CSA Week 3: Biergarten Success, Volunteers and Weeds

Last week we sent our first round ofboxes off to various sites in Central and Eastern Mass. In case you didn't know, we are delivering 75 boxed vegetable shares all the way to Boston, Worcester and Hingham and three other locations in between. This may not seem like much, but it is up three fold from the 25 we were delivering last year and it is quite a production. It would be a lot harder on our small crew of four without the volunteer support from the students (and teachers and job coaches) from the New England Center for Children here in Southborough. They help us wash and sanitize our harvest bins, csa boxes, wash station and more. They also help us pack all those shares and get them out the door on time on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

Intel removing weeds from beans last week

In fact, we owe a lot to this season's volunteers, who are making a huge impact here at the farm. We've had volunteers helping in the greenhouse, building rabbit cages, harvesting, weeding and so much more. Corporate groups from Bose, Boston Scientific, Intel, and student groups from St. Mark's and more have joined us this season so far and we have more coming in the next few months! We have lots of volunteer opportunities so check out our website if you can spare a couple of hours to help us keep this place running smoothly.

We had over 800 attendees at this weekend's Notch Biergarten event and that is even with Saturday's  craptastic constant, dreary, chilly rain making Notch finally decide to close up early. If you came- thank you!!! and if you had to miss it, our next Biergarten weekend is Columbus Day weekend (yep,right in line with Harvest Fest and Heritage Day). 

To top it all off, right as the storm headed out last night at 1030pm, our last pregnant goat decided

Biergarten all set up and waiting for guests!

that it was finally time to give birth. She had a healthy set of twins, Munchkin and Mud, and two very tired farmers finally got to bed after a very busy and crazy weekend. 

Animal News:

The goats went on walkabout on Saturday ended up making a mad dash down Chestnut Hill Road. Many thanks to the neighbors that stepped up to corral them, block off the road and call us to help get them safely back up the one way road in the middle of the night. They are back at the main farmyard once again, to relearn that electric fences should be respected, and for some health and wellness checks (and for Marilyn to finally give birth) just in time for lots of goat tours on Sunday during the Biergarten. 

Events:

Come see us at the Southborough Library on Saturday from 11-2p for the Strawberry Social 2.0. There will be mini-strawberry shortcakes, book sale, crafts, goats on display, and more. Come have some treats with us!

Get your tickets for the July Family Farm dinner as we anticipate that they will go quite quickly and we usually sell out. As usual, it will be a catered dinner (though a different caterer than last season) with live music and a craft brewery will be joining us. Look for more details as we get closer to the day. July 20th!

Meet the Farmer is July 7th and we are themed around Pollinators. There will be farm tours to explore the various kinds of pollinators that we rely on in our vegetable fields from our honey bees  to native pollinators such as squash bumble bees and so many more. There will be a hands on 'build your own' native pollinator orchard mason bee house to bring home or hang in our orchard. 10a-Noon on Saturday July 7th. 

Farmstore:

If you haven't had a chance to browse the new items in our farmstore, we have some delicious things to accompany your vegetables home. 

Milk: We have milk from Crescent Ridge Creamery (in glass bottles so there is a bottle deposit, but you can return your bottle to us and get your money back!) Whole milk and 2% available!

Cheeses: Appleton Farm's Pinnacle, Good Hue and Sunset Hill are all back in our fridges at the store. These are all creamy, nutty and delicious. 

As you may have guessed- we have a honey shortage right now...but hope that our new hives will soon be cranking. 

Maple pints will be back in the store this week, and we are working on all kinds of new treats. Come check it out and remember to ask for your Trustees & CSA discount- 10% off in our farmstore.

What's in your Share this week (maybe):

Jesse packing full boxes to deliver to Weir River

Curly Kale (partially Appleton, partially us)

Head lettuce- Romaine and mini-butterhead

Salad mix

Beets

Rainbow Chard

Green garlic

Escarole (looks like lettuce but is much better cooked)

PYO: perennial herbs, strawbs are mostly done after last night's rain but you are welcome to try and find a pint 

Next week we should have squash & zukes and cukes, but they are just not here yet. Basil will hopefully be ready for its first pinching and flowers ready for mini-bouquets. 

Recipe of the Week:

Courtesy of www.dishingupthedirt.com a new food and farmer blog that I am enjoying. She has a cookbook and some truly yummy recipes! 

ROASTED BEET & CHICKPEA TACOS WITH HERB TAHINI SAUCE

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES    COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES    SERVES: 4

Tacos

• 3 medium sized beets, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch chunks
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 4 scallions, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, if from the can rinsed and drained, and patted dry
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt + pepper to taste
•  corn or flour tortillas for serving, lightly warmed in the oven if desired

Sauce

• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 scallion, diced
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2  cup basil, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dill, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt + pepper to taste

Garnishes

• micro greens
• minced dill & basil

 

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the chopped beets with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and cover the baking sheet with foil. Place in the oven and roast until tender. About 15 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking. Beets are done when they are can be easily pierced with a fork.
2. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high. Place the pine nuts in the skillet and toast until lightly browned on all sides. About 2-3 minutes. Shake the pan often and don't walk away! Burnt pine nuts are expensive!
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant. About 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are lightly browned. About 5-7 minutes. Mix in the cooked beets and stir everything together. Season with salt and pepper
4. Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients and whisking until smooth and creamy. This works best with an immersion blender or small food processor. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Divide the beets and chickpeas between tortillas (preferably warmed in the oven for a few minutes) sprinkle with pine nuts, drizzle with sauce, and garnish with micro greens, minced dill and basil if desired

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Taste test as you go. *Cooking times will vary depending on your oven and specific ingredients. *Have fun in the kitchen.

CSA Week 2: Hot, dry and dusty

Hoophouse is finished!!!

It's hard to believe that last year at this time, the field (we call it Middle Field West cause it's in the center of the farm) next to the parking lot had a pond in it and some migrating water fowl trying to live there for the summer. We are happy to be planting into that field in June- something we hadn't planned on- but are also a little dismayed by the continuing lack of any real rain. It is starting to get mighty dusty out there and I don't think I've ever had to turn on the irrigation so early in the season. Which, of course, means that I'm literally scrambling to get it all laid out and hooked up. Our new

well is still waiting for final bits before we can turn it on, so we are still watering the fields 7-14 beds at a time (for reference- we currently have more than have 160 beds of veggies planted) so it takes literally days to get water to baby plants. Hopefully by the end of this week the new well will be working and I can breathe a little easier as I turn on an acre at a time.
Our new hoophouse is complete! We are waiting for our new tiller so that we can get in and soften up the dirt and lay down some weedmat before we put in the late season tomatoes.

Events:

We are very excited about the upcoming Notch Traveling Biergarten coming to our little farm this weekend. This is a big set up- Notch Brewing Company out of Salem will be setting up tables and chairs in the orchard, we will be setting up games and preparing gorgeous snacks (our grass-fed beef sliders, burgers, Jesse's BBQ brisket sandwiches paired with my chipotle coleslaw), setting up tents for our other vendor guests- Lady Laurie's cakes and Wood-Fired Pizza. It is going to be a delicious and fun extravaganza and we hope you can join us this weekend starting on Friday night! Saturday is the Meters for Liters Fun Run!!! Event runs Friday evening from 4-9p; Saturday from Noon-9pm and Sunday from Noon to 6pm. Live music on Saturday!!!

I'm also excited about the new Art on the Trails exhibit across the street from the farm at the Beal's Preserve. This year's theme, Unexpected Gestures, is one that inspires the unusual and is meant to make you feel both off kilter and to fold in. Take a walk before CSA one day and wander through the magical woods of the preserve. (it is also dog-friendly, so it is a great place to take your pooch in the heat of the day).

Animal News:

Some of you may have heard about two sick kid goats that were poisoned by something that they ate in their new pasture. The story is that almost everything that they eat can be poisonous in large doses...but usually they don't eat too much of any one thing and so they almost never get sick. These two little cuties however, are weanlings from UMass and don't have their momma here at the farm telling them not to overindulge and they clearly ate something that made them very sick for a

few days. Luckily our vet, Cindy Fuhs from Still River Veterinary, was able to come first thing in the morning when we found them vomiting and barely able to walk. We got some charcoal into their bellies and gave them something for pain and then just had to wait. Within 12 hours they were already improving and I'm happy to report that they are going back out to pasture tomorrow morning. YAY!!!! (they are very very bored at this point)

What's in your share this week (maybe):

Salad mix
Head lettuces
Chard
Green garlic
Radishes (courtesy of Appleton Farms again)
Scallions
Baby bok choi (limited)
Arugula (limited)
PYO:
Strawberries are  going down pretty fast due to the extreme heat. They don't like to be this hot when they are fruiting and it causes them to get  stressed out. We probably don't have enough for picking this week and we might be seeing them done for the season :( I will keep you informed....
Perennial Herbs: Oregano, Thyme, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Sage

The good news is that the other herbs are getting close! We should be able to offer basil, parsley, cilantro and dill in another week or so!
The flowers are also getting close to picking time, but even though you see a lot of them flowering, they just don't have enough substance for us to let 170 shares worth of you into the gardens yet. Please be patient- it will mean a longer and more luscious season of gorgeous flowers if we let the plants get a little bigger.

Recipe of the week!

This sounds delightful and easy and I loved the blog I discovered it on. Inspiredtaste.net has lots of easy, delicious recipes with lots of options and little videos and tips for cooking to make the most out of your meal. Check it out!

10 Minute Lemon Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy Recipe

• PREP 5mins
• COOK 5mins
• TOTAL 10mins

Boy choy is a nutritious vegetable and an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A. It tastes mild and when cooked correctly has a light crunch at the bottom with wilted greens on top. When making the recipe below, it’s important not to burn the garlic. I love this when the garlic is well toasted, but if the garlic turns very dark brown, it will taste bitter. Another thing to note is that even when you have removed the bok choy from the pan, it continues to wilt and soften. So if you notice the garlic browning too much, it’s okay to transfer everything out of the pan a minute early.

Makes approximately 4 servings

YOU WILL NEED

1 pound baby bok choy

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Half of a lemon, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS

Remove any discolored outer stalks of the bok choy and discard them (or save for stock later). Place the bok choy into a colander and rinse with cool water, rubbing any grit or dirt from between the leaves. Trim the ends then slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. Or if they are large, cut into quarters. Pat dry.
Add the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to a wide room temperature skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to bubble around the garlic, but before the garlic starts to turn light brown.
Toss in the the boy choy and spread into one layer. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt then cook, without stirring, until the bottom is starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Flip then cook another 2 minutes or until the green leaves have wilted and the white bottoms are beginning to soften, but still have some crunch.
Transfer to a platter then squeeze 2 lemon wedges on top. A teaspoon or so of olive oil is nice,too. Serve with more lemon wedges on the side.

CSA Week 1: It's salad time!!!

Hoophouse going up in field!

Welcome to the 2018 CSA season- we are delighted to finally be harvesting the food we've been growing since March. As usual, we've had some successes and some failures as a result of all the things that can go right and wrong with nature, soil and weather. The weird but relatively warmer side of spring has meant that many things went in a little earlier than usual, so we should see some quicker arrivals of our favorite fruiting crops, but insects are hitting us hard this year. The not so cold winter meant that a lot of pest insects survived to torment our baby plants. We've been fighting them as best we can with row covers, rotations and more, but we are still seeing a lot more damage to our leafy greens and broccoli and cabbage crops than in past years and we've even had a crop failure in our spring cabbage. So sad- don't worry, we are going to be turning to other local growers to help supply our cabbage needs.
It hasn't all been a struggle...we have incredible incredible strawberries this year (and we thought we weren't going to have them at all!!!) Due to a stay on the construction of a new septic for public bathrooms for the summer, we were able to salvage our strawberry beds from the damage done by the excavators over the winter and the berries are abundant and incredible. And they are ready NOW!!!
I am going to encourage the use of reusable bags for all your produce. We go through a whopping ridiculous amount of plastic bags every year and we would like to see this number go down. There are reusable mesh bags for sale in our farmstore, but you can also buy them at nearly every grocery, online at Amazon, etc. They will get gross, but just toss them in the wash and they are good as new. Please consider getting at least a few so that we can move to eliminating plastic bags at the CSA!

Field happenings:

If you look up from picking strawberries and turn a little to the south, you will probably see the new

hoophouse going up in the field this week. We received a grant from NRCS to build this lovely piece of equipment which will allow us to grow nearly YEAR ROUND. This means a little more of our favorite tomatoes for a little longer in the season, fresh, local salad in February, and maybe even ginger grown right in your community. We are super excited to have this addition to our farmscape!
We also have our new well most of the way finished! This is so vital to our operation, we have been working for the past three seasons with a well that only has 7 gals of water per minute. That means we can only water 14 lines of drip tape at one time in the lower fields and we can't reach the upper fields at all with water because there just isn't enough pressure. The new well, which is at the point where it only needs its new electrical service, has 50gals of water per minute! WhooHOOOO!!! That's means 7x more water and almost 100 lines of irrigation at a time. That's more than an acre at a time and we can push plenty of water up the hill!

Goat info: 

As most of you know, we have increased our goat flock size to almost 60 animals. They are hard at work eliminating invasives all over the farm and most of them will soon be moving off farm for the summer so that they can do the same thing at Moose Hill Farm in Sharon, Weir River Farm in Hingham and other Trustees properties in Metrowest. This is pilot project partly funded by an Innovation Grant and we are super excited to participate. Using goats in a low impact, environmentally friendly manner to eliminate troublesome plants such as bittersweet, buckthorn, poison ivy and many others is a long term sustainable alternative to herbicides. And for the moment, we are sorry, they are not available to come to your house/yard. :) Maybe we will be able to work that in in the future, but right now, there is a lot of conservation land that also needs our help.

Goats just turned on to stone wall

Events:

Notch Brewing Biergarten is coming to Chestnut Hill Farm on June 22-24!!! Notch Brewing Company from Salem, MA will present their German-style beer garden experience right here in our orchard. Come enjoy a delicious cold brew and relax in the glorious beauty of the farm at twilight. There will be delicious grass-fed burgers for sale with farm-made cole slaw and salads.
Friday June 22- 4-9pm
Saturday June 23 Noon-9pm
Sunday June 24 Noon-6pm

Our first Friday Farm Dinner is in July and these are popular and amazing so don't miss out on the fun and sign up early. There is gorgeous food, great live music, cash bar and the BEST company around.

Same wall after grazing 24 hours

What's in Your Share!

Butterhead Lettuce
Salad mix
Radishes (courtesy of Appleton Farms)
Spinach
Arugula
Baby Bok Choy
Rainbow Chard
PYO- Strawberries
PYO- Perennial Herbs (oregano, sage, thyme, lemon balm)


Recipe of the Week: EAT YOUR SALAD!
There's a whole lot of goodness in just a salad- toss in a little arugula into your mixed lettuce, add some strawbs, add a little oil and vinegar and it is perfect or dress it up with all kinds of deliciousness and make it your whole meal. Enjoy this return to the freshness of CSA lettuce and greens. They were harvested this morning folks- it doesn't really get any fresher.