Last week we raced against the weather to harvest the last of our garlic and all of our storage onions before rot could set in from the large rainfall. At this time of year we have fewer seedlings going, so we’re able to use our main greenhouse as a curing space for the storage onions and some of the garlic. You can find the rest of the garlic hanging in the farm stand and the attached greenhouse. Curing intensifies the flavor and dries out the onions so that they can store longer into the fall outside of the refrigerator.
This week we’re excited that our field tomatoes are ready for harvest! The plants are looking huge and lush, and will require another round of trellising. In some cases we’ll be shoring up trellising stakes that are buckling under the weight of the plants. Also, for CSA members, we’re approaching the peak of PYO season, with lots of new items this week (more on that below!).
In the CSA this week:
Heirloom and Hyloom tomatoes - From our field and high tunnel plantings. Field varieties include: Abigail (pink), Cherokee Carbon (purple), Dr. Wyche’s Yellow, Marmalade Skies (orange), Pruden’s Purple (pink), and Woodstock (green bicolor). From the high tunnel: GinFiz (bicolor yellow with blush).
Slicing tomatoes - From the high tunnel. Varieties include Lemon Boy Plus (yellow), Marmalade (orange), Bonbolya (pink), Contessa (red beefsteak), and Estiva and Caiman (both red slicers).
Mustard Greens
Watermelon - All are red icebox sized with seeds.
Uncured garlic - This garlic has not been hung to dry so will not store as long as the garlic we have in the fall. It also has a slightly milder flavor.
Fresh onions - Red Long of Tropea and Ailsa Craig varieties. Both types are milder and sweeter than cured onions.
Green and purple peppers
Zucchini or Summer Squash
Fennel or Celery
Carrots
Beets
Curly kale
Lettuce
Frisée - A bitter salad green that can also be used wilted or sauteed.
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
Cherry tomatoes! (for the regular-size CSA only this week, but soon to come for all) - Varieties include Sungold, Honey Bee, Citrine, Cherry Bomb, and more.
Hot peppers - varieties include Aji Rico, Pantera (jalapeño), and Hungarian Hot Wax.
Tomatillos
Dragon Tongue beans - These speckled beauties can be prepared just like green beans.
Green beans
Sunflowers
Herbs: Basil, Thai basil, parsley, dill, 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:
Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety (red) from the high tunnel.
Shishito peppers - First of the season!
Cucumbers - Mostly picklers, but we’ll have a limited amount of thin-skinned and slicers as well.
Flowers - Mixed bouquets, many of which will feature dahlias!
Sweet corn - From Verrill Farm in Concord. Not organic
Salsa Verde - Made by Kenneth at Eastern Mass Provision from our own organic tomatillos, onions, garlic, jalapeños and cilantro. Mild. Limited availability - We are almost out of our supply but will more to come this fall after we have this year’s batch made!
Hot Sauce - Made by Kenneth at Eastern Mass Provision from our own organic habañeros, aji rico, fresno, cayenne, Hungarian hot wax and garlic. Hot.
Seasonal Medley Mushrooms and Shiitake Mushrooms - From Mycoterra Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified organic.
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.
Maple syrup - 12 oz. bottles from our friend Jim at Hollis Hills Farm in Fitchburg, MA. Not Organic.
Raspberry Vinegar Infusion -Silferleaf Farm in Concord, MA. Certified Organic.
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, and new this week: 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.
Summer Tomato Salad With Sumac Onions
By David Tanis, from NY Times Cooking
This is a great recipe for using whatever size, shape, and color tomatoes you have!
Ingredients
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 small red onion
Sea salt and black pepper
2 pounds medium or large tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
Handful of small basil leaves
1 tablespoon ground sumac
Preparation
Slice onion crosswise into ¼-inch rings and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt, then cover with ice water and set aside.
Cut the medium/large tomatoes into slices or wedges and halve the cherry tomatoes. Place slices or wedges in one layer on a wide platter and arrange cherry tomatoes on top.
Season everything generously with sea salt and black pepper.
Drizzle the tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil. Just before serving, sprinkle the dill, cilantro and mint over the tomatoes, then add the basil leaves.
Drain and blot onions dry. Separate the rings and return them to the bowl. Dust generously with sumac and an extra pinch of salt, and scatter over the salad. Sprinkle with more sumac to taste.
Frizzled Green Beans, Mushrooms and Onions
By Alison Roman
Ingredients
1 pound green beans, stems trimmed
1- 1 ½ pounds mixed mushrooms such as oyster, maitake, chicken of the woods, or baby bella, halved lengthwise or quartered if large
2 small red or yellow onions, cut through the root into ½” wedges
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, parsley, and/or chives
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine green beans, mushrooms, onion, olive oil and soy sauce together on a rimmed baking sheet (if doubling, use two sheets). Season with salt and pepper and toss. Roast, tossing once or twice, and adding more olive oil if needed, until the mushrooms are deeply browned and the green beans are tender and browned in spots, about 45 minutes.
Remove from heat and toss with parsley, chives and oregano. Drizzle with more olive oil and give another crack of black pepper before serving.
DO AHEAD: Trim the green beans a day or two ahead of time, store them in a resealable bag refrigerated. Everything can be roasted a few hours in advance, rewarmed before serving or go room-temp (I would!).
LEFTOVERS: Best eaten out of the container, cold. Or turned into a salad over greens. If you must rewarm, a quick sauté in a skillet over medium–high heat should do the trick.