Waltham Fields Community Farm logo
Waltham Fields Community Farm
CSA Newsletter #6
July 12, 2010
In This Issue
What's in the share this week
Pick-Your-Own Crops
Turtle Creek Wines
Notes from the Field
Upcoming Programs at the Farm
  
Please join us...
 
Our Children's Learning Garden Summer Sessions Start Soon! Sign your child up today!
 
Check out our 2010 Program Brochure!!!
 
Fun on the Farm/ Agricultural Journaling
Thursdays 3:30 - 5pm
Kids of all ages, join us for free play and occasional old-fashioned games on the farm, while your parents pick up their shares and chat with other members. Bring a nut-free snack to share if you're so inclined. Mobile meet up: Just look for the kidpack!
 
Agricultural Journaling  Have a yen to capture the unfolding of the agricultural season from week to week? Bring sketchbooks, drawing implements, watercolors, camera or what have you. (Also a camp chair, if you don't like standing or sitting in the dirt.) All ages. Meet-up: Check in with Natasha; she'll know where we are.
 
For either gathering, check in with Natasha (she'll be doing the share distribution); I (Anastacia) will be there 4 pm and onward, but roaming about.
 
Questions? Contact Anastacia.
 
Jointly organized by A-OK Home Learners, Purple Giraffes 4H and Waltham Fields Community Farm CSA. Any member of these three groups is welcome to attend!
 
Pickled Pink: Food Preservation Workshop Sunday, July 25th, 9am-3pm
 
For more information, see our website.
Recipes
Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? It's okay if you've found it on another website, we'll give that site credit! :) Don't be shy -- let us know!

Looking for ideas on how to prepare Farm produce?! We have a wealth of possibilities for you! See our Recipe pages.
Compost at the farm
Feel free to add to our compost pile! Just look for the pile labeled "Add compost here"!
 
If possible, please bury your scraps and/or cover them with leaves from the nearby leaf pile. And remember no meat scraps, no whole bread loaves. Biodegradable serving-ware from picnics or parties needs staff approval
Summer CSA Distribution Days 
 
Tuesdays 3-7 PM
Thursdays 3-7 PM
Saturdays  8 AM-12 noon
Quick Links
What's in the share this week...
 
fieldsPlease note:  this list is prepared the week before you receive your share.  Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they're not on the list. 
Need recipe ideas for some of the farm produce listed above!? See the Produce information and recipe pages on our website.
Pick-Your-Own Crops
 
DillYou are welcome to harvest the PYO portion of the share during any daylight hours, 7 days a week.  Please check the board at the little red kiosk for information on amounts and locations. Remember, you can pick one time per week but it doesn't necessarily have to be at the same time you are picking up your share.
  • Beans
  • Dill
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Flowers
  • Herbs

Please do remember to return the scissors -- or bring your own. Thanks!
Cabbage, Fresh Fennel, and Carrot Slaw
 
From Epicurious/Bon Appetit, July 2004
 
Make the slaw and chill it up to two hours before serving. It is best cold. Makes 10 servings.
2.5-pound cabbage, quartered, cored, very thinly sliced (~18 cups)
2 fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved, very thinly sliced (~3 cups)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 very large carrot, peeled, coarsely shredded
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t hot pepper sauce

Combine cabbage, fennel, onion, and carrot in large bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, and hot sauce in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Add dressing to cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Transfer to serving bowl.
Turtle Creek Wine
 
Share Offer and Tasting on July 13, 15, and 17
 
turtlecreek
Again this year, we are pleased to partner with Turtle Creek Winery in Lincoln, MA to offer purchase of locally made wines to our shareholders.  Owner/winemaker Kip Kumler will be at the farm to sample his product during regular pick-up hours on July 13, 15 and 17.  Any wines ordered will then be picked up at distributions two weeks later or at the winery in Lincoln. 
 
More information including pricing and options is available at the CSA distribution desk when you check in, or you may feel free to contact the winery directly at 781-259-9976 or by email.
Notes from the Field
 
7am-pickingAs I sit and write the notes for this upcoming week, I can't help but think about the week that just passed. Last week brought at least five straight days with temps well above 90 degrees. The hot, dry weather has been hard on a lot of the crops; not to mention the farm staff! We spent many hours moving irrigation pipe from one part of the farm to the other just trying to keep plants from wilting in the fields. But at the moment, I'm enjoying the cool breeze after the rain we received Saturday afternoon. According to the farm's rain gauge we got 1 ½ inches of much needed rain in that downpour. That should give us some breathing room, and take the pressure off of the Lyman fields. It will also free us up to get some other things done around the farm.
 
Conversely, the hot weather really helped to push along cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and okra. I am not joking when I say some plants have grown a full foot taller since the end of last week. Many of you noticed the presence of summer squash last week in the share and we've even seen a handful of ripe tomatoes out in the field!
 
lost glovesLots of folks have been asking me about the "tomato blight" and whether or not we expect it this year. Obviously, it's impossible to predict, but I can say that hot, dry conditions do not encourage disease growth. Early this past June, there were a handful of late blight cases found in the Northeast. But, due to the hot, dry weather over the last two weeks, the disease has been held at bay. However, if the weather should turn cool and wet for an extended period of time, there is a possibility we might see the disease spread into more areas of the Northeast.
 
Because of last year's challenging growing conditions (especially for tomatoes) we were very careful about our planning for this season. Last summer we had 40 beds of tomatoes planted, staked and tied when the late blight took hold in our fields. This summer we have planted less than half of that, only 18 beds of tomatoes. But for now we are keeping our fingers crossed and looking forward to the familiar tastes of summer.
 
For the farm staff,
Andy 
 
Andy Scherer, Farm Manager 
Jericho Bicknell, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Amanda Cather, Special Projects Coordinator
Amy Cook, Assistant Grower
Dede Dussault, Student Intern
Debra Guttormsen, Administration and Bookkeeper
Paula Jordan, Learning Garden Educator
Claire Kozower, Executive Director
Alex Lennon-Simon, Learning Garden Educator
Marla Rhodes, Development Assistant
Dan Roberts, Assistant Grower
Erinn Roberts, Assistant Farm Manager
Waltham Fields Community Farm | 240 Beaver Street | Waltham | MA | 02452