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Field Notes
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 | | Our new high tunnel, constructed in-house!. |
This past December we began constructing our new one-acre high tunnel. A high tunnel is similar to a greenhouse, but it has no heating system. The system we purchased was designed in the United Kingdom and is a fraction of the cost of the typical greenhouse. Yet, there are two main downsides to this high tunnel- it does not do well in hurricanes or in snow (both of which are a rarity in the UK). As a result, we will need to remove the plastic for each winter and before any predicted hurricane force winds. This high tunnel will fill its own niche in our growing plans, since we cannot put the plastic on it until we are quite certain that we have had the last of the season's snow. Our stronger greenhouses were planted many weeks ago. The high tunnel we will be planting this week. While the tomatoes in the greenhouse will be ready for harvest in May, the tomatoes in the high tunnel will be ready for harvest in late June. This will be just in time for the beginning of the main season vegetable share and a month earlier than we would normally be harvesting tomatoes from the open field.
The high tunnel will allow not only for the main tomato season to begin a month earlier, but also hopefully continue for an additional month later. Moisture on tomatoes leads to diseases that end the life of the tomato plant prematurely. This is why in dry summers we tend to have a much better tomato season than rainy summers. The high tunnel will keep the rain off of the tomatoes all season ensuring a more reliable harvest for us all to enjoy. The crop inside will also be protected from frosts, hail and wind. Since the high tunnel is tall enough for a tractor to pass right through it, our work should not be slowed down at all. Last week we spread compost in the high tunnel with the tractor drawn spreader. We have stretched out the drip irrigation lines and are now ready to plant tomatoes. If this system works well we will consider it for other crops in future years.
In the stronger greenhouses that can withstand the weight of the snow, we seeded the spring greens the first week of February. We have now cut (harvested) them all once, and are waiting for them to regrow for their second and then third harvest. While we are waiting for most of them to regrow, we are harvesting some of the first spinach from the field - and it is delicious!
Dreaming of longer seasons than normal, to bring us all the food we love as often as possible,
Farmer Dave
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In Your Share - Week 5
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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):- Carrots
- Spring-dug Parsnips
- Radishes OR Hakurei Turnips
- Field-grown spinach
- Cilantro OR Chives
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes
- 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. Learn about the CSA, tour our greenhouses, and get your gardening questions answered. 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! |
Recipes of the Week
| Gingered Carrot and Parsnip Soup (hot or cold!)
From Praire Home Cooking by Judith M. Fertig
Ingredients: - 3 cups shredded carrots
- 3 cups shredded parsnips
- 1 (1-inch long) piece fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream or evaporated skim milk
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Snipped fresh chives, optional, for garnish
Directions:
Preparation:Bring the carrots, parsnips, ginger, and stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender or food processor. Puree the soup until it is nearly smooth, then pour the puree back into the saucepan.
Add the cream, and bring to a simmer again over medium heat. Stir in the salt, white pepper, and lemon juice. Taste, and adjust the seasonings.
Garnish with chives, if you like. Serve hot, or refrigerate, covered, for several hours and serve chilled.
Yield: 4 servings.
Grilled Carrots with Lime and Cilantro From A Couple Cooks Serves about 4 as a side or appetizer Ingredients: - 1 pound small carrots (or large carrots cut in half lengthwise)
- One lime
- A handful cilantro
- A few pinches of cumin
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Directions: 1 Preheat a grill to medium heat. (If you don't have a grill, toss the carrots with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper, and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes.) 2 Wash the carrots. In a bowl, toss them with a bit of olive oil. Place the carrots on the grill and cook until the carrots turn paler in color and a bit wrinkled; flip over and cook the same amount (around 8 minutes total for small carrots, but the timing will depend on the thickness of the carrots). When fully cooked, the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. 3 Wash and coarsely chop the cilantro. 4 When the carrots are done, place them in a bowl and toss them with juice from the lime, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, cilantro, and a few pinches of cumin. |
 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 around 25 individuals and families on a waiting list, and in order to be able to subsidize everyone, we'll need to raise almost $10,000.
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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