Summer CSA 2023
Happy last CSA!
Wow. here we are. October 2nd. The last CSA harvest of 2023 is complete and the boxes will head your way TOMORROW. Farming is so wild because the weekly summer rhythm is so consistent, then all of a sudden it screeches to a halt. Sure, we still have loads of fall cleanup projects to complete and final harvests to bring in, but my week flow will drastically change now that the CSA is over. I’m looking forward to the shift, though. My mind and body crave rest and recovery from the season. It’s wild to look back at all of the CSA photos from the season and know that we did it. It’s hard not to feel a little bit proud of what we accomplished. To know that our efforts, struggles, and moments when we just want to throw in the towel have resulted in the accomplishment of our vision. Sure, we have a TON to learn and so much to do to evolve, but for now, I am willing to rest and digest the good things from the season.
Most of all, I’m filled with gratitude. Mostly gratitude for YOU. Thank you so much for sticking it out with us as we learn and grow. You have truly made all this work worthwhile for me and Pearce. Your trust in us to grow your food drives our passion and fuels our bodies through it all. THANK YOU for hearing our stories, asking questions, eating well, and shifting our food system to be more farmer centric.
A few things to think about in the off season…..
- Could you please fill out our CSA Member Feedback Survey?? It should only take you a few minutes and your answers will help us move forward and make decisions for next year. Your voice matters! Follow the link below to fill that out:
- If you’re already thinking about signing up for next season, please stay tuned into our emails! Pearce and I usually take a couple of months to work out the details of what we want to offer for the upcoming season and usually launch things in December. Last year our CSA filled up in February (the week Milo was born!), so definitely keep in touch so you don’t miss out.
- I have a few book recommendations that I wanted to share with you about the local food system. These were some of our favorite books that shaped how Pearce and I view food and the earth that nourishes us. Please check them out if you’re interested in learning more about food! Maybe we’ll host a book club at some point to gather and have more intentional discussions about food and farming. Would that be something you’d be interested in? Let me know!! Here are the books:
I recommending starting with Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It details out Kingsolvers “year of local food” where her and her family raise all the food they need to eat for one year. It’s so inspirational!
Farmacology provides a really deep look into how our bodies and health are directly connected to the earth and the food we eat. Another really great read. (this was the book that inspired Pearce to farm!)
Formerly Known as Food is a super radical, a raw look into the ingredients in the food on our shelves. This book completely blew my mind and has informed much of how I eat today. Once I read it, I decided that there was no turning back in my local food and farming journey.
In your box….
Here are photos of what you’ll find in your box this week!
Large CSA
Sugar pie pumpkin, cilantro, russet potatoes, celery, carrots, arugula and lettuce mix, cherry and heirloom tomatoes, bell and lunchbox peppers, chard, delicata squash, and red onions.
Small CSA
Sugar pie pumpkin, cilantro, russet potatoes, celery, carrots, arugula and lettuce mix, cherry and heirloom tomatoes, bell and lunchbox peppers, and chard.
Some Inspiration…
Wow. This box is the box of my dreams. Tomatoes, potatoes, salad mix, chard….. all of my favorite things to eat!
I was really hoping to make a pumpkin soup this week and write up the recipe for you, but I ran out of time before the CSA. I’ll share a few variations of a pumpkin soup recipe for you to choose from:
A lot of recipes say to peel and chop the pumpkin, then roast or saute to soften the flesh, but honestly that is SO MUCH WORK. I always roast my winter squash/pumpkins halved in the oven and scoop out the flesh to use. I recommend slicing the pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and roasting face down in a pan filled with 1/2 inch of water at 375 degrees F for about 45-60 minutes. Then you can scoop out the soft flesh and use in a soup.
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I’m also so stoked on the salad mix! It’s a blend of lettuce and arugula. Pearce and I made a raspberry balsamic salad dressing for lunch today and ate so much lettuce and arugula! Raspberries are still in season, so you should be able to find fresh ones at your local farmers market.
I hope you enjoy the last bounty of this season. We feel truly honored to have nourished you for the past 16 weeks. Please remember to fill out our feedback survey when possible. It won’t take long and we would appreciate it so much!
Anyways, I’m signing off for now. Thank you for letting me share my voice and my stories over this farm season. I am grateful you read all of my wordy thoughts from the farm and geeked out over the veggies and new recipes with me. This is the first season where I’ve shared my own takes on recipes and cooking, in the past I’ve just shared recipes from outside sources. I’m so grateful for this space to share! I hope you liked everything and I hope you got to try some new things in the kitchen, too. Sending so much love!
Crunchy leaves and crisp carrots,
Eleanor