the trustees of reservations
Chestnut Hill Farm
CSA Blog
A Trustees Property


CSA Info | CSA FAQs | Buy a Share | CSA Member Info & Hours | Apprentice | Who's Who | Contact Us | CSA History | Dairy Store | Visit Appleton Farms


Monday, October 24, 2016

Week 20: Final week of CSA. How did that happen?

Wow. I can't believe that a full season has already gone by. It has been a super challenging season for me, but I love a challenge and there are always up with the downs. The tomatoes were amazing- probably the best year I've ever had especially for look and taste- so sweet and juicy I just couldn't get enough of them. And it was so hot- they were all I wanted to eat anyway, dripping with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and layered with mozzarella cheese. Now as the season turns to cold, to windy days and chilly nights, we eat thick creamy stews, spicy pestos and pasta, bake heavy breads full of fruit and seeds. I will keep wishing that I had put up more jars (which I had no time for this summer at all) of everything and hoard every jar of salsa, jam and precious frozen tomato as I dream of next summer's bounty.
I love to tally up how much produce that we harvest during the season. Know that a few tally sheets were lost in the process or we didn't remember to write down a last minute, rush out and get another bushel of kale....and it doesn't include week 20's harvest,so the list below is actually light on the numbers, but it is still quite impressive at almost 40,000 lbs of produce!






CROP
total
unit
pyo
on farm

BEAN, EDAMAME
243.0
#
yes
243.0

BEAN, SNAP
2310.0
#
yes
2310.0

BEET
524.0
#
no
524.0

Bok Choi, baby
379.0
#
no
379.0

BROCCOLI
996.0
#
no
996.0

BRUSSELS' SPROUTS
0.0
pc
no
0.0
crop failure
CABBAGE
1859.0
hd
no
3718.0

CABBAGE, CHINESE
375.0
hd
no
750.0

CANTELOUPE
350.0
pc
no
350.0

CARROT
1491.0
#
no
1491.0

CAULIFLOWER
140.0
pc
no
280.0

CELERIAC
0.0
#
no
0.0

CELERY
189.0
pc
no
189.0

CHARD
1046.5
#
no
1046.5

CUCUMBER
581.0
#
no
581.0

DAIKON
140.0
pc
no
140.0

EGGPLANT
370.0
#
no
370.0

ESCAROLE
676.0
#
no
676.0

FENNEL
163.0
pc
no
81.5

GARLIC 
210.0
#
no
210.0

GARLIC (scapes)
96.0
#
no
96.0

GREENS
1099.5
#
no
1099.5

KALE
1322.0
#
no
1322.0

KOHLRABI
679.0
pc
no
339.5

LEEK
30.0
#
no
30.0

LETTUCE
690.0
#
no
690.0

LETTUCE
1987.0
hd
no
1987.0

ONION
352.0
#
no
352.0

Pac Choi
443.0
hd
no
443.0

PEA, SHELLING
0.0
#
yes
0.0
crop failure
PEA, SNAP
0.0
#
yes
0.0
crop failure
PEA, SNOW
0.0
#
yes
0.0
crop failure
PEPPER, HOT
30.0
#
no
30.0

PEPPER, SWEET
225.0
#
no
225.0

POTATO
3643.0
#
no
3643.0

POTATO, SWEET
0.0
#
no
0.0
crop failure
RADISH
142.0
bu
no
71.0

SCALLION
315.0
bu
no
315.0

SPINACH
65.0
#
no
65.0

SQUASH, SUMMER
4953.0
#
no
4953.0

SQUASH, WINTER
2400.0
#
no
2400.0
doesn’t include pumpkins
TOMATO, CHERRY
1890.0
#
yes
1890.0
assumes 1 quart/share
TOMATO, PLUM
720.0
#
yes
720.0

TOMATO, SLICING
2502.0
#
no
2502.0

TURNIP
534.0
#
no
534.0

WATERMELON
0.0
pc
no
0.0

Y - BASIL
131.0
#
no
131.0

ZF-STRAWBERRY
420.0
qt
yes
840.0



















total pounds food



39013.0


·        
   
We had the Fay School 7th Grade out here on the farm last week- they came in three groups over three days to volunteer and harvested your CSA last week, along with pulling nearly all of the plastic off the beds, irrigation lines and harvesting almost a thousand pounds of potatoes. It is amazing how much work such a team can get done and we are extremely grateful (and very tired having had to keep up with them) for all their hard work. While I wouldn't want to do it every week, I do look forward to watching those kids get super dirty and learn a little bit, at least, about how food is grown and where it comes from. 
     The last couple of weeks we like to remind you that CSA renewals are open, you should have gotten an email with a special link to renew for next year. If you do it now, then by the time next June rolls around, it will feel like the veggies are practically free. 
·     
  We also like to send around an end of season CSA survey  which will be emailed to you the first week of November. This is to help us build a better CSA for all of you, so please help us with constructive commentary, suggestions, etc. We are still new and trying to figure out what this community likes to eat as we grow and change to accommodate to what does/doesn't grow well on this land (spinach....i can't quite figure that one).  Please be kind and remember that we had a 10 week drought that was stressful for farmers and vegetables alike, but irrigation systems and a new well will be in place next season to alleviate any future issues. 
·     Trustee's meats grown by Trustees farmers- the NEW Meat CSA is happening with a drop off here at CHF on Tuesday afternoons. Get meat you can trust from farmers you can talk to. For more information, check out last week's post here. Our FARMSTAND will continue to be open for the next couple of weeks!!!! Keep checking our Facebook page for details.
    Thank you all for an incredible season! We grew a lot and you made it possible!!!!!

      

    What's in Your Share this Week (maybe):

      Salad mix
      Lettuce
      Kale/Chard
      Arugula
      Baby Bok Choi
      Pac Choi
      Red Cabbage
      Salad turnips
      Carrots
      Garlic
      Daikon Radish
      Red Radishes
      Broccoli/Cauliflower
      Winter Squash
      Celery/Celery root
      PUMPKINS- don't forget to take home your PUMPKIN!!!!


      Recipes: 

    Daikon radish- If you have never seen Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, you will be confused by my adoration of this incredible radish. In the movie, which is animated, a young girl is confronted by a number of spirits as she tries to free her parents and a strange dragon from a spell that binds them to a witch. One of those spirits is a Daikon Radish spirit- a benevolent spirit who briefly helps the main character. It is massive, white and kind. These massive roots bend and twist their way through the soil- and, like carrots, often come out looking remarkably man-shaped. I so love the idea of a vegetable spirit and so delight in the growing of these radishes, which grow huge in a small amount of time. They are mild, slightly tangy and don't have much bite. They are fantastic pickled, great crunch in your favorite stir fry or cole slaw. Enjoy them anywhere you would use carrots for a nice change. I've got a link here to a website with 10 ideas for using daikon in your next meal. 
   
   Daikon Radish Cakes- a twist on the latke. Yum.....from Allrecipes.com

    
      

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups grated daikon radish
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
 
  • 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha(R))
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions

  1. Place the daikon in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Drain daikon. Stir in the garlic, onion, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, paprika, and chili garlic sauce. Mix well. Form into 8, small round patties.
  3. Pour oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium heat. Fry patties in the hot oil until firm and nicely brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Events:

Our Monster Dash is SATURDAY!!!!!! What better way to test out your Halloween costume than to take it on the trails! All levels welcome for the 2k at 10am and kids fun run at 11am. We'll have some tricks and some treats and we can't wait to see your costumes. Join us for part or all of the event! 
UPDATE: With Southborough's pumpkin lighting reschedule for Sunday, October 30th, we're offering pumpkin carving and painting again! Run participants get a free pumpkin. Just coming to carve or paint? $5 per pumpkin. The races will end around noon but pumpkin crafts (and our Farmstand!) will be open until 2pm.

November 5th: 1-3pm Bring your saggy Jack-o-lanterns or uncarved pumpkin to our 1st Annual Great Pumpkin Chuck! We will be recruiting teams of Scouts, schools, and other engineer-minded folks from around the area to build their own "chuckers" (catapults, trebuchets, or other mechanical launchers. All simple-machines designs are welcome, no air pressure or explosives please!)
There will be an accuracy and distance competition followed by the chucking of the pumpkins. Watch your seasonal decor fly through the sky and be turned into compost while enjoying some light snacks on the farm.
Want to build a chucker? Contact Kira at kbaker@thetrustees.org.
   
     Book Bugs returns to the Farm on Friday, November 4th and December 2nd at 10:30am-11:30am. Kira will be focusing on a GREAT story with programming designed around that story- crafts, animal interaction and snack included in cost. Designed for kids ages 3-5!

    Saturnalia Saturday December 17th 3-6pm Help us welcome winter and ensure a bountiful spring by celebrating Saturn, the Roman Titan of Agriculture! Bring the whole family along to enjoy our version of this ancient seasonal tradition. We'll light candles, play games, have a feast by the fire, and learn to make our own pileus, felt hats worn by all Saturnalia revelers!

No comments:

Post a Comment