Hello Everyone!

Wow, what a push. Last week, with temps dropping below 23 on Saturday morning, we did everything we could to get as many vegetables as possible in to storage that might not tolerate the extreme drop in temps, and covered as many vegetables as possible with row cover, or extra layers of row cover, to give them a chance at surviving these extreme drops.

We did really, really well. And even though 23 is a huge drop, I'm not sure we lost anything to cold - amazing!

We did, however, miss the Hopktinton market on Saturday, sorry to those of you we missed. When we went to pack the market truck on Saturday morning it was only 23 degrees up here and the hourly didn't expect it to reach above freezing until 10, when the market was supposed to start. If I had loaded all the produce we had prepared for market into the truck, it would have frozen on the way down. It was a hard call to make, but luckily, Laura of Long Life Farm who runs the market and sells her produce there is an excellent grower, with high quality organic product, who also accepts HIP/EBT payments at her stall. It was a great reminder that it's going to take lots of smaller, local farms to create the food system that we need, and collaborating with/rooting for each other is the only way forward.

So, I worked on the grant I was writing instead and got it in early. I like writing grants (kind of, sometimes, when the mood is right) because, at least the big picture ones force me to make time to think about the big picture. And the big picture for this small farm is something that I'm so, so eager to have enough space, time, energy and resources to spend some time on. The first year is always a push, we knew that going into this. It was harder and more of a push than we thought - maybe because we're still exhausted from the first start up phase of this business followed by moving the farm twice and running the farm on leased land during a pandemic - but we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But we aren't there yet. So don't ask me if things are slowing down - it makes me start to cry. Ask me on the 20th of December. But don't feel bad for me - I'm just exhausted from living my dream.

APPLES FOR SALE THIS WEEK! - Sorry I couldn't get them to the distro the last two weeks but we were so crushed for time we just couldn't fit it in. But they are here this week and so delicious! Hopefully we'll have apples for sale the rest of the season.

NEW RECIPE PAGES ON THE WEBSITE!!

We’ve added a new “RECIPES” link to our website where you can find recipes that highlight each of the vegetables that you receive in your share. Each veggie will eventually have its own page with a gorgeous photo courtesy of Bob Durling, a brief description of the veggie with storage and cooking tips, and a list of recipe links. You’ll find pages for most of your fall veggies here now and we’ll continue to add more each week, so check back regularly! Jess will continue to include recipe suggestions in the weekly newsletters, but we thought a one-stop-shop for all of the vegetables would be helpful too. Click here to visit the recipes page.

Leeks, 1 pound(ish) We were forced to grow all new varieties this year because there was a seed shortage on any variety that we knew, and I just didn't know if this variety could hold up to 23 degrees, so we pulled a lot of leeks last week and stood them up in bulk bins, soil still on the roots, so they think they were just replanted. We are cleaning them up this week and they will be in your shares. Leeks are in the onion family, you can use them as an onion substitute in almost any recipe. Haley and I both (independently) made a sauté of leeks and friseé this weekend that was super delicious. Also, that sentence sounded pretty cool.

Try this recipe I made like a month ago with extra leeks and apples. It was really good. I made croutons with some stale bread and put on top right at the end - everyone loved it.

When you see these leeks your correct response should be: "Wow! You grew these? These are amazing! I can't believe how large and long they are! They will be so easy to use - I can't wait!!"

1 Bunch beets!!: I know not everyone likes beets, and I'll make sure to have a trade bin out this week, but if you even like beets a little, you should get some because these are delicious - I made a salad with arugula, beets and goat cheese this weekend. I used the little beets, just cut them off the greens, washed them and boiled them then trimmed the roots, cut in half and put in the salad. If you want to be cool, eat little beets this week.

Herbs Choose 1:

cilantro

parsley

thyme

rosemary

scallions

dill

• frisee - please eat this . . . I told the crew I was going to make you, and I'm not, but I need you to . . . we're all eating it - be cool like a farmer and eat frisee.

• celery - please use some this week - you can make this soup with your celery and leeks. You can then use the celery tops, leek tops, carrot peelings and trimmings to make your own veggie stock, one of my favorite things to do: check out this how to article/video.

• micro greens

Mix and Match 4 pounds (or 2 pounds mix and match and 1 stalk brussels sprouts):

carola potatoes

https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-apple-sweet-potato-and-brussels-sprouts-skillet/I love a one-pan dinner! Bonus points for one that uses multiple veggies from my share.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/268750/sweet-potato-sausage-strata/With sweet potoatoes, onions, bell peppers and kale, this veggie-packed strata is a great one dish meal and the leftovers are brilliant for breakfast.

Spinach, carrots, onions and adorable little mini sausage and chicken meatballs.

If you can't make it, please feel free to send someone else to pick up your share, or reach out to us and we can coordinate an alternate pick up plan.

CSA Pick Up Hours:

34 Rogers Rd, Holliston

Tuesday, 1pm-6pm

93 East Main St (but don't use the main entrance. At the light in front of the Nursery, turn uphill on Legacy Farm road and make your first right. It's a back entrance and you'll see the box truck!)

Thursday, 12pm-5pm

65 Brookline St, Pepperell (but really it's more like 60 Brookline st, just east of where the GPS will take you. There's a big sign and a parking lot.)

Thursday 3:30-6:30pm