NOTES ON THE SHARE

The tomato harvest is finally over and what a great season it has been!  We are in between harvests of some major crops this week, so you'll be getting smaller bunches of Turnips and Radishes while we clean out those fields.  We make up for it with big heads of Napa Cabbage and a beautiful bunch of Collards.  Potatoes are all ready to roast up in the oven this week and we round out the shares with some amazingly tender baby Arugula.  It was just too tender to harvest with the machine, so each leaf was hand picked for you.  What a treat!  Bon appetit!

CSA HARVEST FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th from 11am-3pm

This is a private event open to all current CSA Members and their guests only.  Please wear sturdy walking shoes for touring the farm.  Food will be available for sale, but you are also encouraged to picnic. No dogs allowed on farm property.

ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Hayride Farm Tours
Walking Tours
Live Music
Farmstand Open
Q&A with Farmers

COOKING DEMOS/WORKSHOPS
11:30 Kids' Cooking Class with Allergic to Salad
12:30 - Cooking Demo with Alexa Weitzman of Sustainable Pantry
2:00 - Cooking Demo with Sonya Gropman of EatArtWord

KIDS ACTIVITIES
Storytelling & Singing with Barbara Garriel
GIANT Haystack Game
Cooking Workshop with Stacey Ornstein (see above)

FOOD! 
Yummy food for sale including our own handmade tamales, soups, organic baked goods and more!  Limited supply, so PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN PICNIC TOO!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

October 7, 8, 9 & 10

Arugula - 1 bag
Collards - 1 bunch
Potatoes - 1 quart
Japanese Salad Turnips - 1 bunch
Pink Beauty Radishes - 1 bunch
Napa Cabbage - 1 head

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Arugula, Turnips, Radishes, Collards, Cabbage
In a cool, dark place...
Cabbage

FRUIT SHARE

JUST ONE PORTION THIS WEEK!

Mixed bag of Bosc Pears & Gala Apples

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

• Napa Cabbage Salad
• Collard Potato Salad with Mustard Dressing

NOTES ON THE SHARE

I thought I'd share some photos of the farm with you this week.  You can see a bit of this week's harvest, and the fall crops that will be coming along in the shares over the next 2 months.

Bok Choi

A box of freshly-harvested Bok Choi.

Bok Choi

Bok Choi

A later planting of Bok Choi to be harvested in a few weeks.

Bok Choi

A perfect specimen.

Radishes

Look at the beautiful red tops of the radishes peaking out from under the soil.
 

Radishes

My kind of bouquet!
 

Toscano Kale

A planting of Toscano Kale to be harvested in a few weeks.

Fall Crops

Newly seeded crops just coming up!
 

Butter/Boston Lettuce

Broccoli

A sea of broccoli to be harvested in about a month.

Plum Tomatoes

The last round of plum tomatoes ripening on the vine.
 

Fennel

Loving the wispy fronds of the fennel blowing in the wind!

CSA HARVEST FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th from 11am-3pm

This is a private event open to all current CSA Members and their guests only.  Please wear sturdy walking shoes for touring the farm.  Food will be available for sale, but you are also encouraged to picnic. No dogs allowed on farm property.

ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Hayride Farm Tours
Walking Tours
Live Music
Farmstand Open
Q&A with Farmers

COOKING DEMOS/WORKSHOPS
11:30 Kids' Cooking Class with Allergic to Salad
12:30 - Cooking Demo with Alexa Weitzman of Sustainable Pantry
2:00 - Cooking Demo with Sonya Gropman of EatArtWord

KIDS ACTIVITIES
Storytelling & Singing with Barbara Garriel
GIANT Haystack Game
Cooking Workshop with Stacey Ornstein (see above)

FOOD! 
Yummy food for sale including our own handmade tamales, soups, organic baked goods and more!  Limited supply, so PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN PICNIC TOO!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

September 30 & October 1, 2 & 3

Acorn Squash - 1 piece
Baby Spinach - 1 bag
Japanese Salad Turnips - 1 bunch
Baby Bok Choi - 1 bunch
Pink Beauty Radishes - 1 bunch
Zucchini - several pieces
Shallots - 1 pint
Red & Plum Tomatoes - several pieces

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Spinach, Turnips, Radishes, Bok Choi, Zucchini
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes, Shallots (eat within a few weeks)
In a cool, dark place...
Winter Squash (eat within a week!)

FRUIT SHARE

JUST ONE PORTION THIS WEEK!

Mixed bag of Bosc Pears & Empire Apples

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

• Salad Turnips with Miso
• Braised Baby Bok Choi
• Scrambled Eggs with Shallots -- This is an easy one, and one of our family favorites!  Saute sliced shallots in a little butter in a frying pan.  After about 5 minutes it will be soft and turning a bit brown.  Scrape them into your bowl of cracked eggs and whisk.  Pour back in the pan with another touch of butter and cook as you would regular scrambled eggs.

NOTES ON THE SHARE

In case you're counting, we have nine more weeks of harvest for this year's CSA program.  Long Island's East End has a longer growing season than most other places in the Northeast because of the close proximity to Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay.  Our farm, which is essentially two separate parcels of land, is adjacent to both the Sound and the Bay.  We hope you can make it out to visit us and see where your food is grown at our Harvest Festival in October...

CSA HARVEST FESTIVAL - OCTOBER 19th!
Mark your calendars now for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 19th from 11am-3pm.  Free for all CSA member families and their guests.  Hayride & Walking Tours, Cooking Demos, Live Music, Kids' Activities, GIANT Haystack and more! 

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

September 23, 24, 25& 26

Acorn Squash OR Sweet Dumpling Squash - 2 pieces
Lettuce - 1 head
Arugula - 1 bag
Chioggia Beets - 1 bunch
Potatoes - 1 bag
Zucchini - several pieces
Red Long Pepper - several pieces
Red & Plum Tomatoes - several pieces

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Lettuce, Arugula, Beets, Zucchini, Peppers
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes
In a cool, dark place...
Potatoes, Winter Squash (eat within a week!)

FRUIT SHARE

Damson Plums - 1 bag
Mixed bag of Gala Apples & Bosc Pears - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

• Roasted Chioggia Beets with Feta
• Roasted Beet Salad with Barley, Feta & Red Onion
• Savory Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

CSA HARVEST FESTIVAL - OCTOBER 19th!
Mark your calendars now for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 19th from 11am-3pm.  Free for all CSA member families and their guests.  Hayride & Walking Tours, Cooking Demos, Live Music, Kids' Activities, GIANT Haystack and more! 

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

September 16, 17, 18 & 19

Acorn Squash - 1 piece
Lettuce - 1 head
Collards - 1 bunch
Scallions - 1 bunch
Green Beans - 1.5 lb
Zucchini - 3 pieces
Red Long Pepper - 5 pieces
Red & Plum Tomatoes - several pieces

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Lettuce, Collards, Scallions, Green Beans, Zucchini, Peppers
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes
In a cool, dark place...
Winter Squash (eat within a week!)

FRUIT SHARE

Damson Plums - 1 bag
Gala Apples - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

Some recipes from around the web this week...

• Collard Recipes (from Martha..)
• Green Bean Recipes (from TheKitchn..)
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

We've been away for a few days(!) and I'm so happy to be back on the farm, back in my kitchen, and back to cooking up our beautiful bounty.  My oven will be in full swing this week roasting up the gorgeous red peppers and the first of the winter squash! And of course, more roasted tomatoes for the freezer... September, I love you!!! 

*****SAVE THE DATE!*****
Join us for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 19th.  More details to come!

More plum tomatoes available this week too....

PLUM TOMATOES BY THE CASE!
Every year we grow extra plum (Roma) tomatoes to sell by the case.  These are perfect for making sauce and canning.  We are offering them for pick-up...

Friday (9/12) - Jamesport
Saturday (9/13) - Jamesport, Islip or Port Washington Farmers' Markets
Sunday (9/14) - Huntington Farmers' Market

Orders cannot be delivered to CSA pick-up locations.  You must choose to pick up at one of the locations (and days) listed above.

Each 20lb box is $35.  Orders must be e-mailed to us at info@goldenearthworm.com by Wednesday, September 3rd at 9am.  Payment can be made via Paypal or by cash or check at pick-up.

If you are interested in ordering, please e-mail us with the following information:
- Name
- Requested pick-up location and day (Jamesport, Islip, Port Washington or Huntington)
- Number of boxes
- Preferred method of payment (Paypal, Cash or Check upon pick-up)

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

September 9, 10, 11 & 12

Yellow Potatoes - 1 quart
Spaghetti OR Acorn Squash - 1 piece
Red Onions - 1 quart
Zucchini - 4 pieces
Green Pepper - 2 pieces
Red Long Pepper - 2 pieces
Red & Plum Tomatoes - 16 pieces

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Zucchini, Peppers
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes, Onions,
In a cool, dark place...
Potatoes, Winter Squash (eat within a week!)

FRUIT SHARE

Peaches - 1 bag
Bartlett Pears - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

Some recipes from around the web this week...

• Roasted Red Peppers - Ina Garten
• Roasted Spaghetti Squash
• Acorn Squash Recipes...
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

Please note that your gorgeous yellow watermelon (THANK YOU Farmer James!) needs to be refrigerated!  Be sure to pop it in the fridge as soon as you get it home. 

PLUM TOMATOES BY THE CASE!
Every year we grow extra plum (Roma) tomatoes to sell by the case.  These are perfect for making sauce and canning.  We are offering them for pick-up...

Friday (9/5) - Jamesport
Saturday (9/6) - Jamesport, Islip or Port Washington Farmers' Markets
Sunday (9/7) - Huntington Farmers' Market

Orders cannot be delivered to CSA pick-up locations.  You must choose to pick up at one of the locations (and days) listed above.

Each 20lb box is $35.  Orders must be e-mailed to us at info@goldenearthworm.com by Wednesday, September 3rd at 9am.  Payment can be made via Paypal or by cash or check at pick-up.

If you are interested in ordering, please e-mail us with the following information:
- Name
- Requested pick-up location and day (Jamesport, Islip, Port Washington or Huntington)
- Number of boxes
- Preferred method of payment (Paypal, Cash or Check upon pick-up)

SAVE THE DATE!
Join us for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 19th.  More details to come!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

September 2, 3 4 & 5

Yellow Watermelon - 1 piece
Scallions - 1 bunch
Garlic - 2 pieces
Green Bell Pepper - 1 piece
Red Tomatoes - 12 pieces
Cherry Tomatoes - 1 bag

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In the fridge...
Watermelon
In a bag in the fridge...
Scallions, Peppers
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes, Garlic

FRUIT SHARE

Peaches - 1 bag
Bartlett Pears - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

Some recipes from around the web this week...

• Grilled Scallions with Lemon
• Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

This final week of August brings more of our summer loving crops, just in time for some hot weather this week! 

Stay tuned for a full farm update next week.

SAVE THE DATE!
Join us for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 19th.  More details to come!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

August 26, 27, 28 & 29

Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Green Beans - 1.5 lbs
Red Onions - 4 pieces
Green Long Peppers - several pieces
Red Tomatoes - several pieces
Yukon Gold Potatoes - 1 quart

*The contents of the share may change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Swiss Chard, Peppers, Green Beans
On the counter (for a few days)...
Red Onions, Tomatoes
In a cool, dark place (for up to a week)...
Potatoes

FRUIT SHARE

Peaches - 1 bag
Mixed bag Donut Peaches & Nectarines - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

Some recipes from around the web this week...

• Charred Long Peppers with Parmesan
• Swiss Chard with Spaghetti & Pecorino Cheese
• Parmesan Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

Our Tomato harvest is in full swing!  You never know what kind of a season it will be and we lucked out this year with the perfect weather for tomatoes!  Most are ready to eat, but if you get some that need to ripen, just leave them out on the counter until fully red.  Can't make it through them?  Try freezing them!  I just chop them up (skin on) and put them in a ziplock bag in the freezer to use for soups and other recipes later in the year.  Red Beets are such a great 2-for-1 veg.  Don't forget to eat the tops!  They are great sauteed with garlic and olive oil.  Lettuce for your salads (or on your BLT sandwiches) and beautiful, waxy Yellow Potatoes for the most delicious potato salad.  The final item will change through the week. Some of you will get Eggplant, some Green Beans.  We keep track of what everyone gets so that we can even it out over the coming weeks. 

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

August 19, 20, 21 & 22

Red Beets - 1 bunch
Batavian Lettuce - 1 head
*Eggplant OR Other Item - 1 piece
Cherry Tomatoes - 1 bag
Red Tomatoes - 5 lbs!
Yellow Potatoes - 1 quart - loose

*The contents of the share will change through the week.

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Lettuce, Beets, Eggplant
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes
In a cool, dark place (for up to a week)...
Potatoes

FRUIT SHARE

Peaches - 1 bag
Mixed bag Donut Peaches & Nectarines - 1 bag

FRUIT STORAGE TIPS
"The best way to ripen the fruit is to take it out of the plastic bag and let the condensation dry off so the moisture doesn't encourage any spoilage. As soon as it is ripe, eat it right away or put it in the fridge."  - Farmer Clark, Briermere Farms

RECIPES

• Fresh Tomato Sauce
• Salsa Ranchera
• 8 Recipes for Beet Greens - The Kitchn
 

FARMER Q&A

Some of you have been asking questions about the shares these past few weeks and I thought it would be good to re-post my answers here!  

CSA Member: Where are all the other greens like spinach, kale and collards that I love so much?  Why do we keep getting Swiss Chard? 
Farmers: Most greens don't grow well in the heat of the summer.  Swiss Chard is pretty much the only cooking green that we can grow in July and August.  Plenty of other greens are planted for harvest when it cools down a bit in September, October and November. 

CSA Member: What's up with all the lettuce and onions? 
Farmers: Did you notice that there is no more lettuce in the shares this week?  I'm sure we'll get some complaints about that too!  Look, folks, we can't make everyone happy.  Most people want to make salads during the week, so we do our best to include a salad green of some sort (lettuce, arugula, lettuce mix, etc.) in the shares each week.  Batavian and Romaine lettuces happen to grow well in the summer heat, so that's why you've been getting them for the past few weeks.  Onions grow well in the summer too and we have planted several different varieties for you to try. If you cook a lot, you know you can't possibly get enough onions.  We understand that if you're trying to get through the onions and you don't cook much, it may be a struggle.  Hey, you can always give them away to your friend or neighbor. Or better yet, make a caramelized onion tart (see recipe section) and you'll be the star at your next summer potluck! 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

Green Bell Peppers are in!  I usually use my first to make a big batch of gazpacho with the tomatoes and onions.  Great for dinner on a hot summer night!  Fennel is delicious sliced thinly in a salad or perhaps roasted up with the potatoes - what a great idea!  The Potato harvest continues this week with more red varieties.  The Tomatoes are coming in well now too.  You'll be getting more over the coming weeks. Swiss Chard and beautiful Cipollini Onions round out the share.  Bon appetit!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

August 12, 13, 14 & 15

Green Bell Pepper - 1 piece
Fennel - 1 bunch
Cipollini Onions - 1 bunch
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Cherry Tomatoes - 1 bag
Red Tomatoes - 2-3 pieces
Red Potatoes - 4 lbs!

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Pepper, Fennel, Onions, Swiss Chard
On the counter (for a few days)...
Tomatoes
In a cool, dark place (for up to a week)...
Potatoes

RECIPES

• Balsamic Glazed Sweet & Sour Cipollini Onions - Smitten Kitchen
• Gazpacho
• Swiss Chard & Potatoes
• Crash Hot Potatoes - The Pioneer Woman
• Shaved Fennel Salad - 101 Cookbooks
• Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Tart
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

Happy August!  Our hot summer crops are finally coming in!  The big surprise this week is a beautiful Baby Watermelon.  These melons have some seeds which is why they taste so great! They are picked ripe and ready to eat and they must be stored in the fridge. (They will rot if left out.)  You're all getting a bag of our wonderful Cherry Tomatoes this week too!  Since they are so small, they are the first of the tomatoes to ripen.  More to come!  We harvested our Hardneck Garlic a few weeks ago and it has been hanging to dry in our barns.  We're cutting it down and sending it out in the shares as a very special treat.  Garlic seed is extraordinarily expensive, so each head is worth quite a fortune!  We grow a hardneck variety which cannot be found in stores.  It has an exceptional flavor and is usually easier to peel than softneck varieties.  Our Potato harvest has begun this week too!  (It's been quite a busy week, can you tell?)   The first early variety you're getting in the shares this week is called Red Norland.  Since they are dug fresh, they cook very quickly.  I've found that they cook in about 1/2 the time as traditional store-bought storage potatoes.  Finally, Cucumber, Lettuce and a quart of Yellow Onions round out the share.  Can I just tell you how excited I am to get onions in the shares?  They are the base of pretty much everything I cook in the kitchen and it is so exciting to be using our own.  I hope you are loving them as much as I am!  Happy Cooking, friends!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

August 5, 6, 7 & 8

Yellow Onions - 1 quart
Batavian Lettuce - 1 head
Romaine Lettuce - 1 head
Cucumber - 1 piece
Cherry Tomatoes - 1 bag
Hardneck Garlic - 2 pieces
Red Norland Potatoes - 1 quart
Baby Watermelon - 1 piece

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Lettuce, Cucumber
In the fridge...
Watermelon
On the counter (for up to a week)...
Onions, garlic
In a cool, dark place (for up to a week)...
Potatoes

RECIPES

• Red Potatoes with Olives, Feta & Mint
• Baked Cherry Tomatoes with Parmesan Topping
• Stir-fried Garlic Lettuce
• Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes - Ina Garten

NOTES ON THE SHARE

The contents of this week's share will vary through the week, depending on your pick-up location.  This is mainly due to the fact that we are still getting used to using our new harvesting equipment for the green beans and the arugula and we weren't able to harvest them for every site last week.  So this week we'll be playing make-up for those groups who didn't get them last week, and throwing in some new items for the ones who did.  We're always trying to keep the shares interesting and provide a wide variety for each member based on what's available to harvest each week.  It's quite a juggle!  This week we have some beautiful Yellow Onions perfect for caramelizing!  Don't know how?  Check out the great How To from our friends at The Kitchn. (Link the right.)  We've harvested a full pound and a half of Carrots for everyone this week. I've never made chilled carrot soup, but it's on my menu this week.  And our heat-loving Batavain Lettuce is back again - perfect for your summer salads!  Having Swiss Chard fatigue?  Try something new like Chard Cakes or Braised Chard with Cumin.  Enjoy!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

July 29, 30, 31 & August 1

Yellow Onions - 3 pieces
Carrots - 1.5 lb bag
Batavian Lettuce - 2 heads
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Additional Items will vary depending on your pick-up location this week.  These may include: Arugula, Green Beans, Zucchini, Cucumber

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Carrots, Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Green Beans, Zucchini, Cucumber

On the counter...
Onions

RECIPES

• Chard Cakes with Sorrel Sauce
• Cumin Braised Swiss Chard - Food & Wine
• Chilled Carrot Soup - Martha Stewart
• HOW TO: Caramelize Onions - The Kitchn
 

NOTES ON THE SHARE

Green beans!  They are a huge pain to harvest each pod by hand, so we're working on getting our bean harvester up and running.  If all goes well, you'll be receiving more of these (in greater quantities) in your shares over the next few months. Be sure not to overcook them!  Just steam them for a few minutes until tender and then toss with some butter and salt.  Heaven...  Swiss Chard is back this week.  You may want to try it in pasta for a change.  Try this week's recipe.  Cabbage for your coleslaw and some other favorites returning this week include Zucchini and Scallions.  I'll be making a quick pickled salad with the Cukes and Red Onion.  Bon appetit!

THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES

July 22, 23, 24 & 25

Green Beans - 1/2 lb.
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Cabbage - 1 head
Cucumbers - several pieces
Zucchini - several pieces
Red Onions - 1 bunch
Scallions - 1 bunch

STORAGE TIPS

In a bag in the fridge...
Carrots (separate from the greens first), Kohlrabi, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Onions, Scallions, Lettuce

RECIPES

• Pasta with Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard and Garlicky Breadcrumbs
• Quick Cucumber and Red Onion Pickled Salad
• Coleslaw with Yogurt Dressing