CSA WEEK 6

p i c k l i s t

ONIONS - POTATOES - CELERY - CARROTS - PARSLEY - KALE - BEETS - BRUSSEL SPROUTS - WINTER SQUASH - SWEET POTATOES

csa bread share: pumpkin!

Whoa what a season! Today marks the end of not only 6 weeks of Fall abundance, but also 23 weeks of harvest and pack days at Edgewater.  What started with seeds in January, ends today with an abundance of root vegetables, some fresh greens, and a smattering of storage crops to keep your belly full and nourished well into winter.  

 A 2024 growing season recap: 

Legendary melon crop.  The fruit arrived early, and was sweet as can be.  Cantaloupes were particularly heavenly, and all contestants that entered the farmstand’s watermelon challenge walked away beaming.  In our household we ate melons every day, blended and froze for winter juice, and all surfaces were slightly sticky and pink from August through October.  The bees were pumped.  We STILL, well into November, have a bin that we are considering as “storage” watermelons- which is not a real thing- but hey, we can pretend until rot.  The question that remains: will we be eating watermelon while welcoming in the winter solstice? Time will tell.

The carrots were spectacular-  every planting hit just right and there was always enough to sell, store, and for willing-hands to glean.  The brassicas made a real comeback this year. The past few seasons we have unsuccessfully grown broccoli, cauliflower, etc… This time we tried growing them on biodegradble plastic- and the crop was so much happier.  We think that growing them on plastic kept the nutrients in the soil, thus contributing to a beautiful harvest.

Another thing we tried this year was actively keeping the deer at bay.  With electric fences placed all around the fields, we were able to grow lettuce and beans.  That was the dream, and with Steve meticulously putting up post after post and line after line and connecting them to mini solar panels, the beans and greens grew unharmed.  

Always the major highlight of the season are all the people that show up to work at Edgewater.  The farmers that choose to spend their time farming with us on our field crew continue to impress.  I would be remiss if I did not particularly give praise to Garnet, Strong, Jasper, Denroy, Daniel, and Roy who head back to Jamaica tomorrow morning.  These guys are family to us.  And Roy and Garnet in particular, will be missed the most in my household as we continue to live together through the many growing seasons and share countless pots of coffee, movie nights, “good mornings” and “goodnights.”  They are the best.  

We also are in a great flow with our winter skeleton crew- Kathleen and Pam are finishing up soon with weekly breads (insert sad face here).  Mike, Tim, Ray and I will continue to pack out vegetables for weekly deliveries to the Coops with the radio keeping us moving. Anne, Sarah, Holly, and Ellen will keep on readying the greenhouses for next season’s opening day.  We are just gonna keep on chipping away at all the nitty gritty outdoor jobs so we can move on and get those woodstoves a blazin, and start making 2025 farm dream lists and study all seed catalogs front to back. I think this is called hygge?

Ok, onto the “needs work” section: We are pretty tired of growing mediocre onions.  We're not quite clear what happened to our peppers, Roy is still single (he asked me to include this in newsletter season wrap-up, I SWEAR)  and we hope for better weather next strawberry season.

Lastly, a huge milestone was met this season as Edgewater Farm turned 50 years old, and the farm transitioned from Anne and Pooh to the next generation. Our overwhelming hope is that we can keep up with the strong foundation that Anne and Pooh built.  There is a lot to live up to, but if we’ve learned anything from those two, it’s that both the community that works on the farm, and the people that eat from the fields are what make this place so damn special.  They grew so much more than just fruits and veg over the past 50 years. They cultivated long lasting relationships that now result in multiple generations of the same families either working here or picking berries from our PYO Patch or relying on our sweet corn crop every August from 1974 through today.  

CSAers,  y'all are absolutely a part of this history.  And that is so cool.  Big cheers to the next (gasp) 50, but heads up, it is extremely likely that we will mess up a ton over the next few seasons as we take on more and Anne and Pooh take on less.  Please see us through the growing pains- this place and this land and this community is so worth it.

Bottomline, thank you so much for having us at your table.  Keep rocking with our CSA, and let’s see what kind of fun can grow next year :)

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:

Ripe for the oven:  SWEET POTATOES - CARROTS - BRUSSEL SPROUTS - ONIONS - KALE - WINTER SQUASH - BEETS

GREENS THIS WEEK:  kale - brussel sprouts - celery - parsley

ORGOOSEMIC ROASTIES: Recipe by our dear bud, Andrew Plotsky who really knows his way around potatoes and animal fat. Also, let it be known, I ate these last weekend and they were the actual best potatoes I’ve ever had in my entire life, so take note people!

1. parboil in ocean like salt water with bountiful herbs and a halved lemon until forkish

2. roast in a bath of goose fat until crispy AF

3. toss and juszh once or twice 

4. Get it Hot like 4th layer of hell HOT till crisp

5. scoop out of fat, toss with sprinkle herbs (USE YOUR PARLSEY!)

6. eat

I can just about guarantee that you will not regret it if you double this recipe. The pancakes keep well in the fridge and can also be frozen.

• 1 cup (8 to 8 1/4 ounces) roasted and mashed winter squash

• 1/3 cup (80 grams) yogurt or sour cream

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup finely grated gruyere, comte or parmesan

• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

• A few grinds of black pepper

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour

• Butter or olive oil for frying pan

  To Finish

• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter

• A pinch or two of salt

• A few fresh sage leaves

In a large bowl, whisk squash, yogurt, eggs, cheese, salt, pepper and baking powder until smooth. Add flour and stir until just combined. Batter will be thick.

Heat a large frying over medium-low to medium heat. Coat the bottom with butter or olive oil, or a combination thereof, and spoon in pancake batter, a heaped soup spoon or scant 1/4 cup at a time. Press the back of the batter mound to flatten the pancake slightly. Cook until golden brown underneath, flip and then cook until the color until golden brown on the second side. If this is happening very fast, lower your heat. If you’re worried pancakes have not cooked in the center, you can finish them for 10 minutes in a 250 degrees oven. You can also keep your pancakes warm there until needed. Repeat with remaining batter.

To finish, wipe out frying pan and place butter, a pinch or two of salt and sage leaves back in it, heating over medium. The sage leaves will crisp and the butter will brown in a minute or two so keep a close watch on it. Pour leaves and butter over pancakes and quickly understand why you’ll never have them another way.

To roast squash: For butternut or kabocha, I halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and roast it face-down on an oiled baking sheet that I’ve sprinkled with coarse salt at 375 for 40 to 50 minutes, until tender. I get about 2 cups mashed squash from one 2-pound (i.e. small-medium) whole squash. If yours is already peeled and in, say, 1-inch chunks, it will likely be tender in just 25 minutes (just updated after rechecking my notes).

CSA WEEK 5

P i c k l i s t

HAKURAI TURNIPS - LETTUCE - CELERIAC - SWEET POTATOES - CARROTS - BRUSSEL SPROUTS - LEMONGRASS - MIZUNA - ONIONS - APPLES

CSA bread share really coming through this week, gotta love fresh warm Aubergine bread

OK y'all, it is officially Fall. The temps have dropped- though some of us are still fighting like hell to keep the short shorts going.  You know these people.  They are the teenagers that wear flip flops in December to homeroom at any hint of sunshine.  They are also the ones in elementary school that refuse to wear a coat, or at least they will put on said coat and refuse to zipper past their belly button.  Now, these people are grown, they work at Edgewater Farm, and they can't help but wash potatoes all afternoon in their fave summer work wear, or roll up greenhouse sides in 40 degrees just to get that last bit of golden ray on their lower legs.  NOT ME.  This time of year, you can find me buried in my onesie, wooly long johns on the inside, canvas thermal lined Pooh Sprague hand-me-down on the outside.  This will be my uniform from now til March, I guarantee it.   

Farm lewks aside, this week we are focused on wrapping up as many loose ends as possible.  We have one week left with our field crew (all dressed daily in puff jackets and lined gloves, SMART) to knock out any big projects.  This also means we have one week left to take in any last pizza party hurrahs, radio blaring sing-a-longs, morning coffee, donuts, jokes and high-fives.  But how do we balance the too much fun with the actual work load, time will tell… I like to think it is all just a part of Edgewater Charm.  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:

Ripe for the oven:  HAKURAI TURNIPS! SWEET POTATOES - CARROTS - BRUSSEL SPROUTS - ONIONS - CELERIAC

GREENS THIS WEEK:  lettuce - hakurai tops - mizuna (eat fresh or braised!) - brussel sprouts

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING RECIPES CURATED BY OUR FAVE UP-THE-ROAD-NEARLY-RESIDENT- CHEF, MITCHELL DAVIS. 

For more from recipes from Mitchell, absolutely check out his substack it is awesome:

Celery Root Rémoulade 

A classic French slaw I love to serve with pork or other meat dishes, as the tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness. Sometimes I make it creamy, sometimes not.

1 celery root

Salt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

½ cup mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt, labne, sour cream or crème fraiche (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

Handful chopped parsley

With a sharp paring knife, peel the celery root, cutting away and gnarly patches or dark spot. Cut the root in half or quarters, depending on how large it is. Using a mandoline or sharp chef’s knife, slice the celery root very thinly. Stack a few slices and slice them into fine strips or julienne. Place the julienned celery root in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt

and toss with the lemon juice. Let sit to wilt for 20 minutes or so while you prepare the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Stir in the shallot. To make a creamy dressing, beat in the mayonnaise, yogurt, or other dairy product. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the wilted celery root. Add a generous amount of black pepper and chopped parsley and toss to coat. The rémoulade can be eaten right away, but it gets better if it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Glazed Harukai Turnips

A simple technique you can use with many different types of vegetables, such as carrots,

parsnips, or even celery root.

1 bunch Harukai turnips

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or other vegetable oil

Salt

1/3 cup apple cider, white wine, or stock

Sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cut the tops off the turnips as close to even with the bulb as possible. Remove the root. With the blade of a small paring knife, hold the turnips under cold, running water and scrape away any dark spots or blemishes to return them to their snowy white selves. If the turnips are fresh there is no need to peel them. Split turnips in half, large ones in quarters. You want them to be approximately the same size.

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. When hot, add a pinch of salt and lay the turnips in the pan cut side down. Let sizzle away until the turnips are nicely browned, about 5 or 6 minutes. Flip them over to check, and if they have more than one cut side, brown those also. Once browned, flip the turnips so their unpeeled side is down. Add the cider or other

liquid to the pan. (If using wine or stock, add a pinch of sugar, some honey, or syrup.) Cover the pan, reduce the heat and let the turnips steam for 7 or 8 minutes until soft. Remove the lid, raise the heat, and continue simmering until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, turning the vegetables over once or twice to coat in the glaze that forms. Turn off the heat. Add the butter to the pan along with some freshly ground black pepper. Toss the turnips to coat with the butter before serving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Lime–Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

A flavor combination the original Momofuku Ssäm Bar in NYC made rightfully famous. They deep fried their sprouts; I roast mine.

1 or 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cleaned and split in half

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup sugar

1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane

1 to 3 red bird’s-eye chiles, thinly sliced, seeds in tact

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the Brussels sprouts on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the sprouts to coat and arrange them cut side up. They should barely touch. Roast for about 40 minutes or so, until they are tender and the outer leaves are deeply browned. Some burnt edges are fine. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend together the fish sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic and chili. Toss the roasted sprouts with the dressing and serve warm.

FALL CSA WEEK 3

 P i c k l i s t

BROCCOLINI - HAKURAI TURNIPS - LETTUCE - CELERY - FINGERLING POTATOES - CARROTS - COLLARD GREENS - WINTER SQUASH - SAGE - CAULIFLOWER - HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

bread of the week! corn bread poblano

If Edgewater is new to you, I'd like to introduce you to Pooh Sprague.  He and Anne started this farm 50 years ago.  Today Pooh is often found napping in between tractor work (often on the tractor he was just driving).  He also keeps a seasonally updated blog- A place for him to fill us all in about farming during a climate crisis, farming with family, and his real passion cover cropping.  The following is from his just updated early November blog which you can also find here: 

“It's early November this morning and the temperature is 23 degrees. Muzzle loading season has started , daylight savings time slapped me and all of this is a shocking surprise to me. I have never experienced such a temperate, blue sky type of fall like this in my 73 years. Working in light work clothing during warm days and not running the wood stove at night...we clearly were not paying attention to the passage of time because we were able to get a pile of farm work done, in comfort.  Of course, the illusion of “getting caught up” is indeed only an illusion, but it feels really good to be marshalling at this time of year in relative meteorological comfort.

In past blogs I have often rattled on about weather and climate related issues. This fall has certainly been the upside to climate change. But it is interesting to note that If we had this period of abnormally pleasant and dry weather in the middle of the summer growing season we would be in big trouble. A drought exists now, a very serious one. No open fires or burning is allowed. The brooks are almost dried up, and the groundwater levels in the woods have to be very low. Again we are able to wade the Connecticut River to the Vermont shore in many places along River Road (although it’s a tad chilly in the water for me to lead you across myself...) And the reason that the effects of prolonged weather such as this is not more damaging to the flora in the fields, woods and gardens is because the days are much shorter, sun is a lot weaker and we get just enough moisture from morning fog to maintain what plants are left in those fields and woodlands. So climate change is still very much on the table, and with it comes the down side. We can strategize how to deal with it, and we have a couple of seasons-(fall and winter)- where we do not have to deal with any adverse effects when trying to grow outdoor crops. Were we to have the same weather pattern we have experienced the last two months (warmer than normal-drought ) in May and June we would be hard pressed to grow vegetable crops, even with irrigation. Longer days of hotter than normal heat and no rain for two months would erase half of our efforts to get anything to grow. Seeds would not germinate, transplants would likely wither.

We have seen extreme weather on the news and social media, devastating areas of Florida and North Carolina with recent hurricanes. In the northwest large forest fires are just beginning to die down. And we seem to get more smoke days here as the years progress. So climate change will continue to be the average of extremes, as we are told it would be. We will have to assume we will be confronted by those extremes most years. In the meantime, I am going to take pleasure in the warmer than normal days, lack of early ice and snow and cold temperatures that I so frequently grew up with this time of year as a kid. Sunny blue skies, a few late season bike rides and no real reason to run the woodstove 24-7...what’s not to like?”

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:

Ripe for the grill/oven:  CAULIFLOWER! HAKURAI TURNIPS! WINTER SQUASH - POTATOES - CARROTS

GREENS THIS WEEK: lettuce - collard greens - hakurai tops (if you dare)

Sage:  Pairs perfectly with potatoes and roasted winter squash, BUT in case you need a little something extra this week to get you through, how about a sage negroni

Sage Negroni Makes 1 cocktail, recipe by Eden Grinshpan

• 1 oz gin

• 1 oz Campari

• 1/2 oz sweet vermouth

• 1/2 oz Sage Simple Syrup

• Garnish with burnt sage leaf and orange peel

sage simple syrup

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1 handful of fresh sage 

directions 

• Start with the sage simple syrup. Pour 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water and a handful of fresh sage into a pot and boil a couple minutes until the sugar dissolves. Once all sugar is dissolved, take off of the heat and set aside. Pour into a glass jar and put in the fridge to cool. 

• In a tall glass, fill with ice and then pour in the equal parts gin and Campari, add in the 1/2 ounce of sweet vermouth and the sage simple syrup. Stir to combine and pour into your cocktail glass with ice. Peel an orange rind, squeeze to release all the oils and rim the glass. light sage leaf to give it a little smokiness and garnish.

1 head of cauliflower – please keep the stems and leaves on, they get delicious when crispy and golden

• ½ cup olive oil

• coarse sea salt to taste (you can also use kosher salt)

• tahini sauce – recipe follows

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds- optional for when in season

• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F

2. Fill a large pot with 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower in, cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size. Remove the cauliflower and place on a sheet tray to steam dry for around 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil all over and season well with salt. Return to the oven and let roast for 30-40 minutes, depending on how hot your oven gets…I like to leave it in even longer and let it get burnt in some places – it adds such good flavor. Remove from the oven when it is golden and charred all over and place on a serving plate. Finish with a little more olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Drizzle with a nice amount of garlicky tahini and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, pomegranate seeds and parsley.

Tahini

• ½ cup good quality raw tahini

• ½ lemon squeezed

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• kosher salt to taste

• ¼ cup of water- or until the tahini is smooth

1. In a bowl, combine the tahini with the salt, garlic, lemon juice and the water and mix together. It will get to a weird consistency – don’t be afraid..this always happens. Keep adding water until it smooths out and becomes a lighter color. Check for seasoning, you might need more salt of lemon juice.

FALL CSA WEEK 3 (HALLOWEEN PICK UP)

P I C K L I S T

pepper - beets - broccolini - kale - leeks - fennel - cabbage - hottie pep -

carrots - lemongrass - spaghetti squash

FALL CSA WEEK 2

P i c k l i s t

BROCCOLI - LUNCH BOX PEPPERS - HABANADA PEPPERS - POBLANO PEPPERS - GREEN PEPPERS - SWEET POTATOES - ONIONS - MIZUNA - BOK CHOY - MINT  - CHINESE EGGPLANT - PUMPKINS! WATERMELON

What a week to farm!!  The weather has been so kind to us all since the last CSA pick up.  Once the morning fog lifts and the sun bursts through, it is back to Summer at edgewater while tackling Fall chores.  This looks like field clean up- removing drip tape, wrapping up ground cloth, removing sand bags holding down said ground cloth, weeding strawberries, seeding cover crop, picking every last pepper/tomato/eggplant in sight, etc- working all these tasks, but in a tank top.  Also noteworthy, snack-break-summer-feels-bonus-points: we still have a crop of watermelon that is just at arms reach when doing said fall clean up. 

There is something so precious about each ray of sunshine in late October.  It feels like we are all working under borrowed time.  Just 5 more minutes mom! This brief touch of sun should make the transition back to seasonal weather easier, as we get that final dose of last minute heat before the coming week ahead of 30 degree nights and terribly cold mornings, before we all must don our woolies and gloves from here on out.

 But the coming cold weather does more than make us have to switch up our outfit choices and freeze our fingers, it also kills weeds and bugs and sweetens crops. For example, last week’s handful of frosty nights killed those late season menacing weeds that we neglected all season.  And finally from those cold dipped nights, our carrots are sweet as can be and every brassica in sight (think kales, brusselsprouts, broccoli, etc) just got a big old boost of frost sweetened flavor.

Will this be the last week of peppers?  Too soon to say.  

Have yall moved all your potted plants inside? The time is now.  

Halloween is on the horizon, carve those pumpkins and roast those seeds

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill/oven:  BROC! PEPPERS! SWEET POTATOES! ONIONS! EGGPLANT! BOK CHOY!

GREENS THIS WEEK: I LOVE LOVE LOVE mizuna and bok choy.  They are both wonderful when eaten fresh or a quickie stir fry.

The miso sweet potato and broccoli add some substance to the mixed greens, making for a great lunch bowl. This would be just as tasty over grains.

for the salad

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small head of broccoli, torn into bite-size florets

2 cups dark, leafy green mix (like your mizuna!!!)

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

sea salt + black pepper

for the miso dressing

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

sea salt + black pepper

JENNY’S NOTE: a roasted and chopped up poblano would be a delicious addition here 

1. For the dressing: Blend everything except the oil in a food processor until smooth. While the blender is still running, slowly stream in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil (about two tablespoons). Cook for about 20 minutes, remove from oven and shake the baking sheet to move the potatoes around (for even cooking).

3. Add the broccoli to the baking sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil (about a tablespoon) salt and pepper, and place back in oven for another 15 minutes until the veggies are cooked through and starting to brown.

4. Place veggies in a large bowl and allow to cool. Pour dressing over the veggies and mix to coat. Add the salad greens and mix.

WATERMELON!! Because it is debatably still summer here ;) but heads up, it could be mealy inside!  This is a real bonus round of fruit- if you have any hesitation about texture, just blend it into juice OR popsicle it

Remove & clean seeds– It starts with scooping the seeds from the pumpkin (we prefer sugar pumpkins which tend to yield smaller, crispier pumpkin seeds) and removing the stringy parts. Rinsing in a colander or fine mesh strainer helps remove any remaining goop.

Dry seeds– Using a towel, dry the seeds thoroughly. This helps them crisp up in the oven.

Add oil, salt, and seasonings– We like to use avocado oil in a ratio of 1 Tbsp oil to 1 cup seeds. Season with salt and add other seasonings (such as Shawarma, Curry Powder, or Pumpkin Pie Spice) for an extra boost.

Bake– Bake for 20-30 minutes at 325 degrees, or until the pumpkin seeds are crisp and light golden brown. Smaller seeds will need less time than larger ones.

Let cool– As the seeds cool, they will crisp up a little more. Make sure to let them cool completely before transferring to a sealed container. Otherwise, they may get soggy from the steam.

FALL CSA WEEK 1!

P i c k l i s t

RASPBERRIES - RADISH - GARLIC - LETTUCE - EGGPLANT - HOTTIE PEP - POBLANO PEP - BROCCOLI - WINTER SQUASH - PARSLEY - HOUSEPLANT - BUILD YER OWN BOUQ!

Enter Fall CSA- the time of year we begin to slow down.  It is not a full stop, the farm is still moving produce to the co-ops through New Years, and we of course have Fall CSA.

From now until Thanksgiving we are busy with continued harvest, Fall clean up, garlic planting, straw mulching and eventually blueberry pruning.  All these things get done, but with a way chiller vibe than any moment from May 1- October 1.  We start our work day later and end earlier.  We take multiple donut and hot drink breaks, and if we plan accordingly we can even catch a mid day run or pick up our kiddos at the bus stop and instead of bringing them back to work with us, we can just hang out (a monumental feat!).

But for the next 6 weeks, you know where to find us every Thursday evening- at the farmstand, moving veg to all our favorite people and bumping beats.  It’s a real beet meet beats situation.  Dare I say a beet cute?  

The lead up to Fall CSA Thursdays is also the most fun.  Aside from the inevitable freezing fingertips and toes, stepping into the warm sun on a crisp October day and cutting broccoli head after broccoli head is actually so satisfying and rhythmic and serves as a really nice way to ease into the long dark months ahead.  However this week, I stepped back from CSA duties on account of a sick kid.  Fortunately, I was able to lean on the field crew and Ray and Allie and Holle to bring it all together.  And let us not forget Anne with the flowers and Mrs. T with the herbs.  This Edgewater village continues to kick in and lift up when chips fall… or get sick.

In other news, the frost last night had us feeling super nostalgic for summer crops that were and summer crops that could have been...  For example, during frost prep, field crew went through our pepper field and picked every bell in sight.  They came in as green bell peps, but had they had more time and more heat, they would have turned their hopeful shades of orange, red, and yellow. 

We all still have time to fill and can jars for winter, and roast and freeze etc… BUT this frost acted as a real reminder that our time left with all this fresh food is limited.  Eat it while you got it people ;)

A couple of dates to consider: next week, October 24th we will begin the bread share for those that signed up and the kitchen share will be distributed on the Nov. 7th CSA pick up.

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill/oven:  radish, garlic, peppers, winter squash, eggplant, broccoli

Plants! Repot! Put near any window, water when dry, don’t water when wet, email or ask questions  if they start to look a lil yellow or crispy

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups small-diced butternut/honey nut squash (about one 1-lb squash)

• ¼ cup quinoa

• 3 tablespoons adobo sauce

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1 28- oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

• 1 ½ cups cooked pinto beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 ½ cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 large poblano pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• chopped cilantro, for garnish

• vegan sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions to the pot and sauté until translucent and softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and cocoa to the pot and stir. Once the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, add the squash, quinoa, and some salt and pepper. Stir to coat everything in the cocoa and spices.

2. Once everything is starting to dry up/stick, add the adobo sauce and vegetable stock to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to get any golden brown bits. Add the crushed tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, poblano pepper, and a bit more salt and pepper to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring the smoky squash chili to a boil.

3. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and place a lid on top of the pot. Let the chili simmer until the squash is soft all the way through, about 25-28 minutes. Check the smoky squash chili for seasoning one more time and adjust if necessary. Serve the chili hot with chopped cilantro on top.

MITCHELL’S NOTES (it’s been 18 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction)

I reached out to Mitchell extremely last minute for a recipe this week and he pointed me in the direction of his newsletter on winter squash that came with the best advice I have ever seen for winter squash: roast now, deal with it later… Keep this method in mind over the next 6 weeks as your kitchen counter becomes a cornucopia of acorn, butternut, delicata, hubbard, etc… Also, this from the newsletter, Mitchell’s pro-tips on roasting:

TECHNIQUE: ROASTING SQUASH… I treat most of my winter squash the same way.  I roast first and then figure out what to do with it later. To roast, slice the squash in half and, using a sturdy tablespoon, remove the seeds and goop. Set the halves cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray with sides or roasting pan. Place in a hot oven (anywhere between 400°F. and 500°F. will work; I usually roast it in the oven I’m preheating to bake bread) and let the squash roast until the halves are soft and the edges are browned. The time depends on a number of factors, including the variety (the flesh of different squash has different densities), how thick the skin and the walls of flesh are (thicker needs more time), how long ago the squash was harvested (older squash have less moisture and take longer to cook), and the temperature of the oven. Small, thin-walled delicata squash can be roasted in 20 minutes in a hot oven. The dense butternut squash in the photos below took over an hour at 475°F. 

To check if it is done, prick the thickest part of the squash with the point of a paring knife to see if it is soft. The juices that have run off into the pan while the squash cooked should be browned. And the squash should have a faint caramel smell. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn the squash halves over so they are skin side down to prevent the flesh from sticking to the parchment when it cools. Once cool enough to handle, use a large spoon (I happen to like an Italian gelato paddle) to scrape out the flesh, browned bits and all. store in a container in the fridge for up to two weeks. From the 3 ½ pound butternut squash in the photo (which was grown by my friends Marion and Mal), I got 4 cups of flesh.

CSA WEEK 17/ October 9th (very belated post)

P i c k l i s t

 roma tomatoes - acorn squash - lil leeks - dazzling blue kale - romaine lettuce - eggplant - habanada peppers - cayenne peppers - shishito peppers - lunch box peppers - mint - carrots - broccolini - corn

Hello friends! This week marks the very last week of the Summer CSA and I am floored that it is over.  17 weeks of harvest, 17 weeks of meal making, 17 weeks of recipes.  Though we never sat together around an actual table and dined, I do feel we shared meals, many of which were curated by our neighbor Mitchell (cheers to him yall!).  And I am still reaching weekly for that one quick Thai basil chicken recipe that Mitchell provided that is indeed quick and always hits the spot, hbu?

 I often use food to mark the passage of time.  Rather than speak of june- july- august- I say strawberry season, or that short blip of blueberries, or those two hot weeks when the melons were absolutely phenomenal.  Or how about those moments of calm in between hustles of harvest when tomato sandos would always be my sidekick.  And that one wednesday when it seemed romas would last forever, followed by that next week when they suddenly chose to not ripen as quick as promised.  But the most notable passage of time over the 2024 growing season, were the past 6 wednesdays of watermelons- a legendary feat for any crop.  This week marks the end of an era.  This week we say tata to the watermelon- the official farewell to summer- and snuggle up to the winter squash.  Enter the acorn, enter Fall.  

For those of you that hop off the CSA train this week, and head back into the world of grocery veg and coop runs, you will be missed.  I am hopeful that many of you froze some of your pestos made this season, potentially even canned some tomatoes.  I dare you to hold back on reaching for those goods until January- when your potato brain needs a little bit of a summer time boost.  Go after them then, slab 'em on crackers and remember the good times, when your countertops were overwhelmed by green things to eat and the sun shone so bright.

For those of you that I’ll be bumping elbows with next Thursday, booyah! I can not wait- I love a Fall CSA pick up night.  It is always fun to connect in real life, oggle over towers of gorgeous veg, bop around the table to whatever is serenading us over the speakers, talk meal plans and recipes and everything in between. And if by chance you are still on the fence about 7 more weeks of CSA, no prob, the fence will be there for you to hang out on until Monday in case you decide to hop over at the last minute.

As far as this week in farming goes- because that is still happening- the gold potatoes we harvested last week were some real beauties. We will continue digging them through the next two weeks or so- followed by russets and fingerlings.  It is an awesome  time of year to see the hard work of the season become a tangible thing. A bulk box of potatoes is an easy way to see that, a bin of carrots, a truckload of squash, a greenhouse full of drying onions and a row of unpicked beans- those are the tangibles that act as little pats on our back.  Those are the “good job kid” things we need to see to keep us feeling like, “oh yeah, look at that, we can grow things.”  

Anyhow, I do hope that this past season of rambles provided some insight into the how and why of edgewater, and if you are just here for the recipes- cheers to you, read on!  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill/oven:  just about everything :) 

PRODUCE

1 garlic clove

1 lemon

4 romaine hearts (jenny’s notes: just go ahead and use your one whole head of romaine)

PANTRY

1/2 crusty baguette (about 6 ounces)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets

1 tspn Dijon mustard

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

DAIRY

2 large eggs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more 

1. MAKE THE CROUTONS: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear 1/2 of a baguette into irregular 1-inch pieces; you should end up with about 3 cups of torn bread. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few good cranks of black pepper until well coated. Bake until deeply golden brown and crisp,12 to 14 minutes. Let cool. 

2. MAKE THE DRESSING You are about to make mayonnaise by hand, BUT it’s not as hard as it sounds. The mustard, garlic, and anchovies that get mixed into the egg yolk will help support the emulsion. Separate the yolks and whites of 2 large eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl (where you’ll build your dressing) and reserve the whites for another use. Finely grate 1 garlic clove and the zest of about half of a lemon into the large bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon. Finely chop 4 anchovies, then mash them to a paste, using the side of a chef’s knife until homogeneous; add to the large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and whisk everything to combine. Place a damp kitchen towel underneath the bowl to stabilize it so it doesn’t slip ’n’ slide all over the place as you whisk in the oil. Starting with a very thin stream at first, whisking constantly as you go, incorporate ½ cup of canola oil into the yolk mixture until it is thick, creamy, and pale yellow. Whisk in 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup). Taste the dressing on a leaf of romaine— it should be salty, cheesy, and lemony. Make any adjustments necessary until it tastes so good that you’d be happy eating a bowl of it alone with a side of crouts. 

3. PREP THE LETTUCE: Tear the leaves of 4 romaine hearts into 2-inch pieces and transfer them to the bowl of dressing. Squeeze the juice of half of the lemon over the romaine, season with salt, and toss the leaves to coat, avoiding incorporating any of the dressing beneath just yet. 

It’s always a good idea to preseason your greens with some acid and salt so they are zippy and zingy and hold up to the dressing.The lettuce contains water, which is going to dilute the flavor of the dressing, so you’ll always need a little extra acid to combat that. 4. SERVE: Add the croutons and gently toss the lettuce with your hands until well coated. Add 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) and toss again. Divide among plates and top with more grated Parmesan and black pepper.

MITCHELL’S NOTES (it’s been 17 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction)

Zaaluk

Another delicious recipe from my friend, cookbook author Adeena Sussman (see last week’s Melted Cabbage), for this Moroccan eggplant “salad”—more like a dip, really—you simply roast everything on a sheet pan and mix it together at the end. There’s a real synergy, as the sum of the ingredients is much more than its parts.

1 firm eggplant (about 1 pound), stem and crown removed, cut in half, lengthwise

5 Roma tomatoes, chop

1 sweet red Carmen or bell pepper, split in half, stemmed and seeded

1 jalapeño pepper, split in half, stemmed and seeded

4 cloves garlic, peeled

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Lay the eggplant halves cut side down on an olive-oil greased baking sheet, along with four of the tomatoes, both peppers, and the garlic. Set in the hot oven and bake until soft and charred, about 40 minutes or so. Let the vegetables cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board and chop finely. Lower the oven to 400°F. Return the vegetables to the sheet pan, drizzle with the ¼ cup of olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cumin, and the smoked paprika, and stir with a rubber spatula to evenly coat and distribute. Bake another 7 or 8 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Remove from the oven. Chop the remaining tomato finely and toss with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Add this tomato along with the lemon zest, juice, and cilantro and stir into the mix. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CSA WEEK 15

P i c k l i s t

 Roma tomatoes - carmen peppers - poblano peppers - watermelon - 

onion - italian parsley - beets - eggplant - green beans - lettuce

This past week was a mix of harvest everything all the time AND party so hard.  Debatably too hard (Oops).  Still catching up on all the sleep missed on Saturday night- but every moment felt too important to miss.  We gathered this weekend to celebrate the farm and the farmers that started it all 50 years ago.  Between the four of us- Anne, Pooh, Sarah, Ray and I- we put together a loose list of folks that have come and gone throughout the years.  Folks that we have sweat with, cried with, picked with, and field laughed with (which to be clear is different from a normal day to day giggle. Field laughing goes deep past the belly and into your heart and the memory sticks with ya forever, it is glorious).  Anyhow, to all those we’ve farmed with and the family that surrounds us we celebrated.  And with 50 years of edgewater and the bonds that were created therein, it turned into a fairly momentous affair.  I’ve been a part of the farm for 16 seasons and have seen the best of the best move through the farm and through the field.  Edgewater brings together great people.  Just ask Anne how many tears she’s cried over the years when dearly loved employees that become buds say goodbye (at this point, I’m going to guess it would be enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket).  Bottomline, 50 years of farming is community building and it is so cool to be a part of it and unbelievably beautiful to bring everyone that's got the farm in their heart together.  Cheers to the next 50, sure hope we don't burn it all down via a messy quickbook computer screen and a firework gone wrong.  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:  eggplant - green beans - roma tomato - onion - peppers - beets - watermelon (whaaat??!? Yup i said it, watermelon)

MITCHELL’S NOTES

(it’s been 15 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction now)

Ratatouille For Edgewater CSA Newsletter

There are many different ways to prepare a ratatouille—the Provençal vegetable stew, not the Pixar animated film. The most traditional is to sauté all of the vegetables separately, layer them in casserole and bake them until they meld together into a meltingly delicious dish. But you don’t always have time for that. Instead, you can make a perfectly respectable ratatouille in one pot, as long as you add in the vegetables at strategic times so they don’t overcook. This is a recipe for the latter. Makes 4 to 6 servings

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Salt

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 or 3 sweet peppers, such as Carmen or poblano, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small hot pepper, minced, or a pinch of red pepper flakes

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice

½ quart green beans, tipped and tailed and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ quart cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup white wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

Large handful fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, thyme, marjoram, or a combination,

leaves only, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

In a wide Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, heat half the olive oil. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the peppers, both sweet and hot, and sauté until they begin to wilt. Add the remaining olive oil, let it heat up, and then add the diced eggplant. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes until the eggplant softens a little. It will soak up all the oil at first and then release it. Add the zucchini, green beans, and cherry tomatoes, and continue sautéing until the tomatoes begin to give off their liquid. Add the white wine, tomato paste, bay leaf, a generous pinch of salt, and about ¼ cup of water to moisten the mixture. When it comes to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer until the eggplant is soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped herbs and a decent amount of black pepper. Simmer 1 minute more, taste, and adjust the seasoning with more salt, if necessary. For a dryer ratatouille, let simmer a few minutes uncovered to evaporate some of the liquid, being careful not to let it burn. Serve hot or at room temperature. —Mitchell Davis

Caponata

¼ cup olive oil

1 large large eggplant, chopped into 2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ small red onion, small dice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon capers

¼ cup green olives, pitted and chopped

2 cups diced fresh tomatoes

sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Panzanella

4 cups torn up bread pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

⅓ cup tomatoes, chopped

extra chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pieces of eggplant and oregano. Stir the pieces around to coat them in the oil and herb. Stir the pot here and there until the eggplant is browned on all sides. Add the red onions and garlic to the pot. Stir it up a bit, adding a bit more olive oil if necessary to avoid sticking.

3. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the red wine vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan and stir the mix until the vinegar has evaporated. Add the capers, olives and tomatoes to the pot and stir. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes or so, until the eggplant is tender and the tomatoes have let out a bit of juice. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, season to taste, and set aside to cool.

4. Place the bread pieces on the parchment lined sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Slide the tray into the oven and bake until golden brown on all sides, about 12-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Set aside to cool.

5. Combine the caponata with the croutons, stirring gently until just combined. Garnish the salad with a healthy drizzle of more olive oil, the halved tomatoes and extra parsley. I also like to scatter the crouton crumb-y bits left on the pan over the top of the salad for more crunch.

Recipe Notes

• It's pretty crucial to cook the eggplant until it's VERY tender, like a solid 15 minute simmer.

• There's a lot of salty bits in the caponata so I recommend tasting the finished product (with bread etc) before you season with additional salt.

A flavourful mashup of tangy eggplant caponata mixed with summer tomatoes and toasted stale bread. So delicious and perfect for summer!

CSA WEEK 14, a very belated posting original date 9/18

P i c k l i s t

 Roma tomatoes - cherry tomatoes - carmen peppers - shishito peppers - habanada peppers - gochujang pepper - watermelon - onion - shiso - thai basil - carrots - lettuce

Great week and great weather. On the farm we are maximizing these dry day opportunities.  We continue to bulk harvest carrots and winter squash, including pumpkins.  The fields consistently turn gold at about 5pm and the farmstand is looking particularly va va voom.  So many crops picked daily, the variety is simultaneously overwhelming and glorious. Seems like the next 10 days will offer some favorable weather to get it all done. Let’s just all keep enjoying the sun while we can....

In other news: how is everyone’s preserving going?  Have yall been saucing? Roasting? Freezing? Canning? Pickling? I for one have really slacked off. Gotta get back at it while we got it.

If any of yall are in need of bulk crops for your own winter sitch, you can bulk order from our farmstand. To special order any and all things, call the farmstand 603-298-5764, leave a message and someone will get back to ya about pick up and price.  You can also email me ;)

CROPS TO LOAD UP ON INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: tomatoes by the case, beets by the bushel. We also have green beans, wax beans, onions, carrots, edamame, roasting peppers, eggplant, herbs etc… 

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:  roma tomato - onion - peppers - watermelon (whaaat??!? Yup i said it, watermelon)

PEPPER VARIETIES, A QUASI GUIDE: 

HABANADA: CREAMSICLE COLORED PEPPER- MY PERSONAL FAVE PEP OF ALL TIME.  It’s a mild habanero.  Smoky sweet flavor, i just love it.

GOCHUJANG: Long, skinny red pepper.  Korean hybrid pepper with hot pungency. Used for dried pepper when the pepper is red and mature (hong gochu), ground into flakes.  You can add it to dishes and eat it fresh, or hang it out to dry for later eating.  

MITCHELL’S NOTES (it’s been 14 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction now)

but do check out his substack for more recipes!

Quick Thai Basil Chicken

A beloved Thai classic, gai pad krapow, is a simple, quick dish that comes together in less than 15 minutes. Make it vegetarian with extra-firm tofu crumbled to resemble ground meat. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a quick stir-fried vegetable for a quick weekday meal.

3 tablespoon peanut or other vegetable oil

1 small, hot red chili, such as Thai, Korean, or Mexican, seeded and minced

1 small onion or 3 shallots, very thinly sliced

3 large cloves garlic, sliced

1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or crumbled extra-firm tofu

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water

1 large bunch Thai basil, leaves only

In a large frying pan set over high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the chili, onion, and garlic, and sauté for a couple of minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the ground chicken, turkey, or tofu, and cook, breaking up the clumps. When it starts to brown, add the maple syrup, soy sauce, and fish sauce, and sauté for another minute or two, until the bits are all nicely coated. Add the broth or water and allow the liquid to evaporate quickly, stirring often. When just about dry again, add the basil leaves and stir until wilted. Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

JENNY’S GO TO SALAD: Yall, what you are getting for your CSA this week, is basically what I take home and put together nearly nightly for grown up meals.  I like a big lettuce salad with these herbs in particular.  Both shiso, AND Thai basil add so much flavor here.  So, in order to achieve peak jenny salad, strip leaves from herb bunches, chop like a wild woman, and toss into already torn up lettuce leaves. Fluff 'em up together in one big bowl.  

Add Already warmed, fried and chard shishitos and habanadas.  Toss in some sesame seeds, throw a couple fried eggs on top, salad dress however you like and EAT at once.

And IF YOU want to take this salad to the next level, just add rice, but not just any rice, Add:

This recipe uses fresh shiso leaves to make a quick, easy lunch or dinner. You can either use freshly cooked rice (done however you like to cook rice) 

2 cups cooked rice
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp salted peanuts
1 spring onion, finely sliced
small handful coriander leaves
3 large shiso leaves, sliced
Thai basil leaves, sliced
1 small red chili, finely sliced

METHOD: Spoon the hot rice into a bowl. Drizzle with soya sauce and sesame oil. Top with the rest of the ingredients, divided into sections over the top of the rice.

Watermelon: Perfect for juice making/ immersion blend, cool down, and enjoy :)

CSA WEEK 13, a very belated posting originally for September 11

P i c k l i s t

 Roma (red and gold) tomatoes - corn - carmen peppers - melon -

Edamame - cherry tomatoes - garlic - hottie pepper - parsley - oregano & thyme 

This week in farming has been an absolute joy.  Since June we’ve spent our time simultaneously planting, weeding, and harvesting, which is always a lot to keep up with and at times totally overwhelming.   For example, throughout the season we seed multiple lettuce plantings, brassicas, cucurbits, etc. and these succession plantings are tended and dealt with, while also picking strawberries, blueberries, and every summer veg imaginable.  But this week we seeded our last bit of field radishes, and spicy greens, and planted our last tunnel (for Fall CSA harvest).  ACTUALLY, I am second guessing myself, I bet we set aside a few more greenhouses for deep Fall veg.  Regardless, there was a shift of activity.  We are no longer attempting 10 tasks in a day. Huge relief!

Also, with the cool nights and the early moonrise, the weeds are slowing down giving way to just harvesting- that’s it.  That is all we have to do, just pick all day.  There is a lovely vibrant feeling that comes with the act of outdoor, sunshiny, monotonous tasks that require very little direction.  Oh to spend the afternoon in the fresh air filling bushel after bushel!  Right now, it’s the best.  Bonus points if you happen to be doing said task proximity to a watermelon field.  All this said, I need yall to know that this very pleased farmer can turn less than thrilled in a heartbeat if the forecast turns and calls for cold and rain.  But for now, the days are pure gold.  And at the end of summer when our bodies are cooked, and our brains are fried, weeks like this are the best.

So what are we picking? How do we fill our afternoons?  Our focus this week has been on winter squash and carrots. Pick’em/ bushel’em/ bin’em/ and store’m on repeat.   Are we smooth sailing? I don’t want to jinx us, but it sure seems like we are close.  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - roma tomato - garlic - peppers 

PARSLEY/ OREGANO/ THYME/ GARLIC/ TOMATOES OF ALL SIZES?!?

This obviously calls for roast and sauce.  SEE WEEK 8 CSA BLOG POST for Mitchel’s how to… and use all the herbs :)

Nancy’s New England Corn Chowder Makes 6 servings

MITCHEL’S NOTES (it’s been 13 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction now)

https://substack.com/@kitchensense/p-148722323

This recipe comes from my friend Nancy Harmon Jenkins, a native of Maine, who knows her way around chowder. She adds cooked beans and sliced cherry tomatoes when the mood strikes. You can subscribe to her On the Kitchen Porch newsletter on Substack. 

  1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 ounces bacon, pancetta, guanciale, or ham fat, cut into tiny cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

Salt

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced

3 or 4 ears fresh corn

Pinch red chili powder or flakes

Juice of 1 lime

1 1/2 cups light chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream or crème fraiche

2 bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Handful fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, tarragon, thyme and/or dill

 Combine the butter and a tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry until the fat renders and the remaining bits brown and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove the crisped bits and set aside. Add the onion to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 4 or 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring, so they begin to absorb the flavor of the fat.

While the potatoes and onions are cooking, heat a large frying pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Using your preferred method, cut the kernels from the cobs—I slice them off the cob over the pan, which I probably shouldn’t advise, but it works for me—and add to the pan. Using a spoon, scrape the cobs to extract any milky liquid—something I’ve never done before Nancy told me to do it—and add this to the pan, as well. Cook the corn kernels, stirring often, until they begin to caramelize and brown slightly, 7 or 8 min utes. A starchy film will form on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring. Once browned, add a generous pinch of salt and a less generous pinch of chili. Add the juice of a lime, and then transfer everything into the saucepan with the potatoes and onions.

 Put the corn pan back on the stove over a medium-high flame and add about half the stock. While it boils, deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon so you get all that flavorful corn goodness that was stuck to it. Pour this into the pot as well, along with the remaining stock. Let simmer a few minutes until the potatoes are soft. Add the milk and cream, the bay leaves, and a generous amount of black pepper, and continue cooking for 15 minutes or so until everything comes together. Stir in the chopped herbs. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve.

EDAMAME: BOIL FOR 5 MINUTES/ SALT/ EAT THE PEAS RIGHT ON OUT

CSA WEEK 12, a very belated posting originally for September 4th

P i c k l i s t

 roma tomatoes - mint - corn - lunchbox peppers - melon -

carrots - potatoes - cherry tomatoes - onion

I know a heap of yall are enthusiastically pulling out your woollies and reaching for those Pumpkin Spice Lattes and counting down the days until the gourds are dripping from the farmstand, but let’s pump the brakes a bit shall we?  Remember, Summer is so short and so sweet and we are currently elbows deep in tomatoes and wading our way through the melon patch.  Summer is here now, and we must eat all the fresh corn before corn is gone for another (gasp) 10 months. 

HOWEVER, we do need to think ahead…SO, for those of you who embrace all seasons, and the eating there in, get on board my actual favorite club in town. FALL CSA sign ups are live people! IYKYK… and if Fall CSA is new to you, it's like a boosted Summer CSA, and it’s the most fun.  Always music, always high fives, towers of winter squash, castles made of cauliflower, stacks of sweet potatoes, spicy greens galore, the occasional build your own bouquet bar.  It’s a vibe.    

HERE ARE THE DEETS: $228.00/ 6 weeks of fresh Fall crops all grown here at Edgewater Farm

BEGINS THURSDAY OCTOBER 17Th/ ENDS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21ST

PICK UP TAKES PLACE THURSDAYS, with one special spooky pick up on Wednesday, October 30th

AT THE FARMSTAND 4:30-6 p.m

Weekly Share equivalent to 1/2- 3/4 bushel box

And why do we do this? Because the farmstand closes for the season around Indigenous Peoples Day, and we still have so much food in the fields- let's dig it, pick it, cook it, and eat it.  Also, who doesn't love a weekly excuse to hang out around gorgeous veg? 

HOW DOES IT WORK: Upon arrival at the farm, you will get a weekly newsletter with recipes inspired by the CSA crops, and a pick-list to select your veg. You can expect all of the classic Fall crops: winter squash, sweet potatoes, greens, onions, garlic, beets, carrots, maybe end of season peppers and tomatoes, herbs, etc…

This CSA is open to all FALL food lovers and friends

SIGN UP ONLINE TODAY, THINK FALL,  BUT EMBRACE THE SUMMER VEG IN FRONT OF YA TODAY :)

 FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - roma tomato - onion - peppers - carrots 

Mint: always a great addition to salads, there are plenty of recipes out there that love to pair a mint sprig and a melon, but right now with the cool nights, i love a mint tea night cap, just boil water and steep 

That Baked Feta and Cherry Tomato Pasta

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Mitchell Davis, our fave up the road nearly resident chef… 

definitely check out his substack for more recipe inspo: https://kitchensense.substack.com/

This dish went viral on social media a few years and with good reason. It is simple and delicious.

8 ounces feta

1 ½ pounds cherry or grape tomatoes

6 cloves garlic cloves, smashed

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

12 ounces short pasta, such as casarecce, rigatoni, penne or farfalle

1 bunch basil, leaves only (perhaps you have some left over from last week?)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In the center of a deep 9” by 13” baking dish, place the feta. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves around the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and the cheese has softened and browned.

About 15 minutes before the tomatoes and feta are done, cook the pasta in abundant salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water and drain, but do not rinse. Add the hot pasta to the baking dish along with the basil leaves and about ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

CSA WEEK 11

P i c k l i s t

 roma tomatoes - cilantro - corn - purple pepper - watermelon -

kale - Basil - cherry tomatoes - onion

This week has been a real mix of kicking butt and having butts kicked.  With last week’s fleeting feeling that Summer was slipping away, and this week’s return to school, our family of four (two of which are full time farmers while the other two are full time farm adjacent) chose the more is more is more vibe, while ALSO working full time.  OOPS.  While we took in many sweet moments- paddling down the Connecticut, outdoor movie nights, lobster boils, etc, there was also the daily tasks that could not be delayed.  For example: morning harvest, followed by deliveries, and afternoon weeding.  We are officially running ourselves ragged over here, grown ups and kiddos alike.  It all felt a little much come Saturday night at 6pm when the kiddos sat in the parked minivan, along the field’s edge listening to the moth radio hour, while Ray and I were picking corn.  We promised them a dip in Kennedy pond post harvest only to then drive to Kennedy pond at 7:45 seeing that the sun had already dipped below the treeline.  Double oops. But the kiddos can’t complain too badly.  They had a pretty great Summer grazing their way through the days- berries from the fields, and cookies from the farmstand made for regular adventures AND they are currently on one last hurrah.  A Sprague family tradition, started by the wise old farm sage GranPooh Sprague in which he would call in a “sick” one day during the season, declare it a private holiday and take little Ray and little Sarah off farm to magical places far and wide (but also within the twin states).  Today, the next farming generation, now Big Ray and Big Sarah* have taken their littles on an adventure to get all the wilds out of them (storyland and lost river) before school starts.  Not a bad tradition, only second to the tradition of pizza and ice cream cake for every single edgewater field crew birthday, of which there are aplenty.

As for school starting, deep breaths all around and please note the cherry tomatoes and the 3 tiny peppers making for excellent school lunch fodder.  

And for those curious about how the week felt specifically in the fields, we are mostly harvesting and weeding now. We have weeded our strawberries for the 6th time, and hopefully the weeds will now slow. Daylight is reducing and we have made it successfully through millions of weeds so you gotta hope we have depleted a good portion of the seed bank. Our strawberry fields now look pretty good and continue to runner, so we can hope for a good crop next year. However we still will go through them once more with hoes before we cover them with straw and put them to bed.  

Our Fall winter squash is beginning to ripen up.  We spotted some spaghetti and acorn ready to go and a bit of butternut looks close behind it.  Tons of cherry tomatoes and plums continue to ripen.  Labor day is this weekend and that usually is peak abundance for melons and watermelons, and hot damn this fruit is delicious.  And great news for September, our next corn planting is looking pretty stellar.  

*For those CSA newbies of which there are a few of ya: Ray and Sarah are the kids of Anne and Pooh.  They grew up at edgewater  alongside their farming parents and are still at it.  Ray manages field crops, and Sarah manages greenhouses.  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - roma tomato - onion - peppers 

MAYO-CILANTRO-SRIRACHA SMOTHERED CORN:  The following recipe is a real heavy hitter in my house as we indulge in corn every single night.  This stuff takes it to the next level.

1. Finely chop cilantro leaves

2.  stir into MAYO

3. squirt in sriracha

4. Mix any utensil in sight

5. Pass on butter (gasp!) and spread this mayo upgrade on your cooked ear of corn and prepare to be delighted

Jenny’s Note: this recipe is particularly great eaten fresh

Ingredients Yield:About 2 cups

• 3 large ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped

• ¼ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

• ¼ white onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped

• 1 serrano chile, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more as needed

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Preparation:  Gently toss tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, serrano, garlic and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a small bowl; season with salt and more lime juice if necessary. Let sit, uncovered, to let flavors meld, about 10 minutes.

Jenny’s Note: this recipe is particularly great for canning and eating come winter

INGREDIENTS:

8 plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds)

cored 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled 

2 serrano chiles, stemmed 

1/2 medium onion, halved 

1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more if needed  Kosher salt  

Directions: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles and onion and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 4 to 5 minutes for the chiles, 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and 8 to 10 minutes for the tomatoes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chiles, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tablespoon salt to a blender and puree on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom to ensure an even texture, until the salsa is almost smooth but some small pieces remain. 

Season with salt and more lime juice if needed. When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.

But what about basil?!?! If you are not feeling a salsa week, sauce it up yall!

CSA WEEK 10

P i c k l i s t

 roma tomatoes - curly parsley - corn - jalapeno peppers - melon - collard greens - 

green beans - garlic - onion

NOTES FROM POOH SPRAGUE: For this week’s newsletter, I’d like to introduce you to Pooh’s blog, he updated the other day- thoughts on 50 years of farming…

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - jalapeno peppers! - roma tomato - onion - green beans

Braised Green Beans recipe by nearly resident chef, Mitchell Davis… Although we’ve come to believe that green beans should be fresh and snappy, these long- cooked, tomato-braised beans that are common around the Mediterranean are totally delicious nonetheless. Long cooking changes the flavor and texture of green beans, in a good way. This dish can be scaled up or down and served hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4 as a side dish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ small onion, finely chopped

Salt

1 small clove garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 or 5 plum tomatoes or 1 quart cherry tomatoes, cored and chopped

Water

1 tablespoons tomato paste

1 quart green beans, tipped and cut on the diagonal into 1 ½-inch pieces

Chopped parsley

Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for 3 or 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté another minute or two until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften and give off their juice. Add the water and tomato paste and

stir to dissolve the paste. Add the green beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes or so, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Remove the lid, raise the heat, and let the juices reduce a little until the whole thing coheres. Stir in the parsley. Adjust the seasoning with salt and serve hot or room temperature.

Jenny’s note: I LOVE a pickled jalapeno! Add sparingly (or not) to soups, tacos, scrambled eggs, etc… I may have over picked these bad boys, so i have a pretty large canning project coming up this weekend, my winter tacos will be so pleased.  

First, slice your peppers into rounds. There’s no law against using whole jalapeños, but smaller pieces will soak up the brine faster. Bring 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. sugar, up to 2 Tbsp. spices (e.g., peppercorns, ­coriander seeds, and/or ­mustard seeds), chopped fresh herbs (like cilantro), and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. You’ll want enough liquid to cover the peppers, so feel free to scale this ratio up or down as needed.

Transfer sliced peppers to clean glass jars and pour over the brine, leaving ½ inch of headspace between the liquid line and the rim. Screw on the lids and let the jars cool before transferring to the fridge. Your pickled jalapeños will be best after 48 hours and last up to two months refrigerated. OR, take the extra step to can for winter months and enjoy all year long.  

The herbs are the star of this tabbouleh recipe—and require a bit of care. Make sure to use a very sharp knife so that you can slice through the parsley and mint just once. You don’t want to run your knife over them again and again or use a food processor; doing so will bruise the tender leaves and lead to a soggy salad. In classic recipes, like this one, there should only be enough bulgur and tomatoes to balance all those herbs, so keep the proportions in check. And, if you don’t eat gluten, you can swap bulgur for quinoa.

¼ cup fine-grind bulgur

3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb. total)

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

2 bunches of parsley, thick stems trimmed

1½ cups mint leaves

4 scallions, very thinly sliced crosswise

¾ tsp. ground allspice

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Step 1
Place bulgur in a small bowl and cover with boiling water by 1". Let sit until bulgur is soft and tender, 20–30 minutes.
Step 2
Finely chop tomatoes and transfer to a large bowl (juices and all). Add lemon juice and bulgur to bowl; season with salt, then toss to combine.
Step 3
Rinse parsley under cold water and shake to get rid of excess water. Working in batches and starting at stem end, finely slice stems and leaves with your sharpest knife, making one even pass. This is so the parsley doesn’t get bruised or wilt and stays light in the salad (you should have about 4 cups).
Step 4
Gather mint leaves in a tight bunch and repeat same slicing motion as you did with the parsley.
Step 5
Add parsley, mint, scallions, and allspice to bowl with bulgur mixture; toss to coat in lemon juice. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss once more and serve immediately.

CSA WEEK 9

p i c k l i s t

roma tomatoes - Thai Basil - corn - shishito peppers - 

edamame (young soy beans!) - melon - cabbage - new potatoes - garlic

The weather is certainly shifting. It can still shift back to hot summer days, but for now the cooler nights slow down the summer vining crops. Our cucumbers and squash have slowed production considerably and pretty soon we will start bringing in our fall crops. I am crossing my fingers this moment is just a Fall teaser and not the beginning of flannel on flannel. Ick, ick, ick, not ready.. We only just bit into our first watermelon over here!

On the topic of Fall, soon we will put info out there regarding our Fall CSA.  Stay tuned for that, and dream up winter squash recipes while chowing on sweet corn and tomatoes.  

This week at edgewater we continue to harvest everything all the time while simultaneously getting pumped for fair season. Though we never have our shit together to actually enter a veg for blue ribbon status, there are many times in the field when I come across (what I deem as) the largest eggplant on the planet, or the perfect tomato.  These are all tiny glory moments that are sprinkled throughout my everyday, often declaring blue ribbons all around! This weekend we make time to leave the fields and head to our home-town-Cornish-fairgrounds.  I am very pumped to wander, play some games, eat a corn dog and take in some prize winning animals, vegetables, quilts, and queens- love it all, see ya there!

Also at edgewater this week, we dipped into the bean field and got yall some edamame! These beans are such a treat and true labor of love.  We grow them because we love to eat them.  No other reason.  No big profits coming in from these baddies and we should never run the numbers on whether they make sense or not, because as a business- they take entirely too much time.  BUT it is glorious to grow, pick, boil, salt and eat your own.  We cut the plants low and bunch them, as the pods are a real pain in butt to pick.  Luckily for you, the CSAer, we left the pods on, so you too can experience the ummmm, errr “delight” of real time picking. Enjoy!

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - shishito peppers! - roma tomato - onion - potatoes (if you have the patience) 

Shishito peppers EXCELLENT on grill OR fry pan. Shmear your shishitos with olive oil - toss them on grill/or in pan. Cook until blistered, remove from heat, sprinkle with salt, and devour immediately.  So good.  

Edamame: When eaten at this young stage soy beans are called Edamame (perhaps you are familiar? )

To eat:  1) Pick bean pods off plant

2) Boil in water for 7ish minutes, followed by icebath

3) Drain water, salt pods, devour immediately

Fried garlic chips 

from my one of my fave cook books: 

BURMA SUPERSTAR: ADDICTIVE RECIPES FROM THE CROSSROADS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy

Makes about ⅓ cup fried garlic and about ½ cup garlic oil (perfect as a salad topper)

Ingredients:

½ cup thinly sliced fresh garlic

½ cup canola oil (though i used olive oil and it turned out great)

Line a heat proof bowl with a strainer.  Line a plate with paper towels.  In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat for a minute or two (the oil shouldnt be scorching hot).  Add the garlic and gently stir into the oil.  When bubbles start to form rapidly around the garlic, decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is an even golden color and nearly completely crisp, about 3 minutes.  If the garlic starts to darken too quickly, remove it from the heat and let it continue to fry in the oil.  If the garlic needs more time to fry, return the wok to low heat and continue to fry.  

Pour the contents of the wok into the strainer lined bowl.  Lift the strainer up and shake off of the excess oil.  Scatter the garlic onto the lined plate.  The garlic should crisp up as it cools.  The chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month.  Store the oil in the fridge for up to 6 months.  

Yes, you can (and should) make salad in a mortar. When hardy vegetables, like cabbage, are lightly crushed in a tall Thai-style clay mortar with a long wooden pestle, they are tenderized just enough to yield a pleasing soft crunch. Bruised Thai basil, cilantro, and mint permeate this dish, with a dressing of fish sauce and lime, pounded chiles, garlic, and ginger. Serve it alongside grilled or roasted fish or chicken and steamed jasmine rice.

By Andrea Slonecker/  Updated on July 26, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• 3 thin slices (about the size of a quarter) peeled fresh ginger

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 fresh Thai chile or 1/2 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and sliced

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 6 cups packed shredded cabbage (from 1 medium head)

• 1 cup loosely packed soft fresh herbs (such as Thai basil, cilantro, and mint)

• 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

• Fried garlic, for serving

Directions

• Using a kruk, pound ginger, garlic, chile, and sugar to a fine paste, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cabbage and herbs; pound until cabbage is slightly softened and crushed and flavor of herbs is released, about 30 seconds. Add fish sauce and lime juice, and toss with pestle and a spoon until evenly combined. Let mixture stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Serve salad topped with peanuts and fried garlic chips!.

Originally appeared: May 2020

Thai Stir-Fried Cabbage

recipes is from Mitchell Davis, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef…

I’m writing this week from Bangkok so I’ve got fish sauce on my mind. This quick Thai stir fry is an easy, fragrant way to cook just-harvested summer cabbage. Don’t cook it too long; you want to keep the leaves a little crisp and refreshing.

1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½ small head green cabbage, cored, leaves separated and cut into uneven 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon Thai of Vietnamese fish sauce (nam plah)

Freshly ground white pepper

Salt to taste

Have a small dish of water at the ready. Heat a large cast-iron pan or carbon-steel wok over high heat until smoking hot. Remove from the heat and immediately add the oil and garlic, stirring to lightly brown the garlic without burning. Return the pan to the heat and add the cabbage, stirring and tossing to distribute the garlic, making sure it doesn’t burn, and to wilt the cabbage ever so slightly. Add droplets of water to the pan to steam-cook the cabbage, waiting each time for it to evaporate before adding more, until the cabbage is crisp but tender, about 2 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is. Add the fish sauce by spooning it around the edge of the pan, not directly onto the cabbage, so that it fries and evaporates as it blends in. The aroma will be strong but then dissipate into deep umami flavor. Keep tossing. Season with white pepper and salt to taste.

CSA WEEK 8

P i c k l i s t

 roma tomatoes - oregano - corn - onion - purple pepper -

lemon balm - lettuce - melon - cucumbers

Blueberry season came to an end this week and we are bumming.  The fruit is there but the quality is not.  While this typically occurs mid August, at the end of our blueberry picking season, this year the end- with its soft smushy berries- came entirely too soon.  Thank Goodness for that sweet sweet melon, of which we currently are rich in, to distract us from the hit we will take due to the sudden lack of blues.   

Yesterday, for the first time in my history of working at Edgewater, we celebrated Jamaican Independence Day away from the blueberry fields.  Typically we party amongst the blues, in the field, mid pick, but last night the crew came over after a full day of cutting pig weeds out of the eggplant and pepper planting.  As the majority of our crew is from Jamaica, it is only appropriate- and I say mandatory- to order a heap of food from Sunshine Cookshop in Claremont, and kick back.  We brought in a full spread of curry goat, jerk chicken, rice and beans, and red stripes.  It’s always a treat to literally sit down with the crew - a real mid season rarity- and put some Jamaican food in our bellies.  

Now that we are out of blueberry season, the next couple of weeks will be spent bringing in the harvest while simultaneously cleaning up the fields.  So many weeds have taken over- there is an actual jungle to bushwack every time the piclistk calls for fennel- and at this point we are crossing our fingers the crab grass in the potatoes decides to slow its roll… 

On the bright side of farm life, the temps have cooled, actually meeting the kitchen needs of the tomato harvest.  August is the month to focus efforts on putting up food for winter.  However doing so in August is often dreadful on account of sweltering heat mixed with stove top/oven use efforts.  While I do not love a cool summer day, I do appreciate the gift it brings when the tomatoes demand roasting/saucing/etc… So without any further ramblings, grab your ball jars, winter is coming, and farmy foodie pro-tips await…

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill:   corn - onion - roma tomato - pepper 

The following 2 recipes are from Mitchell Davis our beloved up the road nearly resident chef…

Both recipes can be frozen or canned for winter eating.  To can, see https://www.ballmasonjars.com/recipes?fdid=tomatoes&custompid=tomato-juice

And if freezing, make sure to add space in your bag/container/jar for inevitable expansion.

There are two ways to look at today’s CSA pick list: 1. Fresh tomato sauce 2. Roasted tomatoes. Both are excellent ways to save and savor these summer flavors. In fact, why not make a little of each?

Fresh Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 red, white, or yellow onion, chopped

1 small clove garlic, peeled and split in half, or 1 garlic scape, chopped

Salt

1/2 small hot pepper, seeded and minced, or a pinch of hot pepper flakes

10 to 15 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

¼ cup white wine, vegetable stock, or water

1 bay leaf

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high flame. Add the onion, the whole garlic clove or scape, and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion is translucent. Remove the garlic clove, if using, and discard. Add the hot pepper and sauté another minute or so. Add the chopped tomatoes, wine, stock, or water, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to give off their liquid. Continue simmering for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have fully melted into sauce. Remove the bay leaf.

At this point you have three options:

1. You can keep the sauce chunky and rustic as it is.

2. You can pass the cooked sauce through a vegetable mill to remove the tomato skins and create a nice texture, not too fine. Or,

3. You can use a regular or immersion blender to purée the sauce until smooth. (Passing it through a strainer once puréed is optional, and might be considered more French than Italian.)

All produce great results. If milling or blending, return the sauce to the pan, adding a little water or better, pasta cooking water, to adjust the consistency, if necessary, and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Add the chopped herbs and some black pepper. Simmer a couple of minutes more and then mix with pasta or use however you like.

Roasted Tomatoes

Any number of plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half

3 or 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sprigs of fresh oregano, basil, rosemary, or a combination,

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Arrange the tomato halves cut side up on the prepared pan. Scatter the sliced garlic around the tomatoes. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss the tomatoes to coat with the oil and seasonings and then return them cut side up. Scatter the herbs around the tray. Set in the

oven and roast for about 1 hour or longer, until the tomatoes have shriveled a little, concentrated, and browned around the edges. Serve as is or with ricotta and toasted or grilled sourdough bread to soak up the juices and the oil.

—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com

Lemon balm: I LOVE THIS HERB.  And as we enter high summer, it is the perfect aid to calm us down amidst the harvest hustle.  Read more about this herb, as you sip your lemon balm sun tea, or add to your salad mix…

Edit, copy, and pasted from mountain rose herbs

For centuries, lemon balm has been used for its beneficial properties and has been highly esteemed for its emotional and spiritual effects. Melissa (other name for lemon balm) has traditionally been used as a gentle nervine and in baths to support healthy skin. It is often used to promote a sense of calm and can be brewed into a citrusy lemon balm tea, incorporated into other herbal tea blends, and included in body care recipes.

Used since ancient times to calm the heart and the body, lemon balm with its delicate lemony flavor uplifts the spirit and any culinary dish it is added to. It has been used to sweeten jam, jellies, as an addition to salad, and as a flavoring for various fish and poultry dishes and liqueurs. Further, lemon balm is used for making perfumes, in cosmetics, and in furniture polish manufacturing. It is often found as a tea in combination with other relaxing herbs such as valerian, as an essential oil, and also in ointments for topical applications.

The use of lemon balm goes back thousands of years to the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks. One of its first recorded uses was as a wine infused liniment. Dioscorides (a Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist practicing in the 1st century in Rome, who authored the herbal De Materia Medica), mentions its use in this way, and it was also employed in this same manner in Ayurvedic medicine. St. Hildegard of Bingen, an herbalist and nun born in 1098 C.E. in present day Germany said, “Lemon balm contains within it the virtues of a dozen other plants.” According to Nicholas Culpepper (a botanist, avid astrologer, physician, herbalist, and author of the Complete Herbal, written in 1653), said dried lemon balm may be made into a fine 'electuary' with honey. He wrote that it was ruled by the planet Jupiter and associated with the zodiac sign of Cancer, therefore having an association with the water element and thus an effect on emotions.

Lemon balm was traditionally used to uplift the spirits. As Culpepper mentioned, some of its properties were spiritual in nature. This herb was used in spells to heal broken hearts and also to attract romantic love. 

MELON: Don’t rush these bad boys.  Just like your tomatoes, they can ripen off vine to reach peak flavor.  We pick them when they are sized up, but you eat them when their scent is sweet and calling to you.  You’ll know

CSA WEEK 7

P i c k l i s t

tomatoes - parsley - corn - green beans - carrots - kale - jalapeno - melon - garlic

Holy smokes it is basically August.  This week in farming flew right by.  At this point, I can not decipher one day from the next- thankfully I got CSA to remind me of Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  High season is here people!  I’ve been greeting each morning with the sweetest melon breakfast, and I bet you will get in on that this week.  The weather remains totally unpredictable, alot to scratch our heads over- just last night St. Johnsbury got hit with another flood. NorthEast Kingdom farmers are not psyched.  Such a mess.  And the heat, oh the heat!  On the plus side, this heat that every New Englander grumps over has provided the sweetest and earliest damn melon crop we’ve seen yet.  And for that, I am grateful and jazzed.  

Meanwhile, Our personal lives are a dirty mess and hopefully not a reflection of the farm.  Our kitchen floor has a real centimeter’s worth of field brought in from our boots, topped with smushed blueberries caked right on in.  Our kiddos probably don’t even know what shampoo is, it’s been so long… but we are well fed and eating the rainbow everyday, so there is that…

The garlic in your CSA this week was harvested on Friday.  It was an all hands on deck moment and it felt pretty great to work with the field crew.  I typically spend my days picking veg solo, so this was a real treat and flashback to my first 10 years at edgewater.  A Lot of jokes while harvesting garlic, extracting the allium from the weeds.  The crop is looking really nice, currently it sits drying on benches and extends the length of three greenhouses. I bet we will be eating from this harvest well into February, but right now, it is peak freshness. Enjoy!

 FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Green beans: hot tip hot tip! Wash before you eat- we tried to get the dirt off, but I’d give it a second rinse…

Ripe for the grill:   corn - green beans - garlic! - tomato

Skillet Corn and Vegetable Pudding

recipe from Mitchell, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef

Although the main ingredient in this delicious, one-pot, savory skillet pudding is corn, it’s a delicious way to use up any variety of the summer’s bounty. I’ve added kale, fennel, green beans, zucchini, kohlrabi, spinach, and other vegetables I’ve had around. What’s more, the next morning I like to fry the leftovers in olive oiluntil nicely browned and top with poached eggs for a hearty breakfast. —Mitchell Davis

(Makes one 10-inch pudding, enough for 6 to 8 people. But the recipe can be easily cut in half and baked in an 8-inch skillet, for 4)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, white or red, diced (about 1 ¼ cups)

1 small red or green pepper, sweet or spicy, diced (about 3/4 cup)

1 to 2 cups seasonal vegetables, such as kale, zucchini, yellow squash, Swiss chard leaves and/or stems, kolrhabi, green tomatoes, additional peppers, green beans, carrots, jalapenos

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, parsley, marjoram, or sage

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kernels from 3 large fresh ears corn (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy cream, yogurt, or additional milk

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup finely shredded cheese, hard, sharp cheese, such as cheddar, Gruyère, Comté, Gouda, or similar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, and other vegetables, and salt, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and they are beginning to brown,

about 10 minutes. Add the sugar, sage, salt, paprika, and cayenne, and cook another 3 or 4 minutes to bring out the flavor of the spices. Add the corn kernels. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until no water remains in the skillet, another 8 minutes or so, longer if using zucchini or mushrooms, which have a lot of water in them. Stir in the cornmeal and remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream or more milk, and nutmeg,

then pour this into the corn mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir well to combine.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese, and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil only until the melted cheese is lightly browned, a minute or two more. Serve warm.

Kale Salad with Lemon, Currants, Walnuts, and Parmesan (also from Mitchell, cheers!)

There are a million variations of kale salad out there, and this one is just a suggestion. It’s based on a salad made famous by Barbuto chef Jonathan Waxman. Use curly or laccinato kale, any type of nut, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or any hard grating cheese, and you’ll have a delicious result. The salad is best served after it sits for 5 to 10 minutes, giving the salt and acid time to wilt the leaves. You’ll think you have too much, but once it wilts, you’ll be surprised how it shrinks.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1/4 cup dried currants, raisins, cranberries, or other dried fruit

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

About 1/3 cup or more walnut halves, pecans, almonds, or other nuts

2 bunches of kale

About 1/3 cup or more extra-virgin olive oil

2 lemons

2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, or other hard cheese, finely grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the currants or other dried fruit in a small bowl. Add the vinegar and just enough hot water to cover. Let soak while you prepare the rest of the salad. Place the nuts in a small tray or baking pan and toast in a 300°F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until you can smell a nice toasted nut aroma. Set a timer or you are likely to burn them. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board to cool. Once cool, using a sharp knife, finely chop. Set aside.

To clean the kale, I like to separate the leaves from the stems by laying the leaves out on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cutting along both sides of the stem. You can also invert the leaf, grasp the leafy part with one hand while you pull the stem off with the other. Whichever way you prefer, soak the de-stemmed leaves in a copious amount of cold water. Lift them from the water into the basket of a salad spinner or colander, discard the water, and repeat with fresh water until no sand remains. Spin the leaves to dry or pat with a clean towel. On a clean cutting board, lay out a pile of kale leaves, bunch together into a tight bundle and thinly slice them with a sharp knife. Place this shredded kale in a large mixing bowl and repeat with the remaining kale.

To finish the salad, drain the soaked fruit, reserving the soaking liquid, and add to the kale Add the chopped nuts, the olive oil, the zest of two lemons and juice of one lemon, the grated parmesan and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Using tongs, toss well so that the ingredients are all evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning, using more lemon juice or the reserved soaking liquid from the dried fruit to up the tartness. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the leaves to wilt somewhat before serving.

—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com

CSA WEEK 6

      P i c k l i s t

tomatoes - broccoli - basil - parsley -

cabbage - blueberries - eggplant - corn - green beans

This week in farming proved way chiller than last- woop woop! We did not have to take shelter due to thunderstorms, we did not have to pull riverside equipment in fear of flood, and we did not have to grin and bear at 2 pm on those 95 degree days.  We got to enjoy the season, we got to enjoy farming.  It is all harvest all the time right now and it feels so good to swiftly fill a bushel with carrots, or a flat with raspberries.  Pints upon pints have been filled daily with the sweetest blueberries, and I can't help but eye the shishito pepper crop nightly as it is planted right outside my bedroom window.  I like to lazily dream gaze at this field, waiting for it to produce an abundance of my fave veg (the shishitos) to pick and fry.   

Bottomline here, we are in the middle of what seems to be a good all around summer bounty, with loads of cukes, pickles, squash, zucchini, and green beans coming in from the fields. Now adding cherries, grapes, and mixed colors little tomatoes to pint up along with their elders: gobs of red slicing tomatoes and heirlooms just waiting to be sliced. The corn is ready! The melons are sweet as can be- lets just hang out in July forever shall we?

What is proving to be a challenge right now? We are struggling to get our Fall crops seeded, and our fields weeded.  Even with this abundance of light levels, there are just not enough hours in a day.  Forgive me, if I’ve said that last part about light and not enough hours, 100000 times.  But it’s so true!

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Basil: hot tip on storing basil, treat it as a cut flower and keep it in a vase on your counter (outside the fridge) in about 2 inches of water.  

Ripe for the grill:   broccoli - cabbage - eggplant - corn - green beans - tomato

Where are Mitchel's recipes?!? Due to the nature of this CSA (diverse and ever changing), we had to make some last minute crops switching on account of a sudden abundance of green beans and blueberries.  Therefore, Mitchel’s recipes for what would have been a cucurbit heavy CSA will be bookmarked for the next cucumber-squash-zucchini week. 

Grilled Summer Veg with Creamy Sesame Dressing BY MOLLY BAZ

https://mollybaz.com/grilled-summer-veg-with-creamy-sesame-dressing/#memberful_done

SERVES: 4 Silken tofu is the magical miracle ingredient in this creamy mayo-less sesame dressing. If it sounds weird to blend tofu into a dressing….it’s not. It Lends body and a subtle soy flavor that gets bolstered with sesame seeds, sesame oil, and garlic.As for the grilled vegetables, really ,the world is your oyster here. I’ve suggested some green things that cook quickly and go well together but I’ve also used this dressing on grilled or roasted mushrooms, and drizzled over baked sweet potatoes, so don't feel like you have to stick to the script.The recipe will yield twice as much dressing as you need and that’s intentional – no sense in busting out the blender for one meal. 

ACTIVE TIME: 45 MINS TOTAL TIME: 55 MINS

PRODUCE:

4 garlic cloves

2 lbs green summer vegetables (zucchini, asparagus, snap peas, scallions or green beans)

1lemon 

PANTRY 

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

 ⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar 

1tablespoon soy sauce 

Kosher salt, lots of freshly ground black pepper 

PROTEIN 8 oz soft tofu 

1. MAKETHE CREAMYTOFU SESAME DRESSING: 

In a small food processor or blender, combine 8 ounces soft tofu, 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, 2 garlic cloves, ½ cup canola oil, ⅓ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Blend or blitz until very creamy. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper - it should be noticeably peppery. Finely grate the zest of half a lemon into the dressing and blitz once more. Set dressing aside.

2. GRILL: Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. If using zucchini, cut into ½” rounds or planks. Snip the ends of any green beans or peel the strings of snap peas, if using. Combine all the prepped veg (2 pounds total) in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of canola or olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Finely grate 2 more garlic cloves over the veg and toss to coat. Arrange the veg on the grill and cook until charred in spots and softened but not mushy–you be the judge. Everyone likes their vegetables cooked to a different doneness. Get some good color and then start tasting.

3. SERVE: Spread some sesame sauce on a serving platter.Top with the grilled veg. Finely grate some more lemon zest over everything and squeeze the juice of the lemon over just before serving. Finish with more sesame seeds.

Serves 4

This is it guys. The crispy eggplant you have all waiting for… The trick is to slice it thick-ish and salt it generously. Let it sit out releasing puddles of water. Pat dry aggressively, cover in corn starch aggressively and then fry in hot oil until it comes out golden and dark brown in some places (you want to make sure the eggplant meat inside is cooked, custardy and sweet). I have topped the eggplant in with garlicky tahini, amba (mango pickle sauce), fresh parsley and sea salt but you can really do whatever you want here. Someone suggested drizzling it with honey or silan (date syrup) and once I tried that...you’ll see.

1 large eggplant or 2 medium eggplants

kosher salt

1 cup cornstarch

4 cups canola oil or any oil with no flavor and a high smoke point like grapeseed, sunflower, veggie

sea salt to finish

serve with garlicky tahini (recipe below), amba, fresh parsley, fresh lemon, parsley, honey

• Slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick pieces. You have the option of keeping the skin on or removing the skin. I keep it on, because I don’t like to waste it but if you remove the skin, it will get even crispier. Place the eggplant slices on a sheet tray and generously salt the eggplant. Let it sit out at room temp for at least 1 hour. Puddles of liquid will come out of the eggplant.

• Before frying, take a kitchen towel and pat down the eggplant well, drying them off as much as possible. Slice in half on a diagonal (I think they are too big to fit in a sandwich or a pita this way so I like to slice them in half) Place the cornstarch in a bowl and toss each piece in the cornstarch well. Shake off excess and place on a dry sheet tray. Heat up the oil in a deep pot. If you don’t have a thermometer (which I don’t) heat on high and sprinkle a little cornstarch in the oil. If it sizzles it should be ready. Turn the heat to medium high it should be around 350 degrees f and add in the first piece. I like to fry one at a time so that the oil temp stays up (if you overcrowd the oil the temp will come down and the eggplant wont fry they will soak)

• Flip the eggplant over once the bottom is golden and brown in some places around 1-2 minutes. When the other side is golden another 1-2 minutes remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to let dry. Immediately season well with sea salt.

• Serve this eggplant on its own, on sandwiches, in pitas…you can do a lot with it. 

garlicky tahini

• 1/2 cup tahini paste

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• large pinch kosher salt- or to taste

• 3 tablespoons cup ice water

Place everything in a bowl and mix. The tahini will get thick and pasty but keep mixing. Add more water to loosen, if needed.

CSA WEEK 5

      P i c k l i s t

tomatoes - broccoli - summer squash - pickling cucumbers - zucchini - Thai basil - 

napa cabbage - blueberries - raspberries - garlic scapes

Oooof the flood, what a total kick in the ass part 2. 

This region is so thick with agriculture because of the awesome alluvial soils and the easy access to water that runs the rivers, the streams, and the brooks.  But how do we consider farming those perfect riverside fields when flooding becomes an annual event?  While Edgewater remained unscathed From last week’s storm, our dear buds lost 90% of their crop.These are the same dear buds that you read about last week that were trying to raise money to rebuild their employee, Ranaldo’s, home back in Jamaica. Same storm system, same path, wildly different landscapes, extreme latitude distance.  But Beryl gave 0 shits and took out both spots in mere days. We are all so connected-  You can’t make this stuff up.

So what does a bandaid look like to get through the rest of the season when you are drowning in crop failure? Sure- a go fund me is great.  Friends volunteering their time to pick up from the damage is also huge.  We offered our fields for their crew to harvest crops and sell. But what about the bigger picture?  What does this farming future look like for our friends at Joe's Brook Farm? And what does it look like right here on River Road?

 The storm systems and the erratic weather are only getting worse- .  iIt’s unclear how to plan, how to farm, and maybe we just take some decent guesses from here on out? That feels unsettling. This is our livelihood and a bad year can really hurt us as it is certainly hurting Mary, Eric, and their employees.  

Here is a bit more about the Skovstead’s and what they are experiencing- copy and pasted from their go-fund-me site. These donations will absolutely help out their crew get through the season.  I will link to it on the blog:

This week Mary and Eric Skovsted have had devastating loss to their farm from flooding. Joe's Brook Farm is a family-owned farm and has two field locations in Barnet, VT, one on Joe's Brook Road at their home and one along Rt. 5. Both were hit hard by the flooding and 10+ acres of crops are a total loss. All of the affected crops will need to be pulled out and the soil will need be beto be tested before they can replant. Mary and Eric have 10 employees. Three of these employees are from Jamaica and just had severe damage to their own homes from the same hurricane and are relying on their salaries to send money home for repairs. It is important to the Skovsteds that they can continue to pay their employees while they wait for other funding to cover losses. Money raised from this fundraiser will be used to pay employee salaries as well as to respond to damage to their farm.

If you're lucky enough to know Mary and Eric, you know them to be generous, kind, selfless, hard-working, and wonderful friends. Just about everyone reading this will have a connection to Mary and Eric. Eric has loaned you a tool when you needed one and he probably helped you with whatever project you were working on. Mary has passed along some extra tomatoes or given some extra flower starts. You've skated on the ice rink that they build each winter on their farm for anyone to use. You've chatted about recipes when you've picked up your CSA or learned something new about kale while at the farmer's market. You've rushed to the farmer's market to get their strawberries. Maybe you've won a CSA share at an auction where they have donated to support local organizations. They never hesitate to help someone else. They could use some help from all of us right now. Please consider supporting Joe's Brook Farm.

if you want to help other farms that are also in need of relief, please consider donating to NOFA-VT. They are a stellar organization that really passes around funds.  

Next week, I’d like to stop suggesting places for you to put your money.  Let’s see how it goes.  Fingers crossed for blue skies and just the right amount of rain.

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill: broccoli - summer squash - zukes - garlic scapes

PICKLERS: Yall, you have an abundance of pickling cukes this week.  I highly recommend pulling out your fave pickle recipe and getting right  into it.  I am so bummed that our dill planting is not lining up perfectly for this bounty, but so it goes.  I love a fermented half sour, throw garlic scapes in with the brine! Woo doggies!  Because of this double sided one sheet of paper  dilemma that I’m married to,  I will  include the half sour recipe on the blog, but for now, read up on bread and butter pickles: 

Bread and Butter Pickles (recipe from Mitchell, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef) 

What to do with all of those cucumbers? Here’s a recipe for delicious pickles—the kind you pile on burgers and sandwiches or chop up for potato salad. Although bread and butter pickles are traditionally made with small, crisp, thin-skinned Kirby cucumbers, they are also good made with larger slicing pickles or even with zucchini and yellow squash. Using maple syrup makes the pickles taste less sweet than they do when made with sugar.

A generous 2 pounds cucumbers, sliced a little less than ¼-inch thick

1 large white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

1 ¾ cups cider vinegar

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar or pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

In a large bowl, layer the sliced cucumber and onion with about ¼ cup of kosher salt. Cover with cold water and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Drain again.

In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar or syrup, celery seed, mustard seed, and turmeric. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for five minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add the drained cucumbers and onion, and bring it back to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, pack the pickles into two sterilized pint jars. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rims, seal, and refrigerate for up to two months. (For long-term, room-temperature storage, process the jars for 7 minutes in a boiling water bath. Refrigerate after opening.)

Variation: Summer Squash Bread and Butter Pickles

Though less crisp, these summer squash pickles are no less delicious. Substitute 2 pounds of

assorted zucchini and yellow squash for the cucumbers. Proceed with the recipe as directed,

omitting the step of adding the zucchini to the boiling vinegar mixture. Instead, pack the sliced

zucchini and onions raw into jars and pour the boiling solution over the top.

Thai-Flavored Stir-Fried Cucumbers (recipe also from Mitchell, cheers!)

Although we usually think of eating cucumbers raw in salads and such, most old food cultures (French, Italian, Chinese) also enjoy them cooked. The French sauté cucumbers with butter and tarragon. Italians might use olive oil, garlic and thyme. You can vary the seasonings to suit your tastes and/or your menu, but I particularly like this combination of Thai flavors, which adds a

nice complexity to the vegetable.

6 cucumbers, about 2 pounds

1 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

2 garlic scapes, very thinly sliced

1 small chili pepper, seeded or minced, or a pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

Pinch sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Generous handful of Thai basil leaves

Slice the cucumbers in half, lengthwise. Using a sturdy teaspoon, scrape out and discard the seeds. Peel the seeded cucumber halves. (Peeling them after seeding helps prevent the cucumbers from breaking.) Cut the cucumbers into unevenly sided, bite-sized pieces, all about the same size, roughly an inch or so. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the oil and when hot, add the garlic and chili. Sauté for a minute, being careful the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the cucumber and toss to cook. After

about a minute or two, when the edges of the cucumber begin to soften, drizzle the fish sauce around the perimeter of the pan, letting it sizzle as it falls to the bottom. A pungent aroma will fill the kitchen and then dissipate. Toss the cucumbers. Add a pinch of sugar and the juice of 1 lime, toss, and continue cooking until the cucumbers soften a little more. You want them to remain somewhat crisp, so don’t over do it. Add the Thai basil and continue tossing until the basil wilts. Serve.

—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com

CSA WEEK 4

P I C K L I S T

tomatoes - cauliflower - cilantro - summer squash - cucumbers -

zucchini - basil - kale - GERANIUM!

This week the fields really leaned into extreme hot girl summer.  I would even go so far as to say that amidst the heat of the sun and occasional passing rain, there was a lot of self blanching going on (see cauliflower turn a hint of yellow, I call it sunkissed).  The next succession of fruits and veg are showing up in all their glory and they are here to PLAY.  For example, the trickling of cucurbits that occurred during the strawberry season has really turned into a full blown tidal wave of summer squash, cucumbers and zucchini.  Bushels upon bushels upon bushels are filling up nearly daily and now that we are no longer staring at the ground picking berries we can really get a good view of all there is to pick, and all there is to eat, and oh boy, it’s aplenty.  We’ve entered a state of abundance and overwhelm, and quite honestly it feels really good to be back here at this point in the season.  CSAers, yall are the lucky ones, the abundance gets handed out right to ya.

Looking ahead, there is blue to be found in the fields, and we are so pumped to enter the next round of fruit.  Fingers crossed for blueberries next week :)

As far as Hurricane Beryl goes, somehow all of our crew remained fairly unscathed, but other farmers that leave Jamaica and come North during our growing season were not as lucky.  For example, the home of Ranaldo (Melvin Blackwood) of Joe’s Brook Farm was badly damaged when wind ripped off half the roof and the whole house experienced severe water damage.  There is a lot to do here to make the house liveable again.  And goodness knows, it will take some serious dollars that are not too easy to come by.  Ranaldo says he can fix it when he returns to Jamaica.  His wife and daughters have begun the clean up.  Our buds at Joe’s Brook Farm, Mary and Eric  that work alongside him, will match the first $1000 raised in donations to help rebuild.  If any of you are looking to help with the clean up from Hurricane Beryl, this would be a great place to start.  To mail donations, make checks out to Melvin Blackwood and send them to:

Joe’s Brook Farm

1525 Joe’s Brook Road

St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

These intense weather systems really affect everyone everywhere.

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Ripe for the grill: cauliflower - summer squash - zukes - garlic scapes

Geraniums for all!: This plant is an icon. She stands alone like a queen but also mixes well with others. Repot,  Full sun. Instant classic.   

Creamy Cucumber and Herb Salad

(recipe from Mitchell, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef) 

Just about every culture has a version of this salad. The dill makes this one reminiscent of eastern Europe, but change the herb and it could easily seem Italian or Japanese.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 or 4 medium cucumbers

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, preferably full fat

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

3 or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, tarragon, chervil, basil, cilantro, mint, shiso, or a combination

2 or 3 scallions or spring onions, red or white, sliced (including green parts)

If using local, unwaxed cucumbers, or English or Persian cucumbers, slice them very thinly, preferably with a mandoline, food processor, or sharp knife.

Place the sliced cucumbers in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to distribute, and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes on the counter to wilt. Drain off any liquid that pools on the bottom of the bowl.

In a small bowl, blend the sour cream, vinegar, sugar and onion powder, if using, and a generous grind of black pepper. Add to the cucumbers along with the fresh dill and scallions. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Summer Squash Salad with Mint

(recipe from Mitchell, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef) 

I first fell in love with this salad when my friend, chef Tony Liu, served it at Morandi in NYC. I needed the recipe. Tony is now chef/owner of The Queensboro in Jackson Heights, NY. Worth a visit.

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup dried currants, raisins, or other dried fruit

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup raw pine nuts

2 medium green zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline or with a carrot peeler, or finely julienned

2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline or with a carrot peeler, or finely julienned

1 green Serrano chili, seeds removed, thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

1/2 bunch mint, chopped

1/4 cup pitted black olives, preferably oil cured, chopped

1/4 cup sliced ricotta salata or crumbled feta

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the currants or other dried fruit and cayenne with 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil turn off the heat and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile toast the pine nutson a baking sheet a 300°F. oven until lightly golden and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Combine the yellow squash, zucchini, and Serrano chile with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add the mint, olives, ricotta salata, toasted pine nuts and drained currants. Gently toss together, season to taste with salt and pepper.

—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the

Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to

his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com

CSA WEEK 3

P i c k l i s t

tomatoes - cauliflower - cilantro - beets - Thai basil - summer squash - celery - garlic scapes - lettuce - cucumbers 

Yup, it’s true, I am totally attempting to win yall over this week with two shiny red tomatoes so you won’t notice the sad hole in your CSA this week… the lack of strawbs.  So what the heck happened to our strawberry crop?  Why did our season feel too damn short. This is what we are thinking:  For one, tons of factors go into growing a perennial fruit crop.  It is not just May and June that need to be considered, but rather the whole year.  Remember that warm winter? How about those days of 70 degrees during sugar season?  

So across the Upper Valley when farmers noticed many different crops/trees/flowers carrying blooms, emerging from the earth and showing up to the party at the same time, we all kind of scratched our heads, and thought, “OK Summer how is this going to carry out.”  

Another oddity that felt blissful in the moment, was the warm nights of May.  It was very rare that temps dipped below 50 degrees, which is kind of unheard of for this region.  We are so accustomed to middle-of-May-2am-frost-scares at this point, that not experiencing them made for a much more well rested Spring.  However, the plants got no rest and while we slept.  They grew and grew and grew, revealing a real jack and the beanstalk effect.  

That well rested feeling of no frost Spring was extremely fleeting as we entered the Summer solstice.  Underneath that big strawberry moon we watched all berries of every variety ripen at the same time.  

And then came the heat.  Plants are most susceptible to stress when there is a high fruit load, and nothing brings on stress more than 4 days of 90 plus temps… 

and then came the hard rain AND heavy humidity.  

Lights out strawberry crop, better luck next year I suppose.   

ONTO THE NEXT FRUIT, hello tomatoes you thing of beauty, you are too perfect on your own, and even more astounding between two slices of bread.

Also, this week the beets are beautiful, the cilantro is fluffy, and the Thai basil could not be cuter and aromatic..

Cheers to the  holiday week, and before you know it, we will all be up to our ears in blueberries.

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

Take it outside and grill!

Trust me, all your friends will be so impressed when you show up to the 4th of july bbq with your 2 summer squash, 1 head of cauliflower, and smattering of garlic scapes. Just add EVOO, S&P

Anita’s Cauliflower by up-the-road-chef-on-call, Mitchell Davis:

I’ve adapted this recipe from my friend Anita Jaisinghani’s amazing cookbook Masala. Chef of Pondicheri in Houston, Anita’s food reflects the principles of Ayurveda and her commitment to sustainability. Most importantly, it is lick-the-plate delicious.

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium cauliflower (with leaves)

5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), vegetable oil, or olive oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 or 2 garlic scapes or garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon mild red chili powder, such as Kashmiri chili

2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups) or 1 cup canned crushed

tomato

1-inch piece ginger (not peeled), finely grated

1 teaspoon garam masala

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Remove any green leaves from the cauliflower and chop finely. Divide the head into 2-inch florets. Chop any stems finely and add to the leaves. Discard the tough, fibrous core.  In a wide, shallow sauté pan, heat the ghee or oil over high heat. Add the mustard seeds and as soon as they start to pop, add the onion and chopped cauliflower leaves and stems. Lower the heat to medium-high, and cook until the onion is soft and begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cauliflower florets, and salt. Increase the heat to high and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, until the cauliflower softens and begins to color. Add the chili powder, tomatoes, and ginger and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, another 5 to 8 minutes or so. Sprinkle with the garam masala,

cover, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for a few minutes to rest. Mix the cauliflower one last time, being careful not to break it up. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Spicy Sichuan Smacked Cucumber Salad (one more from Mitchell! enjoy!)

This is a common Chinese salad of cucumbers that I first fell in love with at a mini chain of casual noodle shops in New York City called Xian Famous Foods. Although they are rightfully famous for their handmade Biang Biang noodles, stretched to order by slapping them on the

counter, it was their spicy cucumber salad I couldn’t get enough of. Smashing the cucumbers is a Chinese technique that helps draw out moisture when you salt them and creates a pleasant mouthfeel. The secret to the unique Sichuan zing is Sichuan peppercorn, not a true peppercorn at all, but the dried bud of the prickly ash that gives a numbing quality in your mouth. If you can’t find the spice itself, you can sometimes find Sichuan peppercorn oil, or a chili crisp with plenty of Sichuan pepper in it, such as the ubiquitous Lao Gan Ma, Fly By Jing brands. Otherwise, use a freshly cracked black pepper instead.

2 medium sized cucumbers (unwaxed), cucumbers

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane or minced to a paste

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoon black Chinese vinegar, such as Chiangking, or Balsamic vinegar (if using, omit the sugar)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon toasted, ground Sichuan peppercorn or 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn oil, or

additional ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons Sichuan chili oil or chili crisp, with sludge, or a favorite hot sauce

Place the cucumber(s) on a clean cutting board. Slice off the tips of both ends. Lay the wide part of a chef’s knife flat on the cucumber and press it down firmly or smash it with your fist to break the cucumber, as you would to peel a clove of garlic. Move the knife along the length of

the cucumber so it is smashed along its entire length. You should be able to pull the cucumber apart lengthwise in half, or else slice it. And then cut what you’ve got into bite-sized, misshapen pieces, about 1-inch or so wide. Place all the cucumber chunks and bits in a medium bowl,

season with the salt, toss, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out some moisture. Drain off any liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the bowl. 

To the bowl of cucumbers add the garlic, sugar, vinegar, black pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, soy

sauce and chilli oil or crips and toss to combine.
—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the

Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to

his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com