Letter from a Farmer,

We have arrived at the last CSA delivery of the regular season (except for Capital District members who will receive their make up delivery for July 4 next Tuesday). A huge thank you to all of the site coordinators and site hosts who made the distributions possible every week. Thank you to all of you for your support through out the season. It has not been an easy one for personal and climate/weather reasons. Your emails, photos, and notes made a big difference in our moral.

As we reflect on the season we can measure the success by what we produced: 7,400 bunches of basil, 16,800 heads of lettuce, 20,880 carmen peppers, or 5,520 pints of cherry tomatoes. That we made and sold over 1000 small square bales of straw to other local farms, produced 70 large straw bales for our farm, and made more than enough feed for our cows for the winter. We raised 15 pigs and 12 steers to provide meat for our CSA community. Plus the calves and mother cows we grazed all season and that are now snug in their winter barns. The 100 acres we planted in cover crops and grass to build and maintain soil fertility. The two new high tunnels we built for tomato production.

We can look at the certifications we maintain: Certified Organic vegetables through NOFA-NY (and our beef will now be certified organic, too), Certified Real Organic (that we grow our food in soil and allow our livestock free access to the outdoors at all times), and Food Justice Certified Fair Farm from the Agricultural Justice Project for our employment practices.

We can also look at our connections to our community: 928 CSA members all along the Hudson Valley. Some of these shares went to new community partnerships with Harlem Grown in NYC and Food For All with the Fairview Greenburgh Farmers Market in Westchester. Other shares went to our long time partnership with Long Table Harvest in Hudson, NY and other veggies went to the Sing-Sing Family Collective. All of these organizations work to decrease food insecurity and to ensure access to fresh produce to everyone in their communities. In addition, all of the produce that remains at the end of our CSA pick ups at each of our 17 sites is donated to organizations that do similar work. We also work with Long Table Harvest and the Catholic Worker of Albany to provide transplants in the spring for community gardens. We serve on the boards of the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition, and Equity Trust.

Our relationships with the people who work on the farm, our CSA members, our neighboring farmers, and the organizations working to make our communities better places to live and work are the most important measures of our success. Community support and supporting community is at the heart of our work. We are grateful for each and every relationship and we hope to see you all again in 2024! ~Jody

ORDER ROXBURY FARM CSA PORK BY THE CUT and our GRASSFED GROUND BEEF

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. Plus we have our own ground beef available. 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.

Feeding the cows

CHICKEN SHARE #5: 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. 14, and Nov. 21 (make up delivery for July 4)

Westchester on Wednesday's: Nov. 15

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



At the Farm on Friday's:

Nov. 17

carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, onions, potatoes, beets, cabbage, watermelon radish, and popcorn

THANK YOU for another great season!

Look for 2024 CSA info on our website in early January.

This week's full share: kale, potatoes, rutabaga, winter squash, onions, watermelon radishes, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and carrots

FRUIT SHARE: Golden Delicious Apples

This week's small share: kale, potatoes, winter squash, onions, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and carrots

COOKING TIPS AND RECIPES

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Parmesan

1 pound Brussels sprouts

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Parmesan seasoning

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons zest

1 tablespoon grated, or 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

parsley leaves, for garnish

pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half, toss with drizzles of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper, and spread on the baking sheet. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown around the edges. The exact timing will depend on the size of your sprouts.

Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the lemon juice, zest, Parmesan, and thyme leaves. Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes. www.loveandlemons.com

Carrot Fries

2 pounds carrots, medium to large

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons olive oil

Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into thin fries: slice off the ends, then square off each of the sides to make a rectangular box shape. Cut into 3/8-inch wide slices, then cut the slices into strips. 

Place the fries in a large bowl. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Drizzle the carrots with the olive oil, then add the spices and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible. 

Bake 12 minutes on one side, then flip the fries and bake 12 to 17 additional minutes until the fries are dry and slightly browned; watch them carefully as the cooking time can depend on the thickness and the heat of your oven. Thinner fries will turn out crispier than larger fries (you’ll likely have some variation).

Cool a few minutes, then serve immediately. (Note: Fries are best right out of the oven; they become softer as they sit.). www.acouplecooks.com

Creamy Kale Pasta

8 ounces pasta of any type (we used rigatoni)

2 tablespoons salted butter

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 cup milk

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ tablespoon all-purpose flour

5 cups (5 ounces) kale, roughly chopped

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Start a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until al dente (check a few minutes before the package instructions indicate). Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil if the sauce is not yet ready. 

Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium low heat. Melt the butter, then add the garlic and oregano and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the milk, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Add the kale and salt and cook 5 to 8 minutes more, until the kale is wilted.

In a small bowl, mix the flour with 1 tablespoon pasta water. Pour it into the pan with the sauce, then stir until it thickens.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss. If necessary, add a few splashes of pasta water as necessary to make a creamy consistency. Top with fresh ground black pepper and serve. Enjoy immediately; leftovers last refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

www.acouplecooks.com

Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

One 28-ounce can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

One 8-ounce bunch of Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped

Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Torn basil and marjoram leaves, for garnish

Finely grated Pecorino Romano, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes.

Stir the kale into the sauce and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Spoon into bowls and garnish with torn basil and marjoram leaves. Top with finely grated pecorino and serve hot. www.foodandwine.com