Westfield Area CSA Blog

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 1, 2022

Hi All! “Hot” and “dry” continue to be the best words to describe conditions on the farm. The few rain events that were forecast turned out to be duds, delivering only a few scattered drops. We are doing our best to keep water on the most important crops and keep newly sown seeds moist so that they will sprout. Just as they say about elections, drought has consequences. Our string bean crop has been languishing in the heat and producing small misshapen pods. Fortunately, we have some pole beans which have drip irrigation on them. These are an heirloom variety called the Rattlesnake bean (down south they call them Preacher beans). They are a flat pod type with some purple streaking and are generally quite sweet and tender. (more…)

Savory Melon Salad

Savory Melon Salad

Melons can do more than dessert or smoothies!  Although there is a bit of cutting involved, this savory melon salad makes for a refreshing change from the traditional sautéed side dishes we whip up every day.  For added “savoriness,” add crumbled goat or feta cheese. This recipe makes 6 cups. (more…)

Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta – Roasted Eggplant Purée

Found in Rani Sidhu’s Menus and Memories from Punjab cookbook, this is a classic recipe for Baingan Bharta, a roasted eggplant purée.  The word ‘Bharta’ (pronounced BHURR-taah) refers to dishes in which the ingredients are roughly mashed either before or after the dish is prepared.  Bhartas are largely North Indian in origin and made from all sorts of vegetables.  Yields 10 half-cup servings. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 25, 2022

Hi Everyone, I hope you all have managed okay with this weekend’s scorching heat. It was hard on my workers, but, as always, they stoically endured it. Had it not been for the rain earlier in the week, it might have been devastating for the crops. We were hoping for some more precipitation today as cooler air moves in, unfortunately we got a scant tenth of an inch. Temps this week will be a little more bearable, especially with nighttime temperatures dropping into the sixties. Hopefully, there will be more rain soon. (more…)

Onions

Onions

Onions are part of the allium family of vegetables and herbs, which also includes chives, garlic, scallions, and leeks. Allium vegetables have been cultivated for centuries for their characteristic, pungent flavors and for their medicinal properties – these vegetables have been linked to a lower risk of certain cancers, including stomach and colorectal. A nutrient-dense food, onions are low in calories and high in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. (more…)

Farro Salad with Eggplant

Farro Salad with Grilled Eggplant

Hailing from Bobby Flay and the Food Network, I made this salad with weekend with those long, skinny eggplant. To die for!! You will notice there is no Southwest “heat” in this one — most unusual for Bobby. As presented, the recipe yielded way more than 4 servings, I’d say at least 8, but it keeps well in the fridge and we have lunch for a few days. (more…)