Letter from a Farmer,

Hope you are all adjusting to the time change. In past seasons it is more of an adjustment as we quite often are still scrambling to harvest root crops while the sun starts to set at 4 pm. We do get to experience some spectacular sunsets while doing end of the day clean up and animal feeding chores but we would prefer to skip the time change. The mornings are too cold to start early anyway so an hour of light at the end of our day would be much better.

As the days get shorter it is time to have our annual inspections for our organic certification, Real Organic certification, and our newest certification, Food Justice Certification from the Agricultural Justice Project. The Agricultural Justice Project, from their website "brings together workers, farmers, and their communities to build a food system that’s fair and just. We convene stakeholders to set standards of food justice, rooted in accountability to workers and community-scale farmers. We also help farms and food businesses implement fair practices. Through all of our work we foster cooperation and solidarity among farmers, workers, and allies in order to transform the way the US grows and distributes food."

In order to be Food Justice Certified a farm or food business needs to meet the following requirements:

• Freedom of association & collective bargaining rights
• Living wages, or plan with workers to achieve living wages
• Transparent discipline process & just cause termination
• Complaint & grievance process w/ independent arbitrators
• Robust health and safety plan with worker leadership
• Work past 48 hrs/week optional, at least 1 day of rest/week
• Paid sick leave
• No toxic chemicals
• & more…

An independent certifier and a worker organization audit our farm and interview our employees to verify that we follow the standards, which are written and overseen by farm workers, community-scale farmers, and other stakeholders. You can visit www.agriculturaljusticeproject.org for more details.

Of all the certifications we apply for, this one is the most important. We can't grow your food without all the the skilled and talented people who work on the farm. It is a small step in the direction of professionalizing the work of farming. Most people go into farming without the expectation of a benefit package, a 401k, or the ability to purchase a home close to where they work. Plus most farm work isn't year-round full time employment. It's a lot of hard work without the protections and support systems other types of jobs offer.

Even with the AJP certification our farm has much room to improve when it comes to living wages, good & affordable health care coverage, some sort of retirement plan for long-term employees and full time year round work. Purchasing the veggie, fruit, meat, egg, and winter share funds the farm and makes it possible for us to make this small step towards being a better employer. We hope you will continue to partner with us in seasons to come as we strive to do even more. ~Jody

ORDER ROXBURY FARM CSA PORK BY THE CUT

Purchase our farm raised pork by the cut to fill your freezer for the winter. You can also purchase a whole, half, or quarter of a pig. 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 the farm. Click HERE to see what cuts are available and place your order today.

SIGN UP FOR YOUR WINTER SHARE TODAY!

Click HERE to sign up for your winter share. Eat from the farm all winter long!

Receive a 30 lb box of root crops, onions, and cabbage once a month in December, January, and February. The first delivery is the week of December 5-8. Pick up at your winter veggies at your regular season CSA site on your regular pick up day.

Thanksgiving Turkeys Available from Yundwell Pastured Poultry

Yundwell Pastured Poultry provides the chicken and eggs for our shares and online orders. They also raise turkeys for pick up on their farm in Canaan, NY the week of Thanksgiving. The birds are fed organic grain and are raised on wide open pastures.

Click HERE for more information and to reserve your turkey.

Sunset over the farm

CHICKEN SHARE #5: Week of Nov. 13

PORK SHARE #2: THIS WEEK

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

FALL DELIVERY SCHEDULE

Capital District on Tuesday's: Nov. 7, Nov. 14, and Nov. 21 (make up delivery for July 4)

Westchester on Wednesday's: Nov. 8 and Nov. 15

NYC & New Rochelle on Thursday's: Nov. 9 and Nov. 16

At the Farm on Friday's:

Nov. 10 and Nov. 17

carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, onions, potatoes, watermelon radishes, kale, rutabaga, and brussels sprouts

Our newest certification

This week's full share: green cabbage, onions, parsnips, kale, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, and watermelon radishes

FRUIT SHARE: Mutzu Apples

This week's small share: green cabbage, parsnips, watermelon radishes, onions, beets, and carrots

COOKING TIPS AND RECIPES

Oreccheitte with Parsnips & Kale

Salt and pepper

¾ pound orecchiette

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds (halved if large)

1 bunch kale, tough stems and ribs removed, thinly sliced

½ cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and return to pot.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add parsnips to skillet and saute until softened and browned, 5 minutes. Add kale and cook until wilted, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to pot and toss. Add Parmesan and enough pasta water to create a light sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesan. www.marthastewart.com

Kale Pesto

½ cup pepitas

1 small garlic clove

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 packed cups chopped curly kale

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, pulse the pepitas and garlic until the pepitas are ground up. Add the cheese or nutritional yeast, salt, and several grinds of pepper and pulse again.

Add the kale and lemon juice. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, and process until combined. Season to taste.

If the kale pesto is too bitter, add ¼ teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

Pesto will keep in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen for 2 months. www.loveandlemons.com

Slow-Cooker Root Vegetable Confit

Pistachio Pesto

½ cup salted shelled roasted pistachios

½ cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 small clove garlic, smashed and peeled

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano

Root-Vegetable Confit

4 small carrots, peeled, ends left intact

4 small parsnips, peeled

2 beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch wedges

1 onion, chopped

1 bulb fennel, cut into wedges, core intact

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

3 dried red chiles

4 to 5 cups extra-virgin olive or canola oil

Pistachio Pesto:

In a mini food processor, pulse pistachios, parsley, and garlic with oil until finely chopped. Add vinegar and cheese; pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Pesto can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Root-Vegetable Confit:

Preheat a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Combine carrots, parsnips, beets, onions, fennel, bay leaves, coriander seeds, chiles, and oil in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until tender, about 2 1/2 hours (or on low 5 hours).

Let cool in oil 30 minutes; then, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Serve, with pesto alongside. www.marthastewart.com