Waltham Fields Community Farm
CSA NEWSLETTER 2015 - Week 14 of 20
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In This Issue
Sunday, September 20th

3 Routes...1 Great Cause! 
 Waltham Fields Community Farm is honored to be selected by Three Squares New England to host a team for the Ride for Food on Sunday, September 20th. The event, in its fourth year, supports Waltham Fields Community Farm and 13 other hunger relief organizations in their food assistance fundraising efforts. Click Here to check out our Team Page.  Please Donate Today!
WHAT'S IN THE SHARE - Our Best Guess
This is our best guess at this point. Actual crops may vary from what's listed here due to a variety of factors. 
  
In the Barn (Picked for You):
Photo Credit: Naomi Shea

lettuce
carrots
beets
cucumbers 
zucchini/summer squash 
bell peppers
sweet peppers
eggplant
tomatoes  
collards
kale
Swiss chard
arugula
"premium" greens mix
watermelon
cantaloupe
potatoes


Pick Your Own (PYO):  

Remember to only pick the amount listed on the PYO description sheets found at the PYO Station and follow the signs & directions in the field.  A taste or two is okay while you're picking but in order to have enough for everyone please refrain from snacking extensively out in the fields.  If an area is roped off, it is closed to PYO.

Cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, tomatillos, husk cherries, chiles, purple and thai basil, curly & flat parsley, perennial flowers & herbs.  

PICK YOUR OWN FLOWER SHARES STILL AVAILABLE

Pick two bouquets a week (10-15 stems each) for 2 more weeks for only $10 a week. Shareholders can expect a diverse offering of flower varieties, including zinnias, cosmos, everlastings, sunflowers and asters. Sign up and pay cash or check at the Distribution Barn cash register this week!
NOTES FROM THE FIELD A Thank you and Farewell to Claire
by Erinn and Dan Roberts, for countless staff over the years

This past Friday we were lucky enough to have Claire, our inimitable leader of 8 years, lend a hand in the fields, harvesting with Zannah, Anna K., Anna H.S., Claire P. and Roy.  Claire came out in the morning bearing the smile and upbeat attitude that has graced virtually every morning that I've worked with her.  Many of you have been a part of the organization for numerous years; remarkably, some of you have been here since before Claire's time and before there was even an Executive Director's position.  (Thank you!)  You have been witnesses to the growth of the organization - the development of the Learning Garden and its programs, the fabulous farm events over the years, the increase in the size of the CSA - all of which occurred under Claire's careful guidanceAs ED, Claire was a steadfast holder of the mission of WFCF, always keeping the concurrent goals around food access, farmland preservation and education at the forefront of organizational conversations.  Each program is managed by different staff members, but not without Claire as a reliable sounding board, providing a reflection of WFCF's true and constant aims. 

Those of you who have developed a relationship with Claire over the years, and there are many, understand the immense loyalty, dedication, integrity and deep-seated passion that made her an effective and adept ED.  Much of the work she did was behind the scenes and performed without fanfare.  The tenacity of this organization is in part dependent on quiet relationships she's developed over time with individuals, families, foundations, other non-profits, partner farms, city councils and administrators, UMass officials and more.  Building relationships to maintain the relevance of WFCF in the greater context of our community, the city and the state, with an ear bent to national and global agricultural concerns is no small feat, but one that Claire performed gracefully and thoughtfully, day in and day out.

Perhaps lesser known is how much of Claire's legacy will be held within the organizational culture of Waltham Fields Community Farm.  Claire established a work environment built on mutual respect and clear communication where each staff member felt fully supported in their role and appreciated for the talents and skills that they brought as individuals and the part that they played in moving WFCF forward. She has worked at understanding how to facilitate staff doing their jobs well, especially challenging as this organization has tripled in size under her leadership. She has navigated untold organizational decisions by involving others in the process, building consensus and providing insightful and thoughtful evaluations. Claire has been the organizational touchstone for each of us, always available, always interested, always recognizing birthdays and work well done and always holding up the mission of the farm, first and foremost, for new staff to learn and longtime staff to remember.  

Claire holds that rare capacity to think equal parts with a kind heart and an analytical brain and her impact has been immeasurable.  Thank you, Claire; you will be missed.

WHAT'S IN THE BARN 

 

GRUB: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen cookbook by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry

  

Check out this mouthwatering and seasonally organized cookbook that can guide you on your local-food lifestyle. Recipes are meant to be affordable, easy-to-use, as well as fun; menus are paired with soundtracks to cook by as well as artwork and poetry to get you into the spirit of healthy cooking and supporting sustainable food production just miles from your kitchen. 

All of our retail products are available for sale to the public. For our own produce offerings, we prioritize giving shareholders a good return on their investment and meeting our food assistance goals (20% of what we grow - which should amount to $80,000 of produce for low-income households this year)
.
Early in the season, crops for sale to the public will be those that we have an abundance of and later in the season, if production is going well, we hope to operate as a full-fledged farm store with a wide range of vegetables available to the public during our weekly CSA distribution hours.
MELON GAZPACHO WITH FRIZZLED PROSCIUTTO
Adapted from Healthy Recipe Ecstasy food blog.

Ingredients
5 cups peeled cantaloupe (about 3 and ½ pounds)
4 cups chopped ripe peaches (about 4 large peaches)
½ cup water
2 tablespoons minced shallots (or onion)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
⅜ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into ribbons
4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Place the first seven ingredients in a blender or food processor (cantaloupe through the salt), and process until smooth. Process in batches, if necessary. Place in freezer to chill while the prosciutto cooks.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add prosciutto to the pan and cook 10 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels.

3. Spoon soup into bowls and top with prosciutto, chopped mint, and black pepper.

 
SUMMER RECIPES
We have a ton of great recipes on our website, including nine different suggestions for basil!  Click here to check them out!
Share Pick Up Questions
More questions about share pickup?  Check out our CSA FAQs!  You can also contact Lauren Trotogott, our Distribution Coordinator.
Quick Links
CSA INFO & PICK UP TIMES
Waltham Fields Community Farm Staff

Year-Round Staff:
Shannon Taylor, Executive Director
Marla Rhodes, Volunteer & Development Coordinator
Erinn Roberts, Farm Manager
Zannah Porter, Farm Manager
Alexandra Lennon-Simon, Education & Outreach Coord.
Lauren Trotogott, Distribution Coordinator
Rebekah Lea, Bookkeeper & Office Coordinator
Claire Kozower, Org. Assistant

Seasonal Staff:
Assistant Grower: Anna Kelchlin
Farm Assistants: Tim Cooke, Dan Roberts, Naomi Shea
Farm Stand Assistant: Leo Martinez
Field Crew: Anna Hirson-Sagalyn, Roy Kresge, Jack Leng, Claire Penney, Evan Rees
Learning Garden Educators: Sadie Brown, Autumn Cutting, Rebecca Fennel, Alannah Glickman

www.communityfarms.org
240 Beaver Street
Waltham, MA 02452