Coming up: the NOFA Winter Conference
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Save the date! The Northeast Organic Farming Association's 22nd Annual
Winter Conference will be held on Saturday January 17th, 2009 at the Worcester
Vocational Regional Technical High School. Eliot Coleman will be presenting the
keynote address and will also present an all day intensive workshop on four-
season growing. Coleman is a long time farmer and the author of "The New Organic
Grower", "Four Season Harvest" and "The Winter Harvest Manual". The conference
will include workshops geared to farmers as well as backyard gardeners, consumers and advocates for a local, organic food system. The conference
includes a children's program and we welcome participants to join us for a
delicious potluck lunch. Registration will begin in early December, information
can be found on the NOFA website. |
| Sweet Potato Pie |
With the cooler weather rolling in, some folks start thinking about Thanksgiving... and pie. Here is a good one from Alton Brown you may want to try this year.
1 lb. 3 oz. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
5 egg yolks
Salt
1 (9-inch) deep dish, pie shell
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 T maple syrup
Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer basket into a
large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the
bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes
are fork tender. Mash with potato masher and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with
the paddle attachment. Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg,
yolks, and salt, to taste, and beat until well combined. Pour this
batter into the pie shell and place onto a sheet pan. Sprinkle pecans
on top and drizzle with maple syrup.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard reaches 165 to
180 degrees. Remove from oven and cool. Keep refrigerated after cooling.
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| Bring us your compost! |
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Bring your own household compost if you don't mind the walk to the compost piles. Acceptable compost ingredients include all vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, bread crusts and coffee grounds. Please, no other animal products. Thanks to everyone who has helped us build our compost piles!
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Welcome to the 2008 Harvest Season!
CSA Pickups at the Farm this Week:
- Tuesday, October 7 from 3-7 PM
- Thursday, October 9 from 3-7 PM
- Sunday, October 12 from 3-7 PM
CSA Pickup in Davis Square (for pre-registered shareholders only):
- Tuesday, October 7 from 5-7 PM
Our final pickups of the 2008 season will be October 21, 23 and 26.
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What's In the Share This Week
Please note: This list is prepared the week before you receive your share. Some guesswork is involved!
We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they're not on the list. 
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Pick-Your-Own Crops This Week
 Shareholders are welcome to pick-your-own during daylight hours Mondays through Thursdays and Sundays.
Please remember to check the white board on the red kiosk for PYO information and current picking conditions!
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Parsley
- Perennial Herbs
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Notes from the Field
The 2009 CSA Season As the season comes to
a close, we hope that you are enjoying your 2008 CSA share from Waltham
Fields Community Farm enough to want to sign up again next season.
2009 CSA share sales will begin January 1, when 2008 shareholders and
members of our nonprofit parent organization will receive a mailing
containing our CSA signup form. Please send your signup form in as soon as you receive it. We
sell shares on a first-come, first-served basis, and our mailing list of shareholders and members is larger than our CSA share numbers for 2009, so we are not able to
guarantee anyone a spot. It is very important to us that we
have as many returning shareholders as we can. We know that
for many people, the beginning of the year may be a time when funds are
tight, especially this winter. Please take advantage of our payment
plan by paying half the price of the share up front and the second half
of the share by June 1. Also, if you are in need of an additional
payment plan, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us to work
something out.
The bottom line for us is: We want to see you all on the farm next
season! We are very much aware that joining a CSA is a financial
stretch for many families when the up-front payment is high. We know
that the quantity and quality of the sustainably grown produce you
receive here at the farm is even more important to you all when times
are tight. We see our relationship with our CSA shareholders as a long-term one, and each of your families continues to be as important to our farm as we
hope we are to your family. One last word: as soon as the season is over, you will receive an email with a link to our 2008 shareholder survey. This survey provides us with important information that we use to plan our shares for 2009. Please help us continue to meet your needs by responding! Thank you so much for your support, as always. | |
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| Warmly,
The Staff of Waltham Fields Community Farm
Amanda Cather, Farm Manager
Debra Guttormsen, Administrative and Finance Coordinator
Paula Jordan, Children's Learning Garden
Claire Kozower, Executive Director
Jonathan Martinez, Assistant Grower
Dan Roberts, Farm Crew
Erinn Roberts, Assistant Grower
Andy Scherer, Assistant Farm Manager
Mark Walter, Children's Learning Garden
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Waltham Fields Community Farm