every season brings new challenges and new successes.

as a member of any farm, it’s really important to:

• understand the changing of the seasons
• learn why it is vital for a csa farmer to grow a variety of crops (yes, even kohlrabi!)
• embrace the true intent behind the csa (customer supported agriculture) model
• realize that csa’s are not bargain bins of unlimited produce
• get the back story – every season is different
• there are reasons why share boxes may be greens-heavy in the spring and less so in the hottest month of the summer
• educate yourself – support your farmer – and make peace with getting surprises

week 1 (june 20th)

6 inches of snow in mid-may made for antsy farmers and antsy transplants in the greenhouse. the crops couldn’t wait to get out in the field and once they finally did – pop – all at once! early spring boxes tend to be greens-heavy and in this year, quite so, due to the late spring start.

2 joi choi, 2 red romaine, 2 green romaine, bunch of heirloom collards, bunch of heirloom red russian kale, 1/2 pound specialty greens mix, 1/4 pound sylvetta & roquette arugula, 1/4 pound sorrel/spinach mix, and a bunch of french breakfast or easter egg radishes

week 2 (june 27th)

weather makes all the difference! the fields were still catching up from a late spring – direct seeded crops like radishes and turnips finally started showing up more, helping to balance some of the greens.

2 green romaine, 2 red romaine, heirloom red russian kale, redbor kale, scallions, french breakfast/easter egg radish mix, oakleaf/romaine salad mix (1/2 pound), heirloom collards, hakurei salad turnips, joi choi, rainbow swiss chard, savoy spinach (1/2 pound), garden sorrel (1/4 pound), roquette arugula/purple frills mustard mix (1/4 pound), and a fresh herb mix (sage, thyme, mint, rosemary, fennel leaf, and parsley)

week 3 (july 3rd)

another bountiful week – it was perfect timing, heading right into the 4th of july celebrations! new crops were just starting to turn that corner which is always fun to see. more variety in tune with the changing seasons and transition from spring-like weather to summer heat.

2 red romaine, green romaine, heirloom red russian kale, redbor kale, heirloom blue curled scotch kale, heirloom collards, scallions, white vienna kohlrabi, garlic scapes, oakleaf-romaine spring mix (1/2 lb), savoy spinach (1/4 lb), hakurei salad turnips, scarlet queen salad turnips, watermelon radishes, a little fresh sage & thyme, a dark opal basil plant, and a very special treat from bossy e …… homemade pesto (vegan) with our nutty sunflower shoots!

week 4 (july 11th)

this was about the time of year when we start seeing greater variety and gorgeous spectrum of colors. not everything is ever up all at the same time, so some shares get certain crops while other shares get other crops. it all evens up in a week or two when the plant starts producing at its peak.

redbor kale, hakurei salad turnips, scarlet queen turnip, rainbow swiss chard, walla walla sweet onions, heirloom collards, sweet italian basil, french crisp head lettuce called mottistone, 1/2 pound oakleaf/romaine salad mix, white vienna kohlrabi, shelling peas (some shares), herb mix (leaf fennel, sage, thyme), summer squash mix (some shares), gherkin cukes (some shares), mild-hot pepper, garlic scapes (some shares), and a beet bunch (red ace, chioggia, touchstone gold, blankoma)

week 5 (july 18th)

we were seeing an abundance of rain around this time – quick, heavy rainfall – sometimes a few inches in just an hour. it left some of our areas flooded – destroying much of our herb production, 1/3 of our sweet potatoes, artichokes, and carrots (which we managed to rescue, knee-deep in the flooded field).

heirloom red russian kale, redbor kale, heirloom collards, rainbow & fordhook giant swiss chard, mottistone or oscarde head lettuce, garlic scapes, green top walla walla sweet onions, scallions, mild/hot peppers, bulb fennel, sweet italian basil, golden purslane, summer squash or broccoli or cauliflower, eggplant (some shares), kohlrabi, czechoslovakian heirloom helios radish, scarlet queen turnip, chioggia/red ace/touchstone gold/white beets, savoy cabbages, baby rainbow carrots from the great carrot rescue of 2013!, and cherry tomatoes mix (few shares).

week 6 (july 25th)

heirloom collards, redbor kale, purple kohlrabi, rainbow carrots, rainbow swiss chard/fordhook giant chard, white/purple cauliflower, broccoli, summer squash (4-5), adirondack red potatoes (1.5pounds), basil mix of sweet italian, thai, and dark opal (1/2 pound), rat-tailed radish, cherry tomato mix (pint), heirloom slicer tomato, mild/hot peppers (6), purple islander sweet pepper, purple or savoy cabbage, bush beans mix of green, yellow, & purple (1/2 pound), cucumber mix (2-3), heirloom eggplant (2-most shares), walla walla sweet onions (2), and purple onion.

week 7 (august 1st)

rainbow/fordhook giant swiss chard, purple cabbage, walla walla sweet onions (2), sweet/mild/hot peppers, cucumber mix, 1/4 pound rat-tailed radishes (most shares), 1/4 pound 3-variety basil mix, heirloom eggplant OR 1/2 pound bush beans mix, 1 1/2 pounds adirondack red taters, rainbow carrots OR parisian baby carrots, broccoli OR purple/white cauliflower, kohlrabi, radish mix of watermelon, czech heirloom, and spanish heriloom, cherry tomato mix OR heirloom slicer tomatoes (most shares), fresh garlic, and summer squash mix

week 8 (august 8th)

rainbow swiss chard, heirloom scotch kale & redbor kale mix, broccoli, 1 lb beans mix (yellow wax, purple, green, filet), 2 lb adirondack red taters, beets bundle, summer squash, heirloom eggplant, heirloom slicer tomatoes, pint cherry tomatoes, white n’ purple scallions, purple green top onions, rainbow carrots, sweet, mild, & hot peppers mix, heirloom cucumbers mix, greek oregano/thyme bundle, 1/2 lb red-veined sorrel/golden purslane mix, bulb fennel, and heirloom cabbage.

week 9 (august 15th)

we ended up having a lot of random extras, as well, so the shares had more than represented in this picture.

rainbow carrots, heirloom cucumber mix, purple green top onions, scallions, heirloom eggplant mix, summer squash mix, 1.5 pound bag of adirondack red potatoes, heirloom garlic, beets mix (chioggia, red ace, white, touchstone gold), purple-white cauliflower, cabbage mix (some shares), sweet corn (some shares), cherry tomatoes mix, heirloom slicer tomatoes, sweet, mild, & hot peppers, and a 1 pound bag of bush beans mix (filet, green, purple, dragon’s tongue, yellow wax)!

week 10 (august 22nd)

polish heirloom ground cherries, cherry tomatoes mix, heirloom slicer tomatoes (not shown), sweet peppers mix, heirloom cucumbers mix, summer squash mix, rainbow carrots, 2 pounds goldrush russet taters, broccoli sprouts, heirloom eggplant, purple green top onions, red oakleaf head lettuce, rainbow swiss chard, heirloom scotch kale/redbor kale mix, 1/2 pound 3-variety basil mix (thai, dark opal sweet, and sweet italian), korean sun jewel melon, chives, and old-fashioned sweet corn!

week 11 (august 29th)

old-fashioned sweet corn, rainbow swiss chard or heirloom kale, 1/2 pound beans mix, heirloom eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, heirloom ground cherries, spanish nero tondo radishes, rainbow carrots, cherry tomatoes mix, heirloom slicer tomatoes, onions or scallions, 1 1/2 pound goldrush russet taters, heirloom cucumbers, summer squash, beets, and heirloom melon (varies).

(picture doesn’t reflect the additional peppers/tomatoes that were added to each share)

week 12 (september 5th)

green tomatoes (break out those fried green tomato recipes!), cherry tomatoes mix, heirloom tomatoes, heirloom ground cherries, sweet & hot peppers, summer squash, rainbow carrots, purple cabbage, heirloom leek, heirloom eggplant, 1 lb. heirloom tomatillos, 2 lb goldrush russet taters, rainbow swiss chard. and 2 heirloom melons (varies).