2021 CSA Week #6

By Lindsay Browning | July 20, 2021 | Comments Off on 2021 CSA Week #6
Massaro
Community
Farm
Your local certified organic vegetable farm
July 19, 2021
Notes From the Farm
Last week we harvested our garlic, and it is now curing in our greenhouse. The greenhouse is a great space to cure the garlic, as it is dry, with excellent ventilation and the shade cloth covering keeps the bulbs from scalding. Garlic harvest typically happens in early to mid July for us, and the exact timing depends on a few factors. First we make sure we have cleared the space in the greenhouse for curing (our greenhouse sowing plan is set to accommodate that space needed), then we navigate the combination of heat and soil moisture along with the other necessary farm tasks to pick the right moment. We look for mild temperatures (below 90) and low moisture (no recent heavy rain). High temperatures at harvest time can cause some cloves to “melt”, which will impact storage life and planting stock quality. High moisture at harvest time will lead to a longer curing time, increasing the risk for mold and disease, which can also impact clove quality and storage. The first couple weeks of July have offered us a continual mix of high heat mixed with heavy rains, but the garlic needs to be harvested nonetheless, and we made it happen last week. We’ll monitor the garlic as it cures, begin sorting it by size, separating what we’ll keep to plant this fall, and begin including some garlic in this week’s distribution.
This uncured garlic will have an extra juiciness to it, and will go wonderfully with our tomatoes, summer squash and more in this week’s harvest. A few cherry tomatoes are just coming ready so we may be able to offer a small taste of them available along with green beans, herbs and flowers in the U-Pick field.
Please note: with summer camp here at Massaro there will be peak traffic in the parking area for camp pickup during from 3:15-3:45pm, from July 12-August 13.
-Farmer Steve and our Farmers: Alyssa, Alanna, Anneke, Cass, Jessie, Kayla, Laura, Leah and MC
This Week’s Anticipated Harvest:
Garlic, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Fennel, Dandelion Greens, Lettuce, Kale
U-Pick:
Green beans, herbs (tulsi, flowering cilantro); maybe cherry tomatoes too
Fruit Option:
Blueberries
Online Store: Click here
For on-farm pickup only
Order Massaro products such as honey, eggs, salsa, marinara and crushed tomatoes in advance through the store, or purchase on site when you pickup.
Big Green Pizza Truck
The Big Green Pizza Truck will be at the farm on Tuesdays for CSA pickup from 2:30-6pm. They’ll be parked in the parking area, making a variety of their favorite pies for you to choose from. Payment can be made to Big Green Pizza Truck here with cash, venmo, or paypal.
CSA parking area/pickup images
See images below for an overhead view of the pickup areas at Massaro and at District.
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Quinoa Salad with Manago-Fennel Kimchi
from Nadine Nelson, adapted from Chef Bill Kim’s Quinoa Ssam Salad, Marinated Chicken, and Asian Pear-Fennel Kimchi
I had a version of this salad in Chicago at a gourmet fast casual spot named Belly Shack. It was served vegan style which I appreciated because I was taking out my vegan friend with whom I was staying. It was the best quinoa salad I had ever had and I was bent on trying to recreate it. They used Asian pear but I decided to use mango because they are so plentiful now in season (the summer). I love kimchi style vegetables. Fennel is so underused as a vegetable and it is so lovely for its crunch and anise flavor. This salad has interesting and dynamic ingredient combinations that will let your guests go hmmm….. what is that, I want some more and can I have the recipe. I say share it so we can have a double fennel revolution. You can use the dried spice in more than just sausage and Italian cuisine. Putting the salad in lettuce leaves really brings it over the top. People like to eat with their hands because it is so messy and fun. I hope this salad brings you lots of joy and sneaky smiles on your face for summer.
Serves 6
Mango-Fennel Kimchi:
1 large mango, peeled and diced small
1 bulb fennel, core removed and small diced
1 English cucumber, small diced
½ red onion,thinly sliced
2 green onion,thinly sliced
¼ cup salt
¼ cup lime juice
½ cup sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes flakes or 1 teaspoon dried hot pepper or to taste
Marinated Chicken: (Optional)
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons peeled and minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
1 tablespoon sambal chili sauce or Sriracha
Quinoa Salad:
2 cups quinoa
3 cups water
¼ cup cilantro, minced
¼ cup mint, minced
¼ cup Thai basil or regular basil, minced
1 tablespoon dill, minced (optional)
To Assemble and Serve:
2 heads Bibb lettuce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce
For the Mango -Fennel Kimchi:
Make the kimchi by combining the mango, fennel, cucumber, onion, and salt. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Add the lime juice, the sweet chili sauce, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, fennel seeds, and Korean chili flakes and leave overnight.
For the Marinated Chicken:
Remove the fat from the chicken thighs. Combine the garlic, ginger, sweet chili sauce and sambal. Pour the mixture over the chicken and marinate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 450°F. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool, then rough chop in bite size pieces.
For the Quinoa Salad:
Combine the quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then lower heat and cover. Cook for 8 minutes, stir, and then cook for an additional 5 minutes. Spread the cooked quinoa on a baking sheet to cool. When ready to serve, toss ½ cup of the kimchi with the herbs and the cooked quinoa.
To Assemble and Serve:
Remove the core from the Bibb lettuce, leaving the leaves whole. Remove the individual leaves and rinse clean. Arrange the lettuce, quinoa, kimchi, and chicken on platters. Serve the sesame oil and sriracha on the side as dipping sauces. Invite guests to create lettuce wraps.
CSA Pickup Instructions and Reminders
On-Farm Pickups – Tuesdays and Friday, 2:30-6:30pm
  • There are two options for on-farm CSA pickup:
  1. Pull in to the barn yard area between the red barn and white house for a drive thru pickup of your CSA, which will be bagged for you in advance. No masks needed for this option.
  2. Park in the parking area on the north side of the barn, walk down the steps and wait to enter the barn through the east barn door entry.
  • You must wear a mask to enter the barn.
  • A limited number of people will be allowed in the barn at a time for CSA pickup.
  • ALWAYS DRIVE SLOWLY at the farm – there is often programming here for kids, and the farm family with young children live here.
  • U-Pick is back this year. When U-Pick crops are available, we recommend doing U-Pick first, then picking up your CSA when you are done. No masks needed for U-Pick.
  • See map above.
Delivery to District – Wednesdays, 3:30-7:30pm
  • Located at 470 James St. at State St.
  • Go to Door 004 for District Athletic Club (see map above).
  • CSA boxes will be stacked against the wall just inside the door.
  • Pick up time is 3:30-7:30pm on Wednesdays.
  • Please maintain social distancing when you enter to pickup, but you do not need to wear a mask.
  • Take only one box of produce unless otherwise indicated, all boxes will be the same.
  • Return your empty box next week.
Fruit Option
  • Comes from High Hill Orchard in Meriden.
  • Typically begins in early July once blueberries are ready to harvest.
  • Pickup along with your vegetables on your regular pickup day and location.
Farm Store – for on-farm pick up only; not available for New Haven delivery
  • Our eggs, honey and tomato products will be available each week as long as we have them. Order in advance, or purchase at pickup.
  • Products from our partner farms will be available from time to time, as announced in the newsletter.
  • Pickup store items along with your vegetables on your regular pickup day.
Egg CSA Subscriptions – still available for both 10-week and 20-week options!
  • Pickup along with your vegetables on your regular pickup day and location.
  • Massaro Farm Egg cartons can be returned to us as long as they are in good, clean condition.
Looking ahead on your calendar: We will move our Friday, July 2 CSA pickup to Thursday, July 1, allowing for some time off for our staff on 4th of July weekend.
Communications: We send out a weekly CSA newsletter during the harvest season, and additional messages throughout the year.  Please read them. There is often helpful information in them, or important updates that might answer questions you have.  We try to keep our website updated with those newsletters, and we also share news, stories and photos on facebook, twitter and instagram.
If you have a question, request, feedback, or need to be in touch for any reason, emailing us at [email protected] is the best means of communication. This email is checked regularly, and we do our best to respond quickly. We’d love to talk with you when you are here on the farm and we can usually be found around the barn during CSA pickup hours, so grab our ears, pick our brains, chat us up or tell us what’s on your mind!
Bags: Please do bring a reusable bag or box to take your produce home in. We will have compostable bags available for you if needed.
What if I miss a week?: If you are not able to make it to the farm to pick up your produce on a given week, you are welcome to have someone else pick up it up for you. Simply have them come to the farm or District on your behalf. Any produce that is not picked up will be donated, so know that it is put to good use! If you do miss a week, please understand that you are not entitled to additional produce on another week.
Produce Donations: Part of the farm’s mission and commitment to the community is to donate produce to local hunger relief organizations, which is more important than ever right now. To make this happen, we harvest additional produce for donation on CSA distribution days. Any produce not picked up by our CSA members is added to that donation. Thus, if you can’t make it one week to get your vegetables, know that your produce will go to people in need and is never wasted.
Want more of our produce?: As our harvest allows, we will offer additional produce for sale through our weekly online store and at the farm. If you don’t see something you want available in the store, please do let us know when you are here and we’ll see if we can offer it. We are not currently attending any farmer’s markets on a regular basis.
Final payments: If you still have a balance for the CSA, please send in your final payments, or be in touch to work out a payment plan. Email [email protected]
Posted in CSA Newsletters