2007 brings the 10th anniversaryr for my husband Pete and I as CSA farmers. It has been such a gift to examine and enjoy our CSA through these writings.
I have in the past year discussed various aspects of running a CSA from the nuts and bolts of seeds stating or growing corn to some of the administrative aspects such as pickup schedules and the writing of a weekly newsletter.
As we enter this exciting milestone year I’d like to hear from you the loyal Farm & Garden readers. Please contact me either publicly or privately via the comment or email links below with questions, comments or suggestions as to how this CSA column can better help you, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned CSA farmer.
As with any endeavor experience brings with it certain expertise but also a tendency to take that expertise for granted, thus inadvertently ignoring the very topics you folks may find helpful. No questions or concern should be considered foolish or unimportant as the saying goes “the only stupid question is the one not asked.”
Each week as mentioned in a previous column I write a newsletter. It must be completed by late Sunday morning, for Sunday afternoon is pickup day one each week. I tend not to dwell on what I’ll write each week, I just hope for the muse to strike. Fortunately a small diversified farm, with beautiful veggies and (usually) enjoyable farm animals provides ample fodder for educating and entertaining my membership, the first ripe snow pea or a broody hen attempting to hatch a golf ball are examples.
So dear reader think of yourselves as my collective muse joining some very good company, in a perfectly ripe snow pea or comical broody hen. Thank you in advance.
A Quick Update
Since closing the 2006 CSA season on October 13, 2006, I’ve had no weekly newsletter to write, but the farm itself never closes of course. Allow me to regal you folks with a little bit of “Hay From the Farm.”
The first light frost was “right on time” the following night of the 14th. It was so light that it left lots of food for this farmer turned cook to enjoy: stuffed peppers, swiss chard and kale soup, winter squash casserole, sauerkraut, one last batch of salsa (I oven roasted all the veggies prior to pulsing the in the food processor, very good), angel cakes, omelets, apple cake with apples from a local orchard, and one batch of pepper jelly with I think enough non-squishy peppers left in the basement refrigerator for one more batch.
The “girls” have entered their winter production drop and my daily egg hunt nets only two to three eggs per day, but two dozen plus eggs per week is quite enough for Pete and I with a few extra to send back with the college-student offspring. Possibly even a few to sell if the customer gives me a few days lead time to gather the dozen.
The other “girls,” the Highland cows, heartily welcomed the new addition to the herd. Thor is a very handsome golden colored Highland bull. The reigning steers were not as delighted and a bit of “King of the Hill” tussling ensued, but as his named suggests Thor quickly took his place as King of this Green HILL.
Happy New Year, From, Beth, Pete and all the “girls” and “guys” at Green Hill Farm