Farm updates and CSA week 1!

This week the crew planted over 2,000 pepper plants in just one afternoon! The last week of May was a planting frenzy that ended with peppers, eggplant, lettuce, cucumbers, and husk cherries all out of the greenhouse and into the ground.  Most of our time not spent harvesting or planting was used to cultivate, hoe and hand weed to be sure that our crops have the sunlight and nutrients they need to grow. This week we will try to keep up the weeding and planting momentum while also harvesting for the CSA and farm store! A note about the harvest: While our vegetables often look clean, you should definitely wash at home before eating. There is a lot of pollen on the farm this week so even rinsing off strawberries is a good idea, especially if you have seasonal allergies!  Flower CSA members, picking officially begins in early July when our flower field begins to bloom. We will send out an email before the flower season begins. However, if you are interested in picking the early season flowers for some of your allotted bouquets (mainly sweet william and yarrow) please contact melissa@barrettsmillfarm.com to arrange. 

This week in the CSA:

• Salanova Lettuce Mix - this cut lettuce mix is similar to mesclun, but a little crisper and will keep well in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for about a week.
• Bok Choi - Great in stir fry - see recipe below!
• Radishes - A crunchy, peppery addition to salads! They can also be lightly sauteed for a more mild flavor. 
• Scallions 
• Spinach
• Salad Turnips - Also known as hakurei, salad turnips look like white radishes but are sweet rather than spicy and free of the peppery flavor of radishes. 
• Red Russian Kale - Great raw in salads or lightly cooked. 
• Arugula - A slightly spicy salad green. It is great in sandwiches and as a pizza topping. 
• Scarlet Frills Mustard Greens - A spicy purple "green!" It can be eaten raw in salads for a spicy kick or cooked for a more mild flavor. 
• Fennel - Our fennel is smaller than the bulbs you'll often find in the grocery store but it has the same light licorice flavor.
• Baby Bok Choi - The baby version of bok choi is a different variety than our full size version and it's so sweet I like to eat it raw! It is also popular grilled. 
• Lettuce: Panisse (a variety of green oakleaf), Red and Green Leaf and the first of the Romaine and Butterhead

CSA pick-your-own:

We hope you enjoy the pick-your-own! We welcome children into the fields but please always have an adult with younger visitors to help. Please walk in the pathways  (along the grass and down tire tracks or straw mulched pathways depending on the crop) as other areas may look like just dirt but are likely newly seeded rows!

• Strawberries! The first few rows (closest to the farm stand) are the first to ripen! Pick the brightest red berries you can find. Check the tip of the berry to be sure the tip isn't still white before you remove it from the plant. To harvest, pinch the stem just above the fruit to avoid pulling on the plant. Walk in the straw pathways and don't forget to check further down the row in case the first area has been picked more recently!
• Sugar Snap Peas - You can eat the whole pod and the peas of this sweet crunch snack! To pick, gently hold the plant in place while you snap the stem just above the pea pod. Remove the top before eating. These are just starting to come in so pick the largest pods you can find to keep the small ones growing for future weeks! We are picking from the rows furthest from the farm stand this week (you'll pass future plantings of peas that do not yet have pods on them on your way out). Make sure to keep walking until you see the sign!

 

CSA pick-up hours

Tuesday and Thursday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am - 3pm

This week in the Farm Store:

We will have all of the veggies listed in the CSA available in the farm store. We will be picking strawberries for the farm store all week and sugar snap peas at the end of the week. In addition, we will have Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds eggs, and mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm.  We will also continue to sell basil plans and will be selling the first of our own Sweet William flowers of the season! 

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday-Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am - 3pm

Stir-Fried Bok Choy or Sturdy Greens

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

INGREDIENTS

• 12 to 16 ounces bok choy
• ¼ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife or minced
• 1 slice ginger, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife or minced
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, to taste

PREPARATION

1. If using bok choy, trim off the bottoms and separate into stalks. Rinse if necessary and drain on paper towels. Cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces.  Bring an inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer, and place the bok choy or greens in the steamer basket. Steam 1 minute, remove from the heat and rinse with cold water. Squeeze out excess water and drain on a kitchen towel.

2. Combine the broth or water, rice wine or sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and place within arm’s reach of your pan. Have the remaining ingredients measured out and near the pan.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds, until fragrant. Add the bok choy or greens, sprinkle with salt and the sugar, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Stir the cornstarch mixture and swirl into the wok, then stir-fry 1 minute, or until the greens are just tender. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Remove from the heat and serve.

Roast Chicken With Fennel

MARK BITTMAN

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
• 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 whole (about 3-pound) chicken, cut up, or about 3 pounds drumsticks and thighs
•  Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
•  Lemon wedges

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle bottom of shallow roasting pan or baking sheet with about half the olive oil and cover it with a layer of the fennel. Overlap pieces if necessary but use whole pan. Drizzle remaining oil over fennel and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up chicken if necessary and sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Top fennel with the chicken parts, skin side up. Ideally, you'll have a layer of fennel pretty much covered by a layer of chicken, but it's fine if some of the fennel roasts uncovered. Spoon some of the oil from bottom of pan over chicken. If there is not enough, drizzle additional olive oil over the chicken. Roast about 15 minutes, then baste chicken with pan drippings and rotate the pan. If necessary, adjust oven temperature so chicken browns but does not burn.
3. The chicken will be done in about 30 minutes. Serve each piece with some fennel and a little of the pan juices spooned over, garnished with parsley and a lemon wedge.

Farm store and CSA orientations this week!

There is more and more activity on the farm each day, and more vegetables! This week the farm store will be open inside the stand and staffed. Our veggie lists continues to grow and will include the first few pints of strawberries of the season! Hours will be the same: Tuesday thru Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Come by and introduce yourselves to Jacob and Sophie who have been helping out in the fields this spring and will each be in the farm store a few days a week this season! If you catch the timing right you'll also see Alexis back helping out part time in the farm store (yay!) and Molly will be returning in just a couple of weeks (yay again!).  For those of you with Barrett's Bucks we will now have the record keeping binder in the farm store. The shopkeepers will tally your items and deduct each purchase from your balance, all you need to do is initial the purchase and you are all set until next time! 

We are also gearing up for the start of the CSA June 5th! We will be hosting CSA orientations Thursday, May 31 from 2pm-3:30pm and  Saturday, June 2 from 9am-10:30am.  Orientation talks will begin every half hour (2, 2:30, 3 and 9, 9:30, 10) and will last 10-15 minutes. Stop by to meet your farmers and talk with us about how the 2018 CSA works!  New and returning members are welcome. All members will receive a copy of the updated 2018 CSA Guide and new members will also receive their CSA bag. Any questions about orientation or your CSA membership email Melissa at melissa@barrettsmillfarm.com. 

In the Farm Store this week:

• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Bok choy
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Radishes
• A limited supply of strawberries!
• Microgreens
• Basil and Parsley plants
• Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm
• Eggs from Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds

Spinach Pesto

from chow.com

•  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, Add the remaining spinach and pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper and process until combined, about 30 seconds. 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!).

Farm updates for the week of May 15th

Last week we had a small respite from planting before a flurry of summer crops like tomatoes, squash, peppers and cukes go into the ground. We used that brief breathing room to do a lot of cultivation and hand weeding of cabbage, kale, carrots, beets, scallions, peas, asparagus and fennel. We also spent a good portion of last week prepping beds for planting said summer crops, as well as trying to finish up plowing the fields for our fall crops (hard to believe that some of them go into the ground in June!). We also did quite a bit of seeding, refilling the greenhouses (that we had almost emptied out a few weeks ago) with winter squash, lettuce and Brussels sprouts.

This week we are diving right back into planting, and it won't let up until after the CSA opens the week of June 5th. It's just that time of year when every glance at our to-do list gives us heart palpitations! But it's also exciting as we are enjoying some delicious asparagus and salad greens, as well as some beautiful weather to picnic and grill all the food we are growing!

In the farm store this week:

Pea shoots

• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Pea shoots
• Micro greens
• Bok choi
• Basil and Parsley plants
• Eggs from Pete and Jen - we have regular half dozens, but also a few boxes of pullet eggs. These are eggs from young hens, so they are a little smaller. 
• Radishes (at the end of the week)
• Mushrooms from Fat Moon (Friday and Saturday)

 

Pasta with Pea shoots

by Florence Fabricant, NY Times Cooking

• 2 ounces fresh pea shoots (3 cups)

• 1 large clove garlic
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil, or a mixture
• ½ pound bow-tie pasta
• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 ounce prosciutto, chopped
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional cheese for the table
• Freshly ground black pepper

If the pea shoots have long stems, cut them into pieces. Set aside. Mash the garlic with a pinch of salt to form a paste. Mix with the butter or oil. Heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Heat 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter or oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the mushrooms, and saute over medium heat for a few minutes, until the mushrooms have wilted. Stir in the prosciutto, cook another few seconds, then remove from the heat. When the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and cook about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Return the skillet to the heat. Add the pea shoots to the skillet along with the remaining garlic butter or oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring, for a minute or two, until the pea shoots have just wilted and the ingredients are well mixed. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and serve at once, offering more cheese at the table.

 

Saag Paneer (tofu with spinach sauce)

From The Minimalist, NY Times Cooking, by Mark Bittman

• 1 1/2 pounds spinach
• 12 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 dried chilies
• 2 tablespoons garam masala or curry powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups light cream or half-and-half.

1. Trim and wash spinach; do not dry. Chop leaves in one-inch pieces. Cut tofu in two horizontally and wrap in paper towels. Put it under a couple of plates.

2. Put butter or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add ginger, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to color.

3. Stir in garam masala or curry powder and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until it wilts, then add yogurt and a cup of cream. Pick out chilies and discard.

4. Cook mixture over medium-high heat; liquid in spinach will boil off. When mixture is nearly dry, cut tofu into half-inch pieces and incorporate. When tofu is hot, add remaining cream and cook for another minute or two, stirring. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Just spinach sauce: In Step 4, omit tofu. Purée mixture with 1/2 cup remaining cream. Add squeeze of lime juice. Serve with grilled meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.

May in the fields and farm stand

When you drive past the farm right now most of the greenery we have been busy planting is hidden from view and what you can see is a sea of white fabric! The crew has been diligently covering our newly planted seedlings with row cover to protect against beetle, worm, and deer damage to the tender green growth of spring transplants. The speed of growth in the spring can be unpredictable so by placing this cover over many of our plants we can also add a few degrees of warmth to the soil for faster growth.  This gives us a bit of control in what is often the nerve-wracking business of planning to have a certain quantity of many different types of veggies on a set date. This year, in addition to our spring farm store needs, that means having a great supply and variety of veggies for the farm store and 210 CSA members on June 5th! Right now the crops are on track and we are just a few CSA spots away from filling up (5 spots at this moment to be exact!) so if you've been meaning to sign up, make sure to contact us and send in your sign-up forms this week. 

This week we will continue to have our farm store open for self-serve sales (cash, check and Barrett's Bucks). The recent warm temperatures have meant that we've consistently had enough asparagus and that the field greens are now also big enough to harvest. Dinners around here are getting better by the day! Below find some recipes using our spring harvest. Feel free to send us some of your family's favorites!

In the farm store this week:

• Asparagus! 
• Scallions
• Basil and Parsley plants
• Arugula
• Spinach
• Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm in Westford
• Eggs from Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds at Codman Community Farm in Lincoln

MUSHROOM ASPARAGUS QUICHE RECIPE

From https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/mushroom-asparagus-quiche

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped (we would use scallions!)
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and rubbed sage

DIRECTIONS

Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations. Spread with mustard; set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust. 

Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked quiche. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 375°. Place quiche on a baking sheet; cover edge loosely with foil. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary for a knife inserted in center to come out clean.Yield: 8 servings. 

Originally published as Mushroom Asparagus Quiche in Taste of Home February/March 2008, p26

Spring Omelet

by Allrecipes.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, mushrooms and onions; cook and stir until the asparagus is fairly soft, about 4 minutes. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a small bowl; pour over the sauteed vegetables and reduce the heat to medium. While the omelet cooks, lift the edge to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. When most of the egg is cooked, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Allow the cheese to melt slightly, then fold in half and serve.

Asparagus season is here!

The asparagus harvest has begun! The farm stand will be open starting Tuesday May 8th at 11am! We will be self-serve for the first couple of weeks accepting cash (exact change), check, and Barrett's Bucks.  Starting Tuesday we will have asparagus, microgreens, overwintered scallions, and basil and parsley plants for sale. Later in the week we are hoping to add Pete and Jen's Backyard Bird Eggs and Fat Moon Farm mushrooms! We will try to update our facebook page with availability information.  For cash please bring exact change. Checks may be made out to Barrett's Mill Farm. To use your Barrett's Bucks while we are still self-serve, fill out the provided card with your name and amount purchased, and put it in our payment box. We will tally your purchases until the farm store is staffed, at which point we will have the Barrett's Bucks book in the store each day. The farm store will be staffed the week of May 29th, and the CSA will begin June 5th. If you have any questions or you aren't sure what your Barrett's Bucks balance is, feel free to send Melissa an email at melissa@barrettsmillfarm.com.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday thru Friday   11am -6pm

 Saturday                      9am - 3pm