The CSA at Arrowhead
August 31, 2012
|
|
Hi Folks!
Yesterday I promised you a real newsletter---so let's get started.
It's hard to believe during this warm summer weather that we are transitioning from Stone Fruit season--Peaches, Nectarines, etc, to Pome Fruit season---think Apples, Pears, Quinces. But we are.
The Peach and Nectarine season started three weeks early, thanks to the warm weather in February and March, and so it will be ending three to four weeks early. But I do expect Peaches and Nectarines for a few more weeks yet. We have several vanities left to pick including one of my favorite - the Madison Peach - named for one of our Founding Fathers. And, by the way, I'm certain there were just as many Founding Mothers in the background who just never got the credit that the males did. I'm thinking Abigail Adams, for example. But that's a story worthy of a winter study.
We are starting the Apple harvest this week with a few PaulaReds and some Early McIntosh. The Apple fruit-set is spotty at Arrowhead this year. The heat in late winter and early spring caused the trees to bloom early and some varieties' blossoms succumbed to frost. There will be no Black Ben Davis or Thompson County Kings this year. Other varieties will be in plentiful supply. West of New England is another story. No crop at all in New York, Pennsylvania, the Ohio Valley and Michigan. Imagine, if you will, working hard all year and never getting a pay check. That is the plight of these Farm families. Even the large corporate orchards on the West Coast have had serious problems. Expect very high Apple prices this year and hope for a better season next year.
At Arrowhead, there will be enough fruit for the Shares all fall, as well as the Mid-Winter Shares. And a few for the Farmers' Markets all fall and winter as well.
So September is a month to move from Peaches to Apples and Pears. But I can never let a peach season go by without thinking of an old Family Friend, Paul Cooper. Many of you long-time readers remember Paul from this Newsletter (and sitting in the Adirondack chair at the old #9 greenhouse), so I thought I would write a bit about my old friend. But we have many new readers that haven't read about this old Yankee so I think I will rerun a piece about Paul and his Farm from a few years back-----I hope Paula can still find it in the archives.
|
|
 Pickles, Peaches and Property Taxes
(rerun of an article from several years ago)
I'd like to introduce you to a good family friend and fellow farmer, Paul Cooper. When Paul and his wife May were married, almost seventy years ago, my grandparents, Charlie and Sarah Moulton gave them a Towle Silver serving piece as a wedding gift. When my son Justin and his wife Jamie were married ten years ago, Paul and May gave them a Towle Silver Serving piece. Five generations of family friendship. (Just as an aside, the Moulton family opened a silver smithy here at Arrowhead in 1683 which later became Towle Silver and was a Newburyport fixture on Merrimac Street for centuries.)
For many years Paul grew nice cucumbers, and he and May made GREAT pickles together each summer. For quite a few years now, my wife Paula has made equally GREAT pickles using her recipe in the ARROWHEAD FARM book (on page 137).
May passed away two winters ago, so for these past two summers Paul and Paula have combined their talents and made truly EXCELLENT pickles together. The results have been so excellent we decided to work with the Massachusetts State Funded Community Farm Kitchen in Greenfield (Franklin County C.D.C.) to help us produce these EXCELLENT (yes, I used excellent, again) pickles for sale at the farm's retail greenhouse. YUMMY, can't wait!
Before World War 1, Paul's father planted eighteen peach trees in the henyard on his North Atkinson Street farm. Paul clearly remembers his father saying, in the 1920s, that he paid his property taxes every year with the proceeds from the sale of the peaches from those eighteen trees. If only it were that easy today!
In the 1940s and 1950s Paul's farm was almost completely destroyed in three separate Eminent Domain takings by the City of Newburyport in order to build the Belleville School (now renamed the Bresnahan School). As a community we need to be, I believe, much more careful in what becomes of our remaining farms.
Getting back to those peaches. I am fairly certain that the trees Paul's dad planted in 1910 represent the last commercial planting of a peach orchard in Newburyport. I am very pleased to say that in 2008, Arrowhead will be planting a new, five hundred tree peach orchard, the first commercial planting of peaches in Newburyport in ninety-eight years.
This new planting will include forty varieties that are 'state of the art genetics' with greatly improved resistance to insects and fungal diseases. The other ten varieties will be 'Heirloom' or 'Heritage' varieties mostly dating from the nineteenth century, some of which my grandfather Charlie grew here at Arrowhead.
I will keep you informed all season regarding the progress of this orchard and I may even invite you all to help. We'll see. But this represents a major investment in Arrowhead's, and Newburyport's, future in local fruit production.
Paul Cooper is 90 years old this spring and, like any good Yankee, is planning and preparing his vegetable garden for the season.
update: Paul is gone now to the "great Farm with no stones", still growing pickling cucumbers for May, and making those great pickles together again. Miss you both! ~PAC
|
 Once in a Blue Moon
I was out at dusk last night changing irrigation valves in the new plantings. In the east the moon was rising over the house and barn, and it suddenly came to me that this is the second moon this August, a fairly rare occurrence. This moon, full tonight is known as a 'blue moon' or the second full moon in any one month. A full moon at the end of this month means that the Harvest Moon will not be full until the end of September. Just one more reason to celebrate this continuing Summer season. The moon will rise tonight just at sunset. It is very close to Earth this time of year and this makes for a spectacular moonrise. Check it out if you get a chance.
|
 In the Shares this Week
Sweet Corn, Washington Cherry Tomatoes, Yellow Taxi Tomatoes, Golden Rave Tomatoes (let's just say plenty of Tomatoes), Sweet Peppers, Onions, Kale, Cucumbers, Yellow & Green Beans, Zucchini-----I know it's too large but, hey, make some Zucchini Bread and put it in the freezer for leaner times-----Muskmelons and Yellow Watermelons, plenty of Flowers for cutting and plenty of Basil for pesto, Peaches, Nectarines and, hopefully, the first Apples of the season. Lot's of things to pick your own as well. See you at the Farm!
|
 At the Farmers' Market this Week
At least twenty different Cherry and Grape Tomatoes, Mountain Magic Tomatoes, lots of different Heirloom Tomatoes, Romano Gold Beans, John's Baby Greens, Yellow and White Peaches, Yellow and White Nectarines, the first Apples of the season and possibly a few berries. See you at the Market!
|
 What We Planted This Week
In the Field: Scarlet Turnips, Purple Top Turnips, White Shunkyo Turnips, Daikon Radish, Salad Radishes, White, Purple and Pink Winter Roasting Radishes, Broccoli Spigareillo, Broccoli Sessantina, Mustard Greens, Red Bok Choy, Mizuna, Braising Greens Mixes, Mesclun Mix, Baby Lettuce Mixes, Dill, Tatsoi and Arugula.
In the Greenhouses: Swiss Chard, Leeks, Onions, Flat Leaf Dutch Cabbage, English Winter Cabbage, Winterbor Kale, Kohl Rabi, Rutabaga, plenty of Asian Greens, Spinach, Lettuces and Pak Choy.
All of these plantings will be harvested for the Late season Shares and/or the Mid Winter Shares. It is time to sign up for both of these Shares. Check out the Website or send me an e-mail. Thank you.
|
Shares Available for Signup Now
Beef Shares, Free Range Chicken Shares, Thanksgiving Turkey Shares, Yorkshires Pork Shares, Late Season Fruit & Vegetable Shares, Mid-Winter Shares.
Please check out the Website or send us an email.
|
|
 On the Email Trail
First a few words from a Member/Volunteer Mother and Son Team:
From: Celeste
To: dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: The CSA at Arrowhead
Dick,
Hope the roosters are well. We miss them but our chickens are well. It was a good experience at the CSA this summer and we loved the bonus of the yummy fruits and veggies. Hope all is well. Tahn is a treasure.
Celeste and Alexandre
*********************************************************
Subject: Re: Seed guess
From: Emily
Date: Sun, Aug 26, 2012 7:07 am
To: Dick Chase <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com>
I'm so glad! Will loves to come and asks to do so frequently. I hope we he's a little older we can help out more. The atmosphere is one of our favorite things about your farm (that we have not always found in the past), so thanks for that!
On Aug 25, 2012, at 10:50 PM, "Dick Chase" <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com> wrote:
It makes my day to see young folks like Will enjoying the Farm. :)
From: "Emily"
To: "Dick Chase" <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2012 6:02 PM
Subject: Re: Seed guess
He is 2 and a half.
On Aug 25, 2012, at 4:46 PM, "Dick Chase" <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com> wrote:
That's great Emily. How old is Will now?
From: "Emily"
To: <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2012 3:14 PM
Subject: Seed guess
I just realized that we forgot to write down our guess on the clipboard. Will was so excited about those tomatoes! He actually ate the entire pint (along with his pepper and green beans) before we even got home. So thanks again for letting us have some. Anyhow, our guess is $000.00
Have a great day!
Emily
*********************************************************
From: Dick Chase <dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com>
Subject: Re: extra picking
Date: August 31, 2012 7:18:37 AM EDT
To: Darcie
Good Morning Darcie,
Not to fear, there will be plenty of Tomato picking next week-----we seem to have a super crop in the Field. Send me a e-mail when you get home and we'll get you set up picking. Nice to hear Anna brought her Grandfather to the Farm. Enjoy your weekend. :)
Cheers!
From: Darcie
To: dickchase@arrowheadfamilyfarm.com
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 6:07 AM
Subject: extra picking
Hi Dick,
We are going away this weekend and will not be able to partake in the extra tomato picking. I have been looking forward to this and would not like to miss out if at all possible. Is there any way I could come today or later on Monday to pick some tomatoes? By the way, Anna finally made it to the farm last week with her grandfather and she had a blast showing him around. Thanks for making the farm a fun place and great learning tool for us all!
Darcie
|
|
So, still plenty of Summer's bountiful crops coming along---fall does not start on Labor Day. Great Summer crops---and arguably the best Summer Days---- all the month of September. But the Winter Squash and Pie Pumpkins are starting to mature, the Potatoes are ready to dig and in the Solar Greenhouses we are planting crops for the Mid Winter Shares for the January, February and March Harvest.
New England's great Yankee Farmer/Poet Robert Frost knew a thing or two about the changing of the seasons. Let me leave you with the last stanza of one of his most poignant poems. We'll revisit this poem later on. Enjoy all this lovely Summer Weather.
Cheers,
Dick Chase
|
Ah, when to the heart of man
Was it ever less than a treason
To go with the drift of things
To yield with a grace to reason
And bow and accept the end
Of a love or a season?
|
|
|
|
|
