No Time for Cooking

Last week I had a visit from one of my oldest, best friends. She arrived at the farm a few minutes past seven after we had just finished closing up after distribution.  We hugged a big hug and she grabbed her camera to capture the almost-dusk views of the farm.  Over the past seven years, my friend has rarely seen the farm in daylight, as most of our hang-outs revolve around winter holidays when she finds herself back in Holliston visiting family.  In these slow winter hangouts, we make meals entirely of farm veggies and meat and slowly enjoy many courses in the leisurely evening hours of winter.  So, when my friend came to find me mid-week in the heat of August, covered in dirt at the end of a twelve-hour day, it was a bit of change from my well-rested, Thanksgiving day glow. 

After pictures were taken and decade old jokes were shared, I told my friend to jump in the car; we were going to get a chicken for dinner.  She said, “we’re going to kill a chicken?  Cool!”  I gave her a look, shook my head, and let her down easy on the way to the market.  We buzzed quickly over to the local market where I grabbed a basket and started to load it with a pre-cooked chicken, chips, ginger ale, frozen mac and cheese and chocolate chip cookies.  My friend’s face grew more and more contorted with every item I tossed carelessly in the basket.  She was horrified and began to yell at me in the store, as we walked.  She scolded each of my selection and said that she couldn’t believe what I was going to be eating.  “Who are you?!” she questioned to me in front of the check-out man.  I said, “I’m a farmer.  And it’s August.”

The truth is, July and August leave so little time to do much else besides weed, harvest, wash, plant, make a plan for the day, the week, think about the fall crops, turn over the spring crops…there’s no time for cooking.  I’m pretty sure I ate mostly Doritos and frozen enchiladas from trader joe’s for most of the last five weeks.  Now that the tomatoes are in, I’ll move into sliced tomatoes and bread and salt.  It will be an improvement. 

My friend and I ended up agreeing that we could eat the roasted chicken from the market, but that we would sauté some kale and onions with tomatoes.  It was delicious and it was the most I had cooked in weeks.  I know all farmers are not as neglectful of their cooking as I am, but it’s not rare to find farmers gathered around a bag of chips and some beers in August and call it dinner.

With dinner in mind—please join me and the farm crew for a beautiful farm dinner this Saturday in the barn.  We will be holding a potluck gathering along the length of the barn, sharing the farm’s bounty with each other.  I am even going to cook!

(see info below to sign up for potluck)

I hope to see you at the barn dinner,

(I’ll be the one not eating chips that night)

Meryl & the Powisset Farm Crew

 Powisset Farm Dinner In The Barn!

On Saturday, August 24, Powisset Farm will host "Dinner in the Barn"!   You are invited to join this celebration of the great community that supports Powisset farm. Imagine the scene: one long table the length of the whole barn that could seat as many as 90 people!  The dinner will be pot luck, family friendly, and we're allowed to bring beer & wine for the table.  Part of the fun will be to incorporate farm produce in as many dishes as possible.  But don't wait, spots at the table are limited, and first come, first served!  

To put your name on the list:

  email Tod Dimmick at tdimmick@tastingtimes.com with the number of people attending. 


What's in the share:

Up in the Barn: lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, garlic, onions, peppers, kale or chard
In the fields: cherry tomatoes, chard or kale, dill, beans, flowers


The CSA Survival Guide:

Powisset Farm recently partnered with writer, Heather Vitella, to produce the Powisset Farm CSA Survival guide. Have you ever struggled to figure out how to properly and efficiently use and store your CSA bounty?  Heather's guide may be just what you need.  Heather has worked with many local farms, to help guide you through your CSA experience in a positive and helpful way. Check out her description below.  She will be selling the e-book online for $8.  

CSA Survival Guide 

  

When you compare your weekly CSA share with similar items purchased at a local, organic grocery store, you will be astounded at the value you are getting.  But a big part of managing that value is properly storing the produce when you get home.  While most items benefit from refrigerator time, there is a big difference in shelf life when you store items washed or unwashed, in plastic, paper bags or just loose.  

• Get the most out of your CSA experience!
• Keep good produce from going bad!

This includes properly storing (and then using) all of the items grown at the farm.

  The CSA Survival Guide walks you through this with details on every item we grow.  Click on the link and head over to Cover Crop Marketing to learn more.