It's now officially the driest spring we've had in over 25 years.  We're watering around the clock, but only managing to keep the plants alive.  Some of our lettuces and cabbages are suffering from the lack of water and may have some brown spots inside, due to stress from the drought.  Just cut off those spots and rest is fine to eat!  We've also begun harvesting our cucumbers and zucchinis this week.  These plants will produce fruit for several weeks before slowing down.  You can expect to find them in your shares on and off for the better part of the summer months.  We have 2 plantings of zucchini and 3 plantings of cucumbers, with spacing of a week or two between them.

Notes from the fields

Some of the things we've been doing around here....Irrigating the crops non-stop, tying tomatoes, cultivating crops, seeding successive plantings in the greenhouse and harvesting the weekly shares for you!

This week's harvest

I'm pointing to the napa cabbage in this picture. 
Not to be confused with the romaine lettuce on the right!

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Fennel
If you think licorice when you think fennel...think again and cook it!  It looses its stronger flavor when cooked and it's great in minestrone soups or as the star of the show when braised or sliced thinly in salads. 
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Braised Fennel

Romaine Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Salad!

Cilantro OR Parsley
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Cold buckwheat noodle salad with cilantro (or parsley) and ginger & garlic

Beets
So excited for our first harvest of beets!  Remember that the beet greens are delicious on their own.  Separate them from the beet roots before storing.  You can cook the greens like spinach - delicious gently steamed or sauteed and topped with butter and salt & pepper.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Roasted Beet Salad with Basil Pesto!

Basil
It's been many years since we had such a great crop of basil.  This makes a heavenly basil pesto that you can spread on EVERYTHING!  Pasta, sandwiches, crackers, a dip for veggies and more!
Storage: Bouquet-style in a glass on the counter (up to 1 day) or fridge (up to 3 days)
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Basil Pesto

Napa Cabbage
This cabbage variety makes a great slaw and salad!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Napa Cabbage Salad

Zucchini
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced and grilled!

Cucumbers
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced for a snack!

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

Recipes!

Basil Pesto
Caramelized Fennel Bulbs with Goat Cheese *STAR RECIPE*
Simple Braised Fennel
Napa Cabbage Salad with Cilantro & Almonds
Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad

The farm is so dry!  There's no rain in the forecast, so we've been irrigating around the clock!  The heat is speeding up a lot of our summer crops like zucchini and cucumbers...coming to the shares very soon!

Notes from the fields

We spent Father's Day morning doing some family crop scouting.  The cucumbers are about the size of my thumb, but the zucchini is just about ready to harvest!  Zucchini plants produce their fruit daily, so it's quite a feat to keep up with picking.  When the zucchini are fully fruiting, you can expect to see them in the shares for many weeks in a row.  Then we'll give you a break before we start harvesting from the second planting.  We should start the harvest for all of you by next week, so get your zucchini recipes ready!

This week's harvest

Escarole
A member of the endive family, escarole is wonderful in soup and the inside leaves are perfect in a salad. It has a mellow bitter flavor that disappears when cooked.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: White Bean & Escarole Soup with the outer leaves, Escarole Salad with Gruyere with the tender inner leaves.

Red Kale
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Kale smoothies, Tuscan Kale Salad

Mini Romaine Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Lettuce "boats"

Boston Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Perfect Green Salad

Beets
So excited for our first harvest of beets!  Remember that the beet greens are delicious on their own.  Separate them from the beet roots before storing.  You can cook the greens like spinach - delicious gently steamed or sauteed and topped with butter and salt & pepper.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Boiled and sliced with butter and salt. The greens steamed and served the same way.

Scallions
Green onions, or scallions, are so versatile in the kitchen. They can also be the star of the show if you grill them or make scallion pancakes.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Scallion Pancakes

Kohlrabi
A member of the cabbage family, kohlrabi makes a delicious summer slaw!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Kohlrabi Slaw or just sliced and snacked on!

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

Recipes!

Scallion Pancakes
Kohlrabi Slaw with Cilantro, Jalapeno & Lime
Escarole & White Bean Soup
Escarole and White Bean Salad with Fennel & Gruyere

What a glorious week of weather!  It feels more like spring than summer and we've all been wearing our sweaters around the farm on these chilly mornings. We've also welcomed a wonderful crew of local high school students who are picking all the strawberries for your CSA shares.  They are averaging about 350 quarts per picking day, so that's why we're rotating them through all our groups.  You'll receive them in your box some time this month!

Notes from the fields

This week we've been turning in our cover crops and starting to plant our summer crops like tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.  Our zucchini and cucumber plants are already starting to produce little fruit, so they will be coming soon!  It's also been extremely dry, so we're spending a ridiculous amount of time moving pipes around the fields and irrigating every square inch of planted land.  Irrigation is essential because we have very sandy soil that drains away the moisture in a matter of hours.  FIelds that we had watered heavily just a few days ago are now bone dry. And so it goes...

This week's harvest

Toscano Kale
Also known as Tuscan or Dinosaur kale, this is a great variety for soups or for making kale chips!
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Kale chips - the kids love them!

Red Radishes
The radishes are almost finished, as they're an early-season crop.  Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced on my avocado breakfast toast!

Boston Lettuce
Boston or Butter Lettuce only grows in the cooler weather of the spring and fall.  It has very tender leaves and is a delicacy this time of year, so dress it lightly.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Perfect Green Salad

Spinach
Freshly harvested and tender.  Perfect for salads - fresh or slightly wilted.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Spinach salad with sliced eggs and red onion in a dijon vinaigrette

Cilantro
The whole barn smelled like cilantro today!  There are so many wonderful ways to use it - try one of the recipes below.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Cilantro Pesto and a bunch in my guacamole!

Bok Choi
A wonderful Asian green.  You can eat the whole thing - leaves and stem.  Just slice off the very bottom where the stems meet.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Bok Choi & Miso

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

Recipes!

Stir-fried Bok Choi with Miso
Perfect Kale Chips
Cilantro Pesto
Wilted Spinach Salad with Feta and Caramelized Onions
Halloumi Cheese with Cilantro Salad and Lime & Caper Vinaigrette

We hope you all enjoyed last week's first box.  This week we're back with more early-season greens, plus garlic scapes, which I know many of you have been waiting for since last June! Farmer Matt and I took a walk through the fields last night to check on the crops and I snapped this photo of a bouquet I pulled together from our cover crop planting of Austrian field peas and triticale. When we're not growing a crop for harvest, we plant cover crops to build soil fertility by fixing nitrogen (essentially growing our own fertilizer), providing biomass and structure for the soil and serving as a habitat and food source for pollinators.  It's also super pretty!  Very shortly we will turn in this field and plant crops in its place for fall harvest. 

Strawberry Update: Our strawberries are ripening in the field and we will begin harvesting and distributing them in the shares to everyone over the course of the next few weeks.  Please be patient, as berry picking is very labor-intensive and time-consuming.  We will slowly work our way through the fields and through each group on each day of delivery.  We're aiming to get them in the shares for every member one time this month!  No U-Pick this season.  We feel that including them in the shares is the best and safest way to get them to all of you to enjoy!

Notes from the fields

It's warm and sunny...just what our plants need to GROW!  Here's our second planting of arugula before it was harvested on Monday morning for our Tuesday members.  Everything in the shares is harvested the day before delivery straight from the fields. 

We found a window on Saturday to get our tomatoes in the ground.  It's been too wet to get into the field with our equipment to plant them until then.  They're a little behind schedule, but they should catch up and begin producing in August.  Something to look forward to!

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This week's harvest

*IMPORTANT NOTE ON CLEANING PRODUCE*
Everything in the shares comes in straight from the fields to our Washing Room where our farm team carefully washes it with fresh, clean water.   You should wash all produce a second time when you get it home.  This will ensure that all soil is removed and that it is ready to eat!

Arugula
Harvested by hand because it's so tender, be careful to wash this arugula gently and dress with a light vinaigrette.  The peppery flavor is still subtle, as the weather has been cool.  Wonderful in salads or on sandwiches.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan and a light vinaigrette (recipe in last week’s newsletter.)

Red Kale
Hands-down the best kale variety, which is why we grow it!  Remove the center stem, as it's too tough for most recipes. 
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Half the bunch is going in a White Bean & Kale soup, the other half is going in our morning "green monster" smoothies.

Collards
This green is wonderful slow-cooked in soups or used as a wrap! 
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked/Steamed as a wrap
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Asian Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce (recipe below)

Boston Lettuce
Boston or Butter Lettuce only grows in the cooler weather of the spring and fall.  It has very tender leaves and is a delicacy this time of year.  See the recipe below to master the perfect salad!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Perfect Green Salad (recipe below)

Garlic Scapes
These are a real delicacy this time of year.  The scape is the flower bud of the garlic plant.  You just remove the bulbous part at the tip and the rest of the stem is edible and has a delicious gentle garlic flavor. They are perfect grilled or made into garlic scape pesto.  A CSA favorite!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Tossed with olive oil and salt and grilled until tender.  Or, I may make garlic scape pesto.  Tough decision...

ITEM IN ROTATION: Bunching Broccoli OR Japanese Salad Turnips
Throughout the season we will often have "Items in Rotation" in the shares.  This means that we have items that we can't harvest for everyone in the same week due to them growing at different rates, or due to timing for our crew.  We keep careful track of who gets what and we make sure that everyone receives the same variety by the end of the season.  The turnips don't need to be peeled, just washed.  They are surprisingly juicy and yummy eaten raw.  The tops of the turnips are delicious when cooked like spinach.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. For the turnips, separate the bottoms from the greens before storing.  They will stay fresher that way! 
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Bunching Broccoli with garlic and olive oil OR Sliced Turnips sprinkled with sea salt as an appetizer and the green tops sauteed gently with butter and salt. (The tops of the turnips are delicious!  You can cook them just like spinach.)

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

Recipes!

Asian Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Thai Chicken Collard Wraps
Grilled Garlic Scapes with Sea Salt
Garlic Scape Pesto

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child
that knows poems by heart.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

Welcome, dear friends, to the first week of the CSA!  We have been tending to our crops for months in anticipation of this week's first harvest.  The lettuce seeds that Galen (age 10) helped plant in the greenhouse back in March have now grown to the size of dinner plates.  The arugula seeds that Farmer Matt seeded in the field just 3 weeks ago have grown up enough to be harvested in their "baby" stage for tender salads. Farming is a dance with Mother Nature. It keeps us on our toes and bring us to our knees.  It is both magical and challenging and we couldn't imagine spending our days any other way.  We look forward to sharing with you the bounty of our harvests all season long!

Please familiarize yourself with the format of our newsletters below.  First, we include a weekly update from the farm with important information about the status of the crops.  Then you'll find a list of what we're harvesting for your shares.  Below that, some of our favorite recipes from our farmhouse kitchen or from our favorite chefs, cookbooks or food blogs.  Several times a month we will send out a newsletter with more in-depth information about our farming practices and photos from the previous weeks. Thank you for joining us and Bon Appétit!

Much love,

Maggie for Farmer Matt, Kelly, Galen, Zinny & The Crew

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A NOTE ON QUALITY

We are committed to growing the highest-quality produce for our CSA membership.  While we do our best to check the quality of everything that comes in from the fields before packing it into your shares, once in a while something gets past us.  If you receive an item in your share that does not meet our high standards, please let us know right away and we will replace it the following week.  Do not wait to inform us of an issue or we may no longer have the chance to replace it for you.  We want you to be absolutely delighted with the CSA!

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Notes from the fields

It's been an unusually cool spring, which means that our crops have been growing slowly in the field.  We start the season in February by seeding our transplanted crops in the greenhouse.  Transplants are baby plants that we give a head start in the warm greenhouse before we move them out to the field.  Many of these crops are seeded in successions so that we have a steady supply for your share boxes.  This includes all the lettuce which is a "one-cut" crop.  This means that the one seed we plant grows into one lettuce head and once it's harvested for one member, that's the end of it.  Kale, on the other hand, grows into a big plant that we can harvest single leaves from over the course of a few weeks.  The plant keeps growing and producing leaves and we can keep cutting from it and making bunches of kale like you're getting in this week's share.  This week's warmer temperatures and sunshine should make our plants very happy and we're anticipating seeing a lot of new growth! 

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This week's harvest

*IMPORTANT NOTE ON CLEANING PRODUCE*
Everything in the shares comes in straight from the fields to our Washing Room where our farm team carefully washes it with fresh, clean water.   You should wash all produce a second time when you get it home.  This will ensure that all soil is removed and that it is ready to eat!

Arugula
Harvested by hand because it's so tender, be careful to wash this arugula gently and dress with a light vinaigrette.  The peppery flavor is still subtle, as the weather has been cool.  Wonderful in salads or on sandwiches.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan and a light vinaigrette (recipe below)

Red Kale
Hands-down the best kale variety, which is why we grow it!  Remove the center stem, as it's too tough for most recipes. 
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Half the bunch is going in a White Bean & Kale soup, the other half is going in our morning "green monster" smoothies.

Bok Choi
The texture of bok choi is the best part of this Asian green.  You eat the whole thing - leaf and stem.  Just remove about 1/8" at the very base of the stem.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Braised Bok Choi (recipe below)

Boston Lettuce
Boston or Butter Lettuce only grows in the cooler weather of the spring and fall.  It has very tender leaves and is a delicacy this time of year.  See the recipe below to master the perfect salad!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Perfect Green Salad (recipe below)

French Breakfast Radishes
Just the prettiest radish!  The French have a wonderful tradition of eating them with butter and salt, which is surprisingly good!  For those who don't prefer their spicy bite, you can easily roast them (recipe below) and their greens are edible too when cooked.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. 
Separate the roots from the greens before storing.  Greens can be cooked or you can compost them.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: On an appetizer platter - radishes, butter, flaked salt, hummus dip and some almonds

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

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Recipes!

A Recipe to Master: Perfect Green Salad & Vinaigrette
French Breakfast Radishes with Butter & Salt
Braised Baby Bok Choi
Roasted Radishes & Radish Greens

This is our final week of the winter share and we're excited to distribute these beautiful parsnips!  Parsnips are sweet and are best in dishes that allow their flavor to deepen by roasting or baking.  Golden Globe turnips are also making an appearance in the boxes.  They are one of Farmer Matt's favorite vegetables, especially delicious when mashed with butter or live oil and salt & pepper.  You can also roast them or add them to soups.

We hope you've enjoyed eating all these delicious, traditional winter roots and storage crops over the last few months.  They have given our bodies the nourishment, warmth and grounding that we need when the weather is cold.  Now with spring just around the corner, our bodies are getting ready for more toning, fresh vegetables like shoots and green leaves.  When we eat with the seasons and follow nature's lead, our bodies become more balanced, and balanced bodies are at the heart of healthy bodies. 

Are you joining us for our regular full-season CSA starting up in June?  If you haven't already signed up, please don't forget to do so soon!  https://goldenearthworm.com/our-csa-program

Warmest wishes from the farm,
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Galen, Zinny, Kelly & Crew

FIND MORE RECIPES FOR ALL THE VEG IN YOUR BOX!  If you need recipes that are not included in the newsletter, we have a massive recipe index on our website where you can search by vegetable here: http://goldenearthworm.com/cropswegrow/

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON PRODUCE STORAGE -- Your root veggies will hold up for a full month AS LONG AS YOU STORE THEM PROPERLY.  Sweet potatoes don't like to be cold, so a cool spot is best.  The other root vegetables should be stored separately from the cabbage, but they can be stored together, also in airtight bags in the fridge.  What do I mean by airtight?  Ziplocks are good, as are regular plastic bags that are closed/sealed well at the top.  You can also use glass or stainless containers with tight fitting lids.  The idea is to lock in the moisture so that the veggies stay fresh and don't turn soft and limp.  The potatoes should be stored in a cool (not cold), DARK place.  Our good friend, chef and blogger, Alexa Weitzman, has written a great article about Winter CSA full of tips and tricks to eat well all winter long!  http://sustainablepantry.com/2018/12/10/csa-winter-share-tips/

What's in the share?

Carrots
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Red Beets
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Yellow Potatoes - These are a great all-around variety for roasting and potato salads.
Storage: In an cool (not cold) space. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Golden Globe Turnips - You must peel these! Wonderful steamed and mashed.
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Parsnips - Delicious roasted, mashed or baked. 
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.
 

BRIERMERE FARM APPLE SHARE - Granny Smith & Pink Lady Apple Varieties

Recipes!

Parsnip Beetroot Gratin
Easy Mashed Golden Globe Turnips
Jaques Pepin's Potato Pancakes
(works with the potatoes in this week's share!)

Happy February!  It's feeling a lot more like spring than winter around here.  Last week our soil arrived!  We'll start seeding in the greenhouse in about three weeks and then we can officially kick off our 2020 growing season.  Until then, more bookkeeping, crop planning, equipment repair and servicing projects await!  We hope you're joining us for our regular season.  You'll find the enrollment information on our website.  

Warmest wishes from the farm,
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Galen, Zinny, Kelly & Crew

FIND MORE RECIPES FOR ALL THE VEG IN YOUR BOX!  If you need recipes that are not included in the newsletter, we have a massive recipe index on our website where you can search by vegetable here: http://goldenearthworm.com/cropswegrow/

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON PRODUCE STORAGE -- Your root veggies will hold up for a full month AS LONG AS YOU STORE THEM PROPERLY.  Sweet potatoes don't like to be cold, so a cool spot is best.  The other root vegetables should be stored separately from the cabbage, but they can be stored together, also in airtight bags in the fridge.  What do I mean by airtight?  Ziplocks are good, as are regular plastic bags that are closed/sealed well at the top.  You can also use glass or stainless containers with tight fitting lids.  The idea is to lock in the moisture so that the veggies stay fresh and don't turn soft and limp.  The potatoes should be stored in a cool (not cold), DARK place.  Our good friend, chef and blogger, Alexa Weitzman, has written a great article about Winter CSA full of tips and tricks to eat well all winter long! http://sustainablepantry.com/2018/12/10/csa-winter-share-tips/

What's in the share?

Carrots
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Red Beets
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Yellow Potatoes - These are a great all-around variety for roasting and potato salads.
Storage: In an cool (not cold) space. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Russet Potatoes - These are a great variety for baking or mashing! 
Storage: In an cool (not cold) space. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Purple Top Turnips - These are a storage turnip very similar to a rutabaga.  They are delicious cut into matchsticks and roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt, or steamed and mashed. You must peel these! 
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Watermelon Radish
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Sweet Potatoes
Storage: In a cool, but not cold spot. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 2 weeks.

BRIERMERE FARM APPLE SHARE - Fuji, Pink Lady & Cameo Apple Varieties

Recipes!

Watermelon Radish with Herbed Tahini Dressing
Simple Carrot Soup
Roasted Turnips with Citrus Miso Butter

Happy New Year, friends!  What a wonderful way to kick off the new year with such beautiful, nutritious food to nourish our bodies. 
I know I'm looking forward to juicing some of the carrots and beets, making yummy roasted root vegetables, enjoying crunchy watermelon radish salads and cabbage stir-fries.  What's on your winter menus?

As we settle into our winter routines here on the farm, Farmer Matt and I are finalizing our plans for the upcoming season.  Stay tuned to your inbox as we open registration for CSA 2020 later this week!

Warmest wishes from the farm,
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Galen, Zinny, Kelly & Crew

FIND MORE RECIPES FOR ALL THE VEG IN YOUR BOX!  If you need recipes that are not included in the newsletter, we have a massive recipe index on our website where you can search by vegetable here: http://goldenearthworm.com/cropswegrow/

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON PRODUCE STORAGE -- Your root veggies will hold up for a full month AS LONG AS YOU STORE THEM PROPERLY.  Sweet potatoes don't like to be cold, so a cool spot is best.  The other root vegetables should be stored separately from the cabbage, but they can be stored together, also in airtight bags in the fridge.  What do I mean by airtight?  Ziplocks are good, as are regular plastic bags that are closed/sealed well at the top.  You can also use glass or stainless containers with tight fitting lids.  The idea is to lock in the moisture so that the veggies stay fresh and don't turn soft and limp.  The potatoes should be stored in a cool (not cold), DARK place.  Our good friend, chef and blogger, Alexa Weitzman, has written a great article about Winter CSA full of tips and tricks to eat well all winter long!  http://sustainablepantry.com/2018/12/10/csa-winter-share-tips/ 

What's in the share?

Carrots - Orange & Rainbow varieties!
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Green Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Red and/or Golden Beets
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Russet Potatoes - These are a great variety for baking or mashing! 
Storage: In an cool (not cold) space. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Purple Top Turnips - These are a storage turnip very similar to a rutabaga.  They are delicious cut into matchsticks and roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt, or steamed and mashed. You must peel these! 
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Watermelon Radish
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Sweet Potatoes
Storage: In a cool, but not cold spot. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 2 weeks.
 

BRIERMERE FARM APPLE SHARE - Honeycrisp & Jonagold Varieties

Recipes!

Watermelon Radish and Cilantro Salad with Lemon & Garlic
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Parmesan Crusted Turnips
Apple, Carrot, Beet & Ginger Juice (even if you don't have a juicer!)

Hello friends!  Welcome to the first week of our Winter CSA Program.  We've been harvesting these root vegetables from our fields over the past month and storing them in our coolers where they will remain fresh for you all winter long.  Our storage system is similar to a root cellar.  In the "olden days", everyone would rely on the food put away in their root cellars to keep them nourished all winter long.  Our bodies crave root vegetables in stews and roasts during these winter months.  Root vegetables are "grounding foods"...the energy is built up in the plants all season long and is stored inside the roots.  Whether you are aware of it or not, we are part of a very intricate web of life, and eating with the seasons just means tuning into what Mother Nature already provides for us at just the time we need it.  It is healthier to eat what's available in a given season, and our bodies instinctively know it.  Root vegetables are also sweeter than the leaves and the fruits we are accustomed to eating in the warmer months.  This natural sugar helps with digestion and provides stable energy for our bodies without blood sugar highs.  Root vegetables are also high in minerals and nutrients directly absorbed from the soil. Our soil is particularly rich in macro- and micro-nutrients as we have been building and fine-tuning it for over 2 decades.  Healthy soil grows healthy plants and healthy plants grow healthy people!  

We wish you and your families a very happy and joyous holiday season!

Warmest wishes from the farm,
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Galen, Zinny, Kelly & Crew

FIND MORE RECIPES FOR ALL THE VEG IN YOUR BOX!  If you need recipes that are not included in the newsletter, we have a massive recipe index on our website where you can search by vegetable here: http://goldenearthworm.com/cropswegrow/

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON PRODUCE STORAGE -- Your root veggies will hold up for a full month AS LONG AS YOU STORE THEM PROPERLY.  Sweet potatoes don't like to be cold, so a cool spot is best.  The other root vegetables should be stored separately from the cabbage, but they can be stored together, also in airtight bags in the fridge.  What do I mean by airtight?  Ziplocks are good, as are regular plastic bags that are closed/sealed well at the top.  You can also use glass or stainless containers with tight fitting lids.  The idea is to lock in the moisture so that the veggies stay fresh and don't turn soft and limp.  The potatoes should be stored in a cool (not cold), DARK place.  Our good friend, chef and blogger, Alexa Weitzman, has written a great article about Winter CSA full of tips and tricks to eat well all winter long!  http://sustainablepantry.com/2018/12/10/csa-winter-share-tips/

What's in the share?

Carrots
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Green Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Red and/or Golden Beets
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Potatoes - These are a waxy variety - perfect for roasting.  My trick to roasting potatoes is to roast with a top on the baking dish.  Foil works well too.  The point is to steam the potatoes.  Once tender, remove the top and continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes until nicely browned. 
Storage: In an cool (not cold) space. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Large Japanese Salad Turnips
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Watermelon Radish
Storage: In an airtight bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked. When to use: Within 3 weeks.

Sweet Potatoes
Storage: In a cool, but not cold spot. Uses: Cooked. When to use: Within 2 weeks.

PLUS...a bonus item!
 

BRIERMERE FARM APPLE SHARE - Pink Lady & Fuji Apples

Recipes!

Simple Sauteed Cabbage
Creamy Thai Carrot Soup with Basil
Roasted Japanese Turnips
Sweet Potato Galette
Julia Child's Best Balsamic Roasted Beets

This is the final week of the CSA for our 2019 season!

Farmer Matt and our crew have been busy harvesting everything out of the fields this past week and we have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday box for you!  We want to take this opportunity to give thanks to YOU for your support and membership and for trusting in our family to grow food for your family. We have dedicated our lives to this important work of farming, nourishing, feeding, connecting... and our CSA is at the heart of it all.

We can't forget to give thanks to our amazing farm crew without whom we could not feed you.  They come in early and stay late, harvesting through rainstorms and blazing heat... Together we plant, transplant, stake, irrigate, weed, mulch, harvest, wash, pack and deliver.  What a team! 

We will be making plans for our 2020 season over the next few months and we'll send out an e-mail when we open the enrollment.  Until then, we send you all our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and joyous holiday season!  See you for the Winter CSA or back here in June!

Warm wishes and love from the farm,
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Farmer Galen, Little Farmer Zinny & Crew!

♥

There will be a make-up delivery on Tuesday, November 26th for the following locations due to a missed delivery back in July:
Rockville Centre (all locations), Valley Stream, Forest Hills, APEC/Douglaston, Farmspot (Jackson Heights), Sunnyside, Flushing, Syosset and Port Washington - Main Street. 

SIGN UP for our CSA WINTER SHARE!
CSA withdrawal is a real thing...especially when you're faced with shopping for weeks- or months-old produce at the grocery store again.  Lifeless greens, tasteless carrots.  It's a bad time.  But you don't have to despair!  You can still eat local this winter!  Our Winter Share is primarily a root vegetable share with deliveries once a month from December through March.  Don't expect tomatoes and fresh greens.  This is straight-up authentic winter food - exactly what your grandparents (or great-grandparents) would have eaten all winter long back when growing your own food and eating what was in season was just what you did!
You can learn more and sign up here:
https://goldenearthworm.com/-winter-csa-share

What's in the share?

So much goodness! All of this will store well for your Thanksgiving meal next week. Just follow the storage instructions!

Celeriac (Celery Root)
This is not an attractive vegetable, but it's so wonderful mashed for Thanksgiving or used in soups. It tastes like celery and it's easy to prepare once you remove the thick skin with a knife.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Radicchio
I can't get enough of radicchio salads with balsamic, olive oil, sliced parmesan and garlic. But if you're not into the bitter flavor, just cook it! The flavor mellows wonderfully.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Carrots
Storage: Separate the roots from the greens, then store in an an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked/Raw When to use: Within 10 days.

Savoy Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Butternut Squash
Remember this: Wash and make some knife holes in the flesh. Then roast WHOLE on a baking sheet at 400F until tender. Done. Ready for soup, risotto, mashed side dish, etc.
Storage: Store in a cool spot. Uses: Cooked When to use: On the counter for up to 2 weeks should be fine.

Leeks
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Cauliflower
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Sweet Potatoes
Storage: In a cool, NOT cold spot. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 10 days.

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Celeriac Mash
Braised Leeks with Lemon
Roasted Cauliflower & Coconut Soup
Roasted Radicchio Salad with Ricotta & Dates
Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Applesauce Vinaigrette and Mustard Seeds

This week marks week #24 out of our 25 week season. 
NEXT WEEK is the final week of our CSA season, the week of November 18th. We're putting together a very large share for the final harvest, including favorites for your holiday table! 

There will be a make-up delivery on Tuesday, November 26th for the following locations due to a missed delivery back in July:
Rockville Centre (all locations), Valley Stream, Forest Hills, APEC/Douglaston, Farmspot (Jackson Heights), Sunnyside, Flushing, Syosset and Port Washington - Main Street. 

SIGN UP for our CSA WINTER SHARE!
CSA withdrawal is a real thing...especially when you're faced with shopping for weeks- or months-old produce at the grocery store again.  Lifeless greens, tasteless carrots.  It's a bad time.  But you don't have to despair!  You can still eat local this winter!  Our Winter Share is primarily a root vegetable share with deliveries once a month from December through March.  Don't expect tomatoes and fresh greens.  This is straight-up authentic winter food - exactly what your grandparents (or great-grandparents) would have eaten all winter long back when growing your own food and eating what was in season was just what you did!
You can learn more and sign up here:
https://goldenearthworm.com/-winter-csa-share

Have a great week, friends!
XO Maggie for Farmer Matt, Kelly & the Crew

♥

What's in the share?

A quick note on this week's share...due to the freezing temperatures forecast for mid-week, we've had to harvest for 3 days of deliveries in one day. GO FARM TEAM! That means that the quantity of this week's share has been slighly reduced. But it's all coming to you next week, so get ready! Next week's final share box will be FULL of delicious goodies for your Thanksgiving holiday table and beyond. All of these veggies will last for weeks (or even months) if stored properly. So please pay attention to the storage notes. See you next week for our final share of the season. :(

Carrots
Storage: Separate the roots from the greens, then store in an an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked/Raw When to use: Within 10 days.
What I'm making with it.... Roasted carrots with cumin (recipe below)

Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Braised cabbage

Butternut Squash
Remember this: Wash and make some knife holes in the flesh. Then roast WHOLE on a baking sheet at 400F until tender. Done. Ready for soup, risotto, mashed side dish, etc.
Storage: Store in a cool spot. Uses: Cooked When to use: On the counter for up to 2 weeks should be fine.
What I'm making with it.... As a side dish for Thankgiving with fried sage leaves.

Potatoes
Storage: In a cool, DARK spot. Ok in the fridge. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 10 days.
What I'm making with it.... Roasted potatoes for breakfast.

Kale OR Collards
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... I'm throwing it in a minestrone soup.

Watermelon Radish
Slice into these radishes and you'll find out how they got their name! You can eat them raw OR roasted. I like them sliced into matchsticks and tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, fresh garlic and cilantro.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Radish salad! (recipe below)

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Caramelized Cumin-Roasted Carrots
Classic Cabbage with Bacon & Thyme
Watermelon Radish & Cilantro Salad with Lemon and Garlic

This week marks week #23 out of our 25 week season. 
Please mark your calendars for the final week of our CSA season,
the week of November 18th.

There will be a make-up delivery on Tuesday, November 26th for the following locations due to a missed delivery back in July: Rockville Centre (all locations), Valley Stream, Forest Hills, APEC/Douglaston, Farmspot (Jackson Heights), Sunnyside, Flushing, Syosset and Port Washington - Main Street. 

SIGN UP for our CSA WINTER SHARE!
CSA withdrawal is a real thing...especially when you're faced with shopping for weeks- or months-old produce at the grocery store again.  Lifeless greens, tasteless carrots.  It's a bad time.  But you don't have to despair!  You can still eat local this winter!  Our Winter Share is primarily a root vegetable share with deliveries once a month from December through March.  Don't expect tomatoes and fresh greens.  This is straight-up authentic winter food - exactly what your grandparents (or great-grandparents) would have eaten all winter long back when growing your own food and eating what was in season was just what you did!
You can learn more and sign up here:
https://goldenearthworm.com/-winter-csa-share

Have a great week, friends!
XO Maggie for Farmer Matt, Kelly & the Crew

♥

What's in the share?

Broccoli
Storage: In an an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked/Raw When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Grilled Broccoli with Chili and Garlic

Spinach
Spinach this beautiful in November? Yes! Spinach salads are so delicious, but it's also great gently wilted and topped with butter and salt. Perfection.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 3 days.
What I'm making with it.... First batch-- Spinach salad with toasted almonds, scallions, and oranges. Second batch-- wilted with butter and salt.

Sweet Potatoes
These beauties are from our friends at Atlas Farm, a Certified Organic Farm in Massachusetts who we partner with to grow these for us. The texture of this variety is so smooth. Enjoy! STORAGE IS IMPORTANT! They will get cold damage if you let them get cold. Store in a cool, not cold, dry spot. Do not store in the fridge!
Storage: Store in a cool, not cold, dry spot. Do not store in the fridge! Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 15 days.
What I'm making with it.... Baked in the skin, scooped out, mashed and topped with butter and salt.

Bok Choi
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Tempeh Stir Fry!

Toscano Kale
This is a great variety for soup or kale chips!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Kale chips with sesame and garlic for my kiddos!

Radicchio
Its beautiful red color makes such a gorgeous presentation. These chicories are high in Vitamin K, C, B and contains lots of antioxidant enzymes. It's a nutrition powerhouse and delicious too!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... See below!

Baby Red Romaine Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Salad, of course! ;)

Green & Red Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Sauteed and tossed with roasted potatoes for breakfast!

Briermere Farm Fruit Share
**THIS IS THE FINAL WEEK OF THE FRUIT SHARE**
1 mixed bag of Fuji and Golden Delicious Apples

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Seared Sweet Potatoes with Sausage and Radicchio
Sweet Potato Pie
My favorite Tempeh Recipe to go with Stir-fried Bok Choi
Perfect Kale Chips