How the blueberries came to be

Thanks to our CSA shareholders, this year, we were able to plant our first blueberry field here at Hunts Brook Farm!

On our CSA program application, there are always two opportunities for our members to contribute in other ways to the HBF community. One option is to make a donation to our community fund, which provides healthful, nutritious food to individuals or families who otherwise would not able to afford membership. The second donation option is an investment in the farm’s future. Teresa and I (Rob, a.k.a. “Digga”) are the stewards of the farm and have been making this investment for years. We have taken the farm from an old, burnt down 1760s farmhouse with overgrown fields to what you see today.

The new blueberries represent a sense of ownership that we hope all of our CSA members feel, not just in the share of each year’s production, but also in future bounties. This speaks to the heart of the CSA model and the backbone that it provides for the longevity of Hunts Brook Farm. 

Many thanks to all of our shareholders for your continued support, and here’s to watching the blueberries grow and a fruitful season ahead!

On behalf of all of us at Hunts Brook Farm,

Rob (a.k.a. “Digga”)

Farm Tour and Seedling Sale

Farm Tour and Seedling Sale: Saturday & Sunday May 18 & 19 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.!!

Seedlings all ready to be transplanted into your garden. Select from head lettuce,  kale (Red Russian or Lacinato), Swiss chard, spinach, cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, eggplant (Italian and Asian), peppers (bell, frying and hot), herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, dill, cilantro), flowers (calendula, nasturtiums), and tomatoes (Sun Sugar, Beef Steak, Cherokee Purple, Brandy Wine, Juliets).

Pre-sale order e-mail huntsbrookfarm@att.net. Come visit the farm!

Introducing the Oven at Hunts Brook Farm wood-fired pizza with local toppings!  Saturday only noon - 4. (Donations accepted and welcome!)

Of Spring, Sugar Snaps and the Season Ahead

Along the river, over the hills, in the ground, in the sky, spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm, new life, new beauty, unfolding, unrolling in glorious exuberant extravagance, – new birds in their nests, new winged creatures in the air, and new leaves, new flowers spreading, shining, rejoicing everywhere. ~ John Muir, “My First Summer in the Sierra

What a wonderful few days to be a farmer! We’ve been tickled by the warm weather, and there’s been a flurry of activity here at Hunts Brook Farm. The tractor’s been roaring and cultivating the fields (…and bringing up many, many rocks!). The vibrant garlic tops seem to be announcing themselves out of hibernation. Some beds are prepped and ready for transplants of greens, beets and other young seedlings. As of today, the sugar snap peas are in the ground, under row cover and ready to get growing. Our blackberries, raspberries and perennial herb beds received a much-needed trim, and sprouts are already popping up! Although it can sometimes feel like we’ve been thrust into yet another farming season, it’s difficult to feel overwhelmed when you’re surrounded by so much new growth, the first buds of lilacs and the flush of daffodil blooms.

So, what fun things are happening at HBF in 2013? Our new wood-fired pizza oven, of course! Our oven comes to us from our friends at Farm to Hearth (the most amazing bread you’ll ever eat!), and, this year, we’ll be selling pizza – topped with our veggies and other local products – at the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market. Throughout the season, we’ll also be firing up the oven for CSA members on select pick-up days.

Also, if you’re reading this, you might be familiar with our produce from area farmers’ markets, restaurants and stores, or are already a CSA shareholder. If not, well, welcome! And, second, consider becoming a member – we still have shares available! If interested, please e-mail us at huntsbrookfarm@yahoo.com (with the subject “2013 CSA”).

On behalf of the Hunts Brook Farm community, happy spring and let’s get growing! ~ Alex and Nicole

(Be sure to visit our friends @ Farm to Hearth (http://www.farmtohearth.com/) and the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market (http://coventryfarmersmarket.com/)!)

October 10 ~ Last CSA pick-up of the season

“She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last.”
-  Willa Cather

Here’s what you can expect in your final CSA pick-up of the 2012 season:

• Swiss chard
• tatsoi
• bok choy
• arugula
• head lettuce
• broccoli rabe OR kohlrabi
• fennel
• scallions
• dill
• savory herb bundles
• radishes
• carrots
• garlic
• onions
• peppers

We have many glorious greens this week, but, perhaps our favorites are the tatsoi and arugula. While you can certainly steam or saute these greens, they are amazing in a salad with shaved kohlrabi and carrots and chopped radishes. Top with our new favorite dressing:

Ginger Honey Soy Dressing (from ReBoot Your Life)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp tamari
• 4 tbsp olive oil

1. Puree the first four ingredients in a blender.
2. With the blender running, slowly add the oil until the dressing is emulsified.
3. Add to salad greens of tatsoi and/or arugula. The dressing will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Thank you for a terrific year, and we look forward to growing for you in the 2013 season! Stay posted to our blog and Facebook for farm updates and news.

October 3 ~ Fall greens are here!

October already? That’s what we’ve been thinking a lot lately as we’ve been cleaning up the fields, preparing for the 2013 season and continuing to harvest fall foods. It’s a time filled with mixed emotions: sad for the season to be ending, but eager for the next. But, for now, let’s focus on the positives. The cover crops are germinating quite well and offer a beautiful bright green contrast to the darker, earthy tones of fall. The broccoli rabe, bok choy, tatsoi, arugula and dandelion greens are tasty additions to our autumn diets and harvest routine. The new greenhouse has been abuzz with activity, with Digga working on installing raised beds for eventual winter production. We’re eager to see the finished product and get growing in there!

Other HBF updates: Our farmstand is closed until June 2013. You can still buy our produce at the Waterford Farmers’ Market (Saturdays, 9-12, through the end of October) and the Chester Sunday Market (Sundays, 10-1, through October 21). You can also find our veggies at Fiddleheads Food Co-op in New London.

Finally, here’s what you can expect in your box this week:

• broccoli rabe
• bok choy
• collards or chard
• dandelion greens
• cilantro
• potatoes
• garlic
• onions
• beets
• kohlrabi
• summer squash
• eggplant
• tomatoes
• peppers
• pawpaws!

We’re so excited to offer broccoli rabe – also known as rapini or broccolini- this week! It’s an amazing source of vitamins A, C and K, potassium, calcium and iron. So, eat up! Here’s a simple recipe – and fun video – from Mark Bittman of The Minimalist from the NY Times.

Happy October!

September 12 ~ Ushering in the autumn air, appreciating glorious greens!

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A word (or a few) from farmer Alex: “Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields…Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” ~ Mary Oliver After experiencing … Continue reading →

August 8 ~ Time for tomato sauce!

An enormous, beautiful and flavorful Striped German

One word: Tomatoes! We’re picking almost everyday and hardly have enough room for them! So, now’s the time to be making your homemade salsa, tomato sauce, puree and whole peeled tomatoes. If you’re interested, we have perfect seconds for just those recipes: 15 pounds for $20.00! We’ll have some ready at pick-up tomorrow, but we recommend calling Digga at 860.912.2352 to reserve yours.

So, in addition to tomatoes, here’s what you can expect in your box tomorrow:

• carrots
• beets
• cabbage
• lettuce
• potatoes
• kale
• fennel
• eggplant
• onions
• garlic
• green beans
• tomatoes – slicers + cherries

So, what’s for dinner? Nicole and Alex recommend making this sprouted quinoa salad - perfect for lunch or dinner on these hot summer days!