2023 CSA Season Week Twenty-One

October 27, 2023

We’re in the last week of October, can you believe it? This year is just flying by, and for those joining us for the Extended Season, we have a lot of yummy veggies in store! Be sure to read through to end of these blogs, as we like to include a lot of information about next season this time of year.

Quick reminder for pickups this season:

Please remember that the farm office is not usually open during the pickup times, so if you aren’t able to make your pickup window or can’t find the site, give your site host a call. This is where the emails I sent come in handy, because we don’t post the site host names or phone numbers online. However, I’ve updated the delivery site info and added the delivery schedules to the website, so the locations and pickup times will be available online if you need them. If you don’t have the email attachment that includes the phone numbers, please reach out and let me know so I can resend them to you next week when we open on Monday.

If you have any questions about information for the Extended Season, you can always refer back to last week’s blog.

Sign up now for the 2024 CSA Season!

We’re already looking ahead to the 2024 CSA Season! If you’d like to join us, this section is for you! It’s the truth of the economy that prices will probably go up a little next season to cover rising costs of inflation (trust me, we don’t like it any more than you do), and while we haven’t settled on what those prices will be, we’d like to give you all a chance to join us next season for this season’s prices!

Until December 31, 2023, we’re offering a chance to get in for just a little less. You can put down a $100.00 deposit to lock in that price, and then I’ll set up your invoice like I did this year to incorporate any discounts or credits. (Please remember that if you create the full order yourself, I cannot edit the payment amount. Please, please, please do not create a full order for 2024. Just complete the reservation order.)

This offer is good for anyone who is interested in a CSA next season, whether you’re a current member or not, so tell your friends! Now is the time to sign up for 2024. After January 1st, this offer will no longer be valid.

For those that have let me know previously they’d like to be on the list, I’ve sent you an invoice already for that deposit. You’re under no obligation to pay it now, but if you’d like to lock in the 2023 price, you’ll want to jump on that opportunity before the end of the year. Even if your name is on the list, without the deposit, the price will go up come January.

For those that have already paid the deposit, I have already sent out your 2024 invoices! You’re welcome to pay on them now, or into next year. The deadline for payment is still May 15, 2024, so no rush! We’re happy to accept checks, credit card payments online, or even post-dated checks that will hang out in our safe until the date on the check. The credit card transaction fee is required for online payments, but we encourage you to pay by check to avoid the fee! If you prefer to pay by check, just subtract that credit card fee from the total. You only owe the fee if you pay online (they charge us, too!).

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

The deadline for Fill Your Pantry is coming up quick!

The 2023 Fill Your Pantry pre-order period is OPEN! Place your Pre-order before October 31st.

Eat local all winter! Willamette Farm and Food Coalition is hosting our 13th annual Fill Your Pantry at the Lane Events Center Agricultural Pavilion. A farm direct bulk buying event, Fill Your Pantry is your opportunity to stock up on locally grown and raised foods for storing, freezing, drying, and canning.

Customers pick up pre-orders directly from farmers at the Lane Agricultural Pavilion on November 13th! Enjoy day-of shopping on November 12th with exclusive day-of vendors, live music, hot food, food-preserving demos, and more!

Pick-Up Event Details:

Sunday, November 12th, 2023

Pre-order pick-up and Day-of Shopping from 12pm – 4pm

Lane Events Center Agricultural Pavilion 

796 W 13th Ave, Eugene, OR 97402

The Agricultural Pavilion is a covered, open-air structure at the Lane Events Center, west of the Ice Rink. Parking is available in the main parking lot. Follow signs for pre-order pick-ups and day-of shopping! We will be following all current COVID-19 protocols on the day-of the event. 

Please email us if you have any questions.

Credit, Debit, and SNAP are accepted for pre-orders and day-of purchases. The first 100 SNAP users to place their pre-order will be matched up to $100 in Double Up Food Bucks (DUFBs). *DUFBs can only be used to purchase fresh fruit, veggies, beans & legumes, and mushrooms.*

Thank you for supporting your local farmers!

Photo by Mash on Unsplash
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Next week is Halloween! How do you celebrate All Hallows Eve?

Next Tuesday is Halloween, and we’re all familiar with the costumed tiny humans roaming about, asking us all for candy. If you’re like me, you’ll get to be out in the rain this weekend, laughing right along with them to the cheery sounds of “Trick or Treat!” But did you know that Halloween is actually derived from the Pagan holiday Samhain (pronounced SOW-wen)? Samhain was originally a Celtic fire festival that celebrated the end of the harvest and the beginning of the “dark half” of the year. The ancient Celts believed the veil between the worlds was thinnest during Samhain, and the spirits on the other side were free to walk the earth. This day, later to be called All Hallow’s Eve and then Halloween, was said to be good for communing with the dead and divining the future, but it could be dangerous, too. Malevolent spirits could come through the veil and damage the crops, so one did their best not to anger the spirits. Turnips and pumpkins would be hollowed out to warn away evil spirits and protect those who dwelled inside the houses (sound familiar?) The holiday was celebrated by festivals and feasts complete with huge bonfires to mark the event.

Photo by Miguel Gonzalez on Unsplash

The day after Halloween, on November 1, is considered in many cultures and religions to be the Day of the Dead. The Catholics call the day All Saints’ Day, but for many hispanic cultures, and Mexican culture in particular, the day after the veil is lifted between the worlds in referred to as el Dia de los Muertos. In these cultures, the holiday is used to welcome the souls of their families back for a brief reunion. Many would go to their loved ones’ graves or set up an offering at home, where they would have food, drink, and celebrate the time they can connect with those they have lost. The offerings have photos of the dead, as well as their favorite food or drink, candles, and calacas or calaveras, what many english-speaking cultures know as “sugar skulls.” It is said the gates of Heaven open at midnight on October 31 and remain open for twenty-four hours. The bright petals of the marigold flower act as a guide and a bridge between the living and the dead who traverse beyond the veil.

Enjoy the last batch of apples for the 2023 CSA Season!

We’ve partnered with Mt. Hood Organic Farms to bring you apples again this week! 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!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Delicata Squash
  • Acorn Squash
  • Potatoes
  • Leeks
  • Pac Choi
  • Romanesco
  • Stir Fry Mix
  • Apples
  • Lettuce
  • Collard Greens

Handy Tips:

  • Potatoes: We wash the “field soil” off of your potatoes, but scrub them well and cut off any sprouts or green skin when you’re ready to cook. No need to peel. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place such as a loosely closed paper bag in a cupboard or closet. They should keep for weeks at room temp, or longer if at ideal temp of 40-50 degrees. Potatoes are great boiled, mashed, fried, or baked. Use them in soups, hash browns, salads, and stews.
  • 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.
  • Pac Choi (alternatively spelled Bok Choy – among other variations): Refrigerate unwashed Pac Choi in a plastic container or loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. Pac Choi keeps for over a week but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days. Store Pac 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 raw or add them first to stir-fries and soups.
  • Romanesco: Romanesco can be cooked and prepared in any way you would use cauliflower. Cook in boiling water for about 10 to 12 minutes until tender to the fork, or steam until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Trim off any outer leaves before cooking. Store unwashed in fridge in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
  • Collards: Just prior to use, swish the collard leaves in a basin of lukewarm water. After any grit has settled, lift the leaves out carefully. This may need to be done more than once. You can store collard greens wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag (preferably unwashed) in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator. They are best used fresh, but they may last for up to a week if they’re stored properly. Keep them moist. Collard greens can be cooked or eaten raw as a wrap for stir-fries and salads.

What We’re Making this Week:

  • While acorn squash is tasty cooked plainly with a little butter, salt, and pepper, this recipe for Acorn Squash with Mixed-Grain Stuffing looks amazing!
  • I sometimes like to venture out for new dishes, especially if I have some place in mind I’d like to visit. Lately, pictures of Germany have struck my fancy, and this Authentic German Potato Salad looks like a great way to give me a taste of another country!
  • Looking for a delicious dish to use all those veggies? This Leek and Mushroom Rice is a great side for an autumn meal!
  • Romanesco is probably the coolest vegetable I’ve ever seen, and it tastes similar to broccoli. While you’ll be delighted to roast or saute this geometric veggic, it would also be fantastic in this Quiche au Chou Romanesco (or Romanesco and Mushroom Quiche if you don’t want to be fancy).
  • This season, these Cinnamon Apple Muffins have been a guilty pleasure in my house (I even brought some to the potluck!). Since it’s our last week for apples this year, I thought I would share it with all of you!
  • Making a salad is a great meal to fall back on, but sometimes, they get boring. Celebrate the season with this Delicata Squash Salad, and use a bunch of your fall veggies!

With only a few weeks left, we hope you’re still enjoying all the magic of the farm as we head into the holiday season. It’s been a joy to tag along on your food journey this year!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers