It feels like real summer over here with the whole crew hustling to harvest hundreds and hundreds of pounds of zucchini and cucumbers for every pickup now (in addition to everything else in the share). Crops are growing well, with our popcorn being knee-high on Fourth of July, green tomatoes loaded on plants waiting to ripen, and green beans beginning to flower. Watermelons are growing rapidly and peak fruit season is just a month away! I pray for the humidity and heat to abate, though, as these conditions are ideal for spreading plant pathogens and diseases :(
The first week of the Flower CSA was a success and we will be offering PYO flower bouquets at the farmstand shortly. Early season flowers like sweet peas, snapdragons, and bachelors button are only available for a limited time so pick them while you can!
Last Saturday the staff, workshares, and board members got together for a beginning of season social and get to know you potluck. We enjoyed lots of delicious dishes such as smoked salmon, salmon spread, peanut noodles, watermelon salad, salad featuring Brookwood veggies, kohlrabi triangles, grapefruit bars and more!
Best,
Hannah
Rachel with lavender
Knee high by 4th of July corn
Fall broccoli germinating
Fruit Share
1 lb Cherries (NY)
+
½ pint choice of Currants OR Gooseberries (MA)
Recipe of the week:
Swiss Chard-Tahini Dip
1 bunch Swiss chard (about ¾ lb)
3 TB extra virgin olive oil, divided (2 +1); additional oil for drizzling if you like.
2 garlic cloves (or garlic scapes)
¼ cup tahini
2 TB + 2 tsp lemon juice
Salt
1. Separate ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Finely chop chard stems and ribs; set aside. Chop leaves into small pieces; set aside.
2. Heat 2 TB olive oil in a pan; cook ribs and stems, stirring often for 5-7 minutes, until they just start to brown. If they seem too dry, add a splash of water.
3. Add garlic, cook for 1 more minute. Add leaves by the handful, letting them wilt down. Continue cooking until all the leaves are wilted. This will take another 3-4 minutes. Let cool.
5. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the liquid out of the chard over a bowl. You should end up with about ¼ cup of liquid. Save this liquid as you will use it in the next step. (This flavorful liquid is also nice to add to soups and stews.)
6. Place the chard and ½ TB of the chard liquid in a food processor or blender. Add tahini, lemon juice and 1 TB oil. Your tahini may seize up a little at first, but it will loosen. Season with a little salt and process until the dip is creamy and only specks of chard remain. Use the chard water to thin the dip as needed.
7. Transfer dip to a serving bowl; drizzle with more olive oil if you like. Serve with pita chips or pita bread.
No pita chips? Make your own!
Preheat oven to 400.
Separate the two halves of a pita so you have two rounds. Spray or brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil. Cut into 8-12 wedges. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet
Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping once, until the wedges are lightly browned and crispy.
Storage and Usage Tips: Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a leafy green that is popular in Mediterranean cuisine. It is thought to have originated in Sicily. Chard is actually an older, leafy variety of beets- it just doesn’t grow the big root tip, and instead, is cultivated for its greens. Chard is beautiful with shiny dark green leaves and colorful stems. Chard can be substituted for spinach or kale in most recipes. While you can eat chard raw, it can be quite bitter, but cooking removes this bitterness. Like kale and spinach, chard is full of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K as well as potassium, iron, magnesium and fiber.
Store chard in the refrigerator, wrapped in a paper towel to help keep it dry. Use it within 2-4 days.
Chard can be frozen. It is best to blanch it first to prevent it from discoloring. Separate leaves and stems. Plunge stems into boiling water for 3 minutes, and then plunge into ice cold water to stop cooking. Plunge leaves into boiling water for 2 minutes and then plunge into ice water. Blanched chard leaves are nice in quiche, dip or soups; blanched stems go well in soups and stews.
Jazz on the Farm
Brookwood Community Farm (BCF) would like to thank jazz musicians John Sullivan and Dan Pappas for their wonderful performance at the farm recently. With the support of the Canton Cultural Council and the DCR, the local non profit hosted the duo on a beautiful evening to mark the solstice. Over 60 people were in attendance, picnicking and enjoying music in the pastoral setting, demonstrating the importance of BCF continuing to offer cultural events at DCR's Brookwood Farm.
Donate to BCF!
Brookwood Community Farm (BCF) is asking for donations to cover the cost of 10 CSA shares that will go to True Alliance Center, a nonprofit organization established in response to the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. This faith-based charitable organization seeks to promote advocacy in the Haitian community related to education, housing, immigration, health and economic development. Any amount helps, please write “For the True Alliance Center” in the notes section of your donation!
Veggies: We can accomodate three day switch requests for the whole season this year. That means that you can change your pick-up day in the same week you signed up for. For instance: You are an odd week Saturday pick up but will be away for your typical day. You may request to change your Saturday odd week pick up to a Tuesday or Thursday odd week pick up for one particular week (up to three times). You may only switch days of your pick-up week, you may not switch pick-up weeks (odd/even). You’ll need to request this change the week before you want to use it. To make a day switch request: Up to the week before you want to switch pick-up days by 5 PM on Friday the week before the pickup you would like to change. Email csa@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org and include your name, your usual pick-up day, and your requested pick-up day. For example, Jane Smith, Tuesday, July 2nd is my pick-up day, and I would like to pick up on Saturday, July 6th instead.
Eggs: You may pick up your egg share up to three weeks after your missed pick-up day without notice. This means you may double up on previously missed pick-ups of up to three weeks.
Fruit: You may pick up your fruit share up to 7 days after your missed pick-up day without notice. This means you may double up on previously missed pick-ups of up to one week.
Mushrooms: You may pick up your mushroom share up to 7 days after your missed pick-up day without notice. This means you may double up on previously missed pick-ups of up to one week.
Flowers: Once the flower share starts you may pick your flowers in any increment you would like. But please keep an eye on the weekly newsletter as that will have advice on the abundance of blooms and other good information! You can pick one bouquet per visit or multiples of your share amount per visit.
