CSA Week 18, October 1-5

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CSA Week 18 – October 1, 3, 5

Dear friends,

Well, that was a pretty abysmal week we just had – much too much rain, and dark and cloudy . . . . But today is sunny and for small wonders we are appreciative. Brent and I were harvesting lettuce in standing water again on Thursday – not a good thing. Our field that is across the street from the house is the one that is most impacted by the excessively wet weather, and it is really hard to find a dry place in our hay fields to run the chickens. Luckily the turkeys have been going up the hill in the orchard and have not been in any standing water. The pigs have staked out a dryish corner in the field across the street on the edge of the woods. But I must say that this is the wettest year I think I have seen, considering the entire season. Beats Florence and 30 inches, however, so still I am not complaining, just noting.

Clare took off for a short holiday of 4 days to Birmingham, Alabama, so we will be a bit shorter staffed through Monday. We always seem to pull it off, though, and help seems to appear when we most need it. We are getting behind on things like potato harvest (in that wet field across the road), weeding of some of our fall crops, and picking up of our winter squash.  I am grateful that we were well-positioned going into the end of the summer. This week we will endeavor to get those aforementioned tasks completed, though picking still takes a long time – which is a good thing!

The biggest news of our week

Scratchy has come to live with us. He is an adorable little orange pup who came from a litter of 11. He mostly pees outside and is still working on the details of number 2. Stop in and see him. He is slowly learning the farming ropes and Franny is usually somewhat patient with him, though the cats swat him when he comes near. Ane every night there is some consternation when he has to return to his crate after having his freedom all day . . .  Funny how having small children around brings out all of the best parental feelings and instincts, be those children 2 footed or 4 footed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack and Julie on TV this week

Here is an okay piece of coverage on climate change. They came with the idea that farming is easier now that the temperatures are warmer. Despite many attempts to disabuse them of that premise, they seemed to pick and choose from our 2 hour long interview to make that case.

https://www.necn.com/multimedia/Climate-Change_-Effect-on-Farming_NECN-494614311.html

And you can still catch us tomorrow – on carbon farming at the Orange Garlic and Arts Festival, on Sunday, September 30 at 1 pm – https://garlicandarts.org/ We would love to see you there. It is a good time and wonderful festival.

Shiitakes for sale

We should have a reasonable supply of shiitakes again this week They are $12/lb. Let me know if you would like a pound and we will put them in your bag. You can send a check.

Food this week –

  • CSA
    • Lettuce – still not as much as I would like – slowing down for the fall after drowning out in August
    • Potatoes – we are pretty happy with our harvest this year. Do enjoy
    • Celery – first time this year; so good with peanut butter or cream cheese, but also straight up for good system awakening; and of course celery is great in soup, or diced small in salad
    • Parsley – first time this year – which is remarkable because it has often been a CSA staple – off to a slow start this year and now in a wet spot in the west field
    • Kale – sorry to have shorted you on Monday; it is always a challenge to make it through on Mondays with a large Living Earth order on top of our biggest CSA; we just forgot
    • Beets – still looking very nice; you can serve the tops as you would chard, if you want to separate the plant and use the bottoms with potatoes and leeks in a great pureed soup – I would add some celery too, and start with a good meat or vegetable stock
    • Leeks – our vegetable heroes this year. Use them as you would onions in all of your cooked dishes
    • Chinese cabbage, or Bok choi – new this week; great fall greens
    • Tomatillos – these take a long time to pick, but they are such a treat that we can’t deny you them. Think of us crawling along the ground for 140 feet (on two sides of a trellis) when you enjoy them. I never fail to wonder at Nature’s packaging with these wonderful treats
    • Pears – our pear giving tree is still at it for another couple of weeks
    • Tomatoes – iffy, but hopeful- mostly they are coming from the hoop houses now
    • Peppers – still coming very strong
    • Dill – perhaps we did this earlier in the summer?
    • Some eggplant for some large shares
    • Lemon balm or spearmint – to freshen up your tea or salad

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 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!

 Still taking members for the summer share

Every week the price will go down each week and it will be updated on the website – https://mhof.net/2018-csa-share-options/.   

 Other things for sale at MHOF right now

Frozen whole chickens – $6.50/lb.

Pork roasts – $9.50/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. Clare and Lisa post pictures there all of the time.

Julie