CSA Newsletter for Week 16 of the 2023 Season

Farm Update

Hi everyone! The farm is beginning to slowly wind down to the end of the season, and signs of fall are everywhere.  The colder weather will settle in this week in earnest, and we will likely see the first frost some night this week.  Once that happens, our summer crops have a hard time swinging back from the shock they receive, and the season ends rather abruptly on any summer crops still out in the fields.  The ones in the coldframes will be protected, so we will still be able to harvest some summer veggies like peppers, but it is time to bid the tomatoes farewell for this year.  Fred and the crew are starting to clean the spent tomato vines out of the coldframes so we can replant that space with really coldhardy greens for overwintering.  So even during the winter when nothing is actually growing, we can still use that space to best advantage by using it to give some spring greens a head start growing. Right now, we're bringing in the rest of the squash harvest, and once we're done with that, we'll focus on the big harvest of sweet potatoes.  It always feels like the end of the season once the sweet potatoes are all safely in the barn.  In reality, we'll still have several weeks left, but that is right around the time the weather gets really yucky, and it is nice to have most of the things we are bringing to the CSA already in the nice dry barn, instead of having to harvest everything out in the cold rain.  

Speaking of all of the root vegetables in the barn, I have had a lot of people ask if they can order larger amounts of storage vegetables for the winter, and the answer is yes! If you would like to order carrots, potatoes, or onions to have even after the CSA ends, you can just fill out this form and let me know what you would like!  We'll be selling all these items in 10-pound increments, and you can order as many as you want.  The potatoes will be $26 for 10 pounds, the carrots will be $30 for 10 pounds, and the onions will be $20 for 10 pounds.  We'll plan on bringing them to you at the drop-off before the end of the season, so just let me know on the form if you're intending to be gone any of those weeks, so we can make sure to bring it when you're going to be there.  

And if you missed it last week, sign-ups for the 2024 season are officially open!  If you already know you want to sign up for next year, you can do so starting now!  Just fill out this form, and I'll put you on next year's membership list!  For anyone who signs up and puts down at least a partial payment before December 31, you lock in this year's price of $340 for a half share or $630 for a full share at one of our regular drop-offs, and after the new year, the price will go up to $345 for a half share or $640 for a full share.  (Just add $95 to that if you're signing up for home or workplace delivery.)  Just let me know if you have any questions about any of that!

Thanks so much, and I'll see you at the drop-off for week 16 of the CSA! 

What to Expect in the Shares this Week

 

If you pick up at our Alma, Mt. Pleasant, or Midland drop-off, here are the options for your shares!  If you have a half share, you’ll choose one item from each choice category, and if you have a full share, you’ll choose two.  And if there is something you don’t like or can’t eat, you can bring it to the trading station at the end and trade it for something you like better. 
 

• Potatoes
• Spring mix or arugula
• Small or medium squash
• Kale, cabbage, or beets
• Radishes or 2 green peppers
• Spinach or sweet potatoes
• Onion or 3 serrano peppers

If you pick up at our Lansing, Okemos, St. Johns, Midland hospital, or Alma hospital drop-off, or if you have home or workplace delivery, here are your options!  We have three different prepacked shares, and you can let me know which one you want by filling out this quick form by lunchtime the day before your drop-off.  If you have a half share, you can choose one of these options, and if you have a full share, you’ll choose two.

Share A:

• Potatoes
• Spring mix
• Delicata squash
• Kale
• Sweet potatoes
• Yellow onion
• 2 green peppers

Share B:

• Potatoes
• Spring mix
• Honeynut squash
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Red onion
• Radishes

Share C:

• Potatoes
• Arugula
• Carnival squash
• Beets
• Sweet potatoes
• Yellow onion
• Radishes

Recipes

I love sweet potatoes!  But for the longest time, I thought I didn't, because the only time I ever had them as a kid was at Thanksgiving, when they were mashed and covered with marshmallows.  Which is probably my least favorite sweet potato preparation.  So if you're looking for something completely delicious and super easy to do with your sweet potatoes, check out this recipe for Roasted Sweet Potatoes!  It calls for just five ingredients, and once you get them in the oven, you can go do something else until they're ready.  Score! :-)