End-of-Season Survey

Farm Update

When the weather turns cold, we
cover certain veggies with a layer
of plastic to insulate the plants and
keep them safe from wind.

 Hi everyone!  Even though the year is winding down, there is still plenty to do at the farm!  We’re taking our pigs in to get butchered this Wednesday, so it’s farewell to the piggies!  There is definitely some harsh weather on the way.  Many crops are still looking pretty good, but we’re starting to cover some things (like the arugula) to protect them from frost.  Usually the first of the cool season crops to look a little worse for wear is the lettuce, and we’re starting to notice that shift occurring.  But so far, this has been the nicest October we’ve had at the farm.  Normally by this time in the year, the drop-offs are pretty chilly, and we’re expecting a little of that this week.  We’re also getting the greenhouses ready to turn the heat back on, because it’s been off for several months now.  It’s definitely the time when things wind down, and little by little, we’re putting things to rest for the year.  Although the CSA is coming to an end, we’ll still have a few things available at Greentree Co-Op in Mt. Pleasant and LaLonde’s in Midland for a few weeks or so, so you can continue to get some awesome veggies there for a while.  And if you know you want to join the CSA for next year, just let me know and I’ll put you on the list!  The cost is going up by $10 next year, but if you sign up and put down at least a partial payment before the end of the year, you can get next year’s share at this year’s price, which is $290 for a half share of $540 for a full share.  We hope to see you all again next year! :-)

What to Expect in Your Share This Week

Brussels sprouts on the stalk

For the regular drop-offs:

Sweet Potatoes or Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage, Bok Choy, or Napa Cabbage

Lettuce, Arugula, or Spinach

Carrots

Kale or Cooking Greens

Apples or Potatoes

Baby Leeks, Green Onions, or Cilantro

For prepacked shares:

Share A:                                    Share B:

Sweet potatoes                          Brussels sprouts

Cabbage                                    Bok choy

Lettuce                                      Spinach

Carrots                                      Carrots

Kale                                           Cooking greens

Apples                                       Potatoes

Baby Leeks                               Green Onions

End-of-Season Survey

As we wrap up the 2016 season, it’s time to start planning for 2017, and we want your input!  We’ve got a lot of ideas we’re tossing around, and we’d love to know what you think, so if you could take five minutes or so to answer these questions in a quick reply, we’d really appreciate it!

1. What items in the shares did you like best this year?  What would you like to see more of?  What would you like to see less of?
2. We are always looking for ways to make picking up your share more convenient.  If we were to give people the option of picking up a prepacked share at a convenient partner site such as a co-op or food store so you’d have a larger window of time to pick it up, would that be something you’d be interested in?
3. For the Midland folks:  If we were to move the drop-off day from Wednesday to Thursday, would that still work for you?
4. Are there any other ideas you can think of that we should consider?

Recipes

There are few things more comforting than a warm soup on a chilly fall day, and this Potato Leek Soup is no exception.  Especially if you’re uncertain what to do with your leeks, this is a good place to start!