CSA Newsletter for Week 18

 

Farm Update

Our old root washer cleans sweet
potatoes by spraying them with
water while they travel through a
series of rollers that gently scrub the
dirt off of them.  Then they fall into
the crates at the end, where we
separate them by size for the shares.

Hi everyone!  We've wrapped up another week of the CSA, and there are two more CSA weeks left until the end of the season!  So the final drop-offs will be during the last week of October in case you were wondering.  And things definitely feel like they're winding down at the farm.  The weather is getting colder, and we've had a number of hard freezes overnight.  We cover our more vulnerable crops with a layer of plastic to protect them from the cold and wind, but each time we get a hard frost, we know that some of them might not make it through.  The frost last night actually killed off our last planting of green beans, which we knew might happen.  We know that anything we plant after the first half of September is a gamble, and this year the weather was not in our favor.  But fortunately, the radishes and romaine (which are also among our more vulnerable crops right now) came through last night's frost just fine, so they'll be in the shares this week!

While there aren't as many types of farm work that need to occur now as there were in the early summer, the main one that remains (harvesting) takes a lot more time than it used to.  It is a lot harder to harvest when the weather gets cold and nasty, and takes a lot longer.  We also don't have nearly as many workers as we did in June and July, so basically, it's slow going.  It makes us really appreciate when we get to come indoors for mealtime, and we've been making some really great fall meals in our kitchen!  We've been enjoying lots of warm soups, and plenty of squash, sweet potatoes, beets, kale, and all the other great things that get their chance to shine in autumn!

If you're interested in signing up for next season, sign-up is open for the 2021 season!  The price will be going up next year to $600 for a full share or $325 for a half share, but we do have an early bird special!  Anyone who signs up and pays for at least half of their share before the end of the calendar year will get their half share for $315 or their full share for $580!  So if you have any questions, just send me an email, and if you're interested in signing up for the CSA next year, fill out this google for for the Monroe Family Organics 2021 CSA season! 

What to Expect in Your Share

If you are going through the line 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! 

Onion, cilantro, or dill

Carrots

Brussels sprouts or leeks

Squash or sweet potatoes

Lettuce or potatoes

Kale or radish

Acorn squash, delicata squash, or a bag of small onions

If you have a prepacked share, 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 fill out this Google form by lunchtime the day before your drop-off to let me know which share you want for this week!  If it comes in after that, I might still be able to get you the share you wanted, but I can't guarantee it. And if I don't hear from you, I'll just choose for you. :-)

Share A:  Carrots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, lettuce, acorn squash, and onion.

Share B:  Carrots, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, lettuce, kale, bag of small onions, and cilantro.

Share C:  Carrots, leeks, butternut squash, potatoes, kale, acorn squash, and onion.

Recipes

Everyone knows that radishes are great sliced really thin on top of a salad.  But did you know that there are a lot more great ways to use radishes in your meals?  Check out these 10 Best Radish Recipes from the Kitchn for some great ideas for this lovely cool-weather veggie!