Winter CSA 2019-2020 - Week #1

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

CSA 2019 - Week #25

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

CSA 2019 - Week #24

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

CSA 2019 - Week #23

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

CSA 2019 - Week #22

What a great fall box this week with broccoli AND cauliflower! 
Enjoy all these fall flavors! 

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.... Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Cauliflower
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Steamed cauliflower with butter and nutmeg

Red Beets
These are so sweet and delicious. Don't forget the greens which are a veg all their own! It's one of our 2-for-1 veggies! Just remember to store the greens separately from the roots so they stay fresh and they don't wilt.
Storage: Separate the roots from the leaves and store both in an an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Best Cooked, but you can eat the roots raw. When to use: Within 5 days.

Butternut Winter Squash
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Parsley
Make a parsley pistou and freeze it to dollop on your vegetable soups all winter long. You can also wash the parsley, spin dry and pack into a ziploc bag (or glass jar) to toss in the freezer. When you're cooking this winter, grab a handful of frozen leaves to bring bright green color and fresh flavor to your dishes!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... This bunch I'll be freezing for use in the winter.

Leeks
Always wonderful in soup. You can also cook them solo and let their flavor the delicate texture shine!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... More salad! I'll save a few leaves to use on a sandwich.

Escarole
It looks like lettuce, but it has frilly leaves and it's actually a chicory. Perfect for soup!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... In a salad with a lemon vinaigrette, Parmesan shavings and homemade garlic breadcrumbs.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share — 1 mixed bag of Jonagold and Cameo Apples

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Chicken, Leek & Escarole Soup
Food 52's Braised Leeks
Braised Escarole with White Beans
Butternut Squash with Garlic & Parsley

CSA 2019 - Week #21

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us at the farm on Sunday. The rain held off and it was a great day!  A special thank you to Barbara Garriel and Ken for their beautiful music, and to Emilie Raffa for her delicious cooking!  We're at week 21 of our 25 week season.  More goodness to come!

We have A LOT of greens in the share this week!  This is the season for greens!  Remember back in the summer when we were all enjoying the corn and tomatoes and zucchini and there were no greens?  Well, here you go!  I've added a new section at the bottom of each item on the share list called, "What I'm making..." If you're feeling overwhelmed by the share, these are my tips for making your way through the box.  It's what I'm planning on making for my family with the share this week.  My best tip is to get yourself a large salad bowl.  With more space in a big bowl, you'll make bigger salads!  We eat an entire head of lettuce in a salad each night.  That's for 2 adults (and sometimes 2 kids). Forget "side salads'!  Make salads a main part of your meal. And full disclosure...we easily eat 2 shares worth of vegetables a week in our family of four.  It's outrageous, but healthy!  :)

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

What's in the share?

Broccoli
The cool, fall weather means that broccoli is ready to harvest! These heads are beautiful and full.
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.... Broccoli and chickpeas with garlic and olive oil over pasta.

Baby Arugula
This is very tender, so be gently when washing so you don't bruise the leaves.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Arugula Salad!

Bok Choi
Great texture, perfect for sautes and stir-fries!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Bok Choi Stir-fry

White Salad Turnips
Storage: Separate the roots from the greens before storing in an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Turnip roots sliced raw with hummus dip. I will gently cook the greens and serve alongside an egg for breakfast. Always greens for breakfast!

Toscano Kale
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.
What I'm making with it.... Soup! The whole bunch will cook down in a minestrone soup and infuse the broth with delicious flavor and nutrients. Just remove the stem and slice into thin ribbons.

Mini 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.... I'll use the whole head for salad!

Green Boston Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... More salad! I'll save a few leaves to use on a sandwich.

Red Long 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.... I'm roasting these and putting them in my fridge and freezer for later use. See Ina Garten's simple recipe here....

ITEM IN ROTATION -- Cabbage OR Sugarloaf Chicory OR Radicchio
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.
What I'm making with it.... Depending on which item I get in the box, I'll either grill the radicchio or chicory and make a warm salad, or I'll slice up the cabbage into wedges and eat it for snack! A big batch of coleslaw is also a family favorite. We eat it all week!

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - 1 mixed bag of Jonagold and Winesap Apples

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Quick Bok Choi Stir-fry
Kale Minestrone Soup
Apple Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

CSA 2019 - Week #20

Photo Credit: Stacey Ornstein

This SUNDAY from 11am-3pm is our CSA Harvest Festival and we hope you can come!  **This is the biggest perk of CSA Membership!  You get to come visit the farm WHERE WE GROW YOUR FOOD!  Ask your farmers questions, feel the soil, walk the fields and CONNECT WITH THE LAND!** 

We kick things off with a Cooking Demo at 11am with the fabulous Emilie Raffa of The Clever Carrot.   We'll have a special presentation of Gifts form the Earth at 1pm and a Farming Demonstration at 2pm with Farmer Matt and Little Farmer Galen.  All day long there will be walking tours of the fields, a kids area with face painting, crafts, a giant haystack to jump in, and music and storytelling by the wonderfully talented Barbara Garriel.  Please bring a picnic and chairs/blankets to picnic on our lawn.  We'll have Mama Calla's Tamales for sale, as well as a selection of drinks. (No soups this year, so please bring your own!)  We look forward to a beautiful day! 

The Harvest Festival takes place at our farm!
652 Peconic Bay Blvd, Riverhead
Map & Directions

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

What's in the share?

Red Beets
We wait all fall for the first beets! These are so sweet and delicious. Don't forget the greens which are a veg all their own! It's one of our 2-for-1 veggies! Just remember to store the greens separately from the roots so they stay fresh and they don't wilt.
Storage: Separate the roots from the leaves and store both in an an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Best Cooked, but you can eat the roots raw. When to use: Within 5 days.

Purple Kohlrabi
If you think, "Oh no, more kohlrabi!"...give these little ones another chance! I have a few simple recipes below that will make you love it. And remember, it's a cruciferous veggie, which means that it contains compounds that fight cancer!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Collards
I love collards in soups - cut into thin ribbons. They hold their form, even when cooked for a long time, and the flavor sweetens.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Baby Red Romaine Lettuce
Wow, this is such a beautiful lettuce! Can you feel how dense the head is, even though it is small? These are extra-special, selected for you by Farmer Matt.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Red Boston Lettuce
My favorite lettuce variety is back for the fall. Crunchy, yet sweet with a wonderful texture. You can't get lettuce like this in the stores. Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Cabbage
We all need to incorporate more cruciferous vegetables into our diet. I like to slice up a small green cabbage into wedges and snack on it all day long. When it's sitting on the counter, it's hard to resist its sweet crunch!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Yellow OR Red Long Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - 1 mixed bag of Jonagold and Red Delicious Apples

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Braised Cabbage with Caraway
Braised Kohlrabi
Lentil & Green Collard Soup
Ham & Collard Greens Soup
Simple Sauteed Beet Greens

CSA 2019 - Week #19

As we harvest our fall crops and the fields are left empty, we start to turn in what's left of the plants and prepare the soil in anticipation of planting cover crops.  These cover crops will germinate in the next few weeks and grow through November.  At that time, there will be enough growth to protect the soil during the winter.  The roots of the cover crop hold the soil intact to prevent erosion from wind, rain and snow.  And then in the spring, the plants which have already gotten a head start, will continue growing until we turn them in to plant again for next season. 

This cycle of planting cover crops is essential to building and enriching our soil.  Our healthy, beautiful vegetables are a direct result of healthy plants which grow in healthy soil.  Just like human health...it's all about the terrain!  It takes years, (decades, really), to grow soil that is full of healthy microbial activity, balanced nutrients and can support the plants that we grow to feed us.  So while we put a tremendous amount of energy into growing a tomato plant, for example, we put in just as much energy into our cover crops, composting and careful micro-nutrient application and balancing.  This goes well beyond growing organically...it is growing with full-cycle health sustainability in mind. 
And it tastes better too!

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

♥

SAVE THE DATE!
Our CSA Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20th from 11am-3pm here at the farm in Riverhead.  Hope to see you there!

What's in the share?

Bel Fiore Radicchio
I'm putting this beauty first on the list because....it is so beautiful! And you can't find this in stores no matter how hard you look. One of the *many* benefits of CSA cooking! This is a member of the chicory family, so it is a mildly bitter green that can either be paired with a cheese or gently cooked to remove its bitter flavor. I happen to love the bitter flavor and enjoy it in salads with shaved pecorino, olive oil and lemon juice.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked (if you must) When to use: Within 5 days.

Bok Choi
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Mustard Greens Mix
This wonderful, peppery mix is back for the fall! It's best eaten raw in a salad because the leaves are so tender. (If you try to cook the baby leaves, it will become stringy.).
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 3 days.

Red Kale
This red kale is the perfect size to cook. It's delicious added to fall soups.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Baby Romaine Lettuce
Wow, this is such a beautiful lettuce! Can you feel how dense the head is, even though it is small? These are extra-special, selected for you by Farmer Matt.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Batavian Lettuce
My favorite lettuce variety is back for the fall. Crunchy, yet sweet with a wonderful texture. You can't get lettuce like this in the stores. Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Cilantro
I'm a huge fan of cilantro, but I don't think that many people realize how incredibly healthy it is! It can remove heavy metals from your body. Did you know that? Google it!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Butternut Winter Squash
Feeling intimidated by winter squash? Check out the cooking tips below!
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Yellow OR Red Long Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - 1 mixed bag of Gala & Macintosh Apples

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

HOW TO COOK WINTER SQUASH!
There are lots of winter squash varieties, but they can be cooked the same way. After years of fumbling around with large knifes and hard squashes, I finally discovered roasting them whole (yes, whole!) with just a few knife slits to release steam. It works like a charm. The traditional method (below) is still my favorite way to cook smaller squash when I'm serving them sliced on a plate.
The traditional method (video!)
The "no-cut" cook it whole method!

Radicchio Salad with Lemon & Pecorino
Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup - Our family favorite!
Mustard Greens Salad Recipe
10 Minute Garlic Bok Choi

CSA 2019 - Week #18

Hurray for October!  This week marks 18 weeks from the start of the program and 7 more weeks to go.  Mark your calendars!  Our program runs for a total of 25 weeks, bringing us to the week before Thanksgiving for most groups.  It's at this time of the season that we begin to see a bit of light at the end of the farming season tunnel. We hope you'll make it to the farm on the 20th so we can show you around and you can connect with this land that has been feeding us all season long.  It's worth the trip!

SAVE THE DATE!
Our CSA Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20th from 11am-3pm here at the farm in Riverhead.  Hope to see you there!

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

What's in the share?

Japanese Salad Turnips
They're back! Don't forget that the greens are arguably the best part! Always separate the roots from the greens before storing. I've included two recipes below that use both the roots and the greens.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Collards
The turnip greens recipes below will also work well with the collards. Just note that collards greens typically take longer to cook because they have a robust, thick leaf. Always remove the stem before cooking! Save for making stock or feeding to your pet rabbit.
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Red Batavian Lettuce
My favorite lettuce variety is back for the fall. Crunchy, yet sweet with a wonderful texture. You can't get lettuce like this in the stores. Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Green Crisp Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Butternut Winter Squash
Feeling intimidated by winter squash? Check out the cooking tips below!
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Red Tomatoes
We are nearing the end of the tomato season as we approach this first week of October. Are you tomatoed-out? Throw them whole in a ziplock bag (or jar) in the fridge. Pull out and use in soups or other cooked recipes all winter long.
Let them ripen on the counter until fully red
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform red color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Immediately once fully red.

Green or Red Long Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

*Mini* Bunch of Red Radishes
We're cleaning out the radish field and found that we have enough for everyone to get a mini bunch this week. Bonus!
Storage: Separate the roots from the greens and store in an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share
1 mixed bag of Gala Apples, Cortland Apples & Bosc Pears*
*Pears are ripe when fully brown, yet still hard...they do not get soft!

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

HOW TO COOK WINTER SQUASH!
There are lots of winter squash varieties, but they can be cooked the same way. After years of fumbling around with large knifes and hard squashes, I finally discovered roasting them whole (yes, whole!) with just a few knife slits to release steam. It works like a charm. The traditional method (below) is still my favorite way to cook smaller squash when I'm serving them sliced on a plate.
The traditional method (video!)
The "no-cut" cook it whole method!

Turnip Root & Greens Gratin
Simple, Classic Turnip Roots & Greens - Chef Vivian Howard
Risotto with Butternut Squash & Collard Greens

THANK YOU, CINDY!

Our thanks to Chef Cindy, for her photo we used in last week's e-mail.

Cindy has been a friend of our farm and a CSA member for over a decade. You can follow her on all of her culinary adventures on her new blog... www.ChefCindy.com

CSA 2019 - Week #17

Wow, your farmers are really rocking these September harvests!  Winter squash, cooking greens, lettuce, MORE tomatoes, radishes...  You're all getting the newsletter early this week because I am going to be away for a few days.  Pick-ups will take place as usual, same place, same time. 

It might also be a good time to remind everyone to PLEASE...

Arrive during the pick-up window at your site.  This is by 8pm at most locations.  DO NOT ARRIVE PAST 8PM.  We ask site hosts to donate all unclaimed shares at that time.  Thank you!

Please carefully fold your empty box and stack it neatly inside the crate at the site.  Our site hosts are SO NICE to volunteer to host our CSA at their home, so please be considerate and leave it neat and tidy!

If, for any reason, you are not absolutely delighted with your produce, please contact Kelly in the farm office RIGHT AWAY (don't wait!) and we will make it right.  If you wait to contact us we may no longer have a replacement item in the field to harvest for you.  We do everything we can to sort and look through the produce before we pack it into your shares, but at the rapid pace of our packing line, things do get missed.  We are growing produce, not manufacturing a product, so we can't expect everything to be 100% perfect all the time.  That said, we have always set the bar high when it comes to the quality of our produce, so if you're not happy, we're not happy.  Please be in touch. 

♥

SAVE THE DATE! 
Our CSA Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20th from 11am-3pm here at the farm in Riverhead. 
Hope to see you there!

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

What's in the share?

Acorn Winter Squash
Feeling intimidated by winter squash? Check out the cooking tips below!
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Red OR Toscano Kale
It's back for the fall! Kale and bean soups are so warming and nourishing this time of year. OR, fall kale salads!
Storage: In the fridge Uses: Raw or Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Romaine Lettuce
Beautiful, sturdy and sweet lettuce perfect for chopped salads. This is the type of lettuce that holds up well with heavier dressings and lots of toppings!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 3 days.

Red Tomatoes AND Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Let them ripen on the counter until fully red OR orange!
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform red (or orange) color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Immediately once fully red (or orange).

Scallions
Try making these the star of the show! As in scallion pancakes (recipe below), grilled scallions, scallion sauce....
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Red Radishes
We love fall radishes because they are so bright and sweet this time of year. Just a hint of spice...the hot weather makes them hotter so fall radishes are a little more mellow!
Storage: Separate the roots from the greens and store in an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - TBD!

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

HOW TO COOK WINTER SQUASH!
There are lots of winter squash varieties, but they can be cooked the same way. After years of fumbling around with large knifes and hard squashes, I finally discovered roasting them whole (yes, whole!) with just a few knife slits to release steam. It works like a charm. The traditional method (below) is still my favorite way to cook smaller squash when I'm serving them sliced on a plate.
The traditional method (video!)
The "no-cut" cook it whole method!

Quick Scallion Pancakes
Simple Roasted Radishes
*Addictive* Ginger Scallion Sauce

CSA 2019 - Week #16

What an amazing share we have this week, my friends!  The bounty of a mid-September harvest overwhelms us with beautiful greens, winter squash and more tomatoes to stock your pantries!

I just wanted to take a moment to share with you my gratitude for your membership, for the extraordinary efforts of our farm team and for Mother Nature's generosity and abundance. 
What a gift.  What a life.  We are truly blessed.

♥

SAVE THE DATE!  Our CSA Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20th from 11am-3pm here at the farm in Riverhead. 
Hope to see you there!

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

What's in the share?

Acorn Winter Squash
I always have to make this CSA announcement every year....Winter Squash is for EATING! It's not for decoration. I'll always remember visiting a member's house one year and seeing winter squash all over her front porch as fall "decorations"...
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Delicata Winter Squash
See cooking instructions below!
Storage: In a cool, dry spot. It's ok on the counter for up to a week. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Red Kale
It's back for the fall!
Storage: In the fridge Uses: Raw or Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Mustard Greens Mix
Unwashed! We usually wash our baby greens, but these were so tender that we thought they'd hold up better without washing. Wash gently before eating!
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 3 days.

Red Tomatoes
Let them ripen on the counter until fully red!
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform red color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw When to use: Immediately once fully red.

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Let them ripen on the counter until fully orange!
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform orange color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw When to use: Immediately once fully orange.

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

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - 1 mixed bag of Gala Apples & Pears

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

HOW TO COOK WINTER SQUASH!
There are lots of winter squash varieties, but they can be cooked the same way. After years of fumbling around with large knifes and hard squashes, I finally discovered roasting them whole (yes, whole!) with just a few knife slits to release steam. It works like a charm. The traditional method (below) is still my favorite way to cook smaller squash when I'm serving them sliced on a plate.
The traditional method (video!)
The "no-cut" cook it whole method!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Sauteed Red Kale with Smoke Paprika

CSA 2019 - Week #15

More tomatoes this week!  I've included several recipes below that are a great way to preserve your tomatoes for later in the season.  This is the time of year what you should be "putting away" the harvest.  The counters in our farmhouse kitchen are piled high with beautiful produce waiting to be canned, jarred, roasted and frozen for the fall and winter. 
Coming next week....winter squash! 

SAVE THE DATE!  Our CSA Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20th from 11am-3pm here at the farm in Riverhead. 
Hope to see you there!

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

What's in the share?

Red Tomatoes
Let them ripen on the counter until fully red!
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform red color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw When to use: Immediately once fully red.

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Let them ripen on the counter until fully orange!
Storage: On the counter until they ripen to a uniform orange color. Then eat right away. If you store your tomatoes in the fridge, they will become mealy. No good. Uses: Raw When to use: Immediately once fully orange.

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

Eggplant
Storage: In the fridge Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 7 days.

Green Frying Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Napa Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight container/bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw orCooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Garlic
Storage: In a cool, dry spot on the counter. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 14 days.

Briermere Farm Fruit Share - 1 mixed bag of Nectarines & Pears

Farmhouse Favorite Recipes

Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Olive OIl & Thyme
The Best Way to Freeze Eggplant
Napa Cabbage Salad
How to Freeze Whole Tomatoes!