All of the hot and dry weather last week in theory meant it was a good time to accomplish some tractor cultivation as well as hand weeding and hoeing. Because it has been so dry, though, a large percentage of our time was spent working on irrigation. We also had a backlog of seedlings to transplant at the end of the week, as we held back on planting leading up to the heat wave so that the new plants didn’t fry in the field. In spite of all of the other demands on the farm (as well as the need to stay out of the fields in the worst of the heat!), we did manage to get some weed management work done! Catherine spent almost 2 full days on the cultivating tractors. Any time that she wasn’t harvesting or arranging flowers she was meticulously cultivating everything that the tractors could fit over. The rest of the crew also worked on taming the weeds that had been thriving during earlier rainy periods, which now seem like ages ago!
This week there is road work on Barrett’s Mill Road, but we will remain open, so please don’t be deterred! There are some beautiful flowers and veggies to enjoy. They are currently allowing cars coming in from Strawberry Hill Road and Lowell Road, but if you are coming from Rte 2 you may be directed to take a detour during high traffic periods.
We will be closed for the holiday on July 4th, but we will be open regular hours Saturday the 5th (9am - 3pm)!
In the CSA this week:
Zucchini or Summer squash - These are just starting to produce, so they will be limited for now.
Slicing cucumbers - from our high tunnel.
Carrots
Beets
Garlic Scapes - Use just like you would regular garlic cloves. They’re a little milder, so if you like garlicky flavor adjust accordingly!
Cabbage - Savoy, Caraflex (conical shape), and Green
Fennel
Radishes or Salad turnips - Radishes have gotten spicy in this heat! This will probably be the last week of radishes until late summer. We’ll likely have salad turnips on Wednesday and radishes on Saturday.
Lettuce
Kale
Salanova lettuce mix
Mustard Greens - These spicy greens become milder (but still flavorful) when lightly cooked.
Arugula
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
Herbs: Members will have a choice of parsley, dill, cilantro, sage, chives and basil.
Some herb harvesting information:
Parsley and cilantro: Pick only outer stems and leave the center stalks to continue to grow.
Basil: please pinch off leaves from the tops of the plants.
Dill and Sage: harvest stems at branching points
Chives: cut stems high enough that a 3-4 inches of plant remain at the base, and do not cut all of the stems on a plant.
Please do not clear cut herb plants or harvest from beds that are not yet open.
In the farm store:
Farm store hours are Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have:
Swiss Chard
Scallions
Thin-skinned cucumbers
Flowers - Snapdragons
Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm - Certified organic
Double B Honey - From hives on the property! Not certified organic
Applesauce from Long Run Produce in Boxborough, MA. Certified Organic.
Baer’s Best Beans: 1 pound bags. Grown in South Berwick, Maine. Certified Organic varieties available include: Cannellini, Black Turtle, Italian Cranberry and Light Red Kidney. NEW: Additional varieties now available, all grown by Charley Baer but these are not organic: bumblebee, marfax, and flageolet.
Charred Cabbage With Miso Browned Butter
by Andy Baraghani, from NY Times Cooking
Ingredients
1 medium green or savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation
Cut the cabbage in half through the core then cut each half into 4 wedges, keeping the core intact.
Heat oil in a large cast-iron or high-sided skillet over medium-high until glistening. Working in batches if needed (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan), add the cabbage to the pan, cut side down. Using tongs, press down on the cabbage pieces to encourage browning until deeply charred on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. If the pan looks dry in between batches, add another tablespoon or two of oil. Transfer cabbage to a serving platter.
Turn off heat, wipe out any cabbage bits from the pan and let the pan cool for a few minutes. Add the butter and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the butter has browned and smells nutty, 3 to 4 minutes.
Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon pepper and the miso. When combined (it won’t be a smooth sauce), stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Spoon the miso butter sauce over the cabbage and top with scallions and more pepper.
Best Fennel Salad Recipe
by Sylvia Fountaine from Feasting From Home
Ingredients
2 medium fennel bulbs- trimmed and cored (about 1 lb)
2 cups thin-skinned cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh dill
1/8–1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste (***Meyer lemon is really nice here, or sub rice wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1–2 teaspoons sugar or honey (see notes)
Instructions
Trim the ends off the fennel bulbs, cut in half legnthwise and remove their core with a sharp knife.
Using a mandolin, shave the fennel bulb paper thin and place it in a large bowl. Use a cut-resistant glove to protect your fingers. (Or finely slice as thin as possible with a chef’s knife). You should have about 6 cups packed.
Shave the cucumber and onion with the mandolin and place in the bowl.
Add the chopped dill and zest the lemon over the salad.
Toss in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sweetener and toss well.
Taste and adjust salt, honey, and lemon to taste, adding more as needed.
Notes
Lemon: If you use regular lemons, you’ll need a little more honey or sugar, but if you use Meyer Lemons, you’ll need less sweetener. This salad also works nicely with a mild vinegar like rice wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
Feel free to soak the onions in salted water first to take the “bite” out of them.