Week 20 - Last week of the Summer CSA

It’s hard to believe the season is nearly over! It was a cool, wet start this spring but we found our stride by mid summer, and we’ve had some really nice crops this fall. I’ve appreciated getting to know many of you in the shareroom and really enjoying welcoming everyone to the farm each week. With the season coming to a close next week, we will be saying goodbye to our full season farm crew soon. I like to extend them a huge thanks for all their efforts this season and I hope you do as well!  

Renewals for the 2018 CSA season are now open for current members. The price of the CSA & number of weeks will remain the same for 2018: $650 for the season, starting in early June and running for 20 weeks. We will continue with the same volume-based system by which members fill a canvas tote bag each week. Primary shareholders received an email this week with the link for signups. If you haven’t receive an email, please contact us at appletonfarmscsa@thetrustees.org or call 978-356-5728 ext. 4115.

Winter CSA signups are still open. A typical share features a mix of storage crops like winter squash, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, popcorn, and fresh vegetables like head lettuce, kale, spinach, and arugula. The three pickups, which feature quite a bit more volume than our summer share, are on Fridays 2-6pm in November and December: November 17, December 1, December 15. Sign up online at  www.thetrustees.org/appletonwinter

This week the share will include:

Greens

Spinach

Head lettuce

Escarole

Fennel

Kale

Collards

Rainbow chard

Radish

Kohl rabi

Cabbage

Carrots

Potatoes

Buttercup squash

Long island cheese pumpkin

Herbs - PYO

Corn stalks - PYO

Despite our best efforts to keep a good stash of scissors for the pick your own field, every week many go missing. I’d like to encourage you to bring your own scissors if you plan on picking.

Just a reminder, we only allow one pickup per week but the choice of day is up to you. If you cannot make it for one of the weeks, you can always send a friend to pick up your share for you. Please remember to bring your tote bags! The shareroom is open Monday & Thursday 2-7pm, Tuesday and Friday 12-5pm

Fall Cheese Share and Holiday Cheese Boxes 

We will be offering a shorter cheese share in November and December and taking orders for the Holiday Cheese Boxes.   We will have a few seasonal cheeses.  Details at the Store soon.  

Neil Young Cover Band, Rust Never Sleeps, Concert - October 22

Join us for our annual Down on the Farm Fall Concert Series at Appleton Farms! These family-friendly concerts will feature live music, food trucks, lawn games, and an opportunity to meet our dairy cows and farm animals. The series kicks off on Sunday, 

Bring your own picnic or purchase food from Joe's on a Roll and CopperDome Pizza.  Beer and wine will also be available for purchase from Ipswich Ale and Old Planters Brewing.

Gates open at 4pm and concert starts at 5pm. Leaf-peeping and family photo opportunities among the foliage in our historic Stone Paddock a bonus!

Cooking Classes and Private Events

Appleton Farm House is a great place to host book club or a small family birthday party.  We rent the kitchen and farm table space or can arrange a private cooking class.   Contact us:   screighton@thetrustees.org  

Trick or Treat:  Sunday Oct 29 2-4

Grab your best (non-scary) costume and join us for some trick-or-treating in the farmyard! Go for a walk through our barn and around the stone paddock to collect candy. Meet the animals, make a Halloween craft, and enjoy music, hot cider and cider doughnuts. Bring your pre-carved pumpkin from home to light up our carriage barn. Participants can vote for the "best of" in a number of categories and winners will be announced at the end of the event. 

An adult must attend with children at no additional cost. Please let us know if there are any allergies and we will do our best to accommodate with available candy. 

Like Cheese?  Learn how to make Mozzarella at home! 

Spend a morning or an evening  with Appleton’s own cheese maker, Kristian Holbrook, for a hands-on cheese making class in our farm kitchen.  You’ll learn all the basics of making soft cheeses, make your own mozzarella and ricotta to take home, and get a tour of our dairy operation and cheese caves. Kristian will cover all the basics of cheese making and teach you exactly how to make delicious fresh cheese at home. Next cleass is November 18th, but it makes a great outing for a book club!   contact screighton@thetrustees.org to arrange a special class. 

Or.... spend a day in the Creamery:  Oct 26 or Nov 10. sign up at the store or on line.

News from the Farm Store

Milk bottling on Wednesday this week.  

Now you can keep the taste of Appleton tomatoes all season long.  Our own tomato puree is now in the store. 

Alprilla flour, freshly milled in Essex, is back!   It is fresh and seasonal.   We will be ordering it weekly so let us know if you want a special order.   The flour comes in 2 and 5 pound bags.   Cornmeal will be coming later this fall.  

A&J King breads & pastries are delivered daily Mon-Sat. 

Pure Pastry are freshly baked Thursdays.  Pure Pastry product is refrigerated so keeps well through Saturday. 

We have several new items including toys and puzzles -- great farm related gifts!

Regular store hours are M-F 11 to 6 and Sat and Sun 10-4.