CSA Newsletter for Week 10

Farm Update

Bringing in the potato harvest!

Hi everyone!   It's starting to feel like fall!  This is the time of year where we begin the slow shift from summer mode to our autumn rhythm at the farm.  We're starting to get more consistent rain (yay!), which is a sure signal that fall is on its way.  And this week we brought in a huge three-ton potato harvest (which is currently taking up about half of the space in our big walk-in cooler)! If a huge harvest of root vegetables doesn't say fall, I don't know what does!  Along with the potatoes, we also harvested a ton and a half of onions in one really intense, hard-hitting spurt on Friday.  It just about left Fred and our crew falling down with exhaustion, but we got it done.  The thing about farming is that there is a right time for everything, and you have to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.  

It's pretty fortunate that the time to do all of these major harvests is in mid-August, because most of our crew goes back to school at the end of next week!  Because our work is seasonal, we hire a lot of students to help out at the farm, which is a win-win.  We get a bunch of strong, enthusiastic young people who work hard all summer and don't need year-round employment because their primary job is being a student.  So at the end of this week, Max and Brayden will be returning to high school, and Mary will be returning for her senior year at Spring Arbor to finish her nursing degree.  Fortunately, we'll still have Carson and Nolan for the rest of the season, for which we're so grateful, because there is still a ton of work to do, and those guys are awesome!

Another piece of important news, just in case you missed it last week:  Our Midland drop-off is going to be at a different location for this week only!  The Eagle Ridge Church is having their parking lot resurfaced, and it's going to be all torn up on Thursday, so we're going to have our drop-off this week from 5-6 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church on the corner of Jefferson and St. Andrews.  You can check out the map here.  So don't go to Eagle Ridge this week, because we won't be there!  Fred is going to be doing the drop-off by himself next week, so if you need to get in touch with him, you can call or text him at 517-449-9886. :-)

What to Expect in This Week's Share

If you are picking up at one of our traditional style drop-offs (Alma, Mt. Pleasant, and Midland), here’s what the options will be at the different stations.  If you have a half share, you’ll choose one item at each station, and if you have a full share, you choose two items at each station!

• Potatoes
  

  

  This week's carrot harvest was brought
  to you in part by Jane and Jessamine,
   who clearly didn't know they'd be
  harvesting carrots when they got
  dressed that morning, but who were
  good sports about it! :-)

• Kale or cabbage
• Sweet corn or slicing tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Broccoli or lettuce
• Carrots
• Basil, onions, or microgreens

If you have a prepacked share (Midland hospital, St. Johns, Lansing, Okemos, or home delivery), here are your options.  If you have a half share, you’ll choose either share A, B, or C, and if you have a full share, you can choose two of them.  So just email me by lunchtime the day before your drop-off to let me know which share you want for this week!  If I don't hear from you, I'll just choose for you. :-)

Share A: Cherry tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, sweet corn, kale, and microgreens

Share B:  Cherry tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, sweet corn, napa cabbage, and onions.

Share C: Cherry tomatoes, carrrots, potatoes, broccoli, slicing tomatoes, cabbage, and basil.

             

Recipes

It might be starting to feel like fall, but we're still in the middle of cherry tomato season!  If you're looking for something new to try with those lovely little jewels of summer, check out these 21 Cherry Tomato Recipes from Rachel Ray!  So many yummy things to do with cherry tomatoes... that is, if you don't eat them all in the car on the way home from the drop-off!  I tell you what, those things are like candy! :-)