2025 CSA Season Week Five

July 8, 2025

Welcome to the 5th week of the 2025 CSA Season! We are cruisin’ right along and this heat is making sure we know it’s summer! The good thing is, our strawberries are loving it! We hope you’re all having a great season so far, and we can’t wait to keep giving you delicious veggies this year!

Half Share – Group A members, this is your week!

Just a quick reminder about rescheduling boxes

With summer getting into full swing and all of us getting busy, it’s easy to forget things sometimes. We totally get it! We’re happy to help make things easier if we can. If you’re going on vacation, just let me know! I do need at least 7 days notice from the earliest change to adjust the lists, as we do prepare for what we harvest in advance to avoid any last minute errors. If you do have to miss a scheduled box, we have a few options:

  • Have a friend pick up your share while you’re gone – we actually don’t need to know about this one! As long as whoever is picking up your box checks off your name, treats the site and other members respectfully, and leaves the tote (just like you would!), you’re good to go!
  • Reschedule for another week – for half share members, it’s easiest to reschedule for a week you wouldn’t normally pick up. For full share members, you can choose a week you will be available to take a double share.
  • Receive up to two vacation coupons that can be redeemed at any of our markets.
  • Donate your share to Food for Lane County.
The labyrinth at sunset at the retreat center in Cody, Wyoming

I’ll be out of the office the first week of August!

While we’re talking about vacations, I will be out of the office for the first week of August. I’m taking a solo road trip to Cody, Wyoming for a writer’s retreat, then back up into Idaho to spend some time with family. I will be at the Eugene Farm Stand on Wednesday, July 30th, then out of the office until Monday, August 11th.

If you have any vacation requests for that time, please make sure to get them to me by Friday, July 25th, so I have time to adjust your schedule. I know that puts a little bit of a damper on things since that’s more than a week’s notice, but the sooner I know your schedule, the better!

Earl with Jake

We have some sad news here at the farm.

Barely a year ago, Alden and Shannon brought home an adorable border collie puppy who was a complete handful, but an absolute delight. The other night, we lost our sweet Earl when he escaped the fence and wandered up to Poodle Creek. His loss makes us all heartsick. Though he was only here for a short time, he was such an energetic puppy and so full of life. He hadn’t quite figured out how to help with the sheep (the right way, at least), but boy, did he love to try!

It’s never easy losing a pet, and Earl was taken from us way too soon. His sweet, goofy presence made every day just a little bit cheerier. He will be missed.

Have you made your July payment yet?

We are at the beginning of the season, so we have to mention that pesky inconvenience of payment. (I know, I know, but what can you do? You keep us going.) If you haven’t already covered the balance of your share or set up a payment plan for monthly or split payments, please do so at your earliest convenience. No one likes to talk about money (least of all me), but we really do rely on the income from CSA shares to keep going smoothly throughout the season. We do have financial assistance again this year (thank you amazing, generous donors!), so if you do need help with the cost of your share, please let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

We offer the following payment options for your convenience: 

Check: We’re happy to accept checks for payment to avoid the credit card transaction fee. (We actually prefer it, as it saves us the fee too!) But make sure you deduct the fee from your total! If you’d like to send post-dated checks so you don’t have to remember to make additional payments, you’re more than welcome to! We’ll lock them away in our safe, so they’ll always be secure.  

While mailing a check is the most secure way to make sure we receive your payment, if you choose to pay at one of our markets, please make sure your payment is contained in a sealed envelope with your name and “CSA” clearly written on the front. Please do not leave a check at your pickup site.  

Credit Card: We’re happy to offer online payment options through our website, wintergreenfarm.com. After logging into your account, you can find your invoice in the “Orders” tab. When you check out, you can choose any of the payment plan options mentioned above. There is a credit card transaction fee of a little over 3%, as that’s what we get charged to process online payments. (This fee is added to all online payments, so if you’re paying by check, please feel free to subtract the fee from the total.) 

Please note that we are unable to take any credit card payments over the phone, as we’re no longer set up to do so. Thank you for understanding! 

Cash: While cash is definitely the least secure way to pay, we are happy to accept cash as payment for your share. If you choose to pay cash, please make sure to contain it in a sealed envelope with your name and “CSA” clearly written on the front if you pay at a market, or included in a note or letter if you send it by mail. Please do not leave cash or payment of any kind at your pickup site. 

You can mail checks to:          

 Winter Green Farm 

89762 Poodle Creek Road 

Noti, OR 97461 

If you are in need of financial assistance to help with your share, please contact the farm at folks@wintergreenfarm.com.  

Borrowed from the Oregon Country Fair website

Have fun at Country Fair!

So many of our members are spending time at the Oregon Country Fair this year! Whether you’re an overnighter or just visiting for the day, we hope you all have a fantastic and safe time, making great memories and staying hydrated! You might even see a few members of the recycling crew wearing crochet horns that I made!

While it is too late to reschedule your shares for this weekend, you are more than welcome to have a friend or family member pick up for you if you aren’t able to make your pickup window. As long as they show your site hosts and other members the same respect that you do, you’re good to go!

For those not going to fair this week, especially those that pick up in Veneta or here at the farm, keep in mind there will probably be added traffic as well as lots of people walking on the roads. Give yourselves a little extra time, and let Lori know if you aren’t able to pick up by the 7pm deadline if traffic gets in the way. Hopefully it won’t be a problem at all, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared!

We hope each and every one of you have great time this weekend and find a way to enjoy your veggies!

What’s in your box this week:

  • Strawberries
  • Potatoes
  • Beets
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Lettuce

So far, everybody is getting everything! As long as the heat doesn’t wreak havoc on the harvest, we should be able to do the same on Friday. Fingers crossed!

Jake helping Alden unload the truck

Handy Tips:

  • 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.
  • New Potatoes: New potatoes have not been in the ground long enough for their skins to cure, so they are very fragile. We did wash your potatoes for you, so you will need to keep them in the fridge in a place bag, and be sure to eat them soon. No need to peel them, as many of the nutrients are close to the skin. New potatoes can be prepared in a number of ways. You can boil or steam them, roast them with other root veggies, or saute them with some onions for breakfast home fries.
  • Beets: To keep roots and greens fresh, remove the beet greens, wash and store in a refrigerated plastic bag. Store the unwashed roots in an unsealed plastic bag in your vegetable drawer. Beet roots will last up to two weeks; the greens will need to be used within a few days after harvesting. Beet greens are a delicious and healthy vegetable on their own. You can steam or saute them like spinach or use raw in salads. They are also great lightly stir-fried. Beets do not need to be peeled; just scrub them clean before using (there are many trace minerals just below the skin). Skins can be slipped off after cooking. Beets are delicious raw or cooked. Try them grated raw on sandwiches and salads. They can be steamed, roasted, or cooked in soup or stew.
  • Spinach: Rinse spinach leaves in cool water and pat them dry with a towel or “spin dry” as you would lettuce. Store in a damp towel or plastic bag for up to a week. Spinach can be steamed, sauteed, eaten raw, or added to soups at the last minute. For long-term storage, you can freeze spinach, then blanch it for 1 to 2 minutes. Spinach cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook. Look for a bright green color. Two to three pounds of fresh spinach will reduce to two cups when cooked.
  • Kale: Wash kale leaves well by dipping them in a sink of cool water several times to flush out soil and garden stowaways. Remove the stems from the leaves by folding leaf in half lengthwise, and stripping or slicing away the thick stems. Baby or tender young leaves may be cooked, stem and all. Steam mature kale leave approximately 4-5 minutes, depending on age, size, and amount in steamer. When it’s limp but still retains texture, it’s ready. Wrap kale in a damp towel or in a plastic bag to refrigerate, preferably in a hydrator drawer, for up to one week. For long-term storage, kale can be frozen. Wash, de-stem, and blanch leaves for two minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain, and pack into airtight containers, and freeze.

What we’re making this week:

  • This Strawberry Danish recipe might just be the perfect dessert to add to your table this week! (That is, if your strawberries even make it home!)

It’s so wonderful for all of us to be able to share the bounty of the farm with you for yet another year. We can’t tell you how much your support means to us! We hope you all have a wonderful week!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers