Your farmer’s left the farm this weekend past! This is big news for us folks, so big in fact that it’s making it into the Weekly Dig Newsletter! Our lives are usually re-arranged as such that we make it clear to most of our close friends and family members that other than a quick lunch, trip to town or chat after a CSA delivery, we’re mostly unavailable between, say, the months of April and October for vacations or outings that require being gone for more than an evening. Planning such events also require months of advance notice. While it can be difficult to explain to our non-farmer friends and family why it is that we cannot vacation in July, we appreciate their patience with us. 
Adam covering the beans with remay row cover to protect them from frost on September 15th
Do I sound old? Maybe I sound like a business owner. Mostly, I think, I sound like a CSA farmer. The weed, plant, harvest, and deliver routine becomes such a tight circle that getting the necessary tasks done on the farm that are needed to keep all systems running smoothly, leave a very small window of time for leisure activities for the farmers who drive the boat. We’re not exactly proud of the all-work, little-play routine that governs our summer months, but we revel in the loosely structured off season that enables us to not only renovate, renew and remodel the farm but also provides us with time to re-claim centered lives and nurture the relationships that mean the most to us.
My immediate family of my sister, brother, mother, husband and my brother’s wife, children, and my sister’s partner escaped to Devil’s Lake for two days of hiking trails, sharing food and playing games and just knowing each other in our mature adult lives. Ironically enough, the farm was still here when we returned. Even though we left the farm in the trusted and able hands of Joe and Adrianne who live in the alternate housing on the farm and work with us, I half expected the farm to have crumbled in our absence. I’m not sure if I thought chickens would be everywhere, pigs would be loose and the vegetables would have simply uprooted themselves and walked away because our eyes left them for 48 hours, but to our relief, everything was perfectly fine and just as we left it when we returned.
It’s important for us…ahem, mostly me to remember the importance of distancing myself from the farm. A step back from that which envelopes, drives and becomes me is ultimately essential for not only my personal health, but for the health of the farm. A little extra planning may be required, but everyone involved benefits from a distancing from home and work. Now the batteries feel a bit more re-charged to carry us through the next several weeks of harvesting and getting the gardens ready for winter.
Napa (Chinese) Cabbage- Arguably one of the best kinds of cabbage ever grown. Napa Cabbage is tender and is great shredded or chopped finely into raw asian salads, coleslaws or even making home-made Kim Chi with. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge to preserve moisture.
Bulk Beets- A few beets for everyone this week. There may be a few Chioggia Beets mixed in the bunch which are a pink beet with white rings on the inside of the beet like a target. The Chioggio beets are an heirloom beet that is a bit more difficult to grow. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge to preserve moisture.
White Onion- Another small onion offering for your regular cooking uses.
Sweet Bell Peppers- A nice mix of red, yellow and some purple and orange peppers. We’re so happy to be able to give everyone at least 3 nice peppers!
Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper- A mildly hot pepper for your salsas, currys and chilis. 
Week 16 Bounty
Asian Tempest Garlic- Another garlic for keeping your immunity up as the seasons begin to change.
Yellow and Green Beans- Large bags of beans weighing almost a pound per member. We were busy picking lots of beans this week!
Spinach- The first picking off of our fall spinach successions. The leaves are so tender and succulent, they’re a true delight!
Tomato Mix- More beautiful tomatoes to color your windowsil. Allow the tomatoes to sit at room temperature to ripen and remember that tomatoes do not love refrigeration as it can affect their flavor. Put the tomatoes in the fridge only if you need to buy yourself more time before you use them up. This will be our last large tomato giving. After this week, the tomatoes will begin to wane significantly.
Sweet Basil- The basil does not look lovely this week as it was nearly nipped by the frost last Wednesday night. Basil loves warm weather and the cool nights and wind are apparant on the color of their leaves. This will likely be our final basil giving for this summer! Enjoy it while it’s still here! Pluck the leaves from the stems and dehydrate the leaves to have a dried basil to use in your winter cooking.
Curly Green Kale- More cooking greens to keep everything running smoothly!
Red or Green Leaf Lettuce- Another small head of lettuce to go around! I must say that I love having lettuce back!
Next Week’s Guess: Tomatoes, Onion, Sweet Peppers, Hot Pepper, Yellow and Purple Beans, Radish, Lettuce, Delicata winter squash, Russet Potatoes, Carrots
Peanut Pasta Napa Cabbage Salad
Asian Marrinated Tofu Napa Cabbage Salad
