The silver lining of farming in the midst of a pandemic has been the great crew we have on the farm this year. Because of COVID-19 we were faced with a need to hire additional help to to accommadate the changes in the farm store and CSA distribution this season. However, the pandemic also ended up changing the plans for several crew members from last year, making it possible for them to return to the farm for another season and giving us an unexpected boost (and reprieve) in the hiring process. We now have 11 returning crew members (out of 17 total employees)! Having a knowledgeable, friendly, reliable crew has helped ease the burden of the increase in workload - as well as stress levels - from the current pandemic. They make each CSA and farm store day happen from morning sanitizing, to harvest, distribution, and clean up. The first crew member starts at 6:30am (rockstar Sarah!) to sanitize and prepare for the field crew’s arrival, and the last crew members leave the farm after 6:30pm, with lots of bagging, sanitizing, stocking and bin washing in-between of course! While it has been a challenging season in many ways, our crew has remained upbeat, cheerful and hardworking throughout. With faces covered under masks the farm doesn’t always look as friendly as in the past but know they are smiling under there and happy to help!
In the CSA this week:
Purple Haze Carrots- These carrots are purple on the outside and orange on the inside. We grow one planting a year because they are fun! They taste similar to the carrots you are used to.
Slicing cucumbers - We are enjoying this early harvest from our high tunnel! The field slicing cucumbers are just beginning to produce.
Golden beets - These beets are sweet, pretty, and don’t turn your kitchen red when you cook them! Golden beet seed is less dependable and more expensive then that of red beets so we grow just one planting in the spring and one in the fall.
Scallions - Field scallion harvest has begun! The tops are slightly damaged by thrips but they still taste great.
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Pickling cucumbers - These cucumbers are known for being good for pickling but are also great for eating raw any way you would slicing cucumbers!
Mini cabbage -Green “Farao,” green cone shaped “Caraflex,” and some of the first red “Omero” heads
Kale
Lettuce - The last of the spring lettuce before we move on to summer crisp varieties.
Salanova lettuce mix - Likely the last week of this spring favorite! Weather in July gets too hot for us to grow lettuce mix so we take a break and start back up in the early fall.
CSA PYO:
If possible please bring scissors from home. We do have some you may borrow but quantities are limited each day due to necessary sanitizing measures.
Basil - To harvest pinch or cut plants at the stem. Cut above the lowest branching leaves.
Dill - Use scissors to cut about 2” from the ground
Cilantro - Use scissors to cut about 2” from the ground
Parsley - Cut or pinch outer leaves, leaving interior leaves to grow.
Pick-your-own Flower CSA
The PYO Flower CSA will likely begin next week (July 14th) for Flower CSA members (both Small and Large memberships)! The first flowers available will be snapdragons, zinnias, and bachelor buttons. The Flower CSA is separate from the Main Season CSA but the Main Season CSA (including Flex and Extended memberships) does include pick-your-own sunflowers and the first planting will hopefully be ready next week! In a couple of weeks when the flower field is in full bloom we will also have pick-your-own flowers available for anyone to purchase by the jar. We will email Flower CSA members additional details about your membership next week and continue to post updates about variety availability here on the blog.
In the Farm Store:
In addition to most of the items listed in the CSA we will also have mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm and eggs from Pete and Jen’s Backyard Birds available this week. Online pre-orders continue to be available for quick pick-up at the farm store, and walk-up sales are open for all Tuesday-Saturday. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 2pm the day before pick-up.
Farm Store Hours
Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 9am-3pm
Please wear a snug fitting mask with multiple layers when approaching the farm stand. If you cannot wear a mask, simply order online and include a note in your order letting us know what car you will be driving (as well as roughly what time you will arrive) and we will bring your bag out to your car when you arrive. Thank you for your understanding!
Warm Golden Beet Salad with Greens and Almonds
By Faith Durand at the Kitchn: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-warm-golden-beet-salad-116139
Ingredients
1 bunch beets, both tops and roots
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup toasted almond slivers
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan or cake tin with a big square of foil, large enough to complete enclose the beet roots. Lightly rinse the beet roots to remove any really clumpy dirt and pat them dry. Place them in the foil square and lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Fold up the foil and crease to seal. Bake the beets for 60 minutes or until they can be just pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, chop the beet greens into bite-size ribbons. Discard the stalks between the roots and where the leaves start, but chop the leaf ribs along with the leaves. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of dirt and grit. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook on low for about 5 minutes or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Add the chopped leaves and stir to coat with the garlic. Cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes or until the leaves are soft and tender. Remove from the heat.
When the beets are cool, rub them with a paper towel to remove the skin. Then chop into bitesized pieces and toss with the cooked greens, goat cheese, and almonds. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold. (This also makes an excellent pressed sandwich filling, especially with some extra goat cheese.)
Our crew has been chatting in the fields about their recent culinary exploits and scallion pancakes have been on the top of the list! They are a little more involved than our usual recipes but here is a “how to” from the kitchn website in case you want to join in the fun with this week’s scallion harvest!
How To Make Scallion Pancakes
by Faith Durand
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-scallion-pancakes-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-107405
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups
white flour
1 cup
warm water
Oil for the pancakes, such as vegetable, sesame, or shortening
Coarse kosher salt
1 bunch
scallions
High smoke point oil for the pan, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
Equipment
Spray oil or cooking spray
Rolling pin
Baking sheet or pastry board
10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan
Thin spatula
Kitchen scissors
Instructions
Make the dough and let it rest: Mix 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup water until it forms a smooth dough. Knead by doubling the dough over and pressing it down repeatedly, until the dough is even more smooth and very elastic. Coat this ball of dough lightly in oil and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough: Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Lightly oil the back of a large metal baking sheet (or a smooth stone countertop or pastry board). Roll out one part of the dough on the back of the baking sheet. Roll until it is a thin rectangle at least 12 x 9 inches.
Chop the scallions: Finely chop the bunch of scallions. (I usually use the green tops and just the very top of the white parts.) Set them on your work surface along with a small bowl of kosher salt.
Top the dough: Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil, then sprinkle it evenly with chopped scallions and kosher salt.
Roll up the dough: Starting from the long end, roll the dough up tightly, creating one long snake of rolled-up dough.
Cut in half: Cut the dough snake in two equal parts.
Coil the dough and let it rest: Take one of these halves and coil into a round dough bundle. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes and ideally longer, while you repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
Roll out the coil: Pat a coiled dough bundle into a flat, smooth, round pancake. You can do this with a rolling pin or with your hands.
Cook the pancake for 2 minutes: Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, and oil it with a drizzle of canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. When the oil shimmers, pick up the pancake dough and lay it gently in the pan. It should sizzle, but not burn. Cook for 2 minutes on one side.
Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes: Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown. Repeat steps 9-11 with the rest of the pancake dough coils.
To Serve: Cut the pancake into wedges with a pair of kitchen scissors, and serve immediately with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.
Recipe Notes
Oils: This recipe calls for oil in two different places: Once to make the filling, and once to fry the pancakes. For the filling, any neutral oil will do, but commenters (and I!) prefer sesame oil. Other recipes call for shortening. For the pan, use a high smoke point oil such as peanut.
Make ahead: If you would like to make a few pancakes but save the rest for later, you can save the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure the dough is oiled and well-covered. You can also roll out individual pancakes and stack them between well-oiled layers of wax paper.