The harvest super moon was amazing. We took the kids over to a friend's house and watched as the eclipse made its way slowly over the horizon. What an incredible event! Those beautiful clear nights also brought along several nights of heavy frost at the farm. Willy arrived Sunday morning to find the garden coated in thick ice. Subsequently, we have received frost just about every night since. As you may have guessed, this means that there will be no zucchini or cucumbers in the last 2 boxes of the season. Just like that, they are done and gone.
There was an outside row of slicing tomatoes that also took a hit and the basil turned black and mushy. Otherwise, nearly everything else survived.
We are starting to put a few fall surprises into the box starting this week. First, you are receiving a celeriac. This is related to celery. The root is the part you are interested in. Peel off the rough exterior to reach the tender soft interior. This vegetable has a mild celery flavor. It can be used for soups, in vegetable bakes or in stuffing. They are a pain to grow (started from seed in February and tended until now!) which is why you don't see them all that often and why we only grow a few each year.
Next week, we will put in some Brussels sprouts. We tested them out at dinner last night and I am giving them the thumbs-up.
Next week will be the last CSA for the regular season. We will still have produce available and can do an add-on on a week by week basis. Typically, we charge $20 for the first week or two and $15 for following weeks as produce availability diminishes. For now, it looks like the boxes will contain beets, carrots, winter squash, potatoes, onions, brussels sprouts, celeriac,leeks,kohlrabi, tomatoes, peppers and probably some greens of various kinds and other surprises if mother nature allows. If you are interested, in continuing on, please send me a message and let me know. We only do a limited number of add-on boxes so they are first-come, first-served. If you are only interested in a getting a few select items in bulk, now is the time to order. We are filling orders right now and are hoping to have all bulk items distributed by mid-October.
Thanks and have a great week!
In Your Share This Week:
Carrots, Leeks, Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers, Kale/Collards/Chard, Arugula, Winter Squash, Celeriac and maybe a surprise or two....
Recipes:
Simple Celeriac
Maple-Bacon Roasted Apples and Celeriac
Chunky Cheddar and Celeriac Soup
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tierra Garden Organics CSA Week #16 Retirement of a Generation
Yesterday, I was once again reminded that farming is a very special career choice. I openly admit to getting frustrated at least once or twice a summer (maybe 3 times!) with the workload and lack of time off. Willy is much better at coping with it than I am and he certainly takes the brunt of the work upon himself. Often, he is at the farm literally from dawn until dusk with me arriving at a more civilized hour and leaving before it is time to make dinner. He really, hardly, ever complains. He loves his work and feels an almost parental attachment to the fields and the crops. While most people enjoy a few days off every week (that little thing known as a weekend), Willy may take off a 1/2 day now and again but never, ever more. The idea of leaving the farm for an overnight (or 2!) does not cross his mind. Indeed, he has told me regularly that he doesn't feel like he has to go to work when he gets up in the morning. Farming to him isn't work, it has become who he is.
So it is with great sadness yesterday that I was reminded that more than a handful of very dedicated farmers in our area are retiring this season with no one stepping in to replace them. This isn't the type of job you advertise for. There rarely is that one special person who wants to step in and 'buy the farm'; accepting the responsibility, long hours and low pay that come along with this commitment. Farming as a career choice makes very little sense; it is a lifestyle choice, or nothing.
To put our predecessors lifetimes into perspective, Grant Gibbs just celebrated 40 years of farming on his homestead in Leavenworth. 40 years of fighting the weather, building the soil, scrambling to find help, and persisting against all odds. Those farmers who are retiring are some of the pioneers of organic agriculture in this region. Watershine Woods, Jerry Pipitone, Ken Toevs... (and across the state Terry Carkner, Nash Huber and others...) they have all decided that it is time to move into the next phase of life. An entire generation of farmers who's time has come and gone. The gap that they are leaving behind makes me feel nauseated and humbled. Farming is a career built on experience. Year after year an accumulation of knowledge increases one's skill and chances of success. Those who have spent a lifetime in the soil hold a wealth of knowledge greater than any doctorate degree can decree and broader than any book can hold. So who is left to turn to for advice and support when these scholars are no longer available?
'We are all counting on you now.' was the message I was left with yesterday after discussing this situation with my dear friend Kim Lohse (another pioneer in her own way as she, in her retirement, continues to champion for local food) 'But no pressure!' she says with a smile. And isn't that the truth of it? One generation retires and the next must step up and try and fill their shoes. But I don't nearly feel ready to lead the charge. Somehow, an entire generation gap has presented itself between those who are retiring and our younger generation who are still learning the ropes. Where are the farmers who come in between? An entire middle-age missing from farm life.
I sincerely hope that our generation and the one following us can pick up the slack. I don't really know if we can, but I know that we will try. I am continuously inspired that there are people like my husband who find that their place in life comes with calloused hands and dirty work clothes. With any luck, there will be more choosing this path behind him.
In Your Share This Week:
Winter Squash, Peppers, Zucchini, Tomato, Onions, Leeks, Garlic, Arugula?, Kale/Collards/Chard, Cucumbers (they made a comeback!), and probably a few surprises
Recipes:
Zucchini Pancakes
Silky Zucchini Soup
So it is with great sadness yesterday that I was reminded that more than a handful of very dedicated farmers in our area are retiring this season with no one stepping in to replace them. This isn't the type of job you advertise for. There rarely is that one special person who wants to step in and 'buy the farm'; accepting the responsibility, long hours and low pay that come along with this commitment. Farming as a career choice makes very little sense; it is a lifestyle choice, or nothing.
To put our predecessors lifetimes into perspective, Grant Gibbs just celebrated 40 years of farming on his homestead in Leavenworth. 40 years of fighting the weather, building the soil, scrambling to find help, and persisting against all odds. Those farmers who are retiring are some of the pioneers of organic agriculture in this region. Watershine Woods, Jerry Pipitone, Ken Toevs... (and across the state Terry Carkner, Nash Huber and others...) they have all decided that it is time to move into the next phase of life. An entire generation of farmers who's time has come and gone. The gap that they are leaving behind makes me feel nauseated and humbled. Farming is a career built on experience. Year after year an accumulation of knowledge increases one's skill and chances of success. Those who have spent a lifetime in the soil hold a wealth of knowledge greater than any doctorate degree can decree and broader than any book can hold. So who is left to turn to for advice and support when these scholars are no longer available?
'We are all counting on you now.' was the message I was left with yesterday after discussing this situation with my dear friend Kim Lohse (another pioneer in her own way as she, in her retirement, continues to champion for local food) 'But no pressure!' she says with a smile. And isn't that the truth of it? One generation retires and the next must step up and try and fill their shoes. But I don't nearly feel ready to lead the charge. Somehow, an entire generation gap has presented itself between those who are retiring and our younger generation who are still learning the ropes. Where are the farmers who come in between? An entire middle-age missing from farm life.
I sincerely hope that our generation and the one following us can pick up the slack. I don't really know if we can, but I know that we will try. I am continuously inspired that there are people like my husband who find that their place in life comes with calloused hands and dirty work clothes. With any luck, there will be more choosing this path behind him.
In Your Share This Week:
Winter Squash, Peppers, Zucchini, Tomato, Onions, Leeks, Garlic, Arugula?, Kale/Collards/Chard, Cucumbers (they made a comeback!), and probably a few surprises
Recipes:
Zucchini Pancakes
Silky Zucchini Soup
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Tierra Garden Organics CSA Week #15 Saying Goodbye....
Well, I have been mentioning this for a few weeks but now I really mean it. It is time to start saying goodbye. Goodbye zucchini, goodbye cucumbers, goodbye summer.
There has been a dramatic shift at the farm over the last 10 days. Like a migrating fledgling, summer found its wings and flew south leaving us with crisp nights, short days and a cool breeze. We might even get a little rain.....
What this weather means is that anything that loves warm nights and hot sun is slowing to a crawl. Willy harvested less than 8 lbs of patipans yesterday and only one bin of cucumbers. He and Laura had headed down to those beds with their usual stack of 5-10 bins and came back up with only a bin and a half full of produce. Laura was a little baffled by how fast production can shut down when the weather shifts a few degrees and Willy just laughed.
So prepare yourselves for winter squash, leeks and onions...the staples of fall. Think warm soups and biscuits. And if you haven't put food up for the winter yet, there is no more time to procrastinate; do it now. Farmers market will last a few more weeks before everyone puts away their canopies for the season. Although finding a good peach is getting to be a rare treat, there are still pears, apples and even some berries showing up.
And, if you haven't been keeping track, there are only 3 weeks left of the CSA after today. Once we get to the end, we often offer an extension on a week by week basis. I will let you know if this is a possibility as we get a little closer in. The farm has been exceptionally busy this summer and although we are usually sitting on a large abundance going into winter, this year we may (for the first time ever) be sold out by the middle of October.
Have a great week!
In Your Share This Week:
Carrots, Beets, Kale/Collards/Chard, Onions, Winter Squash, Peppers, Eggplant?, Zucchini, Tomatoes, and items still to be determined....
Recipes:
Winter Squash Soup
Jalapeno Poppers
There has been a dramatic shift at the farm over the last 10 days. Like a migrating fledgling, summer found its wings and flew south leaving us with crisp nights, short days and a cool breeze. We might even get a little rain.....
What this weather means is that anything that loves warm nights and hot sun is slowing to a crawl. Willy harvested less than 8 lbs of patipans yesterday and only one bin of cucumbers. He and Laura had headed down to those beds with their usual stack of 5-10 bins and came back up with only a bin and a half full of produce. Laura was a little baffled by how fast production can shut down when the weather shifts a few degrees and Willy just laughed.
So prepare yourselves for winter squash, leeks and onions...the staples of fall. Think warm soups and biscuits. And if you haven't put food up for the winter yet, there is no more time to procrastinate; do it now. Farmers market will last a few more weeks before everyone puts away their canopies for the season. Although finding a good peach is getting to be a rare treat, there are still pears, apples and even some berries showing up.
And, if you haven't been keeping track, there are only 3 weeks left of the CSA after today. Once we get to the end, we often offer an extension on a week by week basis. I will let you know if this is a possibility as we get a little closer in. The farm has been exceptionally busy this summer and although we are usually sitting on a large abundance going into winter, this year we may (for the first time ever) be sold out by the middle of October.
Have a great week!
In Your Share This Week:
Carrots, Beets, Kale/Collards/Chard, Onions, Winter Squash, Peppers, Eggplant?, Zucchini, Tomatoes, and items still to be determined....
Recipes:
Winter Squash Soup
Jalapeno Poppers
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Tierra Garden Organics CSA Week #14 Here Come The Winter Squash
Okay, this is where we start singing....
"It's the final countdown! Nah nah nah nah...nah ni na na nah"
The little bit of cold weather did not kill the basil so it looks like we are in the clear for another week or two. A short blip of warm weather is making a push through the region and is going to re-invigorate and keep alive the summer sensitive crops. This will give us a little time to get onions off of the field (Laura has been working on this diligently for some time....there are a lot of onions this year) and start thinking about where we can stockpile all of the pie pumpkins and winter squash.
Indeed, the warmer than usual summer lent itself well to both melons and butternut squash. Last week, we put some baby cantaloupes into the boxes. I hope you enjoyed them. Willy always takes a shotgun approach to farming and the decision to put in a row of melons was a 'Why not try?' kind of decision. There were no expectations placed on this bed, only hopes. Same with the butternut squash. Almost every season, a row gets planted. Often, they don't have a chance to fully mature. It sounds like this year, there will be a lot of them.
This weekend will be the Sustainable Living and Farming Tour. For some crazy reason, we said we would take part again this year. So all day Sunday (10-4), Willy and I will be at the farm and will be showing people around. At 10:30 Sunday morning, Willy will be leading a fall planting discussion.
Last year, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who attended the tour. I am hoping we have not gotten ourselves in over our heads this year!
Otherwise, not much to report. The light is changing quickly and the plants are starting to respond. You will notice that the eggplant are maturing at a much smaller size now. They are in panic mode and are trying their hardest to make seeds before the rain comes.
Have a great week!
In Your Share This Week:
Potatoes, Leeks, Tomato, Baby Beets, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Kale/Collards/Chard, Garlic, Onions, Winter Squash and probably a surprise or two!
Recipes:
Caramelized Butternut Squash
Creamy Dijon Leeks
"It's the final countdown! Nah nah nah nah...nah ni na na nah"
The little bit of cold weather did not kill the basil so it looks like we are in the clear for another week or two. A short blip of warm weather is making a push through the region and is going to re-invigorate and keep alive the summer sensitive crops. This will give us a little time to get onions off of the field (Laura has been working on this diligently for some time....there are a lot of onions this year) and start thinking about where we can stockpile all of the pie pumpkins and winter squash.
Indeed, the warmer than usual summer lent itself well to both melons and butternut squash. Last week, we put some baby cantaloupes into the boxes. I hope you enjoyed them. Willy always takes a shotgun approach to farming and the decision to put in a row of melons was a 'Why not try?' kind of decision. There were no expectations placed on this bed, only hopes. Same with the butternut squash. Almost every season, a row gets planted. Often, they don't have a chance to fully mature. It sounds like this year, there will be a lot of them.
This weekend will be the Sustainable Living and Farming Tour. For some crazy reason, we said we would take part again this year. So all day Sunday (10-4), Willy and I will be at the farm and will be showing people around. At 10:30 Sunday morning, Willy will be leading a fall planting discussion.
Last year, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who attended the tour. I am hoping we have not gotten ourselves in over our heads this year!
Otherwise, not much to report. The light is changing quickly and the plants are starting to respond. You will notice that the eggplant are maturing at a much smaller size now. They are in panic mode and are trying their hardest to make seeds before the rain comes.
Have a great week!
In Your Share This Week:
Potatoes, Leeks, Tomato, Baby Beets, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Kale/Collards/Chard, Garlic, Onions, Winter Squash and probably a surprise or two!
Recipes:
Caramelized Butternut Squash
Creamy Dijon Leeks
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Tierra Garden Organics CSA Week #13 On The Edge of Fall
Well, like a switch, the weather has taken a nose-dive toward fall. Although it does complicate the farming, it is not entirely unexpected. As I mentioned last week, we knew it could happen at any time. Temps are looking to dip close to freezing at night over the next week meaning that the basil will probably take a hit and production on squash, cukes and eggplant will start to taper. This is when I start proclaiming 'Enjoy it while it lasts!' because we all know it isn't going to last much longer.
Hopefully you feel like you are getting your fill of these things :-)
Lots of crops will make it through a bout of cold. As long as it stays warmer than about 29F, we are in good shape. One minor bummer is that the plastic on the low tunnel was ripped to shreds by a crazy, freak dust devil earlier this year and we haven't had a chance to order new plastic. This tunnel houses our roma tomatoes and our 'back-up' cukes. Although we have tried to cobble the plastic back together, it is too far gone at this point to be effective and we likely won't re-cover the structure until next spring. There is really no point in adding a winter's worth of stress to new plastic when it can be avoided by waiting patiently for an extra couple of months. A large sheet of greenhouse plastic is a sizable investment and we try to invest wisely to prolong the life of our equipment. So, with that being said, those two items (the romas and the cukes) will be hit by the cold long before the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant inside the high tunnel are.
Going into fall, expect to see winter squash and leeks in your box. It has been a number of years since we have grown nice sized leeks. This year's crop looks pretty good. I am still crossing my fingers that the Brussels sprouts will be ready before the CSA is over. It is always fun to add those to the boxes as a little cold-weather treat. And there will likely be one round of celeriac before the season is done.
Have a great week and enjoy the weather....to me, it is a welcome break.
In Your Share This Week:
Potatoes, Kale/Collards/Chard, Garlic, Onions, Tomato, Peppers, Cucumber, Squash, Leeks? And probably a few other surprises....
Recipes:
Potato Leek Soup
Potato Momos
Potato Gnocchi
Hopefully you feel like you are getting your fill of these things :-)
Lots of crops will make it through a bout of cold. As long as it stays warmer than about 29F, we are in good shape. One minor bummer is that the plastic on the low tunnel was ripped to shreds by a crazy, freak dust devil earlier this year and we haven't had a chance to order new plastic. This tunnel houses our roma tomatoes and our 'back-up' cukes. Although we have tried to cobble the plastic back together, it is too far gone at this point to be effective and we likely won't re-cover the structure until next spring. There is really no point in adding a winter's worth of stress to new plastic when it can be avoided by waiting patiently for an extra couple of months. A large sheet of greenhouse plastic is a sizable investment and we try to invest wisely to prolong the life of our equipment. So, with that being said, those two items (the romas and the cukes) will be hit by the cold long before the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant inside the high tunnel are.
Going into fall, expect to see winter squash and leeks in your box. It has been a number of years since we have grown nice sized leeks. This year's crop looks pretty good. I am still crossing my fingers that the Brussels sprouts will be ready before the CSA is over. It is always fun to add those to the boxes as a little cold-weather treat. And there will likely be one round of celeriac before the season is done.
Have a great week and enjoy the weather....to me, it is a welcome break.
In Your Share This Week:
Potatoes, Kale/Collards/Chard, Garlic, Onions, Tomato, Peppers, Cucumber, Squash, Leeks? And probably a few other surprises....
Recipes:
Potato Leek Soup
Potato Momos
Potato Gnocchi
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