Westfield Area CSA Blog

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 11, 2025

Hey Folks! So the beautiful weather continues… if you are not a farmer. Down here on the farm it is starting to get ugly. There is still no rain in sight, and it has me very worried. We are using all the tricks that I know and all the pumping capacity that we have, but it is hard to give all the crops the water that they need to grow. We have five acres of winter squash and pumpkins that we will never be able to irrigate. We are in between plantings on the string beans. We hope to have enough for all groups, but if we come up short, we will make it up next week. (more…)

Eggplant

Eggplant

Eggplant is a member of the Solanaceae, or “nightshade,” family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, sweet peppers, and potatoes. As you already noticed, they come in a variety of shapes and colors. While the varieties exhibit slightly different tastes and textures, generally eggplants have a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture. (more…)

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a traditional French stewed vegetable dish originating in Nice, but popular among the entire Mediterranean coast.  Mid-summer CSA shares will provide all you need for this delicious classic.  Serves 4-6. (more…)

Quick Kimchi

Quick Kimchi

This quick, spicy, tangy cabbage side dish stands in for the traditional salty Korean staple.  Unlike fermented kimchi, this quick variation is best eaten shortly after preparing and does not keep its crunchy texture when stored. Enjoy it with grilled meats or chicken.  The recipe makes 4 cups and is from Eating Well Magazine. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 4, 2025

Hi Everyone! The second half of last week brought a welcome respite from the scorching heat, with the Thursday storms dropping a half inch of rain on us. It was not as much as desired, nor as much as other areas received, but we were spared the damaging winds. There is not much in the way of precipitation forecast for the next ten days, so the well pumps will be running day and night, and we will be moving the sprinklers around the fields. (more…)

Potatoes

Potatoes

You may have noticed that the potatoes we get have had different hues of flesh.  Potatoes actually come in a rainbow of colors, from yellow “Yukon Gold” to “Purple Peruvian”. (more…)

Tex-Mex Potato Cake

Tex-Mex Potato Cake

From the cookbook, Serving up the Harvest, here is an easy (especially if you have a food processor) recipe for all those delicious potatoes we’ve been getting.  It is a good dish to have in your arsenal as it is very quick to make, holds up well during a buffet, travels easily to block parties or potluck dinners, and can be made ahead and reheated.  What’s not to like about that?  The recipe serves 6-8. (more…)