November farm updates

The store is now closed for the season, but work on the farm continues!

Farm clean-up is a race against time, and thanks to the warmer temperatures the past couple of weeks I think we can safely say that we are winning! We have covered our strawberry and garlic plantings with straw, taken down all of our irrigation and fencing, and mowed crop debris and field edges. It has also been perfect weather for scrubbing down our wash area and walk-in cooler, cleaning out and organizing the barn, and working on equipment maintenance. There is still more work to be done before we are ready for winter but we are getting there! 

In addition to our remaining outdoor tasks with a deadline, we are also busy in the office catching up on accounting, signing up CSA and Bucks members, scheduling meetings and talks, and writing reports for the town and grant providers. The crop planning for next year will begin in earnest after our list of more time sensitive tasks has been completed and our seed catalogs arrive!

One more week in the store!

Things are winding down a little at the farm, but we still have a few projects to tackle before we are done in the fields for the season. At the end of last week we finished planting next year's garlic. Today we weeded next year's strawberries and laid mulch down on the strawberry and garlic beds for the winter. Soon we will divide our rhubarb, remove invasive plants from our blueberry patch, and get serious about field clean up! Over the next couple of weeks we will pick up our remaining irrigation lines, take down deer fencing, and mow and disk wherever needed.

We also still have some vegetables to harvest before it gets really cold! The store will be open for one more week during our regular hours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You can also still order bulk quantities of fall veggies for pick-up this coming Saturday or on Thursday, November 5th. If you'd like to place an order, please do so at least 24 hours before your intended pick-up. You can get an order form in the farm stand, or you can download one by clicking here.

In the store this week:

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Romanesco cauliflower
• Carrots
• Beets
• Potatoes - Katahdin (white fleshed storage) and All Blue (purple skin and purple flesh!)
• Leeks
• Scallions
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Collards
• Winter squash - butternut, buttercup, Hubba hubba, Gold Nugget, Delicata
• Pie Pumpkins
• Celeriac
• Rutabaga
• Turnip
• Watermelon radishes
• Daikon radishes
• Dried flowers
• Eggs from Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds

Week 20

No season is complete without a standout weather event and Sunday night was it for us - a mid October hard freeze.  The predicted temperatures for Sunday night dropped to 23 degrees, prompting us to roll out the row cover and blankets Sunday afternoon to protect some of our crops from freezing. The blankets were used for the squash, which we tucked in for the night by covering their bulk bins in the barn to keep in their natural heat and prevent freezing damage. Out in the fields we used row cover to prevent damage to the top of our carrot roots which split and change texture if frozen.  It wasn't practical to cover the whole farm so most of our hardy crops were left out to fend for themselves. Plants are surprisingly resilient and even after this hard freeze crops like broccoli and lettuce were thawed and ready for harvest by midday so we have a great selection of fall crops this week which were made even sweeter by the frost!

This is the last week for CSA pick-ups for the season and our farm store will be open for one more week. We will also have a bulk order for additional vegetables available for pick up October 31st or November 6th (see the form in the farm stand and on our website for details). It has been a fantastic second season on the farm for us! While there was a challenging lack of rain this summer other aspects of our field work fell into place thanks to factors such as starting the season with the necessary equipment, having help in the fields and farm store, and increased knowledge of the land.  However, it's not enough for us to just grow the vegetables, it's our CSA members and customers who complete the picture and have made our farm plans and dreams a reality. Thank you!

In the CSA this week:

• Romanesco cauliflower- This green cauliflower (pictured right) has a great nutty flavor.
• Turnips and rutabaga- make a great addition to mixed roasted vegetables.
• Shallots or cipollini onions
• Elba and Katahdin potatoes - Both these potatoes have white flesh and store well.
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Lettuce
• Celeriac
• Watermelon radish
• Daikon radish
• Cabbage - red and green storage
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Beets- Red Ace and Chioggia
• Butternut squash- Stock up! Butternut squash is great to store and use later in the winter- just keep in them in a cool place that will not freeze.
• Buttercup squash
• Bin of mixed squash varieties- choose from remaining squash such as gold nugget and hubba hubba.
• Kale

CSA PYO:

Pick-your-own is winding down for the season, but there is still parsley and sage.

In the store:

In addition to the crops listed above, we'll have Delicata and Gold nugget squash, pie pumpkins, spinach, collards, scallions, orange peppers, napa cabbage and jack-o-lanterns from Kenney Farm in Concord!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne Pasta
From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook by Steve Petusevsky and Whole Foods Market Team Members

1 medium butternut squash
1 ½ cups diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 ½ teaspoons)
½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt

1 pound penne pasta

½ cup minced parley
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F

Peel the butternut squash (a vegetable peeler works best). Using a heavy knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, and discard them. Dice the squash into 1 inch cubes (you should have about 4 cups). Place the squash cubes into a large mixing bowl, and add the onion, garlic, red chili flakes, olive oil, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons salt. Toss the ingredients to mix well.

Place the mixture in a large roasting pan, and roast for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. The squash should be firm-tender, not mushy.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until it is al dente. Darin the pasta, and place it in a large serving bow. Mix in the cooked squash mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.

Week 19

We've been enjoying some nice fall weather over the past few days! While the warm weather makes for pleasant working conditions on the farm, it can't reverse the progression of fall and create a dramatic burst of growth. Once the daylight hours get this short, plants grow very slowly. We have a few plantings of greens and lettuce, as well as some cauliflower and cabbage that should mature in the coming weeks, but for the most part, everything else in the fields is done growing and just waiting to be harvested. Still, we have plenty other than harvesting to occupy us for the remainder of October, like picking up irrigation lines, taking down trellising, pulling up plastic mulch, mowing and tilling in crops that are done for the season, seeding cover crops, and preparing to plant and mulch next year's garlic as well as mulch next year's strawberries. It's not quite the breakneck pace of June and July, though - we are now getting the chance to enjoy some of the beautiful fall sunsets that we've had over the farm during the last week!

Many of you have been asking whether we will offer the chance to order more veggies for pick-up after the store closes on October 31st. This week we are planning to more thoroughly assess what crops we'll have available in bulk quantities and we're hoping to have order forms available next week. At this point it looks like we'll have winter squash, leeks, cabbage, carrots, beets, celeriac, Brussels sprouts, kale and collards, but stay tuned as we will likely add a few other items to that list!

In the CSA this week:

• Shallots and cipollini onions - these add great flavor to salad dressings and sauces. Both are a little milder and sweeter than regular storage onions, so they can be finely diced and added raw to salad dressing. Cipollini onions are also perfect for caramelizing.
  
• Celeriac - this oddly shaped root tastes like celery (it should be cooked, not eaten raw) and is a great addition to soups and mashed potatoes (see recipe below).
  
• Watermelon radish - these spicy and sweet radishes have a gorgeous magenta flesh. When shaved thin, they make a really colorful addition to salads. Check out this recipe at alexandracooks.com.
• Elba potatoes - these yellow skinned, white fleshed potatoes store really well. They also taste great!
• Peter Wilcox potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cabbage - green storage and savoy
• Leeks
• Celery
• Carrots
• Beets
• Butternut squash
• Buttercup squash
• Hubba Hubba squash
• Kale
• Tat soi
• Lettuce

CSA PYO:

Pick-your-own is winding down for the season, but there is still parsley and sage, and there may be some sunflowers to scavenge.

In the store:

In addition to the crops listed above, we'll have Delicata and Gold nugget squash, pie pumpkins, spinach, mustard greens, chard, collards, scallions and jack-o-lanterns from Kenney Farm in Concord!

Celeriac and Potato Mash

from Bon Apetit, December 2010

• 1 pound celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup (or more) whole milk

Cook celery root in large pot of boiling salted water 5 minutes. Add potatoes to pot; cook until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return vegetables to pot; stir over medium-high heat until dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add butter. Using potato masher, mash vegetables until butter is incorporated. Add 1/2 cup milk; mash until almost smooth, adding more milk as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Week 18

We didn't get to celebrate together on Saturday due to the cold and rain but the weather did make it a great weekend for cooking! Lise and I had a nice day in the farm store catching up with many of you as you stocked up on supplies.  In the last few weeks of the CSA we are looking forward to sharing with you many fall vegetables that aren't available other times of the season. This week we are particularly excited to have butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli!  This is our favorite time of year to cook so if you are wondering what to do with a fall veggie don't hesitate to ask! We also have lots of recipes available in the farm store.   For those interested in purchasing storage crops in bulk after the CSA has closed for the season we will have a list of what is available in the farm store (and online) next week.  Happy Fall!

In the CSA this week:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts- My favorite way to prepare them is to simply take the sprouts off the stem, wash and cut in half then bake with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Butternut squash- A storage squash that is featured in many tasty recipes including our favorite, butternut squash risotto.
• Golden Nugget squash- This squash tastes very similar to the hubba hubba squash but has a round shape and small size that makes it great for stuffing.
• Fennel
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Buttercup squash
• Peter Wilcox potatoes- Purple skin with yellow flesh.
• Hubba Hubba squash (Red kuri)
• Colored Peppers
• Leeks
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Beets
• Cabbage- Tendersweet and savoy
• Kale
• Chard

CSA PYO:

• Sunflowers- Our last planting is now in bloom!
• Parsley and sage

All the fruiting PYO crops were damaged by the frost, but many of them survived. We could get another frost this week which would do them in entirely but as of Monday there are still:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Husk Cherries - careful picking is required
• Hot peppers - the plants are mostly dead, but Monday many of the peppers seemed salvageable.
• Tomatillos - a small amount are left.
• Parsley and sage

In the store: 

In addition to the crops listed above, we'll have Delicata squash, spinach, happy rich, salanova, collards, pie pumpkins, arugula, scallions and jack-o-lanterns from Kenney Farm in Concord!

Stuffed Gold Nugget Squash

Sabrina Bone, Cooking Light November 2011 MyRecipes.com

• 4 (1-pound) golden nugget squashes
• Cooking spray
• 2 (4-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup water

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded 2% reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Preparation

1. Cut the top quarter off each squash; reserve tops. Discard seeds. Arrange squashes, cut sides down, in 2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes. Fill each dish with 1-inch of water; microwave 1 dish at HIGH 15 minutes. Remove dish; repeat with remaining dish. Cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Add carrot, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 minutes or until carrot is tender.

4. Combine sausage, carrot mixture, quinoa, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Stuff about 1 cup quinoa mixture in each squash, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese. Arrange stuffed squashes in a broiler-safe baking dish, and place tops in dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from oven.

5. Preheat broiler to high.

6. Broil squashes 4 minutes or until cheese is golden.