Letter from a Farmer,

The storage crop harvest has begun. On Thursday we harvested 23 bulk bins (around 800 lbs per bin) of winter squash and on Friday 17 bulk bins of beets. This week we will pick the sweet potatoes (with your help, see box below) and then the following week the carrots. After the carrots, we will harvest the cabbage and the different storage radishes. So many pounds of food will be coming out of the fields during these harvests.

For the past four seasons we have experimented with different ways to grow winter squash. In the past we planted the squash into plastic mulch and then spread straw or baleage (fermented hay we feed to the cows) in the wheel tracks between the rows. That normally gave us a good harvest. In an attempt to use less plastic and to try some no till growing methods we started experimenting in 2019.

No till growing means you either plant your vegetables into a cover crop that was somehow rolled or solarized to kill it. Then the dead cover crop would form a layer of plant material over the soil to protect the soil and shade out the weeds. Farmers then plant through the plant material. The soil isn't disturbed and no cultivation is needed. This is tricky to do in organic systems and relies on perfect timing and a lot of hand work.

A different system is to till the soil and prepare planting beds. Then take fresh cut rye or oats and cover the beds. Then plant into the layer of rye or oats. The cut rye/oats will shade out the weeds, an organic matter, and allow us to grow a crop without plastic. We chose this method because we had the equipment on the farm and could do it without too much hand work.

We tried this for four seasons. It ended up being time consuming and hard work for the two people getting the cut rye & oats on the field. And a lot of tractor time cutting the rye, picking it up, and then spreading it on the field. It also involved a few days of hand weeding which would have been ok but the yield of the squash grown this way was dismal.

This spring we went back to our old way. We laid plastic in the spring and then mulched between the rows with old baleage. Then the farm team swept the baleage off the plastic into the wheel tracks. Later we spent an afternoon weeding the winter squash. It was fewer people hours and tractor hours this way. Plus we used baleage that wasn't good for feed anymore.

When we went to harvest the squash on Thursday we filled 23 bulk bins. With the experimental method we had around 7 bulk bins of squash and the squash were small and didn't store very well. We planted the same number of plants for both methods. We are disappointed that we have returned to the use of plastic but it seems to be the way for us to grow a good crop of winter squash for all of you.

Trying new things even when they are a disappointment is part of what keeps farming interesting. Striving to farm in a way that is better for the people doing the work and better for the planet that results in a good harvest for you is what makes us do this year after year. ~Jody

2023 Sweet Potato Harvest Party!!

Please join us on Saturday, September 23 at 9:00 am

for the sweet potato harvest.

We will grill Roxbury Farm CSA burgers at 1:00 pm and celebrate with a potluck lunch. Please bring a dish to share!

Click HERE to let us know you will be attending.

We are located at 2343 State Route 9H, Kinderhook, NY 12106. The easiest way to find us is to type in this whole long thing into Google Maps: Roxbury Farm Commercial Delivery Access Road. Other GPS and Apple Maps take you to the wrong location. Our farm entrance is just south of the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site and just north of the intersection of County Route 25 on the west side of Route 9H.

ROXBURY FARM CSA PORK in WHOLES, HALVES, or QUARTERS

Purchase our farm raised pork in bulk to get more for you dollar and to stock up your freezer for the winter. Our pigs are raised on certified organic grain from Green Mountain Feed in Vermont and live in a shady wooded pasture. You can purchase a quarter, half, or whole pig to pick up on farm. Click HERE to reserve your order & pay your deposit today. You can pay the remainder when you pick up your pork.

Winter squash harvest

CHICKEN SHARE #3: THIS WEEK

PORK SHARES: In late September or early October

If you can't pick up your egg or meat share a particular week, please contact the farm and we can hold your share and send it another week.

ROXBURY FARM CSA

PORK and BEEF

We have our own beef and pork available to purchase by the cut.

Click HERE to see what cuts are available

head lettuce, tomatoes, bok choi, arugula, napa cabbage, broccoli, kale, hot peppers, cilantro, carrots, and green beans

Bringing the beet harvest home

This week's full share: purple tatso, fennel, tokyo bekana, tomatoes, broccoli rabe, spinach, cilantro, head lettuce, beets, scallions, and bok choi

FRUIT SHARE: Zestar Apples

This week's small share: purple tatsoi, tokyo bekana, tomatoes, spinach, head lettuce, and beets

COOKING TIPS AND RECIPES

Tatsoi Salad

2 ounces Tatsoi leaves

1 T sesame seeds, for garnish

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

 2 T soy sauce

 1 T rice vinegar

 1 tsp. grated ginger root

 1 tsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetner

 1/2 tsp. Sriracha Sauce (see notes)

 fresh ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes.

Wash Tatsoi leaves and cut into thick strips. I used a salad spinner for this.

Dump Tatsoi into boiling water, time for exactly one minutes, then drain immediately into colander and dump into bowl with ice water. (I used the salad spinner again for the ice water.)

While Tatsoi is cooling in ice water, get a plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid that’s large enough to hold all the Tatsoi.

Mix dressing ingredients in this bowl, then drain Tatsoi well and add to dressing.

Chill in the refrigerator an hour or more, turning bowl over a few times so Tatsoi remains coated with the dressing.

To serve, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove Tatsoi from bowl and arrange on serving plates.

Toast sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes in a dry pan and sprinkle over salad. (If using a mixture, the black seeds burn more quickly than the white ones.). Serve immediately.

www.kaylnskitchen.com

Herbed Tomato Gratin

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups crusty whole-grain bread cubes (1/2-inch)

⅓ cup heavy cream

½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram, plus more for garnish

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

2 pounds medium tomatoes,

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan (or similar-size 3-quart baking dish) with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the bread to a large bowl. Gently stir in cream, 1/4 cup cheese, marjoram, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in the baking dish. Layer tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake the gratin until golden and crispy on top, 40 to 45 minutes. Garnish with marjoram, if desired. www.eatingwell.com

Bok Choi Salad

1½ pounds bok choy, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water to allow dirt to settle, then drained—it’s OK if a little water is clinging to the greens 

FOR THE SESAME-ALMOND CRUNCH:

1 cup slivered or sliced almonds

1/4 cup sugar

⅓ cup sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE DRESSING:

1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, see notes above

¼ cup grapeseed oil or olive oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 green onions, thinly sliced

If you haven’t prepared the bok choy, slice it crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Place it in a large bowl, and cover with cold water. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Place the almonds and sesame seeds in a large, dry skillet set over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally (watching like a hawk) until golden brown. Transfer to a small plate or sheet pan to cool.

Sprinkle the 1/4 cup sugar in an even layer over the same pan and set over medium heat. Line a plate with parchment paper. The moment the sugar is completely liquefied and beginning to turn brown, add the almonds, sesame seeds, and sea salt. Stir with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon until the nut-seed mixture is evenly distributed. Do this quickly, so that the mixture does not burn. Immediately transfer the nut-seed mixture to the plate to cool. 

In a small saucepan, bring the dressing ingredients to a boil, using 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, turn off the heat. Add the sliced green

onions, give the pan a swirl, and set aside. Dressing can be used while warm or cool.

Scoop the bok choy from the bowl of water and transfer it to a colander. Dry in a salad spinner or by simply using a large towel — it doesn’t have to be completely dry.

Transfer bok choy to a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over top and toss. Taste. Add a pinch of sea salt if necessary. Just before serving, add the nut mixture and toss well. 

www.alexandracooks.com

Cilantro Lime Dressing

2 cups fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Make it creamy (optional):

1 avocado or ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

In a food processor, place the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, maple syrup, coriander, and salt and pulse to combine. With the blade running, pour in the olive oil and process until smooth.

Make it creamy (optional) - blend with 1 avocado or ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt. www.loveandlemons.com