Autumn's heavy frost isn't the end of CSA shares for some farms. More and more farms are opting to extend their growing season with the use of heavy duty-season extenders. Consumers are much more aware of what they're eating, how it has been raised and grown, and where their food comes from than they were 10 years ago. We want good food! A lot of us want our fresh food available to us in what are traditionally considered to be out-of-season times.
Cold-weather shares benefit the farmer and the consumer. Farmers are able to sell new shares that generate a second and sometimes third set of incomes. A lot can go wrong on a farm during the normal growing season. These cold-weather shares can save a farm from having an unprofitable year. Consumers continue to buy food from the farmers they know and trust.
Some vegetables, such as the frost-covered Ruby Red Perfection cabbage shown in the photo, aren't fazed by frost. Some vegetables taste better after being frosted, although snow does usually mean the end of the outdoor growing season.
Out of the Cold Cellar
Traditional fall vegetables include winter squash, pumpkins, cabbage, carrots, rutabaga, turnip, potatoes, beets and other root crops. Fall also brings in late apples. All of these vegetables can be stored in cold cellars. Onions and garlic also store well in the cellar. Farms offering these choices often opt for one pick up per month. Farmers take inventory of what they have in the root cellar weekly. They're counting and looking for signs of spoilage. Vegetables with soft spots are usually taken to their own kitchen and used immediately.
During the "root cellar" share you might also get frozen fruits and vegetables such as the excess raspberries and tomatoes from summer. Dehydrated foods store easily and are a good substitute for fresh during the winter. Laws vary from state to state so not all farms will be able to offer processed foods. Eggs are usually available at least until the days are very short. Laying slows down and sometimes stops during the longest nights of the year.
Prices vary greatly from farm to farm. Work shares probably aren't available since there's little work to do for this kind of share. If your local farmers don't offer shares like this you can ask them to consider it for the following year. Storage space is a requirement that could be a problem.
Late Winter and Early Spring Shares
My vegetable-growing friends nearby take a break from the middle of December through February. Part of this time is spent resting, placing the new year's seeds and supplies orders, and working in the greenhouses. During this time of year there's little fresh food to share in my area (Maine). When the days are longer and warmer the plants will break dormancy and start to grow. What's growing? Greens! Remember those fresh, crisp greens of spring, summer and fall? By late February you might be able to pick up fresh greens in your new late winter/early spring share.
Growers established their beds back in late summer and early fall. They harvested until it became too cold and dark, and put the beds...to bed. This share might include greens such as spinach, collards, beet greens and a variety of Asian greens. You could be treated to a few hardy lettuces that germinate once the soil inside the greenhouse warms sufficiently.
Farmers use raised beds and row covers inside the greenhouses during this time of year. Every additional layer of protection over a crop can lend as much as one zone up in warmth. Row cover over a coldframe can virtually move a crop 1,000 miles south without leaving the greenhouse. Keeping the day's heat under cover with the plants at night makes a big difference. These shares are picked up weekly or bi-weekly. Expect to make a stronger commitment to picking up your share. It’s nice to drive to the farm in summer but when you have to put on your boots, coat, gloves, hat, scarf and warm up the car pickup day is less enticing. Maybe the flowers included in your share are enough to bring you out! Who can resist fresh flowers while there's still snow on the ground?
You can expect this share to end before the early spring planting season begins. Farmers will need time to work on equipment, prepare soil, start seeds and get ready for the regular CSA season.