What a perfectly lovely day to deliver your first box! I hope you found your pick up site easily. This first newsletter will be mostly house keeping and nuts and bolts. I will talk more about the farm and what’s going on in future letters.

COVID STUFF:
On our end we are sanitizing the boxes, and wear masks and gloves while packing and delivering.
On your end, please follow the instructions at your pick up site, such as sanitizing your hands (we provided sanitizer from Sandstone Distillery-no icky chemicals!), wear a mask, keep six foot distance between yourself and other members.

BARTER BOX:
In the past we have provided a barter box that was stocked with a few items that you could trade for something in your share that you don’t like or don’t want. We felt that was not the most sanitary option right now. We hope you understand.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR BOX:
We have a way to sanitize and reuse the boxes, so please return it next week when you pick up your share. Better yet, bring your own bags to load stuff into, then you won’t have to try and remember. Flatten your box carefully (don’t rip the tabs!) and stack neatly with the others.

WHAT’S IN TODAY’S SHARE:
Returning members know this already, but we do a lot of rotating of crops in boxes based on pick up site or share size. Eastside might get beets, while the westside gets chard. Then next week it’s switched. Larges share might get shell peas, and smalls get snow peas. We do this to keep your share interesting and it makes for a more even harvest. We keep careful track so it all evens out in the end. So, without further adieu….
WEEK 1
carrots
beets or chard
cilantro, diil, or parsley
snow peas
garlic scapes
green onions
lettuce
curly or red Russian kale

A few of these items may be unfamiliar to you. You can refer to our Veggie ID photo gallery to find out what is what and who is who. In fact, I bet many of you are stumped by this one:

These are garlic scapes (the seed stalk of the garlic plant). The texture is similar to asparagus and they have a mild garlic flavor. Use in stir fry, soups, oven roast with olive oil and salt, marinate and grill, the possibilities are endless. Explore our Recipe page and use the tag cloud to find recipes featuring any given vegetable. I try to add new recipes when I have time and will be sure let you know when I do.

PICKY EATER SPIEL:
Freshly harvested veggie are sooooo much tastier than what you can buy in the store. They are so sweet and flavorful. Please try everything, prepared a couple of different ways before you totally write it off. I understand some folks have allergies, and for that reason I regret not having a barter box. But if you are merely scarred by a childhood memory of gelatinous beets out of a can or slimy and poorly prepared kale, please give them another shot (or two, or three.)

That is all for today. I will write more about what’s going on at the farm next week, until then enjoy this view of the farm taken last evening.

CSA Newsletter Week 1 2020