2022 CSA Season Week Five

July 5, 2022

Welcome to Week Five of this year’s CSA season! We’re so glad to have you with us, and we hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July! The weather has been cooler this week, so we hope you’re enjoying it while it lasts. I know we sure are!

Please Remember to Respect Your Site Hosts and their Property!

We are so grateful to our site hosts, all of whom have graciously donated their porches and driveways to make deliveries that much more convenient for all of us. We would like to take a moment to remind everyone how important it is to respect both their property, and their time. Please make sure you pay special attention to the pickup window on your delivery information. We ask that you do your best to arrive within that window. Please do not arrive early unless your site host asks you to! There is a strict 7pm deadline for residential sites, after which they are welcome to any remaining shares. If you can’t make your pickup time, please give your site host a call before that 7pm deadline, to see if they would be willing to make other arrangements. Please do not show up outside that pickup window without their permission.

We would also ask that you make sure to take all of your veggies with you. We are not doing any kind of a Yumm/Yuck box, and our site hosts are not responsible for disposing of anything you may not like or want. Please make sure to take all of your veggies with you in your own container (including carrot tops!) so our site hosts don’t have to clean up after us. We appreciate all you do!

Let Us Know if You’re Going on Vacation!

We understand that summer can be busy, and we all have so much going on! We would love to be able to accommodate you, either by a credit towards next year’s share or by giving your box to Food for Lane County as a tax-deductible donation. We ask that you please let us know at least 7 days in advance to be able to make any changes. I have some things going on this summer myself, so I’m getting things ready in advance to avoid any last-minute changes and confusion for our crew.

There may be times when we reroute boxes or double-up shares for deliveries, so we ask that you pay special attention to yellow labels on boxes and the names on the list. If your name is not on the list, please don’t take a box! Give us a call or shoot me an email, and I’ll get back to you on our next business day to find out why your name may not have been there and begin our next steps. If you have a rerouted market box, please make sure you look for the labeled box. We only send enough boxes for those on the list, so if your name isn’t there and you take one, someone else may not get their share that week. We really appreciate your understanding and cooperation!

Come See Us at the Farmers’ Markets!

Anxious to get your Winter Green veggies between shares? Come see us at our farmers’ markets! You can find us in Portland at the King Market on Sundays, or in Eugene at the Lane County Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. You can also come see us every Wednesday at the Eugene Farm Stand! We’re at the Emmaus Church on 18th and Polk from 2pm to 6pm. We would love to see you!

Meet Your Farmers!

Whether you’re new to the farm or one of our returning members, we’d love to introduce your to one of our wonderful owners. Chris and Shannon bought the farm the brought them together about six years ago, but Chris has been with the farm now for 28 years! He and his family live on and run Winter Green Farm, so all the delicious veggies you get each week are because of them! Chris’s favorite crops grown here on the farm are carrots (and sheep). His favorite book is Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry, and this summer, he’s looking forward to mountain biking and creating memories with Shannon and the boys.

What’s in Your Box This Week:

  • Lettuce
  • Kale
  • Cabbage
  • Strawberries
  • Carrots
  • Beets

Handy Tips:

  • Cabbage: Remove the outer leaves, trim the stem ends, and halve or quarter the head for easier handling. Store cabbage in plastic in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Cabbage will keep for up to two weeks ( and well over a month at cold temperatures and high humidity). Chop or grate raw cabbage and add to salad or slaw. To steam, cut 2-3 inch wedges off the core and steam about 10 minutes. Serve with lemon, butter, salt, and pepper for a simple, yet delicious side dish.
  • Beets: To keep roots and greens fresh, remove the beet greens, wash and store in a refrigerated plastic bag. Store the unwashed roots in an unsealed plastic bag in your vegetable drawer. Beet roots will last up to two weeks; the greens will need to be used within a few days after harvesting. Beet greens are a delicious and healthy vegetable on their own. You can steam or saute them like spinach or use raw in salads. They are also great lightly stir-fried. Beets do not need to be peeled; just scrub them clean before using (there are many trace minerals just below the skin). Skins can be slipped off after cooking. Beets are delicious raw or cooked. Try them grated raw on sandwiches and salads. They can be steamed, roasted, or cooked in soup or stew.

What We’re Making This Week:

  • Have you ever heard that kale is power food? These tasty Kale Smoothies are a great way to get all the nutrients this veggie has to offer!
  • These Un-stuffed Cabbage Bowls are go-to favorite in my house. We’ve tried them with ground beef, but found we prefer Italian sausage instead. Let me know what you think!
  • I love hummus, and I’m always looking to add to my list of healthy snacks. This Roasted Beet Hummus looks delicious!

We’re so excited to share our veggies with you this week, and the boxes are getting heavy! Thank you so much for letting us tag along with you on this food journey you’re on.

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers