October 18th, 2023
What’s in your share?
Butternut Squash
Kale or Broccoli
Carrots
Radishes or Japanese Salad Turnips
Young Romaine Lettuce
Hardneck Garlic
Red Storage Onions
Fall. This is the last bed to be planted for the season.
There are only 4 more weeks left after today! We’re feeling good about finishing the season off strong and we hope the weather stays nice and mild for awhile before the cold sets in. We’ve been slowly preparing for winter as the tasks list dwindles. When it gets to be this time of the CSA season, we like to plan out each week (similar to the “Upcoming Share Forecast” in the weekly emails, but with extra data such as prices and weights and other farmer-specific details) for every remaining week, so we have an idea of what the rest shares will look like and to minimize any (just my) stress about not having enough as the season comes to a close.
Because our harvest rhythm involves taking the weight from each bed as it comes in from the field, we already know how many pounds of garlic, potatoes, onions, shallots, and winter squash we have to work with. We keep track of how many pounds we distribute each week, subtracting from the total weight value. As we make the remaining CSA harvest lists, we inventory the remaining storage crops, and after setting aside the winter needs for our household and our families, we know the rest can be distributed.
We live in a such a cool spot. If you haven’t enjoyed the secrets of Bender Park, it’s a hidden gem.
We really try to be good planners because we don’t want to be storing (and growing and weeding and harvesting and washing) a ton of food with no where to sell it; we have a small crew and every hour counts. As of now, we don’t participate in any winter markets, and therefore, want to make sure that all the food we grow has an outlet before we grow it. This is why we love the CSA model! We can plan everything we need to grow for all of the 24 weeks of the season. Most crops work out and there are also some expected flops each year, which we also try to factor in.
We’re also thinking about next season, as I mentioned in previous newsletters. We plan to send out a survey in the next week or so, so that we can get your feedback and a general idea of what you all thought of our CSA. Because we take seriously the cost of producing food and paying livable wages for each farmer, we are considering sending out an itemized list of each share from the whole season with the corresponding market value that we charge for each item. This way you all can see what the big chuck of money you paid earlier this year went towards, while also comparing the price and quality to the produce that you might buy in the off-season. We’ll also include our wages compared to last year. These are the fun, intimate details that come along with being a CSA member!
That said, we hope you enjoy these last few shares; there will be a mix of storage crops and lots more leafy things because tis the season!
Recipes to Try
Kale and Cabbage Pad Thai Salad
Pickled Radishes (you can use this recipe for turnips, too!)