Whew, last week was a hot one! We are happy to have made it to this week intact, but we do have to let go of our perfectionist natures and just be happy we are keeping up with the most urgent tasks. When it’s this hot the crew just does the best they can to stay hydrated and stay as on top of the to-do list as possible! There have been a couple of little rain storms which have provided a little relief as it was starting to become impossible to keep up irrigating everything that needs it. We will be working hard this week to keep up with the weeds (when we successfully irrigate we save the crop but also grow the weeds!), bring in the storage onion harvest, and get some of the last planting and seeding done while there is still time for full growth before the days get too short and frost threatens. I know - how could we mention frost?! But we have reached a turning point in the season as we are now half way through our 20 week Main Season CSA! Flex and Extended CSA members have an additional 4 weeks after the end of the Main Season on October 22nd. For now we will worry about keeping up with the needs on the farm for fall and you all can focus on enjoying these summer summer tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, watermelon and more that we have for you!
In the CSA this week:
Beets - Our first “fall” beets are ready and the greens are beautiful! See recipe below for an easy and tasty side dish using beet greens.
Watermelon! This variety is called starlight and has red flesh with seeds.
Celery - Our celery tends to be small and strongly flavored so great for recipes (not as great for snacking unless you are a big celery fan!).
Uncured garlic - While whole it can be stored in a pantry but once peeled or chopped it should be stored in the fridge. It will last about a week (once we cure the rest of the garlic it will last for months!).
Mizuna or scarlet frills mustard greens - We will have one of the two each day this week.
Slicing tomatoes - from the field and high tunnel. There will likely be a mix of red, orange and pink.
Specialty/heirloom tomatoes - We are growing some true heirlooms in the field and some hybrids that look and taste like heirlooms (but are more productive) in the high tunnel.
Peppers - green and purple varieties.
Carrots
Summer squash
Zucchini
Cucumbers - pickling and slicing
Lettuce - a mix of summer crisp varieties
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
Cherry Tomatoes - Varieties that are currently ripening include Sungold (orange), Citrine (orange), Cherry Bomb (red), Red Pearl (red grape), Valentine (red grape), Apple Yellow (new variety for us this year, and aptly named as it is an apple shaped yellow tomato!), Black Cherry (smoky purple) and Midnight Pear (smoky purple pear shaped cherry). Be sure to look low on the plants for the most ripe fruit.
Shishito peppers - See the recipe below for a tasty way to make these peppers. They are generally mild but once in a while you get a hot one!
Jalapeño peppers
Herbs - choice of basil, dill, oregano, mint, sage or thyme.
In the farm store:
In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will also have tomatillos, potatoes, colored peppers and mixed flower bouquets. We will also have sweet corn from Verrill Farm, eggs from Codman Farm, and Fat Moon Farm mushrooms. This will be the last mushrooms for the next month or so.
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. 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.
Pick-Your-Own Flower CSA:
The PYO Flower garden is at it’s height so now is a great time to pick! The field is open to both Flower CSA members and to the general public for picking by the jar. Varieties available include snapdragons, zinnias, marigolds, gomphrena, strawflower, celosia, statice, ammi, ageratum, rudbeckia, scabiosa, cosmos and amaranth. Picking hours are during any farm store hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We recommend bringing your own pruners or scissors as well as water for transporting your flowers home.
Blistered Shishito Peppers
Adapted from: Cookie and Kate
INGREDIENTS
Shishito peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Lemon wedge, optional
Salt, preferably flaky sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse and pat the peppers dry on a clean tea towel. Transfer the peppers to a medium bowl, drizzle in the oil, and toss until the peppers are evenly coated. Set aside.
Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat until it’s hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly on contact. Add the peppers and let them cook, stirring every minute or so (not too often), until they are tender with charred spots, about 8 to 12 minutes.
Transfer the peppers to a serving plate. Spritz with a lemon wedge, if desired. Sprinkle with salt, to taste (don’t skimp). Serve with a little bowl on the side for the pepper stems.
Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic and Olive Oil
Adapted from New York Times Cooking recipe by Martha Rose Schulman
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of beet greens
salt
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes (optional)
freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.
Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.