Farm store updates and CSA Week 2!

The farm store was bustling last week with the incoming strawberry harvest and a growing veggie list! We will continue to have a wider variety of vegetables every week. This week we are particularly excited about beets and scallions joining the list, and next week we will have carrots! The CSA PYO strawberries are at their peak so we suggest planning time for picking! If you can not pick when you come for your CSA bag during your time slot you may come back to pick Friday 11am-6pm.

We really appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation with the new systems we have needed to put in place in response to COVID-19. We know that it changes the feel of things and it’s not easy, but you all helped make it go so smoothly! We miss getting to chat with you all, but your kind words and supportive emails have been a huge morale boost for us as we make these adjustments! Now that we have one week of CSA pick-ups under our belt, we’ve had a chance to fine tune our new systems and we’d like to expand on and clarify some policies:

• For pick your own herbs, please bring your own scissors if possible. Some scissors will be available to borrow, but due to the necessary disinfection steps there will be a limit to the number available each day.

• Gloves: Gloves are not required, but you may wear them if you like. If you would like to wear gloves, you must wash your hands directly before putting on the gloves, and they must be brand new disposable nitrile gloves (either in their packaging or in a clean plastic bag, never worn before). We will have some disposable gloves on hand if you would like to wear gloves but do not have new ones, or if your gloves were contaminated. No cloth or reusable gloves are allowed. Please no latex gloves either due to latex allergies.

• Hand hygiene: Hand washing is still required before picking out CSA veggies and doing the PYO. We know it’s challenging, but please remember to try not to touch or adjust anything like your cell phone, mask or hair once you’ve washed your hands. Please try not to touch produce or bags that you are not taking.

• Face masks: Masks should fit snugly and if they are cloth, should have 2 layers. If you cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, please email us directly to set up contact-less pick-up.

We are so happy to be able to provide you with vegetables again and we hope you enjoy your time on the farm while staying safe!

In the CSA this week:

• Scallions

• Beets - The greens make a great side dish sauteed with garlic and olive oil! The stems are particularly colorful and tasty!

• Radishes

• Fennel - Grown under the protection of one of our new high tunnels, it might be the nicest fennel we’ve ever grown!

• Kale

• Spinach

• Swiss Chard

• Salanova lettuce mix

• Head lettuce - Romaine, Butterhead

• Red Russian kale - baby kale

• Arugula

• Yukina savoy - a tender mild green that looks like spinach and can also be eaten raw or cooked.

• Salad (hakurei) turnips - these mild, sweet turnips can be eaten raw or cooked. Roasting really brings out the sweetness.

CSA PYO:

There will be capacity limits to the PYO fields. If a field is at capacity, we ask that you wait until someone leaves before entering the field. Face masks and handwashing are required.

• Strawberries! All beds are now ripening so it will be a great week for picking!

• Sugar snap peas - The whole pod and pea are edible! There will be 2 plantings open this week. Lift the plant to look underneath for the most filled out pods.

• Herbs - you’ll likely have a choice of basil, oregano, thyme, or cilantro.

In the farm store:

In addition to most of the items listed in the CSA we will also have green garlic, Sweet William flowers, 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. We have been putting a limited number of strawberries for sale online through pre-orders, and we also have them available in the store for walk-up sales.

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!

Simmered Beet Greens With Roasted Beets, Lemon and Yogurt

By Martha Rose Shulman, NYTimes Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of beets with greens

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Juice of 1 lemon (more or less to taste)

• 1 to 2 garlic cloves (or green garlic)

• 1 cup drained yogurt

• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or lidded ovenproof casserole. Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (3 ounces or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (4 to 6 ounces) 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (8 ounces) 50 to 60 minutes, until easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Slice or cut in wedges and set aside.

• While the beets are in the oven, stem the greens and wash in at least 2 changes of water. Place in a bowl.

• Heat a large, wide skillet over high heat and add the greens by the handful, stirring each handful until the greens wilt in the water left on the leaves after washing. Once one batch has wilted, add another until all of the greens are wilted. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, turn the heat down to low, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. The greens should be tender but still bright. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, toss the greens in the pan, taste and adjust seasoning. (Note: if you are not serving this right away, don’t add the lemon juice, as it will change the bright color of the greens; instead, add shortly before serving).

• At this point you have the option of transferring the greens to a platter or serving the dish right from the pan. Whether in the pan or on a platter, arrange the beets on top of the greens. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil and squeeze on more lemon juice to taste. Mash the garlic to a purée with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle and stir into the yogurt. Place spoonfuls of yogurt over the top of the beets and beet greens, sprinkle on the walnuts and serve, with grains if desired.

Arugula & Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Recipe: Arugula & Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

by Emma Christensen at Kitcn

Ingredients

• 5 ounces (about 5 packed cups) arugula, washed and dried

• 1 small fennel bulb, shaved on a mandoline or thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• Juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

• Pecorino, to serve

Instructions

1. Combine the arugula and shaved fennel in a serving bowl. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a jam jar or other small container with a lid. Shake the dressing until smooth and cream. Dip a leaf of arugula into the dressing and taste; adjust any of the dressing ingredients to taste. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing a little bit at a time until you have dressed the salad sufficiently to your liking.

2. Use a vegetable peeler to shave a few slices of pecorino over the top of the salad. Serve immediately.

CSA Week 1 and Farm store updates

It is the first week of the CSA for 2020! The farm store and online ordering pick-up will continue to be open to all on the farm stand porch while the CSA will be set up under our new white canopy tent. We will have staff in both areas to help you access all the new veggies coming in this week (salanova lettuce mix, strawberries, snap peas, hurrah!). It has been a challenging past couple of months as we have been working extra long days to prepare to safely distribute food to our farm store customers and now also to nearly 250 CSA members. Fortunately, for the first time we feel like we have enough staff to keep up with field tasks, and thanks to our amazing crew (which includes 10 returning employees) the fields look the best that they have ever looked! The past couple of weeks have brought the added challenge of drought conditions, but Melissa has been diligently working with Phoebe, Rebecca, Rachael and Sarah to set up irrigation over the majority of our crops. Because of the drought, as well as the cold early spring, nothing right now is ahead of schedule, but also nothing is behind, which feels like a win! In the coming weeks, we’ll be adding beets, fennel, scallions, kohlrabi and carrots to our harvest lists, so we are right on track.

In the CSA this week:

The CSA distribution has moved outside under a tent. Face masks and handwashing are required before entering the tent and only one person per membership may enter. We will have portable sinks for handwashing by the white tent, farm stand, and CSA PYO fields. The barn bathroom and wash area sinks in the barn are for employees only this year due to COVID-19.

CSA members may select their own produce from the bins laid out under the tent, choosing what they would like to take home from the CSA distribution area. Loose greens are pre-bagged to minimize contact, but as long as there is no limit on a pre-bagged item, you are welcome to take more than one. As usual only 3-5 items will be limited and members may take what they would like of the remaining items until their CSA bag is full.

• Green garlic - mince and use as you would regular garlic.

• Spinach

• Chard - see below for a simple recipe idea.

• Salanova lettuce mix

• Head lettuce - Panisse (a soft oakleaf lettuce), romaine and red leaf lettuce.

• Red Russian kale - baby kale

• Red mizuna - a beautiful mild green that can be eaten raw in salads or sauteed.

• Arugula - a spicy tender salad green. Lise’s favorite!

• Yukina savoy - a tender mild green that looks like spinach and can also be eaten raw or cooked.

• Baby bok choi - see below for a recipe idea.

• Full sized Bok choi

• Salad (hakurei) turnips - these mild, sweet turnips can be eaten raw or cooked. Roasting really brings out the sweetness. See below for a recipe idea.

• Mini daikon - these spicy radishes are great shredded raw on salads, roasted, in soup or pickled.

CSA PYO:

There will be capacity limits to the PYO fields. If a field is at capacity, we ask that you wait until someone leaves before entering the field. Face masks and handwashing are required before entering the PYO field. PYO items are limited to the posted amount for each CSA membership (the appropriate size container will be provided) but these items do not need to fit in your CSA bag.

• Strawberries!

• Sugar snap peas

• Herbs - you’ll likely have a choice of oregano, thyme, or cilantro. If you would like to use scissors for pick-your-own please bring your own. Some scissors will be available to borrow but due to the necessary disinfection steps there will be a limit to the number available each day.

Each CSA membership is signed up for a designated time slot. If you can’t make it during your time slot, you may come at another CSA pick-up time. However, if there is a wait at the CSA tent we will have a pre-packed bag for you (farmers choice). CSA pick up hours are Tues/Wed/Thurs 11am-6pm (11am-12pm is senior hour) and Saturday 9am -3pm.

In the farm store:

Online pre-orders continue to be available for quick pick-up at the farm store, and walk-up sales are now also available every day. 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.

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will also have Sweet William flowers and mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm. We’ll also have the last of the asparagus on Tuesday.

Farm Store Hours

Tuesday - Friday 11am - 6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Easy Swiss Chard Recipe

by Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes

The coriander seeds are optional because not everyone has them in their spice rack. But if you do, please use them! Coriander is wonderful with chard.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, sliced (or one small head green garlic)

• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds (optional) - Or use fresh cilantro!

1 Prep the chard stalks and leaves: Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Either tear or cut away the thick stalks from the leaves.

Cut the stalk pieces into 1-inch pieces. Chop the leaves into inch-wide strips. Keep the stalks and leaves separate.

2 Sauté garlic and crushed red pepper flakes: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan on medium high heat. Add garlic slices, crushed red pepper, and coriander seeds (if using), and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.

3 Add Swiss chard stalks: Add the chopped Swiss chard stalks. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

4 Add the chopped leaves: Add the chopped chard leaves, toss with the oil and garlic in the pan. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes. Turn the leaves and the stalks over in the pan.

If the chard still needs a bit more cooking (remove a piece and taste it), cover and cook a few more minutes.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Hakurei (Salad) Turnips with Israeli Couscous Salad

from noteatingoutinny.com

• 1 bunch hakurei turnips with fresh-looking greens

• 1 cup Israeli couscous

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• pinch of optional red chili flakes

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• juice from half a lemon

• 4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim radishes from greens leaving a small stub of the stems attached. Wash both well to remove dirt. Halve each turnip, keeping the long tails intact. Finely chop the greens.

Toss the turnips with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, pinches of salt and pepper, and the optional chili flakes. Place flat side-down on a roasting pan. Roast for 5-10 minutes, or just until the bottoms are lightly browned. Toss around in the pan with tongs, and continue roasting another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of 3 cups water to a bowl and add the couscous. Continue to boil for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender. Drain.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame and add the garlic. Once fragrant, toss in the leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sautee until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Combine the chopped onion with the cooled couscous and greens. Add fresh lemon juice, an extra tablespoon or so of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the roasted radishes on top.

Sautéed Baby Bok Choy

by Sam Sifton, NY Times Cooking

• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (or 1 minced green garlic)

• 1 ½-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced

• ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste

• 4 bunches of baby bok choy, approximately 1½ pounds, cleaned, with the ends trimmed

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon chicken stock or water

• Toasted sesame oil for drizzling

  In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add garlic, ginger and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.

  Add bok choy and stir carefully to cover with oil, then cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, stock or water, then cover pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, until steam begins to escape from beneath the lid of the pan.

  Uncover and continue to cook until liquid is close to evaporated and stalks are soft to the touch, approximately 3 minutes more.

  Remove to a warmed platter and drizzle with sesame oil.

Online ordering, walk-up sales and new CSA info

We are gearing up for the start of the CSA next week, Tuesday June 9th! CSA members will receive a detailed email tomorrow with information about changes for this year in response to COVID-19. The most noticeable change on the farm is our new tent for CSA pick-ups! One person per CSA share will be allowed under the tent at a time and face masks and handwashing will be required. We will be operating the CSA pick-your-own using guidelines established by the MA Department of Agriculture. In order to limit wait times for CSA pick-up we will be asking that CSA members select a time slot for their weekly pick-up (instructions for selection will be included in the CSA email tomorrow, Tuesday). We are making additional adjustments to help with this transition including offering an additional pick-up day (Wednesday), the option of pre-packed CSA bags, and senior/immune compromised member hours. We are working hard to make sure everyone will be able to enjoy the farm this summer, have access to their favorite veggies, and stay safe at the same time!

This week we are continuing our pre-order sales as well as farm store walk-up sales (both will continue to be open to the public once the CSA starts). Pre-orders are available for pick up Tuesday-Friday 2pm - 6pm, and Saturday 11am - 3pm. Ordering opens the day before pick-up at 2pm and closes at 5am the morning of pick-ups. The walk-up farm store will be open this week Wednesday-Saturday.

Walk-up farm store hours this week

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 2pm - 6pm

Saturday: 10am - 3pm

Here’s the link to the shop for pre-orders: https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop

Remember to select a pick-up time in order to begin shopping. Also, when an item sells out, it disappears from the shop, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t have it again. You can always check back the next order cycle!

What’s available this week (online orders and walk-up sales):

• Asparagus- This will likely be the last week of the asparagus harvest for the season.

• Strawberries - a limited number as they are just beginning to ripen!

• Spinach - Coming in strong!

• Bok choy

• Arugula

• Salad Turnips - Sweet and crunchy, as the name suggests they are great in salads!

• Radishes

• Baby Bok Choy

• Napoli carrots - Only available Tuesday as this is the end of our high-tunnel grown planting of carrots.

• Mushrooms from Fat Moon in Chelmsford

• Seedlings - Basil, tomatoes, husk cherries and snapdragons

• Herbs - chives, oregano, thyme

Online ordering and walk-up sale details for this week

It is now May 25th, the day that takes up five pages of our field planting schedule! While we work hard this week to keep up with planting the summer crops and stay ahead of the weeds in the spring crops, we will also be ramping up the morning harvest. In addition to asparagus we are excited to be harvesting radishes, baby bok choy, arugula, and spinach this week as well as our very first crop of winter grown high tunnel carrots!

Ordering for Tuesday (May 26th) opens today at 2pm. For Tuesday, we will be open for pre-order pick-up only (ordering will open Monday at 2pm for Tuesday pick-ups). Like last week, pick-ups slots will be available Tuesday-Friday 2pm - 6pm and Saturday 11am - 3pm, with ordering for each pick-up opening at 2pm the day before. While ordering ahead is the best way to ensure we have what you would like when you come to the farm, we will also be open for walk-up sales this Wednesday-Friday 2pm-6pm and Saturday 11am-3pm. The farm store will be staffed and check, credit card and Barrett’s Bucks will be accepted (you may also pay with cash if you have exact change - we will not make change for sanitary reasons). Please wear a mask when approaching the stand and wait outside for someone to help you (we will be packing your bag in the stand and leaving it outside on a table for you). Both pre-orders from the open food network, and farm stand on site sales are open to the public as well as to members. The CSA will begin as planned June 9th.

Here’s the link to the shop: https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop

Remember to select a pick-up time in order to begin shopping. Also, when an item sells out, it disappears from the shop, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t have it again. You can always check back the next order cycle!

What’s available this week:

• Asparagus

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Radishes

• Baby Bok Choy

• Napoli carrots - These somewhat “baby” carrots were grown in our high tunnel over the winter and will be available starting on Wednesday!

• Mushrooms from Fat Moon in Chelmsford - for Thursday-Saturday pick-ups

• Seedlings - We will have tomato seedlings, including cherry tomato seedlings for sale this week as well as some eggplant and sweet peppers. We will also have parsley and basil seedlings and few remaining thyme plants.

• Herbs - Starting Wednesday we will have bunches of chives, oregano, and thyme for sale for some flavor in your spring cooking!

Today: Walk-up sales of asparagus (and more) available for self-serve

We had a great asparagus harvest this morning, so in addition to pre-orders, we are opening up sales to walk-up customers today (Saturday) from 10am to 2pm. Walk-up sales are self-serve and will be under tents outside our farm stand. Pre-order customers will still pick up from the farm stand porch. For walk-up customers, we have asparagus ($5 per bunch), shiitake mushrooms ($5) and arugula ($4). Payment for walk-up sales may be made with check, exact change or Barrett’s Bucks. If you plan to pay with Bucks, make sure to have your phone with you, as there will be instructions to send a text with your total purchase.

In order to protect our employees and everyone who visits after you, you must wear a mask and wash your hands at our portable sink before touching anything. Do not make a payment until after you have collected all your items. (If you decide to get something else after making a payment, please be sure to wash your hands again!).

Thanks for your patience and cooperation with all of our new and updated practices! We plan to staff our store next week for more walk-up sales and pre-orders. Please stay tuned for an update soon on hours and produce availability. We hope you have a great holiday weekend!