As some may have seen, Codman Farm chickens were in the news this week! A Boston Globe reporter was inspired to undertake a chicken roasting taste test after a friend of hers RAVED and RAVED (and RAVED) about how awesome our chickens are. Seriously. If you are reading this, you already know this to be true about our chickens (and eggs, and pork and beef, and veggies...might as well just admit we are fantastic growers!). Anyway, this entire taste test and story occurred because of our great chickens, and so the reporter decided to see if her friend was right in his proclamation that our birds are the best. Unfortunately, it seems the test was a bit flawed - but it's all good. Let me explain.
Firstly, bigly, and it should be duly noted, and reiterated...and emphasized...and mentioned one last time... that all chickens are not created equal! I believe that while the taste test, as performed, was supposed to be comparing similar birds, in fact, this assumption was the fatal flaw in this story. As a farmer, it is very hard to read stories like this where it is assumed, that all chickens are essentially of the same ilk, and commoditized.
Each year we look forward to calving season. And for some reason, in the past I seem to recall it going off without much of a hitch. Perhaps it's old age, but I seem to remember we used to just wake up in the morning and, boom, there would appear a beautiful healthy calf nursing from it's momma. And then another would appear, and another, and so on. Well, over the past three years it hasn't always gone this way. We have had an assortment of challenges from these beautiful Red Devon cows. Last year we had a calf born mostly blind and unable to nurse (with antibiotics to clear the eye infection and lots of bottle feeding, the calf survived), and we have had other calves breached that didn't end well. But this week was a bit different...
Since spring is coming...and last weeks movie was such a hit...
we put together this fun teaser about the season to come...enjoy!
ONE MORE MONTH OF WINTER!
It's another wintry week in New England! The Farm Store is relatively quiet on these days but it remains packed full of great Codman meats, eggs, and lots of local produce...as much as New England can offer in the heart of winter. Don't forge FRESH BREAD continues every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays!
In lieu of a writer and a story this week, you get a director and a very short film. Figured everyone would benefit from seeing some lush pastures, healthy animals and peak at what lies just a few months from now. Enjoy.
With spring on the way, we are busy getting the greenhouse interior set up and ready to roll. Every week new supplies are arriving, including all the material to build our new greenhouse tables. Kari and Jared are busy constructing the tables and Kari is putting the finishing touches on her master garden plan. It's only a matter of days before we fire up the greenhouse and get the season started! It's an exciting time to finally have plans for a vibrant vegetable and flower garden this year.
BREWERS CRACKERS
This week I reached out to Kyle Fiasconaro, owner of Brewers Crackers, to ask him about his company, why he started it and why he is passionate about his company and products. There are few food entrepreneurs out there as passionate about their mission as Kyle is so I'm going to actually copy some of what he wrote to me, so everyone can get a taste of Karls's passion. We are proud to partner with Kyle as his products are not only super local and super tasty, but he is committed to sustainability and making the world a better place. Our kind of guy, our kind of business!
Keep an eye out for this new brewer's cracker chips in the weeks to come!
"Our goal at Brewer's Crackers is of course to fight food waste by creating a delicious, sustainable product using the used grain from craft breweries, But in my eyes, it is so much more. It may take years or it may take decades but my mission is much larger. My dream is to be able to produce a variety of nutritious and thoughtful food products for people all over the world using brewer's grain and eventually operate as a not-for-profit company. Crackers are just the first product, soon we will be introducing chips. The hope is that we can reach more people and teach them about this untapped resource. Cereal, Bread, Cookies, Flour....affordable sustainable food for the people!! But right now it's all about building a community of people that believe in the idea and vision!"
"Why Spent Grain? Using Spent Grain is an important process not just because we are Upcycling a nutritious product that would normally be thrown away. We feel that so much hard work has gone into making the Malted Grain that we want to see the grain meet its full potential. From the farmers that grow it, the Maltsters that roast it, the truck driver that delivers it, to the brewers that make beer with it, we really do believe Brewer's Crackers are just one more step to making the product truly sustainable."
FUN Facts:
- We use about 1,200# of grain per day that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
- Each Box of crackers has about the same amount of grain it takes to make 2 beers!
- Since starting it's estimated we have used about 400,000 of grain since starting our Company.
- Every year US Breweries produce about 1.16 Billion lbs of Spent Grain ..BILLION!!!!!!
Click herefor more information on Brewers Crackers.
PETE's PIZZA UPDATE
Okay okay, it's been too long since I first wrote about pizza. But that DOES NOT mean I have not been cooking up some pretty tasty delights using my new buddies, Tony Gemgiani's cookbook, The Pizza Bible. Almost every week I make a poolish starter and cook up some pizza or even dabble deeper into the bible to try my hand at making a pepperoli or a calzone. To be honest, once you get the dough down pat, just about everything else flows towards success. It has been a very tasty journey so far! Making pizza at home is less stressful now that I've done it a few times and my confidence in putting out a basically good pizza is pretty high. Abe is now a huge fan of the amazing UUGE meatballs I make with Tony's recipe. They are incredibly delicious and while more work than I'm used to putting in for a meatball, it's fun and very much worth the extra effort. Especially now that my boy says that "dad makes the best meatballs in the world". (I'm just following a recipe...but I'll take the credit!)
Once we get our commercial kitchen up and running...perhaps we will have some pizza-making classes! Who's in!?
Happy Valentines Day from Abe and the critters at Codman Farm!
(This video was created by Abe Lowy, who, once uploaded to YouTube,
officially declared himself a "You Tubber!") Uh oh.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
This weekend we celebrate Valentine's Day and that means we find ourselves thinking more deeply about friends and family that are so important to us in our daily lives. It also can be a time for reflecting on why we value our relationships and how, moving forward, we can strive to be even better friends and lovers. And it's this conscious decision to engage with those most cherished in our lives and being there to intentionally support them that has been so forefront in my thinking lately. How this intentionality, this dedication, lies at the foundation, the bedrock, for our existence as a farm.
Codman Community Farms was created in the early 1970s by many in the community who wanted to preserve this place as a working farm. It easily could have become a ball field, a home for the Department of Public Works, or even developed into housing lots. But a dedicated group of people worked diligently over many years to create CCF as the 501c3 non-profit it is today. With hard work and tenacity, they created an entity that has survived almost 50 years, which is tasked with preserving the open lands of Lincoln, committed to engaging in active agricultural pursuits and educating others about the importance of local food and farming. Scores of volunteer members of our Board of Directors have spent thousands of hours toiling away to keep CCF going all these years. And it's exactly that hard work, that commitment, that LOVE and INTENTIONALITY that has propelled us to where we are today. We are proud to continue this work through the many improvements we are making to the farm in 2021 with the launching of our new commercial kitchen, our new driveway project, renovations to our barns, and investments in new equipment to better care for our land and livestock.
With our own hard work assured, we now rely on YOU to continue to support our work to further this mission. Our success will only truly be realized if the community remains engaged and supportive of our work. This can be the simple act of shopping in our Farm Store and using your fork and pocketbook to declare your support for great, local, healthy food grown in your community. By visiting CCF you are making an intentional statement that you want to know where your food comes from, you want to support the vitality of local farming, and want to keep resources in your community. These decisions have a tremendous impact and reverberate far and wide. Your support keeps hundreds of people employed on dozens of farms and local food businesses in Massachusetts and New England. Your support keeps hundreds, thousands of acres of farmland open, alive, and thriving. Your intentional support makes a difference, it really does.
Lastly, we wanted to say how much we miss all of our friends being able to gather in good cheer on the farm. It's been a tough year and we hope everyone is maintaining good spirits as we round the bend and head towards spring. We are sending out good vibes that 2021 will be a year when we can once again have large gatherings and festivals and are also hoping to expand our educational and outreach programs. We have some amazing ideas in the works to educate and inform and bring even more community to the farm. From wild mushroom and foraging walks to cooking and gardening classes and field walks, we have much in store for this season. Stay tuned for more information and thanks, as always, for supporting CCF in any way you can.
If you haven't visited with the pigs lately, you are missing out on some darn cute piglets that have been born over the past couple of weeks. The sows of course waited to have their piglets on the coldest of cold days - but most of the piglets survived their brush with the arctic blast and are now growing quickly. We have at least 15 piglets under the barn that are venturing out from their momma crevices. As they build their confidence they can be seen scurrying around the piles of hay - stretching their legs and just being good little curious piggies. Next time you are at the farm, walk down the stairs and take a peek at the pigs under the barns...then stroll to behind the other smaller barn where we have another 24 pigs growing ...they love visitors and are quite the rambunctious teenage pigs right now.
FUN FACTS...
Did you know gestation for a pig is 3 months 3 weeks 3 days? And sows can have up to 20 piglets!? Heritage breeds typically have smaller litters ranging in size from 5-14 piglets. Our sows usually have 6-12 and about 75% end up surviving the first week. It is common for sows to accidentally hurt (crush, smother, step on) their young when nursing during the first week so it's a bit treacherous being a baby pig the first few days! But after surviving the first tumultuous week, it's usually smooth sailing. When piglets are born they typically weigh 2lbs and within 7 months weigh over 250lbs! Now you know why they are called HOGS!
APEX ORCHARD
If you have bought apples from us recently you know how amazingly sweet, crunchy and delicious they are but perhaps you didn't know they come from Apex Orchard located in Shelburne, MA?! We have been carrying apples from Apex for two years now and are so happy to be working with them. We receive deliveries every Wednesday along with their own honey, vinegar and BBQ sauce. Apex is exactly the kind of farm we are grateful to partner with - they respect the land they manage, treat their employees like family and use Integrated Pest Management to reduce spraying as much as possible, only spraying when pest levels reach untenably high levels. They are a family farm that has been farming the same land since the 1800's...7 generations of farmers!
Sadly I just learned that one of their long-time workers from Jamaica passed away from cancer. The workers from Jamaica form the backbone of the farm and they are long term employees, often working at the farm for over 20 years. They are family and I learned that everyone at the farm is devasted from this loss. They are sponsoring a GoFundMe campaign to assist with his funeral and other family expenses. If anyone wants to chip in, here is the link...
Yesterday, Sangita Chandra from WCVB tv was here filming a segment for an upcoming Chronicle episode on what it's like to farm in the winter in New England. They were visiting a bunch of farms in the area and we were honored to be chosen as a location. Below, you can see her interviewing our friend and professor Brian Donahue from Brandeis. Jen and I were also interviewed and we then provided them with a full tour of the farm - so hopefully, in a few weeks, you will all see us on TV, along with our beautiful pigs, chickens and cattle!
Over this past summer, many visitors to the farm no doubt came across a gaggle of four ducks wandering the property. These ducks were actually two pairs donated to us by their loving owners who could no longer care for them. We gladly adopted them and they soon became a comical foursome who made themselves comfortable on the farm. They could often be seen waddling around the lower barnyard, the greenhouses, and up through the community gardens, visiting with unsuspecting gardeners, sometimes startling them as they toiled away pulling weeds and planting seeds. They were always a joy to watch as they waddled and quacked around the property and quickly became unofficial mascots and loved by many. I am sad to report, we are down to two.
Last week as we normally do, Abe and I trotted down the driveway to the car on our morning routine to take Abe to school. Each morning we were always met by this gaggle of four, excitedly quacking good morning and running up to us in search of breakfast. Abe would often lovingly taunt them as seven-year-olds tend to do, and shoo them away from the car as we jumped in and headed off to school. But last week, as we approached the car, only two appeared as they ran to us from around the corner of Barn D. They seemed a bit more harried than usual. I immediately thought this was not a good sign. Flock safety rule 101, stick together. With only two appearing Abe also suspected something was amiss and darted off around the barn in search of the missing ducks. Almost immediately he raced back screaming and crying to report his most favorite duck, Bubbles, was dead. It was a dreadful moment and I felt terrible he was the one to have found his buddy with legs in the air, feathers astray. I consoled him the best I could and we ran back over to where Bubbles had been attacked. And indeed, he was right, Bubbles was a goner. Usually, predators take away their prey, but Bubbles and Waddles (his companion) both met their end and were left on the cold ground for us to discover them. Unfortunately, we had no time to investigate the attack, for it was time to get going. The drive to school was a tough one and we talked, as we often do, about how rough and unfair life can be on the farm at times, and the good ol' "circle of life". It's cliche, but it's the truth. And it helps to put a broken heart back in place, just for a moment, as we try and rationalize these horrible moments. In our brief ride to school, we devised a plan to hold a ceremony for Bubbles, and his buddy Waddles. Abe wanted a proper funeral for Bubbles and instantly decried, that Bubbles deserved, no less than a real wood-carved memorial gravestone for his grave. With lots of tears wiped away, our plan was in place. And it was time for dad to make it so.
Before Abe came home that evening, I found a lovely spot next to some trees to put Bubbles and Waddles to rest and also found a perfect piece of wood for the carving. With Jared's help (he too loves the ducks) we made a quick carving and I dug the grave in preparation for the funeral. It's the first time I think we ever had a burial ceremony for any animal raised on the farm. So I suppose it was time, we were overdue. We had a small gathering that evening with board member DJ, and her daughters Montana and Cadence who happened to be at the farm visiting with the pigs. So we all walked together, in the darkness of the early evening, to the gravesite in our backyard and held a short remembrance for Bubbles. It was sweet as each of us told a small anecdote of our time in Bubbles company. With all the turmoil in the world today, it felt like a blessing to take a moment to reflect on something so simple and pure. Abe enjoyed the time we spent together that evening and it helped him make peace with the unfortunate early demise of his friend....and together we said goodbye to the esteemed Bubbles and Waddles
"Bubbles was a duck through and through. He had waddling and clucking down like the best of them, as all ducks do. He was unique and special and loved a good hug. It was fun to watch him, as he downed a slug. He wandered close and far, offering joy and cheer. He was always happy, and thirsty, but never drank beer (give me a break, it rhymes). Bubbles, bubbles, thanks for everything, you were a great friend, we are so sorry you met your end. Thanks for the happiness you brought, you made 2020 great, we hope to see you again, perhaps around the next bend." (I'm no poet laureate, that's for sure)
As we begin planning for the 2021 season we are also beginning our recruiting efforts for additional farm staff. The farm will be expanding next year and we need additional staff to help manage it all! We are currently accepting applications for:
SEASONAL FARM ASSISTANTS to begin work in early April of 2021 - we are hiring seasonal farm assistants to help carry out daily chores,
tend the livestock, collect eggs, work in the gardens...and more.
Click the link above for more information.
FARM STORE ASSOCIATES NEW positions to help us keep the farm stocked and beautiful for 2021.
Our continuing series of discussing why buying local, organic (when possible), and within our region is important and the role it plays in building a more resilient food system that benefits us all. This week we highlight Dean's Beans which is a unique company that, while sells a very non-local product, does so in a sustainable way with incredible support and dedication to the growers that produce their beans.
"Dean Cycon started Dean's Beans in 1993 and set out to prove that a for-profit business could create meaningful change through ethical business practices rooted in respect for the earth, the farmer, our co-workers, and the consumer." They create real change through their long term relationships with their organic farmers and the people-centered development programs they help create and fund. All Dean's Beans coffees are certified organic and shade-grown which provides for a more natural growing environment that fosters bird habitat, interplanting of other food crops, and creates a more robust ecosystem. Deans Beans is a certified B Corp. In addition, their coffees are just amazing, roasted to perfection fresh for us when we order, and are sealed in compostable packaging.
On a more personal note, Jen and I both served in the Peace Corps as agriculture volunteers. Jen served in Honduras where she assisted farmers in improving their sustainable farming techniques in hillside farming and I served in the Federated States of Micronesia with a focus on improving nutrition through increasing consumption of local island-grown fruits and vegetables. As returned Peace Corps volunteers we greatly appreciate and value the work Dean's Beans does to assist their farmers in improving their farming practices and livelihoods of their communities. From personal experience, we know it's difficult work and is often only successful if funding is paired with long term commitments to a community with in-country partners that are committed to change. The fact that Dean's Beans is committed to its growers and works directly with them makes them extremely unique as a for-profit company. We applaud their work and are proud to carry their products in the Codman Farm store.
For Lincoln residents, the Board of CCF would like to give a shout out in support of the new Town electricity program called Lincoln Green Energy Choice initiative. This program will increase the amount of renewable energy in your electricity to 27%. We encourage all residents of Lincoln to opt-in for this program or go the extra mile as CCF plans to do and select to receive 100% of your power needs as renewable energy.
Last year CCF installed a new solar array on our barns with the hope to be net zero. While we meet this goal during the peak summer months, during the winter we do draw power from the grid. During these times we are pleased to now have the option of using 100% renewable energy, despite the additional cost.
Well, well - 2021 is already starting out to be a heck of a year. I think everyone is thinking about the chaos of the other day and are still processing what the heck just happened. I'll leave that debacle for others to dissect, it's above my pay grade anyway. Instead, I'll ruminate on the image below.
I captured this image the other day as I was wandering around the laying hen pasture. What do you see? Chicken feet, arrows, maybe something else? Well, we are on a farm, so I guess the most obvious answer is that they are chicken footprints - but in the same instance I noticed the patterns - it also immediately dawned on me that they looked like arrows pointing in different directions. When I showed the photo to Jen, she blurted out, "chicken feet". It's funny how a shift in perspective can yield a totally different image. And the "chicken arrows" pointing in every different direction made me think of the current state of affairs in our country and also of life on the farm. How different ideologies can alter your perspective and thus perception of events and result in different actions being taken.
As a farmer, the image made me think how each and every day we have an endless amount of things to do, all sometimes pointing in different directions. The daily tasks on a farm are endless and it's my job to make sense of the chaos and chart a clear path forward. The farms and businesses that find success tend to be the ones that are best able to stay pointed in one direction, stay true to their core principles, and be disciplined to achieve their goals.
At Codman, we are currently on such a path. With the sudden increase in visibility due to the pandemic, Codman Farm has become more of a resource to our community than ever. This has made us take measure of where we are, and consider more carefully where we are headed as a non-profit farm in the community of Lincoln. Why are we here, what is our purpose, how can we best care for our land and for the community in which we live. These are some of the many questions we are asking ourselves both now, and in the weeks to come.
I invite you to share what Codman means to you, how YOU see our role as a non-profit in the community and HOW we can best carry out our core mission of keeping the lands of Lincoln open, in production agriculture, and educating others about farming and the impact it has in our society in so many different ways.
As we begin planning for the 2021 season we are also beginning our recruiting efforts for additional farm staff. The farm will be expanding next year and we need additional staff to help manage it all! We are currently accepting applications for:
SEASONAL FARM ASSISTANTS to begin work in early April of 2021 - we are hiring seasonal farm assistants to help carry out daily chores,
tend the livestock, collect eggs, work in the gardens...and more.
Click the link above for more information.
FARM STORE ASSOCIATES NEW positions to help us keep the farm stocked and beautiful for 2021.
In the last newsletter, we talked about why buying local, organic (when possible), and within our region is important and the role it plays in building a more resilient food system that benefits us all. Our partnership with High Lawn Farm in Lee, MA is one such connection we are so very excited about!
High Lawn Farm is a 100 plus-year-old dairy farm located in Lee, Ma, and one of the pioneering farms in developing Jersey cow genetics. They manage 1600 acres of land with 600 acres in production agriculture and the remaining land protected for flora and fauna diversity. High Lawn grazes their Jersey cows on pasture during the warmer months and in winter feed the cows their own hay and high protein silage. High Lawn uses cow manure as fertilizer for their hayfields and uses minimal additional fertilizers in order to create a more holistic farming system that relies less on outside inputs and more on their own natural resources which enhances the farm's resiliency. Jersey cattle are "the most efficient breed in converting feed to milk-producing 17% more milk and 20% more protein per unit of feed than do average cows".
In 2015 High Lawn invested heavily in new state of the art infrastructure including robotic milkers for the cows so they can virtually milk themselves whenever they feel the urge! They also invested in new milk processing and bottling equipment to ensure the staff and farm run efficiently while reducing labor-intensive tasks. This has led to quality of life improvements for the livestock and for the 26 employees of the farm - the less stress on farmers and their livestock the better! In addition to milk products High Lawn now makes a wide variety of soft and hard cheeses from their milk and are constantly experimenting with new and innovative dairy products.
Codman began the partnership with High Lawn in early 2020 due to the local demand for local, fresh milk in the Farm Store. High Lawn was suffering from low sales due to the pandemic and we had a ready and willing community who wanted access to products just like High Lawn offers, so it's a great match for us both. We have since begun carrying their cheeses and ghee and this past month partnered with their farm manager in finding a market for their aging dairy cows which they previously sold off to auction for low prices. Codman agreed to pay 25% above market rate for their retiring cows, providing High Lawn with thousands of dollars in additional income to support their business - and we are now making this beef available for the first time in our Farm Store. A win-win! The naturally high-fat content of Jersey cattle, combined with the excellent care the cows receive makes for excellent, highly marbled, and deeply flavorful beef. In the coming months, we plan to continue this partnership and perhaps even bring some Jersey cattle to our own pastures for summer grazing! High Lawn is now beginning to think about entering the beef market and we will continue our conversations with them as they enter this new market opportunity and assist them in any way we can.
High Lawn and CCF both value maintaining and improving the land in which they manage and strive to provide healthy, sustainably raised proteins for their community. We believe creating and improving relations with other growers lies at the core of CCF's mission to improve the art and science of farming so together we all thrive.
CAPE ANN FRESH CATCH
Sign up now for a new season of local, fresh fish from our friends at Cape Ann Fresh Catch. This season has open enrollment and goes until February 26th. They will have fish shares, salmon fillets, scallops, haddock, Jonah Crab, and smoked fish items.
Did you know that Cape Ann is a non-profit, created in 2008 by the Gloucester Fisherman Wives Association to support the local fisherman in New England? Did you also know that Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in the nation . . . help keep this industry alive and thriving in a sustainable way by supporting Cape Ann. We believe in their mission and allow them to distribute their fish on Wednesdays in our barns free of charge - in order to encourage and expand local access to their great products.
CSF (community supported fishery) pickup is every Wednesday evening in the Codman barn from 4-6pm and fresh a la carte fish can be picked up on Wednesdays from 12:30-2:30. The fish really is great!
As we head into winter and farm life is slowing down a bit I'm finding I have fewer antics on the farm to report on each week. This is causing me some degree of consternation. Each week, the pressure is on to come up with some amazing farm tale to wow and amaze everyone...and yet, life is getting a bit more humdrum as we sweep up the barns, pressure wash the egg washing room, store our many tools, and begin to plan how many chickens, pigs, and turkeys to grow in 2021. Perhaps it's not a coincidence then that my mind and body are searching for something else to keep me occupied during these slower-paced times...and towards that end, I have become rather fixated on... making pizza of all things. Great pizza. Awesome pizza. Like, the best pizza in the world pizza. So I ask your forgiveness if from time to time I veer off a bit to discuss more personal matters in this space. Certainly, the rest of the weekly email update will contain farm-related doo-dads like Farm Store updates and the like, but occasionally I may head deeper into my musings of the moment and I hope that that is ok with you. If not, well, too bad. This email is free - so take that...
Back to pizza. Again, I am not entirely sure where and why this pizza fixation has just now surfaced. Sure, I like pizza. I think just about everyone does. If you have young children, then you no doubt have experienced the multitude of canned birthday parties at sports complexes, skating arenas, bouncy house places, that ONLY serve pizza. Pizza and Honest Kids drinks (which somehow is supposed to make up for the fact that the pizza sucks...but the Honest Kids drink is so healthy!) The pizza is just awful at these places. In fact, pizza can be made so easily and cheaply and is so widely loved by all that it makes sense it's so commonly served. dough+sauce+cheese+oven=Pizza. And yet, it can be so variable, so good, or oh so bad. It's kind of perplexing. So maybe it's this quandary of how something so simple can result in so many variations that has buggered my soul.
To continue my self-analysis...I have many memories of great pizza in my life. I can think of so many little pizza joints on Long Island (NY) where I grew up that I used to bike to or visit with my dad on weekends when I was a kid. Saturday afternoons in spring and summer were often the times when I would get a piping hot slice, an orange Fanta soda, and then play a few games of Asteroids, Galaga, or Donkey Kong. It was pure heaven. Simple, good memories. During these stressful times, perhaps I am reaching back to re-discover the essence of happiness I felt in those moments and wish to experience once again. Perhaps.
So background aside, here I am. A farmer fixated on making pizza. After musing about this fixation with Jared and Jen over the last few weeks Jared scored a bunch of pizza books from his mom and offered them up as a starting point in my research. I quickly honed in on "The Pizza Bible" by Tony Gemignani. What I liked about the book is that he is very straightforward in his approach. He admits it's simple, but "infinite". It's a craft. And hey, I kind of like that. It makes me feel like this will be a long process (I have all winter). I'm on a quest, and with this pandemic, I kind of have a little time for a quest. The other thing I really like about this book is that Tony (my buddy by now) is VERY specific about the entire process and all of the ingredients, the process, and the gear. He then gives a "Master Class" on the process and all that it entails. He doesn't just say "get some high-gluten flour", he has two pages of every damn flour out there and charts them and discusses them in detail about how this one is "soft and delicate" and this other one has a "great chew", and on. It's fascinating. Then he discusses the gear...from precision scales, round-edged bowl scrapers, rocking pizza cutters to pizza stones, and even baking steels (which I never even have heard of before). I think to myself, "If you are serious about making pizza, you NEED this stuff, don't be a wuss, do you want to make friggin' awesome pizza or not? Do you want Abe to brag about your pizza to his friends? Are you in or are you out? ". Like a SEAL training for battle, I'm feeling pumped and primed. I'M IN! And so now the Amazon driver and I are best buddies. Over the past week plus we have been getting daily deliveries of high-gluten flour, pizza cutters, scales, and finally yesterday the piece de resistance...and 22 lb baking steel from Stoughton Steel! With all the gear, I'm ready for battle!
Okay so here is the problem. This entry is already WAY too long. So I'm going to end here and begin to expand my pizza odyssey on the Codman Farm Blog page. Not today, but this week I will add more to this developing tale. I've been meaning to move these weekly stories to that site anyway and this is a good time to do this. In the future, I'll begin these stories here, in this format, but then provide a link to the blog where the entire story will be posted. Trust me, it will be better this way. I'll be able to include more and better photos (which is another passion of mine) and the content can continue on and on.
But just so you know I have already started making pizza and I will write about this soon...and for now, I leave you with this photo of my best pizza so far...
Pete@codmafarm.org
I
YEAR END APPEAL
As we reflect on another year at Codman Community Farms, we also ask for your support. This week all residents in the town of Lincoln received our Annual Appeal letter which summarizes a bit of what happened this year and provides other tidbits of news, including some financial data. For those who read this weekly email, some of the content may already be familiar, but there is also some new info you should check out. Click the link below to read our year-end appeal. Please consider making a donation to the farm as 2020 comes to an end. If we had an impact on your life, if you relied on us to feed your family, or if we were a place of refuge where you found solace in these troubling times...please consider supporting us...or contribute for any other reason!
We have many exciting plans for 2021 and even the smallest donations help us to realize our dreams for what the CCF can be. Thank You!
Saturday is looking to be quite rainy so we are making space in the barn for the fish crew to set up. We ask that folks standing in line do their best to spread out and make the best of it. They will be here at the usual time, from 10 am to 12 pm. Get out the rain gear and anti-fog potion for your glasses!
NEW PRODUCTS
This past week we have added a few new products to our shelves. The first among them is a locally made Beef and Tomato Sauce that is now in the freezer case, sold in 1lb containers. Chef Kelly Essington (aka, Kel's Kitchen) is passionate about beef liver and has made a tasty, rich, beefy sauce packed full of flavor and protein. She says, "Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, often called "Nature's Multivitamin", and for good reason...this organ meat contains more Vitamin B12 per serving than any other meat or vegetable, which contribute to a strong immune system" As you can see from the label below, each 1 lb container contains at least 4 oz of grass-fed beef plus liver - 30 grams of protein! Whoa! So come out and get your protein and vitamins, it's sure to help keep you in tip-top shape...and who all doesn't need a bit of "tip-top" in their lives these days? Find it in the freezer case at the Farm Store.
NEW ITEMS FROM APEX ORCHARD
This week we resumed sourcing apples from Apex Orchard in Shelburne, MA. So grab some crisp apples when you are here next, they are amazing.
Little did we know that they also have a product line named "The Shelburne Honey Company"! Who knew? This week we are trying a few of these products including a large 2 lb honey jar (the largest size we now carry), and have also added to our shelves their 1lb creamed honey, and their Applewood Smoked BBQ sauce (OMG!) made with their own honey and apple cider vinegar! We've been looking for some tasty local sauces and we are so happy to have this product on our shelves. Lastly, we are now also carrying their apple cider vinegar. All great stuff, all locally produced here in Massachusetts.
If anyone is interested in that MEGA 5lb honey jar...just send me an email and I can special order it for you. With that honker, I'm sure Winnie the Pooh would come knockin' on your door...if he does, and he's wearing a mask, let him in!
EGG NOG FROM HIGH LAWN FARM
It's egg nog season...so get your egg noggin' on at the farm with some fresh egg nog from High Lawn Farm...
FARM STORE . . . DURING FREEZING TEMPS
A reminder that as we approach winter and freezing temperatures at night we will be packing up any items left in the barn during the evening (6-7pm ish) and storing them in our coolers overnight to prevent items from freezing. If daytime temps are in the upper 20's or above we will restock the tables in the barn. For prolonged periods of freezing temps, we will jam-pack full the glass coolers as best can.
REMINDER that the DOOR to the Farm Store itself will be kept closed during freezing weather and the heat will be on (such as it is!). Please keep the door closed to keep the heat in.
We understand as we head into winter keeping our personal space will be a challenge but we are hoping for a warm winter so the barn can remain an active part of the Farm Store.
As we head into winter availability of produce and fruit will shift to hardy greens and storage crops. . Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy-in from local farms ARE certified organic, and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible). We are now listing most all the produce we have by the actual farm for even more transparency!
AVAILABLE THIS WEEK
November Dec 4 th - Dec 11 th
FRUIT
Apples from Apex (evercrisp, mac, macoun, granny smith, gala, pink lady)
VEGETABLES
MOST ALL THE PRODUCE WE BUY FROM LOCAL/ NEW ENGLAND FARMS IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC
THIS WEEK WE PURCHASED ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM:
PICADILLY FARM, NH
parsnips, spinach, purple and green kale, carrots, rosemary, rutabaga, parsnips, beets, watermelon radish
FAT MOON FARM, Westford
Mixed mushrooms, shitake
PETE's GREENS, VT
washed carrots
QUEENS GREENS, Amherst
pea tendrils
RED FIRE FARM, Granby
Brussel sprouts, kale, rainbow carrots, collards, watermelon radish, winter squash
HUTCHINS FARM, Concord
red and green cabbage, turnips, black radish
SPARROW ARC FARM, VT
(not certified but close!)
peter wilcox potato (purple skin, yellow flesh), lehigh yellow potato, bel mondo gold potato, norwis white potato
Atlas Farm, South Deerfield
napa cabbage (arriving Monday)
Hepworth Farm, NY
onions, winter squash
Laughing Child Farm, VT
sweet potatoes
FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE
As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!
Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items
TUESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
WEDNESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day
12:30-2:30ish
Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other
MOZZARELLA HOUSE mozzarella balls, celegine, burrata, etc..
SAMIRAS HOMEMADE hummus, stuffed grape leaves, baba ganoush, etc..
FRIDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am)
Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas
Sweet Tahini
Fresh, gluten-free bread, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars
Local Veggies We will be buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available
SATURDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish
Fresh fish and lobster
10am- 12pm
MISC INFO...
1. We remain OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night!
2. MANDATORY MASKS: Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store. They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-)
3. THANKS: Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.
Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.
Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering.
Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins.
