Written by Executive Director, Archie McIntyre

As I wrote in our February Blog post, this year many of us at the Farm have been focused on what we can do to lessen adverse environmental impacts here at the Farm and in our daily lives.  We’re trying to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to the greatest degree possible and start the transition to clean forms of energy.  It’s an important goal outlined in our recently updated 5-year strategic plan.

It won’t be easy.  We, like many others, are reliant on fossil fuels to power and heat our buildings and run our tractors and farm vehicles.  And it won’t be cheap – green initiatives require significant upfront capital expenditures to make the switch.  The good news is in most cases there is a payback both financially and in knowing that the farm is doing our part to cut our greenhouse gas emissions.

One big initiative we’ve been planning is solar power production at the Farm.  It’s something that we’ve wanted to do for a while but have been stymied in our effort.  The ideal location for solar panels – near perfect, almost – is on the south facing roofs of the 1827 Barn and Squash House.  The catch is that both buildings are listing on the National Register of Historic Places and both are subject to a State Historic Preservation Restriction on the buildings’ exteriors.  Modern solar panels on the historic roofs? It’s been a non-starter as recently as a couple of years ago.  Many in our community – even committed environmental advocates – just weren’t ready to take that step.

In the past 12 months something changed.  Maybe the release this past Fall of back-to-back dire reports from the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) and even our own government’s National Climate Assessment shocked many more of us.  It seemed like public opinion was starting to galvanize around taking steps – sometimes bold ones – to do our part.

Our Farm’s Conservancy Board voted unanimously to support solar power on the two barns.  So too did the Winchester Select Board and Winchester Historical Commission.  To get a unanimous vote from our WHS was a big victory.  A couple of years ago a unanimous vote from the Commission charged with “protecting” our historic built environment would be unlikely, to say the least.

So, we went for it.  As the buildings were subject to a State Preservation Agreement, we had to seek permission from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC).  Armed with strong local support and our best arguments why this approach was the least impactful alternative for the overall farm’s historic landscape, we submitted our Project Notification Form to MHC.   Much to our disappointment – but I can’t say I was surprised – our application was rejected by the State.  We decided to appeal the decision but were disappointed to learn that there was no appeal process for MHC denials. Instead, we turned to our elected state officials to apply political pressure.  Thanks to Jason Lewis and Mike Day for leading the effort.  Joined by Pat Jehlen and Cindy Friedman, State Senator from Arlington and Mike Barrett, State Senator from Lexington, our collected officials wrote the Secretary of State’s Office requesting a meeting of all parties to reconsider the decision.  (MHC is a division of MA Secretary of State).

Next thing we knew, MHC contacted us granting us approval to go forward.  No meeting required!  It’s nice to have friends in high places.  Thanks Jason, Mike, Pat, Cindy and Mike for their help and ongoing advocacy on climate issues.

Now on to the project itself.  We have contracted with BlueSel Solar to install 172 – 250-Watt DC Sunpower panels on the two barns. We’ve selected uniform, all black panels that will blend in with the dark grey asphalt shingles on the barns to minimize visual impact.  The system is projected to generate 54,000 kWh annually, more than enough to cover our current annual consumption of electricity on the farm.  We are now in the project design phase and expect to file for our interconnection permit with Eversource shortly.  With permits in hand, look to see work starting this Fall.

One of the side benefits of undertaking a solar project is that it focuses your attention on how much electricity you consume.  If you asked me last year how many kWh per year we burned at the Farm I wouldn’t have had a clue.  Now I know we consume 30,000 kWh spread over 2 meters.  One meter serves all of our Ag buildings – Farm stand, B shed, 1827 Barn, Squash House and greenhouse consuming 22,000 of the total 30,000 kWh.  We expect the main electricity hogs are the refrigeration for our cold room in the Squash House and our various fridges and freezers serving our Farm stand.

The Farm House itself historically consumes only 8,000 kWh.  But that is likely to change in the coming months as we undertake our next major climate focused initiative:  installing electric air source heat pumps to replace our oil-fired furnace to heat the house.  As part of the Arlington/Winchester HeatSmart program, we will be converting over to fossil free heat, powered by our own on-site solar.  Talk about a win-win!

Doing the math, the Farmhouse ASHP system it will most likely consume much of the excess electricity generated on-farm and we still have to heat and power the All Seasons Barn.  We’ve started to look at where, specifically, we’re drawing our power and what we can do to cut our electrical consumption.  We’ve installed a new Sense Monitor https://sense.com/ that uses AI to measure the actual load of all fixtures drawing power.  By placing sensors between the meter and main circuit breaker panel, Sense learns over time the electrical signatures and power draw of each appliance and light bulb enabling us to make informed decisions to replace inefficient devices and consume less power.

We hope that we can conserve enough power from our current inefficient operations so that enough electricity is left over from our solar panels to serve the electrical needs of all farm operations – including the All Seasons Barn.

In this era of rapidly accelerating climate change with dramatic negative impacts to the environment and human health, it is becoming increasingly clear that we all must take actions, however small and localized, to mitigate adverse climate events.  Nowhere is this more evident than on a small, diversified farm that is impacted by rapid shifts between oppressive heat and drought and torrential microbursts dropping inches of rain in just hours.  Last summer, many Massachusetts farms had to cease operations due to flooded out fields and ruined crops.  These conditions will only accelerate in coming years.

Wright-Locke Farm, with its mission of community involvement and education, is an ideal place to showcase small-scale initiatives to combat climate change.  By generating approximately 54,000 kW of solar power on our two barns, we can effectively eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels to power our electrical and heating needs on our farm.  Someday, this could even extend to innovative electric powered tractors/cultivators.  We hope the educational value of this initiative to all members of our community will be significant.

July 2019 – Written Collaboratively by the Wright-Locke Farm Team

Happy July everyone! Since our minds are on backyard barbeques and all of the delicious produce now coming out of the fields, we wanted to bring you a couple of recipes that we are enjoying right now!

Kale Tabbouleh

From our Farm Manager, Adrienne Altstatt:

“I love this recipe because it’s quick and easy and it’s tasty as all h*ck! I have been known to eat it right out of bowl and/or finish half of it in one go. Sometimes I modify it a bit depending on what’s available, but I stick to the bones of it and it doesn’t disappoint time and time again. (And I dislike parsley immensely).”

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup fine bulgur
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, more as needed
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves finely chopped (5 cups)
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
• ½ cup torn mint leaves
• ½ cup diced radish
• Black pepper, as needed

Preparation

1. Cook bulgur according to package instructions. Cool.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, shallot, cumin and salt. Whisk in olive oil.
3. In a large bowl, toss together bulgur, kale, tomatoes, mint and radish. Toss in dressing. Season with black pepper and more salt if you like, and drizzle with additional oil if desired.

Picture Credit: NYTimes

Greek Panzanella

From our Youth Programs Manager, Jack Wright

Here’s a recipe that I love! It’s for Greek Panzanella. For me, nothing says Summer like this panzanella. My mom introduced me to this recipe at a family birthday party a few years ago and I’ve been stuck on it since. It’s refreshing, nutritious, and absolutely incredible. 

I’m a big fan of cheese and bread (who isn’t?), so I like to add extra of both of these ingredients! I recommend adding the bread as you serve it so that the bread stays crunchy. This recipe is pretty simple, but looks stunning and tastes SO good. Try it out for your next cookout!

Picture Credit: Shutterbean

Ingredients

• Good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, large diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup Calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good olive oil

Preparation

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.
2. Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.
3. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Limonana – frozen mint lemonade

From our Events Manager – Amy Rindskopf

Every summer, the farm staff and volunteers gather for a potluck picnic. We each draw the name of a seasonal vegetable, herb or fruit available at the farm, and make a dish with the bounty. As someone who likes to cook, I often “draw” the harder, unloved choices. One year, I drew mint. While mint is delicious as a flavor and helps boost many dishes, it is a little harder to put it toward the center. Plus, it had been hot for weeks on end and everyone needed a little pick-me-up at the end of lunch. This frozen mint lemonade from Israel was just the ticket!

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)
• 1 3/4 cups water (divided)
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 1/2 cups ice
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 6 mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Picture Credit: Jamie Geller

Preparation

1. Sugar syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and sugar. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, till the sugar dissolves. Let the water cool to room temperature.
2. In a blender, combine the sugar syrup, fresh lemon juice, ice, fresh mint leaves and 3/4 cup of water.
3. Pulse for a few seconds, then blend for 1 minute till the ice is thoroughly crushed and the drink takes on the texture of a thick slushy. Taste. This recipe produces a mildly sweet limonana. Some people like it sweeter. Add sugar to taste, if desired, and blend again.
4. Pour into cold glasses and serve. Garnish with sprigs of mint, if desired.

A Pesto Trio!

Us farmers love pesto apparently. Here are a couple of riffs on the popular concoction.

From our Farm Stand Manager, Peggy Belanger

One of my  husbands favorite kind of pizza is Chicken Pesto pizza, we first ate it at a pizzeria in London and he fell in love with the combination. When we came home from our visit to London I recreated it one night for dinner using this recipe. Molto Delizioso!

Spinach and Garlic Scape Pesto

• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 lb. Garlic Scapes minced
• 1 1/2 Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. 

Pesto can be used to toss with hot pasta, or mix with sour cream or mayo and spread on a sandwiches. Can also be used as a dip for your favorite veggies.

Extra pesto can be spooned into ice cube trays and frozen for a later use. 

From our Assistant Farm Manager, Diana Shomstein

I recently made a pesto with ingredients that resemble a basil pesto– green herbs, oil, nut or seed, citrus, a nutty cheese, and seasonings– but reflect what I had in my refrigerator and cupboards without getting anything from the store.

Arugula Nettle Pesto

• 2 cups fresh arugula 
• 2 cups Nettles, blanched
• 1/3 cup chives, chive flowers, scallions or any fresh allium
• A small handful of fresh mint 
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or any seed/nut)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice 
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or 1/3 cup any grated hard cheese

I started with nettles and arugula as the base for the green herbs, adding a few leaves of fresh mint to lighten and brighten up the flavor. I also included some scallions and chive flowers as they both have distinct and zingy flavors in the allium family that complement the spicy in arugula and the savory in nettles.

I used pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast for fat and nuttiness. Olive oil brought it together, and then instead of fresh lemon, which I did not have at the time, I used a nice balsamic vinegar for the citrus element. Plenty of ground pepper, and blend it all together. I found that if I needed a little liquid when blending, I could use more oil, or the nettle blanching liquid. Store it in the refrigerator, and use as a spread with crackers, fresh bread, or on cooked grains like kasha or rice.

From our Field Assistant, Tori Dahl

One of my favorite recipes is to chop up all of my veggies, steam them for a few minutes, and then mix in my latest pesto (you can use your favorite recipe, my go-to is basil and spinach with cashews, see approximated recipe below). Add some canned Alfredo sauce and serve on it’s own or with your choice of grain: pasta, quinoa, rice, you name it!

Basil Spinach Pesto 

• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1 cup basil
• 2-3 cups spinach (to taste)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (more if desired to smooth out texture of pesto)
• Parmesan cheese if desired to taste 
• Salt to taste

Pesto is great because there are so many ways to play with it based on what is in season! 

Try kale instead of spinach. Substitute garlic scapes for basil. Try a new nut or mixture of nuts. 

Add a different spice or seasoning- like rosemary or lemon juice. 

It’s almost impossible to go wrong! Enjoy!

Peanut Sauce

From Community Engagement Manager, Kim Kneeland

One of my all time favorite dishes is…. well anything smothered in peanut sauce. It hits all the right notes — it’s creamy, tangy, a bit spicy, a bit sweet, and salty, too. Plus it’s really versatile! Dip carrots in it for simple snacking, or do a big veggie and noodle stir fry. Use it to coat chicken skewers on the grill, create your own spring rolls and use it to dip, or make a chilled salad with zucchini noodles, toss with some peanut sauce, and top with some cilantro.

Plus I’ve got the added bonus that my Fiance loves the dish, since it really brings him back to his childhood memories with his mother and stepfather (back when times were simpler and full of fun). When I made this recipe recently, he declared that this was the best peanut sauce he’d had in decades, tears welling in his eyes (OK, maybe I’m being overdramatic, those tears may have been imagined). But regardless, this is good stuff!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sesame oil (toasted or dark)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili paste (sriracha works, too)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• a small knob of fresh ginger, peeled
• a clove of fresh garlic, peeled

Picture & Recipe Credit: pinchofyum.com

Preparation

1. Blend all the sauce ingredients together in a small blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
2. Find everything in your house that can be dunked in this ridiculously good sauce and then get to work.

Right now, this it what I’d toss together from the farm in a stir fry.

• Snap Peas
• Garlic Scapes
• Zucchini
• Kohlrabi
• Radishes
• Braising/dark greens like mustard greens, the farm’s “Spicy Greens Mix,”  or spinach