CSA Week 21. Oct 22-26

CSA Week 21 – October 22, 24, 26

CSA Week 22 – last week – October 29, 31 and November 2

Dear friends,

Sorry to have been out of touch for so long. As always, there seems to be more to accomplish each week than is possible. Most recently we have been preparing for frost.
And it has been coming quickly and colder each time – with last night clocking in at 23 degrees. Every day we add a little bit more row cover to crops as those that can tolerate some frost get passed over for those that need it first. And of course there are many crops that are dead and gone, like the hoophouse tomatoes and tomatillos, peppers, etc. But not before large harvests of tomatoes – 9 crates with the help of Assumption College volunteers (thanks Michele Lemons for the hook up!), and 185 lbs of peppers. Last night Jack and I covered most of the leeks and today we may even have to cover the kale to make it safer for the even colder weather promised for the end of the week. But never fear, our back porch, basement and root cellar are chock full of onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and squash. And beets and carrots are still in the ground. The lettuce is under a thick blanket and perhaps will hold up, and the kale should be with us for awhile too. The Brussels sprouts harvest will start this week. Hooray for that!

The biggest news of our week

Scratchy was again the biggest news of the week. One of our staff inadvertently drove over him and killed him this week end. Wow, it is amazing how close you can get to a little guy in 4 weeks time. We will try again when it feels right. Youngsters need such a watchful eye and have so much to learn in order to make it to adulthood, be they people children, wild birds or dogs. We are mourning here.

 

 

Now is a good time to sign up for the fall share

It runs the 4 Mondays in November and you can pick up here in Barre or at Living Earth or at Teresa Wolcott’s at 51 Boyden Road in Holden. The share costs $120 with an $8 delivery fee for the out of towners. More of the good stuff for another month. You can sign up here – https://mhof.net/2018-csa-share-options/  We have been saving up stuff for this share and will also have some nice things coming from our unheated hoop houses. I look forward to filling your refrigerators and pantries for one more moth.

 

Food this week

  • CSA
    • Lettuce – hoping it will be unfrozen in time to pick this morning
    • Sweet Potatoes – if these run out by mid week we will switch to regular potatoes
    • Kale – wondering if it made it through last night okay, but Brent’s regular nutrient sprays with our back pack sprayer should be setting it up for success in this colder than usual fall
    • Beets – these have been under cover for a week – no promises on the quality of the greens at this point
    • Leeks – these are in the back of the field and I do worry about them, but perhaps our last night’s covering of them with row cover will make a difference
    • Pears – we finished harvesting and now are serving you pears out of the walk in
    • Tomatoes – beautiful hoop house tomatoes that are now living on our basement floor
    • Brussels sprouts –you will get a stalk and you can do your own harvesting!
    • Cabbage – from the walk in cooler
    • Peppers – also in the walk in – beautiful they are
    • Carrots – these are real survivors that are one of our crops with no cover on them – for now
    • Winter squash – from our massive supply residing in the basement

 

We can use your recycled plastic grocer y size bags

Yes, just leave them in your share bag – don’t forget to return it this week, and we will use them for packing vegetables. We can reuse the rubber bands too!

 Other things for sale at MHOF right now

Frozen whole chickens – $6.50/lb.

Hot dogs – $12/lb.

Bacon – $14.25/lb.

Ground beef, stew beef and short ribs – $10/lb.

Rib eye steak and strip steak – $13/lb.

Brisket and chuck roast – $11/lb.

Sirloin steak – $15/lb.

Tenderloin steaks – $20/lb.

Comfrey salve – $8/2 oz. jar

Peppermint and lavender soap – $6/5 oz. bar

Garlic powder – $9.50 for 1.9 ounce

Lard frozen – $20/quart

Frozen peaches – $12/2 lb. bag

Chicken and pork stock frozen – $7.50/quart

Thanksgiving turkeys – $5.50/lb. – for preorder

 

Check out our Facebook at this address https://www.facebook.com/manyhandsorganicfarm… You can like us, refer us and also write a review if you enjoy what you are receiving. That all helps get the word out for our farm. Thanks for what many of you have already done to help us get the word out.

We are also on Instagram @manyhandsorganic.

Julie