We squeezed in one more week of some summery crops like tomatoes and eggplant last week, but this week we are fully transitioning into fall, both in terms of the harvest and the weather! Shorter days have already slowed crop growth dramatically, but cooler temps this week will slow them down even more. This week’s forecast is showing an abrupt shift from consistent 70 degree days and nights in the low 60s into days in the 60s and nights dipping into the 40s! We don’t see any frost in the immediate forecast, but it is that time when we start to look out for freezing overnight temperatures that will finish off the remaining summer crops.
The onset of fall also means that we are beginning CSA sign-ups for next season! Current CSA members should receive an email today with details on how to renew for the 2022 season. On December 1st, we will open up CSA sign-ups to the general public, and Barrett’s Bucks sign-ups for 2022 will begin in January.
In the CSA this week:
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. 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!
Acorn Squash
Pie Pumpkin - these are for eating, not carving. You can use them to make pumpkin soup, pie, muffins and more! Many recipes call for pureed pumpkin from a can, but you can make your own puree by cutting the pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and roasting it until it’s soft. Once it has cooled, scoop out the flesh and puree!
Broccoli - Our second succession is ready this week, and it looks beautiful!
Baby bok choi
Leeks - They’re back! Many have been asking about another crop in the allium family, onions, as well. We had poor germination and plant vigor in the spring (something that appears to be common this year based on our conversations with other farmers), and then the excessive rains led to a lot of rot in the surviving plants. Fortunately our leeks have done well this year. We will take a break from them for one week in the Main Season CSA to distribute onions and hopefully will have enough to distribute onions one more week in the Extended Season. Expect a plentiful supply of leeks in the coming weeks, though!
Garlic
Green and purple peppers
Carrots
Beets
Kale
Escarole
Lettuce
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 (we do now have a green porta-potty restroom by the tree behind the red barn for customer use with a portable handwashing sink just beside it).
*Please note that we close down the PYO fields for lightning storms.
Tomatillos or husk cherries - These are winding down rapidly, but you will still have a choice of one of these for picking, and it’s possible some days this week there might be an option to choose cherry tomatoes.
Hot peppers - jalapeño, cayenne, Hungarian hot wax, fresno and aji rico varieties are all producing. Signs in the field indicate what to look for in terms of ripeness, as well as how spicy varieties are.
Herbs- parsley, cilantro, basil, sage, thyme, oregano
PYO Flower CSA:
Picking is available for Flower CSA members as well as to the public for purchase by the bouquet. We will offer picking until our first frost. Picking is available any time the farm store is open (Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm). Varieties blooming now include: zinnias, marigolds, statice, gomphrena, celosia, decorative basil, frosted explosion, cosmos, ageratum, rudbeckia, ammi, scabiosa and more! Please pick stems above the first branching of all flowers to encourage future growth.
In the farm store:
The last day of the farm store for the season will be Saturday, October 30th. This week, in addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have tendersweet cabbage, lemongrass (grown in our high tunnel!), colored peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and scallions in the farm store. We will have mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm, honey from Double B, and eggs from Codman Farm. We will not have corn (from Verrill Farm) this week. We have raspberry vinegar infusion from Silferleaf Farm this week and we hope to get in more jam and fresh raspberries later in the week. If you miss getting berries in the store, head over to their farm on Strawberry Hill Road - they are open for PYO Tuesday - Sunday. It’s especially nice and plentiful on weekdays!
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 are encouraged the remainder of the day. Staff will continue to wear masks inside the farm stand all 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.
Leek and Pumpkin Soup
by Florence Fabricant, from NY Times Cooking
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 large leeks, white part only, well rinsed and chopped, about 2 cups
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cubed pumpkin
3 cups water
1 cup milk or half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Preparation
Melt butter in a heavy casserole. Add the leeks and saute slowly, over low heat, until they are tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic.
Add the pumpkin and water, cover and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes, then puree in one or two batches in a food processor.
Return the puree to the casserole, add the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving. Sprinkle each serving with chives.
Lemongrass Curry with Broccoli and Tofu Recipe
from Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
12 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large shallots, chopped (11/2 cups)
1 stalk lemongrass, inner core chopped (11/2 Tbs.)
1/2 serrano chile, chopped (1 Tbs.)
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
4 small carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch slices (11/4 cups)
1 13.5-oz can light coconut milk
3 cups broccoli florets
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges (11/4 cups)
Preparation
1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, and cook 10 minutes, or until golden on all sides.
2. Pulse shallots, lemongrass, chile, ginger, and garlic in food processor until smooth paste forms.
3. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste, and cook 5 minutes, or until starting to brown. Stir in curry powder, turmeric, carrots, coconut milk, and 11/2 cups water. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Add broccoli, tomato, and tofu; cook 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.