Well, its almost officially summer, which for a while there I think we were all wondering if it would ever show up. So fitting that the Summer CSA should start with some great fresh produce to welcome summer in with! While a couple weeks later than initially planned, it was worth the wait. The bit of rain we got Sunday really gave everything a boost for this morning's harvest, brought on some more blossoms on the summer squash and peas, which we anticipate to be in shares next week , but weren't quite ready today.
I realize I've been slacking keeping up with weekly newsletters so far this season, and I mentioned some of the reasons in the previous entry which I will elaborate on. Some of you who know us personally might already be privy to this info; others not so much. Farmer Beth did some serious damage to her knee back in March which is finally starting to get back to normal, so that has slowed us down a bit along with the weather. We also are short our one full time employee for the summer for personal health reasons, and it's been basically just Travis and Beth running the show with the blessings of a couple part time friends and family since May. We have been getting along fine so far and are looking forward to Farmer Rich's return for the summer from his farm in Florida. But this has left way less time for Beth in the office, which is ok with me because I'd much rather be in the field in the soil and sun.
Another reason I cited previously was writer's block. I usually flow pretty well when I have an hour or so of free time to compile a newsletter/blog; some of you have even complimented me on my writing and that you enjoy reading the newsletters; a compliment I'll humbly take. But this spring there seem to be too many distractions of thoughts from political climates to actual environmental climates to wrap my head around let alone put into words.
While I could go on for paragraphs about the importance of food security, farm workers rights, cuts in USDA funding, massive biotech big agri mergers underway, environmental protections, food justice, corporate greed, farms folding left and right, pollinator die offs, invasive species brought in from international food trade, balances of farm and family etc etc, I cannot seem to keep my mind focused on one without delving into another.
Working with food gives us a distinct advantage to see our customers, meet them see the bond that food creates. Working with folks who seek out local, organic, from small family farms in many ways sets us on a whole other stage from most of the nation's agriculture built on exports. It sets us apart in that we get to deal with the end user of our food, hear the stories and recipes; share ours. We know with our CSA that a certain amount of what we grow will be harvested with a home and a kitchen and a family trying new things and enjoying old favorites. We learn that no matter how polarized things are (and at an increasingly alarming rate) across the country, our CNY community comes together. And food is one things that pulls us together. We all eat to live, but preparing food at home, using fresh seasonal ingredients is something that most Americans have come a long way away from our the past few decades is something that instills pride, creates memories and is the very foundation of most ancient civilizations.
We come together over meals and in the kitchen, we swap recipes at drop sites and farmer's market stands, we learn names of our favorite foods in different languages. It was once quoted by some nefarious world puppet master that if you control a nation's food, you control the population. When we take control of our food from the soil to the kitchen to the plate we prevent the usurpers from dictating what we put into our bodies, and our right to good clean food; we fight the good fight in my opinion.
All that being said, welcome to all our 2017 Summer CSA members. Thank you for your support of our farm this season, and for fighting the "good food fight" with us!
This week's CSA shares:
Small: 1/2lb asparagus from our friends at Grindstone Farm
lettuce- red leaf, green leaf, red bibb or green romaine
green swiss chard
garlic scapes
oregano
radishes- red or mixed
Regular: 1 lb asparagus from our friends at Grindstone Farm
lettuce- red leaf, green leaf, red bibb or green romaine
green swiss chard
garlic scapes
oregano
radishes- red or mixed
Kale- red or green curly
mustard greens or braising mix
green garlic
Below are some links to some great recipe ideas for this week's shares, just click on the recipe and it will bring up the original:
Oregano scape pesto
I realize I've been slacking keeping up with weekly newsletters so far this season, and I mentioned some of the reasons in the previous entry which I will elaborate on. Some of you who know us personally might already be privy to this info; others not so much. Farmer Beth did some serious damage to her knee back in March which is finally starting to get back to normal, so that has slowed us down a bit along with the weather. We also are short our one full time employee for the summer for personal health reasons, and it's been basically just Travis and Beth running the show with the blessings of a couple part time friends and family since May. We have been getting along fine so far and are looking forward to Farmer Rich's return for the summer from his farm in Florida. But this has left way less time for Beth in the office, which is ok with me because I'd much rather be in the field in the soil and sun.
Another reason I cited previously was writer's block. I usually flow pretty well when I have an hour or so of free time to compile a newsletter/blog; some of you have even complimented me on my writing and that you enjoy reading the newsletters; a compliment I'll humbly take. But this spring there seem to be too many distractions of thoughts from political climates to actual environmental climates to wrap my head around let alone put into words.
While I could go on for paragraphs about the importance of food security, farm workers rights, cuts in USDA funding, massive biotech big agri mergers underway, environmental protections, food justice, corporate greed, farms folding left and right, pollinator die offs, invasive species brought in from international food trade, balances of farm and family etc etc, I cannot seem to keep my mind focused on one without delving into another.
Working with food gives us a distinct advantage to see our customers, meet them see the bond that food creates. Working with folks who seek out local, organic, from small family farms in many ways sets us on a whole other stage from most of the nation's agriculture built on exports. It sets us apart in that we get to deal with the end user of our food, hear the stories and recipes; share ours. We know with our CSA that a certain amount of what we grow will be harvested with a home and a kitchen and a family trying new things and enjoying old favorites. We learn that no matter how polarized things are (and at an increasingly alarming rate) across the country, our CNY community comes together. And food is one things that pulls us together. We all eat to live, but preparing food at home, using fresh seasonal ingredients is something that most Americans have come a long way away from our the past few decades is something that instills pride, creates memories and is the very foundation of most ancient civilizations.
We come together over meals and in the kitchen, we swap recipes at drop sites and farmer's market stands, we learn names of our favorite foods in different languages. It was once quoted by some nefarious world puppet master that if you control a nation's food, you control the population. When we take control of our food from the soil to the kitchen to the plate we prevent the usurpers from dictating what we put into our bodies, and our right to good clean food; we fight the good fight in my opinion.
All that being said, welcome to all our 2017 Summer CSA members. Thank you for your support of our farm this season, and for fighting the "good food fight" with us!
This week's CSA shares:
Small: 1/2lb asparagus from our friends at Grindstone Farm
lettuce- red leaf, green leaf, red bibb or green romaine
green swiss chard
garlic scapes
oregano
radishes- red or mixed
Regular: 1 lb asparagus from our friends at Grindstone Farm
lettuce- red leaf, green leaf, red bibb or green romaine
green swiss chard
garlic scapes
oregano
radishes- red or mixed
Kale- red or green curly
mustard greens or braising mix
green garlic
Below are some links to some great recipe ideas for this week's shares, just click on the recipe and it will bring up the original:
Oregano scape pesto
We hope you enjoy the first week's shares and just want to remind folks that as the season goes on the shares and selection will change. Also to visit our "crops we grow" section of the website for more recipes, timeframes to expect to see them in season, as well as nutritional information. We also strongly encourage folks to share their favorite recipes on our facebook page for other customers to try. We are simple eaters here on the farm, especially during the growing season, so many times the recipes I share are ones that we throw together quickly and know our kids will eat. If you have one your kids loved, or got your spouse to eat his/her greens, please share. Sometimes how it's prepared is all it takes to turn a veggie hater into a veggie lover.
Happy eating!
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