Community Supported Agriculture

In This Issue
Farm Notes
In Your Share
Recipe of the Week
Groundwork Share-a-Share

Tuesdays
3:00pm - 7:00pm

Brox Farm Stand
1276 Broadway Road
Dracut, MA
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 Farm Notes
National Grid equipment in the apple orchard
Powerlines, apple orchard & National Grid equipment
 On the farm and off the farm we are always trying to reduce our electricity usage.  In addition to reducing our usage we always want to have our electricity be as "green" as possible.  I was happy to learn that they will be closing the coal fired electric plant in Salem, MA. However, the electricity produced there must be replaced by other electricity.  More power will enter our grid from hydroelectric plants in norther New England and Quebec.  A good thing.  But, that electricity must get to us through more and bigger wires.  And guess where those wires run?  Through the back of Farmer Dave's Farm.  So, I have mixed feelings about all of this.  "Green" power is better than "dirty" power but the disturbance to the farm, though being minimized as much as possible, is still adding a little stress to this farmer.  70+ apple trees and about 300 strawberry plants needed to be moved to accommodate the upgrades to the power lines.  Otherwise, it is somewhat remarkable how we can continue to grow in such harmony with modernity.
 
Please try to use as little electricity as possible.
 
Farmer Dave

  

 
 Sad Farewells
 
This last week Farmer Dave's lost a dear friend.  Eleanor Walor (Mama) passed away at the age of 83.  She was the loving wife of 66 years of Pat Walor (Papa).  Pat still checks up on us when we are caring for our crops in his fields.  Donuts and coffee from Papa is somewhat of a daily ritual on the farm (we eat our raw veggies the rest of the day).  Mama will be missed by more than us and Papa as the attendance of nearly 600 at her wake exemplified.  Her love reached far and wide.  Her love and her teaching us how to love will live on in all of us at Farmer Dave's and the surrounding community.
 
Farmer Dave
In Your Share: Week 8
Beautiful June Veggies
 The following items may make an appearance in your shares this week.  The actual contents of your share may differ based on harvest conditions.  As always Mother Nature ultimately dictates what is available.
  • Baby Lettuce Mix
  • Baby Asian Greens
  • Spinach (if we're lucky) 
  • Cucumbers   
  • Carrots 
  • Herbs 
  • and possibly more!
Recipe of the Week

Salad alternatives for lettuce!     

 

I look forward to spring salads most of the year.  I love the tender lettuce leaves and baby brassicas in the spring mixes.  But as much as I love spring salads having one every day can become a bit tedious even for the most die-hard herbivore.

 

With that in mind here are eight ways to enjoy the CSA lettuce bounty that aren't salads. 

 

Non-Salad Lettuce Recipe Ideas:

  1. Try it as a pizza topping like on this Grilled BLT pizza
  2. Fresh peas and lettuce.  I'm holding onto this one until June when the peas and garlic scapes will be fresh and abundant but I imagine it would be equally amazing with frozen peas and a bunch of ramps if you can score some.
  3. I'll admit that I've always been skeptical of Lettuce Soup but I tried this recipe by Emeril Lagasse this week and I'm a total convert.
  4. Lettuce Sauce.  I was equally thrilled with this recipe.  It's like a bright, springtime pesto.   Use it as a topping for smoked salmon or left over chilled chicken.
  5. Don't forget about breakfast!  Here are 70 recipes for Green Smoothies!
  6. Use as a filling for Popiah Rolls.  (Like a spring roll but not fried)
  7. Add it to a quiche or fritatta

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 2012 for over thirty individuals and families, as well as shares for local food pantries.

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 2013!  

 

Contact Us:

Farmer Dave's CSA
437 Parker Road
Dracut, MA 01826

(978) 349-1952