Pick Up Details for each location are below the Recipes section in this email. | | |
Well, we managed to save the dahlias and most of the peppers. When there is a looming frost, we have to pick and choose what we will save. Some crops just are too sensitive, or are already losing their quality/yield (or you all are just not very interested anymore) so we let them go.
Goodbye shishito peppers and eggplants of all kind.
We use water overhead to keep the dahlias from freezing. These frosts (and we've had several since last Tuesday morning) have been light, and the water in the irrigation pond is still warm, so just the warmth of the water has been enough to keep the frost off. No ice formed before the sun came up. Because we've made it through to the last week of dahlias we will be saying goodbye to them in the frost this weekend. I got a little nervous with how much water we were putting down that we could rot the tubers, but I'm hoping the my 'farmy godmother' is just teaching me that extra water at the end of the season improves tuber set!
There is always something more to learn.
| We used row cover to help protect the peppers. We can't use water because it's not potable and we need to harvest the peppers regularly, so row cover is our only option. Luckily we use black fabric to cover the soil and it radiates some heat, so even plants that didn't have row cover seem to just have frost burn on the grow points, but the peppers look fairly well protected. | | We had our organic inspection last week, and I need to let you know that our potato field at Goss farm has not finalized it's inspection and I can't call the potatoes organic until it does. I have grown them according to the organic standards, and grown organic potatoes in the past - but the certification is tied to the land, and I was supposed have let you know this when I first put them in the share a few weeks ago. My sincere apologies. It can take a while for the final determination to come through - but when it does I will let you know. | |
We now need to start harvesting and bringing in crops for storage: watermelon and daikon radish, kohlrabi, rutabaga, carrots, beets, celeriac, parsnips, cabbage . . . sturdy, reliable vegetables that we can enjoy all winter! We are closing the winter share to sign ups this week = so if you haven't signed up, now is the time!!
And it's the last of the tomatoes in the share this week - it's been a fun tomato ride this year. Last week we pulled out one tunnel of tomatoes and planted our winter lettuce, and in the high tunnel that was fallow this summer we planted winter spinach - it was a lot of planting and harvesting!
| | | | This is a before and after photo of high tunnel 3 last thursday! | | |
We rush harvested the last of the sweet potatoes before frost and got them into the curing chamber. They will be ready for the share next week!
That's Kevin with the last plant of 2026.
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This is maybe the last ginger of the season. We would have liked to get it into the shares. We lost 1/3 of it to disease, planted 25% less than last year, and the yields on what we did have were down significantly. Maybe next year will be better? You never know. It's still really delicious.
We did grow trial Turmeric though! It's pretty cool. You can use fresh turmeric in cooking, or freeze it like ginger and use it all year long.
| | Farm Stand & Farmer's Market | | |
Pepperell: Farm Stand, Wednesday and Thursday 1pm-6pm until Thanksgiving
Ashland Farmers Market: Saturday 9am-1pm until October 17th
LAST FARMERS MARKET THIS WEEKEND!!
| | Mushroom and Flower Shares | | |
We are very happy with our Joyberry Mushrooms and will be offering a FALL MUSHROOM SHARE! Email admin@upswingfarm.com if you would like to be added.
Your Joyberry Farm mushrooms will be labeled with your name, and in a cooler or in the box truck. Please ask for your mushrooms when picking up your share.
We don't know yet what the variety is - we can't wait to be surprised with you!
Mushrooms should be stored in paper bag in the refrigerator. Shiitake can store for a while, but other mushrooms are best used in 4-5 days after you receive them. Don't store in plastic!
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It’s the last flower share of 2026, and we’re so honored to have graced your homes with beautiful flowers this season. We saved the dahlias from frost for this last week, and it looks like this share is wrapping up just in time since more frosty mornings appear to be headed our way early next week. We’ll be making some lovely bouquets with lots of fun greenery and some of the last celosia from our fields. You’ll see dusty miller, two varieties of eucalyptus, and some strawflower in addition to dahlias and I think we’re sending you off with some of the best- a lot of things I tend to hoard in the field until just this moment.
It’s been such a pleasure growing, harvesting, and arranging your bouquets every week, and I always hope that translates into what you feel when you pick up your share. I’ll be sad to finish up flowers this week, though I’m always thinking about and planning for what to do better next year. We’ve been talking a lot about best varieties and still thinking of ways to streamline our systems. Dahlias are at the forefront of those conversations this time of year, and we have to decide how many tubers of each variety we hope to save and sell for next spring. Once the plants are frosted, but before the ground freezes, we will dig up all of our dahlias and start the process of storing, and later dividing. If any of you are interested in purchasing dahlia tuber clumps this fall, we will send out an email when we’re digging and you can come by the farm and buy your clump right from the field. More details will come as we approach our digging time (usually in early to mid-November), but we want to give you a heads up that this special opportunity will be happening later this fall.
Thank you all so much for your support, and your appreciation of beautiful flowers. We really are so grateful for the chance to share some beauty and joy with you all.
Cheers,
Kerry
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Want to add someone to the weekly email list?
Please add their email here.
NOTE: We can only be responsible for communicating with the primary share email (the one used to register for the share originally). We are happy to add as many other folks as you like to this list to enjoy the content, but sometimes we need to communicate through the online store - those emails will go only to the primary share email.
| | What's in the Vegetable Share | | |
Choose 3: scallions, 1/2# spinach, arugula, celery, dill, parsley, garlic two bulbs, swiss chard, kale, head lettuce, lettuce mix, napa cabbage, acorn squash, frisee, escarole, cherry tomato pint (from high tunnel - we are SO impressed with these plants),
Mix and match 6 pounds: ripe red and yellow peppers, tomato, eggplant, green and purple peppers, carrots, yellow onion, red onion, bok choy, beets, broccoli (limit 1 head/1 pound), delicata squash, leeks, fennel, potatoes, cauliflower
Crops you might now know but are fun to try:
Frisee and Escarole: These are both in the chicory family and are excellent lightly cooked with salt and fat to balance their bitterness. Bitter greens are great for your health, and are an acquired taste. I strongly recommend you acquire it, though, because eating them will leave you feeling great in the long run! Here is some extra 411 on these greens.
Crops we have a LOT of this week:
Cauliflower
Potatoes
Yellow Onions
Delicata Squash
Acorn Squash
Crops Coming up next week for fall share:
sweet potatoes!
| | Pick Up Details By Location | | |
On Farm, Pepperell
Day: Wednesday or Thursday
you can come either day, no need to let us know which day you are coming.
Time: 1:00- 6:00pm
Location:The wood paneled greenhouse next to the big parking lot in the middle of all the greenhouses.
65 Brookline St is the farm address, but that will take you to the house and barns on GPS - the entrance for CSA pick up is to the East, and there is a big white, Upswing Farm Sign.
How to pick up:
- Please bring a bag, tote, basket or other container to collect your produce.
- Arrive and CROSS YOUR NAME OFF on the CSA list.
- Pick up is market-style, so the produce will be out on the table. Follow the signs telling you which produce to pick up. We try to include as much choice as possible in our share, please read the signs carefully.
That's it!
Joella is our regular distribution Manager in Pepperell. She, or an assistant can help you find the list or with any questions.
If a bin is empty just let Joella know - we keep back-stocked produce in a cooler to keep it fresh.
What if?
I don't want something in the share: ask Joella if you can make trade. We do our best to make choices available based on what grows well seasonally in our region.
I'm going to be late:
If you text the farm phone (508-215-8378)
We can usually accommodate requests and we will pack a box with your name on it. It will be INSIDE the walk-in cooler.
If you don't text, you can still come and grab a "farmer's choice" box, which will be unlabeled.
If I can't make it to either pick up day:
If you know in advance, email admin@upswingfarm.com and we can pack you a share to pick up from the walk-in cooler in the farm stand. If you text the farm phone the day of (508-215-8378)
We can usually (NO PROMISES) accommodate produce requests and we will pack a box with your name on it. It will be INSIDE the walk-in cooler to be picked up the next day. If we aren't able to pack you a box, you can come pick up a "standard share".
If I forget to pick up:
email admin@upswingfarm.com
If we have extra standard shares we will let you know and you can come pick one up. We always pack extra - and they almost never run out, so feel free to swing by and grab one - just don't take a share with someone else's name.
If I can't make it one week:
- Send someone in your place. A CSA share is a great thank you to someone watering your plants or checking your mail. Just let them know the details of pick up and they can pick up for you.
- ONCE per share season we can accommodate a duplicate pick up the week following a PLANNED missed pick up. Please give us a minimum of two days notice by emailing admin@upswingfarm.com
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Weston Nurseries, Hopkinton
Day: Thursday
Time: 1:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: The Back gravel parking lot off of Legacy Farm's Rd North, behind Weston Nurseries in Hopkinton. You cannot get to this parking lot from the Nursery main entrance.
Weston Nurseries lets us distribute shares at no charge in this lot - make sure you show them some love, and let them know you are grateful!
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How to pick up:
- Please bring a bag, tote, basket or other container to collect your produce.
- Arrive and CROSS YOUR NAME OFF on the CSA list.
- Follow the signs telling you which produce to pick up. We try to include as much choice as possible in our share, please read the signs carefully.
That's it!
What if?
I don't want something in the share: ask Jeremy if you can make trade. We do our best to make choices available based on what grows well seasonally in our region.
I'm going to be late:
If you text the farm phone (508-215-8378) It is possible for us to leave a box in the parking lot if you aren't going to be too late. Unfortunately, we do not have another location for produce pick up if you don't make the regular pick up window.
If I can't make it that day:
- Send someone in your place. A CSA share is a great thank you to someone watering your plants or checking your mail. Just let them know the details of pick up and they can pick up for you.
- ONCE per share season we can accommodate a duplicate pick up the week following a PLANNED missed pick up. Please let us know the weekend prior by emailing admin@upswingfarm.com
- You can pick up at the Ashland Farmer's Market. Please let us know in advance of your regular pick up whenever possible.
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Just a reminder, that a part of what makes a CSA awesome is that we are harvesting and packing highly perishable product just for you. That's how you get such fresh, high quality product. If you don't show up, without letting us know, we will have picked and packed that produce for you, and then donate it to a local food pantry before it goes by.
We also can't just magically make more produce available - we are working with nature, and doing our very best to offer a variety of high quality produce you will love to eat. We are very good at this, but sometimes things happen and crops don't turn out. Usually, another crop is doing well, so you won't get less produce, it just might be a slightly different variety than planned.
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