If you are interested in what we do at the farm, we're interested in connecting with you and showing you the place.  And we'd also love your assistance with our year end donation harvest.  Please join us at the farm this weekend, oct26 or oct27, 9am-1pm.  Its very flexible,  you can come for a half hour, or 4 hours, on one or both days.  

Our goal is to send a truckload of fresh healthy veggies to each of a few local food shelters.  And we also hope you will take the opportunity to pick a few things for yourself.  The "pick your own" crops are mostly roots and greens-- carrots, beets, rutabaga, fennel, kale, collards, chard, lettuce, arugula, asian greens.  Obviously, these are the same crops that you've been getting in your shares recently. But maybe this weekend you could focus on harvesting a few things to can or freeze.   

Bring your family, friends, dogs, ect.  The more the merrier; everyone is welcome!   And bring snacks/drinks/really good homemade breads and pies/a picnic lunch/etc.  We will be providing a giant homemade caesar salad, plates, bowls, and water.    Give me a heads up (email) if you plan on attending,  so i know how much salad to make.  firstlightfarmcsa@gmail.com
FYI, We dont have a traditional bathroom at the farm (its only our 6th year on the property)... so go before you arrive. 

This week's share consists of chard, head lettuce, mesclun lettuce, arugula, fennel, carrots, rutabagas, the last of our tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, and lots of garlic. 
The garlic will last for several months if you keep it in fridge and don't let it dry out.  Like most roots and greens, it will last the longest if kept cool and moist, but not wet.  I put it in a doubled paper bag in the crisper draw, with a moist sponge or paper towels outside the bag.  This isn't as hard as it sounds. 

Thanks for participating this season.  As always, we appreciate the opportunity you give us to grow and share food with our community.  If you enjoyed your share in our harvest, tell your friends.  Word of mouth is our local economy's competitive advantage over corporate control.  

 The cooler months are an exciting time of the year to grow food and eat locally.  Our Fall Share will contain most, if not all of the following seasonal treats:

Roots - radish, salad turnips,  beets, carrots, rutabagas, onions, garlic, and leeks
Greens - head lettuce, mesclun lettuce, kale, collards, spinach, arugula,
asian greens
as well as - fennel, cilantro, dill, cabbage, kohlrabi, and of course, butternut winter squash

The Fall Share costs $125, and will have 4 pickups, 2 in November, and 2 in December. There are only about 20 shares still available.  For more information and/or to sign up for the Fall Share :  http://firstlightfarm.csasignup.com/members/types

This weeks share consists of carrots, beets, salad turnips, fennel, kohlrabi, head lettuce, mesclun lettuce, onions, garlic, kale, and tomatoes.
We have a lot of nice kale growing right now, so if you would like to come out to the farm to pick some, just email me.  Kale balls are a real treat in the dead of winter.   Just remove the mid-rib and blanch the leaves in boiling water for a few minutes.  Then drop it in cold water to prevent it from overcooking (and prevent burnt hands).  Then squeeze the leaves really hard to remove as much of the water as possible, shaping them into balls or logs or whatever.  Then put in ziplocks in the freezer.  These are a very convenient addition to any meal, especially soups.  Chard balls are also good.  

This week's share consists of kale, radish, carrots, tatsoi, leeks, tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, beautiful head lettuce, pie pumpkins, and maybe some bonus items.  The flesh of these pie pumpkins is sweeter and more creamy than the larger jack o'lantern types.  They are traditionally used to make pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie, but you can also eat them as you would any other type of winter squash.