Hello All,
CSA members please read this email carefully as it has all the information you need for pickup on Tuesday.
We are looking forward to the first CSA pickup this Tuesday June 11th from 2pm - 5:30pm. The season for us starts in February when we start thousands of seedlings and work on opening up the farm for the year. As the days grow longer and the plants grow taller, we start transplanting and direct seeding, working on infrastructure projects, rock picking and weeding. We built a new hoop house this season so we could grow more tasty and desirable crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers under cover and we opened up a new flower field. We have been quite busy!
My favorite part of the season however, is when we welcome you all to the farm for CSA pick up. Although we have been preparing and thinking about you all for months, it is wonderful to finally feel the community gather around the hard work and food we have produced. So thank you!
The first few weeks of CSA are heavy on greens and make for excellent salads, stir fries or fresh eating on the way home. See below for a complete list of what MAY be in your share this week (subject to change), recipe ideas and everything you need to know for CSA day. Please ask us questions, take a walk around the farm, pick some herbs and peas and check out the Farm Store.
CSA Pickup Important Reminders
Pickup is from 2pm-5:30pm at Nubanusit Neighborhood and Farm, Peterborough, NH, 03458. Note new earlier pick up time!
The Farm Store and CSA pick up has moved! Parking is in the same area.
Once you arrive, follow the driveway past all of the garages until you see a barn (follow the green arrows!) Please park in front of the parking signs and/or along the guardrail. Walk straight ahead toward first barn, look for the open flag. This is the new Farm Store and CSA pickup location.
Please bring a few reusable bags to pack your share into.
Remember! 8 Week Shares can pickup any 8 weeks over the 16 week season. You are in charge of making sure you pickup 8 times throughout the season. If you already know which dates you will be picking up, please let me know by responding to this email.
If you can't make pick up one week, please let me know as soon as possible. We have options!
Pro Tip for new 8 week members: if you are looking for more variety in your share, save your 8 weeks until later in the season as the first few weeks are heavy on greens.
Remember to wash your produce once you get home and store properly. Our veggies can last weeks if stored properly! Click the document below for tips on storing your produce. Leafy greens will last 2+ weeks if stored in a sealed plastic bag.
Vegetable_Storage_Tips.pdf
Keep scrolling for recipes ideas...
How our CSA works:
When you arrive at pickup you will see tables with bins of veggies. Please read the whiteboard before you start so you are familiar with the process. There will be around 10 items to choose from, you may choose 8 of these items. For example one item may be 1 bunch of kale, 1 head of lettuce, or 1 bag of spinach. If you want more of something you may take 2 or 3 of that item but that counts for 2 (or 3) of your 8 items. If you have questions about this, please ask!
In addition CSA members may pick their own flowers and herbs throughout the season as well as peas when available. The flowers are still growing but we have one bed of pick your own peas ready as well as some herbs.
What's in my share this week?
This week may include:
Kale - chop leaves and stems and sauté with oil, salt and pepper.
Swiss Chard - rainbow bunches, great sauted with oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Pro Tip - saute the stems first to give them a chance to soften.
Collard Greens - Best sautéed heavily with lots of butter, salt and pepper.
Head Lettuce - our favorite red and green curly heads. Great for salads or lettuce wraps.
Leaf Lettuce - a mix of red and green flat and curly. Washed, bagged and ready to salad!
Spinach - big, dark green leaves. Best sautéed, as a salad or in eggs with cheese in the morning (a farmer favorite).
Pea Shoots and Spicy Microgreen Mix - a favorite microgreen, these sweet pea tendrils are best eaten plain or atop salads and soups. Spicy Mix is a mix of brassicas, great to add a kick to sandwiches and salads.
Scallions - use as you would onions, in soups, stir fries, sauces or salads. You can use all of the white and most of the green part.
Green Garlic - or young garlic- use as you would garlic. You can use the white to light green parts of the plant like you would a leek. Strong and fresh flavor. To get green garlic you plant a whole head of garlic instead of just one clove. These were planted in October.
Radishes - from our friend Gene at Hungry Bear Farm in Temple, he is a great grower and uses organic methods. He has a bumper radish crop this year.
Parsnips - overwintered and sweetened by cold, we dug these up in April.
Plant Seedling - we have leftover seedlings from our Plant Sales this year. If you are still planting your garden, grab a seedling or two! We have tomatoes, peppers, oregano, sage, basil, thyme and limited parsley.
Available for Pick your Own:
Peas - snap and snow, can be found in our first hoop house
Oregano
Lemon Balm
Sage
Thyme
Mint
Pick your own herbs, flowers and peas are open any time. If you don't have time on Tuesdays, come back another day and get what you need.
Build Your Own Dried Flower Bouquet
Last year we cut and dried some of our flowers and they have been hanging in the barn all winter. Our dear friend Beth, who is our flower queen this year, is setting them up as a bouquet bar for CSA pickup. Take a few and build a bouquet to take home. Strawflowers, gomphrena and celosia. No water needed, just enjoy!
Recipes Ideas:
We planted scallions alongside our peas in a hoop house and are very excited they are ready for the first CSA pickup. Scallions are quite versatile and can be used in sauces, on salads or in soups. They have a mild onion flavor and you can use almost all of the stalk.
Last week we made this pork bowl with almond sesame date sauce and the scallions really make the sauce shine. It was delicious the next day too.
THIS snap pea salad looks simple and fun, although I am betting most of us will eat all the peas before even making it home. But, if you do happen to save some, grab some mint and whip it up!
Spinach is a seasonal cool weather treat that we don't grow through the summer. Enjoy it while it is here! We usually cook it with eggs in the morning or throw into pancakes for a green boost. I might try this crustless spinach feta pie later this week. Also makes a great addition to salads.
Have fun! Send us recipes if you tried something and loved it.THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! We are excited to be growing for you. See you on Tuesday.
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