Farm News

Welcome to the third season of Fort Hill Farm CSA! For all the usual trials and tribulations that go along with spring in New England, the farm is really starting to shape up nice. We have put in a tremendous amount of time and investment in the farm’s infrastructure in the last four months in addition to planting and tending about 10 acres of vegetable crops. I made a New Year’s resolution not to complain about the weather in the Newsletters this year….but really! Ten days ago we were shivering in jackets at high noon, waiting for something to grow in the field and hoping for a little heat. Then after having March temperatures in May we got dog day, sweaty, sticky weather in June. It’s a pretty drastic mood change that has been a little hard to get used to. Most crops have picked up with the heat, although our cool season crops such as lettuce, greens, and broccoli are taking it on the chin with the sudden blast furnace conditions. The very cold spring also created a lot of problems germinating crops in the field. We were able to re-seed some crops but lost others to insects or disease. But overall things are perking along, with a nice crop of strawberries now being harvested, along with spring greens and lettuce.

Some introductions are in order. I am Paul Bucciaglia, and I run Fort Hill Farm, although sometimes I’m pretty sure it runs me. This year we have three great apprentices who are here to learn the art and science of organic farming from the soil up. First to arrive was Janine Meyer, most recently from New Mexico, but also a native of southwestern CT. Janine is very interested in nutrition and herbal medicine in addition to organic farming. John Dizazzo hails from Shelton, CT where he has spent several summers working with an organic farmer. John is one of those guys who lives and breathes farming, and sometimes we have a hard time getting him out of the field at the end of the day. Rounding out the apprentice crew is Leah Smith. Some of you will remember Leah’s letter from Africa, which I printed in a CSA newsletter last year. Leah is recently returned from the Peace Corps having served 2 years as a volunteer in Niger. She has some amazing stories and photos to share from her experience there. Returning for another year of weeding and harvesting is Bob Cornell, who has demonstrated amazing fortitude as my first ‘three-peat’ employee ever! And our super volunteer Heather Phillip is back for another year of vegetable planting, weeding, and packing at the farm.

I recently read an ‘experts’ opinion that all farms and agricultural operations are financially subsidized, and as I think about my own farm I guess there’s some truth to that. The difference is that my subsidy comes in the form of volunteer help from friends that are excited to see a slightly obsessed guy try to start up a farm in an area where they have been disappearing for decades. A good example are the great tables for our new on-farm distribution, built by Gordon Hull and Sabrina Charney, with help from their friends Tia and Jonathan. We got a huge lift this spring from Wayne Woodward and Gary, who engineered and helped us pour over 40 yards of concrete in the new barn that Sunny Valley Preserve built on the farm. And of course, you, our 200 CSA shareholders, have been a huge part of the farms’ success

But by far the biggest subsidy comes from my family. I am often asked if I come from a farm family, and I used to say no. I think I will stop saying that. My father Joe, mother Ginny, brother Joe, and sister and brother in law Lisa and Jack have provided greenhouse work, ‘care packages’, walk-in cooler tear downs, machinery repairs, web site and computer maintenance, business advice, administrative work, gophering, and moral support over the three years it has taken to build the CSA. And this years MVP is definitely my father Joe, who has been amazingly productive this spring. His hard work was the main reason we were able to build a new cooler, house apprentices, plug in tools on our new work bench, get machinery into the field, and finally get doors on our tomato greenhouse, along with countless other ‘projects’. (over)

Hope you enjoy the harvest.

Your farmer,

Paul Bucciaglia, for the Fort Hill Farm crew

IMPORTANT notes for box shareholders: PLEASE unfold the tabs on your box to open it without ripping them. If you wish to collapse the box just unfold the bottom tabs. Please do not rip the box tabs. They are reusable many times with a little care, which helps us keep our costs down and reduces tree destruction. Please bring your box back next week when you pick up your new share-we have a limited number of them.

This week’s share:

Lettuce-great crop this spring!

Arugula-mix in with salad or saute’-arugula is a peppery green with a very devoted following, if you are new to it give it a try. Its ‘fire’ mellows considerably if quickly sauted in olive oil and tossed with pasta.

Radish-either the standard red cherry type or the fancy, peppery ‘D’avignon variety

Bok Choy-great for stir fry!

Broccoli Raab-see below

Strawberries-are coming in strong now after being delayed from the cool May. Additional berries available as pick –your-own (PYO, 1 quart per share. Growing organic strawberries is very difficult, and requires lots of weeding and a little luck with the weather, so we are very fortunate to get such a great crop this year. PYO hours are Tuesday and Friday from 2:30 to 6:30 PM and Saturday 8AM to 12PM.

Featured Veg of the week: Broccoli Raab

by Janine Meyer

Broccoli Raab (pronounced ‘broccoli rob’) is a Southern Mediterranean green that was introduced to the U.S. in the 1920’s by Italian farmers. This dark leafy green vegetable, a cousin to broccoli, offers a variety of antioxidants including beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and indol-3-carbinol, and is also an excellent source of folic acid, iron, potassium and calcium. It provides one of the higher amounts of protein per serving among the vegetable clan, 3 grams per serving. Broccoli raab is wonderful raw in salads or added to any meal cooked by lightly sautéing or steaming. It carries a sharp and mildly bitter flavor mellowed by cooking. Quick cooking and not overcooking is the key to maintaining the nutritional vitality of your greens

Recipe:

Broccoli Raab over Cavatelli: by Paul Bucciaglia

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch broccoli raab, cut into 1/3 inch pieces and steamed

½ pound ground sweet Italian sausage (or meatless Italian sausage equivalent)

1 pound cavatelli (macaroni, usually found in frozen ‘roni section of market)

¼ cup white wine (optional)

chili’s or chili pepper to taste (optional)

1/2 to 1 cup olive oil

pepper and Romano cheese to taste (absolutely required)

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil until warmed. Sauté onion for 2 minutes or so, then place the sausage in the pan and cook until the sausage has browned. Add onion and broccoli raab (steam first!), continue to simmer and stir. Add white wine and continue to cook until the wine has reduced slightly. Cook cavatelli according to package directions, drain well. Toss the pasta with the sauce (you can add some of the pasta water if the sauce is too dry). Season with pepper and sprinkle with the Romano cheese. (Farmer’s note: this recipe was a big hit last year so I lifted and modified it for this newsletter. If you find arugula too ‘peppery’, it can also be cooked and eaten over pasta. These greens reduce dramatically on cooking!).