To Holliston and Weston Nurseries customers, it's going to be a really cold at distribution this week! If you can get to distribution between 1:00pm and 4:30pm, please do so! If you can't make it we might need to pack up boxes to hand out of the truck to you so it doesn't freeze - we will still be at distribution until 6:00pm.


The lesson is learned, our fall share will end earlier next year and our winter share will begin in December. In winter customers order ahead of time and we box up the shares, making distribution in freezing temperatures possible.

Snow! Oh I do love snow - in small quantities. This was about 1/2 inch too much for the low temps we are having - we couldn't really plow the dirt/gravel driveways around the farm house and barns and I'm getting kind of 'exited' to try and drive the box truck up the little icy slope away from the loading dock this morning . . .


But some snow cover is so good for soil. 'Poor man's fertilizer,' is the saying. It's not really fertilizer. Yes, there may be a slight amount of atmospheric nitrogen in the snow, but nitrogen moves so quickly through a soil system, it is highly unlikely that any of that specific nitrogen will still be available for next year's crops. What is does do, however, is protect the soil like a blanket, actually keeping the soil warmer, and some of the soil microbes slightly more active. Any kind of cover will protect soil. Snow is a very natural and cheap cover!


We try to cover our soil with cover crops, compost and mulch before the end of the season. Some of the latest harvested areas (like where our carrots are coming out of) are hard to cover before winter comes, but when there is snow, we get a little free cozy cover that requires no work to apply! Plus, we will plan to plan those carrot beds as soon as possible in spring, most likely with the first greens and tender roots that will be harvested from the field next year.


When Ruben Parilla, the soil expert from NOFA/Mass was here for the start of our composting experiment this fall, he talked about how some farms he works with, smaller than ours and completely hand scale, have excellent soil health after decades of not planting cover crops or having fallow periods. This is because they are constantly adding organic matter, not tilling the soil excessively and they are constantly planting and re-planting cash crops from early spring to late fall. It's the relationship between plants and soil organisms that builds life in the soil exponentially. The absolute best thing you can do to increase the diversity and health of life in your soil is keep a diversity of plants growing happily.


Our soils are in such better shape than when we first put down a cover crop in August of 2020. We paid for the plowing and seed without having an approved mortgage because our crop plan would not work in 2021 if we didn't have open land to work with, and we had to take a risk. It was a risk worth taking and it has paid off. I'm so, so excited to keep improving the fertility of our soils here on the farm. Healthy soils (as I have said before) are the foundation of a healthy farm business. It doesn't matter what great harvest and wash equipment I hav if I don't have abundant and healthy crops to harvest.


2021 and 2022 were two of the worst growing seasons weather-wise in anyone's recent memory, even some of the older farmer who have been in tuned with seasonal extremes for half a century. It was really, really hard to relocate a farm business in those conditions. The good news? Healthy soils actually sequester carbon from the atmosphere. By improving the health of soils on our farm we are improving their capacity to utilize and store carbon. In our own little way, we are working to impact our climate, and we couldn't do it without you.


I really do think I have the best CSA membership anyone could hope for.

I'm not quite ready to start selling shares for 2023 - I hope to be ready very soon. I will send an email out soon!

Sign up for Winter Share

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/glazed-sweet-potatoes-with-lentils


I made a version of this recipe this weekend (I substituted a small leek for the scallions, and also cooked some rice to go with the lentils). It was delicious. If you don't keep a jar of miso around as a fridge staple, I highly recommend it!

So, what's in the veggie share?


One head lettuce

2 pounds carrots

Mix and match 4 pounds: onions, watermelon radish, hakurei turnip, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, leeks, savoy cabbage

Choose 2 more items: baby bok choy, napa cabbage, sugar loaf chicory, radicchio, kale, spinach

Mushroom Share

Here's a link to information about the mushroom varieties on the Fat Moon website.


Also, here's a little information from Elizabeth about how Fat Moon mushrooms got started!

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.


SAUTEED SAVOY CABBAGE WITH ORANGE DRESSING

Simple ingredients but TONS of flavor and ready in under 20 minutes!


SHAVED CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA

Gorgeous shaved carrots over a lemony ricotta base and drizzled with a coriander dressing. This tart is an absolute show stopper.


CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD WITH NAPA CABBAGE & CARROTS

Super crunchy salad with marinated chicken and a ginger-soy dressing. This will keep for 2-3 days in your fridge fully dressed (I love that about cabbage!).


INA GARTEN'S OVEN ROASTED CARROTS WITH FRESH DILL

Brittany asked me to share an oven roasted carrot recipe with you this week and you can't go wrong with Ina Garten's recipe. I love her addition of fresh dill but you can really make this your own depending on what you are serving it with. They would be delicious tossed with a bit of maple syrup or honey (or hot honey!) and you can substitute dill for whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. You really can't go to far wrong.


MAKE AHEAD SPINACH & MUSHROOM BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

We're always looking for quick grab and go breakfasts at my house and these breakfast sandwiches are perfect. Customize them with whatever your family likes - we like roasted sweet potato, spinach and feta too.


CARROT & FENNEL SOUP WITH SIMPLE FLAT BREAD

The flatbread has a super quick 30 minute rise so you can make them right alongside the soup without a huge time commitment. Don't forget to save some of the fennel fronds to sprinkle over the soup.


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"!

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

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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