CSA Week 16 and Farm stand updates

The last two types of squash made it into the barn for curing at the end of the week, though we had a curveball thrown at us at the last minute! The tractor that we use to transport bulk bins sprung a fuel leak right before we were set to pick up our Autumn Frost squash. We put our siphon to use for the second time this season in order to get the diesel out of the tank before it spilled all over the driveway. We’re working on fixing it this week, but there wasn’t time for us to do it before the rain (plus we’ll likely need to order parts anyway!). Fortunately, the folks at Hutchins Farm very kindly brought their tractor with forks over on Saturday and moved our last two full bulk crates into our barn. We are so lucky to have such supportive farm neighbors!

In the CSA this week:

• Carrots - Orange bunches

• Delicata squash - Always a favorite, this sweet squash has thin skin that is edible if you don’t feel like peeling it!

• Spaghetti squash

• Garlic

• Fennel

• Slicing tomatoes - Production has really dropped off in the last week, but we’ll still have limited amounts this week.

• Colored peppers - sweet from our high tunnel!

• Escarole - This bitter green is commonly cooked (in soups or with beans or braised on their own), but if you like a little bitterness in salads, the paler inner leaves are the most tender and can be mixed in with lettuce.

• Curly Kale

• Bok choi

• Salad turnips - These sweet and tender mini turnips can be eaten raw or cooked!

• Arugula

• Kale mix - baby kalebration mix

• Salanova lettuce mix

• Lettuce - red leaf

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Cherry tomatoes - Production is slowing down

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

• Herbs: Parsley, 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:

• Kabocha squash

• Cucumbers

• Broccoli

• Cabbage - Tendersweet variety

• Heirloom tomatoes

• Green and purple peppers

• Potatoes - Constance Gold. From MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson, NY. Certified Organic. Limited quantities this week but we will be getting more (and more varieties!) in next week.

• Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety from our high tunnel as other varieties from the field.

• Flowers - A great supply of dahlia bunches with eucalyptus.

• Apples - Cortland and Macintosh. From Carver Hill in Stow, MA. Not organic.

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

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

• A note about mushrooms- we will begin to have Mycoterra mushrooms again starting next week (Tuesday).

Lemony White Beans and Escarole

by Alison Roman

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 4 anchovy fillets

• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, or 1 tablespoon brined capers

• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini, Great Northern or navy, drained and rinsed

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 head of escarole or chard, trimmed and torn into large pieces

• ½ cup fresh mint leaves

• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, leaves and tender stems

• A hunk of Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for serving

• 1 lemon, halved

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, swirling the skillet occasionally until the garlic is pale golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the anchovies, capers and red-pepper flakes, swirling until the anchovies melt and sizzle, the capers pop slightly, and the red-pepper flakes toast and bleed into the oil, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the beans and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and toss to coat the beans in all the garlicky business. Let them cook until the flavors have melded and beans no longer taste like they came from a can, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Add half the escarole and toss to coat, letting it wilt ever so slightly. Transfer the beans and wilted escarole to a large serving platter or bowl, and mix in the remaining escarole. Scatter with the mint and parsley. Use a peeler or box grater to shave some Parmesan over all. Squeeze the lemon over everything just before serving.

CSA Week 15, Farm stand updates and Stone Soup dinner!

The week leading up to the Ag Day market is always a busy one. We don’t do any other farmer’s markets, so in addition to harvesting extra produce and flowers, a big part of preparations involves putting together non-produce items (like tents, folding tables, signs, scales, and a cooler and handwashing station) that are needed for our booth set-up. Aside from the Ag Day prep, we also had plenty of farming to do! The winter squash harvest continued, drip tape and plastic mulch were pulled up, and cover crops were seeded (Lise finished on the tractor Friday night around the same time Catherine finished up her marathon day of bouquet making!). And of course, there is still the constant need to harvest and sort tomatoes, though that is starting to slow down a little.

There is another celebration of Concord farms coming up: Stone Soup Dinner on Sunday, September 20th. This annual fundraising dinner brings together chefs from Concord’s amazing restaurants in support of Concord’s many farms. Stone Soup, Inc. generously donated funds to the Concord Housing Foundation for building the addition on our Town-owned farm house. They have also given out grants to Concord farms for needed equipment and upgrades that would otherwise be unaffordable. We were one of the lucky recipients in our early days on the property, helping us to purchase a piece of equipment we needed to scale up our operations. The dinner is at Verrill Farm’s pavilion and features produce from Concord farms as well as live music! Tickets are available here: https://www.stonesoupconcordma.com/tickets.

In the CSA this week:

• Carrots - Our fall planting is ready! We’ll have orange bunches this week, but within the next couple of weeks we should also have some rainbow bunches.

• Broccoli - Umpqua variety, which tend to have more open florets.

• Delicata squash - Always a favorite, this sweet squash has thin skin that is edible if you don’t feel like peeling it!

• Spaghetti squash

• Garlic

• Heirloom and Hyloom tomatoes - Production is slowing down, but we’ll enjoy these while they’re here!

• Slicing tomatoes

• Colored peppers

• Green and purple peppers

• Cabbage - Tendersweet variety

• Curly Kale

• Arugula

• Salanova - It’s back!

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

• Tomatillos

• Shishito peppers

• 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, cilantro, parsley, 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:

• Kabocha squash

• Beets

• Baby bok choi

• Lettuce

• Radishes

• Scallions (at the beginning of the week)

• Cucumbers

• Potatoes - Constance Gold. From MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson, NY. Certified Organic.

• Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety from our high tunnel as other varieties from the field.

• Flowers - A great supply of dahlia bunches with eucalyptus.

• Grapes from Ed at Long Run Produce - Certified organic. Limited availability.

• Apples - Cortland and Macintosh. From Carver Hill in Stow, MA. Not organic.

• 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 and Raspberry Jam -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. Please note that the field was picked pretty heavily right around the return to school, but the plants are recovering and we should hopefully have several more weeks of them before a frost!

Roasted Delicata Squash and Kale Salad

by Jamie Vespa from Dishing out Health

Ingredients  

• 2 small-medium delicata squashes (about 1.25 lbs total)

• 1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. dried)

• 2 tsp. maple syrup

• 1 tsp. chili powder

• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1 bunch green curly kale, stemmed and chopped

Parmesan-Peppercorn Dressing

• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.

   Slice delicata squash in half lengthwise; scoop out (and discard) seeds. Slice the halves again lengthwise to create four segments. Slice each segment into 1/2-inch thick pieces.

2. Combine squash, red onion, 3 Tbsp. olive oil, maple syrup, thyme, chili powder, garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; toss well to coat.

   Empty out onto a rimmed baking sheet and arrange veggies so that there is no overlap. Roast for 35 minutes, tossing once halfway through.

3. While veggies roast, prepare Parmesan-Peppercorn dressing. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, black pepper, and salt. Gradually stream in olive oil, while whisking constantly, until combined. Stir in Parmesan and set aside.

4. Prepare crunchy walnut topping by spreading walnuts, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and breadcrumbs out on a smaller rimmed baking sheet. Toss with remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil. 

   During the final 10 minutes of the veggies roasting, place pan in the oven. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning, and shaking the pan every few minutes, until golden brown and toasted.

5. Place kale in a large bowl. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the oil and salt into kale leaves for about 30 seconds until the greens soften. 

   Let roasted veggies cool for about 10 minutes before adding to the bowl. Add half of the walnut mixture and half of the dressing; toss to combine. Spoon remaining dressing overtop, and garnish with remaining walnut-breadcrumb mixture.

Gingery Creamed Kale and Cabbage

by Marcus Samuelsson, from Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lacinato kale, stemmed (about 12 packed cups)

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 white onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 2 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage (from 1 small head)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 1 cup unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk

• 1/2 cup whole buttermilk

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add kale; cook,  covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and  let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Once cooled, coarsely  chop kale; set aside. Do not wash pot.

2. Heat oil in pot over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until  softened and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add cabbage, ginger,  turmeric, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally,  until cabbage is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk.  Cover; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally,  until sauce is thickened and cabbage is just tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Stir in kale and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, uncovered, stirring  occasionally, until kale is warmed through and evenly coated in sauce  mixture, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in buttermilk.  Serve immediately.

Stone Soup dinner 2025 was a great time!

CSA Week 14, Farm stand updates, Ag Day and Stone Soup Dinner!

We always have a bit of a pared down crew in the fall, so it can sometimes feel like we don’t have time for anything other than harvesting. Fortunately, we have some really great people working here so that we can still manage to tackle some bigger projects. Last Thursday we had everyone out in the field in the afternoon as we took down a fence that was no longer needed (after which Lise gleefully mowed in the old crops that had been inside the fence). That fence then got moved over to protect our fall carrots and beets. We have had an electric fence around that field all season, but we saw some evidence that deer had been in there, so we moved fast to nip it in the bud and put up some extra protection before the deer could get a taste for our beautiful fall carrots.

It’s the week after Labor Day, which means that this Saturday September 12th, 10am - 2pm is the 21st Annual Ag Day Farmers’ Market in Concord Center. Come visit us and celebrate Concord’s rich farming past and present! Veggie racing on the Scimone Farm Speedway, music from Leonard Solomon and the Veggie Hall of Fame are all back this year. While it is always a busy day in town on Ag Day, the CSA and farm stand will also still be open!

We’re also excited that the annual Stone Soup Dinner is coming up soon on Sunday, September 20th. Stone Soup, Inc. generously donated funds raised from previous dinners to the addition on our farm house. The dinner is at Verrill Farm’s pavilion and features produce from Concord farms prepared by Concord chefs, as well as live music! Tickets are available here: https://www.stonesoupconcordma.com/tickets.

In the CSA this week:

• Tendersweet cabbage - This variety has a flat head shape and is great for fresh eating!

• Spaghetti squash - This unique type of squash has stringy flesh that looks like angel hair pasta. One way to prepare it is to cut in half, scoop out the seeds and bake face down in a dish in about an inch of water. (See last week’s blog post for another preparation method!).

• Garlic

• Heirloom and Hyloom tomatoes

• Slicing tomatoes

• Colored peppers or Cucumbers - We replaced some cucumber plants in the tunnel at the beginning of August (which is later in the season than we’ve ever tried to plant them), and it’s now bearing fruit!

• Green and purple peppers

• Beets

• Radishes

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

• Arugula or Baby bok choi

• Mustard greens

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Sunflowers

• 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

• Tomatillos

• Shishito peppers

• 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, 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:

• Scallions

• Pickling cucumbers

• Potatoes - Constance Gold. From MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson, NY. Certified Organic.

• Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety from our high tunnel as other varieties from the field.

• Flowers - A great supply of dahlia bunches with eucalyptus, sunflowers, and mixed bouquets.

• 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.

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes Melted in Garlic Butter

by Chandra Ram, from Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti

• 6 tablespoons salted butter

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 pounds mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes (about 6 cups)

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, if needed

• Kosher salt, to taste

• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped

• Parmesan cheese, grated

• Crushed red pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high; add spaghetti, and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Set aside.
   

2. While spaghetti cooks, melt butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and beginning to burst, about 20 minutes. (Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet if mixture begins to look dry.) Stir reserved browned garlic slices into tomatoes; season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.
   

3. Transfer cooked spaghetti to skillet; toss to coat with sauce, adding reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time as needed, to create a silky sauce. Sprinkle with basil, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper.

Cabbage Caesar Salad

By Melissa Clark, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

• 1 small baguette or chunk of sourdough bread (about 8 ounces), preferably day-old, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• ½ cup grated Parmesan, divided, more for garnish 

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste

• 4 anchovy fillets (or 1 teaspoon drained capers)

• 1 fat garlic clove, finely grated or minced

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos)

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• 8 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

1. Make the croutons: Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss bread pieces with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons cheese to coat evenly. Spread in an even layer, sprinkle lightly with salt and bake until crunchy and evenly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Taste a crouton and add more salt if needed. Use a spatula to scrape up any crunchy cheese stuck to the pan and stir into the warm croutons. Let croutons cool on the baking pan.

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a blender or using an immersion blender, combine the lemon juice, anchovies, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a pinch each salt and pepper, and pulse a few times to break up the anchovies.

3. Add the mayonnaise and the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, and blend until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper as needed.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, croutons, remaining 5 tablespoons cheese and enough of the dressing to coat the cabbage. Toss well, adding more dressing as needed. Top with more cheese and pepper, and serve.

CSA Week 13 and Farm stand updates

Winter squash harvest is one of the most highly anticipated harvests of the season, especially for the many former volleyball and softball players who have worked here - there is a lot of throwing and catching involved! We start by clipping the squash off the plants, and then tossing or rolling the squash into windrows (which are rows in the field where the squash is consolidated before they are collected). There’s more throwing in the next step too. We set a bulk crate onto a tractor and drive it through the field while some folks toss squash from the windrow to others next to the bulk crate. Those people next to the bulk crate then set it gently into the bin, which is then brought to our barn for storage or curing.

Last week we tackled spaghetti squash and kabocha, and if we have some dry days this week, our next top priorities will be delicata, pie pumpkin and butternut. There are varying amounts of time that squash requires to cure before they’re ready to eat. Some types of squash, like spaghetti squash, are immediately ready to eat. Others, like butternut and tetsukabuto, take 6-8 weeks of curing before they’re. This week we’ll be enjoying last week’s spaghetti squash harvest!

Our other major activity last week was planting next year’s strawberries. This year was a complete crop failure, in large part because of severe deer predation, but also because of a couple of very cold nights in May that damaged the strawberry blossoms. We have addressed the deer issue by planting all of the strawberries inside the 8’ lettuce fence we set up this past spring. While we can still have crop losses due to cold overnight temperatures in May, they hopefully won’t be a fatal blow to more robust plants!

In the CSA this week:

• Spaghetti squash - This unique type of squash has stringy flesh that looks like angel hair pasta. Step one in this week’s recipe has a good description of how to cook a spaghetti squash, and from there you can either continue with the recipe, or you can simply serve it with olive oil or butter and some herbs.

• 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

• Heirloom and Hyloom tomatoes

• Slicing tomatoes

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

• Green and purple peppers

• Beets

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

• Arugula

• Baby bok choi

• 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

• Tomatillos

• Shishito peppers

• 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, 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 thin-skinned.

• Zucchini

• Summer squash

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

• Cherry tomatoes - Sakura variety from our high tunnel as other varieties from the field.

• Flowers - Mixed bouquets and dahlia bunches with eucalyptus!

• Peaches - From Ed at Long Run Produce in Boxborough, MA. Certified Organic.

• Pears - Sunrise variety. From Ed at Long Run Produce in Boxborough, MA. Certified Organic.

• We’re hoping to get another batch of Ed’s organic grapes this week (they sold out in one day on Saturday!)

• 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.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin With Basil

by Martha Rose Shulman, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, about 3 pounds

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 3 large eggs

• ½ cup low-fat milk

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (¼ cup basil leaves)

• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (½ cup)

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pierce the squash in several places with a sharp knife. Cover a baking sheet with foil, and place the squash on top. Bake for one hour, turning the squash every 20 minutes until it is soft and easy to cut into with a knife. Remove from the heat, and allow the squash to cool until you can handle it. Cut in half lengthwise, and allow to cool further. Remove the seeds and discard. Scoop out the flesh, and place in a bowl. Run a fork through the flesh to separate the spaghetti-like strands, then chop coarsely. Measure out 4 cups squash. (Use whatever remains for another dish, or freeze.)

2. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Add the squash. Cook, stirring often, for five minutes until the strands of squash are a little more tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk, salt (about ½ teaspoon), pepper and basil. Stir in the squash mixture and the Gruyère, and combine well. Scrape into the baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan or pecorino over the top, and gently press down to moisten.

4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until nicely browned and sizzling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Tip: Advance preparation:The baked spaghetti squash will keep for four days in the refrigerator. The gratin can be made up to a day ahead and reheated. The recipe can be made through step 2 several hours before completing the gratin and baking.

Newly planted strawberries were immediately irrigated!

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.