Westfield Area CSA Blog

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – November 7, 2022

Hi everyone, So, I guess we knew this balmy weather couldn’t last forever! We have two nights of frost coming up and then a brief warming before some truly frigid air rolls in over the weekend. We will be shifting gears from protecting the tender crops from a few hours of below freezing temperatures, to covering the cold tolerant crops to protect them from being damaged by temps in the mid-twenties. (more…)

Fennel

Fennel

Fennel, also known as sweet fennel or finocchio, originated in the Mediterranean and is popular in Italian and Scandinavian cooking. Closely related to parsley, carrots, dill and coriander, this aromatic vegetable is the swollen, immature stem of a large, feathery bush. The young stems of the plant overlap at the base to form a bulb with white-to-pale-green ribbed layers. Although the stalks are similar to celery both in their appearance and in their crunchy texture, all parts of the plant (bulb, stalks, and fronds) have a pleasantly sweet anise, or licorice-like flavor, and are edible. (more…)

Autumn Vegetable Gratin

Autumn Vegetable Gratin

From the cookbook “Simply Organic”. If you have a mandoline to slice the vegetables thinly, all the better. You can also substitute broth instead of milk. It tastes better if made one day ahead. (more…)

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

This recipe is from Mark Bittman who writes “The Minimalist” column in the New York Times.  If you do not have any dried shiitake mushrooms, so you can use fresh shiitake mushrooms.  Where the recipe calls for reserved mushroom water from the dried mushrooms, you can substitute chicken broth.  Yields 4 servings. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – October 31, 2022

Happy Halloween everyone!   I hope you are all enjoying this spooky holiday.  We made it through several very cold nights over the weekend with minimal damage to the crops and are looking forward to a week of sunshine and mild temperatures.  We are busy here on the farm preparing beds to plant the garlic and digging the last few beds of sweet potatoes.  As soon as the last of the sweets are out, we can begin planting our final round of cover crops – winter rye and hairy vetch.  These serve to protect the fields from wind erosion over the winter, build organic matter in the soil, and provide straw for mulching other crops next season. (more…)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

While this recipe calls for roasting them in the oven, they are pretty darn good cooked on the grill. Toss with oil, and place right on the grill. If the sprouts are on the small side, you might want to use a mesh plate (available as a grill accessory) to keep them from falling into the fire. (more…)

Two Potato Home Fries

Two Potato Home Fries

From Food Network Magazine, this recipe is easy and delicious and serves 4 as a side. You can substitute any of Farmer John’s white potatoes in lieu of the Yukons.  Skillet dishes like this are versatile too – you can always toss in a meat, egg, or other vegetables to experiment with different flavors. (more…)

Red Wine Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables

Red Wine Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables

From the Winter 2009 issue of Edible Green Mountains, this recipe serves 6. While not for a speedy, weeknight meal, it is delicious and well-worth the effort. You can omit the chestnuts or purchase great ones from Sonoma in a glass jar this time of year (just open and quarter). Do try it for that cozy Fall or Wintry supper!

P.S. The wines cook off so no worries serving to the entire family.
(more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – October 24, 2022

Hello Folks, So it seems we are down to the final four. I’m not speaking about March Madness, more like November sadness, as we head into the ultimate weeks of the season. I know that many of you are sad when the CSA program ends for the season, and the long winter without fresh veggies lays ahead. On the other hand, I expect that some of you are relieved to not have to work so hard, searching for recipes and preparing all that we provide. If you are the former you may consider buying a stock-up share, which will keep you eating good, local produce for at least a few weeks after the season ends (hint, hint, nudge, nudge). (more…)