CSA Week 12 and Farm stand updates

Tomatoes - whether it’s harvesting, binning up or sorting - take up a large chunk of every day this time of year. They could be one person’s full time job, though it’s more of a team effort here! We are harvesting from both the field and the high tunnels now, and the field tomatoes have really taken off. In the field we grow heirlooms, hybrids and “hyloom” tomato varieties. What’s the difference between these types you might ask? Here’s a little primer:

Heirlooms are open-pollinated (they are pollinated by hand, wind, insects, birds or other natural means) and will grow true to their parent plants if grown in isolation from other varieties. In addition, heirlooms must have been passed down through several generations. Hybrids, on the other hand, are are the result of crossing specific parent plants by hand to produce offspring with selected traits such as uniformity, disease resistance, productivity and enhanced flavor (it is important to note that hybrids are not genetically modified). The seeds produced by hybrid plants will not grow true to their parent. A “Hyloom” has been cross-bred from two different heirloom varieties to combine desirable traits from both, and its seeds will also not grow true to it’s parent. They maintain the great taste and funky shapes that heirlooms are known for!

Hybrids and Hylooms are particularly important on organic farms because they are typically more disease-resistant and productive than heirloom varieties, so we do grow a lot of these types (alongside some heirlooms too). Tomato season may be fleeting, but right now they are abundant and this is a great week to enjoy these productive fruits!

In the CSA this week:

• New Potatoes - Constance Gold or Dark Red Norland varieties. From MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson, NY. Certified Organic.

• Garlic - We’re now starting to take down the garlic that has been hanging in the farm stand to cure. We’ll set aside about 25% of all the heads for seed, which we’ll plant in October for next year’s garlic. This cured garlic will have a more intense flavor than the uncured garlic we had earlier. It should be stored in a cool, dark and dry space - not in the refrigerator.

• Scallions

• Colored peppers - Sweet bells and Bull’s Horn varieties.

• Heirloom and Hyloom tomatoes - We are at the peak right now, so we’ve got several recipes below in case you are tired of tomato, basil & mozzarella salads (though some of us never get tired of them!)

• Slicing tomatoes

• Green and purple peppers

• Zucchini

• Summer Squash

• Beets

• Curly Kale - It’s quite tender as it’s from our new planting!

• Arugula or Mustard greens

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Cherry tomatoes - All 15 varieties are producing! Sungold, Black Cherry, Honey Bee, White Cherry, Yellow Mini, Cherry Bomb, Jasper, Citrine, Midnight Pear, Moonbeam, Valentine, Apple Yellow, Clementine, Mountain Magic and Nova.

• Green beans - A new planting!

• Husk cherries - These faintly tropical tasting fruits in the tomato family are found inside papery husks.

• Tomatillos

• Hot peppers - Varieties include Aji Rico, Pantera (jalapeño), Hungarian Hot Wax, Red Ember (cayenne), and Hot Paper Lantern (habañero - extremely hot!).

• Herbs: Basil, Thai basil, parsley, cilantro, sage, mint, thyme, chives

In the farm store:

Farm store hours are Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm.

In addition to most of the items listed in the CSA above, we will have:

• Cucumbers - Picklers, slicers, and a limited amount of thin-skinned.

• Chard

• Frisée

• Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety from our high tunnel as well as mixed pints from the field

• Flowers - Mixed bouquets and dahlia bunches with eucalyptus!

• Apples - William’s Pride variety. From Ed at Long Run Produce in Boxborough, MA. Certified Organic. Limited quantities.

• Sweet corn - From Verrill Farm in Concord. Not organic.

• Hot Sauce - Made by Kenneth at Eastern Mass Provision from our own organic habañeros, aji rico, fresno, cayenne, Hungarian hot wax and garlic. Hot.

• Baer’s Best Beans - Black Turtle, Italian Cranberry, and Cannellini are Certified Organic. Bumblebee and Black Coco are not organic. Grown by Charley Baer in South Berwick, ME.

• Raspberry Vinegar Infusion -Silferleaf Farm in Concord, MA. Certified Organic.

• Note on mushrooms: We are taking a few weeks off from mushrooms but will stock them again in the fall!

PYO Flower Field

The flower field is open to both PYO Flower CSA members and the general public for picking by the jar. Please check in at the farm stand before picking. Flowers available for picking include: scabiosa, celosia, ammi, gomphrena, ageratum, strawflower, cosmos, zinnias, rudbeckia, sunflowers, verbena, fireworks gomphrena, starflower (great for drying!), decorative basil, and shiso. Please do not pick from plantings that don’t have a variety sign in front of them.

Croxetti with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes

by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch wedges

• ¾ cup torn fresh basil

• 3 tablespoons salt-packed capers, preferably Sicilian, rinsed and chopped if large

• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus more for sprinkling

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 pound croxetti or other flat pasta, such as maltagliati or pappardelle, cooked until al dente

Directions

1. Heat garlic in oil in a saucepan over low heat until pale gold, about 10 minutes. Strain; reserve oil and garlic. Let cool.

2. Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, the capers, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil and chips over tomato mixture. Marinate, covered, tossing occasionally, for 30 minutes.

3. Add warm pasta to bowl, and toss gently. Top with remaining 1/2 cup basil. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes

by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 6 large tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Coarse salt and ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 6 large eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top third off tomatoes and use a small spoon to remove core and seeds. Arrange in a baking dish, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme and garlic. Roast until tomatoes are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

2. Crack an egg into each tomato and season with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 9 minutes more.

Cook's Notes

For better aim, crack the egg into a teacup first, then pour it on the tomato.

Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Toasts with Whipped Ricotta

By Jeremiah Langhorne, from Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes

• 1 7/8 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 5/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided

• 2 cups whole-milk ricotta

• 2 ounces heirloom or baby peppers (such as Jimmy Nardello or shishito)

• 1/4 cup garlic oil or extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 (16-ounce) levain or other rustic bread loaf, cut into 3/4-inch slices

• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as J.Q. Dickinson)

• 1/8 teaspoon fennel pollen or toasted and crushed fennel seeds

• 1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

• 1/2 lemon

• Hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch-thick pieces; place on a plate, and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.

2. Combine ricotta, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth and light, about 30 seconds.

3. Toss together peppers and 1 tablespoon garlic oil. Brush both sides of bread slices with remaining 3 tablespoons garlic oil.

4. Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Place peppers on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, turning often, until speckled with char, about 3 minutes. Place bread on grill, and grill, uncovered, until well toasted, about 1 minute and 30 seconds per side. Remove any charred, thick skin from peppers. Season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; cut into bite-size pieces, and set aside.

5. To assemble toasts, spread about 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture on each bread slice. Divide tomatoes and peppers evenly among toasts; sprinkle with flaky sea salt and fennel pollen. Top toasts with basil, chives, a squeeze of lemon, and, if desired, a dash of hot sauce. Serve immediately.