Along with swimming in a clear New England pond or the chilly Atlantic the other great joy of summer is fresh fruits and veggies. I never miss the summer harvest at Verrill Farm in Concord, MA where my favorite crops include the sweetest corn, most buttery potatoes, and most colorful and diverse tomatoes to be found in the Boston area. Verrill Farm grows about 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and many other crops, on their 200 acres, which are protected from development in perpetuity. Who can resist such luscious plants with names like: Aunt Ginny’s Purple, Cherokee Chocolate, Green Zebra, Mortgage Lifter, Lemon Boy and my favorite, Paul Robeson? Some day I’ve got to find out one of my favorite singers of the 20th Century came to lend his name to a large green and red tomato! You can see one in the above photo.
Just picked heirloom tomatoes, still in the field at Verrill Farm, Concord, MA
As I write this I am enjoying a stew I threw together using some of today’s pickings including: those tomatoes, green beans, wonderful squash, celery, carrots, and onions. It is held together with some dried white beans I soaked this morning, and made savory with a handful of herbs. And, of course I also jumped on a couple of ears of the sweetest corn I’ve had all year.
Verrill Farm is located on Sudbury Road in Concord, just North of Nine-Acre-Corner and Route 117. They are open almost every day. The new farm-stand is very green, using a large array of solar panels for electrical power, clean natural gas, and energy saving designs for refrigeration and heating. I recommend a swim across Walden Pond before, or after your visit.
