Now we are moving into the crops that enjoy more of the hot days and thunder storms than some of us people can say. Coming up in the share you may notice our leafy greens and kale are slowing down, but we’ll be seeing more and more of our delicious nightshade crops coming in! So far we are still getting good yields from our potato crop and the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are coming along well in the fields. Potato fact from your Farmer: 2-3 weeks after potatoes blossom (and their flowers are very pretty by the way), the plants start to size up and produce more abundantly. As the plant above ground begins to wither and fold, the roots down below turn into the nice sized potatoes you see in your share!
In addition, we have some beautiful aromatic herbs growing the fields and more are coming. If you’d like to learn how to keep your own herb garden or how to use your herbs, check out our Herbal Kitchen Garden Workshop this Sunday, May 18th and Using Herbs in the Kitchen Workshop on Sunday, June 1st.
As the summer weather is approaching so is the end of this CSA season. We are very thankful for our CSA members allowing us to keep our local farm going and growing! The CSA model is truly a unique and important way of securing local, healthy food in our community. For us as farmers it allows us to have community members share in the bounties and risks of farming and know where our food is going very week. Early CSA renewals and new memberships help us get the new season started again by buying seeds, keeping our fantastic farmers on through the off-season, preparing the soil through cover cropping and getting organic inputs in the ground.
The hope and desire of a CSA at its roots is to connect people with their food for a more healthy life for both individuals and the environment around us. Being a part of a CSA allows you to eat seasonally diverse vegetables and have access to incredibly nutrient rich food that is freshly harvested. CSAs supply individuals with many unique crops and varieties that are difficult, if not impossible, to find in grocery stores. The vegetables aren’t shipped across state lines, food waste is minimized by knowing the amount you are harvesting for, soil health is maintained by thoughtful crop planning, water is used wisely by employing organic and sustainable methods, and the farm workers are your neighbors and fellow community members who care deeply about the harvest they produce and the people they are producing it for.
Early CSA renewals and new sign-ups are important to our farm. It helps us know where we going, get planning for an awesome season ahead, and move forward through the summer. Please consider getting your 2014-2015 CSA membership early and telling your friends about this unique food-centric program. If you have any questions about our CSA program, concerns, or just want to share your thoughts please contact us.