 |
Community Supported Agriculture
|
Farm Notes: Changes...
This weekend it felt like fall. Sleeping with the windows open, the children woke up mid-morning needing another blanket. This change to cool nights has an effect on the crops as well. The cold nights trigger something in the plants to begin changes- to prepare for the end of the season. Without cold nights the apples do not attain such a nice red color. Without cold nights the broccoli and cabbage do not get their nice sweetness. Without cold nights the crops keep growing day and night. With cold nights the plant's system gets a rest from growing. This pause in growth changes textures and changes flavors.
With fall in the air the apples will know it is time to slow their growth and begin to ripen and show their true colors. There will be apples in the fruit share, but consider coming to the farm one weekend to see some of the crops growing and to enjoy the apples right off the trees. The flavor and crispness of a just picked apple is so unique. And the awe of nature's bounty is worth admiring.
In admiration of nature,
Farmer Dave
|
Register for Late Fall
!
There are only 7 weeks left of the main season vegetable and fruit shares.
Now is the time to register for your late fall share and enjoy all of your favorite fall treats like winter squash, sweet potatoes, and brassicas into December!
Small and Regular sized shares available!
|
|
 |
|
What's In My Share
The fluctuations in weather this week make for an uncertain harvest. Some crops like tomatillos and husk cherries can't be harvested in wet weather so our best laid plans may be changed because of the forecast. Our harvests are always dependent on Mother Nature but this week will be especially full of surprises!
Don't forget to use the
swap box! It's not just for trading for your favorite vegetables. If you won't use something in the share, have a busy week and won't be able to cook everything, or just feel overwhelmed leave your extras in the swap box and they'll be donated to one of our many hunger relief partners.
Vegetable Shares
- Beets, or Kohlrabi
- Husk Cherries or Tomatillos (weather dependent)
- Green Beans (weather dependent)
- Tatsoi or Bok Choy
- Broccoli Rabe, Arugula, or Swiss Chard
- Cubanelle or Sweet Cone peppers
- Kale, Winterbor, Red Russian or Tuscan
- Lettuce
- Plum Tomato
- Cherry tomato
- Slicing tomato
- Herbs
- and more!
Fruit Share
- Mcintosh Apples
- Gala Apples
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- And possibly more depending on harvest conditions.
This is what we are planning and hoping to harvest this week. Ultimately Mother Nature has the last word so the actual contents of your share will vary.
|
|
|
| VEGISODE: Satisfying Your Apple-tite with Savory Apple Recipes |
In this VEGISODE™, Stacey and Denise show you several varieties of apples, and teach you how to make:
-Denise's Apple Pulled Pork
-Egg Muffins with Spicy Sausage, Apples and Cheddar Cheese
-Mulligatawney Soup
This week Stacey will be going to the following CSA pickups to answer any questions about the late fall CSA shares and any veggie
questions people may have (cooking, storage, preserving etc):
- Monday - Burlington
- Tuesday - Jamaica Plain
- Wednesday - Somerville
- Thursday - Tewksbury
|
Try These Recipes From Our Blog
Check out all our
Vegisodes and subscribe to be notified when timely new videos are added.
These videos are designed to help you make the most of your CSA share with tips on storing, preparing and preserving your veggies.
|
|
|
Try our New Zucchini Pickles
!
Made from Farmer Dave's zucchini at CommonWealth Kitchen, Greater Boston's nonprofit food business
incubator and food manufacturing social enterprise, located in Dorchester
MA.
It's peak season for Tomatoes for sauce and dehydrating! Add some jalapenos for a large batch of homemade salsa!
Add-on Order Deadlines
All orders must be placed online before your order deadline listed below. If you are even a minute late CSAware (our ordering system) will attach the order to the next week's share. Please double-check the time before completing your order.
|
Pick-up Day
|
Add-on Order Cut-off
|
Monday
|
Sunday - Noon
|
Tuesday
|
Sunday - Noon
|
Wednesday
|
Monday - Noon
|
Thursday
|
Tuesday - Noon
|
Friday
|
Wednesday - Noon
|
If you are having trouble placing an order online, make sure you are logged into your account. If you don't know your log-in information, send us an email, and we will send you an invitation to reset your password or create your account. Creating an account on the spot won't help; it needs to be the same account that is connected to your CSA shares.
CSAware will ask that you attach your order to a share. If you don't have a current share, you cannot purchase add-ons. If you attach your order to a share that is not activate it will not be sent to you.
If you do not pick up your add-on order, it will be donated or distributed, we do not offer
refunds for missed add-ons.
|
Pick-Your-Own Apples Every
Weekend!
We are excited to announce Pick-Your-Own Apples are underway at both our Dracut and Westford locations:
Farmer Dave's
437 Parker Road, Dracut
Farmer Dave's at Hill's Orchard
4 Hunt Road, Westford
Your CSA member benefits include 25% off PYO apples as well as one free 1/2 peck of apples per CSA membership for the 2018 PYO season.
We would love our CSA members to come and see their farm!
Farmer Dave's picking guidelines apply.
Please check our website below for picking conditions and times.
|
|
School tours are beginning in September! School tours include apple and/or pumpkin picking along with a hayride through our orchard and fields in both Dracut and Westford. Contact us for rates, days and times.
Group tours are also available.
|
|
| School Tours at Farmer Dave's! |
|
|
Groundwork Share-a-Share
Thanks to generous donations by you (our CSA Members) to the Groundwork Share-a-Share fund, we were able to subsidize the cost of shares in 2017 for over 30 individuals and families, as well as shares for local food pantries.
Please consider helping us in our efforts to make the CSA accessible to more families by donating to Groundwork Share-a-Share.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
