So what’s happening on the farm this week? VOLUME X, JOURNAL 1

Week 1:
Hi everyone! We are so glad that you are on this journey with us this growing season. This is our 10th year of running a CSA and we are always excited for the new CSA year to begin. It is great to share the ups and downs with farming with a group of folks who really care about where their food is coming from. Our daughter Sadie (now 7.5) looks forward to Mondays to see you all and help pack the bags for our Thursday folks. “Mama, is it time yet ” – in the early spring when we are setting out new transplants and seeding little tiny seeds – not yet. While we weed the wee little peas – “Mama, is it time yet” – no, not yet. While we transplant the tomatoes into their warm hoop houses and transplant the tender greens in the field – “Mama, is it time yet” – almost, soon very soon. In her waiting for the season to begin, Sadie has planted her own bigger garden this year, up behind the peas – I think its 5 x20′. She is hoping to share some of those cucumbers with you and those purple peppers;)
We have made some additions, thanks our very supportive CSA members this growing season. We are putting up two caterpillar tunnels – these are two temporary tunnels that we will take the plastic off of in the winter. They are 14 x 100′. We will be growing our peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and melons in them. And we bought in 20 yards of Vt Compost company Compost to keep adding to our organic manner in the fields. Another amazing addition, thanks to a two year loan from the Vermont Farmer Fund, we have a BCS walk behind tractor, made in Italy, and this tractor will help us go to a permanent raised bed system that will help with wet seasons, add more organic matter into the soil we are actually growing in, little to no soil compaction, and a lot more fertility and intensive growing of crops. We are excited – it even has a potato digger and a flail mower.
We have two amazing apprentices this year – Frank and Julia. Frank has been with us since April 1 and Julia came almost a month ago from Ohio. You’ll get to know them over the season. They are definitely well loved by Sadie and Delia (and us of course).For those of you who were with us last year, Carly is doing well and living in Burlington and working at Adams Berry Farm.
This Spring we had 12 lambs, one of those being a bottle lamb Moe – you might see him around, he is a cutie. Also, on May 2nd, Maggie gave birth to boy calf. You can always go out and visit with the lambs and their moms and their two friendly and curious boy calfs Al and Jack.
** We will not be having pickup next week June 15**- but no worries, you will still get your 18 weeks of veggies. The month of June is tricky for us with the soil needing to warm up, and this spring it being so dry, things took a little longer to grow. SO we are skipping this coming Monday to let veggies grow – we will be in touch next week about the following week. According to our paper plans, we should have had plenty of food to go, but with dry conditions – we were watering day and night – basically just trying to keep every thing alive.
Feel free to email or call if you have questions. My hope and goal is to have one of these journals out each week with news from the farm and recipes.
June 22 – we are hoping to do a Burger night with the Accidental Farmer. You will be able to purchase and eat dinner here while you pick up your veggies. We will be sending out more info on this. This will be open to CSA members and anyone who would like to come.
As we harvest the spinach, and Delia and Sadie eat it in the field with eagerness,
As we wash the lettuce heads in the big cold tub of water,
As we pluck the juicy rhubarb from their stocks,
As we spin the arugula in the washer, with happy girls sitting on the top for a shaky ride,
“Mama, is it time yet”
“Yes, sweet girl, it’s time – Let the CSA season begin.”
It is amazes me how much this land nourishes all of us – our bellies, our souls, our minds. Thanks for being part of it. Thanks for listening.
Have a great week.
We look forward to farming with you this season.
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie, Frank and Julia
What’s in the share this week:
This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Lettuce heads, rhubarb, tomato plants, pepper plant, Arugula, Mesuclin or Baby Red Russian Kale, Spinach, Dill
 
Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale
We are very lucky to have two milking cows – Annie and Maggie – both give us plenty of milk each and every day and we would like to share that with you and anyone else would like to have raw milk. We sell it $5 a half gal. We also can do a sliding scale if needed for the milk. You can buy milk at CSA pickup or anytime out of our barn fridge next to our house at 34 quaker.
 
Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.75 a dozen. $3.00 half dozen
***FRESH CERTIFIED ORGANIC whole CHICKEN AVAILABLE at the FARM Soon in the next week or two – we will let you knowJ
Recipes:
What we have done lately with the spinach and arugula – together – made them into a pesto with a nuts or sunflower seeds, olive oil and cheese. Yum – the girls love it.
Spinach you can eat raw or slightly steamed. We made some really great Chicken Saag the other night.
Arugula is peppery salad green and a maple balsamic vinaigrette is amazing for it.
The mesculin mix is a mix of spring greens that can be cooked or eaten raw. They are a mixture of mustards, kales, mizuna, asian greens.
 
Orange Maple Dressing – from the Accidental Farmer
1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons of Vermont maple syrup 2 tablespoons of orange juice 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons if ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an air tight container or jar. Will keep for up to seven days.
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 part maple syrup
1 part balsamic vinegar
1/2 part of olive oil
salt and pepper
and shake:)
It keeps well in the fridge – the olive oil may separate in fridge – but just shake and everything mixes together again.

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