2022 CSA Season Week Sixteen

September 20, 2022

Welcome to Week Sixteen, everyone! Can you believe we’re already in the middle of September? We sure can’t. We’re so excited to share this week’s healthy harvest with you all, and the boxes this week are huge! We hope you’re all enjoying the veggies this season as much as we are.

Let us know if you’re going on vacation!

As we head into fall, we know some people are still going on vacation, myself included. Let us know! Our policy for rescheduling deliveries or delivery sites is that we need at least 7 days notice to make the changes, and that is especially true for the next few weeks. I’m going on my honeymoon for the first week in October, so if you know you’ll be gone during weeks 18 or 19 of this season (the first two weeks of October), please let me know no later than October 3rd. I leave for Victoria, B.C. in the wee hours of the morning that Wednesday, so anything received after midnight on Monday night will not get processed. Chris will still be checking emails in case of an emergency, but he won’t handle any vacation requests or product orders. Help me help you, and let me know as soon as you can if you need to reschedule your box!

Just a reminder:

For those on our Extended Half Share program (12 weeks), this is your week! Don’t forget to check your name off the list so we know you got your share. If you get to the site and believe your name should be on the list, please don’t take a box! Send me an email or leave us a voicemail on the office phone and I’ll get back to you on our next business day to sort it all out. We only pack enough for those on the list, so even if you think your name should be there, please don’t take a share if it’s not listed. However, definitely double check! The lists are in alphabetical order by first name this year, and sometimes they’re easy to overlook.

Our site hosts have been amazing this year, checking off lists and working with CSA members to help everyone get their yummy veggies. They’re amazing! But, we also need to remember they are volunteers and they’ve graciously donated their porches and driveways (not to mention, their time!) for all of our convenience. Please do your best to arrive within that pickup window and get ahold of them asap if you know you’re going to be late. At the residential sites, anything not picked up after that 7pm deadline goes to the site host, so make sure you pick it up on time! If you pick up at the markets and your share comes back to the farm, we only hold it for one business day before we donate them, so let me know as soon as you can if you need your box rerouted. (Please note: while I’m on my honeymoon, boxes that come back to the farm will not be rerouted.)

We have pears this week!

We’ve partnered with the wonderful people at Mt. Hood Organic Farms to provide you with pears , and then apples, over these last four weeks of the Standard CSA Season. Mt. Hood Organic Farms is located at the base of Mt. Hood in the Upper Hood River Valley. They’ve been around since the turn of the century, and their gorgeous grounds are perfect for both growing fruit and hosting beautiful wedding venues. Their pear and apple orchards boast near one hundred different varieties, and we’re so thrilled we get to offer you a taste of their magnificent, organic, biodynamic produce. If you’d like to know more, visit their website to learn more about their awesome operation!

The Extended Season is right around the corner!

Keep an eye out for the emails regarding the Extended Season going out over the next couple weeks. If you’ve signed up to join us for the last five weeks between October and November, your delivery site will be changing. Coast drop offs will be on Fridays in Florence or Mapleton. Portland deliveries will be on Sundays at the King Market, and Eugene deliveries will either be on Friday at a residential site, or on Saturday at the Lane County Farmers’ Market. More info will be sent to you in the email. (Please note, the Eugene Farm Stand at 18th and Polk is only open through the Standard Season.)

Come see us at the markets!

Are you looking for something in your box that isn’t there that week? Are you a half share member who needs just a little more food, or a full share member craving a specific veggie? Come see us at our farmers’ markets! In Portland, you can find us on Sundays at the King Market through the Extended Season. Or, come see us in Eugene! We’ll be at the Eugene Farm Stand at 18th and Polk on Wednesdays through the Standard Season, or at the Lane County Farmers’ Market on Saturdays until the week before Christmas. Come say hi!

Winter Green Farm is hiring!

This season has been filled with ups and downs, which is just the reality of being a farmer. The weather doesn’t cooperate, employees are seasonal, and surprises come up. Right now, we’re a little short-staffed, but our amazing crew is working hard to get you all the veggies we can. If you know anyone looking to get some experience on our biodynamic, organic vegetable farm, send them our way! Fill out an application and send it on over. We would love to meet with you face to face!

We’re having a Harvest Season Potluck!

These past few years, we’ve been super bummed to not be able to celebrate the season with you all in person. But this year, that’s all changing! On Saturday, October 22nd, we’re having a Harvest Festival Potluck! Bring your favorite dish, grab your friends, and come see us out at the farm! We’ll have cider, hayride tours, and lots of great people to hang out with. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Interested in reserving a share for the 2023 CSA Season?

As the 2022 CSA Season is winding down, we’re starting to think ahead to the 2023 CSA Season. Are you interested in joining us next year? Let me know! Right now, I’m just making a list, so shoot me an email at [email protected] and I’ll get you on the list. If you want to change your share type or pickup location for next year, be sure to note that in your email. Otherwise, I’ll put you on the list for the same share and location as you have this year. Reservations are only open to current members right now, and they’re still first come, first serve. Let me know if you would like to join us for the Standard Season or the Extended Season in 2023!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Broccoli
  • Beets
  • Corn
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Leeks
  • Onions
  • Pears
  • Cabbage

We aren’t always able to harvest our veggies in equal share, but don’t worry! We’re keeping excellent notes. If we aren’t able to get your something this weekend, we’ll do our best to get it to you the next time it’s available.

We do appreciate your understanding this year. Due to the weather and the late season, there have been some differences in the harvest. Being a CSA member means you share in the farm’s risks as well as the bounty, and we couldn’t ask for better, more understanding members than all of you. You have truly made the struggles this season worth it.

Handy Tips:

  • Leeks: Place dry, unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and store them in a drawer of your refrigerator. Leeks will store well for up to two weeks.To clean leeks for cooking, trim the roots, remove the green tops (which can be used in soup stock) and peel off the outer leaf layer, removing any hidden dirt. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and chop. Most recipes only use the white portion. Leeks can be substituted for any recipe calling for onions. They develop the best flavor when cooked or sautéed slowly.
  • Pears: Pears are best enjoyed within a few days of becoming ripe. Fresh pears will ripen from the inside out, so if your pears are soft on the outside, you may have waited too long. Store unripe pears at room temperature until they ripen. You can store them next to bananas or avocados or in a paper bag to ripen them faster. Ripe pears can be stored in the refrigerator at 35 to 45 degrees. You can also freeze or dry your pears to enjoy them after the season ends.

What we’re making this week:

  • Are you ever craving tater tots but need something healthy instead? These Air Fryer Broccoli Tots are the best of both worlds!
  • Nothing says summer like Winter Green corn, and these Easy Corn Fritters are a great way to have corn any time of day!
  • To me, Fall means warm comfort food, and this Leek Gratin looks amazing.
  • Interested in a savory side dish that’s outside the norm? This Onion Pie might do the trick!
  • I love, love, love fruit bread of any kind, and I’m dying to try this Fresh Pear Bread this weekend.

What are you making?

One of our members made this delicious BLT with Winter Green veggies. It looks wonderful, and now I want one! What are you making? Send us an email at [email protected] or tag us on social media, and you might see it on our blog! You can find us on Facebook (Winter Green Farm) or on Instagram (@wintergreenfarm) and let us know what you’re up to in the kitchen. We’d love to see what you’re making!

As the days get cooler and the nights get longer, we hope you’re still finding ways to enjoy this beautiful weather and stay healthy with all the smoke. Our hearts go out to any and all affected by the wildfires this season, and we hope you all stay safe.

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers