2024 CSA Season Week Seven

July 23, 2024

Feels like the summer is already half over, but believe it or not, we’re just beginning! We’re getting into our summer squash this week, so if you’ve been waiting for our summer crops to come in, the time is now!

If you’re a Standard Season Half Share member (10 weeks), this is your week!

Special Announcements

Just a few quick reminders that help our CSA run smoothly. We run so much of this program through site host volunteers and the honor system. Any chance we get to make sure we’re respecting both our site hosts and our fellow members is greatly appreciated!

Please remember that all delivery sites have set pickup windows. While the market pickups are during open hours, and missed boxes come back to the farm, our residential sites have strict pickup windows that end promptly at 7pm. Our site hosts make themselves available during the pickup windows, but their volunteer time ends at that 7pm deadline, so if you need to reach them on delivery day, please make sure to reach them before that time. Any leftover shares after the 7pm cutoff revert to the site host to either keep or donate, and they are under no obligation to hold them. Unfortunately, we are not able to make up any missed boxes due to schedule conflicts.

Likewise, we only pack enough boxes for the names on the list, so if your name isn’t there or you think you should have two shares instead of one and there isn’t a note next to your name, please do not take the extra box. Doing so takes from someone else who was on the list, and we appreciate all your efforts to help us keep the program going smoothly.

The office isn’t available during pickup hours, so if you feel there has been a mistake with the list, please reach out by email to folks@wintergreenfarm.com and we’ll get back to you the next business day to see what we can do. Thank you so much for all you do to help us show respect to our site hosts and CSA members! We appreciate you!

We have blueberries again this week!

This year, we’ve partnered with Upriver Organics for the two weeks we’re offering blueberries! Upriver Organics is located up McKenzie Highway in Leaburg. They offer blueberries by the pint, as a u-pick, or even frozen! But that’s not all. Upriver Organics offers all sorts of veggies throughout the year, and has over 250 varieties of the 50 crops they offer. If you like their berries this week, you can find them at the Lane County Farmers’ Market in Eugene on Saturdays, or contact them directly through their website.

As of right now, we aren’t offering extra flats of blueberries through the CSA. If you’re looking for a flat of blueberries, please contact Upriver Organics directly. We DO hope to have strawberry flats later in the season!

Going on vacation? Let us know!

We know the season is during the summer and we all like to go on vacation when it’s warm! We’re happy to accommodate you by either rescheduling your share, offering a double share the following week, issuing a credit for the 2024 season, or donating your share to Food for Lane County.  

(Please note: we are only able to make these changes with at least 7 days notice. If you pick up on Friday and want to change to Tuesday earlier that week, you’ll need to let me know 7 days before that TUESDAY, so we have time to make the changes.)  

What’s in your box this week:

  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Green onions
  • Summer squash
  • Lettuce

We do our best to get you as many veggies as we can, but sometimes our estimate emails do not accurately reflect what we’re able to harvest. This week, we thought we would have cucumbers, but we were not able to harvest enough of them for the CSA, so they will not be in your box.

The same thing has happened the last two Fridays, with cauliflower and lettuce. I know that was a disappointment for some, especially half-share members who didn’t get cauliflower in their box. Don’t worry! We’ll offer more. However, we aren’t able to guarantee half shares will receive all the vegetables the full shares receive, due to deliveries being every other week. We try our best to be mindful of what weeks have received what, but the harvest doesn’t always cooperate. We do still have full share spots available, so if you’re interested in upgrading, please let me know!

Handy Tips:

  • Blueberries: Do NOT rinse blueberries before you’re ready to eat them. They have a natural coating that protects them from decay. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 10 days. You can freeze them on a cookie sheet and store them in Ziploc bags or sealable containers. Fresh or frozen berries can be used to make cakes, breads, and muffins, as well as added to yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, and smoothies.
  • Strawberries: Rinse strawberries just before eating to clean off any grit that may still be on the berries from the field. To freeze them, spread them out on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, store them in a Ziploc bag or plastic container until ready to use.
  • 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.
  • Broccoli: Wrap the broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the veggie bin or your fridge. Don’t use an air-tight bag, as broccoli continues to respire after being harvested and needs room to breathe. It will keep for over a week, but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days. To make sure your broccoli is fully cleaned and not carrying any tag-alongs from the farm, soak broccoli immediately before cooking, head down, in cold, salted water for 5 minutes. Broccoli can be steamed, stir-fried, or eaten raw. For salads or veggie platters, try blanching in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then chill. You can add broccoli to soups and stews in the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time.
  • Green onions: Green onions, also known as scallions, should be stored unwashed and wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. Put them in the refrigerator, and they’ll keep for about a week. To keep green onions longer, chop off about three quarters of the tender, green tips; the end closest to the root is less perishable. You can eat the entire green onion. Use them chopped as a garnish, or use as a substitute for chives. Green onions are excellent in soups and stews, especially if added late in cooking. Grill, bake, broil, or stir-fry with a little oil to concentrate their sweetness and flavor.
  • Summer Squash: To clean summer squash (zucchini), rinse or wipe with a damp cloth (peeling is not necessary). Store in the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag to prevent dehydration. Use within a few days of harvest. Summer squash is very versatile. Try it raw, steamed, baked, broiled, fried, grilled, sautéed, or stir-fried. Slice it thinly for a great pizza topping, oven fry in sticks, or try in quiche or omelets. It also works great as a substitute for noodles or pasta. Grated squash mixes beautifully into your favorite chocolate cake or muffin recipe. A simple way to prepare squash is to half it, then top with minced garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top, and bake until tender.

What we’re making this week:

  • Getting blueberries in your box is a special treat (one that I look forward to!) and getting the chance to make these Lemon Blueberry Biscuits is only one of the reasons!

We hope you’re all able to have a wonderful week, enjoying the cooler weather, and eating great food with friends and family. We’re so excited to be able to tag along with you on your food journey this year!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers