2024 CSA Week #9 (A)
 

VEGETABLE SHARE

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Red Norland Potatoes
Cilantro OR Parsley - Wed/Thurs
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes - Wed/Fri
Green Beans - Fri
Sweet Corn
Beets or Carrots - Thurs/Fri
Basil
Walla Walla Onions - Wed
Swiss Chard - Wed
Red Kale - Thurs/Fri
Heirloom Eggplant
Cucumber
Green Zucchini/Yellow Summer Squash

FRUIT SHARE

Pristine Apples (petite, early season variety) great for fresh eating, also holds shape well when cooked.

STORAGE

Store all items in an airtight bag in the fridge. The basil can be stored “bouquet-style” in a glass of water on the counter. Change the water daily and use within 3 days.

The onions are “fresh eating” meaning you need to store them in the fridge and eat within 5 days.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “A” for bi-weekly members

This week’s box is amazing!!!! The zucchini and cucumbers are winding down. This is the END of the cucumbers for the season. We do have a later planting of zucchini, but not for another few weeks so you get a good break. (We know you probably need it!)

A note on tomatoes…. The tomatoes are just starting! We had enough for a few groups this week and by next week everyone should be getting cherry tomatoes. Red tomatoes will follow the week after. Please understand that if you don’t receive tomatoes this week, you will be getting them very soon and your group will receive them for an extra week at the end of the season. We keep very careful track of who gets what so it’s always fair!

We finished up all of our fall transplanting this week. We still have a few more fall crops to direct seed (like the carrots and beets), but that too will be finished before the end of the month.

FRUIT SHARE REMINDERS… ONLY TAKE FRUIT IF IT SAYS “F” Next to your name on the check-in sheet! FRUIT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REGULAR VEGETABLE SHARES.

Fruit Share Members may take ONE bag of fruit from the open boxes at the site.

Vegetable Share Only Members DO NOT TAKE FRUIT BAGS.


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2024 CSA Week #8
 

VEGETABLE SHARE

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Purple or Green Basil
Green Beans
Walla Walla Onions - Thurs & Fri
Cabbage - Wed
Carrots
Eggplant - Wed & Thurs
Romaine Lettuce
Cucumber
Green Zucchini/Yellow Summer Squash
Sweet Corn - Fri
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes - Fri

FRUIT SHARE

Peaches OR Nectarines

STORAGE

Store all items in an airtight bag in the fridge. The basil can be stored “bouquet-style” in a glass of water on the counter. Change the water daily and use within 3 days.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “B” for bi-weekly members

What a harvest this week! Sometimes even I’m surprised by the bounty in the fields. Matt is always bringing in “presents” and leaving them on the kitchen counter. Yesterday it was the purple basil. I remember ordering the seeds, but it’s growing in a corner of the farm that I don’t see regularly, so surprise! Some of the leaves are solid purple and some are variegated. (Green & Purple) It’s all normal, just natural variations. Enjoy this week’s beautiful box! The rainy weather is a perfect excuse to get back into the kitchen.

Fruit Shares begin this week! ONLY TAKE FRUIT IF IT SAYS “F” Next to your name on the check-in sheet! FRUIT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REGULAR VEGETABLE SHARES.

Fruit Share Members may take ONE bag of fruit from the open boxes at the site.

Vegetable Share Only Members DO NOT TAKE FRUIT BAGS.


WHAT YOUR FARMERS ARE COOKING

• Buttery Garlic Green Beans
• Purple Basil Pesto (try this on top of the green beans!)
• Eggplant with Bulgar & Yogurt (I use quinoa!)

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2024 CSA Week #7
 

IN THE BOX

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Sweet Corn
Basil
Red Long Onions
Swiss Chard
Eggplant
Red Batavian Lettuce
Cucumber
Green Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash

STORAGE

Store these items in the fridge: Corn, Onions, Eggplant, Cucumbers, Zucchini & Squash, Swiss Chard (in an airtight bag), and the basil either in an airtight bag in the fridge or on the counter, “bouquet-style” in a glass of water. Change the water daily and use within 5 days.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “A” for bi-weekly members

A super summer box this week! Our eggplants are amazing — the first time in many years they are yielding big, beautiful fruit!

Swiss Chard is a summer green that loves the heat. Try the recipe below for Granny’s Swiss Chard. A family favorite!

Sweet Corn is ready and we’re trialing a few different varieties. We don’t have a ton of ears to give out, but we have more plantings coming. Let us know what you think!
A note from your farmer…Conventional corn is heavily sprayed with pesticides, so you really should always look for organic corn. Please note that you may have a visitor at the tip of the corn - a corn earworm! They love to eat the tip of the corn, so just discard and cut off the tip if there is any brown damage. THIS IS NORMAL FOR ORGANIC CORN. We can't see from the outside if there has been a worm inside or not. If the damage extends down into the ear, just let us know and we'll send you a replacement ear. Don't toss the whole ear if there is a little damage on one end. Organic corn is so hard to grow, so please don't waste any good part of it! Savor it and enjoy!)
How to cook: Boil a pot of water. Shuck the corn (remove the husks). Cut off any earworm damage with a sharp knife. Turn off the heat and put the corn in the pot of boiled water and cover for 3-4 minutes. It's done!

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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2024 CSA Week #6

The fennel we’re enjoying this week…on the day it was transplanted out into the fields back on May 10th.

 

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge. The onions can be topped (remove the greens) and they can sit on the counter for up to 5 days.

Pro Tip - SOOO much squash and zucchini you don’t know what to do? It’s an old fashioned tradition to leave a few in your neighbor’s mailbox. :)

Otherwise, I’ll be freezing some and making up a big batch of curried zucchini soup (recipe below) and freezing that for a quick weeknight meal later in the season. Zucchini bread also freezes well. More ideas on our Private Facebook page!

 

THIS IS A WEEK “B” for bi-weekly members

Welcome to CSA Week #6! Our summer vining crops are coming in strong - so expect quite a large harvest of cucumbers, squash and zucchini coming in the shares over the coming weeks.  These crops grow several inches a DAY and we can't turn them "off" to give us a week's break, so prepare now! 

This is the life of eating with the seasons.  We relish the new harvests, eat a LOT of things while they're in season, and then miss them when they're gone. Tomatoes and corn will be ready to harvest in the next 10-14 days, so get ready for them! 

Summer Broccoli is super hard to grow, but we succeeded! It’s lighter in color than fall or spring broccoli and the inside of the stem may be a bit white or slightly browned from the heat. But, it’s broccoli in the summertime and we’re excited to grow it for you!

Beets really hate this heat, so the green tops have been chopped to keep them fresher.

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

All the greens and roots can be stored in an airtight bag. The zucchini/squash/cucumber/cabbage is fine in the produce drawer of your fridge.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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2024 CSA Week #5

The fennel we’re enjoying this week…on the day it was transplanted out into the fields back on May 10th.

 

IN THE BOX

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Bok Choi (Wed & Thurs)
Carrots (Fri)
Cilantro
Cippolini Onions
Green Cabbage
Fennel
Green Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Toscano Kale
Romaine Lettuce (Wed & Thurs)
Cucumber

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge. The onions can be topped (remove the greens) and they can sit on the counter for up to 5 days.

Pro Tip - No plans for the fennel this week? Freeze the whole bulb. Then in the fall and winter, take it out of the freezer and slice it thinly in minestrone and vegetable soups. It adds the best flavor!

 

THIS IS A WEEK “A” for bi-weekly members

We have a very full box for everyone this week! Tons of ingredients for summer salads/slaws and veg for the grill!

Cippolini Onions are very special. I love them best when they are the star of the show….try this week’s recipe for Balsamic Glazed onions, or use a similar cooking method. They are very sweet!

Fennel is a must-have in our farm kitchen, both as the star of dishes and also in minestrone soups. Remember that if you’re not a fan of the “fennel” flavor or smell, it mellows and practically disappears when cooked. It is a specialty crop that we grow just twice a year.

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

All the greens can be stored in an airtight bag together. The zucchini/squash/cucumber/cabbage is fine in the produce drawer of your fridge. Onions can sit on the counter for 3-5 days.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Delivery Cancellation - Wednesday, July 10th
 
 

ALL CSA DELIVERIES CANCELLED TODAY

We received notice this morning from our driver that the rental truck we're using today for deliveries had a malfunction with the refrigeration unit and ALL our boxes of beautiful produce froze in the truck overnight.  It is heartbreaking that all our work yesterday harvesting, washing and packing boxes - not to mention the gorgeous produce itself - is completely ruined. 

Our driver made the first few deliveries before he noticed that the produce was frozen, so he is in the process of picking up those delivered shares and will be bringing back the full truck to the farm.  The boxes will be emptied and all the produce will be composted. 

We are currently working out a make-up delivery for all of you, so we appreciate your patience and understanding.  These kinds of issues are out of our control and while it's frustrating and a huge loss for us, we are already working on a plan to get a CSA box in your hands as soon as possible. We will be in touch shortly.

With gratitude, Maggie & Matt

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2024 CSA Week #4
 

IN THE BOX

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Green Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Escarole
Romaine Lettuce

Basil (Thurs)
Red Beets (Thurs)
Scallions (Thurs
Red Kale (Thurs)
Mini "Newham" Lettuce (Thurs)

Carrots (Fri)
Cilantro (Fri)
Bok Choi (Fri)
Toscano Kale (Fri)
Cucumbers (Fri)

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens on the carrots/beets for longer storage.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “B” for bi-weekly members

The summer harvests are starting to “bulk” up this week! We’ll do our best to keep some cooking greens and salad greens in the boxes each week, but you can see that we’re starting to get into more fun stuff too!

The escarole looks like lettuce, but it can be distinguished by its frilly leaves. It is a member of the chicory family, so it has that decidedly “bitter” flavor when eaten raw. Cooking removes the bitterness. I’m sharing a few recipes here for cooked escarole, but I do love to save a few of the inner leaves for a raw salad with a lemon vinaigrette and freshly shaved pecorino cheese.

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

Remove the tops from the beets/carrots and store them in an airtight container. All the greens can be stored in an airtight bag together. The zucchini is fine in the produce drawer of your fridge. Basil can be stored “bouquet style” in a glass of water on the counter for a day or so.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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2024 CSA Week #3
 

IN THE BOX

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Basil
Scallions
Turnips
Red Beets
Red Kale
Romaine Lettuce
Green Boston Lettuce (Wed)
Kohlrabi (Fri)
Zucchini & Summer Squash (Fri)

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the roots from the greens on the beets and turnips for longer storage.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “A” for bi-weekly members

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

Basil can sit out “bouquet” style in a glass of water on the counter for a day or so. It should be one of the first items you use in the box due to its tender leaves. The turnips and beet roots (and kohlrabi for Friday members) will last well into 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Zucchini and all greens should be stored in bags or other airtight containers in the fridge.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

WHAT YOUR FARMERS ARE COOKING

• Fresh Basil Pesto
• Perfect Roasted Beets and Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad
• Creamy Kale Risotto
• Scallion Noodles or Grilled Scallion Chimichurri
• Romaine Salad with Rye Crisps and Lemon-Pecorino Vinaigrette
• Simple Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash

QUICK USE-UP STRATEGIES

If you find yourself with CSA produce left in the fridge and your next pick-up is coming up….don’t panic! Try these tips…

Kale - Wash the leaves and freeze in a Ziplock. You can toss them in soups later.
Scallions - Wash, chop and freeze to add to soups and sauces later.
Basil - Make pesto - it freezes in a glass jar like a dream!
Kohlrabi - Slice thinly and sprinkle with salt to snack on.
Zucchini/Summer Squash - Zucchini bread
Beets - These will last well for up to a month if you separate the roots from the leaves.

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2024 CSA Week #2
 

IN THE BOX

Click on an item below for storage tips & recipes.

Arugula
Collards
Kohlrabi (Wed & Thurs)
Red Beets (Fri)
Bok Choi (Wed & Thurs)
Radishes (Fri)
Green Boston Lettuce
Red Boston Lettuce

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

THIS IS A WEEK “B” for bi-weekly members

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

Arugula can go right into the fridge in its bag. It is very tender, so wash gently to avoid bruising the leaves. If it is wet, you can spin it dry in a salad spinner or in a clean dish towel.

All greens need to stay hydrated, so they’ll have to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. While I try to avoid plastic in my kitchen, plastic bags are excellent for this kind of greens storage. There are fancy plastic bags that store greens longer, or you can use Vejibags (my choice!) made from cotton fabric, when gently moistened keep the greens in excellent condition.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

WHAT YOUR FARMERS ARE COOKING

• Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan
• Maggie’s favorite Baked Eggs with Arugula, Chili and Yogurt
• Perfect Roasted Beets
• Collard Wraps with a Thai Peanut Dressing or Braised Collards with White Beans, Garlic & Parmesan
• Kohlrabi Slaw with Apples & Hazelnuts
• Bok Choi Stir-fry
• Boston Lettuce Salads - Butter Lettuce Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

QUICK USE-UP STRATEGIES

If you find yourself with CSA produce left in the fridge and your next pick-up is coming up….don’t panic! Try these tips…

Collards - Quickly cut into ribbons and saute with garlic and olive oil. Side dish, done.
Kohlrabi - Peel and slice thinly. Put them out to snack on while you make dinner.
Radishes - Roast in the oven!
Arugula - Arugula Pesto!
Red Beets - Shredded in a salad with olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper
Bok choi- Quick Stir-fry! See this week’s recipe.
Lettuce - Lettuce Smoothie (yes, it’s delicious!)

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2024 CSA Week #1
 

STORAGE

Put everything in an airtight container in the fridge. Separate the tops from the bottoms of the radishes and turnips.

 

NOTES ON STORAGE & USE

Arugula can go right into the fridge in its bag. It is very tender, so wash gently to avoid bruising the leaves.

All greens need to stay hydrated, so they’ll have to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. While I try to avoid plastic in my kitchen, plastic bags are excellent for this kind of greens storage. There are fancy plastic bags that store greens longer, or you can use Vejibags (my choice!) made from cotton fabric, when gently moistened keep the greens in excellent condition.

Items that have tops & bottoms (such as the turnips and radishes) should be separated. Cut off the tops and store separately. The tops of the radishes can be made into various recipes and the tops of the turnips are my preferred green to along with my eggs for breakfast. See recipe at right.

WILTED GREENS?

It happens in this heat when the greens get dehydrated. Not to worry! Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Dunk the greens into the water and let them float around in there until they “perk up”. It can take up to 15 minutes of being submerged. This is ok and good for the greens! Shake off excess water and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

WHAT YOUR FARMERS ARE COOKING

• Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese. This is a fancy version.
• Turnip tops sauteed along with eggs for breakfast.
• Turnip roots sliced thinly and dipped in hummus.
• Red Radishes quartered and put on platter with fresh grass-fed butter and Maldon sea salt. Excellent with a baguette.
• Kale frittata made in the morning and served for dinner on a hot night with salad. I’ll use the red kale for this.
• Toscano kale with pasta with sausage. Here’s a quick version.
• Boston Lettuce Salads - Perfect Salad & Vinaigrette Recipe
• Cilantro pesto. I may try this Coconut Quinoa & Kale Salad with Cilantro Pesto

QUICK USE-UP STRATEGIES

If you find yourself with CSA produce left in the fridge and your next pick-up is coming up….don’t panic! Try these tips…

Radishes & Turnips left over? Cut the radishes in half, the turnips in quarters and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 375F until tender. Delish on its own or served cool with a salad and some goat cheese.

Kale or Cilantro left over? Make a pesto, add it to your smoothie or freeze it in cubes to put in smoothies later in the season.

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Notes from the farm in April!
 

It's hard to believe that we're just 10 weeks out from the start of our CSAdeliveries. Our greenhouse seedlings are growing rapidly this time of year and we'll be transplanting the first round out into the fields in a few weeks. Thank you to everyone who has joined our CSA so far.  We still have some spots available at our pick-up locations across Long Island, so it's not too late to get your share of the bounty of the season!
 

THIS IS HOW IT BEGINS...

Many of the crops we grow begin their journey to your table by being planted into soil inside our greenhouse.  The seeds germinate and the plants grow up to become "seedlings" before we move them to their final growing spot outside in the field.  This time of year we're seeding everything from lettuce to fennel, leeks, kales, onions and something new for us and our CSA members...celery! 

All of the seeds we purchase are Certified Organic and non-GMO. We choose varieties for flavor and for what grows best in our climate.  Our favorite seed companies include High Mowing Organic Seeds & Johnny's Selected Seeds.

Here's the family crew seeding flats of lettuces for the early season CSA boxes.  Yes, the boys are all grown up now and show varying levels of enthusiasm for farm work.  On this particular day, they were in top form working well as a team filling flats and seeding with the vacuum seeder.

We purchase a custom mix of organic greenhouse soil from Vermont Compost Company.  The soil is pressed into "flats" of small cells, space for each plant to grow. 

Seeding onions (left) and fennel (right).  Since these seeds are not uniform size or shape, they have to be hand seeded.  The fastest technique is to push them one-by-one off the end of this metal seeding chute with the tip of a pen or pencil.  Onions need to have 3 or 4 seeds in each hole.  It's a meticulous and time-consuming process, but it's how these plants get their start in life!

A few hour's worth of work, a stack of onion flats seeded and ready to be watered. 

For round seeds and pelleted seeds (covered in a clay), we can use a vacuum seeder which makes this process quite quick!  You can see a video of this machine in action here.

Once planted, it takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to germinate. 

The first leaves (or embryonic leaves) are called cotyledons (photo left) and they all look the same!  Usually within a week, the plants will start to grow their "true" leaves (photo right) which distinguish themselves. They're like, "Hey, look at me, I'm a kale!"  

 
eb
Moving a farm...
 

Who moves an entire farm?  Apparently, we do!

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to think that we could move our entire farm operation ourselves, but that's just what we did last season.  As you know, we suspended our CSA for the 2023 season while we physically moved every tractor, every piece of machinery, every pump, irrigation pipe and 30 years of accumulated farm "stuff" to our new farmland.  We simultaneously built a brand new packing barn, a greenhouse, and grew all the winter share vegetables for this past year's winter CSA. It was a trial to see what growing would be like in this new soil and climate and we were blown away by the amazing yields we were able to get from the land.  Growing on Long Island soils is basically growing in sand.  The soil here in Vermont is the consistency of brownie batter - deep, rich, and full of nutrients.

Here are some photos of our new land and the infrastructure projects we took on.  We are 95% finished, awaiting some final electrical hook-ups, and ready to take on the season ahead!  We're also very excited to be bringing back our wonderful employees through the H2-A Visa program, some of whom have been working for us since our first years farming.  Having our farm "family" working with us on this new land is a blessing.

Thank you to all of you who have supported our farm over the years and who waited patiently for our CSA to return this season...we are so excited to be back!

  1. Moving our farm sign from our old farmland to our new farmland was a bittersweet day...but so very exciting!

  2. Here's the greenhouse going up!  This greenhouse was designed and built in Canada and can handle high winds and snow loads...it should be here for 50+ years or more!

  3. Our packing barn was put up in less than a week by an experienced barn building crew from Pennsylvania.  This will house our post-harvest, washing and packing facilities.  The historic barn on the property will continue to be used for machinery storage but we needed this space to facilitate our stringent food safety standards for washing and packing CSA boxes. We were able to use locally harvested timber for the structure.  Keeping it local...always! 

  4. Every proper barn in New England is painted in a traditional "barn red" and ours is no exception.  It was a family affair and Galen and I painted the whole barn in just about a week! 

  5. Here is Matt and Mario harvesting potatoes for our winter CSA on a sunny day in October.  The soil is so fertile and our yields were between 2 and 3 times what we've been accustomed to on Long Island. 

  6. Our farm family enjoying some nordic skiing in the "off-season"! 

  7. Our historic barn sits at the center of this private farm valley and is a popular subject for landscape painters.  This is a lovely piece by local artist J. Ahearn.

 
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