2025 CSA Season Week Three

June 24, 2025

Welcome to the third week of the CSA season! Now that everyone’s had a chance to pick up their first share, hopefully any kinks will be easily worked out. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to help!

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

Just a few quick reminders for a smooth season!

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:

  • 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.
  • 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!

Did you know we’re at the Florence Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays now?

We added a market this year! If you happen to be on the coast on Tuesday afternoons, you can find us at the farmers’ market down on the pier! We’re there every week from 3pm to 6pm.

Not on the coast? Come see us in Eugene at the farm stand located on 18th and Polk at the Emmaus Church on Wednesday afternoons from 2pm to 6pm, or at the Lane County Farmer’s Market on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm.

Up north in Portland? We have a market up there, too! You can find us at the King Market on Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

For our members who pick up at the markets, remember to let us know if you miss a box and want it rerouted. We’ll need to know by 10am the next business day (Monday or Thursday, depending on the market) in order to reroute the box. After that, any comeback shares get donated to Food for Lane County.

It’s time to reserve your share of Winter Green beef!

Now that the weekly CSA is underway, it’s time to think about reserving your share of our beef!

Our Grass Fed beef is raised on our certified organic, nutritive pastures. We offer ¼ shares, ½ shares, or a whole animal (share with friends and family!) of mixed cuts. You will receive about 1/3 as steaks of varying cuts, about 1/3 as roasts of varying cuts, about 1/3 as ground beef, as well as stew meat, short ribs, soup bones, organ meats and dog bones!

You are also welcome to receive all of the bones from your share for making bone broth, and the fat to render tallow. We also offer Ground beef only shares! We have butcher dates from July through November.

The price per lb. includes all fees. We can accept SNAP benefits for payment as well. You can visit our website to learn more about how we raise our beef, and how to reserve your share, or you can contact Linda at beef@wintergreenfarm. You can also give her a call at 541-833-0274. She will be happy to help answer any questions you might have.

Chris and Shannon

Have you met your Winter Green farmers?

Winter Green Farm has been around since 1984, created and maintained by loving hands. Nearly a decade ago, Jack and Mary Jo, Wali and Jabrila passed the torch to Chris and Shannon, and they’ve carried it beautifully! Did you know they met here on the farm? They even married here under the oaks, and their boys have been raised here at Winter Green. Every day, it’s a labor of love.

Shannon is a goddess in the greenhouse, always seeding something, while Chris can almost always be found somewhere on the land–on a tractor, with the harvest crew, even washing vegetables in the barrel washer. Both Chris and Shannon love what they do and strive to get you as many vegetables as they can each year!

If you’d like to say hello, you can find Shannon at the Eugene Farm Stand on Wednesday afternoons, and you can even find Chris working one of our markets from time to time!

What’s in your box this week:

Lots of greens! While we wait for the weather to cooperate and jump-start those strawberries again, we’re also celebrating that the beginning of the season is usually filled with greens!

  • Radishes
  • Carrots
  • Fennel
  • Cucumber
  • Chard
  • Collards
  • Lettuce

We’ll have a little bit more variety as the weeks go on, so if this week’s box was a little more green than you were hoping, we promise we’ll make it up to you soon!

Handy Tips:

  • Radishes: Radishes may need a good scrubbing, even after our crew has washed them, but do not need to be peeled. Trim off any damaged areas. Store them in a damp towel or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Store green tops separately, wrapped in a damp towel. Use as soon as possible.
  • 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.
  • Fennel: Wash Fennel bulb, store in plastic bag in refrigerator, wrapping delicate leaves in moist paper towel, for up to two weeks. Fennel can be eaten raw, baked, steamed or sautéed. Tops can be used as a garnish or added to soups at the end. Use the tops as a substitute for dill.
  • 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.
  • Chard: Swiss Chard keeps best unwashed and wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag. Store it in the drawer of your refrigerator, and wash before use to remove any unwanted soil or insects. Cut the celery-like stems away from the tender leaves (you can use the stems in soup stocks) or chop the whole thing up and use the entire leaves, including the stems. To cook chard, steam for 8 to 10 minutes or boil for about 3 to 5 minutes. The greens brighten in color when they’re nearly cooked and should not be over-cooked to preserve flavor and nutrients. Add them to soups or casseroles, or serve steamed, tossed with butter, garlic, and just a bit of lemon juice.
  • Collard Greens: Just prior to use, swish Collard leaves in a basin of lukewarm water. After any grit has settled, lift leaves out carefully. Additional rounds of washing may be necessary.
    Store preferably unwashed, wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag in hydrator drawer of refrigerator. Best used fresh, but may last for up to one week if properly stored. Keep moist.
    Collards can be cooked or eaten raw as a wrap for stir-fries and salads.

What We’re Making:

  • Look, I am all for healthy foods, but sometimes you just have to satisfy that sweet tooth. These Carrot Cake Cookies should do the trick!
  • This Swiss Chard Frittata is the perfect way to get in a healthy breakfast before you start your day!

What are you making this week?

Erin, one of our members, made this Kale Salad with Radishes, Pecans, and Cherries last week. It looks wonderful! What are you making with your Winter Green veggies this week? We would love to know! Send us a picture and show us what you’re up to. We would love to get to know all of you a little more!

We hope you all have an amazing first week of summer, with sunshine, good company and good food. We are so excited to be able to tag along on this food journey with you this year, and we look forward to share the farm’s bounty this season!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers