Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Bounty of the Season


Here is this week's 'share' from The Appleton Farm CSA:basil, coriander, mint, leeks, savoy cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic, winter squash, celeriac, peppers, turnips, rutebegas, pumpkins and eggplant. We pay about $500 per year and this entitles us to a full grocery bag of our choice from whatever is available, plus various extra things (2 pumpkins this week, sometimes corn, or melons), plus pick-your-own, which we pick up each week from June through the first week in November.

I pick it up from the wonderful old barn shown below, outside and inside. The Appleton Farm had been continuously owned by the same family since the original land grant in 1630-something, until the owner died a couple of years ago. It's 700 acres of farm, field, woodland. In addition to the CSA, we are able to walk dogs off leash there in a large wooded area, and we do that most days, if we aren't at the beach. There's cross-country skiing in the winter, horse trails etc. A really wonderful place.



As for the CSA, it's great. Pick-your-own might be the best of all. Strawberries in season, green beans, tomatoes, herbs, many varieties of hot peppers and flowers - an amazing assortment of different flowers, including sunflowers. We also get lots of strange things like edamame, tomatillos, 15 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes, purple and gold beans, as well as green ones.



3 comments:

Vivi said...

Envy. About two months ago I started to review the CSAs around here, to participate next spring, but I got overwhelmed with choice and put it down and haven't picked up the list again. Thanks for reminding me. Another task to put on the list.

The Bride said...

The only thing I'd like more of, that we don't get, is other kinds of berries. There is another CSA locally that has blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as part of the pick-your-own. I'd love that.

Also, it's a great thing for people with kids. The kids love to help in the pick-your-own and it might even extend to a little additional vegetable eating, just to taste what had been picked.

peaceable_tate said...

Agree with "envy."

Tell me again why you want to move away from Ipswich? I guess that is really a question for the COG, not Bride of COG.

He has seen Wizard of Oz?