Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to the volunteers from the Boston Area Gleaners who came out to the the farm today to harvest the remainder of our carrots to donate to families in need for Thanksgiving. The Gleaners harvest surplus crops from local farms throughout the season to donate to hunger relief organizations around Boston. They had set a goal of gleaning 10 tons of produce in 10 days for Thanksgiving, which they achieved today (their 9th day)! Nice work!

The past month we've mainly been occupied with putting the farm to bed for the season. The deer fences are down, the strawberries are covered, soil samples have been taken, the cooler has been cleaned out and harvest bins have been scrubbed one last time and put into storage in the greenhouse. We've also had some office time in which we've gotten to catch up on bookkeeping, write our budget for next year, and even begin ordering supplies for next year like our potting soil. In December we're planning to begin one of our biggest winter projects: our crop plan and seed order for next season.

In the meantime, though, we're looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday and sharing with our families the squash, potatoes and a few other farm veggies we set aside to store for the winter. We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

Week 20 - Thanks for a great season!

Freshly plowed field in early May.

The same field in late October. Some vegetables remain in the ground, but most of the field has been seeded in cover crop once again to protect and build up the soil for next season.

This week marks the end of Barrett's Mill Farm's inaugural season. It's hard to believe that 8 months ago we signed the lease for the McGrath land. Last spring was an especially busy time as we we occupied ourselves not only with signing up members, acquiring equipment and setting up our store, greenhouse, wash area, irrigation and fencing systems, but we also had to carry on with the regular business of growing food! We couldn't be more pleased with how the season turned out, and we are so grateful that we got the opportunity to start our own farm business in this wonderful community. The support from our customers, the Town, family, friends and fellow farmers helped us make it through a challenging spring and ensured a successful 2014 growing season. Thank you! Now we are looking forward to a more restful winter and then many more bountiful seasons to come!

This Tuesday and Thursday are the last CSA pick-ups for the season and Saturday, November 1st is the last day that the store will be open. However, we are now accepting orders for bulk vegetables to be picked up next week. Visit our website or click here for more information.

In the CSA:

• Brussels sprouts - These are still on the stalk, but you can pull off the sprouts and put in a plastic bag to store in the refrigerator. The sprouts are a little on the small side - we plan to plant them earlier next year!
• Rutabagas - Can be roasted or mashed like potatoes.
• Turnips - These have a purple top and white bottom, and unlike the white salad turnips, these should be cooked.
• Romanesco cauliflower - This lime green pointy cauliflower is unique looking and has a slightly nutty flavor. They have been slow to mature, so members will likely have a choice between either cauliflower or broccoli.
• Scallions - We'll continue to have the regular white scallions, but we'll also have purple ones this week!
  
• Butternut Squash
• Buttercup Squash
• Parsnips
• Celeriac
• Beets
• Carrots
• Potatoes - Red Gold and Elba
• Cabbage- Green Storage no. 4 and Purple cabbage
• Daikon radish
• Fennel 
• Mustard Greens
• Tat soi
• Kale
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Leeks

CSA Pick-your-own:

• Herbs: cilantro, parsley, thyme and oregano

In the store:
Everything in the CSA will also be available in the store, as well as Happy Rich mini broccoli, radishes, red Russian kale, and a limited amount of garlic grown by our friends at Alprilla Farm in Essex, MA . In addition, we have Jack-O'-Lanterns grown by Bill Kenney down the road from us.

 

Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary

Bon Appétit  | December 2001 

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled

Preparation

Position 1 rack in bottom third of oven and 1 rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Spray 2 heavy large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Combine all remaining ingredients except garlic in very large bowl; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Divide vegetable mixture between prepared sheets. Place 1 sheet on each oven rack. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reverse positions of baking sheets. Add 5 garlic cloves to each baking sheet

Continue to roast until all vegetables are tender and brown in spots, stirring and turning vegetables occasionally, about 45 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. Rewarm in 450°F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.)

Transfer roasted vegetables to large bowl and then serve.

 

Week 19

One of our favorite parts of late October is planting garlic; it is a chance to grow something new at a time that is otherwise focusing on endings. This week we will be planting our garlic crop for the 2015 season! We purchased 3 varieties of organic hardneck garlic seed bulbs that are certified nematode free (nematodes are a soil borne pest that is very common and damaging to a garlic crop). It is important to plant the garlic somewhere that makes sense for the following year because it will be in the ground from now until July. To plant the garlic, we separate the bulbs into cloves and plant each clove 6 inches apart in the ground about 3 inches deep. We then cover the planted garlic beds with straw mulch to help suppress weeds, hold in moisture, and provide protection from the cold. Green growth will be visible next spring and by mid June we will be harvesting garlic scapes, the curly stem and bud that grow from the center of the plant. We harvest the scapes because they are great for eating and because removing them encourages growth in the bulbs. In mid July we pull the entire plant out of the ground.  The garlic is then cured by hanging the bulbs still attached to the plants in a shady dry place with good air circulation for 4-6 weeks.  We then clip the bulbs from the stems for storage. Most of our garlic will be available in the CSA and farm store next fall but some we will save to replant in October for a great garlic crop the following year!


In the CSA:

• Celeriac- Also known as celery root, celeriac has a great celery flavor and root vegetable texture. Peel or cut the outside of your celeriac and chop the rest for a great addition to roasted vegetables, soups and stews. 
• Parsnips- Parsnips are a white root vegetable that looks much like a carrot, but unlike carrots should only be eaten when cooked. Chopping and roasting with olive oil and salt is a simple way to enjoy this sweet root vegetable. 
• Watermelon Radish- Patsy brought us these radishes for the first time a few years ago and we have been growing them ever since! They get their name for their appearance when cut in half. they have a pretty red center with a white exterior. 
• Cabbage- Green Storage no. 4 and Purple cabbage
• Fennel 
• Arugula
• Mustard Greens
• Red Russian Kale
• Baby Bok Choy
• Daikon radish
• Butternut Squash- Great for recipes such as soups, stews, and the risotto listed below. They will store well for months so you can look forward to enjoying squash soup on a cold winter night!
• Buttercup Squash-  We often just slice it up and bake it for a great side dish for any meal.  The skin is edible so don't worry about peeling. 
• Beets - mixed Chioggia, Red Ace and Golden
• Carrots
• Potatoes - Red Gold and Kennebec.
• Scallions
• Kale
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Leeks

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Buttercream Sunflowers
• Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Thyme and Oregano

In the store:
Everything in the CSA will also be available in the store, as well as pie pumpkins, red kuri squash, acorn squash, and sugar dumplings. Happy Rich mini broccoli, salanova, radishes, salad turnips, and sweet peppers will also be available. In addition, we have Jack-O'-Lanterns grown by Bill Kenney down the road from us.

Thanks to Carmela, a store regular, we have this great recipe for a risotto without all the stirring!

Baked Barley Risotto With Butternut Squash

From: Real Simple December 2011

Ingredients

2 

tablespoons 

olive oil 

1 

small butternut squash (about 11/2 pounds)—peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 

1 

onion, finely chopped 

kosher salt and black pepper 

1 

cup 

pearl barley 

1/2 

cup 

dry white wine 

3 

cups 

low-sodium vegetable broth 

5 

ounces 

baby spinach 

1/2 

cup 

grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving 

1 

tablespoon 

unsalted butter 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large oven-safe saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the squash, onion, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the barley to the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil; cover the pot and transfer it to oven. Bake until the barley is tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach, Parmesan, and butter. Serve with additional Parmesan.

 Sarah Copeland 

November 2011

Week 18

Our last planting of sunflowers is blooming this week, providing one final burst of summer amidst the autumn foliage. Other than the sunflowers, the farm is fully in fall mode, and my dinner table is certainly reaping the benefits! This is in part because I start to have more time to cook and fully enjoy the food we grow. But another part of my love of cooking during this time of year stems from my love of fall veggies. I associate fall with some of my favorite dishes like squash raviolis, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, dumplings, root veggie casseroles, Asian-inspired stir fries, squash curries, and all manners of soup. This time of year I find myself scouring my cookbooks and favorite cooking websites for inspiration and new ideas. I've been particularly excited about our beautiful spinach crop this fall and last weekend discovered a new (to me) preparation: spinach pesto! The spinach is especially sweet after the multiple frosts we've had. I've used it on top of homemade squash ravioli, but I bet it would be delicious on chicken or potatoes too!

In the CSA:

• Sugar Dumpling squash - Don't be misled by appearances - this squash looks decorative, but it is edible, and as the name indicates, it's nice and sweet! I love to cut in half and roast these before stuffing with rice or quinoa, sauteed veggies plus a few dried cranberries and/or goat cheese.
• Hakurei turnips - These tender salad turnips that many enjoyed during the spring are back this week.
• Fennel - The bulbs are small, but they're still great for roasting or shaving on top of salads
• Daikon radish - This giant radish packs a spicy punch. I like to pickle them with carrots and ginger.
• Winter squash - butternut, buttercup and acorn
• Beets - mixed Chioggia, Red Ace and Golden
• Carrots
• Potatoes - Kennebec and Red Gold
• Leeks
• Scallions
• Colored Peppers - two more frosts over the weekend appear to have finished off the sweet Italian peppers, so this is likely the last week.
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Savoy Cabbage
• Kale
• Baby Bok Choi
• Spinach
• Lettuce - limited this week as our final lettuce plantings are slow to mature in the shorter, cool days
• Salnova
• Cherriette radishes

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Sunflowers - this variety is called buttercream
• Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Thyme and Oregano

In the store:
Everything available in the CSA will also be available in the store, as well as pie pumpkins, red kuri squash and Happy Rich mini broccoli. We will also have Jack-O'-Lanterns grown by Bill Kenney down the road from us.

Spinach Pesto
from chow.com
I didn't use any lemon, used about 1/2 the pine nuts called for, and probably doubled the garlic!

• 8 ounces baby spinach
• 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce), plus more for serving
• Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place half of the spinach and all of the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until coarsely chopped, about 10 (1-second) pulses. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining spinach and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 20 (1-second) pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the measured Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, measured salt, and measured pepper and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until a smooth paste forms, about 30 seconds. Serve on top of pasta (or whatever else sounds good to you!)

Week 17

Saturday morning our friends Maura and Charlie came down to help us on the farm for the day! The cloudy skies did not dampen their enthusiasm as they walked the fields, helped set up the store, and fixed the broken mower. Did I mention they delivered burritos for lunch? Friends like that make even a rainy Saturday on the farm feel bright! The festivities continued yesterday when we attended the Acton-Boxborough Farmers Market for our second and final Sunday this fall. While our focus is on selling vegetables on the farm, a few hours at the market September 28th and October 5th was a great way to spread the word about our venture and get involved with our neighboring communities. We had a blast meeting new people, sharing recipes, and of course talking vegetables.  We are back on the farm today harvesting more leeks, storage potatoes, carrots, and more for the remaining four weeks of the farm store and CSA season.

In the CSA:

• Buttercup Squash- These winter squash are creamy and richly flavored. Great for roasting in the oven as a side dish to any fall meal. The skin is edible so very little preparation is required to enjoy!
• Butternut Squash
• Savoy Cabbage- These pretty cabbages have relatively thin leaves which makes them great for coleslaw or light cooking.
  
• Baby Bok Choy
• Radishes- Easter egg and cherriette
• Pie Pumpkin
• Celery
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Red Ace Beets
• Potatoes
• Acorn Squash
• Red Kuri Squash
• Broccoli
• Scallions
• Leeks
• Arugula
• Tat Soi
• Spinach
• Red Russian Kale
• Salanova
• Kale
• Peppers- Sweet Italian including red and orange

CSA Pick-Your-Own:
A frost last night did in many of the pick your own crops but we will still have herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill, thyme and oregano) until we have a hard frost.


In the store:

In addition to everything available in the CSA, we will also have swiss chard, Happy Rich broccoli, head lettuce, spaghetti squash, and delicata squash. 

Kale, Cabbage & Carrot Salad With Creamy Caper Dressing

From the Wall Street Journal

ANTIOXIDANTS, FIBER, calcium, iron, potassium: These are our mantras in the aftermath of December's excesses. Leafy, deep-green kale has all that and then some. Combined with fresh cabbage, carrot and onion, tossed in a bold, creamy dressing, it adds up to an appealing and genuinely satisfying winter salad. New Year's resolutions? No problem. You're on safe ground here.

The third Slow Food Fast contribution from chef Michael Anthony of Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern, this is a recipe you'll have no excuse not to make. None of the ingredients is esoteric, and the dish comes together in no time. Moreover, it keeps. "I make lots of this and let it sit in the fridge," Mr. Anthony said. "It actually gets better with age." Over the course of several days, the dressing penetrates deep into the vegetables and softens their bite.

Use any variety of kale you like, the chef said, but seek out bunches with firm, shiny leaves and moist, snappy stems. To the mineral flavor of the kale, the carrot adds sweetness; the cabbage, a pleasing bitterness; and the onion, a nice astringent kick.

The one hint of decadence here, the dressing, has a rich mayonnaise base. "People are constantly surprised that you can make mayonnaise at home," Mr. Anthony said. "And it actually takes just three minutes." Simply whisk an egg yolk with a little mustard to help emulsify and bind the dressing, then, drop by drop, beat in equal measures of olive and grapeseed oil. Once the dressing is good and thick, mix in the lemon juice, garlic and capers, along with a spoonful of the capers' flavorful brine.

Go ahead and use your hands to toss the salad, massaging the rich dressing into the vegetables to coat every last crunchy bite. At times like this, we need all the decadence we can get.

—Kitty Greenwald

Total Time: 20 minutes Serves:4-6

Ingredients

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup grapeseed oil

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped

1 tablespoon caper pickling liquid

1 large clove garlic, smashed to a paste

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons snipped chives (optional)

¼ head of cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1½ large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves thinly sliced or torn into bite-size pieces

½ yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, basil, chives or dill (optional)

What To Do

1. In medium bowl, whisk egg yolk with mustard. While whisking constantly, slowly dribble in oils. Continue whisking until oil is fully incorporated and mixture is thick and pale in color.

2. Whisk in capers, pickling liquid, garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste and snipped chives, if using.

3. In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and herbs, if using. Add dressing and toss, using both hands to mix until dressing coats all ingredients. Allow salad to marinate until vegetables soften, at least 10 minutes.