Cleaning Onions and Hauling Bags of Corn

This is a great time of year at our farm.  We are starting to cross that bridge between summer and fall.  It certainly felt like it last week, with cool days and nights.  Even though we watched our final plantings of summer squash and cucumbers stall and produce a little less, we relished in the vision of our fall crops flourishing in the mild days and dewy mornings.  As you can see from being at the stand, we are in the thick of the harvests, with tomatoes, eggplant and peppers filling entire tables, lettuce still booming out of the fields, the return of kale-bigger than ever- and the bags of sweet corn from Sunshine Farm, pouring right off the tables (the best corn is still on its way).

And then there were the onions.  The onions!  My favorite crop of all.  Last week, we hauled down too-heavy bins of cured onions from the top of our barn to clean and distribute for you.  I watched our Saturday morning volunteer crew clean and sort and fill the barn with onions for pick up last week and the smell and sight of that work made me know that fall was soon to follow.  

Onions that were seeded March 1, planted in April, harvested in July and cured in August were now heading to your homes.  The onions mimic my own season; getting to work early in the spring or late winter, growing strong tall greens, taking in and basking in the sunshine, rain and warmth of spring.  Then getting a bit tired in the hot days of summer and eventually letting the greens fall, indicating its readiness for harvest.  Then, several weeks in the barn to cure, or dry its greens, in order to make strong outer layers to ensure many months of storage.  I think that I am in my curing stage a little bit right now…my greens are wilting just a bit to indicate my tiredness from a busy summer, but it also means that I am preparing myself for a good, long winter full of energy that comes from within.  That is the farm season for me.  Just as it tires me out, it also fills my spirit with inspiration and endurance for the fall season.  And hopefully, like this year’s crop of onions, it will take me through until march, when we start to seed once again.

This week: summer meets fall, even when it’s hot out.

See you in the fields,

Meryl and the Powisset Farm Crew

What's in the share: (most likely):

Full & Small: Lettuce, choice of greens, peppers, eggplant/squash/cukes, onions, corn, tomatoes, carrots & fennel, choice of herbs and maybe melons!

PYO: cherry tomatoes, greens and maybe the first husk cherries!

Powisset Cooks!

 

The farm gets tastier every day thanks to Powisset Cooks!      

We’ve made sassy salads, pickled everything that wasn’t nailed down and explored the world of wild edibles.

What’s next you ask?

one of our breadmakers!

From the Fields:
Herb Breads and Tasty Herb Dipping Sauces
Sunday, September 14 | 10AM-12PM

Herbs are one of the many unsung culinary heroes; when used well, herbs can add so much depth and flavor to a dish. Join Powisset Cooks! in the field for a short harvest followed by an exciting hands-on exploration in the kitchen with our Culinary Educator. You will learn new and easy ways to infuse herbs into breads, sauces and more. Limited to 12 participants, so sign up quickly!

Cost: Members $35; Nonmembers: :$45

Contact Rachel for more information Information

Pies! Pies! Pies!

Dear Pie Fans,

We are offering special order pies on Thursday, August 28 to help you welcome September in style. It may be back to school time, but we’ll still be showcasing the delicious fruits of summer.

Pie share members will receive a savory pie in their share. We have both sweet and savory pies available for special order. Choose from:

• Savory: Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pie. This pie is a true celebration of the tomato. Filled with a colorful variety of heirloom tomatoes, herbs ,and fresh mozzarella, this pie shouts summer!
   
• Sweet: Raspberry and Peach Clafoutis Pie. A clafoutis folds fresh fruit in a just-sweetened custard. We lighten ours by using thick yogurt in the custard, which adds a brightness and slight tart contrast to the ripe fruit.

   

Small (6″) pies are $13 and Large (9″) pies are $22.

Click here to order a pie (or pies) for pick-up on Thursday, August 28. Be sure to select your pickup location. Email us for information about picking up in Jamaica Plain or Rutland.

Orders must be received by 5 pm on Tuesday, August 26 to guarantee your pie. Please contact us at info@bushelandcrumb.com with any questions. We will email you to confirm your order.

Happy Summer!

Simca and Lauren
Bushel + Crumb
 

 

Happy Half-Birthday to our Farm Season!

I’m sitting in the barn on a Tuesday afternoon (a little late to the blogging this week…).  I watched as Tessa bent her knees and leaned into the big red barn door to slide it open and start distribution for the twelfth week of our 2014 season.  A few members, squinting into the sun outside the barn, walked in toward the tomatoes, lettuce, corn and all that waits, fresh picked just for them.  Twelve weeks.  More than halfway through our 20-week summer CSA season.

scallion harvest!

The halfway point of a CSA season has always felt very significant to me.  In life we have birthdays, anniversaries, and rituals to mark the passing of time.  To celebrate special moments in time, or remember people/times or places that are important to us.  We don’t have any special celebrations to mark the middle of our CSA season, but it tends to line up with some big changes, and big changes at our farm usually mean lots of treats and lots of reflection!  

At the half way point, I like to celebrate our crew and celebrate the end of our summer crews’ season, which ended last week. Losing our four pickers and weeders, their spirit, their hard work, their bodies in the fields helping to lift and smile and sing, is a big change to our farm team.  We go back to our crew of five full-timers and wonder how we will ever pick all those tomatoes.  At the halfway point, I like to celebrate the numbers.  Numbers of hours worked (we each average 80 a week), numbers of plants planted and harvested (this is likely in the 100,000s).  Numbers of days left until fall (35).   At the halfway point I like to look at back at what we have harvested so far—last week we calculated that we had already harvested 10,000 heads of lettuce in 10 weeks—and take one small moment to appreciate all that it took to produce the food we have already harvested and how much we have all feasted on that bounty.

fennel is back!

At the halfway point I look out to the fields to see what is to come.  Winter radishes, turnips and rutabaga are thriving in the warm soil, ready to be thinned for their last month of growing.  The youngest carrots, planted for our winter CSA, are a few inches tall and growing more every minute.  Our massive (truly massive) onion harvest is curing in every possible barn space at the farm, preparing for long-term storage.  And our summer crops are flourishing; the peppers and eggplants are more beautiful than ever and just this morning we hauled in over 1000 pounds of tomatoes. 

With the season going at full speed it’s difficult to stop and sing happy half-birthday to our farm.  But, at least we can sing half of the song and take pride in that we have grown so far.  How has the first half of the season felt to you?  What are some of the milestones you mark the summer with?  Are those moments connected to the farm?  Are they connected to your first bite of cherry tomatoes?  For me the halfway point is a good time for a piece of blueberry pie, a moment of reflection and a time to gather my strength and spirit to give the next ten weeks as much energy and attention as the first 10 received!  Happy halfway birthday, Powisset Farm CSA!

so many beautiful flowers in the stand lately!

See you in the fields, (singing happy birthday),

Meryl & the Powisset Farm Crew

What’s in the share this week (most likely):

Full: lettuce, kale, greens mix, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, corn, beets, fennel, carrots, onions

Small: lettuce, choice of greens, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, corn, beets, fennel, carrots, onions

PYO: cherry tomatoes, raspberries, flowers, parsley

Come one, Come all to the Powisset Cooks Pickling Extravaganza!
This Thursday, Aug 21 from 4-6PM

Wondering what to do with your abundance of cucumbers? Join Powisset Cooks! in the field for a short harvest followed by an exciting hands-on exploration in the kitchen with our Culinary Educators to learn the fine art of pickle making. Limited to 12 participants, so sign up quickly!

This class will be co-taught by Ken Cmar, the longest running chef at Cuisine en Locale, the premier "locavore" caterer in the Boston Area. Cuisine en Locale is dedicated to using only the absolute farm freshest, local ingredients (down to the salt and oil) in every dish made. No exceptions, save a few exotic spices.

Ken got the pickling bug from his Hungarian grandmother, who had a German restaurant which featured ingredients grown in the garden behind the restaurant. Picking and preserving is essential at Cuisine en Locale, enabling the catering company to use local ingredients even in the darkest days of winter. 

Winter Shares and Pork Shares for Sale!

 

Winter CSA:

potatoes! all winter!

With the summer CSA heading into its second half, we are thinking about our winter CSA!

  Join our winter CSA and continue to eat Powisset produce deep into the winter!  The winter share has: greens (kale, cabbage, collards, & more), potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic and more!  There are four pick-ups, from the end of October through the middle of December.  We will give you a wide variety of produce, tips for storage and recipe suggestions.  

The winter share is a warm, festive time at the farm and we will do our best to provide you with as much variety as possible, as well as produce that is great for long-term storage.

Join us!  To sign up, please email: mlatronica@ttor.org

Or, sign up at the barn when you come for your share.

The cost of the Powisset Winter Share is $300

Dates and times of the 2014 winter share:

October 25

November 8

November 22

December 13

Pork Shares:

Powisset Farm is offering a Pork Share again this season.  The pork share is about 22 pounds of pork (or roughly a quarter pig).  There will be sausage, loin chops, country style ribs, spare ribs, ham slices (or ham roast), smoked ham hocks or pig feet, bacon included in the share.  The price will be $175.  If you are excited about getting a wide variety of pork from our very own Powisset-raised pigs, then this share is for you!  There will also be cuts of pork available at the farm if you just want a little pork and do not want to commit to a share.  

 There are a limited number of shares available; so we will sell shares at a first-come-first served basis.  Please contact Meryl at: mlatronica@ttor.org to sign up or with any questions.  You can also sign up at the barn.  Pick up for most of the share will happen in early September.

Powisset Cooks Starts to Sizzle!

MAKE CULINARY HISTORY WITH POWISSET COOKS!

This weeks marks the official launching of Powisset Cooks!

The beautiful kitchen you’ve admired since we finished construction in May is ready for you.
Join us for a class and make culinary history at the farm.

Spots are still available in our first ever class, Sassy Salads, this Tuesday!

online registration is ready for you here 

We are beyond excited to learn and eat with you.

Space in each workshop is limited so sign up quickly.

I look forward to learning and eating with you!

Rachel

 

Here are Detailed Descriptions of Upcoming Classes for Powisset Cooks!

From the Fields: Sassy Salads
Tuesday, August 12 | 4-6PM
Powisset Farm, Dover
508.725.0339
TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS MEMBERS: $35
NONMEMBERS: $45
Looking for creative ways to make your salads more exciting? Join Powisset Cooks! in the field for a short harvest followed by an exciting hands-on exploration in the kitchen with our Culinary Educator to learn new salad combinations that will spice up any meal.

 Limited to 12 participants, so sign up quickly!

For the Pantry: Pickling Extravaganza
Thursday, August 21| 4-6PM
Powisset Farm, Dover
508.725.0339
TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS MEMBERS: $35
NONMEMBERS: $45
Wondering what to do with your abundance of cucumbers? Join Powisset Cooks! in the field for a short harvest followed by an exciting hands-on exploration in the kitchen with our Culinary Educator to learn the fine art of pickle making. Limited to 12 participants, so sign up quickly!

From the Fields: Wild Edibles
Sunday, August 24 | 10AM-12PM
Powisset Farm, Dover
508.725.0339
TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS MEMBERS: $35
NONMEMBERS: $45
Do you know there are delicacies in our own backyards that we can enjoy? Join Powisset Cooks! in the field for a wild edible walk, followed by an exciting hands-on exploration in the kitchen with our Culinary Educator where we will prepare delicious treats. Limited to 12 participants, so sign up quickly!

Click here for the full workshop list for Powisset Cooks!

The blueberries are back!

Summer is here and so are the wild blueberries. For a few and all too fleeting weeks, we’ll have these sweet treats up in the barn, from the wonderful small farm cooperative Blue Sky Produce in Downeast Maine. Pints will be available in the stand, and we’ll also be bringing in some bulk boxes for those of you looking to purchase in greater quantities.  We have a new farm partner; After the Fall farm in Montville, ME who will be providing 10 pound bulk boxes. 

 

We’ll have bulk boxes available in the stand alongside the pints, on a first come, first serve basis. Pints are $5, 5 lb. bulk boxes are $28 and 10 lb. bulk boxes are $50. We’re excited to have blueberries back in the barn, and hope you enjoy this taste of New England summer!

What's in the Share (most likely):

Full & small: lettuce, carrots, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, scallions, potatoes or beets, sweet corn, choice of herbs

PYO: cherry tomatoes, kale or chard, parsley, flowers