CSA Newsletter #10
/As the sun sets on the 2022 CSA season, our hearts are filled with gratitude for your participation this year! Without our devoted customers/members, we couldn’t do what we love to do….”Cultivate Passion for Agriculture!”
Do you remember the email we sent out in late May/early June saying we’d have to start 1-2 weeks later than expected due to the cold spring? Gosh, doesn’t that seem like 3 weeks ago? But then when you think about all the long, hot days we’ve had since 4th of July, it seems like….well, like 10 weeks ago! LOL!
This was a year for our record books! The cold temps early in the season had us scrambling and replanting and stressing! But then 4th of July hit and there was no looking back. Temps sky rocketed and stayed which brought about different concerns and worries about the crops. The lettuce and broccoli quit all together but the corn and tomatoes were living their best lives! It’s been a strange weather year here in Missoula and when you farm, you are at the mercy of all that weirdness! But I’d say despite the struggles and obstacles we had this season, we pulled it out and were successful. It took a lot of team work and brain power to make sure things were always getting replanted and back up seedlings were being cared for in the greenhouse. Looking back, it was an intense but also a fun time to be totally consumed with our farm!
As always our community steps up and supports us and all the local farms in Missoula! We know you have lots of other choices so we are always humbled when you continue to chose us! The CSA model came about in the early 1990’s when small farms were trying to break into the market but were having a hard time. The model came from Europe and many of the small farms on the east coast started to implement it. The idea of the community helping the farmer getting started financially in the spring and in return reaping the benefit of the harvest quickly caught on for the farmers and the communities. Today, CSAs are a vital part of most small farms across the globe including our own. It’s a beautiful model which really connects the farmer with the consumer and the consumer with their food and their farmer!
What’s in your bags this last week…..
~Corn: Sadly, we are almost done with the corn. it’s been an awesome 3+ weeks of sweet corn! Always a sad day when we realize that season is closing up!
~Eggplant: NEW! These are so fun! We love making a RATATOUILLE with eggplant, tomato, onion and zucchini drizzled with some herbed olive oil and a balsamic vinegar then baked in the oven until tender! So delish! We also love making BABA GNOUSH, a garlic and eggplant dip!
~Garlic: This bulb has been fully cured so you don’t need to be in a big rush to use it up!
~Zucchini: See the above recipe for Ratatouille!
~Tomatoes: Enjoy the season of tomatoes! If you need some for canning or sauces, contact us! We have an abundance of tomatoes this year!
~Cherries: The last of the Flathead Cherries! Mmmmm!
~Green Beans: A little bigger than what we like but still super tasty!
~Onion: There is a white spanish onion and a golden storage onion. The white is zesty and so flavorful but should be used in the next few weeks. The storage onion has been cured and can be stored for awhile (it actually has a storage life of 12 months if stored correctly!).
~Basil: You can’t have eggplant, garlic, zucchini and tomatoes without basil! My word, that would be a criminal offense! LOL! By the way, if you take these basil stems and put them in water, they will begin to grow roots. Once a good amount of roots is established, you can put the stem into a pot of soil and voile, you have your own basil plant for the winter! Just keep watering, giving it a sunlight and pruning it!
~Cucumbers: Still the quintessential taste of summer! Enjoy them one last time this season!
Mark your calendars for the month of October! We host a pumpkin patch along with the entire farm being open to the public from Oct. 1st-23rd! Check our website for days and times! It’s fun time to enjoy the farm, the beautiful fall weather and pick out a local pumpkin! During the weekends we have food trucks and other fun things going on! Stop by and celebrate the harvest season with us!!