2023 CSA Season Week Twenty-Three

November 10, 2023

There’s only one week left of this season, and we can’t wait for you to see what’s in this week’s share! We hope you’ve all enjoyed the veggies this season as much as we have, and we look forward to many more seasons to come!

Special announcements:

With the end of the season so close, please make sure you return any bins or other items that may have been borrowed from your pickup site. We’ll be make the rounds like normal to pick them up, even the week after the season ends, but we would love if any boxes could be returned for future use. We appreciate you all so much!

Also, please remember we need at least a week’s notice to make changes to delivery schedules, so if you won’t be able to pick up your last box, please let me know by the end of the weekend. I’ll be pulling the lists first thing Monday morning. Thanks!

Account balances for November went out!

It’s the end of the season, so we’re working to clean up our accounts and tie up loose ends so we can plan for next year. If there’s still a balance on your account (or even a small one from last year) please check your email. Statements went out today to let you know what our records show. If you’ve already contacted the farm about a payment schedule or arrangement, the email is as much for your records as for ours. If you have not made a payment or reached out about your balance, please shoot me an email to touch base at [email protected].

Would you like to join us 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 will be sending out your 2024 invoices next week! 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.

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

We’ll have pears for you this week!

We’ve partnered with the wonderful people at Mt. Hood Organic Farms to provide you with pears these last two weeks of the 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!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Pears
  • Kale
  • Leeks
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Lettuce
  • Delicata squash
  • Kabocha squash

Handy tips:

  • 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:

  • This Harvest Haven Salad is a great way to use beets this holiday season, and it’s sure to be a great addition to your table!
  • The holidays are just around the corner, and that means lots of turkey leftovers! This Turkey Salad on Wheat Bread is a tasty lunch without all the Thanksgiving effort.

We can’t tell you how grateful we are to be able to tag along on your food journey this year. As the season is coming to a close, we’d like to thank you all for supporting the farm. We couldn’t do it without you.

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers