We have been busy harvesting, seeding cover crop, taking down tomato trellising and removing landscape fabric, plastic mulch and drip irrigation from the fields. However we also found time for planting tulips for the 2024 season on a sunny Thursday afternoon, which was a nice change of pace! This week we have more bulb planting, though this time it’s our garlic for 2024. We’ll also work on removing irrigation from the fields and mulching next year’s strawberries and garlic.
This week is the last week of the Farm Store for the 2023 season! Farm store hours are the same as usual this week: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Barrett’s Bucks expire at the end of this week (October 28th) when the Farm Store closes. The Main Season CSA is now over but the Extended Season and Flex CSAs continue until November 18th.
In the CSA this week:
Autumn Frost squash - This is a type of specialty butternut with a fan following due to it’s sweet flavor and excellent storage life. The skins are edible so no need to peel.
Yellow Potatoes from Atlas Farm or Sweet Potatoes
Spinach - We lost our first two successions of spinach to torrential rains and flooding in August. Once it dried out enough we reseeded in a new location, but because it was a bit later than originally planned we have a more limited harvest.
Rutabaga - Tastes a bit like a cross between cabbage and potatoes. See below for a recipe for mashed potatoes and rutabaga!
Salad turnips - Tastes like a milder and sweeter radish with a little less crunch.
Radishes - Daikon, Red King and Watermelon
Brussels Sprouts - We distribute these on the stalk - just snap the sprouts off at home to store in your refrigerator.
Broccoli
Carrots
Leeks
Garlic
Green peppers
Salanova
Mustard greens or Arugula
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
We expect a harder frost tonight so we don’t expect to have any PYO crops other than herbs this week. Please note that although the CSA is open until 6:30 on Wednesdays, the PYO fields are closed when it gets dark.
Herbs - If the frost isn’t too bad we hope to still have sage, thyme, oregano, mint and parsley.
In the farm store:
This is the last week of the farm store for the 2023 season! In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have lemongrass, pie pumpkins, butternut, scallions, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, colored peppers and corn stalks. We will also have organic cranberries from Fresh Meadow Farm in Carver, MA, honey from Double B (from hives on the property) and mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm.
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 and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.
PYO Flower CSA
We are assuming that tonight’s frost will wipe out most of the flower field, but if it doesn’t we will keep it open this last week.
Mushroom CSA:
It is the sixth week of the 8-week Fall Mushroom CSA. This week you may come to pick up your mushrooms anytime the farm store is open (Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm). Your mushrooms will be kept in the cooler and retrieved by the shopkeeper when you arrive at the store. The farm stand will be closed for the season during weeks 7 and 8, so at that time pick-up will just be available during the regular Vegetable CSA pick-up on Wednesdays 11am - 6pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic
by Mark Bittman, from NY Times Cooking
Ingredients
1 pint brussels sprouts (about a pound)
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan
5 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, and transfer to oven. Roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.
Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and serve hot or warm.
Mashed Rutabaga and Yukon Gold Potatoes
by Anne Burrell from The Food Network
Ingredients
1 large rutabaga, waxy skin removed and cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 stick cold butter, cut into 5 to 6 pats
Directions
Toss the rutabagas into a large pot and cover generously with water. Season the water generously with salt.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes. Toss in the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, another 20 minutes.
Strain the rutabagas and potatoes from the water and pass through a food mill into a large bowl.
In a small saucepot, bring the cream to a boil and turn off.
Take 1 to 2 pats of butter and a splash of hot cream and whip them into the potato mixture. Continue this until all the butter and cream are incorporated. Taste and re-season with salt if needed. Serve immediately or keep warm in a low oven.