CSA 2020 - Week #7
We're still waiting for the rain out here on the North Fork. The past few storms here on the Island have missed us entirely, so we are still experiencing pretty severe drought conditions and have to irrigate around the clock. This hot summer week brings the harvest of our beautiful Cipollini onions and swiss chard. Enjoy!
Notes from the fields
What's up with all the cucumbers and zucchini? Well, these are an "all or nothing" crop, so we have to continuously harvest from the plants every day to keep up with their production. After a few weeks the plants slow down and then stop fruiting all together. So far this season, we've harvested over 20,000 pounds of cucumbers!
This week's harvest
Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard is the green that loves that summer heat! It needs to be cooked, but simple is sometimes best. Steamed until tender and served with butter and salt is one of our favorite ways to cook it.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Steamed and served with butter and salt.
Batavian Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Salad!
Parsley
If you can't use the parsley now, just wash the greens and freeze as-is in a ziplock or glass container. You can pull it out to toss in soups any time. It will retain its great bright color and flavor.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Parsley Pesto Sauce for Grilled Veggies
Cipollini Onions
These are sweet little onions (literally named "little onion" in Italian) that are meant to be the star of the show. Try them roasted or braised to showcase their flavor.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Braised with Balsamic Vinegar (recipe below)
Zucchini
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Ultimate Zucchini Slice (recipe below)
Cucumbers
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced in a salad with parsley, garlic, olive oil and lemon
BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!
Recipes!
Cipollini Onions with Balsamic Glaze
Grannie's French Swiss Chard - STAR RECIPE!
Ultimate Zucchini Slice from The Clever Carrot
CSA 2020 - Week #6
Garlic harvest starts this week! We plant our hardneck garlic seed (the cloves) back at the end of November. The seeds sit under the ground over the winter and their green sprouts are the first signs of life to emerge in the spring. Through the spring the plants grow a tall stem and a flower head, which you enjoyed as "scapes" a few weeks back. This week we're pulling up all the plants from the ground and hanging them in our barn to "cure" and dry. But we can't resist - can you? So we're sending you a few heads of fresh, straight-from-the-ground bulbs. You'll notice the difference right away!
Notes from the fields
Here's Farmer Galen checking out the corn planting. As the saying goes, "Knee high by the Fourth of July!" The fields are filling up with summer crops ready to harvest in the next few months. Sweet corn, watermelons, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes are all on their way...something to look forward to!
This week's harvest
Fresh Garlic
Freshly harvested from the field, so the "skin" has not yet dried. Peel back the outer layer and you'll find the cloves juicy and sweet with a mild, fabulous garlic flavor. We only grow this type of hard-neck garlic which you can't find in stores. (All store garlic is a soft-neck variety.) Our garlic is rare and special and in my opinion, worth more than gold!
Storage: In the fridge or on the counter if you'll use within a week.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week or dry down on counter
What I'm making: Pesto, Tzatziki, Salad Dressing and more!
BABY Romaine Lettuce
These are a "baby" size variety.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Salad!
Scallions
These are great in grain and bean salads. They add the perfect amount of flavor without too much of a punch.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Quinoa and Chickpea salad with scallions
Radicchio
Radicchio can be grilled. It mellows the flavor. But I'm also enjoying my DAILY radicchio and romaine salads with pecorino cheese, fresh crushed garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Radicchio Salad (as above)
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
Carrots
The first harvest of the season! We LOVE our carrots here - they are sweet and crunchy and nothing like the ones at the store. Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Carrots dipped in hummus
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: Tzatziki to go on everything! Recipe below.
BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!
Recipes!
Balsamic-Grilled Radicchio with Pecorino
Grilled Zucchini Salad with Mint & Lemon
Tzatziki - Cucumber, Yogurt and Garlic
CSA 2020 - Week #5
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!
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
CSA 2020 - Week #4
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
CSA 2020 - Week #3
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
CSA 2020 - Week #2
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!
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
CSA 2020 - Week #1
“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
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!
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!
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!
Farmers Market Update for 2020
We are excited to announce that we will be at our Farmers’ Markets in Port Washington and Huntington this season. There will be some changes to the market, including pre-orders and grab-and-go options. Be sure to join our Market Mailing List to receive updated notifications about our markets all season long!
Come see us beginning in June!
Farming in the time of Covid
For the past 26 years, we have committed ourselves to growing food to nourish our family and our community. The challenges we are all facing with the current Coronavirus are ones that we were ultimately preparing ourselves for all these years. During this uncertain time filled with anxiety and fear, we want you to know that we are here for you, growing food to feed you and your loved ones. We know that a safe, reliable and local food system is one of the most important resources for a community.
None of us know what the coming weeks and months will bring, but we do know that natural cycles of life will continue - photosynthesis will take place, our plants will continue to grow, and we will tend to them with loving care. We are on track and moving forward with our planting schedules to begin harvest and delivery the first week of June. We have already seen a sharp uptick in CSA registrations as the reality of food scarcity and the frailty of a global food network is showing up in our everyday lives.
Our commitment to food safety. Our produce is grown in nutrient-rich soil that we have been building for over two decades. Not only is it 100% Certified Organic and non-GMO, every member of our staff has been trained in food safety following certification training of our management staff through the Produce Safety Alliance. We follow USDA GAP standards and protocols and we were one of the first farms to adopt these standards more than a decade ago. CSA produce is perhaps the least handled food available. It is harvested in the field, washed and packaged, and then shipped in clean boxes directly to CSA member pick-up sites. No warehouses, middle men, extra handling or consumer touching. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our handling protocols as necessary to ensure that our produce is clean and safe for you.
We hope that you are able to find calm and perspective during this difficult time.
READ OUR COVID-19 SPECIFIC FOOD SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Much love & light from all of us at the farm. Be well!
Maggie, Farmer Matt, Kelly, Galen, Zinny & Crew
CSA and Covid-19
We've received so many e-mails and calls from members asking the same types of questions, so I thought I'd share some of them here.
What steps are you taking to ensure the safety of the CSA
during this Covid-19 outbreak?
In addition to the stringent Food Safety Protocols already in place here at the farm, our staff will be wearing protective face masks and gloves during harvest, washing and packing of produce. Our facility is already sanitized multiple times per day, but we will increase the frequency of these cleanings. All delivery drivers will wear protective gear when making deliveries, and our trucks will be thoroughly sanitized on a frequent basis. We will share new and updated CSA Pick-up protocols with you before the start of the season to ensure the safety of all members picking up their food.
How do I know that my CSA produce is safe to eat?
We are following all guidelines from the FDA and the CDC at this time. The FDA has stated that there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. Our farm staff goes through rigorous food safety training, with ongoing reviews and modifications as needed. Your CSA produce is minimally handled by a very small, well-trained staff - usually by just two or three gloved hands before reaching you. Farmer Matt and Maggie personally oversee the handling procedures from field harvest to delivery, and we are confident that all safety precautions taken along the way will ensure a safe product for you and your family. We will ask for your participation in ensuring a safe CSA pick-up environment, so please stay tuned or more information on that front coming soon.
We are here to answer any of your questions or concerns,
so please feel free to contact us. Thank you!
Winter CSA 2019-2020 - Week #4
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!)
Winter CSA 2019-2020 - Week #3
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
Winter CSA 2019-2020 - Week #2
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!)