Happy November! A few important reminders as we near the end of the season...

Mark your calendars! This is week 23 out of a 25-week program. Our final delivery of the season will be the week of November 16th. We will take off the week of Thanksgiving and then make a special BONUS DELIVERY the week of November 30th.

Fruit Shares end this week. This is the final week of the 14-week program.

Winter Veggies! In lieu of a traditional Winter CSA this season, we are going to offer all members the option of ordering online in December for pick-up at the farm in Riverhead. Depending on availability, we may extend future ordering dates in January and February. More details can be found here. Our traditional winter CSA should be back next season.
We just needed a little break... (Our kids miss us!)

Christmas Trees! Our own organic Fraser Fir Christmas Trees are available for pre-order now and pick-up in November and December at the farm in Riverhead. We grow these gorgeous trees on our farmland in Vermont, cut them freshly for each order and bring them down here to Long Island. More details on our trees can be found here.

CSA 2021! Many of you are already thinking towards next year...we get it! Going back to grocery store produce after CSA membership is a bummer. We are going to be offering a limited number of CSA shares next season, so we will only be taking returning members and the spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in early winter 2021. We will e-mail everyone when we open registrations at that time. More details to come.

Enjoy these last few weeks of harvests! - Maggie & Farmer Matt

This week's harvest

Red Radicchio
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Romaine OR Red Boston Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Cauliflower
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Parsley
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Collards
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Butternut Squash
Storage: On the counter.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Salad Turnips
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Chioggia Beets
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

**FINAL WEEK of FRUIT SHARE**
BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Honeycrisp & Golden Delicious Apples

Recipes!

Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas, Parsley and Mustard - Star Recipe!
Butternut Squash Risotto
Autumn Radicchio Salad with Olives & Parmesan

We have another gorgeous harvest this week!  Many of the cool early-season favorites are back again for a second appearance this fall.  Enjoy!

This week's harvest

Bel Fiore Radicchio
This purple speckled chicory is a very special heirloom variety from Italy.  The leaves are very tender and it's perfect raw in a salad.  See recipe below.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Boston Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Kale
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Fennel
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Pointy Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Sweet Potatoes
Storage: On the counter - not in the fridge
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

French Breakfast Radishes
I'm loving these radishes with butter and salt...an early season favorite is back one last time!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Beets
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Farmer’s Choice

Recipes!

Braised Fennel with Capers, Olives & Ricotta
Simple Oven Roasted Beets
Roast Cabbage with Pecorino

I think you're all going to love this week's big, beautiful kohlrabi.  I've been enjoying it a lot recently and found some great new recipes that I wanted to share below. One is a kohlrabi salad/slaw with cilantro, lime and jalapeno.  It's really good and stores well in the fridge.  The other recipe is for roasted kohlrabi and parmesan where it takes the place of potatoes.  The kids can't get enough!  Bon appetit, friends!  Be well.

This week's harvest

Kohlrabi
This is a wonderful, yet often misunderstood veg.  Peel the thick skin and enjoy sliced with a sprinkle of salt.  Or, cut up in chunks and roast in the oven with some fresh herbs.  It's one of our kids' favorite snacks!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Romaine Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Toscano Kale
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Parsley
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Escarole
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Butternut Squash
Storage: On the counter
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

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

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Jonagold and Macoun Apples

Recipes!

Kohlrabi Salad with Cilantro & Lime
Fall Kale Salad with Squash (Use this week's Butternut!)
Roasted Kohlrabi & Parmesan
My favorite Parsley, Kale & Berry Smoothie (I drink green smoothies twice a day - a great way to get your greens!)
Super Simple Escarole and Beans
Skillet Potatoes with Peppers and Onions

We've reached week 20 of this season's CSA with just 5 more weeks to go, plus a bonus week for everyone.  Farming days are long, but the weeks fly by.  Very similar to life with kids!  Please mark your calendars for the final regular week of deliveries (week 25), Tuesday, November 17.  We will skip the week of Thanksgiving and make your final BONUS delivery on Tuesday, December 1.  Delivery day and time the same as always.

This week's harvest

Green Cabbage
Sweet and crunch!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Batavian Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Toscano Kale
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

White Salad Turnips
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens to keep them fresh. The greens are delicious, don't discard!
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Cilantro
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Green Beans
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Butternut Squash
Storage: On the counter
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Colored Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Recipes!

Turnips & Turnip Greens and Sausage Stew
Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Smoke Paprika & Cilantro
Cilantro Vinaigrette
The Simplest Sauteed Cabbage

Japanese salad turnips are back this week!  The kids enjoy snacking on the roots dipped in hummus.  I like the greens sauteed gently with my eggs for breakfast.  A true two-for-one veg!   Bon appetit!
 

This week's harvest

Sweet Potatoes
Yummy, fresh sweet potatoes are full of moisture and have a great texture.
Storage: In a cool, NOT COLD spot.  Do not refrigerate!
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Romaine Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Collards OR Swiss Chard
ITEM IN ROTATION
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

White Salad Turnips
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens to keep them fresh. The greens are delicious, don't discard!
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Parsley
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Baby Bok Choi
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Farmer's Choice Item

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Farmer's Choice!

Recipes!

10 minute Garlic Bok Choi
Simple Baked Sweet Potato
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup

We welcome October later this week and the fall harvests just keep on coming!  Beautiful leeks and more acorn squash in the box, plus our special purple radishes (great roasted!) and crunchy sweet lettuce.  Enjoy!

A Note on our Harvest Festival
We've been hosting our wonderful CSA community at the farm for over 20 years.  Back in the "old days" Farmer Matt and I would cook homemade soup for everyone.  We'd spend the day before the festival chopping onions, garlic, celery and onions and trying to figure out how to fit 4 huge pots of bubbling soups on the stove top.  (They never did fit all at once...we'd cook them in batches and then drive them over to the farm trying to not spill them all over the back of the car.)  French Lentil and Butternut Squash soup were always the most popular, but we also made Spicy Black Bean, Minestrone and Potato Leek.  Those were the days before we had farm babies and when we had time to play hooky from farming and spend the day in the kitchen cooking for our members.  It was the best way we could think of to say "thank you" for joining us in partnership for the season.  So while we have to cancel this year's festival due to COVID restrictions, and we now have too many members for us to cook soup for, we do still feel the very same way about all of you and we are grateful for your support of our family farm.  By joining our CSA, you have voted with your dollar to support a  better food system that puts your health and the health of our community and our environment at the forefront.  Thank you, friends.  We couldn't do this without you.  - Maggie & Matt

Winter CSA Hiatus
Please note that we are not offering a CSA Winter Share this year.  It's been a tough growing season, so everything in the fields will be harvested for our regular season members (that's you!).  We also need a little breather to spend time as a family while our kiddos are young and still think it's cool to hang out with their parents.  Farming is rough on families. And finally, COVID restrictions may make indoor locations for winter CSA pick-up impossible to accommodate.  So for all those reasons, no winter CSA, but we'll be back in the spring!
 

This week's harvest

Acorn Squash
The acorns are the first of the winter squash that's ready to harvest.  You can roast them whole, yes, whole, sitting on a pan in the oven.  When they're tender, just cut open and scoop out the seeds. I like to serve the flesh mashed with butter and salt & pepper.  The perfect taste of fall!
Storage: On the counter
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Batavian Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Red Kale
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Fall Purple Radishes
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

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

Leeks
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Eggplant
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Farmer's Choice!

Recipes!

Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ottolenghi's Braised Eggs with Leeks and Za'atar
Chinese Restaurant Style Stir Fried Napa Cabbage
Greek-Style Eggplant Stew

Happy Fall!  We're excited for this week's acorn squash...the first winter squash of the season!  It cooks up really easily - see instructions below.

This week's harvest

Acorn Squash
The acorns are the first of the winter squash that's ready to harvest.  You can roast them whole, yes, whole, sitting on a pan in the oven.  When they're tender, just cut open and scoop out the seeds. I like to serve the flesh mashed with butter and salt & pepper.  The perfect taste of fall!
Storage: On the counter
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days

Swiss Chard
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Cilantro
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days

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

Blue Potatoes
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Mixed Apples - Gala, Cortland & Gingergold

Recipes!

Simple Roast Acorn Squash
Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce
Swiss Chard & Chickpea Soup

We have a wonderful fall harvest for you this week!  Leeks and our new favorite Esmee Arugula is on the menu!  Bon appetit!

This week's harvest

Leeks
These beautiful leeks were seeded back at the end of March....nearly 6 months from seed to harvest! They are such a wonderful fall crop, adding delicious flavor to soups or enjoyed braised on their won.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Parsley
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 fays

Esmee Arugula (unwashed)
Many thanks to Farmer Galen for selecting this special arugula variety.  It has a wonderful leaf texture and flavor - very different from other arugula varieties.  We did not wash it prior to bagging to retain its freshness.  Please wash gently before serving.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days

Napa Cabbage OR Bunching Broccoli
ITEMS IN ROTATION
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Radishes
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the leaves.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Carrots
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

Eggplant
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Harvest Selection by the Fruit Farmer

Recipes!

Tender Braised Leeks
Eggplant "Meatballs" (vegetarian)
Carrot and Leek Soup
Sicilian Caponata

We hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend! A huge THANK YOU to Farmer Matt & our amazing crew who labor every day to grow the food that nourishes us all! Each item that "appears" in your box is grown with love, care and a tremendous amount of labor to get it from seed to your table.

This week's harvest

Red Tomatoes
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE).  They are ripe when fully red.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Long Green Peppers
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Peppers, Onions & Sausage

Basil
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge OR "bouquet-style" in a glass of water on the counter for up to 1 day.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days (1 day if stored bouquet-style)
What I'm making: Pesto

Green Beans
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Steamed Beans with Butter and Salt

Red Kale
This is the tender variety that is wonderful raw in kale salads!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Kale Salad

Red Beets
The beet greens are a wonderful bonus item, so don't toss them!  Cook them like spinach - best gently sauteed or steamed and served with salt & butter.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the leaves.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Roasted Beet Salad and Sauteed Beet Greens

Red Leaf Lettuce
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Salad!

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Harvest Selection by the Fruit Farmer

Recipes!

Sauteed Beet Greens
Roasted Green Beans with Beets, Feta & Walnuts
Sheet Pan Sausages, Peppers & Tomatoes

Welcome to September!  We're excited to put August behind us and start dreaming about fall harvests!  We have a pretty good box this week for everyone. We've supplemented with some very special Shishito Peppers from a friend's Certified Organic farm in the Hudson Valley.  Please see below for important cooking instructions!  And see my note on the VERY tender baby arugula.  You should eat that the first day you get it!  It will melt in your mouth.

This week's harvest

Red Tomatoes
If you see some cracks in the tomatoes, I'm afraid that that's due to the rain last week.  We hate to dump them in the compost, so if the fruit looks to be in otherwise good shape, we are sending out some that may have slight cracks.  Please just cut out it out and laugh at the irony.  First no rain, then rain and cracked tomatoes.  You can't win in farming! 
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE).  They are ripe when fully red.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Shishito Peppers
From our friends at Hepworth Farms.  These are special peppers- not spicy, but once in a while you may get a slightly hot one! THEY MUST BE GRILLED OR SAUTEED (OR BROILED) and are EATEN WHOLE.  Sorry for the caps, but if you don't prepare these properly, they're not very good.  Grill is easiest. Just wash and toss with olive oil.  Grill until they are blistered and browned on the skin.  Then sprinkle with salt (Maldon salt flakes are my favorite) and eat the whole thing (seeds and all) up to the stem. They are addictive, enjoy!
Storage: In the fridge.
Uses: Grilled whole
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Grilled Peppers!

Arugula
We harvested this by hand because it is so tender.  Wash very gently, spin dry and enjoy RIGHT AWAY!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 1 day
What I'm making: Arugula Salad!

Green Beans
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Steamed Beans with Butter and Salt

Cilantro
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Salsa!

Radishes
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the leaves.
Uses: Raw/Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced radishes with butter & salt

Fennel
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Braised Fennel

Cabbage
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Cabbage Soup

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Yellow Peaches & Nectarines
FRUIT STORAGE: Remove peaches from bag and ripen on the counter, not touching.  Apples are picked ripe and ready to eat.
Store all ripe fruit in the fridge.

Recipes!

Blistered Shishito Peppers (an indoor alternative to just throwing them on the grill!)
Roasted Fennel with Parmesan
Simple Cabbage Soup
Mama Calla's BEST Roasted Tomato Cilantro Salsa

Farmer Matt and I took a round-trip ride to Vermont on Sunday to pick up some produce from our friend's Certified Organic Farm to supplement this week's shares.  We're still dealing with the effects of the drought on our harvesting schedule, so we decided to bring in a few items to round out the boxes.  The carrots and kale are from Evan and his family at Harlow Farm in southern VT.  They're grown using the same organic methods as we use here on our farm...  Coming up in the next few weeks we're expecting to harvest arugula, fennel, tomatoes, peppers and even winter squash in early Sept!

This week's harvest

Red Tomatoes
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE)
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Tomato Salad with cucumbers and onions

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE)
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

Carrots
From our friends at Harlow Farm.  Sweet and crunchy!
Storage: In the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced for a snack

Kale
From our friends at Harlow Farm.
Storage: In the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced for a snack

New Potatoes - Red or Yellow
Storage: In the fridge is best OR in a cool, dark spot. Keep out of the light.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Yellow Peaches & Apples
FRUIT STORAGE: Remove peaches from bag and ripen on the counter, not touching.  Apples are picked ripe and ready to eat.
Store all ripe fruit in the fridge.

Recipes

Garlicky Kale Salad with Lemon & Pecorino
Tomato Potato Gratin
Kale & Pineapple Smoothie - Substitute any fruits!  So delish!

RAIN!  Sunday's much-needed rain soaked the fields and reset our plans to move forward with field tillage and fall plantings.  Farmer Matt will seed arugula, salad turnips, radishes, beets and bok choi before the end of the week!

This week's harvest

Mini Football Watermelon
This is the year of the Watermelon!  Our crop is doing brilliantly in this hot weather! Please KEEP IN THE FRIDGE!
Storage: In the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Sliced for a snack

New Potatoes - Red or Yellow
Storage: In the fridge is best OR in a cool, dark spot. Keep out of the light.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Red Tomatoes
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE)
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Tomato Salad

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Storage: On the counter (NOT IN THE FRIDGE)
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE - Yellow Peaches & Zestar Apple
FRUIT STORAGE: Remove peaches from bag and ripen on the counter, not touching.  Apples are picked ripe and ready to eat.
Store all ripe fruit in the fridge.

Recipes!

No Cook Tomato Sauce
Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad
Ina Garten's Fabulous Potato Salad