Beautiful Summer Bounty!
It's peak summer leaning into August and the abundance is really reminding us of all the wonder that is these hot summer months. Tomatoes, corn, beans, melons! It's a true summer bounty and though no one likes a tropical storm, this rain is sure going to help our crops along their way and encourage even more deliciousness from our fields.
One less lovely part of our farming world is waste. What happens to all the imperfect peaches and tomatoes, deemed to "ugly" for regular sale? What happens to all those extra shares that folks miss and the leftovers after we're done packing the boxes? Unfortunately, at many farms and in many cases, those items are composted or simply thrown away as waste. This is a huge problem in the farming world and many young folks are hard at work these days studying Sustainable Farming Practices and working on ways to overcome this food loss.
At Warner Farm we do our best to see that nothing is left to waste! We sell all of our "ugly" peaches and tomatoes as seconds, perfect for home kitchen projects or even snacking! We give away all missed shares and leftovers to our CSA staff and farm crew. We are looking into ways to begin processing our own produce for sale at our farm store. We are also striving to begin a more regular donation program with our local food pantries and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. For now, we truck our donations out to our CSA pickup on Thursday at Brandies University and donate to a student run organization called 'Food Not Bombs, Waltham'. This is our second year contributing to the organization and we are so glad to be able to each week.
Especially during the complicated times of COVID19, access to affordable healthy food is an important necessity of life. If you are like us here at Warner Farm and have the means to help those less fortunate gain access to healthy food, PLEASE consider donating to or volunteering with your local food bank. Your contribution could mean everything to someone in need.
Whats in the shares this week?
- Leeks New this week!
- Shallots New this week!
- Sweet Corn
- Italian Eggplant
- Green Bell Peppers
- Poblano Peppers New this week!
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Summer Squash
- Green Beans
- Baby Kale Salad Mix
- Carrots
- Collard Greens
- Rainbow Chard
- Cherry Tomatoes (LIMITED - available as extras ONLY)
*All items listed above are available for swapping as well as purchasing as extras unless otherwise designated*
Fruit Shares will receive: Peaches!!!
We are also offering #2 Peaches for sale! 20 lbs. of peaches absolutely perfect for baking, smoothies, canning, or even snacking! Check out the extras section to add them to your order!
Mushroom Shares will receive: Shiitake Mushrooms
Recipes of the week, by CSA Staff member, Phoebe!
Creamy Leek and Shiitake Mushroom Pasta - for your leeks and shiitake mushrooms
Charred Lemon-Shallot Chutney - for your shallots
Stuffed Poblano Peppers - for poblano peppers and sweet corn (check out the recipe variations for ways to incorporate other items from this week's share, including bell peppers and summer squash!)
Crock-pot Collard Greens and Ham Hocks - this is my go-to recipe for collards :)
Photo of the week: Farmer Liam on the tractor harrowing an old strawberry field in front of picturesque Mt. Sugarloaf. Photography by CSA Member, Stephanie Craig
