Romaine looking radiant on a sunny day this week.
This Week’s Share
Garlic
Sweet Potatoes
Kale
Collards/Chard
Baby Bok Choi
Lettuce
Arugula/Spicy Mix/Tatsoi/Spinach
Cilantro/Dill/Parsley
Apples
Sooo Many Beautiful Greens!
Winter Season Updates:
Hello everyone, and welcome back to the farm after what we hope was a very happy and restful New Year and lovely holiday.
All of us here took some serious time off and it was delightful. A winter squash lasagna and lots of salads were consumed, along with an unspeakable number of cookies. If presents were part of your holiday, we’d love to hear the worst gifts you gave or received.
We’ve got our minds back on the winter to-do list, which includes items like:
Build a giant fence around our center growing hub to protect from ever-present deer
Finish building the third high tunnel
Empty the barn of trash we've been sorting and stockpiling
These tasks, along with about a million other bookkeeping, remaining supply orders, crop planning, meat sales and overall just getting ready for the main season will definitely keep us busy. But it truly is so exciting! This time brings so much time for reflection and dreams for the year to come.
As we're getting further into this inaugural winter CSA, we are seeing what has become of those earlier growing and planning decisions. The moment those first two tunnels were erected we did not hesitate to fill them up with a variety of greens and roots, knowing they would need time and warmth to reach maturity.
So far, the tunnels and fields have been FULL of greens - three types of kale, collards, chard, three varieties of lettuce, bok choi, spinach, arugula, spicy salad mix, and tatsoi are all abundant right now. So much so we have been able to still keep up with donating extra produce each week, we suspect this week we will have donated 100 pounds of fresh produce in the winter months!
Every single one of those crops are at peak gorgeous, so the time for eating greens is now. It’s salad bonanza week! After this week you’ll see slightly less of the greens and a greater presence of roots (radishes, turnips, rutabagas, etc).
Par-slay!
Every week we make the decision about what goes in the share based on what is abundant in the field, what storage crops we have, shelf life, expected remaining lifespan of crops in the field, coming weather, what the most recent share contained, pest and disease pressure, and more.
We'll continue to monitor how our kale and collards can keep growing in the field, especially with the possibility of six inches of snow and almost single digit temperatures next week.
Our goal is to keep a good variety of different types of vegetables each week and find a balance between the dependable winter crops that we must eat over and over, like kale and bok choi, and the more delicate and exciting flavors of things like herbs and salad greens.
2.5 inches of rain in one day!
It is certainly muddy on the farm, and there are new pond features but none of them are in our winter greens fields! So besides being a bit muddy we are doing okay with all this rain.
Recipe(s):
Photo credit: The Minimalist Baker
YOGURT DILL SAUCE:
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain dairy-free yogurt (we love plain Culina)
3 small cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp fresh dill (or sub half the amount dried dill)
1 healthy pinch sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
To a small mixing bowl add yogurt, minced garlic, fresh dill, salt, cayenne, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir to combine.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon for acidity, garlic for zing, dill for herbal flavor, salt to taste, pepper for heat, or olive oil for richness.
Serve immediately with desired dish, such as Moroccan-Roasted Carrots, Greek Goddess Bowls, or Falafel.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Not freezer friendly.
Photo credit: The Minimalist Baker
SWEET POTATO AND AVOCADO SALAD:
Ingredients
Sweet Potato
1 large organic sweet potatoes (can sub 2 small per 1 large // skin on, halved then sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
1 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil (or water)
1 pinch sea salt
Salad
5 cups greens of choice (I mixed organic mizuna + spinach)
1 medium ripe avocado (cubed)
2 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (as original recipe is written // use more baking sheets if making a larger batch). Add sweet potatoes, toss in a bit of oil (or water) and salt, and spread into an even layer.
Bake 15 minutes. Then flip/toss to ensure even baking. Bake 5-10 minutes more or until tender and golden brown.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon for acidity, salt for saltiness, or maple syrup for sweetness. Set aside.
Assemble salad by adding greens to a serving bowl and topping with roasted sweet potato and avocado. Sprinkle on hemp seeds (optional), and serve with dressing.
Leftovers keep (stored separately) in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Dressing will stay for 5-7 days.
More Farm Updates
For those just joining us this winter, here is your chance to elevate your entire year with an abundance of fresh, locally grown veggies every season.
Those who have started in our main season CSA, you know the drill!
Don't miss this opportunity as we have been in growing demand. Same times and locations for this coming year, and amazing fresh veggies—Spring Summer and Fall!
Secure your share now and make every season a celebration of delectable, farm-fresh delights
Tips when renewing your share for 2024
After you select your pick-up location you will be able to select your desired share option
(26 or 13 weeks, apply here if you wish to request Reduced Price Share)
Be sure to select -YES- as a returning shareholder to receive discount automatically before checking out
Checkout! (if having issues seeing your cart, on desktops it will be a cart icon at the top right corner and the bottom black bar will appear on your phone)
Pick-up Locations
Please join our meat mailing list to get special meat updates
-Olivia (she/they) and Will (he/him)