CSA Week 15 and Farm Store Updates

It feels like we have pretty abruptly transitioned from summer crops to fall crops in the past week. While we are still harvesting some tomatoes, peppers and eggplant from the high tunnels and fields, the shorter days have contributed to dramatically slower fruit growth. Though it is warmer in the high tunnels and the plants look very healthy, you can’t make up for shorter day length (unless you want to use a lot of electricity and invest heavily in supplemental lighting!). Once we hit late August and day lengths started to be closer to 13 hours per day, the plants just stopped churning out new ripe fruit every day. With the cooler weather, though, it is a nice time for cooking some of the gorgeous fall crops we have coming on. We’ve been enjoying a lovely beet crop for a few weeks now, and the first succession of fall carrots finally sized up for harvest last week. Brassicas also thrive in this weather - broccoli, Tendersweet cabbage and dinosaur kale are welcome additions to the mix this week.

The cooler weather and shorter days are also ushering in a later start time for our crew a few days per week. Melissa and I have been starting administrative, cleaning, organizing and sanitizing work long before the crew arrives at 7am in order to prep for the day (we always started earlier in normal years, but the pandemic has really increased the morning work load!). Even with help from Sarah before the rest of the crew arrives it has been hard to keep up, and it’s starting to get a little dreary working in the dark, so now that we’ve completed our fall crew hiring we’ve pushed the crew back to starting at 8am a few days per week to give ourselves a little breathing room after a tough summer!

In the CSA this week:

• Broccoli! - we do not spray our broccoli at all, so there is some “wildlife” in the broccoli heads. Soak the heads in warm water with a little salt to entice out cabbage worms before prepping for cooking.

• Tendersweet cabbage - the name says it all. Perfect for coleslaw or as a shredded addition to tacos!

• Dinosaur kale - also known as toscano or lacinato, these flat leaves cook evenly and are great for making kale chips.

• Scallions - after a summer hiatus, they’re back!

• Acorn squash - unlike the red kuri and buttercup squash, these squash skins are thicker (and less tasty), so they are well-suited for stuffing.

• Carrots

• Beets

• Buttercup or Red Kuri Squash or Spaghetti Squash - you’ll have a choice of one of these.

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Arugula

• Garlic

• Curly Green Kale

• Lettuce

• Green peppers

• Colored Peppers or Eggplant - we don’t have enough for unlimited supplies of both all week, so you’ll see one of these as an option.

CSA PYO:

Please bring scissors from home for your herb picking. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.

• Green Beans

• Cherry tomatoes - we’re still seeing a bit of splitting from another rain last week, but all varieties are in pretty similar shape this week. It takes a little longer to fill a pint container than it used to. Definitely past peak flavor, but they’ll likely hang on until our first frost.

• Hot peppers or husk cherries - you’ll have a choice between the two.

• Herbs: sage, cilantro, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley are available this week.

• Sunflowers

PYO Flower CSA:

The flower field is open to both flower CSA members as well as for those who would like to purchase PYO flowers by the jar. Picking is open anytime the Farm Store is open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. For the safety of everyone, there are capacity limits in the flower field and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in the PYO fields. Zinnias are the highlight right now! Don’t forget your pruners and scissors from home and water for your jar. We are short on jars so if you have a quart mason jar at home bring in along! Check in at the farm stand before picking.

In the Farm Store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have some tomatoes and radishes. We will also have honey from Double B Honey (harvested from hives on the property), sweet corn from Verrill Farm, and mushrooms from Fat Moon. Online pre-orders continue, but please note that pre-orders are available for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday pick-ups only. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up. Walk-up sales continue to be open for all Tuesday-Saturday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Roasted Veggies

by Lauren Kenson, freeyourfork.com

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash

• 4 c broccoli florets

• 2 c shiitake mushrooms, chopped into ½” pieces

• 4 tbs avocado oil

• ½ tbs dried thyme

• salt

• ½ c tomato sauce*

OPTIONAL

• shredded cheese*

• red pepper flakes

1. PREHEAT OVEN: to 375 F and prepare a baking sheet with foil (can also use bare sheet tray if preferred).

2. CUT + SEED SQUASH: Cut the acorn squash down the middle (from the top stem to the pointy end). Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and set these aside (either discard them or roast them another time as a snack). Rub ½ tbs avocado oil onto just the cut-side of each half (don’t rub it onto the green skin) and place them cut side up on the sheet tray. Sprinkle with salt and the dried thyme and roast for 35 min.

3. ADD VEGETABLES: Take out the sheet tray with the acorn squash. Then add the broccoli and mushrooms to it. Toss them in avocado oil and salt them before returning entire sheet tray to oven and roast for another 40 min (taking the tray out once halfway through to flip the veggies around). You want to roast the vegetables until browned on the ends and roast the squash until it has softened.

4. STUFF THE SQUASH: Remove the tray from the oven and set your temperature to broil on high. Using a fork, lightly smash the squash flesh (leaving the skin intact) so it resembles mashed potato texture. Press the mixture to the sides to make room for the roasted veggies and sauce. Spoon half the tomato sauce into each squash half. Then add half the roasted veggies to each half. Top with a sprinkle of cheese (if using) and return to the oven to broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has just melted on top. Remove and enjoy immediately. The skin is edible if you wish to eat it, but it also comes off quite easily if you don’t.

Notes

TO KEEP DISH VEGAN FRIENDLY: Omit the cheese or use a vegan-friendly cheese option.

Ag Week, CSA Week 14 and Farm Store Updates

Happy September! Many of you might remember we typically participate in the Concord Ag Day Farmers’ Market this time of year. This year, the Concord Ag Committee still wanted to celebrate but felt that due to COVID-19 a socially distanced week-long celebration would be a better alternative to the usual crowded one-day market event. So, the 15th Annual Concord Ag Day is Concord Ag Week this year! All week, September 8-12th, different events and promotions are happening around town at Concord farm stands. Details and event sign-ups are available at www.concordagday.com. In addition, you can participate just by shopping at a Concord farm this week! Take a photo of yourself at a farm and/or your veggies and tag @farmsofconcord (or email Melissa if you don’t have Instagram) and you will be entered in a raffle to win a Farm Bounty Basket full of Concord farm goodies!

In the CSA this week:

• Carrots - The first of our fall plantings!

• Red Radishes - It’s finally cool enough to grow radishes, which we haven’t seen since spring!

• Buttercup or Red Kuri Squash - Both these winter squash varieties have edible skin which makes them easy to cook! It does mean that their skins are not as tough and therefore don’t store as long so we will be distributing them first, and will follow up later with our longer term storage winter squash varieties.

• Baby Bok Choy

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Arugula

• Beets- red ace or golden

• Garlic

• Curly Green Kale

• Lettuce

• Spaghetti Squash

• Slicing Tomatoes - With the shorter days the tomatoes are slowing down.

• Peppers

• Eggplant

• Swiss chard

CSA PYO:

Please bring scissors from home for your herb picking. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.

• Sunflowers

• Green Beans

• Cherry tomatoes - The rain last week caused a lot of splitting, so picking has become a little more time consuming. Sungolds are sparse this week, but the grape varieties (including Red Grape, Galaxy, Moonbeam and Midnight Pear) tend to hold up better in these conditions.

• Hot peppers - jalapeño, Fresno, Aji Rico, Hungarian hot wax, shishito

• Herbs: sage, cilantro, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley are available this week.

PYO Flower CSA:

The flower field is open to both flower CSA members as well as for those who would like to purchase PYO flowers by the jar. Picking is open anytime the Farm Store is open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. For the safety of everyone, there are capacity limits in the flower field and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in the PYO fields. Zinnias are the highlight right now! The branching sunflowers in the flower field have also made a comeback. Don’t forget your pruners and scissors from home and water for your jar. We are short on jars so if you have a quart mason jar at home bring in along! Check in at the farm stand before picking.

In the Farm Store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have honey from Double B Honey (harvested from hives on the property) and sweet corn from Verrill Farm. Fat Moon mushrooms have returned, in limited quantities right now. Online pre-orders continue, but please note that pre-orders are available for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday pick-ups only. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up. Walk-up sales continue to be open for all Tuesday-Saturday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!

Red Kuri Squash Curry with Chard

By Erin Alderson: https://naturallyella.com/kuri-squash-curry

• 1 small onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 bunch of Swiss chard (about 6 ounces)

• 1 red kuri squash (about 2 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon mild curry powder

• 2 teaspoon fresh ginger

• Salt and pepper (to taste)

• 1 can coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)

• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

• Cilantro (for topping)

• Brown rice (for serving)

1. Dice onion and mince garlic cloves. Remove stems from Swiss chard and slice greens into 1/2 inch wide ribbons. Remove stem of squash. Cut in half and scoop out seeds. Cube squash into 1/2 inch to 1 inch cubes.

2. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, ginger, and salt and pepper. Let cook about 1 minute.

3. Add cubed squash and stir until squash is well coated. Pour in coconut milk followed by the broth, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook 30 to 40 minutes, until squash is very tender.

4. Stir in Swiss chard and let cook until wilted, about 5 more minutes.

5. Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro over brown rice.

CSA Week 13 and Farm Store Updates

It rained! While it made CSA pick-your-own an adventure for some last week, we are celebrating the win of this nicely time rain for recently seeded cover crop! We now have oats and peas coming up where spring greens and early squash plantings used to be, and clover and rye has been seeded in some fall brassica pathways, an attempt to provide cover to an area that won’t be cleared in time to germinate seed before winter. Cover cropping is an important way we take care of the fields for the following year so we can sleep a little better now knowing that many of our fields have their winter cover started!

While we are preparing for winter there is still plenty of time left in the farm season! We are in week 13 of 20 for the Main Season CSA, and then the Extended Season CSA will continue for 4 more weeks after that for a total of 24 weeks. The farm store will be open until October 31st! We are welcoming many new crew members on the farm this week who we have hired to help us finish up the season now that much of our summer crew is back at college or their school year jobs. One new face you all will see when arriving on the farm is Megan, our new shopkeeper this fall! Jennifer and Evita will also be new helpers around the CSA and farm stand, and Maria, Jeffrey and Marni will be out in the fields helping us bring it all in!

In the CSA this week:

• Baby Bok Choy - This crowd favorite is back for at least a couple of weeks. It is great raw, sauteed, and even grilled!

• Salanova Lettuce Mix - Needs no introduction! We should have salanova available in the CSA and farm store for most remaining weeks now that the weather has cooled down.

• Beets- red ace or golden. The greens are still nice enough to cook! Later in the fall we will start topping them and giving them out without the greens.

• Leeks - This variety is our favorite called megaton and lives up to it’s name with it’s larger size even this time of year.

• Garlic

• Curly Green Kale

• Lettuce

• Spaghetti Squash

• Slicing Tomatoes

• Colored sweet peppers

• Green peppers

• Eggplant

• Cucumbers

• Summer Squash

CSA PYO:

Please bring scissors from home for your herb picking. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.

• Green Beans - Beans are back! We have 2 plantings for the early fall.

• Cherry tomatoes - Sungold (orange), Cherry bomb (red), Jasper (red), Red Pearl (red grape), Mountain Magic (red), Yellow mini (yellow), Sunpeach (pink), Black cherry (deep brownish purple), Supernova (red with yellow flecks), Moonbeam (pale yellow), Midnight pear (brownish purple).

• Hot peppers - jalapeño, Fresno, Aji Rico, Hungarian hot wax, shishito

• Herbs: sage, thyme, oregano, cilantro, basil, and parsley are available this week.

PYO Flower CSA:

The flower field is open to both flower CSA members as well as for those who would like to purchase PYO flowers by the jar. Picking is open anytime the Farm Store is open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. For the safety of everyone, there are capacity limits in the flower field and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in the PYO fields. Zinnas are the highlight right now! The branching sunflowers in the flower field have also made a comeback. Don’t forget your pruners and scissors from home and water for your jar! Check in at the farm stand before picking.

In the Farm Store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have honey from Double B Honey (harvested from hives on the property) and sweet corn from Verrill Farm. Fat Moon is taking a break from mushrooms right now, but will be back soon. Online pre-orders continue, but please note that pre-orders are available for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday pick-ups only. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up. Walk-up sales continue to be open for all Tuesday-Saturday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!

Leek, Cherry Tomato and Pecorino Pizza

Adapted from Food & Wine, October 2009

·   All-purpose flour, for dusting

·   1 1/2 pounds pizza dough, cut into 8 pieces

·   1/4 cup plus olive oil, plus more for brushing

·   2 large leeks, sliced 1/4 inch thick

·   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·   32 cherry tomatoes, halved

·   1/4 pound truffled pecorino cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 500°. Heat a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven for 45 minutes. (Alternatively, heat a large inverted baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven for 5 minutes.) On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 7-inch round. Oil 3 large baking sheets and place the dough rounds on the sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Generously flour a pizza peel. Place a dough round on the peel and brush with olive oil. Top with some of the leeks, tomatoes and pecorino cheese. Slide the dough round onto the hot stone or baking sheet and bake for about 4 minutes, until bubbling and crisp. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve.

Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad

from Frankies Spuntino

We worked with someone who had worked for years at the restaurant Frankies 457 in Brooklyn, NY before transitioning to farming and this was the crew’s favorite dish!

•  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.

Blistered Beans With Tomato-Almond Pesto

By Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit November 2015

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup unsalted, roasted almonds

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil

• 2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and half of tomatoes; pulse to a coarse pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of beans; cook, undisturbed, until beginning to blister, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7–9 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spread beans out on a platter; let cool. Repeat with remaining vegetable oil and beans. Toss beans with pesto; season with salt and pepper if needed. Add remaining tomatoes and transfer to a platter.

CSA Week 12, Time slot selection and Farm Store Updates

CSA members should look out for an email this week asking them to sign up for a pick-up time slot for September and October. Check your “spam” or “promotions” folder if you don’t see it by tomorrow night. This will be the last time slot sign-up for Main Season members (Flex and Extended members, there will be one more sign-up for November pick-ups). Please note that you still will need to select a time slot even if you want to keep the same time. Sign ups will open Thursday, August 27th at 6pm and close Sunday August 30th at 11:59pm.

In the fields we are busy harvesting! Storage onions are curing in the greenhouse, we are working to bring in our acre of winter squash, and of course we have our daily harvests of greens, squash, tomatoes and more to get ready for the CSA and farm store each day! With all that harvesting it can be tricky to fit in any other field work but we continue to plant lettuce in the field weekly, and Lise managed to time field prep just right to get cover crop in before the rain this weekend! We are also working with the Concord Ag Committee on a plan for Ag Week September 8th-12th (in place of the annual Ag Day farmers market due to COVID-19). There will be promotions and activities on farms all around town that week to celebrate local agriculture while staying safe and distanced! Stay tuned for details on Concord farmers’ Instagram @farmsofconcord.

In the CSA this week:

• Golden beets - We grow just two plantings a year as golden beets are tough to germinate so we need to start them in the greenhouse before planting into the fields. They are just as sweet as red beets but without the mess!

• Leeks - The first of the season! We will have leeks available on and off throughout the fall.

• Garlic

• Swiss chard

• Curly Green Kale

• Spaghetti Squash

• Heirloom Tomatoes

• Slicing Tomatoes

• Colored sweet peppers

• Green peppers

• Eggplant

• Cucumbers

• Summer Squash and zucchini

• Arugula

• Lettuce

• Celery - This planting didn’t get enough water so it’s small but packed with flavor.

CSA PYO:

Please bring scissors from home for your herb picking. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.

• Herbs: basil, cilantro, dill, parsley, sage and thyme

• Cherry tomatoes - All varieties are now available: Sungold (orange), Cherry bomb (red), Jasper (red), Red Pearl (red grape), Mountain Magic (red), Yellow mini (yellow), Sunpeach (pink), Black cherry (deep brownish purple), Supernova (red with yellow flecks), Moonbeam (pale yellow), Midnight pear (brownish purple).

• Husk Cherries - A relative of the tomato. Pick the fruit that have brown husks and have fallen off the plant. Remove the husk before eating (the ripe berry will be yellow inside).

• Hot peppers - jalapeño, Fresno, Aji Rico, Hungarian hot wax, shishito

  Coming up next week in the pyo field: Green beans! We have a couple plantings on their way for late August/early September. We also have three more plantings of sunflowers this season, the first is likely to bloom in the next week or two.

Pick-your-own Flower CSA

The flower field is open to both flower CSA members as well as for those who would like to purchase PYO flowers by the jar. Picking is open anytime the Farm Store is open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. For the safety of everyone, there are capacity limits in the flower field and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in the PYO fields. Flowers available for picking this week include: zinnias, bachelor’s buttons, bells of Ireland, scabiosa, didiscus, cosmos, snapdragons, rudbeckia, dill flowers, decorative basil, strawflower, gomphrena, sweet Annie, amaranth, and verbena. Don’t forget your pruners and scissors from home and water for your jar! Check in at the farm stand before picking.

In the Farm Store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have honey from Double B Honey (harvested from hives on the property) and sweet corn from Verrill Farm. Fat Moon is taking a break from mushrooms right now, but will be back in early September. Online pre-orders continue, but please note that pre-orders are available for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday pick-ups only. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up. Walk-up sales continue to be open for all Tuesday-Saturday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Leeks

·       1 cooked spaghetti squash

·       1 medium leek, sliced thinly (white and pale green part)

·       1 large garlic clove, chopped

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       4 tomatoes, chopped (4 cups)

·       1/4 cup basil

·       salt and pepper

·       2 tablespoons butter

·       1/4 cup grated parmesan

·       2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim the ends from the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Use a deep baking pan and fill with about an inch of water. Place the squash cut side down in the water. Bake for about 30 mins or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a knife. Let cool. Sauté leek and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper, and basil. Simmer together about 5 minutes more. Shred the spaghetti squash flesh with a fork, keeping it inside the shell. Toss with butter. Spoon mixture on top of shredded squash, top with parmesan and bacon.

Leek and Swiss Chard Tart
Original recipe from Bon Appetit, October 1999 as posted on Smitten Kitchen: https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/leek-and-swiss-chard-tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed (I used a basic tartdough instead)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups whipping cream (I used whole milk)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Roll out pastry on floured work surface to 12-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold under; crimp edges. Cover; chill.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chard; saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Whisk cream and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in cooled leek mixture. Pour filling into crust.

Bake tart 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until filling is puffed and just set in center, about 15 minutes longer (this took my oven about 10 minutes longer). Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes.

CSA Week 11 and Farm Store Updates

What a welcome break from the heat today! The hint of fall in the air matches the beginning of the fall harvest this week. The first winter squash (spaghetti squash!) will be in the CSA and farm store along with the first fall planting of kale and beets that are ready for harvest. But summer is not over yet! Tomatoes are still coming in strong, colored peppers are at their peak, and the flower field is still in full bloom. The fields are very much in need of some rain, for our current veggie crops as well as investments in next year like next year’s strawberries and germination of cover crops. While we are able to irrigate many crops, it is difficult to irrigate the large areas needed for the germination of cover crops so we will be carefully checking the forecast looking for our window to seed fields that are ready for cover crops in order to maximize the growth that will provide nutrients, organic matter, and erosion protection until next spring.

In the CSA this week:

• Beets - A new planting of red ace beets is ready, the greens are in great shape and taste great sauteed with garlic!

• Curly Green Kale

• Spaghetti Squash- See cooking instructions in the recipe section below. The squash is ready when bright yellow, if yours isn’t bright yellow yet just leave it on your counter for a few days before cooking!

• Heirloom Tomatoes

• Slicing Tomatoes

• Colored sweet peppers

• Green and purple peppers

• Eggplant

• Cucumbers

• Garlic

• Watermelon - The variety this week is called Blacktail Mountain, an award winning heirloom variety with a pinkish red inside.

• Zucchini

• Summer Squash

• Arugula or Mizuna

• Lettuce

CSA PYO:

Please bring scissors from home for your herb picking. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.

• Herbs: basil, cilantro, dill, sage and thyme

• Cherry tomatoes - All varieties are now available: Sungold (orange), Cherry bomb (red), Jasper (red), Red Pearl (red grape), Mountain Magic (red), Yellow mini (yellow), Sunpeach (pink), Black cherry (deep brownish purple), Supernova (red with yellow flecks), Moonbeam (pale yellow), mightnight pear (brownish purple).

• Husk Cherries - A relative of the tomato. Pick the fruit that have brown husks and have fallen off the plant. Remove the husk before eating (the ripe berry will be yellow inside).

• Hot peppers - jalapeño, Fresno, Aji Rico, Hungarian hot wax, shishito

Pick-your-own Flower CSA

The flower field is open to both flower CSA members as well as for those who would like to purchase PYO flowers by the jar. Picking is open anytime the Farm Store is open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. For the safety of everyone, there are capacity limits in the flower field and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in the PYO fields. Flowers available for picking this week include: zinnias, bachelor’s buttons, bells of Ireland, scabiosa, didiscus, cosmos, snapdragons, rudbeckia, dill flowers, decorative basil, strawflower, gomphrena, sweet Annie, amaranth, and verbena. Don’t forget your pruners and scissors from home and water for your jar! Check in at the farm stand before picking.

In the Farm Store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will also have honey from Double B Honey (harvested from hives on the property) and sweet corn from Verrill Farm. Fat Moon is taking a break from mushrooms right now ( they are tough to grow in the heat!), but will be back in early September. Online pre-orders continue, but please note that pre-orders are now available for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday pick-ups only. We will not be offering pick-ups on Wednesday and Thursday as we try to improve efficiency and focus on the most popular ordering days. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up. Walk-up sales continue to be open for all Tuesday-Saturday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

By Jeanine Donofrio, Love and Lemons: https://www.loveandlemons.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash

• extra-virgin olive oil

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and ribbing. Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Place the spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking sheet and use a fork to poke holes. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside, fork tender, but still a litte bit firm. The time will vary depending on the size of your squash. I also find that the timing can vary from squash to squash.

4. Remove from the oven and flip the squash so that it’s cut side up. When cool to the touch, use a fork to scrape and fluff the strands from the sides of the squash.

Gazpacho

from Best of Life Cookbook

For the soup:

• 3 lb tomatoes, chopped (6 cups)

• 1 onion, cut in chunks

• ½ cup green pepper chunks

• ½ cup cucumber chunks

• 2 cups tomato juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar

Combine tomato, onion, green pepper and cucumber chunks. Puree them until smooth/ Transfer to a large bowl and stir in tomato juice, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper. Cover and chill. Before serving stir in the oil and vinegar.

For the garnish: ½ cup diced tomato, ½ cup diced green pepper, ½ cup diced cucumber and garlic croutons (see recipe below

Garlic croutons: 6 slices white bread (dry), ½ cup butter, 2 cloves garlic

Cut the bread into cubes. Heat butter at medium heat. Stir in garlic. Add the bread cubes and sauté, stirring until crisp and golden. Drain on a paper towel.