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Field Notes
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 | | Garlic sprouting through the leaf mulch. |
In the spring we tend to plant the sandiest fields first. This helps to avoid a common problem in the spring. The "heavy" clay soils are slow to dry out and are often too wet to plough and plant with a tractor. The naturally dry sandy fields are the first that we are able to plant. It is these fields that we have planted in the last two weeks. The dry soils will also tend to be warmer and so encourage the seeds to germinate that much faster.
Yet, we never know what the future will bring. So far, the temperatures in March have been higher than the temperatures in April. In March all the growth was well advanced. But, for the past two weeks the temperatures have been very cool. The higher the soil temperature, the faster the seeds will germinate and begin to soak up the sun's energy. In addition to the soil temperatures being cooler now than they were in March, the soil is also now very dry. We have had less than a quarter inch of rain in the past three weeks. Now, those pea seeds we sowed two weeks ago are hesitating before they decide to germinate. If they were cold and wet, I would be concerned that they would begin to rot. However, being cool and dry, they will patiently wait until some rain before they slowly emerge. Soil temperatures will gradually warm as they do every spring. But, if we do not get some showers this week, we will irrigate the sown fields to coerce the seeds into beginning their growth. While we need to remain patient, there are still things we can do to encourage nature to bring forth our food sooner rather than later.
In the greenhouse environment, we have coerced the plants to grow much earlier than they normally would. This week we enjoy the first of the cucumbers. It has been almost half a year since we have heard the crunch of a very fresh cucumber. This is the earliest we have ever harvested this vegetable. In a few short weeks we will also begin harvesting the first tomatoes. The sun is now as strong as it was in early September and as the sun gets stronger, the vegetables also get sweeter.
Looking forward to spring sweetness,
Farmer Dave
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In Your Share - Week 4
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The following items will most likely make an appearance in your share this week (and as always, the contents of your share is ultimately determined by Mother Nature's harvest conditions):- Greenhouse-grown Lettuce Mix
- Carrots (stored through the winter)!
- Greenhouse-grown Radishes or Turnips
- Potatoes (stored through the winter)
- Field-grown brussels sprouts
- And possibly more, depending on harvest conditions!
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Storage Notes for this Week
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Some quick notes on storing your share this week: - For your greens, keep them in the refrigerator and keep them cool. If you find your greens aren't lasting through the week, try turning your refrigerator a degree or two colder - it makes a big difference!
- Store your carrots in a cold place in your refrigerator. Leave them in a plastic bag or container to prevent them from drying out.
- The potatoes are hard-wired to begin sprouting in the springtime, since we don't treat them with chemicals that prevent sprouting. Keep them in a cold place to prevent them from sprouting too quickly.
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| Save the Date for our Spring Open House! |
Mark your calendars for our Spring Open House at Brox Farm Stand! On Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., we'll be holding our spring open house at Brox Farm Stand in Dracut. This is a perfect opportunity to for CSA members (and new members!) to pick out their container and in-ground plants before the Mother's Day rush (and purchase them at a CSA-member-only discount!). Mark your calendars!
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Registration Underway for Vegetable, Fruit and Late Fall Shares, Too!
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Now spring is here and the weather is warm, registration is picking up fast for our pre-boxed vegetable, choice-style vegetable, fruit, and late fall shares. Over 150 vegetable shares were spoken for in the last month! Now is the time to sign up and reserve your space for all pick-up locations. (Since we are having a bumper spring crop, we can still squeeze you or your friends in for the spring share, at a pro-rated price.) As always, feel free to contact us with questions any time! |
More Easy Ideas for Incorporating Fresh Greens into Your Favorite Recipes
| | Looking for still more things to do with your greens? Try:
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Recipes of the Week
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 Saffron Chicken Broth with Spinach Matzo BallsAdapted by Farmer Dave's from Bon Appetit magazine A little late for the seders, but still good throughout the Passover holiday, or any time you're craving some healthy, nourishing comfort food!Saffron chicken broth- 6 pounds chicken wings
- 16 cups water
- 1 1/2 pounds onions, quartered
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Spinach matzo balls - 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup unsalted matzo meal
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, steamed and squeezed dry, OR one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
For saffron chicken broth:
Bring all ingredients to boil in very large pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain broth into another pot. Spoon 1/4 cup fat from top of broth and place in medium bowl; add 1/4 cup broth. Cool fat mixture and reserve for matzo balls. Remove enough meat from chicken wings to measure 1 generous cup. Finely mince chicken; reserve for matzo balls. Chill remaining broth until ready to use. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
For matzo balls:
Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper into chicken fat mixture. Mix in matzo meal, then spinach and reserved minced chicken. Cover and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Bring large pot of generously salted water to boil. Using wet hands and about 2 tablespoons for each, shape matzo mixture into 16 balls; drop into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls to 13x9x2-inch dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead; chill.)
Skim any fat from top of broth; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked matzo balls; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Ladle broth and 2 matzo balls into each of 8 bowls and serve.
Parsnips and Carrots with Orange Butter
from Gourmet magazine
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound parsnips, peeled; halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 1/2 pound carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions:In a skillet, combine the water, parsnips, carrots, and salt to taste. Simmer the vegetables for 15 minutes, or until they are just tender, and stir in the orange juice. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, and transfer the vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Boil the liquid until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the zest and the butter, stirring until the butter is melted. Spoon the sauce over the vegetables.
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Groundwork Share-A-Share™ Update
|  Thanks to generous donations by you (CSA members) to the Groundwork Share-A-Share™ fund, we were able to subsidize the cost of shares in 2011 for over twenty individuals and families, as well as shares for local food pantries.
For 2012, we'd like to continue to offer subsidies to those in need. We already have 21 individuals and families on a waiting list, and in order to be able to subsidize everyone, we'll need to raise almost $7,000.
Please consider helping us in our efforts to make the CSA accessible to more families by donating to Groundwork Share-A-Share.
To learn more about the program, click here. Thank you all for helping us keep this program going in 2012! |
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Contact us:
Farmer Dave's
437 Parker Road
Dracut, MA 01826
(978) 349-1952
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