I don’t want to say it too loud for fear of jinxing the farm, but just between you and me, it’s been a really great growing season so far! The rains have been frequent, but mostly gentle. The temps have been mild and generally comfortable. There hasn’t been too much extreme weather other than wind that our smaller plants have been able to withstand. We even have an amazing crew of helpers lined up this year who come in tandem for their shifts and work hard and have fun.
Just last night as the crew was finishing setting up boxes and cleaning up the packing shed getting ready to head home because it was getting close to 5pm a storm cell passed over us dropping 2.5 inches of rain in less than an hour. When we came up to the house and checked the weather radar, huge red storms were moving north-east to the south, just missing us. We could see that Madison and Dubuque, IA were getting some pretty heavy rainfall. We were just wiping our brow and expressing our gratitude that those storms had just missed us! More rain was expected to fall in the night, but only a couple tenths were in the rain gauge.
The farm looks amazing though. All of the rows of vegetables are young and healthy. We’re keeping up with the plantings okay and on time. No diseases are apparent on the plants just yet and no major insect or animal damage. I could take a moment to complain about ground squirrels. In recent years we have had big issues with ground squirrels eating seeds like green beans and sweet corn seeds right out of the ground. They also like to chew off our fresh lettuce transplants. They’re cute, fast little striped ground squirrels that I think of more like rats than anything. They’re prolific, sneaky and can cause major damage in a very short amount of time. We actually need to set rat traps around the farm after we do seedings or certain transplants to minimize damage. It becomes an extra chore in the spring to check traps and plantings frequently to manage the ground squirrel population somewhat. They’re a somewhat new problem we’ve had in recent years.
As farmers, we generally do love to complain. It’s what farmers are best at. Usually it’s a little too cold or a little too hot or a little to wet or a little too dry and we have something to gripe about. You’ll hear much less complaining from me than if farmer Adam wrote the newsletters. I’m the optimist who generally believes everything is going to be okay and just fine all the time. He generally worries about everything and believe that everything is going to come crashing down and falling apart all of the time. We make a good team. It’s a much better plan that I write the newsletters and he does not.
When I think about it, farming is more like gambling than I like to admit. Each season we take our livelihood and roll the dice. We are dealt a hand of cards that we cannot fold and we must play them. We bring our children and our crew along for the bet and we hope for the best. I am a forever optimist. People often ask me if I’m worried about climate change. They say, “What are you going to do?” I say, “What can I do?” I’m going to continue doing what I’ve always done. I’m going to pray and maintain my generally optimistic attitude until domes that cover 13 acres of vegetables come on the market.
Never before has CSA farming been more important. You and the community of members are our insurance blanket. You have said to us when you signed up back in the winter or very early Spring that you trust us, you support us not matter the weather this season and that you’re with us till the end of the season. Thankfully, a widely diversified organic vegetable farm like ours has a strong history of always being able to fill 3/4 bushel CSA boxes even in very difficult seasons. With over 40 different kinds of vegetables planted, and over-planting budgeted into our field plans, we are in good shape for packing those boxes full through November.
What’s in the Box?
Hakurai Salad Turnips- These are the white, round, crispy turnips that are shaped like a radish. These are a smooth Spring treat that are delicious added to salads or cut up and eaten with a hummus or veggie dip.
Red Potatoes- A generous 4lbs per member! These were over-wintered red potatoes that held up very nicely in the cooler this winter. As they have been in a cooler all winter, they will want to sprout if left out on the counter in a warm room. We recommend eating them up right away or continuing to store them in the cooler until you get a chance to use them up.
Strawberries- One pint of strawberries per member this week. We’re not exactly having a terrible berry season, but it’s not a great one either. We were expecting our newer patch to produce larger berries this year but many of them were very small still. Small berries still have a great flavor, but they don’t fill up pints or quarts very fast! I highly recommend making the strawberry cream pie recipe below. One member who has been with us for 13 years e-mailed and asked for that recipe again this year! I like to make it with raw berries on top rather than the cooked/mashed ones-but that’s up to you and this way everyone in the house will get berries and not just the person who picked up the CSA box!
Red Oakleaf Buttercup Lettuce- Gorgeous, tender, field-grown lettuce that is not at all bitter yet with the mild temps we have been having this season. Specialty varieties like this butterhead are really only possible in the early season like this because they are not heat-tolerant varieties. Enjoy this beautifully colored and textured lettuce variety!
New Red Fire Lettuce- While still very succulent and tender, not quite as showy of a variety. New Red Fire is not at all new to us. It’s a trusted old friend. This variety performs well in the heat and cool weather and is beloved all the same.
Kohlrabi- One green kohlrabi per member this week. Kohlrabi should be peeled and the inside is crispy like an apple. Kohlrabi is often called the ground apple. It is lovely with hummus or sour cream veggie dip!
Cilantro- One bunch of cilantro per member. Some people love it. Some people H@#e it. I’m a cilantro lover. Adam is not. But we still get along just fine;). This is for the lovers.
Green Kale- One bunch of Curly Green Kale per member. This Spring Kale is still very tender. Lovely added to pizza, quiche, soups, or make Kale Chips!
Beets- These are another over-wintered crop that slept quietly in our cooler all winter long anxiously awaiting their arrival in your box this week! It will still be a few weeks before we have fresh beets to give so these can hold us over until then!
Green Onions- The first giving is always a little on the small side, but we’re excited to have onions to offer you this week. They can be eating from the base of the white stems all the way up to the tips of the greens. Enjoy fresh, spring onions!
Next Week’s Best Guess: Hakurai Salad Turnips, broccoli, lettuce, kale, bunching onions, basil, kohlrabi x 2, Garlic Scapes, Peas? Parsnips?
Recipes-
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
Home-Made Ranch Salad Dressing
