2022 CSA Season Week Two

June 14, 2022

We made it through Week One! I don’t know how it was on your end, but from my end, it was a little bumpy. I’d like to thank all of you for your patience as we navigate this new system, and I try to remember the dozens of details Linda juggled without her here to tell me! We’re so glad you’re with us this season, and we can’t wait to see what veggies will pop up next!

Thank You to Those Who Came Out for the Potluck!

For the first time since the pandemic started, we were able to celebrate with you all here at the farm! Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t want to cooperate and it rained all day, but a HUGE THANK YOU to all the members who did come out to say hi! It was wonderful to see you and place a name to a face.

If you weren’t able to make it, or didn’t want to come hang out in the rain (I don’t blame you), we plan to do another get together this fall to celebrate the harvest, and we hope to see you then!

Are You Getting Our Emails?

Technology is not always easy, and sometimes it makes life more difficult than it should. Are you getting our weekly emails? They’ve been going out every couple weeks since the 2021 CSA Season, but sometimes they get thrown in the Junk folder if you don’t open them (or your computer decides to be cranky. Either way). Now that the season has begun, you should be getting this weekly blog every Tuesday, as well as an estimate email on Monday or Thursday of your pickup week. If you’re not getting them and they aren’t hanging out in your junk folder, please let me know! You can reach me at [email protected] or 541-935-1920. We want to make sure you’re getting all the details about the farm!

12-Week Half Shares, This is Your Week!

For those of you on the 12-week Extended Half Share program, we have great news for you: you get a share this week! We know it can be confusing to alternate weeks for half shares, but we appreciate your attention to detail! If you need another schedule or more information on when you should be picking up for either the 10-week program or the 12-week program, don’t hesitate to reach out! Remember, if your name isn’t on the list, please do not take a box!

If you aren’t able to pick up your box, let us know at least 7 days in advance, and we’ll get you set up to pause a share. You can fill out a vacation request or shoot me an email, whichever’s easier. If you aren’t able to pick up your share by the 7pm deadline, give your site host a call BEFORE that deadline passes and see if you can make arrangements. Just remember, your share does become forfeit after that deadline, and we aren’t able to replace missed boxes. If you pick up at a market, those boxes do come back to the farm, but we only hold them until the next packing day (Tuesday or Friday), so make sure you give a call or shoot us an email before that day.

Interested in Winter Green Beef?

Reserve your share of Winter Green Beef!

The cows have been out on our lush nutritive pastures, and the calving is well underway. It’s time to reserve your share of our organic grass-fed beef!

We encourage you to reserve your share sooner than later, as they are selling fast. No payment will be required until you receive your share. We have several dates available, and offer delivery to Portland and the Coast.

You can purchase either a ¼ share, a ½ share or a whole animal. We are offering organic shares at $5.30/lb at the hanging weight for a ¼ share, and the cost will be $.10 less per lb. for a ½ share, and another $.10 less per lb. for a whole animal. Perfect if you have friends and family to share with.

We also have NON-Organic shares available for $.30/less per lb. That would decrease the cost somewhat. These might be animals that have received an antibiotic at some point, usually if they had a stubborn case of pink eye as a calf that we couldn’t cure with alternative methods, or possibly a Mama cow that had trouble calving, or developed a Mastitis issue. Even so, all of the meds would be long out of their system by the time of butchering. 

Other NON-Organic animals are calves we purchase from a local farm that uses sustainable methods, but isn’t certified Organic, usually due to the cost involved. These calves then grow up on our organic, nutritive pastures. We have butcher dates on 7/21 (with delivery to Portland on 8/3), and 10/6 (no Portland delivery for this date is scheduled).

We have sold all but one of our Ground Beef only shares at this time.

Check our website for more information, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call 541-833-0274 to speak to a live person! Hope to hear from you soon!

What’s in Your Box This Week:

  • Collards
  • Lettuce
  • Bok choi

Some sites only:

  • Radishes
  • Turnips
  • Strawberries

The weather has taken a toll on our strawberry patches this year, so we apologize that we don’t have enough for everybody this week. Trust me, we’re as bummed about it as you are. But, just as soon as this cold, wet weather lets up, our strawberries should come up in full force! We’re keeping excellent notes, so if you don’t get strawberries in your box this week, we’ll make up for it just as soon as we can. As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we wait for Mother Nature to help us out.

Handy Tips:

  • Collards: Just prior to use, swish collard leaves in a basin of lukewarm water. After any grit has settled, lift the leaves out carefully. Additional rounds of washing may be necessary. Store collards, preferably unwashed, wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator. Collards are best when fresh, but may last for up to one week if properly stored and kept moist. Collards can be cooked or eaten raw as a wrap for stir-fries and salads.
  • Bok Choi: Refrigerate unwashed bok choi in a plastic container or loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. Bok choi keeps for over a week, but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days. Store bok choi stalks loosely inside a plastic bag in a drawer of your refrigerator. To prepare, slice stalks away from the base and wash, then separate the leaves (the green part) from the stalk (the white part), as they cook better separately. Slice and cook stalks as you would celery. Enjoy them raw, or add them first to stir-fries and soups.

What We’re Making:

  • Bok choi is one of those veggies I wasn’t familiar with before coming to the farm, but I’m excited to try them in tasty new meals like these Lion’s Head Meatballs!

Thank you so much for letting us tag along on your food journey this year. I can’t tell you how excited we are to have you with us, and how appreciative we are with all your understanding as we cope with the weather and work out the kinks of technology. You are truly what makes this job wonderful.

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers