2025 CSA Season Week Twelve

August 26, 2025

Welcome to another week of the 2025 CSA Season! Can you believe it’s already Week Twelve?! It’s warm out there, so we hope you’re all finding ways to stay cool, enjoying great food, and making great memories in the last week of summer before school starts again!

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

Just a pesky reminder about those bills!

We all hate them. The financial logistics of anything in this world, but they’re there nonetheless, which means I have to talk about them. We’re getting closer to September, which means those monthly payments are right around the corner! Last week, emails went out for overdue payments, so if you think you might be behind, please check your email. I’m here to answer any questions about your bill.

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 was due August 15th. 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.  

Need to make changes heading into fall?

With summer coming to a close and everything 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. Please make sure you know where you would like your box rescheduled to and when BEFORE you let me know, so I can make the changes. You can find our delivery site options on our website here.
  • Receive up to two vacation coupons that can be redeemed at any of our markets.
  • Donate your share to Food for Lane County.

Have you heard about Winter Green Lamb?

We are excited to have plenty of lamb available this year!  We will also have a few ewes for grind as well.  The price for lamb is 6.50 a pound hanging weight, you pay to us. You will also be charged a cut and wrap fee by 4 star meat company when you pick up your meat which is $135.00 per animal. We do offer a discount for multiple animals purchased, the cost would be $6.00 a pound per animal. The ewes will be $5.00 a pound plus the cut and wrap fee.  

The butcher dates are on the following days:

  • September 19th
  • October 2nd
  • October 11th
  • October 16th
  • October 23rd

Please let us know by emailing office@wintergreenfarm.com if you would like to reserve lamb for this year and if you have a preference on dates.

Organic beef cow eating organic pasture

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.

What’s in your box this week:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Corn
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Zucchini
  • Red onion
  • Tomatoes

Some sites only:

  • Eggplant

We weren’t able to get eggplant for everybody this week, but don’t worry! We’re keeping excellent notes. If you didn’t get it in your box this time, we’ll make sure to get you the next time we have it available.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Eggplant: Eggplant is best when it’s fresh. Store it unrefrigerated at a cool room temperature, or in a hydrator drawer of the fridge for up to one week. Eggplant can be peeled, but it’s not essential. To remove any acrid flavors and excess moisture, lightly salt the slices and allow the to sit in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently squeeze out any liquid. Eggplant should always be cooked to eliminate solanine, a naturally occurring toxic substance.

What We’re Making This Week:

  • As the summer ends, we all enjoy a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail, if you prefer), and I’m excited to try this Strawberry Daiquiri recipe!
  • Have you ever tried Corn Fritters? I haven’t, but they look delicious. If you give them a try, let me know how it goes!
  • Feeling like trying something a little different? This Korean dish called Bibimbap might just be the ticket! It’s rice, vegetables, a protein of your choice, and a spicy gochujang sauce.
  • Are you sick of zucchini yet? No? Me either! Now I want to try these savory Zucchini Patties with my lunch.
  • We have so many tomatoes in your box today! Not sure what to do with them? They’re perfect for sauce or this delicious Tomato Bisque!

While we technically have a few more weeks of summer, Labor Day usually signals the end of summer for school kids and adults alike. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Many blessings,

Chelsea and your Winter Green farmers