What’s in this Booklet?
About Just Roots
Thank You!
Herb Tips
Storage Cheat Sheet
Events Information
CSA Schedule
Harvest Calendar
Recipe Resources
Pairings from the Flavor Bible
Recipes
About Just Roots!
Just Roots is a nonprofit community organization that works to build equity, connection, health, and empowerment in our community through food. We recognize the land we steward is stolen land, previously home to indigenous peoples including the Nipmuck, Wabanaki, Abenaki, and Pocumtuck.
We grow food on about 7 acres and steward almost 70 acres using practices that focus on sustainability. Perhaps best known as the organization that developed and operates one of the largest SNAP-enrolled, low-income Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share programs in Massachusetts, Just Roots is a leader in the effort to include and engage all people in the local food economy. In recent years, Just Roots has expanded our impact through our Food is Medicine work. Partnering with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other healthcare organizations, we connect food insecure patients throughout Massachusetts with food from our farm and other local farms. Just Roots empowers vibrant, inclusive and sustainable farm and food economies in Massachusetts.
We’re grateful for you joining us in the growth, in the harvest, in any way you want! Find us on the farm, or contact us to see what we’re up to. Provecho! Dig in! Cheers to the power of food and community.
Call us! 413.325.8969
Text us! 413.303.9662
Email us! info@justroots.org
Learn more! justroots.org
Thank you for choosing Just Roots!
When you choose Just Roots, you choose to support:
- Local produce: This helps lower emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels. Our planet thanks you!
- Ecologically-minded land stewards: Small farms have less or even no groundwater pollution from pesticides and fertilizers—ensuring better drinking water for us and future generations.
- Healthy soil nutrient cycling: This means the soil remains productive and active for generations to come.
- Our local economy: We hire local folks, and purchase products from other local businesses! Cheers to putting your dollars into the local economy and local pockets!
- Farms that understand and care for their communities: Small farms like Just Roots work to provide equitable food access to all people, despite income differences!
- Farmers’ right to a living wage: Farm workers are some of the most exploited workers in America—thank you for helping us work toward wages that truly value the labor of growing food and stewarding the land.
- Food and farm education: Whether it’s through field trips, volunteer groups, on-farm and online workshops, or through our Farm to School partnership with Greenfield Public Schools, we are prioritizing teaching and learning with our community!
Herb Tips
| Herb | Storage | Cooking Ideas | Uses & Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Trim the cut ends, put the bunch in a glass of water, cover with a plastic bag, and put in refrigerator. Basil kept that way will stay vibrant and green for up to a week. | Pesto, tomato basil soup, caprese salad, thai green curry, romesco sauce, infused basil olive oil or cider vinegar | Fights inflammation in body–can infuse into hot or cold water in tea fresh or dried |
| Cilantro | Wash cilantro and pat dry with a clean dish towel. Place the sprigs in resealable bags and toss in the freezer. | Cilantro vinaigrette, Creamy cilantro lime chicken, Chimichurri, coconut fish chowder | Rich in antioxidants –supports healthy liver function |
| Dill | Wash the dill in cold water, remove excess moisture with a salad spinner, and wrap the bundle in several damp paper towels. Place the wrapped stems and leaves in a plastic bag or airtight container. Store for up to two weeks. | Dill pickles, Tzatziki, Crispy tofu or fish with lemon dill sauce, potato salad, egg salad | Loaded with flavonoids that help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke |
| Parsley | Trim the cut ends, put the bunch in a glass of water, cover with a plastic bag, and put in refrigerator. Parsley kept that way will stay vibrant and green for up to a week. | chimichurri, tabbouleh, gremolata, falafel, pasta or couscous salad, panzanella, morrocan carrot salad, potato salad | Rich in vitamin c and antioxidants |
| Oregano | Store cut stems in a glass or jar filled with water. This simple trick will keep them from wilting and preserve their flavor until you need them to make food. | Chimichurri, compound butter, pasta sauce, oregano pesto, marinades | Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal |
| Sage | Wrap the sage leaves in paper towels and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use within 4-5 days | Pumpkin sage soup, poultry dry rub, marinades, bouquet garni for soups, brown butter sage gnocchi | Great for digestive problems in tea form |
| Thyme | Place in a pile in a slightly damp paper towel and wrap them up. Place inside of a plastic bag with a few punctured holes. Keep in the refrigerator about 1-2 weeks or more. | Bouquet garni for soups, marinades, compound butter, thyme pickled carrots, roasted vegetables | Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial |
| Lemon Balm | Washed and dried, then stored in a clear plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days OR Place stems in a cup of water, refresh water every two days- they will sprout roots and you can plant again! | Add tender leaves to salads or fruit salads, Lemon balm cookies, Lemon balm & lemonade sorbet, Lemon balm & oregano pesto | Lemon balm tea is said to help soothe headaches and said to help relieve stress and anxiety |
| Echinacea | Dry plant material on drying screens and once completely dry store in a tight mason jar. Or, place stems in jar of water and use within 4-5 days. | Kale soup with echinacea, echinacea and lemon tea, Sage & Echinacea chicken soup | Super immune boosting properties |
CSA pickup/delivery schedule & PYO hours
CSA Pickups
Choose one from whichever time works best each week!
WEDNESDAYS 2–6pm at Just Roots
THURSDAYS 4–6pm at 107 Main St, Greenfield
SATURDAYS 9am–2pm at Just Roots
CSA Deliveries
Our deliveries will go out bright and early each week from Wednesday through Friday from our farm in Greenfield. Keep an eye out for our driver! You can expect a text reminder about your share delivery the day before, and alerts when we’re approaching your home and once we have dropped off your share!
PLEASE have a clean cooler full of ice out for us if you would like us to keep your share cool!!
Please notify us at vanessa@justroots.org or text us at (413) 247-4630 at least a week in advance with any address changes and updated allergy or delivery details.
Pick Your Own Hours
PYO fields are open:
Tuesday-Saturday
7am–7pm
Let us know if you have accessibility concerns that make using the PYO fields difficult and we can arrange to pick some for you!
Events & Workshops on the farm
We host hands-on workshops at the farm open to the public!
Topics in cooking, herbalism, traditional skills, and more
Interested in learning more about our events and workshop offerings?
The Greenfield Summer Eats food truck is at the farm
Wednesdays 5–6PM
Late June through mid August
Kids and adults eat free!
Storage Cheat Sheet!
| COLD + MOIST Put produce in perforated plastic bags in the fridge. Keep greens moist by wrapping their stems in a wet towel. Store most herbs the same way or in a glass of water. Tip: Greens looking wilty? Trim off inch from their stems and soak them in cold water for 15-20 mins. Then put them back in fridge. | ROOTS • Carrots, Beets, Radishes, etc GREENS • Lettuce/Spinach • Kale/Collards • Herbs FRESH ALLIUMS • Leeks/Scallions • Green Garlic • Fresh Onions SQUASH & CUKES EGGPLANT & PEPPERS FRUIT |
| COOL + DRY Put onions and garlic in breathable mesh or paper bags in a cabinet or pantry. | STORAGE CROPS • Garlic • Onions • Potatoes • Sweet Potatoes |
| WARM + DRY Room temperature on countertop or pantry. Watch out for mice!! | • Tomatoes • Winter Squash |
| STORE SEPARATELY The ethylene gas that apples give off can cause veggies to spoil too quickly | • Apples |
Harvest Calendar
Adapted from CISA
The heat, rain, winds and unpredictability of nature have the ultimate say on when each crop is ready! That said, here are some examples of produce you might see each month of the year.
| JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Blueberries | √ | √ | |||
| Broccoli | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Brussels sprouts | √ | √ | |||
| Cabbage | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Carrots | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Cauliflower | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Celeriac | √ | ||||
| Corn | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Cucumbers | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Eggplant | √ | √ | |||
| Garlic | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Greens | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Green beans | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Leeks | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Lettuce | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Melons | √ | √ | |||
| Onions | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Parsnips | √ | ||||
| Peaches | √ | √ | |||
| Peas | √ | √ | |||
| Peppers | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Potatoes | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Pumpkins | √ | √ | |||
| Radishes | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Raspberries | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Scallions | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Summer squash | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Strawberries | √ | √ | |||
| Sweet potatoes | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Tomatoes | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Turnips | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Winter squash | √ | √ |
Just Roots Recipe Resources
Check out our YouTube channel! Filled with culinary how to videos and recorded cooking classes, this is a resource waiting for you to use!
Learn how to Make Kimchi, Fire cider, or a recipe from our kitchen intuition cooking classes
The recipe catalog on our website is being updated!
Refer to our website throughout the season for inspiration for your CSA share.
Recipe Notes: Sometimes you will a “VQ note” on a recipe. VQ = Vanessa Query, our new CSA Coordinator and local-foodie! Feel free to ask Vanessa, or any of our staff, about their recommendations for using up your veggies at any distro or market!
Pairings from the Flavor Bible
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page consists of hundreds of ingredients along with other ingredients to pair them with, according to a survey of American chefs. In this brief guide are some ingredients you’ll find in your CSA! We’re only including some pairings, those that are very highly recommended. Visit this web page for more suggestions and check out the book for even more!