Community Supported Agriculture

In This Issue
Farm Notes
Join us Sunday for the 2013 CSA Member Appreciation Potluck!
In Your Share
Recipe of the Week
Groundwork Share-a-Share

Tuesdays

Choice Style
3:00pm - 6:30pm

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3:00pm - 7:00pm

Farmer Dave's Farm
437 Parker Road
Dracut, MA
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Fall Crops

Cabbage in field
Green and Purple cabbage soaking up the sun











The cold nights and shorter days are a reminder that fall is now upon us.  Even though we are still picking summer vegetables their rate of maturity has slowed considerably from a month ago.  But, that slower pace has been more than made up for by the addition of the fall crops.  There are literally tons of crops still in the fields ready for harvest in October, November and December for the late fall share- leeks, potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, romanesco, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, beets, cabbage, kale, lettuce, celeriac and so much more.  With this transition into fall I will be switching more from salads to roasted vegetables as the over also helps to heat the house.  :)

Though the days grow shorter, we continue to seed in the fields.  The late September seeding of fast growing spinach, arugula and radishes help to ensure a good mix to the CSA share right into December.  As summer crops finish we are seeding those fields with cover crops of rye, oats and vetch.  These cover crops will help to bring minerals, nitrogen, and happier soils to next season's crops.  A soil without growth is not a pretty picture to me.  The life in the soil likes to be providing food continuously whether it be for human consumption or for the soil's consumption.

You will see this palette of different crops and different soils at this weekend's CSA potluck.  I enjoy the work of growing for you and love to share.

Hope to see you soon,

Farmer Dave

Annual CSA Member Appreciation Potluck is this Sunday, Sept 29th!
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Please join us on Sunday, September 29th from 1:00 - 6:30 p.m. for our 2013 CSA Member Appreciation Potluck! It will be fall fun at its finest and a great chance to mingle with your fellow CSA members! Here's a small sampling of all the excitement that we're planning.

 

  • Apple picking!  (One half-peck per family.  Additional picking is available for $10.00 per half-peck bag.)  
  • Hayrides!
  • Games!
  • Food!
  • Tractors and Classic Farm Equipment!
  • Meet your Farmers!
  • Tour the farm and see where your vegetables grew up!
  • And Goats!

 

This event is free and open to all CSA members and their families! The only requirement is that you bring a potluck dish (at least 10 servings) and the recipe to share.

 

If you pick up on:

You are encouraged to bring a:

Monday

Appetizer or Finger Food

Tuesday

Main Dish

Wednesday

Side Dish

Thursday

Dessert

Friday

Dessert

 

 

If you are planning on joining us at the potluck please R.S.V.P. to [email protected] with the number of people attending and what potluck dish you think you might be bringing!

 

We'd also love some volunteers to help with the following items. Contact Ginger at [email protected] if you'd like to help with any of these:

  • Cooking extra food, with extra produce we'll supply 
  • Managing the potluck table (clearing away empty dishes, putting out more food, etc)
  • Clean-up crew. 

We hope to see you there!

 

-The Farmer Dave's Team

Late Fall Share! Register Now!
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Dreading the end of your vegetable shares?  Why not extend your season an extra 7 weeks with the Late Fall Share!

Registration is open now for these convenient late fall pick up locations!
  • Lanesville (Gloucester)
  • Burlington
  • Reading (pick up is on Mondays)
  • Lawrence
  • Dracut
  • Tewksbury
  • East Somerville
  • Union Square
  • Expanded Home delivery options in Andover, North Andover, Methuen, and Windham and Salem, NH!  
  • Home delivery via Metro Pedal Power in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and more!  (Check their website for delivery areas)

Register online today! 

 

In Your Share: Week 16!
Fall is officially here!  The days are getting shorter and in a few short weeks the leaves will be changing.


This is what we are planning and hoping to harvest this week.  Ultimately Mother Nature has the last word so the actual contents of your share will vary.
  • Arugula
  • Kale or Collards    
  • Tomatoes
  • Radishes
  • Carrots      
  • Green beans (if we're lucky) 
  • Broccoli
  • Butternut squash 
  • Leeks 
  • Cilantro, Chives or Dill     
  • and more depending on harvest conditions!  

In your fruit share: Week 11     

  • Plums  
  • Pears 
  • Apples   
  • Raspberries (if the weather cooperates!)      
  • And more depending on harvest conditions!     
Recipe of the week:
Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette   

from Smitten Kitchen 

Ingredients: For the pastry 
  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour  
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces  
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice  
  • 1/4 cup ice water

Ingredients: For the filling 

  • 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion or leek (white part), halved and sliced thinly into half moons
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
  • 3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated or cut  into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves  
Directions:
  1. Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.  
  4. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.  
  5. Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.  
  6. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.  

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