CSA 2020 Season~Week #15
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
TOMATOES!!
The Tomatoes are ripening and we are now able to offer bulk to our members. We will be offering slicer tomatoes in a 10# flat, and the cost will be $18. Please don’t respond through WordPress!. Call or email the farm with your request, and we’ll deliver them to your pick up site next week for Tuesday/Wednesday members, and this Friday for our Friday and weekend members.
The annual That’s My Farmer fundraising dinner will be held this year! Owner/chefs Mark Kosmicki and Tiffany Norton at Party Downtown will cook up a fantastic menu with farm fresh meat and produce contributed by That’s My Farmer farm members.
The event is scheduled for October 12th, and dinners will be preordered and then picked up outside the Party Downtown Restaurant during several time slot options. The cost will be $50 per dinner reservation. with $25 of this going to the That’s My Farmer Low Income Fund. The fund subsidizes farm food boxes for those unable to afford them, and this year helped many families in need receive healthy, organic food.
If you would like more information, or would like to reserve a spot, call/email the farm and I’ll send you the reservation form!
What a week! Our heartfelt sympathies go out to everyone in the region. Whether displaced, affected by smoke or grieving the devastating losses, we are with you. Our crew got back out there over the weekend and today and we are taking precautions and taking care of each other. All deliveries should be as scheduled this week. Thank you for all of your support and understanding last week as we struggled to make sense of all of this and keep our crew safe. Thanks also to all of the firefighters and community members working tirelessly to keep our beautiful part of the world going.
We understand that some of you might have concerns about the safety of the produce going out this week. We are always doing what we can to clean your produce before we send it out, but recommend an additional cleaning before use. We find this information from OSU helpful.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Fruits and vegetables in the garden that have been showered with ash from wildfires should be safe to consume, according to Oregon State University Extension Service experts.
Rinsing the produce outside and then again in the kitchen sink will help remove ash and the particulates that accompany it, according to Brooke Edmunds, associate professor and Extension community horticulturist in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences.
Ash and smoke are unlikely to penetrate fruit and vegetables, Edmunds said. However, safety becomes more of an issue the closer you are to a fire. Note how much ash collected on your produce and the health of your plant to make a determination
“Use your best judgement,” Edmunds said. “If your garden has a heavy layer of ash or is located near a structure that burned, the risk is higher. Burning buildings contain different toxins than a forest.”
In addition to rinsing, Edmunds advised peeling produce like tomatoes, apples and root crops and stripping the outer leaves of lettuces and other greens. For a more thorough cleaning, soak vegetables and fruits in a 10% white vinegar solution (one teaspoon vinegar to three cups water), which can lift soil particles off vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, savoy cabbage and fruit like peaches, apricots and nectarines.
WHAT’S IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK
- Swiss Chard
- Broccoli
- Corn
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Sweet Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Red Onions
- Some sites: Cauliflower, Savoy Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes
WHAT WE’RE MAKING
I don’t know about you, but when I need to get grounded, there’s nothing quite like making a big pot of soup for the family, savoring the methodical chopping and the smells of a hearty soup coming together, then sitting down to share the meal and remembering the blessings we still have to be thankful for. I made a pot of classic minestrone for my family this week and it was a well-needed comfort. The good thing is, you can use pretty much most of the produce in your box this week for it. Here you have it,three ways: vegetarian, gluten free/vegan and with meat.
Classic Minestrone-Veggie Version
Heirloom Minestrone with Italian Sausage
and for a quick side that pairs well with most proteins, Sautéed Savoy Cabbage
With wishes for rain and healing,
Bronwynn and Your Winter Green Farmers