There  are 3 more distributions left for the Fall/Spring CSA share. 
The next one will be distributed in late March, plus or minus a week
(depending on how quickly the next round of crops grows). 
I will let you know the exact date in mid-March.  
 
Our  winter seedings are doing pretty well, but definitely need some time to  grow. Below, you can see some of  the winter carrot planting.  We  expect them to be ready for the late April share.  
  

The crops we grow in our field house can handle some freezing, but ideally they should be thawed out before they're harvested.  With nights in the low teens this past weekend, some of our greens remained frozen all day Monday...

Usually we consider 2 basic things when we harvest:  1.) crop size/ripeness and 2.) bug/disease damage.  However, yesterday, our biggest question was "how thawed out is that one?"   It was slow going.  With the exception of the bok choi, most crops did ok.  We have fresh, beautiful greens.   

This situation is a great example of the uncertainty we have with the harvest.  I do the best I can to give you advanced notice of what will be in your share.  However, the crops in your box will Rarely be exactly as anticipated--- especially at the beginning and end of the growing season.  Share content discrepancies are not due to an oversight, rather, to some type of crop failure.  We are conscious of discrepancies, and make adjustments each week to account for past weeks.  WE make sure that over the course of the season, you have gotten your money's worth and more! 

The carrots and potatoes are unwashed because they store better that way.  Our number one priority in the harvest/packout is to maximize the shelf life of the veggies you receive. 

Please bring your empty box to the pickup today.  And again, please be careful opening your box today...unfold it, don't tear it. 

The next pickup with be towards the end of March,   I'll let you know.

I hope you enjoy the veggies.  Have a great holiday.

 

Mike    

Visit us at the Salem Winter Farmers Market on Thurdsays from 2-6pm

 The share will consist of butternut squash, potatoes, onions, salad turnips, lettuce, tatsoi, bok choi, scallions,  beet greens, a little garlic, and lots of carrots. 
Everything in the share was grown (or is growing) at our farm in Hamilton.  It's great to be eating local and fresh in December!

a few pics of our field house in December:

The first Fall/Winter distribution is on Nov22.  Veggies include potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, onions, leeks, cabbage, celery root, carrots, beets, salad turnips, tatsoi, and some baby salad greens-mesclun lettuce/arugala/mustards/mizuna/purple kale. 

 FYI, the fall shares (nov/dec) will have more heavy fall crops, the spring shares (mar/apr/may)  will have more of the fresh greens.

Thanks for sharing in our fall harvest.  I hope these veggies are a part of a great  Thanksgiving  meal!

Mike

This week's share consists of salad turnips, radish, kale tops, celeriac, onions, garlic, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and butternut winter squash.  There may be some bad leaves in with the kale tops--  just tear off the bad part.  The celeriac is the roundish knobby thing that smells like celery--dice it up for soups and stews. 

So this is the last week of the Summer CSA.  Thanks for being a part of it all; I hope you've had a valuable experience.   If so, we'll  see you-- and your friends-- next year. 

Please spread the word!  Word of mouth is our local economy's best defense against corporate control.  If a new member mentions your name, you get a free case of tomatoes next September.

If you'd like to continue eating fresh local vegetables through the fall and spring, consider joining  our Fall/Spring Share.  For Info on joining the Fall/Spring Share and also, the Summer 2012 Share,  http://www.firstlightfarmcsa.com/join-our-csa.html

Please feel free to email us with your ideas and suggestions--firstlightfarmcsa@gmail.com

 You are why we farm,

Mike

This weeks share consists of mixed asian braising greens, white salad turnips, onions, sweet potatoes, butternut winter squash, tomatoes, and Celery.  Our celery has less water and more flavor than what you find in the grocery store.  A little bit goes a long way!

Next week-  Oct 25,26,27-  will be the last week of the Summer 2011 CSA.