Happy Holidays, Happy almost-solstice, Happy Second Delivery!
Update to Customization Schedule (Please Read)
So we're changing up the customization schedule a little bit, so that we can have a little more time to harvest and wash produce before delivery. With temperature and weather fluctuating and getting below freezing regularly now, we sometimes need the weekend to get things harvested while they are not frozen, or wash items while we have thawed water lines. This means from now on you'll be getting this customization email on Wednesdays and you will have until Friday evening to customize. We'll send out reminders this week, but please be sure to customize in this window so we can guarantee the updates to your share that you want. If you have any trouble customizing, please shoot us an email before Friday at 5PM and we'll help you out!
New customization window:
Wednesday morning - Friday at 9 PM
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Add-ons Available This Week
**Your delivery pantry item this week is no-spray cornmeal from our beloved neighbors Fairwind Farm. You can swap that out for more veggies if you like by using the customization too.
The items below are for purchase**
Bradbury Blue Cheese from Winter Hill Farm An aged raw milk, natural rind cheese. Aged 2-5 months. A very creamy blue! Not overwhelming, but distinctly blue. Add to your cheese plate this Christmas or enjoy at home. If you get a cheese share this will be your cheese this week. $8.50
Heirloom Northern Spy Apples from The Apple Farm: Delicious, sweet, and crisp, these apples are typically said to be great for sauce and baking, but they are also delicious eaten fresh. They are the most beautiful red you've ever seen and will be a sure hit. 3 lb for $6.50
Turtle Rock Farm Preserves Great for stocking stuffers! Or, you know, eating on your own!
- Cranberry Shallot Relish 12 oz - $8.00
- Strawberry Basil Spreadable Fruit 8 oz - $8.00
- Dill Pickle Chips - $6.50
Eggs - we over-ordered eggs this week, so we have just a few for sale! Add some local organic eggs to your order! $6.00/dozen
***This is the last delivery before the holidays - so don't forget to add or customize all the veggies you'll want for your holiday meals and to get you through the extra week before deliveries start again!***
Polenta Recipe
Of course cornbread is the obvious thing to make with cornmeal, and we eat a lot of that on the farm, but we also looooove making polenta! Here is a simple polenta recipe to get you started. We love it topped with cooked greens and roasted veggies, but it's also great with a saucy meat dish. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water (or sub in chicken stock for a richer flavor)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup polenta
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
- Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl.
Farm Happenings
Things have finally slowed down on the farm, and now we're working to find a slower pace but also keep getting things done. We've launched into planning for next season, I'm working on marketing and field planning while Eric is building budgets and projections. Last winter, while I was pregnant and frantically trying to get all my winter work done before the baby came, a super generous friend let me borrow an office in her Brunswick office so I could get away from the farm to get the work done. I learned then how much better I work on office tasks when I'm not at home, so this winter, I'm joining a co-working space so I can focus my energy when I'm working and fully be mom when I'm home. It feels funny to be farming in an office, but honestly, we do 90% of our planning in the winter, every variety of veggie and exactly where it will go in the fields, all of the gets determined, planned, and purchased now - and that's a lot of spreadsheets. Anyway, the other big difference in the winter is having no employees around most of the time. While we love our staff, this can be such a relief and respite, as managing people is one of the hardest things we do. Our trusty long-time employee Will comes in 2 days per week to help us wash and pack and work on other projects, but the rest of the time, everyone gets a break and we work just the two of us (sometimes 3 of us depending on childcare).
We hope you all are heading into the holiday season with some rest, joy, and excitement!
Don't forget our delivery schedule changes around the holidays - check it out below!
December 17, 2019 (Last Delivery before the Christmas Holiday)
January 7, 2020 (We take the week of Christmas and New Years day off from deliveries)
January 21, 2020
February 4, 2020
February 18, 2020
March 3, 2020
March 17, 2020 (LAST DELIVERY)
