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The sunrises and sunsets have been absolutely lovely these past few days. So much pink!
Thank you to Pepperell members for being flexible about the weather/schedule change last week. Your pick up will be in the back of the "blue" greenhouse for the rest of the season. Isn't is nice in there?
Also, there are a few winter shares left for sale. I realized I had named them '2022' shares because, in my mind, most of the growing/planting and harvesting happened in 2022, and I consider it a part of 2022 in my crop plan, but for the rest of the world, if the pick ups are in 2023, the share is in 2023 . . . duh! So, if you thought I hadn't loaded my winter shares yet, there are up, you can sign up. Fair warning for winter shares this year: you need to like carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes and onions - those will be the foundation of the share. There will also be lettuce, lettuce mixes, potatoes, beets, watermelon radish, rutabaga, turnips, celeriac, cabbage, shallots, garlic, some squash and probably a few other fun odds and ends . . .
I love eating my own produce in winter, I love providing winter work for my employees, and winter carrots and spinach are so sweet! Pick ups are only every other week, and lots of the produce cooks up easy/makes a great salad, is rich in nutrients and definitely grown with care.
Spring, Summer and Flower shares go on sale next week - so if you are looking to give fresh local produce/flowers as a holiday gift, stay tuned!
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So much fresh produce!
I always experience a but of sadness when the deep freezes come and the opportunity to pick from the field diminishes . . . but then we dig up carrots that are happily getting sweeter and sweeter in the cold earth, and uncover fresh greens in the tunnels that are doing the same and it's like we've got a leg up on winter!
We love having produce that stores well, like sweet potatoes that carry the warmth and sweetness of summer, garlic and onions that still holds that flavors of last winter and spring when it grew slowly in the cold.
We are so lucky to have access to such delicious bounty directly from the soil! Thanks for enjoying it with us!
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We have dry harvested cranberries for sale at distribution this week! Our friend William from Spring Rain Farm (his dad's farm) and Old Earth Orchard (his farm on his dad's land) brought us some of the cranberries he had left after the Thanksgiving sale.
These are 'Howes' cranberries and will keep for a LONG time (I've kept some by accident in the back of the fridge until May and they were still good). Maybe try the carrot/cranberry recipe below???
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My kids is a goof ball!
We had fun this weekend harvesting our Christmas tree from our friend Jim's farm in Lunenberg. Harvey insisted on dragging the tree himself the whole way to the truck!
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So, what's in the veggie share?
One Pint Shallots/Garlic
Mix and match 5 pounds: onions, watermelon radish, hakurei turnip, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, fennel, leeks, savoy cabbage
Choose 3 more items: napa cabbage, sugar loaf chicory, radicchio, kale, lettuce mix, pea spinach
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Recipes
Hi - Jess Girotti here. If you have a recipe that you love that you'd like to share with other members or if a recipe link isn't working for you, feel free to email me at jgirotti@live.com. (Please note that I can't re-print a recipe from a cookbook that isn't already online.) Don't forget to check out the recipe pages on the Upswing website if you need more ideas for your other veggies.
CRANBERRY-ORANGE CARROT CAKE
I love the Garden in the Kitchen blog and Silvia is a Holliston local! This recipe is a delicious and seasonal way to use up your carrots. I had the pleasure of trying sugared cranberries at Thanksgiving and they're pretty amazing.
CREAMY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SAUSAGE & GREENS
This recipe calls for spinach but you could easily substitute kale, chard or arugula. You can roast the squash ahead of time it that makes your life easier and if you have extra roasted squash, you can use it in soups or as a simple side or make some of the nachos below!
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & BLACK BEAN NACHOS
No recipe needed! This is one of my favorite quick & easy winter dinners. Roast some butternut squash (or use some extras from the recipe above). Sometimes I spice it up with cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Place some tortilla chips (I like to use the blue ones) on a cookie sheet, add some of your favorite salsa, a can of black beans and your roasted squash. Top with shredded cheddar and feta cheese and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and pop into the oven until the cheese is melted. Top with cilantro, avocado and sour cream if you're feeling fancy.
PASTA WITH KIELBASA AND CARAMELIZED CABBAGE
Cabbage and onions caramelized together with fresh thyme, parsley and some apple cider vinegar.
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES & GREENS OVER SPICED LENTILS
I'm always on the lookout for seasonal, veggie-heavy recipes that are packed with flavor and won't have my family wondering where the meat is and this is one of them! This one can be served vegan or you can add a drizzle of plain yogurt.
ROASTED VEGETABLE WINTER SALAD
Saved the best for last! I couldn't love this recipe more. Packed with seasonal veggies and it can be customized based on your likes and what you have on hand. Roast up whatever root veggies you got in your share, whip up the herby vinaigrette and serve it all over whatever greens (or reds) you got in your share. It's especially great with the slightly bitter greens like arugula, radicchio or chicory or a combination. (I sometimes add a little honey to the vinaigrette depending on how bitter my greens are, for a nice contrast.)
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Sincerely,
Your Farmers
Brittany and Kevin
Thanks for the spring pic, Melody!
...maybe we need a fall pic? Good luck finding us in the same place at the same time! Our current "M.O." is "divide and conquer"!
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Pick Up Details:
Holliston Community Farm
34 Rogers Rd, Holliston
Tuesday, 1pm-6pm
Park beyond the farm stand (up the hill, past the yellow house)
On Farm, Pepperell
65 Brookline St, Pepperell (parking is more like 50 Brookline on maps)
Wednesday 2pm-6pm
Park in the lot near the greenhouses with the white 'Upswing Farm' sign
Weston Nurseries
93 E Main St Hopkinton (but don't pull into the main entrance!, See parking info below.)
Thursday, 1pm-6pm
Just west of the nursery is a traffic light. Turn up the hill onto Legacy Farm Rd North and then take your first right into the back gravel parking lot to park. You will see our truck and tents from the street.
Call 508-215-8378 with questions. If you text, please make sure to include your first and last name in the text.
Email brittany@upswingfarm.com with any planned schedule changes
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Storing Produce
Greens: In a plastic bag in the fridge, not near the freezer. (Ideally between 34 and 40 degrees with 98% humidity.) If they don't come in a bag, undo the twist tie when you get them home and put them in a bag. They will wilt without one.
Root veggies: All roots (except potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes) want to be in the fridge. You should twist roots like radishes, beets, turnips and carrots off of their greens before storing. The greens are all edible - so you can store them separately if you plan to eat them.
Sweet Potatoes and Winter Squash: Store at room temperature - your countertop or in a cabinet in your kitchen is best.
Onions and Potatoes: These crops like cool and dark, but dry, not moist like inside your fridge. If you plan to use them up in a week, on the counter is fine. If trying to store them for longer a dark (inside a brown bag), dry and cool environment like a basement or garage where they won't freeze is best - although don't forget about them!
Herbs and scallions: Unless you are drying them, they can go in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Tomatoes: Don't like the fridge! Store on the counter at room temp.
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