Farm News

It’s hard to believe that we are at the end of another CSA season. I’d like to thank all the CSA shareholders and many others for supporting this crazy little farm through the ups and downs of a New England harvest. On the whole this was a really challenging growing season, with a dry and freezing spring, a very hot and dry summer, and a monsoon and flood in the fall. Through it all the earth was pretty good to us, and overall I felt both yields and quality of our produce was very good. Part of that is due to all the people who help keep this leaky boat afloat. Lots of thanks goes to my family, especially my parents Joe and Ginny, who supplied lots of ‘project power’ and a free hot lunch program for the farmer, and my brother Joe for web support and cooler building. There were lots of people who provided amazingly timely help, and I wanted to give you some snapshots of just a few of them: Our 13 drop site Coordinators continue to make off site delivery possible by generously offering their homes as pick up sites; Gordon and Sabrina Charney built the distribution benches and put a roof over the leaky outdoor cooler; Doug Eriquez seemed to hear the muted cries from any broken machine on the farm and would appear out of nowhere to fix it; Heather Phillip showed up week after week to help with the Wednesday veg pack fiesta; Jean Wiltshire spent many of her summer mornings picking summer squash; Bob Cornell continues to drive an hour each way from Cheshire and gives us a huge lift a few days a week for most of the season; The Meyer family-Katy, Emily, and Tom-practically ran the Weston farmers market for us; my sister Lisa and her husband Jack brought my niece and nephew to the farm for a fun day of August tomato picking; Joe Przybyloski, my friend since grade school and now accountant extraordinaire, continues to help me with taxes during all-night marathons that tend to end with me crashed out on his couch; good friend and landless farmer Sue Wasseluk came by and pulled roots with us; a pack of Yale freshmen cleaned most of this years garlic crop; our part-time high school worker Jessica helped us get through the summer crunch; and Sunny Valley Preserve worked hard to get the barn up this spring, especially Wayne and Gary who worked like demons to help us get the concrete floor poured.

But the stars of this summer were without a doubt Fort Hill Farm’s dedicated apprentice crew of Janine Meyer, John DiZazzo, and Leah Smith. I remember when I got to Fort Hill three years ago, I asked a local farmer where I could find good workers. He laughed and said that was hopeless, that young people just don’t want to do this kind of work. Well, these three young people have done an amazing job. They worked long hours in tough conditions and I can’t remember them complaining even once. They have very high standards and often put in the extra effort and time to get a job done. And even more importantly, they helped and supported each other, and the wacko they work for. It has been my privilege to work with them this season.

I hope to see you all back at the farm sometime next year. And I wish all of you a happy and restful winter season, because that’s what winter is to me, a time to rest, reflect, regroup, repair, plan, and ponder the ‘what ifs’. Thanks to all of you for a great season.

Paul, for Janine, John, and Leah.

There are a couple of options for BOXES: 1) Bring your box to your drop site by Tuesday, November 8. 2) Hang on to your box and bring it to the first pick up next spring. 3) Drop your box off at the farm if you are in the neighborhood.

Please take a moment to fill out the CSA SURVEY we distributed last week (email me if you need a form). This is your best way to let us know how the CSA went for you. We take this information into account when we make next years crop plan! Please mail completed surveys to the farm at the address at the top of this newsletter. Thanks!

FALL PRODUCE SALE: Available at the farm only and for an additional weekly charge. Send in the order form below with payment and pick up two more weeks of fall roots, kale, and winter squash!

Fort Hill Farm Fall Produce sale, ON FARM PICKUP ONLY, from 2:30PM to 6:30 PM on indicated dates.

Name:________________________________________

Email:________________________________________

Friday, Nov. 11 _____ You can choose one or both weeks, $20 per week, regular mix and match

Friday, Nov. 18 _____ (one level bag) limits. Crops include potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips,

TOTAL enclosed _____ butternut squash, green kale, and cabbage.

Farmers Note: this weeks box is full of lots of produce that you can store for several weeks, and will even make it to your Thanksgiving table. Store potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, and garlic in a cool dry place above 50F. Store celeriac, rutabagas, red cabbage, carrots, and beets in the fridge crisper drawer (roots do best in a loose bag in the crisper drawer).

Featured this week:

Celeriac: this is a new one for me—it looks like an ugly pineapple with roots. Its called celery root, and has a great celery flavor. Celery is hard to grow on the east coast so I thought I would give this a try. Celeriac stores several weeks in a bag in the crisper. Try it mashed with potatoes and garlic, in soups or stews, or in the recipe below.

Rutabagas: this variety, called the ‘Gilfeather Turnip’, is a coveted heirloom from Vermont, and seed has been hard to come by. We were lucky to get some seed this year. They are great steamed and buttered, mashed, or in soups or stews. Will store for several weeks in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Red Cabbage: stores for many weeks in the fridge crisper drawer. I like to shred red cabbage (and also beets!) raw on salads, also good for various slaw recipes.

Kennebec potatoes: these are all purpose white fleshed potatoes, especially good for baking.

Also in the box: beets, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and garlic.

Recipe:

Celery Root and Butternut Squash Soup, from “One United Harvest”

3 T. butter 1 c. tomato, canned and chopped

1 onion, chopped 2-4 c. stock

1 apple, peeled and chopped 1 celeriac, peeled and chopped

½ c. lentils, fully cooked salt to taste

1 clove garlic 4 fresh sage leaves, minced

1 sprig thyme 1 quart pureed squash

Optional: roasted red peppers, capers, or tablespoon maple syrup.

Sauté onions, apple, celeriac, garlic, sage, and thyme in butter. Puree this mixture, combine with puree squash. Heat the squash mixture, tomatoes, stock, lentils, and salt on medium heat. Serves 6 to 8.