We're at the Acton-Boxborough Farmers' Market today, September 28th and next Sunday October 5th, 10am - 1pm. The market is located on Pearl Street in West Acton. Stop by and say hello - we'll have our Barrett's Bucks book with us!
Week 15
This weekend fall officially arrived and made its presence known with a light frost on the farm Friday night. Most of our crops that are still in the ground are hardy enough to survive a frost but basil is sensitive to the cold and is done for the season. We did have some other damaged plants including green beans, husk cherries and peppers. There are still viable vegetables to harvest from the impacted plants this week but for the green beans and some varieties of peppers it will be the last picking. However, despite its frosty edges the red butterhead lettuce pictured above was harvested late Saturday morning with little to no damage evident so don't put those salad dressings away yet! Not only do most of our crops survive cold temperatures, some are even better for it! Frost is particularly great for changing starches to sugar in the bolero carrots that are in the CSA and Farm Store this week. We likely have a few more weeks before cool temperatures do come to stay but when they do we will be ready for the extra sweet kale, carrots, and parsnips that follow!
In the CSA:- Red Kuri Squash- This squash has a thin skin making it easy to peel. The middle is bright orange and creamy, making it great for pureed soups.
- Leeks- We will have our later varieties of leeks in the CSA and store this week including tadorna and megaton. These store better than our early variety and tend to be a bit larger.
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Purple Viking Potatoes
- Keuka Gold Potatoes
- Delicata Squash
- Acorn Squash
- Celery- Good for cooking, a particularly nice addition to fall soups.
- Eggplant- It has been a tough eggplant year for us and the frost this weekend was the last straw. We plan to rotate our eggplant next year in search of a field with less soil borne disease pressure. We will have the last of our eggplant available in the CSA this week.
- Scallions
- Broccoli
- Spaghetti Squash
- Bolero Carrots
- Red Ace Beets
- Lettuce
- Baby Bok Choi
- Kale
- Sweet colored peppers
- Sunflowers
- Beans- The green beans on the plants were not harmed however, there will not be new growth due to plant damage so this will be the last week of picking.
- Husk Cherries- The plants were damaged by the frost but the ripe fruit on the ground seem to have fared well.
- Tomatillos - Look low on the plant.
- Hot Peppers - The hot pepper plants were damaged by the frost but many of the peppers still look good, particularly the cayenne.
- Cilantro and Dill- Looking great!
- Parsley- A new planting just past the sunflowers along with a new planting of cilantro.
- Oregano
- Thyme
In the store:
Most of what is available in the CSA will be available in the store. In addition we will have tendersweet cabbage, escarole and chard.
Autumn Minestrone
Epicurious | October 1999
The Moosewood Collective
Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special
yield: Makes 12 cups; serves 6 to 8
ingredients
Epicurious | October 1999
The Moosewood Collective
Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special
yield: Makes 12 cups; serves 6 to 8
ingredients
2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions (I replace the onions with leeks)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 1/2 cups peeled and cubed winter squash*
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups water
4 cups chopped kale
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans (15-ounce can, drained)
*We recommend a firm, rich winter squash, such as acorn, delicata, or buttercup.
Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.
1 cup chopped onions (I replace the onions with leeks)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 1/2 cups peeled and cubed winter squash*
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups water
4 cups chopped kale
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans (15-ounce can, drained)
*We recommend a firm, rich winter squash, such as acorn, delicata, or buttercup.
Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.
Serve immediately.
Week 14
We had a busy weekend with the Ag Day farmers' market on Saturday, Farm and Garden Fair tours on Sunday and the Stone Soup Dinner on Sunday night. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stall in Concord Center on Saturday and the farm on Sunday. It was great to see so many new and familiar faces!
With our biggest fall weekend behind us, we're now starting to turn our sights on next season. We've updated our website to include some new photos and information about our expanded CSA and Barrett's Bucks programs, as well as sign-up forms for the 2015 season. Out in the field we're tilling in many of our summer plantings to make way for cover crops, which will help protect the soil from erosion while also improving soil quality for next year. We're also busy thinking about the two newest additions to our crop plans for next year - strawberries and garlic! This week we'll finish up what will hopefully be the final pass of weeding next year's strawberries and begin preparing the perfect spot to plant our garlic.
While it's exciting to think about next year, we've got plenty of beautiful fall crops to come, including new potato, winter squash and cabbage varieties this week!
In the CSA:
- Purple Viking Potatoes - This is a new variety to us, but we're already hooked! They have a gorgeous purple skin with pink streaks and white flesh. It has a rich flavor and works great with any cooking method. These can also store for a long time. For best results leave them unwashed and keep in a cool, dry and dark place with good air circulation - a basket in a windowless pantry or a cupboard works just fine.
- Keuka Gold Potatoes - These yellow skinned and yellow fleshed potatoes possess a rich buttery flavor. They aren't meant to store quite as long as the Purple Viking, but if you follow the same storage guidelines you should still be enjoying them well into the fall.
- Delicata Squash - A sweet early fall favorite, these squash are particularly appealing because of their more manageable size and the fact that the skins are edible (and actually quite tasty).
- Scallions - They're back and looking beautiful. We'll take a break from leeks this week while we enjoy these fresh scallions, but don't worry - we'll have some later leek varieties available soon.
- Celery - These are smaller than what you're probably used to seeing in the grocery store, but they have a great intense celery flavor!
- Tendersweet Cabbage - As the name indicates, the leaves are thinner, more tender and sweeter than some of the later fall cabbage varieties. Great for coleslaw or stir-fries!
- Broccoli
- Acorn squash
- Spaghetti Squash
- Bolero Carrots
- Red Ace and Chioggia Beets
- Lettuce
- Collards
- Bok Choi
- Swiss Chard
- Escarole
- Kale
- Sweet colored peppers
CSA pick-your-own:
- Sunflowers
- Green Beans
- Husk Cherries
- Tomatillos - look low on the plant!
- Hot Peppers - Many varieties have been picked through, but the Thai Hot are still looking good. These tiny peppers pack a serious spicy punch
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cilantro and Dill
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
Most of what is available in the CSA will be available in the store, with the addition of eggplant, leeks, arugula, and Happy Rich broccoli. We'll also still have some tomatoes on Tuesday.
Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad
from Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual
- 4 medium beets (about 1/2 pound each), scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1 cipollini onion, finely chopped, or 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet Spanish or white onion
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil or other mild vegetable oil
- 2 Hass avocados, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small baking dish, rub the beets with olive oil. Add the water and season with salt and white pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool, then peel the beets and cut them into 3/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the chopped onion with the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and honey. Season with salt and white pepper and blend until smooth. With the machine on, add the grapeseed oil and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a steady stream. Add the avocado to the roasted beets. Pour the onion dressing on top and toss gently to combine. Season the salad with salt and pepper and serve.
Week 13- Concord Ag Day Saturday, September 13th
Concord Ag Day is this weekend! Come visit us in downtown Concord Saturday September 13th where we will be gathered with the other farms from town celebrating the past, present, and future of agriculture in Concord. As a part of the festivities we will have a farmers market style booth on Main Street from 10am- 2pm. Our Farm Store will be closed Saturday September 13th but we will have veggies available for sale at Ag Day and will have our book with us for Barrett’s Bucks purchases. For more information about Concord Ag day go to http://www.concordma.gov/pages/ConcordMA_BComm/AgCommittee.
Sunday September 14th the celebration continues with the Concord Farm and Garden Fair! As part of the farm tour program we will be hosting visitors at the farm from 1-3pm. There will be a tour of our fields from 1-1:30pm which will include a look at our fall crops with particular attention to succession planting of lettuce and greens. Meet at the farm store if you would like to join us! From 2:30-3pm we will host a discussion at the greenhouse about crop planning including variety selection, spacing, and timing. There are many great events happening on both Saturday and Sunday during the Concord Farm and Garden Fair so be sure to pick up a schedule in our Farm Store or check it out online at http://concordfood.ning.com/fair.
In the CSA:
Acorn Squash- These winter squash have a sweet and creamy orange flesh inside! Our favorite way to
cook them is to cut in half and then slice into “smiles” and bake on a pan with oil until slightly browned.
Bolero carrots- The first of the fall carrots, our favorite variety of the season!
Escarole
Red Ace and Chioggia Beets
Collards
Baby Bok Choi
Spaghetti Squash
King Richard Leeks
Swiss Chard
Yellow Watermelon
Sweet yellow, orange, and red peppers
Slicing Tomatoes- This will likely be our last week of tomatoes for the year.
Red Potatoes
Eggplant
Lettuce- Fall varieties such as red butterhead, panisse, and red leaf lettuce have returned!
Salanova
Kale
CSA pick-your-own:
Green Beans
Husk Cherries
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Hot Peppers - Jalapeno, Serrano, Capperino, Cayenne, Thai Hot
Cilantro and Dill- A new planting by the hot peppers is looking great!
Husk Cherries
Tomatillos
Cherry Tomatoes
Hot Peppers - Jalapeno, Serrano, Capperino, Cayenne, Thai Hot
Cilantro and Dill- A new planting by the hot peppers is looking great!
Basil
Oregano
Oregano
Thyme
In the store: Most of what is available in the CSA will be available in the store, with the addition of sweet corn, scallions, summer squash, eggplant, and arugula. Thursday will be the last day we carry corn for the season.
Quick-Sautéed Collard Ribbons
finecooking.com
by Susie Middleton from Fine Cooking
Issue 105
The trick to quick-cooking collards (which are typically braised slowly for tenderness)is cutting them into very thin slices. All these need is a quick spin in a hot pan with olive oil to give them a delicate texture and a deep,toasty flavor. This whole recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients:
malt vinegar pure maple syrup collard greens olive oil garlic crushed red pepper flakes kosher salt
1 Tbs. malt vinegar
2 tsp. maple syrup
1-1/2 lb. collard greens (about 30 leaves)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 small cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Quick-Sautéed Collard Ribbons
finecooking.com
by Susie Middleton from Fine Cooking
Issue 105
The trick to quick-cooking collards (which are typically braised slowly for tenderness)is cutting them into very thin slices. All these need is a quick spin in a hot pan with olive oil to give them a delicate texture and a deep,toasty flavor. This whole recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients:
malt vinegar pure maple syrup collard greens olive oil garlic crushed red pepper flakes kosher salt
1 Tbs. malt vinegar
2 tsp. maple syrup
1-1/2 lb. collard greens (about 30 leaves)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 small cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
In a small bowl, whisk the malt vinegar and maple syrup.
Trim the stem from each collard leaf with a sharp knife, dividing the leaf completely in half lengthwise as you cut away the stem. Discard the stems; wash and dry the leaves.
Stack half of the leaves and roll them up tightly crosswise into a cigar shape. Using a very sharp knife, cut the collard “cigar” crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Use your fingers to unfurl the slices, which will be tightly curled together. Repeat with the second half of the leaves.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil and the garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and flipping the garlic, until it’s fragrant and just lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the pepper flakes, stirring to distribute in the hot oil, and immediately add the collards and 1/2 tsp. salt. Using tongs, stir and toss the collards until they’re coated with the oil, and continue tossing until they are slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Most of the greens will have turned a bright green, with some beginning to turn a darker green. Do not overcook, as they will become tough. Take the pan off the heat, drizzle on the maple-vinegar mixture, stir well, and transfer to a shallow serving platter. Serve immediately.
Trim the stem from each collard leaf with a sharp knife, dividing the leaf completely in half lengthwise as you cut away the stem. Discard the stems; wash and dry the leaves.
Stack half of the leaves and roll them up tightly crosswise into a cigar shape. Using a very sharp knife, cut the collard “cigar” crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Use your fingers to unfurl the slices, which will be tightly curled together. Repeat with the second half of the leaves.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil and the garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and flipping the garlic, until it’s fragrant and just lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the pepper flakes, stirring to distribute in the hot oil, and immediately add the collards and 1/2 tsp. salt. Using tongs, stir and toss the collards until they’re coated with the oil, and continue tossing until they are slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Most of the greens will have turned a bright green, with some beginning to turn a darker green. Do not overcook, as they will become tough. Take the pan off the heat, drizzle on the maple-vinegar mixture, stir well, and transfer to a shallow serving platter. Serve immediately.
Week 12
 |
| The newest addition to our "fleet" |
In the CSA:
- Golden Beets - These beets are a sweet colorful treat. Because they don't germinate as well as Chioggia and Red Ace when direct seeded in the field, we start these as transplants in the greenhouse first.
- Collards - This dark leafy green is very nutritious. These greens should be cooked and are great in soups or sauteed. You can also try substituting collards in your favorite kale recipe!
- Baby Bok Choi - We took a break from baby bok choi during the hot summer months when the plants don't do as well. With the cooler weather, though, we should have this favorite more regularly available.
- Spaghetti Squash
- King Richard Leeks
- Swiss Chard
- Yellow Watermelon
- Sweet yellow, orange, and red peppers
- Slicing Tomatoes
- Red Potatoes
- Eggplant
- Summer Squash and Zucchini- Production is slowing down but we will still have a limited amount available this week.
- Lettuce - may be somewhat limited as we transition from the summer crisp varieties back to the regular lettuce varieties that do better in cooler weather.
- Kale
- Nelson Carrots
- Arugula
- Cucumbers- pickling and slicers
CSA pick-your-own:
- Husk Cherries
- Tomatillos
- Cherry Tomatoes - Very limited amount will be available for picking.
- Hot Peppers - Jalapeno, Serrano, Capperino, Cayenne, Thai Hot
- Dill and Cilantro
- Oregano
- Thyme
Most of what is available in the CSA will be available in the store, with the addition of sweet corn.