CSA Updates

October 10, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Fuji Apples, Spencer Apples, and Suncrisp Apples

Fuji apples have an extra sweet and sugary flavor.  Their flesh is dense, crisp, and juicy, with a creamy white color.  There is a nice crunch with every bite, and they are great for eating fresh or in a tasty fruity salad.    

Spencer Apples are considered an all purpose variety and are well suited for raw and cooked preparations.  They have a sweet, subtly tart flavor and taste great fresh or blended into smoothies. 

Suncrisp Apples are firm and dense and crisp, and have a sharp, subtly sweet and tart flavor, with floral nuances and notes of pear and honey.   The skin is thick and chewy.  The flesh resits browning when sliced.  Great to eat raw.  

October 3, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Ida Red Apples and Golden Delicious Apples

Ida Red Apples are both sweet and tart, juicy yet crisp and firm. They have a sprightly, aromatic, and refreshing flavor. This apple is famous for its excellent cooking and baking qualities. Ida Reds are particularly good for baked apples, since they hold their shape when cooked. They can also be used to make naturally pink applesauce if the skins are left on. Don’t limit them to cooking, however, since they are also good apples to eat fresh as is or in salads. They pair well with strong, soft cheeses such as Roquefort and other blue cheese. Ida Red apples are a wonderful storage variety; under proper cool, dry conditions, they can keep for several months.

Golden Delicious Apples have a balanced sweet-tart aromatic flavor, which has been described as honeyed. The sweet-tartness of the Golden Delicious means this apple is a good fresh eating variety. Fresh, raw apple slices may be added to green salads, fruit salads, or grain salads. Golden Delicious apples also have the necessary acid content and stability for baking. They can be baked into crisps, crumbles, tarts, cakes, and breads. Apple slices may also be cooked down into preserves and butters, or pureed into sauces and soups. The Golden Delicious pairs well with savory items, such as onions, cabbages, pork, cheeses and strong herbs. Add slices to top burgers and sandwiches. Finally, this versatile apple can also be juiced or dried.

September 26, 2022

Waltham Fields Community Farm

Mcintosh and Cortland Apples, and Bosc Pears (see below)

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm

Kendall Apples, Bosc Pears, and Cortland Apples (see below)

Kendall apples are large red apples, and inside, the green-white flesh is medium coarse and juicy, and a bit tender. Kendall’s flavors are mild and sweet, with vinous notes, berries, and hints of plums and watermelon-flavored candy.

Compared to McIntosh Kendall is bigger, less tart, less crisp, and less complex, but it is clearly a fan favorite.  Great to eat raw, but also makes a great dessert apple.

Bosc Pears are Crisp and Woodsy with a Honey Sweetness.  Known for their warm cinnamon color, it is often called the “aristocrat of pears”.  They are medium to large in size and are oblong in shape with a rounded bottom that gradually tapers to an elongated neck. 

September 19, 2022

Drumlin Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm, and Newton Community Farm 

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, Oasis Springs Farm 

Honeycrisp Apples, (see below) Cortland Apples, and Empire Apples

Cortland Apples-Underneath the surface, the flesh is white, fine-grained, aqueous, and soft with a crisp consistency.  The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Cortland apples are slightly sweeter than their McIntosh parent and are balanced with subtle tartness, creating a sweet, tangy, vinous taste. In addition to raw preparations, Cortland apples hold their shape well when cooked and can be incorporated into baked goods and desserts, including dumplings, crisps, cobblers, galettes, muffins, and pies.

Empire Apples are a small varietal with a slightly lopsided, round to ovate shape. They are a cross between two well-known varieties, red delicious and mcintosh apples. Highly favored for their sweet-tart flavor and crisp, dense flesh, well suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The multi-purpose apple can be consumed straight, out of hand, or it can be sliced and tossed into salads as the flesh retains its white hue for extended periods. The apples can also be sprinkled with lemon juice to prolong their white appearance and are popularly chopped and mixed into grain bowls, slaws, fruit dishes, overnight oats, and oatmeal.

September 12, 2022

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, and Oasis Farms, Tuesday Delivery

Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm

Trio of Fall Apples-Mcintosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp (see below)

Mcintosh apples’s color will vary, depending on the amount of sunlight exposure mixed with the time of season the fruits are harvested, but the surface also frequently showcases white lenticels and a smooth matte texture. Underneath the skin, the white to green-tinged flesh is dense, aqueous, and fine-grained with a crisp but soft and tender consistency. McIntosh apples are aromatic, emitting a honeyed, fruity, and spice-filled fragrance, and the flesh is sweet-tart with an old-fashioned apple cider taste

Gala apples emit a vibrant appearance. They are referred to as having a “perfumed, floral aroma” and have a mildly sweet flavor with a hint of acidity. The flesh often bears fruity and floral undertones, combined with nuances of vanilla, apple blossoms, and pears.

September 5, 2022

Upswing Farm, Thursday Pickup

Trio of apples, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Flavor Heart Plouots

Drumlin Farm, Waltham Fields Community Farm, and Newton Community Farm -Wednesday Delivery

Trio of apples, Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Flavor Heart Plouots

Flavor Heart Pluots- a heart shaped fruit with very dark, purple-red skin and yellow flesh.  The flavor is pleasantly sweet.  Leaving it on your counter for a few days will “soften it up”, or pop it directly in your refrigerator for a cool treat.  

Upswing Farm, Stearns Farm, Oasis Springs Farm -Tuesday Delivery

Trio of apples-Ginger Gold, Paula Red, and Honeycrisp, Bartlett Pears, and Pluots

Honeycrisp Apples- A well-balanced sweet-tart taste, and explosively crisp, juicy texture, developed by the University of Minnesota’s apple program. Excellent for fresh eating and in salads.

August 29, 2022

Waltham Fields Community Farm Saturday Delivery

Ginger Gold Apples (see below) and Sugar Giant Peaches (see below)

Stearns Farm Friday Delivery

Ginger Gold Apples, (see below) Sugar Giant Peaches (see below), and Flavor Supreme Plouts

Flavor Supreme Pluots-A pluot is a fruit that combines the plum and the apricot.  The name says it all. A firm, crunchy texture and superb flavor.  It has also been known to be called “Dinosaur Egg”.  Pluots are delicious eaten alone, but they can also replace plums, apricots, or cherries in pies, cakes, and jam.  These are also fantastic as a cooked chutney or sweet sauce with pork or chicken.  

Upswing Farm

Thursday Delivery-Ginger Golds and Sugar Giant Peaches

Sugar Giant has white melting flesh. It’s a freestone. It’s s a subacid type which means that the taste on your tongue is not tangy. It’s mellow, very sweet, kind of like honey. It was developed by Zaiger Genetics in Modesto, California.

Drumlin Farm

Ginger Gold Apples are one of the first  commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple.  Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

Early Italian Plums– features dark purple skin.  These oval glaucous fruits are super sweet and perfect for fresh eating and canning, and are also well known for drying into delectable prunes! The freestone flesh is a yellowish-green when fresh and turns a gorgeous red wine hue when cooked.  Many people wait all year for these gems to make a famous torte recipe from the New York Times!

Bartlett Pears are the only pears that have a true pyriform, or pear shape, which has a rounded large bottom half and tapers to a smaller curved neck.  The flesh is aromatic, moist, cream-colored to ivory. Bartlett pears are crunchy, tart, and slightly gritty, but when allowed to sit out and fully ripen, they develop a juicy, smooth, buttery texture with a sweet flavor.

August 29, 2022 Newton Community Farm

Received Ginger Gold Apples, Bartlett Pears,  and Gloria Peaches

Gloria Peaches from Rutgers University, are a large, highly colored, yellow-fleshed freestone peach.  The fruit is very firm, low acid, with high sugar content and excellent dessert quality. They are also great fresh from the tree!

August 29, 2022 Waltham Fields Community Farm

Received Ginger Gold Apples, Bartlett Pears, Early Italian Plums, and Red Gold Nectarines

Red Gold Nectarines are a yellow freestone fruit that has a beautiful red blushed skin that covers a firm, juicy flesh.  Incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day, I’ve read that people will “line up” in order to get their hands on a Red Gold Nectarine, because they are “sweet, tangy and juicy- irresistible.”

August 29, 2022- Tuesday pickup   Stearns Farm, Upswing Farm, and Oasis Spring Farm

Red Gold Nectarines are a yellow freestone fruit that has a beautiful red blushed skin that covers a firm, juicy flesh.  Incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day, I’ve read that people will “line up” in order to get their hands on a Red Gold Nectarine, because they are “sweet, tangy and juicy- irresistible.” 

Gloria Peaches (Upswing Only) from Rutgers University, are a large, highly colored, yellow-fleshed freestone peach.  The fruit is very firm, low acid, with high sugar content and excellent dessert quality. They are also great fresh from the tree!

Sweet’N Up Peaches (Stearns and Oasis) come from the USDA peach breeding program at Kearneysville, West Virginia.  The variety is named for its characteristic upright tree form.  The fruit is large, firm and freestone with excellent color and fruit quality. 

Ginger Gold Apples are one of the first  commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple.  Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

August 22, 2022- Drumlin Farms, Newton Community Farm, Stearns Farm, Upswing Farm, and Oasis Spring Farm

Summer Apples and Peaches-a great combination!

Starfire Peaches-have a nectar-sweet taste and a golden yellow flesh. This peach balances sugar and acid for a well rounded flavor. This large, beautiful fruit is a freestone variety and is great for eating fresh, canning, or making preserves.

Paula Red Apples-If you like tart apples, then a bite from a Paul Red boasts a sweet tart flavor with a hint of strawberry and pear. It is one of the earliest varieties to be harvested, and the first taste of fall for apple lovers. The firm flesh makes this apple great for eating raw. It also makes a great cooking apple.

Ginger Gold Apples= are one of the first commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple. Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

August 22, 2022- Waltham Fields Community Farm

In addition to the fruits listed above, they also received:

Red Haven Peaches-have almost fuzzless skin and a firm, yellow textured creamy flesh.  It was first introduced in 1940 and was created by Dr. Stanley Johnston of Michigan State University.  It is fantastic fresh, but also good for canning and baking, as because it is a freestone peach, it is easy to slice up and remove the pit.

August 17, 2022-Drumlin Farms

Red Haven Peaches-An excellent free stone peach, with red-blushed yellow skin and firm, sweet, yellow flesh.  Due to the great quality and taste, they are ideal for eating, but also great for canning and freezing.  Redhaven peaches were developed in the 1930s and released in the 1940s, making it the first commercial red-skinned peach variety.  It is now one of the most commonly grown peaches in the world!

Ginger Gold Apples are one of the first  commercial apple varieties to ripen each year. They were discovered as a chance seedling growing in an orchard in Virginia in the late 20th century. They are crisp and flavorful — especially for an early “summer” apple.  Ginger Golds are attractive, aromatic and have a gingery-sweet to mildly tart flavor. They are bright golden-green with flesh that is fine-textured, crisp and creamy white. This apple is great for snacks, salads and especially baking in pies.

August 10th, 2022 Drumlin Farms

Summer Beaut Nectarines

A nectarine that’s a slice above the rest! This variety is an exceptional early choice for nectarine lovers. The red/yellow fruit has a pleasing firm texture, lots of juice and bright gold flesh. The fruit is great for fresh eating, baking and canning/freezing. Freestone. 

John Boy Peaches

The John Boy® peach is a favorite freestone peach variety.  The fruit is large (when it runs!) and delicious.  In 1981, Ed Clendening’s son, John, noticed that a branch on a Loring peach tree had ripened earlier than the other green peaches and so created the John Boy® variety from this branch. Freestone.

AU Rosa Plums

AU  Rosa is a large, firm, high quality plum with red skin and yellow flesh. AU Rosa plum is a Santa Rosa style Japanese plum developed at Auburn University.   The AU Rosa has proven its ability to produce high yields of excellent quality fruit where other varieties have struggled. It is an early maturing cultivar that produce fruit of excellent size and quality. It is suitable for eating fresh and for jam, baking, canning, freezing, or jelly.  

August 3rd, 2022 Drumlin Farms

Our first fruit share of the season contains a trio of early ripening fruit – Yellow Transparent Apples, Silver Gem Nectarines and Apricots.

Yellow Transparent are a soft early season apple and are named for their pale-yellow skin. They are light, sweet and refreshing. People are often surprised in New England that they ripen so early. They originated in Russia and were brought to the United States in the mid 1800’s. They should be stored in the refrigerator as they don’t last as long as the more hardy fall varieties. Many tout this apple makes the “most creamy” applesauce” due to their texture.

Silver Gem is a sweet, medium sized, white-fleshed early season nectarine. They ripen about two weeks earlier than Redhavens and were developed by the Rutgers Tree fruit Breeding Program. Often thought of as the sweetest white-fleshed nectarine. Many people believe this is one of the best tasting nectarines out there.

The apricots are a medium sized fruit with a gorgeous bright-orange color. They have an exceptional sweet and mellow flavor with a slightly firm flesh, making it great to eat right from the tree. When cooked or preserved, they release sugars that lend themselves beautifully to cakes, pastries, and jams.A