling or can roasted or added to soups (if you want to turn on your stove once it cools off later this week!)

• Kohlrabi - this is one of the heftier vegetables that can be grown for early season harvest. You can shred them and add them to a slaw, or you can roast them, make home fries (see recipe below) or make fritters out of them.

• Scallions

CSA PYO:

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. 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.

• Strawberries

• Sugar snap peas

• Sweet William flowers

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will also have spinach, carrots from the high tunnel and stock (fragrant flowers), as well as mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm. We hope to have eggs from Codman Farm soon as well! Please note that on Saturday we likely will not have time to harvest strawberries before opening, but we will plan to have some set out by 10:30!

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. Masks are required during the first hour of each day and encouraged for the remainder of the day. We are keeping a chalkboard list of items available outside the store and our Shopkeepers would be happy to shop for anyone who is uncomfortable entering the store. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 6pm the day before pick-up.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Mizuna with Tofu

by Melissa Clark, from Bon Apetit, January 2011

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

• 4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided

• 3 1/2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided

• 1 14- to 16-ounce container extra-firm tofu, drained

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 4 green onions, chopped

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 4 baby bok choy, leaves separated

• 12 cups loosely packed mizuna (about 8 ounces)

Preparation

1. Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar in bowl.

2. Stack 2 paper towels on work surface. Cut tofu crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices; cut each slice crosswise in half. Arrange tofu on paper towels and let stand 10 minutes. Pat top of tofu dry.

3. Heat peanut oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, without moving, until golden brown on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer tofu to paper towel to drain, then place tofu on sheet of foil and brush both sides with soy sauce mixture.

4. Wipe out any peanut oil from skillet. Add 2 teaspoons sesame oil and place skillet over medium heat. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 3 teaspoons vinegar, then bok choy. Toss until bok choy wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mizuna in 2 batches, tossing to wilt before adding more, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Season greens with salt and pepper. Add tofu to skillet. Toss gently to blend. Transfer to platter.

Kohlrabi Home Fries

by Martha Rose Shulman, from NYTimes Cooking

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds kohlrabi

• 1 tablespoon rice flour, chickpea flour or semolina (more as needed)

• Salt to taste

• 2 to 4 tablespoons canola oil or grapeseed oil, as needed

• Chili powder, ground cumin, curry powder or paprika to taste

Preparation:

1. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into thick sticks, about 1/3 to 1/2 inch wide and about 2 inches long.

2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet (cast iron is good). Meanwhile, place the flour in a large bowl, season with salt if desired and quickly toss the kohlrabi sticks in the flour so that they are lightly coated.

3. When the oil is rippling, carefully add the kohlrabi to the pan in batches so that the pan isn't crowded. Cook on one side until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, using tongs, turn the pieces over to brown on the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. The procedure should take only about 5 minutes if there is enough oil in the pan. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle right away with the seasoning of your choice. Serve hot