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Plainville FarmPlainville FarmBroccoli Crown

1 head

Fresh broccoli crowns, trimmed to the tender flowering head with just a short stub of stalk so nearly every bite is usable. The name broccoli comes from the Italian broccolo, meaning the flowering top or little shoot of a cabbage, a nod to the family it shares with cauliflower, kale, and brussels sprouts.

Roast quickly at high heat into crisp, browned edges, steam in minutes for a bright green side, and break into small florets for stir-fries, grain bowls, pasta, and sheet-pan dinners. Sliced thin, the remaining stem stays sweet and crunchy in raw slaws and salads. A reliable weeknight vegetable that pairs easily with garlic, lemon, chili flakes, anchovy, and olive oil.

Local
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Plainville FarmPlainville Farm

Hadley, MA

Plainville Farm is a third-generation family farm in Hadley, MA that specializes in hard squash, asparagus, and other seasonal produce.

Wally Czajkowski's grandfather emigrated from Poland to Hadley, MA, with a dream of being his own boss. He initially settled on 10 acres of bountiful farmland where he made a living growing crops to support his six children. After three generations, that piece of land grew into what is now Plainville Farm.

The family farm has been passed down from Wally's grandfather to his father, and then to Wally himself. Tradition is important on this historic farm where Wally grows the same crops as his grandfather, father, and the Native Americans grew before him.

Wally grows squash, gourds, mini pumpkins, organic green beans, cucumbers, broccoli, and cabbage on 180 acres of prime farmland. He recently built a state-of-the-art packing facility where produce can be safely cleaned and packed before being sent out to customers.