CSA Newsletter for Week 19

Farm Update

A lot of people don't realize that carrots
come in colors other than orange, but
they do!  We're going to have our
multicolored carrot mix in the CSA
shares this week!  Just look at these beauties!

Hi everyone!  Welcome to week 19 of the CSA!  We've been doing a lot of fall tasks this week at the farm; Fred was able to pull out most of the old tomato plantings that were past their prime, which frees up space in the coldframes to plant hardier crops that will last for the next few months.  He's been prepping the soil in the recently vacated coldframes, and over the next few days, we'll plant that space with spinach, lettuce, and mache.  We've had a few significant frosts this week, which fortunately haven't done too much damage, except to the tomatoes and peppers, which we pretty much expected this time of year.

We're also opening up sign-ups for next year, so you can get on the list for the 2020 season any time!  You know the old joke about how if you don't like the weather in Michigan, wait five minutes?  Given the variability in Michigan weather, especially in the spring and fall, we feel like we've had a harder time having the variety of vegetables we want to be able to offer until the 20th week of the CSA. So we've decided that starting next year, we'll have 19 weeks of the CSA instead of 20.  Most years, we raise the price of CSA shares by a few dollars to account for inflation and the increasing cost of labor, but we're going to leave the prices exactly where they are for the 2020 season.  So full shares are going to continue to be $560, and half shares are going to continue to be $305 for next year.  That said, it really helps us out when CSA members put down a payment early for the following year, because it allows us to manage expenses throughout the winter.  So anyone who signs up and pays at least half of their share cost before December 31 will get $5 off their CSA membership for next year!  So if you know you want to sign up, let me know, and I'll put you on the list for CSA season 2020! :-)

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 or a bag of small onions
• Sweet potatoes
• Squash
• Surprise veggie
• Kale, cooking greens mix, or microgreens
• Radishes or beets
• Onion

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:  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, kale, multicolored carrots, radishes, onion.

Share B: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cooking greens mix, Brussels sprouts, beets, onion.

Share C:  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, microgreens, multicolored carrots, beets, onion.

             

Recipes

I was talking to someone at the drop-off last week who was asking about all the different things we do with sweet potatoes, and I was reminded of this amazing Sweet Potato Pie that I make every fall!  You can also make it without a crust (either if you're gluten free, or if you just don't want to take the time to make a pie crust), and it comes out like more of a custard.  I usually make this for our son Timmy's birthday in November, but I think I'll make it early this year, because it just feels like time.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!