Pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Pop-up Store Tomorrow 9am - 3pm!

We will be open tomorrow, Saturday, November 18th from 9am-3pm for our pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Pop-up Store! The store will be in the farm stand and is open to all. We will be accepting cash, credit cards, checks, and EBT/SNAP (all vegetables are HIP eligible). Please note that 2023 Barrett’s Bucks expired for the season on October 28th. Items available for sale are listed below. Produce is grown here (and certified organic) unless otherwise noted.

Pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Pop-up Store:

• Brussels sprouts - Sold off the stalk in 1 pound bags

• Carrot bunches

• Broccoli - Bags of small florets

• Toscano kale bunches

• Garlic

• Onions - Limited quantity

• Autumn Frost - A specialty butternut variety. The skin is edible. Limited quantity.

• Herbs: cilantro, parsley, sage

• Cabbage

• Tomatoes (picked green) and colored peppers from our high tunnels - both are limited quantities.

• Mushrooms - 8oz Farmer’s Mix from Fat Moon Farm. Certified organic and grown in Westford, MA.

• Yellow potatoes - From Atlas Farm. Certified organic and grown in Deerfield, MA.

• Cranberries - Certified organic, from Fresh Meadows Farm in Carver MA.

• Honey - Double B Honey from hives on this property. Not organic. Available in 1/2 pound, 1 pound, 2 pound and 5 pound jars.

• Raspberry Vinegar and Raspberry Jam - From Silferleaf Farm in Concord, MA. Certified organic.

Holiday Pop-up Store and Extended/Flex CSA Week 24

It is the last week for the Extended/Flex CSA! Pick-ups are Wednesday 11am-6:30pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. We will also have a pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Pop-up Store this Saturday, November 18th from 9am - 3pm which will be open to the public for walk-up sales. We will also have a more limited offering of items available during the Wednesday CSA pick-up. We accept cash, check, credit card and EBT (please note that Barrett’s Bucks expired October 28th).

We continue to chip away at all of our season ending tasks. The unusually mild fall meant that many crops survived in both the field and high tunnel longer, so we got a later start on some clean-up tasks than is typical! So far we’ve removed all the landscape fabric, plastic mulch and irrigation from our fields; we finished spreading straw mulch on our garlic and strawberries; we cleared out all of the tomato plants from the high tunnel and we took down one of our deer fences. This week we are working on clearing out the pepper high tunnel and taking down the remaining deer fences. After this week we’ll still likely have some field and high tunnel projects to work on, but after Thanksgiving we’ll be shifting towards more indoor tasks like planning for next season!

In the CSA this week:

• Popcorn - These are distributed on the ear. Shelling popcorn kernels by hand is fairly straightforward - start at the wider end of the cob and use your thumbs to dislodge the first row. Once you have gotten through the first row or two the kernels usually start to come off pretty easily!

• Autumn Frost squash - A specialty butternut variety that tastes very similar to butternut (but better!). The skin is edible so no need to peel.

• Carrots - We will have some of our own as well as some from Picadilly Farm in Winchester, NH (Certified Organic).

• Beets - From Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Potatoes - Russet potatoes from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Leeks

• Onions

• Garlic

• Rutabaga or Radishes

• Cabbage

• Green peppers

• Salanova Lettuce Mix or Spinach

Cold overnight temperatures over the weekend did take a toll, but we may also have parsley or sage available for PYO.

Farm Store:

Our pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Pop-up is this Saturday 9am - 3pm! We will have our own Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic, cilantro, onions, leeks and popcorn. There will be a more limited veggie selection available on Wednesday for CSA members who can’t come back on Saturday. On both days we will also have cranberries from Fresh Meadows, mushrooms from Fat Moon, honey from Double B (from hives on the property), jam and raspberry vinegar from Silferleaf and yellow potatoes from Atlas Farm.

Perfect Stovetop Popcorn

by Cookie and Kate

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil

• ½ cup popcorn kernels, divided

• Salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the oil and 2 popcorn kernels. Cover the pot and wait for the kernels to pop, which might take a few minutes. In the meantime, place a large serving bowl near the stove so it’s ready when you need it.

2. Once the kernels pop, turn off the burner, remove the pot from the heat and pour in the remaining popcorn kernels. Cover the pot again, and give the pot a little shimmy to distribute the kernels evenly. Let the pot rest for 60 seconds to make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot before the kernels are ready to pop.

3. Turn the heat back up to medium, put the pot back onto the burner and continue cooking the popcorn, carefully shimmying the pot occasionally to cook the kernels evenly. Once the kernels start popping, tip the lid just a touch to allow steam to escape (see photo).

4. Continue cooking until the popping sound slows to about one pop per every few seconds. (If the popcorn tries to overflow the pot, just tip the upper portion of popcorn into your bowl and return it to the heat.)

5. Remove the lid and dump the popcorn into your serving bowl. Sprinkle the popcorn with a couple pinches of salt, to taste, and any other topping you would like. Toss the popcorn and serve immediately, for best flavor and texture. The popcorn will taste good for several hours, though.

Week 23 of the Extended/Flex CSA

Last week we rolled up irrigation lines, put away row covers, planted all of our garlic and mulched the garlic and next year’s strawberries. The long-anticipated killing frost also arrived and it was cold enough to finish off not only our flowers, eggplant and peppers in the field, but also the tomato and pepper plants in the more protected high tunnels. This week we will be mowing in those plants and pulling up all of the landscape fabric, plastic mulch and drip irrigation that went with them. In the high tunnels we will begin taking down trellising and removing plant debris.

We are also starting to put away equipment into more protected spaces. Because of limited barn space, we end up storing our smaller tractors inside our large greenhouse for the winter. While it’s not always ideal to use our greenhouses as storage space (we have to break down our usual greenhouse set-up to make space for storage in the fall, and then we have to move everything back out in February and March to make space for re-do our greenhouse set-up in March), there are also some advantages. Our older small tractors don’t start in the cold, but on sunny days our greenhouses warm up enough to make starting them easier. They are also much nicer work spaces than our chilly barn!

In the CSA this week:

• Popcorn - These are distributed on the ear. Shelling popcorn kernels by hand is fairly straightforward - start at the wider end of the cob and use your thumbs to dislodge the first row. Once you have gotten through the first row or two the kernels usually start to come off pretty easily!

• Autumn Frost squash

• Potatoes from Atlas Farm

• Carrots

• Colored peppers or Green tomatoes

• Green peppers

• Radishes - a mix of watermelon and daikon varieties

• Garlic

• Onions

• Scallions

• Hot peppers

• Cilantro - Grown in our high tunnel

• Kale - from the high tunnels

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

PYO herbs may include parsley and sage. Please note that although the CSA is open until 6:30 on Wednesdays, the PYO fields are closed when it gets dark.

Mushroom CSA:

It is the 8th week and final week of the 8-week Fall Mushroom CSA. Mushroom pick up is during CSA hours only: Wednesday 11am-6:30pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Please check in with our crew member at the CSA check-in and they will retrieve your mushrooms from the cooler. Please email Melissa if you need to make other arrangements.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

adapted from Cookie + Kate

Roasted peppers:

• 4 large red bell peppers, halved from stem to base, seeds and membranes removed

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, as needed

• Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling

Filling and topping:

• ½ cup long-grain brown rice (or 1 ½ cups cooked rice)

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste

• 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder 

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 

• 1 can (1 ½ cups) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoon lime juice 

• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) grated part-skim mozzarella or cheddar 

• Optional garnishes: Sliced ripe avocado or guacamole,red salsa, sour cream or vegan sour cream 

Instructions:

1. To roast the peppers: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the halved peppers in a large 9 by 13-inch baking dish, or on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the peppers and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the oil all over both sides of the peppers, then arrange them with the cut sides facing up. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the peppers are a little blistered around the edges and easily pierced through by a fork. Set aside. Leave the oven on for baking the peppers.

2. In the meantime, cook the rice: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh colander until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the boiling water and continue boiling, uncovered, for 30 minutes (reduce the heat as necessary to prevent overflow). Drain off the remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Set aside.

3. Prepare the filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they’re lightly squishy, another 5 minutes or so.

4. Add the cilantro, garlic, chili powder and cumin. While stirring, cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Remove the pot from the heat and add the rice, beans, lime juice and about 10 twists of black pepper. Stir to combine, then season with additional salt (I usually add ¼ teaspoon) and black pepper, to taste.

6. To stuff the peppers, first pour off any excess juice pooled within the peppers. Then stuff each pepper generously with the rice mixture (if the peppers were truly large, you should have just the right amount of filling—if you have extra, save it to serve as a side dish). Top the peppers with the cheese.

7. Bake at 425 for 12 to 13 minutes, until the cheese is golden in spots. Serve warm with fresh cilantro leaves on top or any other garnishes of your choice. Leftovers keep well in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days. I believe they would freeze well for several months, but haven’t tried to be sure.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the cheese, and cover the baking dish during its final stint in the oven. I recommend topping the finished peppers with something creamy or saucy, like guacamole, cilantro-hemp pesto or vegan sour cream. 

Prepare in advance: This dish is a bit time consuming, though it’s not difficult. You could make the rice in advance, and/or prep the peppers so they are ready to pop in the oven later. You could even assemble the peppers completely and refrigerate, covered, until you’re ready to bake (they will likely need a few extra minutes in the oven to warm through)

Week 22 of the Extended/Flex CSA. Farm store is closed for the season.

The farm store is now closed for the season and there are three more weeks (including this one) of the Extended and Flex CSA. CSA hours continue to be Wednesdays 11am - 6:30pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. In addition to bringing in the last of the harvest, we continue to be busy with field clean up such as rolling up landscape fabric, pulling up plastic mulch, and rolling up our barely-used irrigation lines. As we move around the farm we admire the great stands of cover crop growing which include oats and peas, Austrian winter peas and triticale, winter rye, and clover and annual rye grass (pictured above). This week we are also starting to plant garlic for next year and mulch strawberries with straw for the winter. We are continuing to accept CSA renewals for next year so email Melissa for the renewal link or for more information about becoming a new member.

In the CSA this week:

• Cilantro - Grown in our high tunnel

• Lemongrass - Grown in our high tunnel. Great in curry, see recipe below which includes instructions for prepraring.

• Colored Peppers- the last colored peppers harvested from our high tunnel.

• Green tomatoes

• Scallions

• Beets - From Atlas Farm

• Cabbage - red or green storage varieties

• Broccoli

• Eggplant

• Green peppers

• Sweet Potatoes - From Atlas Farm

• Salad turnips or radishes

• Brussels Sprouts - We distribute these on the stalk - just snap the sprouts off at home to store in your refrigerator.

• Garlic

• Lettuce or Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Jalapeño hot peppers - We picked these before the hard frost so they are picked for you this week and will be (well labeled) in the CSA distribution area.

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

Just a few herbs survived the cold temperatures of Monday night. Depending on how they fare with another cool night, options for PYO herbs may include parsley, sage, mint and oregano. Please note that although the CSA is open until 6:30 on Wednesdays, the PYO fields are closed when it gets dark.

Mushroom CSA:

It is the 7th week of the 8-week Fall Mushroom CSA. This week mushroom pick up is during CSA hours only: Wednesday 11am-6:30pm and Saturday 9am-3pm. Please check in with our crew member at the CSA check-in and they will retrieve your mushrooms from the cooler. Please email Melissa if you need to make other arrangements.

The PYO Flower CSA is done for the season.

Lemongrass Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

https://thenewbaguette.com/lemongrass-curry

Ingredients

• One 14-ounce block extra firm tofu

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like avocado or refined coconut

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 2 cups bite-size broccoli florets

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

• 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, pounded, and finely minced*

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 ounces green beans - could substitute green peppers or cabbage

• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms (about 8 medium mushrooms), stemmed and quartered

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• One 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• Rice and cilantro for serving

  Instructions:

  Press tofu. Drain tofu and place it on a plate, then top with another plate or cutting board and weigh it down with something heavy (like a couple of cans), to squeeze out as much water as possible. Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes, periodically draining off the excess water.

  Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes, and season one side with salt and pepper.

  Cook tofu. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Arrange the tofu seasoned side down in a single layer in the skillet, then season the top-facing side. Cook until it forms a golden crust, resisting the urge to flip/move it until it’s ready, about 5 minutes per side; brown 2-3 of the sides. (Use tongs, not a spatula, to flip.) Remove and set aside.

  Cook vegetables. Drain off excess oil if needed and return skillet to medium heat. Add the beans, mushrooms, scallions, broccoli, and carrots. Cook until the broccoli is bright green and the vegetables are just starting to brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

  Add the minced lemongrass, ginger, and garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each chili flakes and turmeric, and cook for 30 seconds.

  Finish curry. Add the tofu back in, along with the coconut milk, and 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and lime juice. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  Serve with rice and cilantro

  Notes from the recipe:

  • Feel free to swap in whatever veg you already have as long as the overall volume of vegetables stays roughly the same.

  • Lemongrass prep tips: While you wait for the tofu, get the sharpest, largest knife you have. Chop off the fibrous greener top portion of the lemongrass stalk and discard (or freeze for flavoring broths later). Trim about half an inch from the bottom. Peel off the tough fibrous outer leaves and discard/freeze. (The point is to get to the white/light green portion.) Using the spine of your knife (not the sharp side), whack the stalk fiercely until it’s bruised all over to release its essential oils. Finally, mince the lemongrass into the tiniest pieces possible. Set aside.

  Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos

  https://cookieandkate.com/sweet-potato-black-bean-tacos

  INGREDIENTS

  Roasted sweet potatoes

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 to 4 medium sweet potatoes), peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if sensitive to spice)

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

  Spicy black beans

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped

• Fine sea salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 cups cooked black beans)

• 1/3 cup water

• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or lime juice

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  Avocado-pepita dip

• 2 avocados, pitted

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro (mostly leaves, some small stems are ok)

• 1/2 cup pepitas

• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped, or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (go easy if sensitive to spice)

• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 medium lime) or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Everything else

• 8 to 10 small corn tortillas

• Crumbled feta

• Suggested garnishes: Pickled jalapeños or pickled radishes or pickled red onions, torn cilantro, hot sauce, etc.

Last Week of the Farm Store and Week 21 of Flex/Extended CSA

We have been busy harvesting, seeding cover crop, taking down tomato trellising and removing landscape fabric, plastic mulch and drip irrigation from the fields. However we also found time for planting tulips for the 2024 season on a sunny Thursday afternoon, which was a nice change of pace! This week we have more bulb planting, though this time it’s our garlic for 2024. We’ll also work on removing irrigation from the fields and mulching next year’s strawberries and garlic.

This week is the last week of the Farm Store for the 2023 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 (October 28th) when the Farm Store closes. The Main Season CSA is now over but the Extended Season and Flex CSAs continue until November 18th.

In the CSA this week:

• Autumn Frost squash - This is a type of specialty butternut with a fan following due to it’s sweet flavor and excellent storage life. The skins are edible so no need to peel.

• Yellow Potatoes from Atlas Farm or Sweet Potatoes

• Spinach - We lost our first two successions of spinach to torrential rains and flooding in August. Once it dried out enough we reseeded in a new location, but because it was a bit later than originally planned we have a more limited harvest.

• Rutabaga - Tastes a bit like a cross between cabbage and potatoes. See below for a recipe for mashed potatoes and rutabaga!

• Salad turnips - Tastes like a milder and sweeter radish with a little less crunch.

• Radishes - Daikon, Red King and Watermelon

• Brussels Sprouts - We distribute these on the stalk - just snap the sprouts off at home to store in your refrigerator.

• Broccoli

• Carrots

• Leeks

• Garlic

• Green peppers

• Salanova

• Mustard greens or Arugula

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

We expect a harder frost tonight so we don’t expect to have any PYO crops other than herbs this week. Please note that although the CSA is open until 6:30 on Wednesdays, the PYO fields are closed when it gets dark.

• Herbs - If the frost isn’t too bad we hope to still have sage, thyme, oregano, mint and parsley.

In the farm store:

This is the last week of the farm store for the 2023 season! In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have lemongrass, pie pumpkins, butternut, scallions, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, colored peppers and corn stalks. We will also have organic cranberries from Fresh Meadow Farm in Carver, MA, honey from Double B (from hives on the property) and mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm.

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. We also continue to take online pre-orders for Wednesday and Friday pick-up. The link for online orders is https://openfoodnetwork.net/barrett-s-mill-farm/shop#/shop. Online ordering currently opens at 6pm on Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up and 6pm on Thursday for Friday pick-up.

PYO Flower CSA

We are assuming that tonight’s frost will wipe out most of the flower field, but if it doesn’t we will keep it open this last week.

Mushroom CSA:

It is the sixth week of the 8-week Fall Mushroom CSA. This week you may come to pick up your mushrooms anytime the farm store is open (Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm). Your mushrooms will be kept in the cooler and retrieved by the shopkeeper when you arrive at the store. The farm stand will be closed for the season during weeks 7 and 8, so at that time pick-up will just be available during the regular Vegetable CSA pick-up on Wednesdays 11am - 6pm and Fridays 9am - 3pm.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic

by Mark Bittman, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pint brussels sprouts (about a pound)

• 4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan

• 5 cloves garlic, peeled

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, and transfer to oven. Roast, shaking pan every 5 minutes, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.

3. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and serve hot or warm.

Mashed Rutabaga and Yukon Gold Potatoes

by Anne Burrell from The Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 large rutabaga, waxy skin removed and cut into 1-inch chunks

• Kosher salt

• 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 stick cold butter, cut into 5 to 6 pats

Directions

1. Toss the rutabagas into a large pot and cover generously with water. Season the water generously with salt.

2. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes. Toss in the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, another 20 minutes.

3. Strain the rutabagas and potatoes from the water and pass through a food mill into a large bowl.

4. In a small saucepot, bring the cream to a boil and turn off.

5. Take 1 to 2 pats of butter and a splash of hot cream and whip them into the potato mixture. Continue this until all the butter and cream are incorporated. Taste and re-season with salt if needed. Serve immediately or keep warm in a low oven.