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“Maybe what cold is, is the time
we measure the love we have always had, secretly,
for our own bones, the hard knife-edged love
for the warm river of the I, beyond all else;
maybe that is what it means the beauty of the blue shark
cruising toward the tumbling seals.” – Mary Oliver
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These photos were taken during the last week of the CSA last season… we had some extremely cold temps that week (in the 20’s/30’s)
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Hi friends and farm-ily,
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Brrrrr… it’s time to get the long johns out and get that crock pot going.. it’s gonna be a cold one this week with an extreme cold front that’s rolling across the U.S. (some places will be experiencing 30 degrees below the average temperature)!
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We’re in for a brisk week on the farm with really cold nights, pretty chilly days and high winds which should make for some interesting, slow harvest days (bring on the soup, ginger tea and hot toddies). We’ve done the best we can with buttoning up things around the farm and we’re hoping for the best – come on veggies! With only two weeks left of CSA harvest we are making the most of this up and down November weather!
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2,500+lbs of Fall veggies have been distributed each week during the Autumn months!
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Regardless of what mother nature has in store this week, it has been a great harvest year for us throughout all the seasons – spring summer, fall. Our fall season shares have been averaging around 28-30 lbs with 16-18 different items in the share which means we’ve had quite the bounty! And at 85 shares per week that means over the Fall months we’ve been distributing 2,500+ lbs of produce per week. We’re really looking forward to adding up our 2014 numbers for next week’s newsletter… here we grow!
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The days sure have been getting shorter but we’ve been able to get a lot of work done with these sunny but crisp fall days ..we weeded all the garlic in preparation for mulching, we moved the pigs and made sure all the animals are nice and cozy in anticipation of the cold weather, we harvested the remaining storage crops and covered the more tender plants in hope of saving some of them from the frost, we insulated our beehives, cleaned out our woodstove pipe etc.. lots of laborious tasks but in a time where everything is slowing down it sure feels good to be outside working our muscles and moving our bodies (even if it is just to keep warm!)
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Giant stalks of celery, my favorite chimney sweep and our morning commute to work..
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Although we can recall so many detailed memories from the 2014 season when we sit back and let it all sink in we think, “whoa! where did the time go?” From opening the 2014 CSA registration last January to all the planning and hard work and long days and harvests… we somehow have made it to November. It all flies by in an instant, doesn’t it? Thank goodness for the seasons.. otherwise we would never know which way was up! But one thing is for sure – we’re impressed by you all. Your commitment to the farm and eating the best possible, nourishing, fresh food is the best reflection for these two farmers. It’s like playing for the winning team.
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We’re a community and a team and our success (both in the field and in the kitchen) depends on each other. To grow the food, develop the tools, run with it and live happy and productive lives. Each week we see, hear and witness the impact of eating seasonally, fresh and beyond organic.. which means more meals at home, stocking up the freezer, cooking meals with friends and family, feeling energized and maybe coming in a few notches on the ol’ belt . Eating good food is a way of life… something that we believe in and we wanted to thank you for believing in us and the food that we grow here on our farm. Thank you for your dedication and commitment – you’ve been coming to pick up you share for the last 25 weeks on your pick up day and every week you are inspired, challenged and ready to bring it all home and make glorious things happen. Thanks too for sharing bits and pieces of your food journeys along the way. You guys rock and we feel so thankful to have you as part of the farm-ily!
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Gloucester has a few roles here on the farm and keeper of sunbeams aka guardian of the eggs is one of them. And behold! Our freshly weeded garlic!
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Turnip the beet! Next week’s “double share…” Next week you will be picking up shares for week 27 & 28. Shares will be organized in the greenhouse on two separate tables that will be marked week 27 & week 28. This is a great way to spread the love during the Thanksgiving holiday! Most of the veggies are storage crops and can be kept for weeks and weeks (some even months). Storage onions, potatoes, winter squash will all keep in a cool place. Root veggies such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, rutabaga etc will all keep in the fridge (when preparing to store carrots, beets and other root vegetables in plastic bags in the refrigerator, sprinkle in a few drops of water as you pack each bag. Ideally, a few drops of condensation should form inside the bags after they have been well-chilled in the fridge.) Blanching and freezing is also great for any extra hardy greens, carrots etc.
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Be sure to bring a big enough vessel or enough bags to carry all your goodies home in.
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November sunset panorama on the farm..
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Extra Eggs. We may have a few extra dozens available for purchase during the last CSA share pick up – and we’ll keep you posted! We will also have eggs available through the winter and early Spring months (December – April) through email reservation.
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The Organic Life. Over the weekend we enjoyed watching the documentary The Organic Life (here’s the trailer:.. it’s currently streaming for free on hulu) The synopsis: “A year in the life of an hopeful organic farmer and his skeptical girlfriend reveals that a changing climate, financial insecurity, demanding physical labor, and corporate agriculture threaten the sustainability of one of the world’s most traditional livelihoods in modern-day America.” A farmer friend and I both laughed and appreciated that the film started with the idea that farming looks so romantic because farmers are stoics. Too true.
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A weekly fly-by from our neighbor and close friend.. must be a nice view from the clouds!
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From the Organic Life website, “Most documentaries, films, and news stories present new farmers either as happy, well-meaning people for whom eating healthy produce is satisfaction enough, or as ex-investment bankers who are taking on second careers with an already sizable nest egg. In reality, many new farmers fall somewhere in between, and Austin is one of them. These farmers face increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, shifting markets, pests, and poverty. They work, rain or shine (or in hail or furnace-like conditions), year-round. It’s no small wonder why so few would want the job, and it’s clear that passion alone cannot sustain them. The Organic Life will uncover both the challenges and the rewards of the farming life and will investigate what drives young farmers to take the job.”
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We’re getting our farming ninja skills on this week to get through these cold harvests. *fingers crossed*
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Due to the cold weather your farmers will be available at the pick up from 4-5pm this week. Normal pick up hours remain the same from 4-7pm. The greenhouse lights will be on, but the doors will be closed to try and keep things at a moderate temperature! Wish us luck, stay warm out there and we will see you all soon!
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With fond regards,
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your farmers
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Jess & Brian
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dirty hands, clean hearts
working hands farm 