Grazing in the Fields: Profile of the CSA program at Bay End Farm

Signing up for the CSA program at Bay End Farm was the easy part; catching up with Kofi Ingersoll, head farmer, during the peak of the planting season was, understandably, a little more difficult. Mr. Ingersoll is incredibly busy in May - planting, weeding, and preparing for the season. Our persistence finally paid off (he nicely explained that he may have to talk to us while hoeing) and we were rewarded with an amazing visit to the farm where we learned of a remarkable story.

The land comprising Bay End Farm was originally part of Grazing Fields, a 900-acre dairy farm purchased in 1906 by Kofi’s great grandmother, Marie Tudor Garland. It was her daughter, Kofi’s grandmother, Hope Garland Ingersoll, who converted the property into a general farm. Instead of concentrating on farming, however, Hope Ingersoll soon found herself waging a 20-year battle against the state of Massachusetts. She spent more than $100,000 in engineering fees trying to convince state officials to reroute Route 25 from cutting through the middle of her property. A nascent environmental movement helped the Ingersoll’s and the Environmental Protection Agency in their shared fight against the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (DPW) and in 1982 the state accepted the proposed alternative route.

While his grandmother was fighting the Massachusetts DPW, Kofi was growing up in Africa (his name means Friday, which is the given name of every male child born on that day in Ghana) and England, where his parents were teaching architecture and city planning. When his family returned to the States in the early 70s, Kofi’s father convinced his mother to work with the Plymouth County Wildlands Trust to save her property from future encroachment battles. In 1984, Hope Ingersoll donated 300 acres to the trust, thus ensuring that the land would remain undeveloped.

When he was a teen, Kofi’s parents discouraged him from becoming a farmer, because the work is hard and it’s difficult to make money at it. Kofi heeded their advice and headed for U. Mass Amherst, where he majored in Chinese. After graduating in 1986, Kofi moved to Taiwan where he spent four years studying Chinese and teaching English, and developing a taste for Asian flavors. Returning to the US, he landed in Manhattan, but summers spent on the farm as a boy had gotten into his blood - city life was not for him. So five years ago, at the age of 31, Kofi returned to the land by Buttermilk Bay and became a farmer.

Driving up the winding dirt road to Bay End Farm, we could understand how this land could get into his system. Each turn in the road revealed a new vista: flowering trees and bushes, cedar swamps, and wide, open fields. In addition to a working farm, there is also a retreat facility (a restored 1930’s house) on the grounds used for meetings, weddings, and other events. Kofi is one of the individuals who live and work on the grounds and who each play a different role at the facility.

Kofi was tending to his tomato seedlings in his 1,000-plant greenhouse when we arrived. Shy at first, he warmed quickly as he talked about his passion: organic farming.

As he walked us around his farm, Kofi’s hands were never long at rest. He dug his pitchfork into his compost heap to show us the steam rising from the grass clippings. Occasionally, he’d pull something out of the ground - say a Jerusalem artichoke - or tear a leaf from a plant to let us try a new flavor (one nibble of lemon sorrel and it was love at first taste). He would kneel down and quickly weed a patch of ground or thrust his hands into the soil letting it run through his fingers to demonstrate the different varieties of soil on the property. His pride was palpable as he dug both hands into the ground and lifted a mass of rich, dark, loamy soil as our photographer clicked away.

Currently, Kofi has about two acres under cultivation at Bay End growing mostly vegetables but also a selection of herbs and flowers. In addition to the ever-popular tomatoes and other traditional veggies such as hot and sweet peppers, snap peas, a large variety of salad greens, and various squashes, Kofi grows some interesting produce, such as hon tai tsai and tat soi, which reflect his fondness for Asian flavors. Tomatoes, though, are the most popular item in the weekly produce bags. Consumers want them early and often. To ensure early availability, Kofi plants varieties, such as Mountain Princess and Orange Blossom that have a short time to maturity.

Bay End Farm has been “certified organic” for more than two years. Certification is a challenging, ongoing, time-consuming process, and cannot be applied for until three years after the last application of chemicals. For example, every time he puts anything onto his mulch pile, or turns it with a pitchfork, Kofi has to bag a sample and record the entry into a notebook. Many farmers do not even bother becoming certified, using the less regulated label “chemical-free” instead.

The farm is also home to several pigs, enormous red Tamworth and a Large Black, which are moved from time to time to take up residence and naturally “help along” the worst soil on the farm. While they fertilize the soil, the area they’ve most recently inhabited must have wood chips added for balance and cannot be harvested for at least 120 days. Thus, large areas of the farm are left fallow for extended periods of time. This illustrates the challenges (in addition to bugs, weeds, and fickle New England weather) that an organic farmer must manage.

There are 70 participating members in the Bay End CSA program this year, which is about a 40 percent increase from 2003. The majority of members pick up their weekly grocery bags in the Boston area while others come to the farm each Wednesday for their basket of goodies.

Bay End also provides local restaurants with special vegetables not widely available commercially. These include purple or blue potatoes, fresh-off-the-vine heirloom tomatoes, and baby turnips. The farm’s produce is also sold at farmers’ markets in Cambridge, Middleboro, and Plymouth.

One of the things that struck us was the spirit of cooperation that pervades Bay End Farm. Kofi immediately shares credit for the farm and retreat’s burgeoning success, citing the important contributions of Erin Koh, his wife; Matt Gauland, his best friend since second grade and Matt’s girl friend, Stacey Daley. The four harvest the produce, assemble the weekly bags, and equally split all profits from the farm. Kofi’s brother Carl, a landscape architect, helps keep the property trim and visually pleasing.

Kofi also credits Frank Albani, President of Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Massachusetts Chapter and owner of Golden Rule Farm in Plymouth as his mentor. Initially, Kofi took what he calls the “shot-gun approach” to farming, planting a lot of seedlings and hoping for the best. Frank helped Kofi develop a planned planting schedule, teaching him to sow slowly over time so he doesn’t get overwhelmed with too much of any one product at once. Kofi says he learned to be a good farmer by working on Frank’s farm and still spends one day a week helping out at the Golden Rule. Produce from Golden Rule Farm is included in the weekly Bay End CSA bags.

Right now, Kofi is the only member of the Ingersoll family to farm the land, although his three siblings are, as he puts it, “intrigued” by what is happening at Bay End. Kofi and Erin, were married last September (on the farm in the location now inhabited by the pigs!) and as yet have no children to carry on the tradition, but at 36, Kofi himself is just getting started and, most important, he’s still having fun. As he puts it, “I started farming five years ago, and it still feels like summer vacation.”

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3,000 Miles & 3 Days: How an "über foodie" from California spends three days on the Cape

t’s a difficult, strenuous, fattening, and often, greasy job, but someone must do it…and that lucky someone is moi! My fearless editor, Tracey Ryder, and our new partners in Edible Communities, Doug & Dianne Langeland, asked me to leave Ojai, California and visit Cape Cod to write for the premiere issue of Edible Cape Cod. My assignment: seek out, consume, and enjoy every bit of local food that I could get my claws on in three days’ time…Impossible to cover it all, but we tried…

DAY 1

Started early with a cup of Wellfleet Blend from Beanstock Coffee Roasters. Great way to ignite… I’m a java junkie, and was initially suspicious that local beans wouldn’t be up to snuff with my beloved Peet’s from Berkeley - but no! We roared out the driveway at 8:00AM, grinding our teeth en route to…

JACK’S OUT BACK, 161 Main St., (Rte. 6A), Yarmouthport. On the way in I knew I would love this place - an enormous American Flag hanging out front alongside a carved wooden bear, and some leftover plastic Easter eggs scattered on the lawn. We were the only non-locals in the place, which meant we had to study the signage on how to order, how to yell "OVER HERE" after (the 10th time) they called our name, how to bus and wipe our table, and then pay - with a reminder not to forget the widows and orphans, complete with Edward Gorey’s exquisite illustration hovering above the tip bowl. (Gorey apparently ate breakfast and lunch here every day.) I was so star struck that I almost wasn’t able to consume the divine Fondo di Toscano omeletto with tomato, garlic, and basil, the short stack of perfect blooberry pancakes, the crispy bacon, and the scrambled eggs we’d ordered…but then I regained my senses and devoured everything in sight. Unfortunately, this fabulous breakfast and lunch spot will soon be gone, as the building is being sold.

Quite content, we strolled over to Hallet’s Drug Store, established in 1889, at 139 Rte. 6A. This place is picture perfect - the décor hasn’t been touched since they opened 115 years ago. The Hallets have owned it for three generations—they offer breakfast, lunch, ice cream, soda fountain treats, and bottled sodas. We purchased a four-pack of Raspberry Lime Rickey, Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla, Old Fashioned Birch Beer, and Vanilla Cream Soda… I’ll be shipping several cases of the Raspberry Lime Rickey home, as I can’t live through another hot summer without this nectar nearby… Enjoy a virtual visit at www.hallets.com.

Shopping genes warmed, we proceeded to Ring Bros. Marketplace, 485 Rt. 134 (Harney’s Plaza), South Dennis. This exquisite market has been open for just two years…amazing. There’s an enormous selection of gourmet goodies under one roof - we had to contain ourselves to not spend thousands of dollars in 15 minutes. Chatham Fish & Lobster, Montilio’s Bakery, Nata’s Noodles, Dark Horse Beef & deli, Spinners Pizza & Burritos, Harney’s Liquors, and Ring Bros.’ gorgeous displays of groceries, liquors, and produce exist in perfect harmony, offering volumes of delectable choices. I’m relocating to South Dennis - it’s worth the move to shop at Ring Bros. daily. Had a nice chat with Ed Ring, who’s pretty darn modest (if you ask me) about his produce business that has been operating since 1925. We enjoyed Franz, who owns Nata’s Noodles (Renata returned to Italy), and Monitilio’s Bakery. Franz tantalized us with his offerings, including grilled panini sandwiches, homemade pastas (linguine, angel hair, raviolis, etc.), pasta sauces including basil pesto, red pepper pesto, vodka, and marinara, plus prepared foods: sheperd’s pie, chicken pot pie, veal parmesana, and chicken marsala were some of the offerings winking at me… Montilio’s carries Bindi pastries from Milan, Italy, and Connecticut’s "Better Than a Bakery" breads: onion dill, Parmesan, garlic, wheat, and orange honey…We restrained ourselves and only purchased: Hogan Bros. Strange Brew coffee, fresh mozzarella, and the most beautiful pasta—Tradizioni di Puglia, pasta ribbons, with vertical orange, yellow, white, and green stripes running through—too pretty to cook! Head to Ring Bros. for fantastic food shopping, or visit: www.ringbrosmarketplace.com.

Ravished from shopping, lunch was in order… At the Langeland’s suggestion we chose the Naked Oyster Bistro & Raw Bar at 20 Independence Dr. in Hyannis. Owners Rick & Angela Angelini operate a miraculous restaurant - cushy dark booths, wood floors, and fabulous full bar, ending in a glass display case featuring clams and oysters. Chef David Kelley needs to relocate to Ojai, Calif. for me to continue living happily - truly one of the best meals I’ve ever inhaled. We drooled over the Dressed Oyster Sampler: Oysters Rockefeller, Oishi, Barbecued Bleu, Mediterranean, Casino, and Bienville. The Bienville (baked-stuffed with garlic, chopped mushrooms, onions, and shrimp, and topped with bacon) and the Oishi (pickled ginger, wasabi, tamari soy, and bread crumbs) were my faves… Difficult to share with others…We inhaled the Baked Clams Casino, Tuna Tartare Salad, and Cobb Salad. I might kill to obtain quantities of the Tuna Tartare (jail would be worth it)…a mound of fresh yellowfin tuna drizzled with wasabi, on top of field greens and bok choy, tossed with honey-soy ginger vinaigrette. All of the baked seafood samplings were cooked perfectly, with delicate crunchy breadcrumbs complimenting the inventive vegetables and seasonings. Wednesday night is sushi night. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, and dinner every night. If you can’t get to Hyannis today, you can visit them online and drool for yourself at www.nakedoyster.com.

At around 1:30 PM it became clear we were in need of an afternoon snack, so we headed to Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, 100 Breed’s Hill Rd. (off Independence Dr.), Hyannis. This place makes Willy Wonka’s factory look like an Erector set - it’s so exciting to observe the World’s Best Potato Chips being made right before your eyes. The process is clearly explained on signs as you proceed down a long hallway that has windows enabling you to view the chip-making process. Cape Cod Potato Chip uses about 28 million pounds of potatoes a year - it takes approximately four pounds of potatoes to make one pound of chips (a potato is mostly water), and they buy their potatoes directly from the farmers to ensure a steady supply of high quality spuds. Since fresh potatoes are a seasonal crop, they buy from small farmers from Maine to Florida in order to ensure peak freshness. Cape Cod Potato Chips are all natural and contain no preservatives. The plant is capable of producing up to 150,000 bags a day but they have not and will not change their unique cooking method: "kettle cooked, one small batch at a time." There is a retail gift store at the end of the tour, which offers two free samples of chips per visitor. I snagged a bag of their brand new flavor, NANTUCKET SPICE, a blend of imported cracked pepper with spices and sea salt, and a bag of sea salt and vinegar chips…but the unexpected thrill was their Firecracker barbecued chips - finally a chip that is SPICY with fantastic BBQ seasoning taste! If you can’t tour and taste soon, you can visit Cape Cod Potato Chips on the web at www.capecodchips.com or call 1-888-881-CHIP.

Next stop: Pain d’Avignon - "a different kind of bakery" at 192 Airport Rd., Hyannis, is enough to bring tears to my eyes just remembering the numerous breads beautifully displayed and described. Their breads include focaccia, sourdough, raisin pecan, ciabatta, pugliese, kalamata olive, cheese bread, pumpernickle, marble rye, brioche, and numerous buns. They also have a fantastic array of cheeses, salame, pate, and foie gras. Pies can be special ordered. Four Yugoslavian pals started this biz in NYC in 1992, making their early deliveries in a Volkswagen Golf. Twelve years later, they have over 400 accounts from New York to Provincetown, and have expanded their business to a second location on Long Island. Although I am a devoted fan of Acme Bread in Berkeley, Calif, Pain d’Avignon has proved to me that it’s safe to travel east, if I can’t live without my daily bread.

Dinner was at Abbicci, 43 Main St. (Rte. 6A), in Yarmouthport. We sampled the dry-aged sirloin carpaccio with baby arugula, shaved parmesan, capers, lemon & truffle oil; the jumbo lump crab with fennel; a baked artichoke "Roman style" with herb seasoned breadcrumbs; and a chunky chickpea soup with fresh vegetables mixed in home-made stock. We bravely forged on to grilled beef tenderloin with Cabernet demi-glace, black truffle butter & potato pave with sautéed asparagus & baby carrots; strozzapreti pasta with native littlenecks & romesco sauce, topped with spinach & cherry tomatoes; and grilled diver sea scallops with frisee & lemon-roasted red pepper vinaigrette, served with rock shrimp-fava bean flan, grilled squash, vine ripened tomato & toasted almonds. By now we should’ve been rushed to the local ER to have our stomachs pumped. But, no, we’ll keep eating ‘til the rooster crows, given the opportunity! Excellent food, informative, attentive service, and a 2001 Ojai Vineyard Syrah kept us going. Loved the carpaccio - nothing like fabulous, ultra-lean, and tasty beef to perk a gal right up after a rigorous day of eating! Fava-bean flan was divine, and I’ll sink my fangs into their beef tenderloin anytime…And this was only day one…to be continued.

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