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Lexington Community Farm
52 Lowell Street, Lexington, MA |
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Translation
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What's in Your CSA Share this Week
Summer CSA Week 18
- Collards or Kale
- Leeks
- Parsley or Thai Basil
- Celeriac stalks (essentially celery!) or Fennel
From Riverland Farm
From Atlas Farm
Pick Your Own (PYO) this week
- Cherry Tomatoes or Green Beans
- Hot peppers or Shishitos
Flower CSA week 12! (last week!)
If you signed up for a flower share, please visit the farmstand during open hours for details on where to harvest and how to harvest your flowers for the week. Bring your own clippers!
All produce is certified organic, unless specified otherwise.
All items are subject to change. We make our best guess about which veggies will be ready to harvest and when, but sometimes the weather and other factors do not cooperate.
Bring bags to take home your veggies!
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Fresh in the Farm Store
This week we have fall strawberry plantings available in front of the farm stand! The cooler weather and slower pace of fall and winter make it the perfect time to plan your summer garden. We also have seeds and fertilizer available for sale in the cozy farm stand.
LexFarm Grown
Tomatoes - Cherry, Slicing, Plum, Heirloom
Herbs - Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Rosemary
Eggplant - Fairytale, Italian, Asian
Peppers - Shishito, Bell, Poblano, Jalapeno
Greens - Chard, Kale, Collards
Scallions
Leeks
Fennel
Husk Cherries
Lemongrass
Green Beans
Vermont and Massachusetts Grown Produce
cauliflower
butternut squash
red potatoes
russet potatoes
delicata squash
spaghetti squash
plums*
raspberries*
heirloom apples*
pears*
* indicates it is not organic.
Everything is certified organic, unless stated otherwise.
Farm Stand Hours
Wednesday, 2 pm - 7 pm
Thursday, 2 pm - 7 pm
Friday, 2 pm - 7 pm
Saturday, 9 am – 2 pm
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What to Cook this Week - Egg Bake
LexFarm friends and supporters have enjoyed this dish over the past 6 years at our annual donor brunch. One can source all ingredients (except pantry staples) with a trip to our farmstand. It’s great for brunch entertaining because you do all the prep the night before, and simply pop into the oven in the morning.
Serves 6-8
From the LexFarm fields:
1 bunch Swiss Chard (or substitute kale, collards, or spinach)
1 medium onion (finely grated)
From the LexFarm farmstand:
1 Bread Obsession Durum Levain loaf*
8 eggs (Codman Community Farm)
3 cups whole milk (Crescent Ridge)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (Smith's Cheddar)
5 tablespoons butter plus more for baking dish (Cowbella Butter)
From the pantry:
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Butter bottom and sides of 13x9 inch baking dish.
2. Remove Swiss chard leaves from stems (save the stems for a different dish) and cut into 1-inch wide ribbons. Sauté on medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter until soft, approximately 3 minutes**.
3. Slice Durum Levain loaf into approximately 10 slices, spread remaining butter over one side of each slice. Cut bread into 1-inch pieces, and scatter half of bread evenly in prepared dish.
4. Shred cheddar and sprinkle half on top of the bread, followed by half of the sautéed chard.
5. Repeat with remaining bread, cheese and chard.
6. Whisk eggs in large bowl until combined, then whisk in milk, grated onion, salt, pepper and mustard.
7. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and press lightly on bread to submerge.
STORE:
Wrap dish tightly with beeswax wrap, or lid, and refrigerate for between 8-24 hours.
SERVE:
Remove from refrigerator approximately 2 hours from serving, let rest to room temperature for 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350. Unwrap and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.
* Or substitute any loaf of high quality white or even sourdough bread (not seeded) or 10 slices of white sandwich bread.
**Kale/collards will take longer (approximately 6 minutes), spinach will take shorter (approximately 1 minute.)
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Notes From The Field
Everything on the farm is giving one last burst of energy. As the days shorten they can sense that the first frost is near. Their goal is to produce seeds before then, but with less sunlight each day they grow slower and slower. Most plants need more than 10 hours of sunlight a day in order to grow. that day is fast approaching and will come in mid-October. It's called the Persephone Period, referring to the Greek goddess of nature and her annual return to Hades that causes the earth to go barren for the winter months.
Farming in the winter is a race against daylight. Everything that we need for November and December for our farmstand and our winter CSA is growing right now. It will all finish growing around next week and our goal is to keep it alive and pest free until it's time to harvest in a few months. Some things won't size up in time and will be left behind, and some look so big and bountiful now it takes a lot of restraint not to harvest them.
As our plants give out one last burst of energy for the season, so do we. It's a busy week here at the farm. We are skinning our new hoop house, harvesting storage crops, getting a new fridge up and running, and doing the last weeding of the season (hopefully).
-Miranda |
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Fall Youth Program - A few spots left in these session 2 classes
LexFarm youth programs offer many opportunities for hands-on learning and play in a beautiful farm setting. Based in the LexFarm learning garden, our classes expose children to all aspects of the growing cycle: planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting. We explore the wildlife at the Arlington reservoir, and visit with the animals at neighboring Silk Fields Farm. This coming fall we're excited to expand our offerings to serve children age 2 through 3rd grade and extending our season by running classes through early December. For questions, email Education@LexFarm.org.
Join us for outdoor adventures on the farm this fall, and read more on our offerings here.
Farm Explorers - Tuesday Afternoon Session 2, 4-6 yo, 2:45-4:45, 6 wks, 10/25-12/6, 1 spot left
Farm Explorers - Thursday Morning Session 2, 4-6 yo, 10-11:30, 6 wks, 10/27-12/8, 3 spots
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Final Puppet Show in the Learning Garden!
Let Margaret Moody Puppets carry you into different worlds with the flip of a hand. Join us at LexFarm for a family fun event!
The Trolls and the Tree
Two trolls agree to take care of the fairies' woodland garden. But when there's not enough space for their breakfast nook, what should they keep -- their deluxe toaster or the fairies' cherished tree? Margaret Moody Puppets will delight with an interactive environmental puppet show accompanied by Arlington musician Peter Lehman on lute. Best for ages 5 to 10, 35 minutes.
Date: Saturday, 10/22 (rain date 10/23) 
Time: 10:30am
Location: LexFarm Learning Garden
Purchase tickets by credit card or cash at the event: $5/person or $15 max per family
Cohosted by Arlington Mothers Out Front
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We Had a Wonderful Annual Harvest Festival This Past Sunday!
Thank you to our participants
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Food vendors: Del Sur Empanadas, Tubb's Doughnuts and Rancatore's
- Katie of Two Aprons Cookery Cooking Demo
- Local band Backpocket
- Jessica Roseman, our Artist in Residence and choreographer of the Nourish program
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FoodLink, our partner in hunger relief
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The Goldinger family, owners of Silk Fields Farm
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Our staff: Farmers Allison, Miranda, Kat, BJ and Elise, Farmstand staff Alexandra and Maya, Educators Rachel, Wendy and Alex, Bookkeeper Chamara and our Executive Director, Pam
- Our wonderful high school volunteers
- Our wonderful adult volunteers: Board members plus Jeremy, Sabine, Jackie and Janet!
   
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Volunteer to Glean
Gleaning means to gather leftover produce after a harvest. Surplus produce sometimes remains in the fields, where it is eaten by animals, damaged by pests or spoils.
This summer, we invited a small, group of volunteers to rescue surplus food after Friday’s harvest. Our farmers identify the veggies or herbs available and instruct us on how to harvest them. The results were beets, broccolini, cucumbers, eggplant, swiss chard, zucchini and basil, all delivered to the Lexington Food Pantry.
Your help is needed. This is a "bite-sized" volunteer activity (2 hours) that is incredibly rewarding and has an immediate impact. Contact volunteer@lexfarm.org to learn when there's food available to glean.
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LexFarm at Lexington Farmers Market 2022 Sustainability Day
We were invited to participate in LFM's 2nd Annual Sustainability Day Tuesday, September 20, 2022. LFM hosted local sustainability groups and organizations focused on composting, zero waste and green transportation, while offering up community actions and opportunities that one could engage with right here in Lexington. It was a great way to learn how one could contribute to a more sustainable future by supporting local food, farms and farmers’ markets, taking action to reduce ones carbon footprint, and implementing simple strategies to make a difference in your local community.
We are happy that the Select Board read a proclamation naming LexFarm and Lexington Farmers' Market as playing essential roles in the local sustainable food system.
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Update on the New Hoop House-We Need Many Volunteers This Thursday!
Looking for as many volunteers as we can get to help us skin the roof.
Thursday, 10/6, 9 am - 1 pm.
We are making progress on the hoop house, funded through an award from the Massachusetts Food Security Infrastructure Grant program to strengthen the local food supply and to address food insecurity.
We've installed the ground posts, and built and connected the hoops.
There is still more work that needs to be done
- Install ridge vent drive system (with rented boom)
- Build baseboards, bracing struts
- Install end walls, fans, doors, etc.
- "Skin" the roof with plastic sheeting-happening this week!
If you are 18+ and can participate in any of these activities, we would really appreciate your help! However, most of the work is being done weekday mornings. If you know which end of a screwdriver to hold - you are qualified!
Please contact markm@lexfarm.org if you can make it.
Here's a photo of the new hoop house taken 2 days ago.
Below is a photo of the reskinning our present hoop house in 2020:
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Help Plan the Future of Lexington’s Open Space and Recreation
The Conservation and Recreation Departments are updating Lexington’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP). It is important that they hear from folks who are interested in preserving and maintaining agricultural land, especially LexFarm.
Two Ways to Share Your Voice --
Community Survey (Lexington residents only)
The Community Survey is now available to all Lexington residents. The survey covers many spaces in Lexington. Note your interest in LexFarm or agricultural land whereever it makes sense. Survey responses will play a significant role in future planning.
Email (Residents of Lexington or surrounding communities)
The survey does not provide fields for comments so if you'd like to provide additional feedback to the Town regarding LexFarm, please email conservationcomm@lexingtonma.gov. If you live outside of Lexington, consider sharing how much you value LexFarm as well.
Include the following information: your relationship(s) with LexFarm (member, shareholder, customer, volunteer, etc.), years of residence in Lexington (if applicable), and what LexFarm means to you. If you are not a Lexington resident, be sure to provide your town of residence.
Some people have described the farm as a gem or oasis. Others have mentioned the importance of local food, a working farm, sustainable farming practices, organic produce. And, still others have emphasized a sense of community.
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Visit LexFarm at Discovery Day - Rescheduled for October 8
Lexington Discovery Day (rained out in May) is rescheduled for Saturday, October 8 from 10 am tp 3 pm. Join us as we take over Mass Ave in Lexington Center for a day of music, games, entertainment, food, and fun!
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LexDoingGood Community Event on October 22
 Fun and free! We invite you to join LexFarm at the Community Endowment of Lexington (CEL) on October 22, from 10 AM- 1 PM for LexDoingGood, a first of its kind community event at the Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road Lexington, spotlighting the people and organizations working to make Lexington a better place to live and work. Performances from local arts groups—including Lexington ChamberMusic Center, SNAP, and the William Diamond Fife & Drum Corps—will be held throughout the afternoon. Free and open to everyone. Hope to see you there!
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Visiting the Farm
The community is always welcome to walk around our farm between dawn and dusk. Our fields connect Lowell Street to Silk Fields Farm, the Arlington Reservoir walking path, and the ACROSS Lexington D path. Many birds overwinter on our farm, and a list of recent species spotted can be found here. Come visit!
A few farm guidelines -- Please stay on farm roads and respect the farm rules, listed on our info kiosk. Refrain from touching the crops or equipment. Please do not visit the farm if you are not feeling well. Unfortunately we cannot allow dogs on the farm, so it's best to leave your four-legged friends at home.
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Contact Us
For general inquiries about the organization and the farm, email info@lexfarm.org.
For the CSA, email csa@lexfarm.org.
For the farm store, email farmstand@lexfarm.org.
For education classes, email education@lexfarm.org.
For volunteering, email volunteer@lexfarm.org.
Please know we do our best to respond in a timely fashion, but are in the fields more than we are at our computers and sometimes our response time is delayed.
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