With this unexpectedly-chilly start to November, we’ve been scrambling to get the last of our winter cover crops planted, just in case this is a first warning for an exceptionally cold winter.

At this time of year we seed winter hardy cover crops like rye, vetch, and field peas. They lock our soil in place to prevent erosion, while also providing food and housing to our many, many trillions of soil organisms, keeping our essential soil ecosystem supported through the winter months.

Our specially selected winter cover crops can grow even in cold temperatures, but will go dormant in the very deepest, coldest part of the winter. As things begin to warm up (hopefully in February), they’ll come out of dormancy, continuing to grow until the spring, when we turn them under to provide soil nutrients to our first crops of next season. And this cycle of feeding the soil and then drawing harvests off it will continue for another year.

Organic Harvest Box

We’re trying something different with the Organic Harvest Box this week. Instead of the CSA-share-for-just-a-week model that we usually use, we want to give you one recipe and all the veggies needed to make it. This week’s recipe is Carrot Beet Parsley Juice. 

In the Box this week:

• 5 bunches Carrots
• 1 bunch Beets
• 1 bunch Parsley

Click here to order online and pick up in:

• North Easton at the Farmstand (Tues – Sun)
• Davis Square Farmers Market (Wed)
• Brookline Farmers Market (Thurs)
• Pawtucket Wintertime Market (Sat)

Our Organic Harvest Boxes always full of the freshest Certified Organic vegetables from our fields. This week’s Box is $25.

Carrot Beet Parsley Juice

Don’t have a juicer? Don’t worry, you can do this with a blender and a fine mesh sieve. This OHB has enough veggies to do a quintuple batch (5x) of this recipe.

5 Carrots (scrubbed and chopped into 1″ pieces, or whatever size your juicer takes)
1 Beet (scrubbed and chopped into ~1″ pieces, or whatever size your juicer takes)
3 Beet Greens
3 sprigs Parsley
optional add ons: 2 Tbs lemon juice and/or one 2″ piece of ginger (peeled) and/or a half cup apple juice or cider (to taste)

If using a juicer, press each ingredient as usual. Pour over ice or refrigerate immediately.
If using a blender, place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Then pour through a fine mesh strainer. Use a rubber spatula to press all the juice out of the pulp. Pour over ice or refrigerate immediately.