Ripeness

By Sarah

Thank you to those who were able to celebrate this seasonal shift with us this Sunday at the BBQ and baseball. August 1st marks a change as the light shifts and we move more rapidly towards the equinox. Traditionally, this is the start of harvest season and the farm is full of ripeness. I feel full of sunshine and love seeing it reflected in the orange and yellow blooms all around the farm, as well in the golden grass that is still nourishing the sheep and cows.

The fruits of summer are ripening! We can see a few red tomatoes and hope to start picking tomatoes and hot peppers next week, followed by corn and melons soon enough.

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Farm Potluck Friday September

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Merlin Beets

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Ailsa Craig Sweet and Red Long Onions

• Fennel

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Poinsett 76, and Salt & Pepper Cucumbers

• Farao and Caraflex Cabbage

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce

• Cilantro, Dill, and Basil

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, Padron and Shishito Peppers, Blackberries, and Raspberries

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Blue Cheese and Shredded Iceberg Salad, from The Department of Salad

• 1 large head of iceberg lettuce, very finely shredded, then chilled

• ¼ cup very thinly sliced sweet onion, a bit more to taste

• 3 to 4 tablespoons Champagne Vinaigrette (method below)

• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (use something decent)

• 1 cup roughly chopped strawberries

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, toss the cold lettuce and onion together thoroughly. Dress lightly with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette (shake it well first) and toss again. Add the blue cheese and toss gently until evenly distributed throughout the salad; you want it to remain in bits, not dissolve into the dressing. Fold in the strawberries. Taste. You might want a bit more dressing, a pinch of salt, or some freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Champagne Vinaigrette

This makes about ½ cup. You’ll probably need just a few tablespoons today, but you can use what’s left on practically any salad.

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon honey

• ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients except the pepper and shake vigorously. Taste; you might want more salt or a couple more teaspoons of olive oil, but this is meant to be a little sharp and a bit thin. If you’d like pepper in the finished salad, add a few grindings here.

Shake again thoroughly before using.

Nana’s Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting, from asterpantry.com

For the cake

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 cup oil

• 4 eggs

• 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cream cheese frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

To serve: 1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F with the fan on.

Make the cake batter. Whisk together the sugar, oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix in zucchini and dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

Bake the cake. Spread batter in a parchment-lined quarter sheet tray (or 9” x 13” pan). Bake for 35-45 min, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the frosting. While the cake bakes, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese for a couple of minutes until fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla.

Frost the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely. Top the cake evenly with the frosting and sprinkle with nuts.

Zucchini Forest

By Sahar

We are harvesting zucchini just about every day now. The plants have ballooned into a mini forest, ripe with not only fruit but tripping hazards, their leaves reaching up past my waist, or crawling into the pathways, falling over each other, ensnaring the carts we push through the furrows as we harvest. The leaves and stems are covered in tiny, prickly hairs that often leave my arms scratched up and itching by the time we are done. I have met many farmers with a less than enthusiastic attitude when it comes to zucchini harvest, and I can understand why--I don’t relish the lingering sting on my fore arms, or the little ache that sometimes materializes in my lower back after bending to cut the fruit and push forward the tote that grows heavier and heavier every few feet. However, I have always found that entering the zucchini patch is like entering a little mini ecosystem that presents me with unique delights each morning. I never get tired of watching the flowers blossom, opening warm and wide, like glowing stars, or catching a glimpse of a curling tendril, reaching forward towards the light. They are beautiful plants--my favorite even in their very beginnings, with their smooth, wide, oval shaped cotyledon. But what I love most about early morning zucchini harvest is the bumble bees. The bumble bees love squash flowers--I have found this to be true no matter where I am harvesting zucchini, be it in California or Pennsylvania. On any given morning, if you peer into the deep yellow flowers at the base of the plant, you will find at least one bumble bee, often a few. They are usually sleepy and slow, resting in the curve of a petal. Sometimes they are covered in pollen. Sometimes they acknowledge my disturbance, as I push aside flowers to cut fruit, and they gently levitate upwards, off to their next stop. Other times they pay me no mind. Early morning zucchini harvest is like a twofold treasure hunt--the zucchini being the first treasure, and the second, the bees. We go about our business, as I push through the rows, picking fruit after fruit, and they fly beneath towering green leaves, visiting flower after flower. I am grateful for all their hard work, and for their company, as we navigate the zucchini forest together.

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: BBQ and Baseball This Sunday 8/2 at 4 pm - RSVP here

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Merlin Beets

• Hakurei Turnips

• Gold Princess and Red Long Onions

• Parade Scallions

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Manny and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Farao, Caraflex, and Emiko Cabbage

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce

• Cilantro, Dill, Basil, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, Padron and Shishito Peppers, Blackberries, and Raspberries

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale (Last week)

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Summer Squash, Ricotta, and Basil Tart, from Julius Roberts ‘The Farm Table’

• 5 zucchini

• 1 sheet of puff pastry

• 250g ricotta

• A handful of fresh basil

• Quality olive oil

• 20g Parmesan

• 1 garlic bulb

• 1 egg

• 1 unwaxed lemon

Preheat the oven to 425.

Grate the zucchini into thin slices, place in a bowl and mix with a good glug of olive oil & salt.

Place the ricotta in a separate bowl & season well. Grate in the zest of a whole lemon and the juice of half of it. Whisk together until smooth & creamy. Add most the basil & mix again.

Roll out the puff pastry on a lined baking tray. With a knife, score the pastry 3-4cm from the edge the whole way round (be careful not to cut all the way through).

Spread the ricotta over the pastry, taking care to stay in the scored border.

Top with the zucchini, slices of garlic & a sprinkle of parmesan. Season well.

Whisk the egg and brush the edges of the pastry so they go golden in the oven.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until crisp and puffed up.

To make the basil oil, simply pound a big handful of basil in a pestle & mortar with olive oil.

When its out the oven, drizzle over the basil oil & Serve while piping hot!

Enjoy!

Creating Life One Day at a Time

By Celeste

The most beautiful part of being a flower farmer is realizing how beautiful everything looks when it’s blooming.

I can still vividly remember picking out the seeds and sowing them into the flats. They grow little by little until they reach their most precious moment—blooming and sparking joy for someone else. There is something so special about witnessing that transformation every single season.

It’s so easy for me to think about my boys when I look at the flowers.

I can still remember when my oldest was a baby, discovering the world for the first time. I would hand him cempasúchil petals to taste, along with little bites of basil, shiso, and other edible treasures from the field. I remember him getting “lost” between the rows of amaranth and cosmos, completely immersed in his own little adventure.

My second boy was different. He always wanted to stay close to me. He wasn’t much of an explorer, but that season became a journey that Kelsey and I shared together—planting, harvesting, and carrying our sweet boys as we worked the land. We taught them about plants, let them get dirty, and yes, even let them eat a little dirt along the way because that’s what discovering the world means. 

I’ve worked this field for the past six years, and somehow it doesn’t feel like that long. The soil, the land, and the seeds have a way of slowing time. They remind me to move with patience and peace, trusting that growth happens in its own time.

This season has felt different.

I’ve sown, planted, pinched, weeded, and harvested with a little more grace, knowing that our family is growing too. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll welcome a new little life into this world. I’ll step away from the field for a little while, and although I’ll miss these daily rhythms, I know the garden will keep growing, just as it always has.

What I look forward to most is introducing our third baby boy to this place that has held so much of our family’s story. I can’t wait to watch him discover the flowers, the soil, and the wonder of the garden in his own way, just like his brothers did.

Creating life has never just meant growing flowers.

For me, it has meant growing a family alongside them—one season, one bloom, and one day at a time.

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: BBQ and Baseball Sunday 8/2 at 4 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Merlin Beets

• Hakurei Turnips

• Gold Princess Onions

• Parade Scallions

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace and Manny Cucumbers

• Farao, Caraflex, and Emiko Cabbage

• Madeley Kale

• Champion Collards

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce

• Cilantro, Dill, Basil, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, and Raspberries

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

ROSE PETALS JAM RECIPE

https://simplybeyondherbs.com/rose-jam-recipe/

• 2 cups fresh rose petals or 2/3 cup dried rose petals

• juice from 1/2 lime or 1/2 lemon

• 25 g pectin (0.85 oz)

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract - optional

• 2 tablespoons raw honey or 1 cup (200 g) sugar

• 1 1/2 cup filtered water

Start with preparing the roses. If you are using dried, you can skip this step. Just note that you will need ⅓ cup of dried petals for 1 cup of fresh ones. Fresh blossoms are best collected in the morning on a sunny day. I don’t wash them as you will remove the pollen that is a carrier of flavors and taste. Just mechanically remove any bugs or dirt. 

Add the rose petals to a large saucepan with lukewarm water, and allow them to steep overnight. This process, whether using dried or fresh petals, helps to infuse the jam with a distinctive and rich rose flavor.

Strain the rose petals through a sieve or cheesecloth. This step is optional and depends on whether you want to keep the petals in a jam or strain them to make rose jelly. 

Next day, add pectin to the rose water mixture(with or without the petals) and bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute. This boiling is important for the pectin to get activated so that your jam will set. Reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low for 10 minutes until the pectin has dissolved, stirring constantly. If you are using sugar, you should add it at this stage. sugar and pectin will dissolve together.

Add the lemon juice and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue to stir, and watch the vibrant color that emerges. The mixture will still be loose at this stage. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover it with a lid and let stand for 10 minutes. and add raw honey. Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

Add raw honey and vanilla extract (if using) and wait for the jam to begin thickening when the temperature cools. The thickening point varies depending on the choice of agent, batch size, and pan size. The more jam you make, the longer it will take to reach the setting point. I like to place one tablespoon of the jam in the fridge to cool completely and see if the jam sets. Pour into sterilized jars.

Generosity

By Kelsey

The first farmer that I worked for, Bob, had a saying. He had many sayings, but this one has stuck with me over the years, playing in my mind almost like a mantra at times: "Nature is generous. You must mimic the generosity of nature."

He taught us to grow cover crops to improve the soil for the soil's sake, to find a degraded piece of land and bring it back to life. To be generous to nature in our farming endeavors. It was a very inspiring idea to me at the time, and I've thought a lot about generosity since then. Its a quality I admire deeply in others, and strive to cultivate in myself. An ongoing project. But I do recognize it when I see it, and I see it a lot on this farm and in this community. Buckets of spectacularly colorful flowers to be arranged into bouquets and given to friends, strawberry recipes relayed to help one another make use of the abundance, full totes of tomatoes to be canned and shared. Nature is generous, and so are you.

When I saw a little note tacked on to the yarn display in the CSA barn, "want to learn to knit or crochet? email me. free help. Lets make things with this lovely wool!" I thought, how generous. I'll bite! I told Deborah I'd like to learn how to make a hat. Since then she's been coming to my house on Saturday mornings and teaching me various yarn skills. I made a hat, then another, then another, each one slightly more complicated than the last. I am hooked! (Sorry, we've mostly been knitting but I couldn't resist the pun). It makes me think about the ripple effect of being generous. The sheep offer up small mountains of wool each year, and people like Deborah honor them by turning it into beautiful and useful things. Sharing her knowledge with others (me) means I get to be generous too, and give away the things I make. It reminds me of another saying, I think it goes something like, "teach a woman to knit, and her loved ones will never have cold ears again."

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: BBQ and Baseball Sunday 8/2 at 4 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Merlin Beets

• Hakurei Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Dragon Fennel

• Gold Princess Onions

• Parade Scallions

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace and Manny Cucumbers

• Covina Broccoli

• Farao, Caraflex, and Emiko Cabbage

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce

• Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, and Raspberries

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Roasted Whole Carrots, adapted from https://www.joyousapron.com/roasted-whole-carrots/

2 lb whole carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 spring fresh thyme

1. Pre-heat oven to 400℉.
2. Wash and scrub carrots to remove dirt on the skin.
3. Place carrots on a greased baking sheet. Avoid overlapping carrots.
4. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, honey and salt. Mix well. Brush mixture all over carrots.
5. Place fresh thyme on top of the carrots.
6. Bake carrots for 20-30 minutes, or until it reaches desired softness. Keep in mind that roast time will vary depending on the size of carrots, oven temperature etc
7. Serve and enjoy!

Beauty In the Little Things

By Cailin

The amount of strawberries I have ingested over this past season is honestly astronomical. On cereal, in baked goods, with oatmeal, blended in drinks and smoothies- frozen, cooked, jarred, you name it- one of us at Open Field has probably tried it. You’d think they were a major food group the way I’ve been housing cartons. We have been lucky enough to have a wonderful abundance of these amazing and (in moderate doses) healthy treats throughout the season and are left with so much on some days. These little guys are really a labor of love- it regularly takes hours of necks bent low on hands and knees pawing over plants to finish harvest! 

When strawberries were still scarce at the beginning of the season, I remember being so excited when I found one and tasting how sweet it was. It was the highlight of my day getting to have one little berry even when it was split and super funky looking (those are still my favorites!). There was absolutely nothing like having a hard day of work and then with dirty hands and sweaty forehead biting into such a sweet fruit. I felt like the luckiest person alive.

After a while of harvesting twice a week like clockwork, the magic left and I just heaved my strawberry cart over the fence, head down, and hardly glanced at the little miracles I plucked off one by one into my flat. I could only feel my stiff neck and itchy arms from the leaves we incessantly parse through. What a shame! The coveted became commonplace.

Beyond the hard lesson that human bodies indeed cannot live off of strawberries alone, these red gems taught me another lesson about not taking the small beautiful things of life for granted- even when they turn into something routine. I am so grateful to be a part of such a caring and hardworking community here and have begun to cherish not only the cartons and cartons of strawberries I get to enjoy, but the labor it took me and all of the wonderful people here to have such a great harvest- not just of strawberries but all of the other crops that I have grown to love here. 

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 7/10 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dragon Fennel

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace and Manny Cucumbers

• Covina Broccoli

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, and Raspberries

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Speaking of, I thought I would shine a light on our kale this week- yet another crop I have greatly taken advantage of. I hope you enjoy!

Kale Pesto

By Jeanine Donofrio

• ½ cup pepitas

• 1 small garlic clove

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 packed cups chopped curly kale

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, pulse the pepitas and garlic until the pepitas are ground up. Add the cheese or nutritional yeast, salt, and several grinds of pepper and pulse again.

Add the kale and lemon juice. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, and process until combined. Season to taste.

Notes

Tip: If the kale pesto is too bitter, add ¼ teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

Makes 1 cup.

Vegetable Art

By Alyssa

I think there should be more vegetable art in the world. Fruit designs are commonplace. I see them on shower curtains and rugs, kitchen towels and t-shirts. Peaches, bright slices of citrus, strawberries. Still life paintings with apples and pears and grapes. I get it - fruit is beautiful. But what about the vegetables?? The savoy cabbage plants are so gloriously big and purple and green. Tell me you wouldn’t want to put a picture of our shiny, hot pink radishes on your wall. That green oak leaf lettuce! A shiny, stripey, bumpy heirloom tomato, or the bright orange petit marseilles sweet peppers. The chard leaves with the pink stems and lighter green leaf. The dappled yellow and cream of our sweet corn, and the deep jewels of kernels on our dry corn. I’ll never get tired of how beautiful food can be. 

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 7/10 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dragon Fennel

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace and Manny Cucumbers

• Song Cauliflower

• Farao and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rhubarb Red Chard

• Madeley Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick Your Own Flowers, Herbs, and Raspberries

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Zucchini Pancakes by Elaine Louie on NYT Cooking

Yield 12 pancakes

Zucchini Pancakes

3 medium zucchini, shredded (about 1 lb)

salt + pepper

3 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 scallions, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped dill

1 tsp baking powder

Yogurt Sauce

2/3 cup plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 tsp salt

Combine the shredded zucchini and 1/2 tsp of salt in a colander set in a bowl or in your sink. After five minutes, squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Beat your eggs, in a large bowl then mix in the zucchini with a fork. Add flour, 1/2 tsp salt, olive oil, feta, herbs, and black pepper. Mix well, add baking powder, then mix again. 

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place heaping tablespoons of the batter several inches apart in the pan, allowing room to spread. Flatten them with a spatula if necessary (approximately 3/8 inch thick and 3 inches wide). Fry until golden, then flip and fry until golden (about 5-6 minutes total). Serve with yogurt sauce.

Healing Meals

By Ali

With all the abundance recently, and hot crop harvest inching closer, I have been feeling especially inspired to get more creative in the kitchen. I owe a lot to farming for healing my relationship to food. The curse of centering so much of your life around understanding nutrition, health, and its function within the human body is that I am easily pulled into restrictive and rigid ways of centering it in my life.

Being able to interact with my food through farming has changed the way I relate to it. I am getting closer and closer to no longer seeing food purely as micro and macronutrients, something to fear, or something to be studied and analyzed, but as something living, relational, and a way of exchanging with the earth.

My salads have been bringing me a lot of joy recently, with bright crisp radishes, cucumbers, fennel, and herbs of all sorts. The beauty and vibrancy of the crops make my heart feel so big. Most Thursday afternoons, two of us farmers cook a big meal for the whole crew an hour before our usual lunch time. I really love being able to collaborate, care for each other, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I feel so privileged to be able to eat in a way that truly reflects my environment.

Open Field Farm 2026 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 7/10 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow and Fingerling potatoes

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dragon Fennel

• Parade Scallions

• Alto Leeks

• Cocozelle and Dark Star Summer Squash

• Rhubarb Red Chard

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Filigreen Farm Blueberries for sale

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

4-Ingredient Naturally Carbonated Strawberry Soda by Anne-Marie Bonneau 

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet strawberries, cut into small 1/2-inch pieces

• ½ cup sugar, granulated, sucanat, rapadura or coconut sugar

• 4 cups water

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Stir water and sugar together in a jar with a capacity of at least six cups. The sugar will dissolve fairly quickly. Add the strawberries to the jar. Stir. Close the lid on the jar or cover with a cloth secured tightly with a string or rubber band.

2. Stir the contents daily.

3. After about five days, depending on your kitchen environment, the drink will start to bubble. Continue to allow it to ferment and taste it daily. During hot summer weather, I let the drink in this post ferment in the jar for eight or nine days. Warm weather speeds up the fermentation. Cold weather slows it down.

4. When you like the flavor, strain your drink through a sieve placed over a large measuring cup or a bowl. Set these berries aside. Stir the lemon juice into the drink. Use a funnel to fill clean, flip-top bottles, leaving at least 2 inches of headspace. Set the bottles aside for 2 days or longer, ideally in a box in a cool garage or cupboard to contain potential explosions. The longer the drink ferments, the more sugar the microbes will eat and the less sweet the soda will taste.

5. ALWAYS BURP YOUR BOTTLES! In other words, open the bottles just enough to release some of the carbon dioxide building up inside. You want your drink carbonated but not explosive. Burp the bottles at least every couple of days or every day if you live in a hot, humid area.

6. If, when attempting to burp your bottle, the drink begins to gush out, burp it more frequently as it continues to ferment or move it to the refrigerator where it will calm down. If you’re new to fermentation, you may want to burp your bottles outside in case they start to gush out and make a big mess.

7. If, after burping your bottle, only a small hiss of carbon dioxide escapes, burp your bottles less frequently. You don’t want so much carbon dioxide to escape that the drink becomes flat. Because strawberries tend to create lots of carbonation, you likely won’t have this problem.

8. When you’re ready to drink your soda, move the bottles to the refrigerator to chill for a few hours before serving. Your drink will continue to ferment in the refrigerator but more slowly. Over time, it will become less sweet. If you won’t drink it for a couple of weeks, burp the refrigerated bottles.

Optional, Highly Recommended Step:

1. After you strain the strawberries, you can make a smaller batch of this. The still-sweet strawberries, now teeming with those fast-reproducing bacteria and yeast, will ferment this next batch quickly and it will likely begin to bubble within a day or so. However, because the strawberries have gone through one infusion, they will render a weaker tasting drink. Make this batch more concentrated. Combine ¼ cup sugar and 2 cups of water with the reserved strawberries. Proceed as with the first infusion. My second batch has less fizz but it still tastes very good.

Dressing for the Weather

By Alexis

No matter the weather, we are on the grind and working outdoors - all year long. You would think we have a handle on being prepared for the weather everyday, but everyday the weather is unpredictable and thus is the frustration of a poorly-dressed farmer. As the year cycles through changes, we too learn to hone in on the daily task of getting dressed each morning for work. 

Some days, the prediction is a cool morning with sunshine starting around 10 am. I wear minimal layers, but then the sun decides not to visit and I end up grabbing one more layer to soothe my chilly bones. Some odd days, I will wear thicker pants in the mornings then change to lighter pants at lunch time. 

Other days, I assume it will be a dry morning and am happy to lace up my boots only to find that my short, heavy rainboots would have been ideal.  And still, there are days when the sun is in full bloom, but the wind knocks you off your feet and you need a balance of layers that is not too stifling or too light; and a hat that will not fly off my head. 

Fall is the absolute worst season to know how to dress. With cold mornings and afternoon heat, our beloved 4x4 mule turns into a 4x4 closet. Winter is a time for 2-3 wardrobe changes for me to keep warm and dry. Spring is manageable, and summer is the easiest time to get dressed on the farm. I think we're all looking forward to summer. 

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dragon Fennel

• Rhubarb Red Chard

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce and Lettuce MIx

• Cilantro and Dill

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes from https://www.justalittlebitofbacon.com

Ingredients

• 1 bunch radishes

• 1 bunch Hakurei turnips, or other mild salad turnips

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• Move the rack in the oven to the lower middle position. Place the roasting pan in the oven.

• Preheat oven to 425F.

• Slice the greens off the turnips and radishes.

• Scrub the turnips and radishes well to remove all the dirt and grit from the vegetables, and rinse the greens repeatedly until they are grit free. If you left a little bit of the stem on the radishes and turnips, make sure you clean around it well since dirt collects there.

• Cut the turnips and radishes into wedges. Halve the small ones, and quarter or sixth the larger ones.

• In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Pour the vegetables into the roasting pan, arranging them so most have a flat side down in the pan.

• Roast for 15 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables at 7 minutes.

• Dry the washed greens to remove most of the water. Roughly chop the greens into bite-sized pieces, then toss them in the large bowl with the rest of the olive oil and the salt.

• Pull the roasting pan out of the oven, turn and stir the vegetables again and then make a space for the greens. Spread out the greens in the space and return the pan to the oven.

• Roast for 5 minutes more.

Tis the season for Crying Over Kale

By AJ

Not once, but twice, in the last couple weeks I teared up over a meal. 

First, when finally eating some kale out of the field, in the form of kale salad. It was practically  transcendent. It was so tender that my mouth was trying to figure out how to cry with my eyeballs. it's always hardest in spring to find inspiration and motivation around food and eating. Things are planted, but not ready. Stores have food and I can eat, but it is lackluster. So when we finally start harvesting and eating from our fresh fields, it is such a reminder of what I have been waiting for.

The second time was when i cooked some lamb. The lamb for the season has arrived, which is always a mix of emotions for me. The animals return in cardboard boxes and plastic bags and I recall who it is that was sent off earlier in the year. I select a cut of meat and i wonder who it was and i'm sad because i miss them and feel responsible for their death. At the same time, there's no replacement for the experience of having these relationships come full circle on my plate. Which, maybe some people don't understand, And  there's no way for me to describe it to them. But the tears are sad. And happy.

From Zien Celeste:

What eating seasonally continues to teach me--
Your practices can be seasonal, like your meals.
Your journaling can belong to winter, Your wandering can belong to spring.
Consistency doesn't mean static, unchanging, fixed.
Consistency means present , committed AND evolving, 
because the world changes. 
Our bodies are built for that.
Adaptation does not equal inconsistency.
It is design. 

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 6/12 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce and Lettuce MIx

• Cilantro and Dill

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Below is a recipe from Feed the Resistance. I replace the grits with our ground corn.
And don't soak them overnight and it turns out fine.
(I am a fan using a wide-mesh strainer to sift out some of the larger skins, etc from our cornmeal)

Five Dog Farm

By Stephanie
The dogs run the show here, none of them actually working dogs, but they all show up to work everyday. They find little ways of contributing and little jobs for themselves, most importantly making me laugh and smile everyday. None of these dogs are mine, so I thought I’d share my interpretation of each dog because I love them all so much and love that they all have found a place to truly let their personalities to shine!

Rosie-
I’ll start with Rosie who we probably know pretty well. She’s the real boss around here barking everyone around especially first thing in the morning. Loves belly rubs and to be told she’s the best. Her spot is on the floor in the front of the mule (our farm vehicle) but she has to herd the mule and bark at it first before she’ll get in for a ride. That’s her job. 

Shiloh-
Lover boy Shiloh, gives the best hugs, so docile and sweet, unless you’re a rabbit and then he’s in hunting mode. In the mornings, I usually see him as a little white dot running around the far corners of the property with his tail straight up sniffing around for who knows what. Rosies usually with him, they are the best of friends.
Zeke-
Super super sweet and even more loyal. Loves AJ, loves the golf cart, loves his squeaky ball, loves going home. When AJ is doing tractor work he’ll sit on one side of the field and wait for her, and then she’ll turn around and go back the other way, and he’ll run back to the other side of the field to wait for her there

Maki-
Hot dog of the farm. Diva in the best way. Sometimes more of a cat than a dog. She love to go on walks but will hide under the bed and has to be shooed out with a broom in order to get her leash on. Also loves the golf cart, even when it’s moving. A lot of personality for one little dog.

Poppy-
Poppy came back to the farm to retire and now she spends her days napping or scouring the farm for the grossest food she can get into. Doesn’t like being pet on the head.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 6/12 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Parade Scallions

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Madeley and Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Cornmeal Brown Butter Cookies

• 10 tbsp butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 brown sugar 

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 cornmeal 

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Brown butter and let cool a little 

2. Mix all wet ingredients 

3. Mix in all dry until combined but not over mixed 

4. Chill dough at least an hour 

5. Make at 350 for at least 10 or until golden on edges. I like them a little more underdone and gooey in the middle and then I sprinkle flakey salt on top if I can remember 

Miracle soil

By Sarah

It is rare for a farmer to say that the weather has been perfect, usually there is some tweak we would like to make to it. I would not say that the current weather is perfect, I would prefer less wind, and more warmth and fog. However, this spring was pretty miraculous. It offered me a rare opportunity to learn about our soils in a new way and to witness the possibilities of tilling warm soils with moisture.

At the start of the spring, with the insanely warm March, I was definitely on edge and worried, mostly about the grass. As a general rule, I never till our fields until April 1st. If we tilled in March and then received a large dump of rain, our clay fields would not recover. By the time we did till on March 29th, the soil was on the drier side. I was worried about the breakdown of the cover crop and the subsequent tillages. Then 2 inches of rain came. The amount could not have been more perfect, just enough but not too much. And then another inch arrived after that. It was incredible. The soil looks beautiful, it is awake and alive.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 6/12 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Fennel

• Madeley Kale

• Cilantro

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Apricots from Heartwood Farms

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread available

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Strawberry Sumac Cake, from nytimes.com

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES

• 2 cups chopped hulled strawberries (1-inch pieces), plus 1 cup strawberries, halved 

• 1 teaspoon ground sumac

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup/240 milliliters plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 

• 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour

• 1 cup/152 grams stone-ground yellow cornmeal

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder 

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons/25 grams granulated sugar

• ½ cup/120 milliliters half-and-half

• ¼ teaspoon ground sumac

Prepare the strawberries: Combine the chopped strawberries, sumac, sugar and vailla extract in a small bowl and set aside to macerate, a process of letting the berries soften and release their juices.

Meanwhile, prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a springform pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and 1 cup/200 grams sugar on medium-high speed until very pale and light yellow in color, about 3 minutes. The mixture should thicken and make ribbons that slowly lose their shape when they fall off the whisk attachment. With the mixer on high speed, slowly add the remaining 1 cup/240 milliliters olive oil and beat until everything is combined.

Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly begin adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions, adding the half-and-half in between additions. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the diced strawberries and their liquid. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Arrange the halved strawberries on the top.

Bake for 65 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake is becoming too brown before the center has set, cover loosely with foil.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar with the sumac. Sprinkle the cake with the sumac sugar while still slightly warm.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan onto the rack or release the springform ring and remove it. (If using a standard cake pan, some sugar may fall off of the cake. Use parchment or wax paper to catch any stray sugar and sprinkle back over the cake.) Let cool completely before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 day (or refrigerate up to 4 days).

Summer is Coming!

By Sahar

I am so grateful to be growing food again. My hands feel at their best ending each day caked in dirt, kissed by the soil. I can feel shifts on the land as the hills grow less green and more yellow with each day, sunshowers and rainbows giving way to cloudless blue sky. Shifts on the farm as we begin planting regularly every week, the fields coming to life, cotyledons unfurled, true leaves emerging and strengthening as the plants root down and expand, drinking in water and sun, preparing to bear fruit. And in myself, I feel the swell of summer’s energy, growing along with the heat of the sun. The days grow longer, sunset a few minutes later each day, as the solstice approaches. 

Here is a little tribute to summer’s approach I wrote around this time last year: 

i count 
the extra minutes 
of sunlight 
each day, little blessings 
hold them in my hands 
let them slip through my fingers, through the warm air, towards earth 
slide them into my mouth 
roll them around 
like loquat seeds, cool and smooth, 
glossy on my tongue, 
savor the taste 
ripe and juicy, glowing 
like a long awaited peach 
holy in the thick heat 
soft and fragrant and firm in my palm 
i hold the promise, 
the certainty, 
of sweetness 
sparkling, 
sundrenched,
dripping 

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck Friday 6/12 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Lettuce Mix

• Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Strawberry Mint Mocktail

Author: Laura Mason

● 4 large fresh strawberries

● 6-8 large fresh mint leaves, torn in half

● 1⁄2 lime, freshly squeezed

● 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

● splash of club soda

1. Hull and chop the strawberries. Place them in a large glass with the torn mint leaves,

freshly squeezed lime juice, and sweetener of choice. Gently muddle the strawberry

mixture until the juices are released.

2. Next, place over the top of the strawberries then top off with club soda. Give the drink a

quick stir and enjoy.

Flowers Are In

By Celeste

Work has picked up speed this season, and right now our focus is on planting. Once the plants go in, it feels like there is never really a break until winter. After planting comes a constant wave of weeds to hoe, flowers to pinch, holes to fill in, and then more weeding again. Soon after, the focus shifts to harvesting for drying, and at that point the harvest takes priority over the weeds.

This past week we started planting the flowers. We began with poppys, larkspur, atriplex magenta, flax, feverfew, nigella, rudbekia, shiso, snapdragons, orlaya, phlox, statice, basketflower dianthus, strawflowers, basil, didiscus, ammi, and tithonia.

Today we planted sunflowers — Garden Anarchy, Darjeeling, and Sungold — along with zinnias before lunch.

Currently, we are working on the herb beds with Sacred basil, Marshmallows, Red clover, Marjoram, and Ashwagandha.

This week the PYO beds will also be planted with ground cherries, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

Reminder:

Once you begin picking from the annual field, I would prefer that dogs not enter the field in order to prevent them from relieving themselves near the vegetables or herb beds. If it is necessary for your dog to stay by your side, please make sure they are leashed and kept next to you at all times. Please also remember to pick up after your dog.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: Potluck this Friday 5/14 at 6 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Fresh Garlic

• Mei Qing and Prize Choi

• Lettuce Mix

• Parsley

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Mexican Picadillo Recipe, from chilipeppermadness.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 8 ounces yellow potatoes about 3-4 small, diced

• 1 medium yellow onion chopped

• 1 jalapeno pepper chopped

• 1 serrano pepper chopped (optional, for spicier)

• 2 cloves garlic chopped

• 1 pound ground beef (you can use other ground meats, like chicken, turkey or pork)

• 2 large tomatoes chopped

• 3/4 cup beef stock (or use chicken or vegetable stock)

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

FOR SERVING: Cooked rice or warmed tortillas, sliced peppers, chili flakes, fresh lime juice, hot sauce

Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion and peppers and cook them down for 5 minutes to soften.

Stir in the garlic and ground beef. Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon and brown it up for 5 minutes. The meat doesn't need to be cooked all the way through.

Stir in the tomatoes, stock, and seasonings and reduce the heat to simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes to cook through and let the potatoes soften up.

Serve over cooked rice or with tortillas with extra peppers, spicy chili flakes and lime juice! Don’t forget your favorite hot sauce.

The Roses Welcome You to a New Farm Season

By Kelsey

Every spring, I have a moment when I think, Oh boy. It came sooner than usual this year, about mid-April rather than mid-May, as we had a warmer than usual winter. Suddenly, it feels like everything needs to be done all at once. The soil is dry enough to work, the starts we sowed in January are ready to get in the ground, and so we need to prepare the beds and plant. Meanwhile the land swells with grass and dock and vetch and it seems impossible for these plants to grow so fast but they do! They grow so much faster than I can pull them! And also, how are the oats and mints and nettles ready to harvest already? Phew. I always feel some resistance in my body as we transition from winter to spring, like a rusty gear shift. But this year, the early rose blooms have cushioned the change for me. Many times over the last few weeks, when I've felt overwhelmed by the big push that spring requires, I've looked at the rose bushes and thought, But these roses, though! They are unfazed by the early spring. They are joyful, generous, and surging with life. They don't cling to the cozy dormancy of winter, they stretch to meet the sun and eagerly open up in its warmth. In doing so, they offer a message: You've got this. Welcome to a new farm season.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: All Member Meeting Thursday May 7th 6:30 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Green Garlic

• Scallions

• Mei Qing Choi

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Strawberries

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Vanilla Rose Sugar Scrub, from schisandraandbergamot.com

• 2 cups organic cane sugar or any granulated sugar of choice

• 1 cup sweet almond oil or any carrier oil of choice (coconut, olive, etc.)

• 1 tablespoon crushed dried rose petals

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract

• 10 drops rose absolute essential oil or rose water

  In a medium mixing bowl combine the sugar, oil, rose petals, vanilla bean powder and rose essential oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until all the sugar is thoroughly soaked with oil and the mixture smells richly fragrant.

  Keep stored in a lidded glass jar or container for up to 6 months.

  Note: If you don't have a dehydrator, you can dry rose petals at home by arranging them in a single layer on paper towels and placing them in a dark, dry place for several days until they are completely dry. Then I like to grind them with a coffee grinder that I use specifically for herbs (so that my herbs don't end up tasting like coffee).

Lingering in Happiness

By Alyssa

I don’t have much in the way of farm news for you this week. I just returned home from a two-week trip, and immediately fell ill. I am feeling almost back to normal now, but still re-learning the goings on of the farm. I am always amazed how much changes in a week or two, especially in the spring – shorn sheep, open fields, the hot house taking shape, new crew members to get to know.

It’s been a little blessing to come home to all this rain. It’s felt steady and gentle, especially after such a dry and sunny winter. I’ve always loved the rain, but each year I love it a little more. I keep wondering if there will be a ceiling to my appreciation, but as yet I haven’t reached it. I’ve shared it before, but it feels so appropriate today; please bear with me while I offer again my favorite rain poem:

Lingering in Happiness

by Mary Oliver

After rain after many days without rain,

it stays cool, private and cleansed, under the trees,

and the dampness there, married now to gravity,

falls branch to branch, leaf to leaf, down to the ground

where it will disappear – but not, of course, vanish

except to our eyes. The roots of the oaks will have their share

and the white threads of the grasses, and the cushion of moss;

a few drops, round as pearls, will enter the mole’s tunnel;

and soon so many small stones, buried for a thousand years,

will feel themselves being touched.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: All Member Meeting Thursday May 7th 6:30 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Green Garlic

• Scallions

• Asparagus

• Fava Beans

• Mei Qing Choi

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro and Parlsey

• Tetsukabota Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I’ve adapted the chicken noodle soup recipe from smitten kitchen (https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/01/my-ultimate-chicken-noodle-soup/) to use with our stewing hens. I use a pressure cooker for the hen, but you can cook her all day on the stove as well.

For the broth

• 1 stewing hen

• Additional chicken bones or necks if I have some in the freezer

• 1 onion, halved

• 1 leek, cut lengthwise

• 2 smashed cloves of garlic

• 1 carrot

• 1 parsnip

• 1 little celeriac

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 sprig fresh thyme

• a pinch of chili powder or chili flakes

• 1 bay leaf

Place all ingredients in a large Instant Pot, crock pot, or stock pot. If using the Instant Pot, pressure cook on high for 90 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. For the crockpot, or on the stove, cook on low or let simmer until the meat falls off the bones. Skim off any scum that forms.

When the hen is tender, strain the broth and pick the carcass. Freeze the bones for your next soup/stock.

For the soup

• 2 carrots, diced or sliced

• 1 parsnip, diced

• 1 leek or onion, diced

• 1 celeriac, diced

• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

• soup noodles of your choice – I like little shells

Cook your noodles separately – I only cook enough noodles for what I want to eat that day. Ladle into your serving bowl.

In a dutch oven or stock pot, briefly sauté the alliums and roots in a little olive oil, or skimmed fat from your broth. Add the broth and the chicken. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and/or a little apple cider vinegar to taste. Ladle into your bowl with the noodles, and enjoy!

Opening Up

By Ali

The past few weeks on the farm have been filled with an invigorating momentum that has revived a lot of life in me that felt dormant through winter. It has been really special to start working the CSA shift and to see how much of an impact all of the hardworking hands on the farm are having on the community. Every time I am in the barn, I am reminded of how much effort and intention it took for it to come together, and it feels really nice to share that gratitude with members too. It’s sweet to see families and kids enjoying the beauty of the land and the food. It’s been a really important full circle moment for me that has expanded my perspective.

I can be slow to warm up to new communities, and for a while I wasn’t sure if I would ever truly feel like I was part of this farm. But recently, through more integration and warm interactions, I feel more like myself every day. In some ways it feels like the land is opening up and I am too. 

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: All Member Meeting Thursday May 7th 6:30 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Green Garlic

• Scallions

• Asparagus

• Fava Beans

• Mei Qing Choi

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro and Parlsey

• Tetsukabota Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Green Garlic Chimichurri

Author: Emily Paster

Recipe type: Condiment

Cuisine: South American

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  10 mins

A bright, garlicky sauce for grilled meats

INGREDIENTS

• 6 stalks green garlic washed, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 2 cups lightly packed flat-leaf parsley

• 6 TB extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the green garlic, parsley, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.

2. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture forms a paste.

3. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

4. Best if prepared ahead of time to allow flavors to develop. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Serve with grilled meat.

Zeke

By AJ

Most of you have already met or seen Zeke, the new addition to the dog clan here. I meant to introduce him the last time i wrote the blog, but was distracted by sheep happenings.

This is Zeke! He is a 3-5 year old rescued German Shepherd. I don't know his whole story but he was abandoned, picked up as a stray in bakersfield, and transferred around several times over a month or two until he landed here. He is a very sweet and mellow guy and has acclimated well. He IS a 75 pound dog, however, and I am mindful of how I engage with his energy, as 75 pounds of rambunctious with teeth is not everyone's speed. He mostly wants to be with me but is happy to say hi and get gentle pets.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: All Member Meeting Thursday May 7th 6:30 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

There was a fairly hard frost last Thursday that knocked back the asparagus. We hope to have it again next week.

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Yaya Carrots (last week - limited amounts)

• Hablange Parsnips

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Fava Beans

• Rhubarb Chard

• Fava Greens (Remove from the stalk and cook like spinach or eat it raw!)

• Radicchio

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Tetsukabota and Butternut Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Pappardelle with Fava Bean Leaf Pesto, Fava Beans, from food52.com

The pasta

•     10 ounce fresh pappardelle pasta

•     1 pound wild Pacific salmon

•     1 ½ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

•     ½ + cup fava bean leaf pesto

•     1 ½ cup shelled fava beans

•     1 tablespoon butter

•     1 tablespoon olive oil

•     ¼ + cup pasta water

•     salt and pepper to taste

•     ½ the juice of ½ lemon

•     ½ cup freshly grated parmasean cheese

Fava Bean Leaf Pesto

•    4 cup fava leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped

•     1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

•     ½ cup pine nuts , roasted

•     ½ cup freshly grated parmasean cheese

•     ½ cup Olive Oil

•     1-2 + tablespoon lemon juice

•     salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large pot of water for the beans and the pasta. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.

Shell the fava beans, put them in the boiling water for about a minute. Rinse under cold water, cool and pop the skin of the beans. Add 1 tsp.salt to the pasta water.

Put the salmon in a pan , dot with a tablespoon of butter and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Sprinkle with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Bake for about 12-14 minutes ( depending on the thickness of the salmon) in a preheated oven. I still want a little pinkness in the center of the salmon. Tear or cut into pieces discarding the skin.

While the salmon is cooking bring the salted pasta water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the pasta in a sieve preserving some of the water.

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for a couple of minutes, adding some salt. Add the fava beans and pasta. Mix with the pesto and pasta water, making sure the noodles are well coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the pasta on warmed dinner plates, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and top with the salmon.

Fava Bean Leaf Pesto

Chop the garlic in a food processor until finely minced. Add the fava leaves, pine nuts , lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt.

While the food processor is running , drizzle in olive oil until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Scrap down the sides if necessary . Season with salt and pepper.

Warm Seed Pod

By Stephanie

We made it through winter. It snuck up on me as I was relaxing, enjoying the rest and slower pace that winter brings, but now it is spring. And it feels like spring. The energy of the new season is budding with new crew members starting and this being the first week of tilling. And while it feels like momentum is starting to build and I can’t help get excited about the bounty this season will bring, I am trying to remind myself that we are not there yet, and for now we must enjoy the slow growth that we are in now. Mostly, I’ve been trying to tell this to myself about where I am at in life right now, but I also do think it applies to the farm. Goodbye warm seed pod of winter, I’m unfurling, my head is peaking out of the cold soil to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. See you after fall, when I am tired, dry, and droopy and ready to crawl back into your warmth.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Event: All Member Meeting Thursday May 7th 6:30 pm

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Hablange Parsnips

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Asparagus

• Fava Beans

• Rhubarb Chard

• Fava Greens (Remove from the stalk and cook like spinach or eat it raw!)

• Radicchio

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabota and Butternut Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Roasted Carrots with Harissa Onions, Almonds & Manchego, from asterpantry.com

For the carrots

• 1 pound carrots, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the onions

• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons harissa

• ½ teaspoon paprika

To serve

• ½ cup  almonds or hazelnuts

• 6 ounces manchego 

• orange zest

Preheat the oven to 425°F with the fan on.

Roast the carrots. Toss the carrots in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until deeply caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. 

Make the onions. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and onions. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are very brown. The goal is to soften the onions and create a bit of char but avoid burning them to the point of bitterness. This will take about 15 minutes. If the onions start sticking, add a bit more olive oil. When the onions are deeply browned, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining ingredients. Cook for another 10 minutes, reducing the heat further if the mixture begins to scorch. Set aside.

Plate. Divide the carrots amongst shallow bowls or salad plates. Cover with the onions. Use a microplane to grate a few rasps of orange zest over each plate. Sprinkle with almonds and cover with grated cheese.

Calendula

By Alexis

A few years ago, while wwoofing at my first farm, I had my first plant-spirit interaction. Calendula was the first herb that truly spoke to me. Her greeting felt tender and sweet. At the time I was also learning more about the Greek goddess Artemis and somehow also found out that calendula is one of her ally plants. This synchronization marveled me and I have held a soft spot in my heart for calendula since then. When on my way to interview at Open Field I stopped to let my dog stretch his legs, and sure enough there was a field of wild calendula - this place would be my new home, she said.

Since my first wwoof farm, I have learned quite a bit about medicinal herbs and have learned even more working here and with Kelsey. Still, this year I took it upon myself to enroll in herb school - at the California school of herbal studies, aka the school Rosemary Gladstar founded. I am excited to continue learning and improving my herbal skills. I hope one day to travel to Latin America and the Caribbean to learn plant medicine there as well - (I have Cuban ancestry and my husband is from Colombia). 

With this hot spring climate, we are already beginning to harvest and plant new babies. I am ready to take this all in again and be more intentional with my work. Usually Tulsi and Lemon Balm make up the bulk of the harvest, but this season we are hoping to harvest more of the other herbs as well - exciting!  

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Hablange Parsnips

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Fennel

• Scallions

• Asparagus

• Rhubarb Chard

• Fava Greens (Remove from the stalk and cook like spinach or eat it raw!)

• Castelfranco and Radicchio

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabota and Butternut Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds bonelss chicken thighs, or legs and thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium red onion, cut in half and sliced from root to top

• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• 1/3 cup dried currants

• 1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, ass the chicken pieces, spreading them in a single layer. Cook them undisturbed until the bottoms of the chunks brown lightly, about 3 minutes. Scrape the chicken pieces loose with a spatula, stir them around, and cook them another 3 minutes, stirring several more times, to lightly brown the other sides. Slide the chicken out of the pan onto a warm platter.

Adjust the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and the rosemary to the skillet and cook until they become limp, about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to dissolve the browned layer on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the lemon zest, currants, olives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a few grindings of black pepper, and the browned chicken. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or unitl the chicken is tender.

Uncover the pan and increase the heat to high. Stir in the lemon juice, and cook until the sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the meat with a glaze, 2-3 minutes. Serve while hot.

Daffodils & Cornmeal

By Celeste

I think daffodils are underrated. There’s something about those late winter, early spring blooms—the kind that show up when everything still feels a little quiet—that I really love.

Last season, the daffodil patch turned into a big project Kelsey and I spent time choosing which new varieties we wanted to bring onto the farm. We were a bit late getting into the winter flower market, so our options were limited, but we worked with what we had and made thoughtful choices.

Planting was a full team effort. Everyone helped get the bulbs in the ground, and it wasn’t something we could rush. Each one had to be placed just right—roots down, top up, making sure none were soft or rotten, and planted about six inches deep. Afterward, we covered the entire patch with around 25 hay bales. It needed to be thick and fluffy, properly insulated for the colder stretch ahead. The dogs definitely approved of that part—they claimed it as their resting spot almost immediately, just sprawled out and snoring like they had done all the work.

Daffodils always feel like a marker of transition. They’re one of the first signs that things are shifting again—longer days, warmer soil, a reset of sorts. There’s a quiet kind of meaning in that, a reminder that change doesn’t have to be loud to be real.

Spiritually, daffodils are often seen as symbols of renewal, new beginnings, and inner reflection. Because they bloom at the edge of winter, they carry this sense of quiet resilience—pushing through cold ground to return again. They’re also tied to the idea of self-awareness and transformation, a reminder to turn inward, take stock, and grow from where you are before stepping into what’s next.

On another note—we’ve got cornmeal.

Last week I started processing the dried kernels, and this batch is something I’m really proud of. It’s clean, simple, and carefully handled. We don’t process flour and kernels in the same machine, so there’s no flour residue or cross-contamination to worry about.

I’ll be honest, I don’t usually bake cornbread myself. But I do love it—especially when Sarah makes it. It’s one of my favorite things (among many others, of course).

Cornmeal is one of those ingredients that can go a lot of different ways. Of course there’s cornbread, but it’s also great for things like polenta, crispy coatings for fried vegetables or fish, corn muffins, pancakes, or even a simple dusting for baking trays. It’s versatile in a way that feels both practical and comforting.

Our first batch is ready for you to enjoy today.

Perfect Cornbread

www.inspiredtaste.net/51434/cornbread/itr_print/

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (56g)

• 1 cup fine or medium ground cornmeal (138g)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)

• 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (67g)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 cup whole milk or well-shaken buttermilk (236ml)

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (60ml)

• 1 large egg

Heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter.

Prepare butter: Melt the butter, and then set it aside to cool slightly.

Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.

Mix wet ingredients: Whisk the milk (or buttermilk) with three tablespoons of vegetable oil and the egg.

Make the batter: Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with cornmeal and flour. Gently stir or whisk until the batter is mostly combined. Add the melted butter, and then stir until the batter is blended.

Let the batter sit: Set the cornbread batter aside for 10 minutes before baking. If you’re waiting to preheat your oven, now is an excellent time to turn it on.

Preheat skillet: Two to three minutes before baking the cornbread, place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch baking pan in the oven to heat.

Bake cornbread: Carefully remove the hot cast iron pan or baking dish from the oven. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and swirl it around the pan. Then, carefully add the batter to the oiled pan. Smooth the top, and then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cornbread to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• First week of Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes

• Merlin Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Hablange Parsnips

• Verdonnet Leeks

• Rutabaga

• Mars Celeriac

• Rhubarb Chard

• Fava Greens (Remove from the stalk and cook like spinach or eat it raw!)

• Castelfranco and Radicchio

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabota and Butternut Winter Squash

• Pie Pita Pumpkins (The flesh is great for pies and the seeds are super delicious!)

• Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Fresh cornmeal

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Apollo Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

• Open Field Farm Swag!