2025 CSA Season Week Ten

August 12, 2025

Welcome to the halfway point of the 2025 CSA Season! We cannot tell you how excited we are to be able to tag along with you on your food journey this summer, and how thrilled we are to give you an abundance of vegetables this week! We hope you’re all enjoying it just as much!

Just a few quick reminders…

Couple things as I get back in the office and I’m sorting through emails and such. Nothing big, just a little housekeeping. If it feels a little too repetitive, my apologies! There have just been a couple things mentioned by more than few members, so I thought it would be a great time to add a small, friendly reminder.

  • Please make sure to check your name off the list when you pick up your share! I know this is an easy one to forget, but we ask that you mark your name off not just so we know you got your share, but so you know you picked up at the right place on the right week! Summer is in full swing, and it’s so easy to forget if you switched a week for a vacation, which half share group you’re in, if plans changed but your box schedule didn’t. It happens! We just want to cross our t’s and dot our i’s and make sure that everyone on the list gets a box, so if you go for your name and it’s not there and you think it should be, let me know!
  • Vacations are a thing! (I know, I just took one!) We want to help you as much as we can with getting your box around your busy schedule. For those with kiddos and the school year coming up, it’s only going to get busier! Let me know as soon as you can if you need to change your schedule or your pickup location. Please make sure to give me at least 7 days to make those changes, as we pull the lists and plan the harvest well in advance.
Cody, Wyoming on our last night
Montana, just off the I-90 from Idaho
Where we stayed at the retreat
Sunset in Cody
Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho
Our fun photoshoot!
Tacoma, Washington

I’m back in the office from my trip!

If you’ve been reading the blogs, you know I was out of the office for the last week and a half, taking a solo, 2,000-mile road trip. I left last Thursday and started the two-day trek from here to Cody, Wyoming for a writer’s retreat, where I met some truly amazing women and finally got to meet my critique partner. Not only was it amazing to be around other writers, but the scenery was beautiful! I’d never been to that part of the country, so seeing Wyoming first-hand was a treat.

Then I headed up north through Montana to visit with my best friend and her family in northern Idaho, where I got to experience a slower pace of life in the tiny rural town of Bonner’s Ferry. We crammed so much into those few days, but it was incredible how the ease didn’t make it feel as busy as a normal day here. We even threw in a photoshoot to celebrate 36 years of friendship.

After that, I made my way back to Washington to stay with my sister-in-law and she took me through her tiny suburb of Steilacoom, then into downtown Tacoma. Have you ever been to their McMenamins? It was four levels that went underground, complete with a thriving tiki bar and a hidden speak easy. I love the river view we have here in Eugene, but wow! It was fun experiencing something new.

It sure is nice to be home and sleep in my own bed, but it was a fantastic trip!

Have you checked out our markets lately?

This week’s box is overflowing with delicious veggies, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go get more! If you’re in the area, check out our farmers’ markets to see what else we might have for you this week! Today (Tuesday), we’ll be in Florence at the farmers’ market on the pier from 3pm to 6pm. Then tomorrow (Wednesday), you can find us in Eugene at 18th and Polk in the Emmaus Church parking lot from 2pm to 6pm. You rarely even have to fight traffic!

If you don’t have time to come see us during the week, you can always find us on Saturdays at the Lane County Farmers’ Market downtown Eugene, from 9am to 3pm, or on Sundays, come say hello at the King Market on NE Wygant Street and NE 7th Avenue from 10am to 2pm. We would love to see you!

A quick note for those waiting on a market credit vacation coupon: I had a few requests prior to my trip, and those are getting processed and in the mail this week. I apologize for the delay! I was juggling so much, those coupons getting in the mail slipped through the cracks. But they’re coming! Thank you so much for your patience. I appreciate you!

Owen trying the corn

Don’t forget to make those August and September payments!

We’re smack in the middle of August, 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 made your August monthly payment (due August 1st), please do so at your earliest convenience. For those who paid in two installments, that second payment is is due August 15th. And, since we’re on the topic, September 1st is right around the corner. Please help us keep the CSA going by completing those payments for your share!

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.  

What’s in your box this week:

  • Strawberries
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Corn
  • Beets
  • Green beans
  • Zucchini
  • Patty Pan Squash
  • Cucumber
  • Broccoli
  • Heirloom tomatoes
  • Lettuce

This week’s box is huge! It does look like we were able to get everything to everyone, though I can’t be sure about the pattypan squash. Because both zucchini and patty pan are summer squash, sometimes we have more of one than the other.

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.
  • Corn: Eat your fresh corn as soon as possible. Natural sugars begin to break down soon after harvesting, so the sooner the better. Corn can keep for a few days if you keep it refrigerated with the husks on. Corn-on-the-cob is the favorite way to enjoy fresh-picked corn. To cook, steam in 2 inches of water for 6 to 10 minutes, or drop it into boiling water and cook for 4 to 7 minutes. Older or over-mature corn is great when added to corn bread, soups, stews, chili, casseroles, stir-fries, quiches, salads, or bean dishes.
  • 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.
  • Green Beans: Fresh green beans taste best when eaten soon after harvesting. They will stay fresh for up to one week when refrigerated in a plastic bag. Remove the stem end and cook whole. Beans will retain more nutrients if they’re uncut. To cook beans, simmer them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch for the beans to brighten in color and become tender, but not soft. Cook less for chilled bean salads to maintain crispness.
  • 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.
  • Cucumber: Cucumbers are best when eaten fresh, but they will keep for up to a week in a drawer of your refrigerator. Cut or peeled cucumbers will stay fresh for only a few days. Wash your cucumbers well before using. Peeling is optional for organic cucumbers. Try peeling the skins in alternating strips for a decorative effect. You can cut them into spears and serve them with dip, put the slices on sandwiches, or marinate the slices for cold cucumber salad.
  • 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.
  • Tomatoes: Do not refrigerate tomatoes! You can place them out of the sun at room temperature. Some of our tomatoes are a day or two from being fully ripe, but will be perfect with a little patience. To remove tomato skins, place the whole tomato in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, dip in cold water, and remove skins. Tomatoes can be frozen whole. Core tomatoes, then place them on a cookie sheet, and freeze them. When they’re solid, place them in a freezer bag and replace them in the freezer. Remove as many tomatoes as you need at the time. Thawed tomatoes are good for cooking and pureed dishes. Salsas, sauces, and purees also freeze well.

What we’re making this week:

  • It is super hot this week! If you can get the strawberries all the way without eating them first, give this Easy Strawberry Sorbet a go for a refreshing treat!
  • Are you excited for corn? We are! It’s great all by itself, but if you’re looking for a little something different, why not try this Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad?
  • Is there anything better on a hot day than a crisp, cool cucumber? Maybe this Cucumber Gazpacho!

The bounty at the farm is incredible this week, and we are so excited to share! We hope you all enjoy the abundant box and stay cool in the high temperatures this week!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers