2023 CSA Season Week 10

August 8, 2023

Welcome to Week 10 of the 2023 CSA Season! We are so excited to be able to tag along on your food journey this year, and we hope you’re enjoying the vegetables this season as much as we are!

This is the last week I’ll be in the office this month!

I’d like to take a moment to go over the changes during the two weeks that I’ll be in South Africa. Deliveries will, of course, continue as normal, but some of the normal procedures will be modified or put on hold all together.

  • All vacation requests for August 8 through September 4 were due no later than August 1st. I have to get all the lists prepared and ready for the harvest crew in advance, so any requests received after August 1st for that time frame will not be processed.
  • Estimate emails will not be going out from August 11th to August 27th. We will do our best to get the blog out on Tuesdays, but as the majority of it will be written before I leave, it will be a truncated version.
  • Emails and phone messages will be checked sporadically. If you have something time-sensitive (that does not pertain to holding a share, missing a box, or changing the schedule in any way), give the office a call and leave a voicemail. Chris and Shannon will be checking those while I’m gone, but since most of their time is spent out on the farm, they won’t be handling anything with the schedule, and may not be able to give you a call back that day. You can find the majority of the answers to questions about delivery sites or the CSA in general on our website. For anything else, send an email, and I will answer when I’m back in the country.

Special Announcements:

Please remember to check your name off the list so we know you got your share! We’ve had a few issues this year with boxes being picked up by members (or their friends) picking up when there name isn’t on the list. With the office pretty much being closed the next couple weeks, I just want to remind everyone that we only pack enough for those on the list, so if you take a box when your name isn’t there, it’s essentially stealing. Since we know all of our members are amazing and wouldn’t intentionally steal from others, this is just a reminder to email the office if you believe there is a mistake, but please do not take a share! I’ll get back to everybody in September when I’m back in the office.

Balance due statements have gone out for those who haven’t paid their balance. Your website accounts should be fairly accurate, but if you have a question, please email the office and I’ll look into it when I get back. You’re welcome to pay online (plus the 3% transaction fee), or you can send a check. You can mail checks to:

Winter Green Farm

89762 Poodle Creek Road

Noti, OR 97461

We will not be at the Eugene Farm Stand next week!

If you haven’t looked at the weather report for next week, you might be surprised to find that it’s supposed to be close to 100 degrees next Wednesday. Because of that, we won’t be doing the Eugene Farm Stand at 18th and Polk on Wednesday, August 16. We are still hoping to set up a tent for shares, and you’ll be able to pick your shares up at the normal time, 2pm to 6pm. If you’re able, come early to pick them up, so they aren’t sitting in the hot sun for too long. If this changes and we have to reroute your shares, we’ll reach out and let you know.

As of right now, we will still be at the Lane County Farmers’ Market in Eugene on Saturday and the King Market on Sunday. If that changes, we’ll let you know.

We’ll start delivering strawberry flats this Friday!

For those that let me know last week they’re interested in strawberry flats, check your email this week! We’ll be able to begin deliveries this Friday, and will continue to do so over the next two weeks. Your email and the invoice sent from the website will contain the cost and the delivery date. Please read the delivery date carefully! The patches are starting to slow down, so we aren’t doing them all at once. All the flats will have labels on them, so read those carefully as well. If you believe yours should be there (and the day you checked matches the delivery date in the email), send me an email and I’ll address it when I’m back in the country.

Because I will not be in the office, strawberry orders for flats did close as of this past Sunday night. You’re more than welcome to check the markets for flats of strawberries, or check to see if we’ll still have them when I get back, but because the patches are slowing down, there’s a very good chance we won’t be able to offer any more flats through the CSA. Thank you so much for your understanding!

Are you interested in Winter Green Beef?

Winter Green Beef Shares Available for the Fall!

If you haven’t already reserved your share of Winter Green Beef for 2023, you can still do so! We’ll have shares available late September through early November. We are offering ¼ shares, ½ shares, and whole animals. We offer Portland and Coast delivery as well. Contact Linda at [email protected] or call 541-833-0274 to reserve a share, or for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Strawberries
  • Green beans
  • Carrots
  • Beets
  • Cucumber
  • Red onion
  • Zucchini

Some sites only:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Heirloom tomatoes
  • Patty pan squash
  • Eggplant

We aren’t always able to harvest in equal share, but we’re doing our best! We are keeping excellent notes, so if we aren’t able to get you something this time, we’ll be sure to get you next time.

Handy Tips:

  • Eggplant: Eggplant is best when it’s fresh. Store it unrefrigerated at a cool room temperature, or in a hydrator drawer of the fridge for up to one week. Eggplant can be peeled, but it’s not essential. To remove any acrid flavors and excess moisture, lightly salt the slices and allow the to sit in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently squeeze out any liquid. Eggplant should always be cooked to eliminate solanine, a naturally occurring toxic substance.

What we’re making this week:

  • I always wonder how to make beets into a tasty snack my kiddo will enjoy, and these Crispy Beet Fries with Feta might just do the trick!
  • It’s hard to beat cucumbers on a hot summer day, and these Cucumber Party Sandwiches look perfect for a delicious lunch or snack!
  • For so many meals, onions add to the flavor and make them irresistible. These Onion-Dijon Pork Chops would be the perfect way to test that theory!
  • Those Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes are like candy, and most of us are lucky if they make it home! If you are able to get them all the way to your dinner table, give this Pasta with Roasted Sun Gold Tomatoes a try!
  • We’re starting to see more patty pan squash in your boxes each week, and it’s the perfect time to try this Summer Panzanella recipe!
  • Have you ever tried Ratatouille? I haven’t, but I’ve heard it’s delicious!

August is passing in a blur, and the summer is quickly coming to a close. We hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer and enjoyed your fresh farm bounty each week. We’re looking forward to tagging along on your food journey for the rest of the summer.

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers