2023 CSA Season Week Three

June 20, 2023

Welcome to Week 3 of the CSA season! Can you believe we’ve already made it through the first two weeks?! It’s a little wet and chilly this week, but that’s not stopping us from getting out there and getting you all the veggies we can!

Special Announcements:

Don’t forget to check your name off the list each week, so we know you got your share! We aren’t able to make up forgotten boxes, so if you aren’t going to be able to pick up your share the day of, please give your site-host a call to see if they’ll make arrangements for you. Our site hosts are volunteers, so after that 7pm deadline for residential sites, your share goes to the site host to do with as they will. For market shares that come back to the farm, we only hold onto those until the next packing day (Tuesday and Friday), so let me know (preferably by noon) the next business day (Monday and Thursday, respectively) so we can reroute them for you. Emails sent late at night on Mondays or Thursdays most likely will not be seen prior to packing the following morning, and any comeback shares left unclaimed will be donated to Food for Lane County.

Need to make changes to your schedule?

We understand things come up and people have vacations, especially in summer, so we’re more than willing to accommodate your schedule if we can. If you’re going on vacation or unable to pickup, we can send the box to a different location, donate the share to Food for Lane County, or issue a credit toward next season’s share. Please make sure to let me know at least 7 days before your regularly scheduled share. (If you pick up on Tuesday, but you’re changing to Friday that week, please tell me no later than the previous TUESDAY.) We plan for harvest and pull the lists well in advance, so to keep things going smooth, we’re unable to process requests made after that 7-day deadline.

        I will be in South Africa the last half of August, so please get your vacation days for Weeks 10 through 13 (August 8 through September 4) to me by August 1st so I can get them entered. If vacation requests for that time frame are submitted after August 1st, they will unfortunately NOT be processed. Thank you for your time and consideration! 

Enjoy fresh flowers with Wild Child Flower Company!

Who doesn’t love fresh flowers to brighten up their home? For those of you who remember Linda, her daughter-in-law Sarah has a flower CSA that we’re thrilled to tell you about! The weekly flower CSA with Wild Child Flower Company begins in July, and delivers on Wednesdays to various sites in Veneta and Eugene, including our very own Eugene Farm Stand on 18th and Polk! If you’re interested in the gorgeous flowers they have to offer, hop on over to their website and check them out! (It is a separate business, so all flower CSA orders will be done EXCLUSIVELY through Wild Child Flower Company.)

Have a Wonderful Summer Solstice this week!

Wednesday, June 21, marks this year’s summer solstice! It will be the longest day of sunlight this year, and typically marks the mid-point of the growing season. The Summer Solstice is celebrated in some traditions as Midsummer, and marks the beginning of the summer season, which will last until mid-September and the autumnal equinox. Many cultures celebrate Midsummer and Midsummer’s Eve with a festival and feast, complete with colorful flowers, great food, and an all-night bonfire. If you’re celebrating the beginning of summer, our delicious Winter Green Farm peas and strawberries will be a nice addition to your feast!

Congratulations Alden, and Happy Birthday!

Last week was a big one for the Overbaugh family–Alden in particular! Congratulations on graduating high school and turning 18, Alden! And congratulations to any graduates of 2023 in the Winter Green CSA family (and beyond)!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Onion
  • Fennel
  • Carrots

Some sites only:

  • Peas
  • Strawberries

We aren’t always able to harvest our veggies in equal share, and this week, the strawberries are in a lull, so we aren’t able to give them to everybody. But don’t worry! We’re keeping excellent notes, and we’ll be sure to make it up to you.

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.
  • Carrots: Cut or twist carrot tops off before storing in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks. Clean the carrots well before eating by scrubbing with a vegetable brush under running water. Do not peel unless the carrots are damaged, as much of the nutrients are very close to the skin. Eat carrots raw in sticks, rounds, julienned, or grated. You can also add slices or chunks to soups, stews, or casseroles. Carrots are also delicious lightly steamed or sautéed, and garnished with butter or olive oil and fresh herbs. Try them grated with oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper.

What We’re Making:

  • This Layered Taco Salad is colorful and delicious, and the perfect addition to your midsummer table!
  • Love yourself a reuben, but not wanting extra bread this summer? Give this Reuben Bowl recipe a try!

The boxes are getting heavier and fuller as more and more veggies are ready for harvest! We hope you enjoy this lovely box and have a wonderful meal to kick off the summer!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers