We can’t help snapping a photo any time we get to plant in the fall! On Friday we started planting garlic and we will have more to plant this week once the rain dies down. This will be the garlic we harvest next July. So far we have strawberries, tulips, daffodils and now some garlic planted for next year. We love fall planted crops because we get to check off some of the 2023 planting before the new year and we don’t have to do much weeding! We are also experimenting with some new crops for the spring including overwintered scallions in the field and Bridal Pink snapdragons in a high tunnel. Later this winter we will start additional high tunnel planting for spring harvest.
This week is the last week of the Farm Store for the 2022 season! Farm store hours are the same as usual this week: Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Barrett’s Bucks expire at the end of this week when the Farm Store closes. The Main Season CSA is now over but the Extended Season and Flex CSAs continue until November 19th with adjusted pick-up hours: Thursday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm only (no Tuesday pick-ups).
In the CSA this week:
Autumn Frost squash - A specialty butternut squash that stores well and has a sweet earthy taste. It is great for cooking any way you usually use butternut squash, such as roasting or pies. The skin softens when cooked, so if you don’t want to peel it, you can slice in wedges and roast.
Tetsukabuto squash - Skins are edible, so you can slice them into thin wedges and roast without peeling.
Potatoes
Spinach
Salad turnips - We grew these as a great salad addition for the late fall! They are sweet and can be eaten raw.
Red leaf lettuce - This field grown lettuce has been covered for the past month and is finally ready for harvest!
Storage onions
Escarole - It is a great week for escarole bean soup! Escarole looks like lettuce but is more bitter and is best when cooked.
Cabbage
Brussels sprouts - We distribute Brussels sprouts still on the stalk. Just pop them off at home and follow your favorite recipe.
Sweet potatoes
Fennel
Carrots
Beets
Peppers
Herbs - There will be a choice of cilantro that has been harvested by our crew from the high tunnel or PYO herbs (see below).
Pick-Your-Own:
If you do not want cilantro that will be available in the CSA distribution area, there will also be the option of PYO sage, thyme, lemon thyme or oregano.
In the farm store:
In addition to the items listed in the CSA we will have lemongrass, high tunnel tomatoes, butternut, acorn and delicata squash, corn stalks, scallions, leeks, kale, garlic, and dried flowers in the farm store this week. We will also have Jack-o’-Lanterns from Verrill Farm, eggs from Codman Farm, Double B Honey from hives here on the property, mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm, raspberry jam and vinegar from Silferleaf Farm in Concord, and certified organic cranberries from Fresh Meadows Farm in Carver, MA.
We accept credit card, cash, check and EBT in the farm store. The farm store is open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 3pm. The Farm Store will be open until Saturday, October 29th, 2022. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering opens at 6pm the day before pick-up.
Pick-Your-Own Flower CSA:
The PYO Flower CSA is closed for the season.
Fall Mushroom CSA
It is the seventh week of the 10-week Fall Mushroom CSA, and this week will be a “Farmer’s Mix.” For more information about each variety Fat Moon Farm grows, check out the “Types We Grow” page of their website: https://fatmoonmushrooms.com/pages/types-we-grow! Pick-up for the Fall mushroom CSA this week continues to be any time the farm store is open, Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Next week the farm store will be closed so the the pick-up schedule will change. Mushroom CSA pick-ups for November (the last 3 weeks) will be Thursdays 3pm-6pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm. Mushrooms will be delivered on Thursdays by 3pm in order to have them as fresh as possible for the new schedule. Please email Melissa to make other arrangements if you can not make the new pick-up times.
Sweet Potato Tacos
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick in the Boston Globe
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, one-half finely chopped and one-half thinly sliced
1 jalapeno or other small chile pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
⅓ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
8 small corn tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded red or green cabbage
Handful fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
2 limes, cut into wedges (for serving)
Preparation
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the salt and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Transfer to the baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. The potatoes will not be cooked through. After 10 minutes, remove the potatoes from the oven and turn the temperature up to 400 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped red onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes more. Add the paprika and cumin and stir for 1 minute, or until the spices are aromatic. Stir in the tomato paste and vinegar and cook to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Gently transfer the sweet potatoes to the skillet and stir gently until they are coated with the seasonings. Tip the sweet potato mixture back onto the baking sheet.
5. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast the potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a skewer.
6. In a blender or food processor, combine the sour cream and chopped cilantro. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.
7. Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Spread a spoonful of sour cream on each, and top with cabbage and sweet potatoes. Garnish with sliced red onion and cilantro leaves. Serve with lime.