 November 25th, 2025 Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year! It feels like we’ve just run a marathon and we’re finally crossing the finish line. The hard deadlines for harvesting, washing and delivering are over for a little while. Running crews and machinery every day take a lot energy and time. Adam and I still fully believe we’re doing the work we love most. It’s challenging for sure, but because we are challenged, we get the reward that comes from working very hard for something. A little rest. While some people grumble about the cold and the darkness this time of year, I cannot relate. I have learned to love the cold and the darkness. To me darkness equals rest and restoration. It means family time, cozy cuddles with my kids, and all of us in the house together brewing up smells of caramelized onions and garlic and sweet potatoes and soup and warm apple cider. I throw another log on the fire and take full advantage of this very brief, ephemeral and magical time of year. Thank goodness for freezing cold weather! I might never stop working if not for the dark and the cold! For us, the true ‘off season’ start on Thanksgiving and goes through Christmas. There is still daily work for both Adam and I, but it’s at a much slower pace. We still pack some orders for our Viroqua Food Coop and a couple restaurants. I’ll still go to Farmer’s Market at the Monona Terrace in Madison until the New Year. After the holidays we start on seed orders, taxes, and field plans. We’ll work on fixing broken things, buying a few new things, and before we know it it’s, time to start putting seeds in soil mix the first of March. Perhaps the most wonderful part of all of this darkness and coldness is that it causes us to slow down. It gives us permission to reflect on our relationships, our lives, and our work. I feel like I would be remiss if I did not express to you, our loyal CSA friends and family, how thankful we are for you! Because you value fresh, local and organic produce and believe in preserving the small family farm, Adam and I get to farm. We get the challenge of growing organic vegetables and get to share them with people who appreciate them. We get to do this meaningful work, use our bodies, and work with our friends. I do feel like I express my gratitude to our CSA members as often as I can, but just in case this is the first time you’re hearing it or reading it, WOW! We are SO thankful for you! What’s in the Box? What’s in the Box? Butternut Squash- 2 Butternuts per member. Butternuts prefer a 50-60 degree storage temp. Oneida Gold Potatoes– 5lbs per member. Oneida Gold Potatoes will keep nicely at room temp through January away from direct sunlight. They prefer a cold, dark and moist environment for a long term storage. If stored longer than this they will prefer the fridge so they don’t shrivel and start to sprout. The countertop is fine for short-term storage but keep them away from sunlight. Onions- 4lbs per member. Onions also prefer a cooler, darker and dryer storage area away from diret sunlight. They will also keep nicely on your counter through January, but may want to sprout as well if kept longer. The fridge is a good place for long-term storage. Beets- 3lb bag of beets per member. Beets will keep terrifically long in a plastic bag in the fridge. Carrots- 5lbs per member. Carrots will keep for many months in a plastic bag in the fridge. Parsnips- 1lb per member. Parsnips will keep for many months in a plastic bag in the fridge. Brussels Sprouts- 1 pound per member. We did the work of cleaning them up a little for you this time. Not delivered on the stalk! Watermelon Radish- These are a storage radish that when cut into, have a bright, pink, watermelon color on the inside. They are lovely sliced thinly onto salads. Cabbage- One green storage cabbage per member. Garlic- One pound of garlic per box. Garlic prefers cold, dark and dry storage. It keeps well in the refrigerator for long term storage. A couple on the counter at a time is fine, but what you’re not using can store in the fridge! Thyme- One bunch of fresh thyme per member this week. Goes very well with poultry! Impress your guests with fresh herbs on the Turkey this year! Recipes  Cesar Brussels Sprouts Parmesan Brussels Sprouts  Pumpkin Pie From Scratch! Roasted Squash and Parsnip Soup Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Fried Cabbage with Bacon |
