We’re Hiring for the 2021 Season

We are hiring for an assistant manager and two field crew members (full or part time available for the right candidates) and a program & membership coordinator. Please see below for each job description.

WHO WE ARE

Movement Ground Farm (MFG) is a non-profit community farm committed to anti-racism and exploring a new model of community owned, supported, and driven agriculture. 2021 is our sixth season growing vegetables and raising poultry, but only the third season at our new location in Tiverton, RI. This is our first full year since transitioning into a non-profit organization and taking a new direction. We hope to attract candidates who believe in our vision, have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice, queer liberation, food justice, land justice, and most importantly, are excited to help lay some important foundational building blocks to grow MGF during these formative years.

Movement Ground Farm’s mission is to recultivate the central role of food and land in nourishing our bodies, strengthening our communities, and growing a more just world.
Too many communities have been uprooted through land theft, slavery, war, gentrification, poverty and environmental destruction.
Movement Ground Farm is premised on the vision of a world where all people are sustained and grounded by an intimate connection to land. 

The farm is on a 10 acre property that gently slopes toward Nonquit pond and is <5 minutes from the beach in Tiverton RI. The executive director and his family live on site and much of our farm infrastructure is built out from their home. We typically have around 2.5-4 acres in vegetable production and another 3+ in cover crop/pasture. There is a greenhouse for propagation as well as two high tunnels in summer and winter production. We have a 130 person weekly CSA, 1-2 farmers markets depending on the season, and a few developing wholesale accounts. We have a 100 hen layer flock and raise a few hundred meat birds each season. We have a small staff and a team of committed workshares to make it all happen. We are not certified organic, but do our best to follow those standards and generally be loving stewards to the earth. 

Assistant Manager

Responsibilities

• Take a lead role in either/both farmers market management and poultry care/rotation (to be negotiated based on candidate’s experience and growth areas)
• Balance maintaining a positive, fun work environment with high work ethic and goal accomplishment
• Collaborate with the farm manager in all aspects of the farm, including but not limited to: seedling production, high tunnel and field prep, pest scouting, cultivation, irrigation rotation, crew/volunteer management, post harvest wash, pack and distribution, equipment and infrastructure repairs and upkeep.
• Uphold policies and norms on the farm and hold self and others accountable 
• Irrigation set up, troubleshooting, and watering rotation
• Take a lead on weed management and prioritization 
• Assist with field prep and other tractor work throughout the season

Required Skills & Experience:

• 3+ seasons working on vegetable/poultry/livestock farms or equivalent experience
• Leadership and/or role modeling experience 
• Comfort and familiarity around poultry
• Help keep track of planting and seeding schedules
• Deep understanding of food production and the many competing tasks in a given day or week
• Time management, attention to detail and ability to prioritize
• Valid driver’s license and experience with tractors. 
• Working knowledge of the basic functions of typical tractor implements, power tools, and their maintenance and care.
• Ability to stay motivated when working alone, in a group and while leading volunteers or other members of the farm crew
• Ability to listen, task manage, pay attention to detail, and ask for clarification
• Come prepared and ready to work in all types of weather 
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs repeatedly and kneel/crouch for long periods of time
• Strong communicator with dependable text messaging/email/google doc communication skills
• Desire to learn and grow as well as share and teach
• Basic experience with google suite including navigating complicated spreadsheets
• Experience working with and being supportive of folks coming from a diversity of backgrounds (including folks who identify as Queer, Trans, Gay, Bi, Lesbian) and a commitment to our mission and values. 

Compensation

• $16/hour for the equivalent of 40 hrs a week for 40 weeks
• Free produce/full season CSA share and ½ dozen eggs a week
• Paid sick time
• Monthly health stipend of $300
• Paid and unpaid time off 
• At this time we cannot provide onsite housing for any farm employees

Date & Hours
Ideally this position will begin the first week of April and run until the end of 2021 with the opportunity for part time work in the months of Jan-March and potential to grow into a year round position with benefits in the future.

• A typical week is M-F 7-4pm with an unpaid hour long lunch break (schedule may fluctuate slightly throughout the season, but hours will average out to 40 a week)
• Tuesday farmers markets may require a later end time and Monday and Thursday harvest days may require an earlier start time
• Occasional weekend chores will be rotated amongst staff & volunteers

How to Apply  

Please send an up to date resume and cover letter to movementgroundfarm@gmail.com & keely.curliss@gmail.com with “Assistant Manager” as the subject.

**We take covid-19 very seriously. If you have not taken safety measures in your personal life to lessen the risk for yourself and community please do not apply. We will only consider candidates that can commit to keeping the farm as safe as possible for our staff, families and customers by following our safety guidelines.

Deadline: We will accept applications on a rolling basis through March 1st. All screening interviews will be conducted by phone or a zoom like format for Covid-19 safety. All finalists will be required to attend an in person work interview/farm tour. We will do our best to respond to everyone, but can only guarantee responses to folks who we hope to interview. 

FIELD CREW 

We hope to hire two field crew members. We will work to accommodate full or part time hours for the right candidates. 

Responsibilities

• Contribute to all aspects of farm work, including but not limited to: seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, harvest, trellising, wash and pack, animal chores and more
• Lots of weeding, trellising, moving heavy stuff around, harvesting, washing, seeding
• Maintain farm spaces, and generally help to keep farm organized and tidy
• Bring a positive attitude to group farm tasks as well as solo tasks
• An attention to detail weeding and pest scouting
• Be/come an expert, consistent and fast harvester
• Work alongside volunteers and workshares and model farm norms/expectations
• Assist in care of poultry operation and contribute to chores

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 2 years experience working on farms preferred
• Strong interest in working hard outdoors in all types of weather 
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs repeatedly and kneel/crouch for long periods of time
• Ability to follow verbal and written directions with attention to detail
• Valid Driver’s License
• Comfort around poultry 
• Comes prepared and is adaptable to the ever changing priorities of the farm
• Strong communicator face to face as well as via text and email
• Positive attitude and comfort working independently or with a team
• Strong interest in deepening farming and food system knowledge

Compensation

• $15/hour for 30 weeks 
• Free produce/full season CSA share and ½ dozen eggs a week
• Paid sick time
• At this time we cannot provide onsite housing for any farm employees

Date & Hours
The position will run April 15 – November 15 with some flexibility for start and end date. Hours will depend on the candidate’s availability. Please specify if you seek a part time position or full time work in your cover letter. 

• A typical *full time* week is M-F 7-4pm with an unpaid hour long lunch break. Part time folks will be required to work at least two days a week.
• Monday and Thursday harvest days may require an earlier start time
• Occasional weekend chores will be rotated amongst staff & volunteers

How to Apply  

Please send an up to date resume and cover letter to movementgroundfarm@gmail.com & keely.curliss@gmail.com with “Field Crew” as the subject.

**We take covid-19 very seriously. If you have not taken safety measures in your personal life to lessen the risk for yourself and community please do not apply. We will only consider candidates that can commit to keeping the farm as safe as possible for our staff, families and customers by following our safety guidelines.

Deadline: We will accept applications on a rolling basis through March 1st. All screening interviews will be conducted by phone or a zoom like format for Covid-19 safety. All finalists will be required to attend an in person work interview/farm tour. We will do our best to respond to everyone, but can only guarantee responses to folks who we hope to interview. 

PROGRAM & MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

This is a new position focused on coordinating workshops, events, and social media posts that amplify the farm’s mission and vision.   

Responsibilities

• Maintain a public calendar of farm events and workshops
• Conduct outreach to organizations, allies, and CSA members to assess interest in workshop content, identify opportunities to collaborate, and recruit volunteer and paid workshop facilitators
• Meet with facilitators to plan and prepare for workshops/events
• Advertise for events, oversee RSVP process and pre-event communications 
• Be the logistics point person for attendee needs at in-person and online events
• Help maintain and uphold the infrastructure and covid-19 safety processes for visitors and event attendees
• Photograph the happenings on the farm and make regular social media posts
• Help coordinate and streamline the organization’s communication and social media systems to better engage our membership

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience in social media marketing, graphics, and photography
• Excellent written and visual communication skills
• Demonstrated experience as a successful event planner
• Experience in coordinating and hosting online/zoom workshops and events
• Attention to detail and strong logistical coordination skills
• Valid Driver’s License 
• Must be able to conduct the office work on your own computer/tablet and phone
• Positive attitude and comfort working independently or with a team
• Strong commitment to food justice, land sovereignty, LGBTQ liberation, immigrant rights, racial justice, and community organizing.
• Interest, or experience in organic farming
• Enthusiasm for fresh locally produced food and cooking/food preparation
• Desire to facilitate a workshop and/or create original workshop content 

Compensation

• $15 hour for an average of 15-20 hours a week for 35 weeks.
• Weekly seasonal produce + ½ dozen eggs + a turkey
• At this time we cannot provide onsite housing for any farm employees

Date & Hours

• Begins by or before April 1st – and goes through December 15
• Average of 15- 20 hours per week, with less hours and intensity in the beginning, and more towards the end (August, Sept, Oct, November, December)
• There is potential to grow this into a perennial position
• This job will require both onsite and remote work; we envision a successful relationship as one where you will be physically on farm a minimum of 1 day a week, and more on weeks where there are in person events scheduled. 
• The majority of workshops and events will take place between June and October
• Must be available to attend Friday staff meetings starting mid-April
• Some weekends will be required depending on the schedule of events

How to Apply  

Please send your resume and cover letter to us at movementgroundfarm@gmail.com with “Program Coordinator” as the subject.

**We take covid-19 very seriously. If you have not taken safety measures in your personal life to lessen the risk for yourself and community please do not apply. We will only consider candidates that can commit to keeping the farm as safe as possible for our staff, families and customers by following our safety guidelines.

MGF Poultry

 

DIY Chicken Processing Event Update:

How many times have your Thanksgiving plans changed already?!    Well, if you’re looking to do something different, consider helping us process the last of our broiler chickens and bringing one home for the ultimate pasture-to-table meal!

When: 9am on Sunday Nov 22 or Tues Nov 24th (your choice)

We saved the biggest ones for this occasion- they should all be between 6 and 7.5 (or even 8 Lbs), great for a small Thanksgiving for 4 to 10 people.  Or get two of them!  

$60 per each hefty chicken – price includes the bird itself plus the professional instructions, coaching, tools and set up we will provide.  

Maximum of three people per bird.    If doing two birds, bring up to six people.   

If doing three birds, please bring at least two people (you plus someone else who is going to be able to roll up their sleeves).

We expect that the crew you bring is in your COVID safety pod – the people you trust and have established shared COVID safety practices, testing, communications, etc… 

Kids can come but they must participate and follow COVID safety rules.

Here, go ahead and Fwd this video out to your family and friends – it shows how we have been rotating them across our pasture, every day this Summer!  

https://youtu.be/gbNKqOGo9ZY

RSVP https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16M11KMfDwACC2aCLx1X6ZGsnOUDz9OB1QXzjngtUoXY/edit?usp=drivesdk

 

Chickens

Oftentimes we’ve been asked the question “Which chickens are for meat and which are for eggs?”

The short answer is that currently there are laying-type, meat-type, and dual purpose-type or utility chickens. Just like dog breeds exist because they were originally kept for specific purposes in specific places in the world, the same goes with chickens. Only there’s three uses for chickens- laying eggs, fighting and ceremony, and meat. While all chickens can be eaten for meat, for millennia the chicken’s primary role globally has been fighting and egg laying. Typically male birds were separated from the hens and fattened for the table. Today, chickens are raised primarily for meat and eggs in large indoor operations in flocks numbering in the thousands.

For the long answer:

It is important to understand that chickens and other poultry are the most efficient converters of grain calories to ‘food.’ In the past, chickens did not generate wealth like livestock (literally living wealth) did and were looked down upon in the past as peasant food. After all the chicken is still a staple and necessity for subsistence farmers and peasants around the world.

So how did we get to chicken being the most widely eaten meat in the US?While the processes of agricultural intensification, selective breeding, and industrial agriculture began on 18^th century English agricultural estates and primarily focused on cattle, sheep, and to some extent pigs, chicken farming did not begin its transformation until the early 20^th century on the East coast of the United States. The meat chicken of today is a very recent innovation created by poultry companies for ever-increasing profit. For an in-depth look check out this this article in The Guardian explaining much of the recent history of the industrialization of meat chicken farming in the United States.

A very important piece missing in the article is the role of women in chicken raising in the United States. Until the industrialization of chicken farming, almost all chicken farmers in the US were women, and in the South there were many successful Black women engaged in small flock raising. The industrialization of chicken farming can be seen as a gendered and racialized takeover of women’s economic agency in agriculture.

Broilers

Since mid-August, we have been raising 180 medium growing hybrid broiler chickens from Moyer’s Hatchery in Pennsylvania (see link here). This variety of chicken offers a compromise between the fast-growing Cornish Rock hybrid created by poultry companies and the traditional chicken of rural and peasant communities around the world.

The person accustomed to the Cornish Rock Cross would find a ‘traditional’ chicken somewhat of a disappointment because they have much less meat (the muscle- remember organ meat is delicious, extremely nutritious, and most respectful to the life taken!). A person accustomed to ‘traditional’ chickens would find the Cornish Rock Cross packed with meat, but devoid of flavor, mushy (overly tender), and make a lackluster chicken stock. We chose a broiler hybrid that falls in the middle- slower growing means more flavor for soups and broths, and faster growing means a meatier bird. Because they don’t develop metabolic and joint issues and are less sensitive to weather conditions these chickens can be raised much longer, do better on pasture-based systems, and experience a quality of life similar to a ‘traditional’ chicken.

We raise our chickens in mobile pens on a half-acre section of white clover. White clover is both relished by the chickens and is quite nutritious. Since the chickens are moved every day, we distribute their manure across the entire half acre section, leaving it fertilized and replenished for future crops. We have both pullets and cockerels, with the cockerels being on average about a pound larger than the pullets.

 

Our birds will be 4 to 6 lbs at $7 per pound. This means a bird could be anywhere from $28 to $42. Because they take longer to grow to size we have to feed and take care of them about three weeks longer than conventional broilers. This explains the higher cost. They will be available chilled (not frozen) for pick up at the farm on Thursday October 29th between 3 – 6pm, and available frozen thereafter. We recommend you age the chicken in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating, this ensures it becomes tender. We are also letting twenty live longer for a processing workshop at the farm on Sunday November 22nd. We expect these to weigh between 6 – 9 lbs.

Order our broilers here

Cockerel and Pullet

Cornish game hens

Cornish game hens are the same conventional broiler chicken raised throughout the global food supply.   The only difference is that are typically processed at week 4 or 5 instead of the typical 8 weeks!  In fact, for every two pounds of feed given to these birds, you get one pound of meat.  Bred over the years by poultry companies for a larger breast size and more white meat, these birds unfortunately develop health problems later on in life if you let them reach maturity.   But with hatcheries running out of stock, we secured these birds quickly, and as we are processing them early on, they won’t experience any health problems.  In fact, out of the 200 day-old chicks we’ve ordered, we currently have 201 of them!

They are happy and tame and friendly!   We’ve been throwing them bugs at night, and when one latches onto one, the hen immediately tumbles down the pen, dodging other chicks that are quick to take advantage of the situation.   That is, until the running chick is blocked by a team of four or five, loses control of the bug, and it’s snatched up by another – who then runs with the bug the opposite way, and the game is on!

Our first batch will be available FRESH for pick up at the farm on Friday, August 7, between 5 – 8pm.  We expect these hens to be between 1.5 – 2.0 lbs.   Our second bacth will be available FRESH for pick up at the farm on Monday August 17 between 5 and 8pm.  After that, our hens will be available FROZEN, and can be picked up at the farm or delivered with your CSA.

Out on pasture in our mobile pens they are filling up their bellies with white clover we planted for them in early April.   This (and the critters such as grasshoppers and moths) supplements their diet of certified organic chicken feed, consisting of primarily corn, soybean, wheat and minerals.  Every morning (and eventually every afternoon too) we carefully move their pen onto a set of fresh clover, ensuring a clean and hygienic environment as well as a whole new clover salad bar.

Our Mixed Flock of Layers

Our breeds:

• Americaunas
• Rhode Island Reds
• Midnight Majesty Marans
• Sapphire Olive Egger

Pasture-raised Cortunix Quail

A

Cooking with a CSA

This past week’s gorgeous harvest for week #6. Your veggie boxes may vary depending on location. Photo by: Keely

Summer CSA Week #6

Menu

(Last week of July. **Produce will vary depending on drop-off locations)

• Bag* (*compostable) of basil
• Slicing cucumbers
• Green leaf lettuce OR rainbow chard
• Walla walla onions
• Tomatoes
• Bundle of beets
• Pickling cucumbers
• Big zucchini

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Cooking with a CSA

Lukas’ vegan-friendly CSA pasta (basil, scallions, garlic scapes, sugar snap peas, kale) All recipe photos by: Lukas

Lukas, part of the Movement Ground Farm (MGF) farm crew, has a culinary passion and enjoys cooking. He is committing to sharing a recipe or two each month with us. He also maintains his own blog at www.lukasdow.com, where he is documenting his farm-to-table inspired meals using his MGF share in his recipes.

One of these recipes is for a garlic scape & basil vegan-friendly pasta dish. In it, he includes many of the produce items from one of his week’s farm share: kale, sugar snap peas, garlic scapes, basil, and scallions. And here is his recipe [I made some edits for our blog purposes noted in these brackets]!

Garlic Scape & Basil Pasta

Ingredients:

• garlic scapes
• scallions
• kale
• sugar snap peas
• basil
• dried spaghetti
• salt
• ground black pepper

Before photo: All the produce

1. Boil a large pot of water to cook pasta. [When it comes to a boil, add a teaspoon or more of salt (careful, it may make the water bubble up). Add about 2-4 servings of pasta to water. Undercook pasta and remove about 2 minutes before the total suggested cooking time on spaghetti box. You will be finishing the pasta when cooking up the veggies. Set aside a cup of pasta water for the end.]

2. Wash all produce in cold water.

3. Chop garlic scapes until you reach the light green “bulb” top. Then mince as much of the tops as possible (until it’s too papery/dry).

Chopped garlic scapes & white scallion bottoms

4. Chop white parts of the scallions into thin slices. Keeping green scallion tops separate, chop into slightly thicker slices, about 1/4″, and set aside.

5. Chop kale into a rough chiffonade. [If you have long kale stems (some varieties do), keep separate and chop thinly like garlic scapes. Trim off any really old, tough, warped ends. Set aside any chopped kale stems.]

Trimming sugar snap peas

6. Trim tops and fibers off snap peas (see above photo). [If you prefer smaller pieces, roughly chop on the diagonal.]

7. Remove whole basil leaves and set aside. [If you prefer smaller pieces, stack leaves on top of each other and roughly slice.]

8. Heat a saute pan on medium low to medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to pan, and salt and pepper to taste.

9. Add any separated kale stems, white scallion bottoms, and garlic scapes. Stir for a couple minutes and coat with oil in the pan. Cover pan with lid for a couple minutes to heat through and soften kale stems.

Sauteed veggies in oil

10. Add the rest of the kale and sugar snap peas. Saute for a couple minutes.

11. [Add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the cooked pasta, green scallion tops, basil, and about 1/4 cup of cooked pasta water. Stir everything well until all ingredients are mixed and coated with the olive oil “sauce”. Add more salt and black pepper to taste if you need. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time, if needed, to create a coating of olive oil “sauce” for your pasta. Let sit for a couple minutes and stir again. Turn off heat, and you’re done!]

[Optional: squeeze some lemon, or add dashes of vinegar to finish off your dish. Acidity helps brighten up food. Or try a dash or two of soy sauce for an extra punch of flavor, add when you add in your pasta into the pan (refrain from adding more salt at this stage until after you taste test dish with the soy sauce). And for the non-vegan options, choose to add some grated parmesan or butter.]

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Stuffed Quahogs

Lukas’ local, stuffed quahogs include MGF’s hakurei turnips, onions, & scallions. He foraged with Farmer Kohei for RI clams! All recipe photos by: Lukas

Here’s a quick recipe Lukas cooked up for stuffed clams/ quahogs (quahogs are large sized clams) using some CSA ingredients. [Note: I wrote out these directions in more detail for purposes of the blog.]

Stuffed Quahogs

Ingredients:

• clams
• hakurei turnips
• onion
• scallions
• unseasoned breadcrumbs, or panko
• mayonnaise
• mustard
• salt
• ground black pepper
• Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

1) Rinse debris & sand off clams. Then, in a large enough pot to hold your clams, fill with about 1/2″ – 1″ of water. Steam until shells open up easily.

2) Remove clam meat from shells. Set shells aside to stuff later. Roughly chop up the meat and add to a larger mixing bowl.

Finely chopped hakurei turnips.

3) Wash produce: onion, scallions, hakurei turnips. Chop finely. Keep green scallion tops separate for garnishing at the end. Add all vegetables, except green scallion tops, to clam meat bowl. (*Note: keep your vegetables to clam meat ratio to about a 3/4 cup of vegetables to 1 cup of clam meat).

4) Add about a 1/2 tablespoon each of mayonnaise and mustard to every cup of clam meat you have. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Optional: crushed chili pepper flakes.

Homemade breadcrumbs from stale bread.

5) Add about 2/3 cup – 1 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs (or crumble your own stale bread) to every cup of clam meat you have. Mix into clam bowl. Taste test, then add more seasoning, mayo, or mustard as needed.

6) Add 1 beaten egg to every cup of clam meat you have. Mix until incorporated and able to form loose balls.

7. Let clam mixture sit for about 10-15 minutes to let all ingredients incorporate. Meanwhile, rinse shells for presenting and cooking. Then, stuff shells with your mixture.

Stuffed clam shells with butter on top. Ready for the oven.

8. Once all shells are stuffed and packed with all of your clam mixture, place a thin cube of butter on top. This will create a toasted, golden crust on top when cooking.

9. Grill or broil on low until crispy on top, about 8-10 minutes.

10. Sprinkle chopped green scallion tops over finished stuffed clams. Serve hot with lemon.

Voilà!

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CSA Members’ Corner

MGF ratatouille from Kara

Farmer Kohei’s vermicelli bowl (bun cha) with farm fresh veggies and swordfish.

Pickled cucumbers with onion from Abby.

Dill pickles and bread & butter pickles from Martha.

Roasted cherry tomatoes from Casey.

Fava beans & wild purslane from Sounthala.

Farmer Kohei’s grilled miso eggplant. (For a similar tasty recipe, try .)

Glazed hakurei turnips & its green tops in sesame noodles with scallion from Martha.

Shirley’s farm dinner: farm eggs, cherry tomatoes, and bittermelon with rice.

Sandy’s lacto-fermented, pickled dill cucumbers.

Abby’s oi muchim, a Korean spicy cucumber pickling, made with our cucumbers and onions.

Cool Crispy Cucumbers

Our pickling cucumbers bathing in their washing station.

Photo credit: Lukas

Summer CSA Week 4. This is a look at Providence’s shares. Other drop-off locations’ CSA boxes may vary. Photo credit: Kohei

Hello! It’s Judy again, Board member and friend of the farm. I’ll be helping out with the blog about twice a month. I’m hoping to help capture some of those wonderful food photos all the CSA members are cooking up, while finding recipe inspiration for everyone. It’s great to see what the produce from the fields turn into when it’s on your tables. Thank you for sharing your inspiring meals with us!

So you might be noticing you’re getting a lot of cucumbers right about now. Hopefully, that’s a good thing for you! It’s refreshing and hydrating (because of its high water content) in the summer heat. Lightly sweet, and crunchy as is; crisp and a pop of sour as a pickle; a hint of savory in a cocktail; and surprising when cooked. Here are some cuke-tastic (Keely’s fun word 🤗) ideas to get you enjoying your cucumbers: a handful of cucumber inspired recipes from The Kitchn.

Photo credit from The Kitchn’s Joe Lingeman. Here’s a South Asian-inspired cucumber raita, a versatile condiment for many foods.

This South Asian-inspired cucumber raita (see above photo), would be a great condiment and flavoring addition to many of your future meals! Roast some veggies and top it off with a drizzle of this. Use it as a dip for your bread. Add it to a cheese and charcuterie board. Spread it on a sandwich in place of mayo. Drizzle on top of your fried or fritter-ed zucchini! Try it as a nice dip for your roast chicken.

Photo credit from The Kitchn’s Oriana Koren. Here is a resourceful way to use your cucumber peels! A cucumber peel spread/ dip.

But my favorite that popped out from the list of cucumber recipes from The Kitchn, is one that uses up your leftover cucumber peels (see above photo)! Don’t throw them away! You could make a cucumber peel sandwich spread/ dip. Or, like me, I freeze some of my peels from apples, pear, and cucumbers, then use it later to make a blended power smoothie with a combination of veggies, fruit, and sometimes herbs.  Or blend your peels to make a cooling agua fresca, a cucumber lemonade, or cucumber peel puree ice cubes (for cold drinks with a hint of cucumber), etc.! And because Movement Ground Farm (aka MGF) uses organic methods to grow its produce, and we take the same approach in how we treat all of our land, you can feel confident in knowing that your cucumber peels are not laden with any pesticides. So use up the peels if you can, divert the waste away from your trash and landfills!

If wanting to use some of your cucumbers later and want it to last a couple weeks, you could pickle it (really, any veggie could be pickled… have okra, bok choy, onions, garlic, chili peppers, shishito peppers? Throw it in!). Here is a recipe from Food Waste Feast for a quick pickle brine recipe. Quick pickles, or fridge pickles, are like their name implies: quick (can be enjoyed as quickly as a half hour after being made but even better hours after). They utilize a brine and acid for a sour taste, rather than relying on bacteria to ferment and sour your vegetables, which takes days or weeks (think sauerkraut or kimchi). And a quick pickle is not shelf stable, it’s typically made to sit in the fridge for a short period of time.

As for cooked cucumbers, I’ve seen it used in Asian stir fries and soups. It may sound surprising, but it’s a delightful way to enjoy it in a slightly different texture. A bonus for cooking cucumbers is it’s a great technique for using up past its prime condition cukes, so don’t fret if you’ve forgotten them in the back of your fridge! Here is a Chinese style, cucumber and pork stir fry found on the blog, Appetite for China. To make it vegetarian, just leave out the meat.

CSA Cooking Corner

Farmer Kohei’s hakurei turnips & stems stir fry with fermented soybeans.

Martha’s waffled zucchini fritters with roasted beets.

Chung-Wha’s bibimbap (a kind of Korean rice bowl with a medley of cooked veggies) with hakurei turnips, radishes, and their leafy tops.

Helen’s MGF salad with salad greens, fava beans, & summer squash.

Farmer Kohei’s summer squash stir fry with scallions & liverwurst sausage.

Sandy’s cucumber pickles.

Shirley’s MGF greens & sweet basil scampi pasta.

Susana’s homemade noodle bowl with our komatsuna greens.

Emily’s caprese salad with our komatsuna greens, topped with a pesto of our Thai basil.

Lukas’ vermicelli rice noodle bowl with local fish. He used hakurei turnip, shiso leaves, Thai basil, cucumber, red onion, scallion.

Hyun Joo’s dwaenjangjjigae (a type of Korean stew) using zucchini, hakurei turnips, and the turnip greens.

Nada’s zucchini fritters.

Farm Update 6.9.2020

With the world uprising in a movement for Black Lives, we are transplanting and cultivating the soil with humble hands, torn that we cannot actively be part of the resistance but grounded in that we know that our work – and this land – will help serve the people in the years to come!

 

Not quite ready to start a full orchard – with all of the research, upfront costs, and irrigation systems required for such a long-term investment – we still wanted to get a start.   So we started small scale, with just a few paw paw, Asian pear, hardy kiwi, and fig trees.   We will see how they do over the next few years and will be sure to expand on the cultivars that do well!

These figs, the Chicago Hardy, can potentially survive in our climate but should be planted next to a south facing wall or building; but since we have plans for so much renovating and re-landscaping, felt it was safer to plant them in barrels for now.

The work of re-establishing a working farm is tremendous!  And last year the launch of the CSA only months after the sale of the property, prevented us from making big strides.   So this Spring we accomplished a few small projects – re-shelling our quahog driveway and establishing a parking area; improving our washing station with a better drainage system; building a small shelter to keep our bicycles and maybe a tractor implement or two in good shape.

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And after five years of rushing to close the greenhouse when the temperature drops, or having to pull off the highway and drive back to the house when the sun unexpectedly beams through parting clouds, we finally have a greenhouse with an automated ventilation system.    A thermostat control box kicks on circulation fans as soon as the temperature reaches 70F and rolls up the greenhouse sides and opens ventilation units when the temperature hits 83F.    Far more than reducing work and worry, this unit will keep prime growing conditions for the tomatoes, husk cherries, and cucumbers that we are growing this year!

 

A update from two of our partner organizations – PrYSM and AARW

Stepping up to address the spiraling crises that COVID-19 has had on communities of color – and on social justice organizations led by people of color – six Rhode Island organizations have come together to form the Rhode Island Solidarity Fund.   As movement organizations recalibrate EVERYTHING – from tactics, strategies, funding, capacities, safety protocols, launching food and finances programs, connecting existing campaigns to the protest movement, and figuring out how to navigate and work with the emergence of new groups and mutual aid associations – this fund is a way to make sure that the grassroots, anti-racist, direct action organizations that have, for years, laid the legal, political, community groundwork for police accountability organizing, are supported and lifted.   It’s also a way for donors, funders, philanthropists, and those who can afford to re-direct their tax returns directly to support the organizations behind the movement.   Consider reaching out to the fund or organizing an outdoor socially distanced dinner party this summer to raise awareness about this fund!

 

In Boston, groups such as Dorchester Not for Sale, the Asian American Resource Workshop, Black Lives Matter Boston, Showing Up for Racial Justice Boston, New England United for Justice, Dorchester Food Co-op, have banded together to form Dorchester Community Care.    Based in language justice, anti-racist organizing, and leadership by people of color, Dorchester Community Care pairs folks who have something to give or offer with folks who are looking for assistance or help.

 

Say their names:

 

George Floyd

 

Breonna Taylor

 

Ahmaud Arbery

 

Tony McDade.