CSA Week 11 and Farm Stand Updates

It has been an all-star farm crew this year! We were lucky enough to have 4 returning crew members as assistant growers this year, Sarah, Siobhan, Anna and Carmella, along with returning part-time crew members Rebecca, Dave, and Sue. We also had a great crew of new-to-farming college students Lily, Brooke, Adrian and Leah helping us plant, weed, and harvest this summer. There will be a smaller farm crew soon when the college students all head back to school so this week we will focus on weeding fall crops with a big group to get us in good shape to finish out the season! We will also be planting more lettuce, salanova and escarole (and covering to protect from deer!), harvesting more garlic, and seeding fall greens including spinach.

In the CSA this week:

• Seedless watermelon - These are a red watermelon with just a few white seeds and no black seeds.

• Eggplant or Sweet colored peppers - Members will have a choice each day.

• Scarlett frills mustard greens - These purple spicy greens are back! If you prefer a milder flavor then lightly cooking them is the way to go (see recipe below).

• Potatoes - yellow or red

• Tomatoes

• Green and purple peppers

• Uncured garlic

• Fresh Onions or scallions - There will be one of these two items available each day

• Carrots

• Zucchini

• Cucumbers

• Kale

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Cherry tomatoes

• Edamame or Dragon Tongue beans- Members will have a choice of one of these items. The Dragon’s Tongue beans are cream colored and speckled with purple. When they are small and tender they can be prepared just like green beans. Once they get a bit larger you can “shell” them.

• Hot peppers - One per membership to spice up your cooking this week.

• Herbs - Sage, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, parsley, dill, dill flowers, cilantro and basil

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have seedless and pickling cucumbers, summer squash, and sunflowers. We will not have flower bouquets this week. We will have sweet corn from Verrill Farm at the beginning of the week (we do not yet know if they will have another delivery for us later this week), mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s.

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

The PYO Flower garden is open only to Flower CSA members this week while we wait for more flowers to bloom. We will re-open to the general public next week. The first of 4 varieties of sunflowers we seeded in the flower field are now blooming. Other varieties currently available for picking include zinnias, bachelor button, marigolds, gomphrena, strawflower, celosia, statice, ammi, rudbeckia, scabiosa, cosmos and amaranth. The next planting of snapdragons is just beginning to bloom. Please pick flowers above branching points. Picking hours are during any farm store hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We recommend bringing your own pruners or scissors as well as water for transporting your flowers home.

Garlic-and-Greens Spaghetti

by The Food Network

• 16 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium onions, halved and sliced

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

• Kosher salt

• 12 cups torn mustard greens

• 12 ounces spaghetti

• 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. (Be careful not to over-brown the garlic or it will taste bitter.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil into a small bowl to use as a dip for crusty bread, if desired. Add the onions and red pepper flakes to the oil in the pan; cook, stirring, until the onions are light brown, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt.

2. When the onions are almost done, add the greens to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, remove the greens, shaking off the excess water; add them to the skillet with the onions (set the pot of water aside). Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Return the cooking water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and reserve about 1 cup cooking water; drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the cheese and toss. Add the greens and some of the reserved pasta water and toss, adding more water as necessary to keep the pasta from clumping. Top with the garlic chips.

CSA Week 10 and Farm Stand Updates

This week our agenda includes weeding, weeding and more weeding! Our fall crops are looking good, especially once they are freed from the purslane, velvetleaf and galinsoga weeds that have been taking off lately. Carrots are the top priority, but we’ll also be weeding fall beets, sweet potatoes, broccoli and rutabaga whenever we get the chance. When we’re not weeding and harvesting, we’ll be working on mulching our strawberries and fixing our deer fence (right now it is acting as a light suggestion to stay out, which the deer are ignoring!). While we try to get our deer fences more functional we’ll be covering all of our lettuce plantings, as the deer have already decimated a few varieties. They also love beans, edamame and sweet potatoes, but those are slightly lower priorities than the lettuce as they can still produce after they’ve been munched on. Lettuce that has been munched on is not usable. While we may see less lettuce in a few weeks because of the deer, we’ll start to have mustard and arugula back in the rotation (and there will still be some lettuce, just limited).

In the CSA this week:

• Yellow Potatoes - this variety is called Golden Globe and has yellow skin and yellow flesh.

• Tomatoes - We’ll have slicers, as well as possibly some heirlooms to choose from.

• Peppers - Mostly green.

• Celery

• Uncured garlic

• Fresh Onions - Red Long of Tropea

• Carrots

• Zucchini and summer squash

• Slicing cucumbers

• Pickling cucumbers

• Kale

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Cherry tomatoes - There are a wide variety available to pick and they’re all good! If you have a harder time finding your usual favorite type or color, check out something new - last week the red varieties were picked heavily but the orange and yellow varieties (were plentiful

• Dragon Tongue beans and green beans - The Dragon’s Tongue beans are cream colored and speckled with purple. When they are small and tender they can be prepared just like green beans. Once they get a bit larger you can “shell” them.

• Sunflowers

• Herbs - Sage, thyme, oregano, chives, parsley, dill and basil

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have flower bouquets, seedless cucumbers, eggplant and colored peppers. We hope to have sweet corn again from Verrill Farm (they had problems with birds eating their corn last week!), mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s.

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

The PYO Flower garden is open to both Flower CSA members and to the general public. Varieties available include snapdragons, zinnias, marigolds, gomphrena, strawflower, celosia, statice, ammi, rudbeckia, scabiosa, cosmos and amaranth. Please pick flowers above branching points so that we can enjoy the plants for the next 2 months. Picking hours are during any farm store hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We recommend bringing your own pruners or scissors as well as water for transporting your flowers home.

Shopska Salata (Classic Bulgarian Tomato and Cucumber Salad)

adapted from a recipe by inpatskitchen, from Food52.com July 24, 2013

INGREDIENTS

• 1 slicing cucumber

• 1/2 large red onion (or 1 Red Long of Tropea onion)

• 1/2 large green bell pepper

• 2 tomatoes

• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup finely crumbled sirene (Bulgarian feta cheese). Regular feta in brine also works great!

DIRECTIONS

1. Half peel the cucumber by paring every 1/4 inch or so to create a striped pattern and then slice it into 1/2 inch rounds. Toss them into a medium mixing bowl.

2. Chop the onion and bell pepper into a 1/2 inch dice and add them to the bowl.

3. Seed the tomatoes and dice and add them to the bowl along with the olives and parsley.

4. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and add it to the mix. Toss the vegetables until they are coated with the dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

5. Now place the salad into an appropriate size serving bowl and shower the top with the feta. Chill before serving.

Mustard Potato Salad with Celery

by David Leite

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 pounds small baby yellow or fingerling potatoes

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 3 celery stalks, diced (reserve any tender leaves)

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot, about 1 small shallot (Red Long onions are a good substitute for shallots!)

• 6 cornichon pickles, diced (optional)

Instructions 

1. Pierce each potato with a paring knife and place them with the garlic and bay leaf in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm) and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

2. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until almost tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

3. While the potatoes cook, in a large serving bowl, whisk oil, vinegars, mustards, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper—no sense in doing more dishes than you need to. Mix in celery, shallot, and cornichons, if using.

4. When the potatoes are almost tender, drain them in a colander. I like them a little underdone at this point because they'll continue to cook after you drain them. Fish out one of the garlic cloves and use the back of a fork or your whisk to mash (it'll be warm and soft). Add the mashed garlic to the dressing and stir to incorporate.

5. Cut each potato in half (they'll be hot to the touch) and immediately add to the prepared dressing. Give them all a good mix. Continue to mix the potato salad occasionally as it cools.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CSA Week 9 and Farm Stand Updates

We are relieved to trade in the heat and humidity from last week for some beautiful sunny and cooler weather for a few days. Overall, this has been a much cooler and wetter summer than last year, so we haven’t had a chance yet to build up our tolerance for truly steamy days! It should come as no surprise that weather patterns impact the growing season, but this season has been a clear contrast with last season. Many of our lettuces and greens have fared well (when they aren’t getting eaten by deer and flea beetles!), and we’ve seen some nice lush growth on most of our field crops. We’ve also seen some very lush and healthy weeds as a side effect! Without as much heat, the fruits of plants like tomatoes, peppers, squash and eggplant have matured slightly slower than last season. We’ve also had trouble getting into some fields because they were too wet (an uncommon occurence with our sandy soils!), and we’ve seen more plant diseases. However, while there may be some drawbacks for crop production with this weather, we are well aware that our working conditions this season are more comfortable than last year’s, and are certainly far more comfortable than what many farm workers (and other outdoor workers) in other parts of the country have been enduring this year!

In the CSA this week:

• Tomatoes - We are excited to have tomatoes this week, but want to remind folks that, just like in prior seasons, for the first few weeks of tomato season, availability is limited. This week we’ll have 1 per membership, but we expect to have more in the coming weeks!

• Watermelon - Red flesh with seeds.

• Peppers - Mostly green, but we may also have a sprinkling of purple peppers as well.

• Celery

• Uncured garlic

• Fresh Onions - Ailsa Craig or Red Long of Tropea varieties.

• Beets

• Carrots

• Zucchini

• Slicing cucumbers

• Pickling cucumbers

• Kale or Cabbage

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Cherry tomatoes - There will be several varieties to choose from, including Sungolds, Cherry Bomb, Sunpeach, Yellow Mini and Red Grape. We still have a few other varieties to look forward to, including some of the popular larger “cocktail” varieties.

• Snap beans - Both green and purple.

• Sunflowers

• Herbs - Sage, thyme, oregano, chives, parsley, and basil

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have flower bouquets, summer squash, seedless cucumbers, eggplant and later in the week, colored peppers. In addition we will have sweet corn from Verrill Farm, mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s.

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

The PYO Flower garden is open to both Flower CSA members and to the general public. Varieties available include snapdragons, zinnias, marigolds, gomphrena, strawflower, celosia, statice, ammi, rudbeckia, scabiosa, cosmos and amaranth. Please pick flowers above branching points so that we can enjoy the plants for the next 2 months. Picking hours are during any farm store hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We recommend bringing your own pruners or scissors as well as water for transporting your flowers home.

Sautéed Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes

By Jennifer Segal from Once Upon A Chef

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 1 pound zucchini (2-3 medium), cut into ½-inch chunks

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, plus more for garnish if desired

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the red onions and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and pale purple in color, 7-8 minutes. Do not brown.

2. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, or until the zucchini are cooked but still crisp and the tomatoes have started to collapse, creating a little sauce. Stir in the fresh basil, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more fresh basil if desired.

Green Gazpacho

Adapted from “Plenty,” by Yotam Ottolenghi

INGREDIENTS

• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

• 2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped

• 3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

• 1 mildly spicy chili (such as jalapeño), roughly chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted

• 1/4 pound tender green like baby spinach

• 1/2 cup basil leaves

• 1/4 cup parsley

• 1 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar

• 2 teaspoons salt

• Freshly ground white pepper

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 2 cups water

• Ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Combine the celery, green peppers, cucumbers, chili, garlic, sugar, walnuts, greens, basil, parsley, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and 1 cup water in blender and puree until smooth. Check seasonings, and add more water if you feel it needs it. Let chill in refrigerator. To serve, divide into six bowls, and garnish each with a dollop of Greek yogurt, two ice cubes and a drizzle of olive oil.

CSA Week 8 and Farm Stand Upates

While we are still caring for many of our summer crops - trellising, weeding, and even picking potato beetles off our eggplant and tomatoes - we are starting to shift towards more work on our fall crops. Last week we worked on thinning and weeding fall carrots and beets and we did a bit of weeding and cultivating of our fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale). We also began harvesting our garlic, which will mostly be a crop distributed in the fall after it is cured. However, since we have limited space for hanging garlic to cure, we will also be enjoying some uncured garlic this week!

In the CSA this week:

• Peppers - Mostly green, but we may also have a sprinkling of purple peppers as well.

• Uncured garlic - Most of the garlic we harvest in July gets hung up in the farm stand to cure, which takes several weeks. We set aside some, however, for eating before it is cured (a process that dries out the garlic and gives it a longer shelf life). Uncured garlic has a slightly milder flavor, but otherwise can be used just like cured garlic.

• Fresh Onions - In addition to the white Ailsa Craig variety, we’ll also have Red Long of Tropea. As the name suggest it’s a red torpedo-shaped onion. These fresh onions have a milder and sweeter flavor than the cured onions you get at the store. Since these are fresh rather than cured they should be refrigerated.

• Curlesi Endive - This endive variety looks a lot like the frisee we had last week, and it’s preparations are similar as well! It is a slightly bitter green that can go in salads or it can be seared or wilted.

• Beets.

• Carrots

• Summer squash

• Zucchini

• Slicing cucumbers

• Pickling cucumbers

• Cabbage

• Kale

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Snap beans - both green and purple!

• Sunflowers

• Herbs - sage, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, parsley, dill, and basil

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have flower bouquets, tomatoes, eggplant and possibly some cherry tomatoes at the end of the week. In addition we will have sweet corn from Verrill Farm, mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s.

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

The PYO Flower garden is now open to both Flower CSA members and to the general public. Varieties available include snapdragons, zinnias, marigolds, gomphrena, strawflower, celosia, statice, ammi, rudbeckia, scabiosa, cosmos and amaranth. Please pick flowers above branching points so that we can enjoy the plants for the next 2 months. Picking hours are during any farm store hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We recommend bringing your own pruners or scissors as well as water for transporting your flowers home.

Stir-Fried Garlic Green Beans

by Martha Rose Shulman, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed

• Salt to taste

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low-sodium if desired

• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil

Preparation:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt and add the green beans. Boil 1 minute, drain and rinse with cold water, then place on a kitchen towel to dry thoroughly. (If vegetables aren’t dry when you add them to the hot wok or pan, they will splutter and braise instead of stir-frying.) Place within reach of your wok or pan.

2. Combine the soy sauce and wine or sherry in a small bowl or measuring cup and place within reach of your wok or pan. Place the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in another small container near the burner.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan. Add the garlic and ginger, stir-frying for no more than 10 seconds, and then add the green beans. Toss together, then add the soy sauce and sherry and stir-fry for one to two minutes, until the beans are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and serve.

ZUCCHINI GRIDDLECAKES

By Adam Ried from The Boston Globe, August 19, 2007

MAKES ABOUT 24
2 1/2- TO 3-INCH CAKES

See below for several variations!

• 2 1/2 pounds (about 8) small to medium zucchini

• 1 medium onion

• 1 tablespoon plus

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly

• 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, or to taste

• 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons flour

• Corn, vegetable, or canola oil (for cooking)

Using the shredding disk in a food processor or the large holes on a box grater, shred or grate the zucchini (you should have about 8 cups) and the onion. Place the vegetables in a colander, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt, and mix. Place the colander over a bowl and let stand 30 minutes until mixture exudes about 1 cup of liquid. Rinse under cold water. Spread a clean dish towel on a work surface, place the mixture in the center, gather the corners of the towel, and twist to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a large bowl, and break up clumps with a wooden spoon.

Stir parsley, eggs, milk or half-and-half, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper into the zucchini and blend. Add the flour, and, using a rubber spatula, fold it into the zucchini mixture.

Set the oven rack to the center position and heat to 250 degrees. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Measure 2 or 3 tablespoons zucchini batter and pour into the pan to form a disk 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Repeat until the pan is filled, leaving about 1 inch between cakes. Cook cakes without moving (adjusting heat if pan becomes too hot) until the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 1/2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the cakes and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 3 1/2 minutes more. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and set in the warm oven. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.

VARIATIONS

Herb and Parmesan Substitute 6 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, chives, tarragon, basil, and chervil for the parsley and add 3/4 cup grated Parmesan with the flour.

Mint and feta Substitute 6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint for the parsley and add 3/4 cup of crumbled feta with the flour.

Thyme and corn Remove kernels from 2 ears of corn, about 2 cups. (See Fresh Corn Griddlecakes for instructions.) Follow the Zucchini Griddlecakes recipe using 4 zucchini instead of 8. Add the corn and 3/4 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme to the squeezed zucchini along with the parsley, eggs, milk or half-and-half, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper.

CSA Week 7 and Farm Stand Updates

This time of year one of the most frequent questions we get from CSA members is whether or not they can donate their veggies while they are away on vacation. The answer is yes! Every week after closing on Saturday, we put together a donation for the Boston Area Gleaners including any surpluses from both the CSA and the farm store. The Gleaners are a great non-profit organization based in Acton that collects produce from area farms to distribute to many food pantries in Greater Boston. We have been partnering with the Gleaners for many years now and find that is an easy way for us to give back. We don’t have to coordinate with multiple agencies to figure out what they are willing to take, and we don’t have to make any deliveries - the Gleaners come to us! As an added bonus, it helps us to clean out our coolers to make way for the next week’s harvest!

In the CSA this week:

• Ailsa Craig Onions - These fresh onions have a milder and sweeter flavor than the cured onions you get at the store. Since these are fresh rather than cured they should be refrigerated.

• Frisée - This is a slightly bitter leafy green that can add nice crunch to salads. It has some crunch, so it can also stand up to some wilting or sautéeing if you want to mellow the flavor.

• Mustard greens or Yukina Savoy - Because of the hotter temps we typically experience in July it is difficult to consistently produce greens because heat stresses these plants, negatively impacting both flavor and texture. Mustard and yukina both stand up better to heat than many other greens, so we will have one of these each pick-up day!

• Beets - we’ll have some golden beets and some red beet bunches.

• Carrots

• Potatoes - we continue to have red potatoes this week.

• Fennel

• Garlic scapes

• Summer squash

• Zucchini

• Slicing cucumbers

• Pickling cucumbers

• Cabbage

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Green beans

• Sunflowers

• Herbs - sage, thyme, oregano, chives, parsley, dill, and basil

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have the first of our own tomatoes, eggplant and pepper (all will be small quantities while production is ramping up), as well as mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s. We hope to have Verrill Farm sweet corn soon!

We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

This week the PYO flower field will only be open to Flower CSA members only until we have a higher quantity of blooms. However, we plan to have the field open to the general public by next week! PYO Flower CSA members should have received an email earlier today with more details.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

by Melissa Griffiths from Bless this Mess

Ingredients

• 1 cup water

• ⅓ cup vinegar (apple cider, white, and rice wine are all good)

• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt

• sliced garden cucumbers (about 2 cups)

• sliced onion or green onion (about ½ cup)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the cucumber and onion. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking.

2. All the cucumbers should be covered in the brine, if you have lots of cucumber or are making a big batch, make more brine.

3. Let the mixture rest in the fridge until you are ready to eat. The flavors develop over time, so an overnight soak is great but mine are normally gone by dinner.