Category Archives: csa

2004—Our First CSA Season

February 22, 2013csa, fair share farm, sugar snap peas, ten year anniversaryFarmer Rebecca

Since Fair Share Farm was first conceived it was always going to be a CSA farm. The concept of Community Supported Agriculture, and our experiences as both CSA members and apprentices had sealed the deal a long time previous. So 2004 was to be the year we would take on the responsibility of growing food for a community of local folks.

Step one was to generate membership. Through marketing the previous year at farmers markets, an article in the Kearney Courier, the KC Food Circle Expo, and word of mouth we were able to build a membership of 25 (our goal was 30). We held our first Core Group meeting at Fred and Carol Barth’s house along with member Kirk Day.

At the KC Food Circle Expo

Along with the vegetable growing, the infrastructure work continued. Our current packing room took shape as the barn received a makeover. The less than vertical north foundation wall was expertly replaced by a Menonite crew from Jamesport. John deftly felled the tree growing up the south side of the barn, and Rebecca and I re-built the lower barn so that it could house our cooler and wash area.

John dropping a tree

New wash area and packing room

The season started later than it does now, with the first share being handed out on Wednesday May 25, 2004. You can read all about it in our first Fair Share Farm CSA Newsletter. If you were around then you were lucky enough to get 2 pounds of sugar snap peas in your first share.

The first CSA farm work day

Our first distribution at the Crossroads Farmers Market

That bounty lightened up a bit as the season went on, however, as we learned just how wet and boggy some areas of our fields could get. The biggest loss of the season were the tomatoes and potatoes. Waterlogged from the start, and then eaten by the deer, the crop was meager. It is a tribute to those members who stuck with us after such disappointment, showing what supporting local agriculture means.

Soggy beds

Rain brings rainbows

Carrots have always seemed to thrive here

Late September share

We still had lots of ground to break in those days, and were still learning the craft of biological farming. We had yet to plant in the field up by the house. John had advised against it, as it was full of morning glory and cockelbur weeds. But we seeded brome grass and clover, and the wet summer helped this base vegetation flourish. We then started cutting beds and cover cropping with buckwheat.

The beds without the cover crop were lush too, with cockelbur weeds. We eventually got rid of them, without the use of herbicides, by balancing the mineral content of the soil and sticking with our cover cropping game plan. Today there is nary a cockel or a bur in that field.

Buckwheat flowering in distance and cockelbur crop in foreground

The winter was spent focusing on the house and more planning. These photos remind us that apparently we started our bathroom remodeling (yeeck!). It was finished by the following Spring.

Nothing but a memory now (yeah!)

With members Jessica and James—rounding up 2005 members in the Crossroads

So we worked and plotted our jump to 50 CSA members and enjoyed another winter on the farm. Next up—deer fences and full-time apprentices.

KC CSA Coalition Farm Tour

September 1, 2012csa, tourFarmer Rebecca

Come one, come all to the farm NEXT SUNDAY!

Fair Share Farm is hosting a farm tour and potluck Sunday, September 9th. All are welcome, whether you are currently a FSF CSA member or just want to learn more about what we are all about.

This event is sponsored by the Kansas City CSA Coalition. The KC-CSA Coalition supports our efforts to build a more sustainable future by promoting area CSA farms and educating the public on the benefits of CSA. See more about them here

The farm is green and lush from the deluge (5 inches so far!) we received from Hurricane Isaac. See your crops growing, meet folks like yourselves who care about where their food comes from, and eat good food.

3:30 pm farm tour

5:00 pm potluck

Bring a dish to share. RSVP to rebecca(a)fairsharefarm.com.

What to Do With Your Share—Week 7

June 20, 2012carrots, csa, sustainable agricuture, walla walla onions, zucchini frittersFarmer Rebecca

Summer will be officially upon us during Wednesday distribution this week, and the crops in the field are backing that up. The first cucumbers, more summer squash and a few cherry tomatoes all say that the Spring of 2012 is over.

With this hot, dry weather the zukes have grown large between pickings. So we are sorry that this week’s squash is big, but offer a recipe for zucchini fritters as a tasty suggestion for using them. The aroma alone is worth cooking these, so enjoy some fried food this week.

The carrots and Walla Walla onions make their debut for this season too. We love our carrots here at the farm and hope to have them in the share every other week for most of the rest of the season. This first selection is a variety called Bolero. They grow well in our soil, and have a nice shape, texture and taste. We recommend eating them fresh and raw right now. One important note however is to cut the green tops off if you are going to store them in the fridge, and be sure to keep them in a plastic bag, as they will dry out otherwise.

Find the cucumbers in the picture.

The Walla Walla’s are a sweet onion, so don’t be afraid to eat them raw too. They are a great addition to a fresh summer salad. Cukes, onions, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic makes a never fail simple, crisp and bright salad.

The dog days of Summer aren’t supposed to be until August, but this year they have arrived 2 months early. We are hoping that the temperatures do not continue to rise, as all living things on the farm are already feeling the effects of the abnormally hot Spring of 2012. Rocky tries to keep cool in his polar bear coat of fur by laying on the cool concrete in the barn or on the gravel in the packing area.

Our boy Rocky staying cool.

What to Do With Your Share—Week 4

May 30, 2012csa, kohlrabi, Mmmthistastesyummy, radish, sustainable agricultureFarmer Rebecca

Physical exhaustion is the name of the game this time of year, so we are glad that most of the vegetables we grow are edible raw. A simple stringing and a snap pea is an appetizer, a Hakurei turnip is ready to go right out of the bag, and quick washing, tearing and spinning makes a lettuce salad.

Believe it or not, one of the tastiest of raw vegetables is the kohlrabi. We pulled some of this week’s share last week, as they were at prime picking stage, and we didn’t want the hot weather to toughen them up. Some may have a little bit of fiber in the very center, but the ones that we have been noshing on have been crispy and juicy.

One thing that can perplex folks is how to peel a kohlrabi. Well, former FSF apprentice and local urban farmer Julie Coon can show you the proper way. In a new video series she is working on, she and cooking partner Danika Hanson prepare a scrumptious mix of lentils, couscous, Hakurei turnips, kohlrabi and curry.

Go to about the 5:00 mark to see the simplest way to peel a kohlrabi. You cut off the top and bottom, and then set it on the counter and cut down the sides, like you are taking corn off a cob.

So now, what else to do with that wonderful kohlrabi? The simplest thing is to cut it into slices or chunks and smother it with your favorite dressing. A more “complex” approach is to make a refined and tasty salad.

Depending on your tastes, you can make whatever you want. If you like Asian cooking use a dressing like the one in last week’s stir fry salad. If you are a hard core Midwesterner, use ranch dressing. Another style is to copy a jicama salad recipe and substitute the kohlrabi for the jicama. That is what we did last year, so check out that blogor simply search for jicama or kohlrabi salad.

Radish Dip
Last November, member Ann Flynn sent me this recipe for radishes. If you still have some in the fridge (and some dill and green garlic), this is a great way to use them. In Ann’s words “This dip is delish.”

1 cup finely chopped radishes

1 package of cream cheese (8 oz)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dill weed

Combine all ingredients. Use as a sandwich spread or on crackers or vegetables.

Finally, a shout out to our good friend Bill McKelvey, who took such beautiful photos and portraits during his visit last weekend. Here is Bill in front of the lens, and someone not pictured in Rebecca’s post…Rebecca!

What to Do With Your Share—Week 3

May 23, 2012csa, fair share farm, kansas city, napa cabbage, stir fry, sustainable agricultureFarmer Rebecca

This “Sprummer” weather has really been something so far. We have learned over the past 10 years that all you can do is go with the flow, and adjust your growing practices to fit the situation. In our case that has meant harvesting up to a month earlier than in the past and irrigating starting n April. A few more than anecdotal examples of this seasonal shift are in our past blogs and harvest records.

This year the strawberry harvest is already winding down. In 2010 we spotted the first ripe berry in mid-May and didn’t pick a full quart until tomorrow, the 23^rdof May. Other years showed a similar timeframe, with the first harvest somewhere at the end of May.

Likewise, the sugar snap peas are in full flush at the moment. In other years, it would be at least two weeks before we would start picking them. Best case with all of this, you eat better earlier in the year. Worst case, we’ve screwed up the balance of atmospheric gases with pollution, and we won’t be able to count on a “regular” season of weather too often.

Napa cabbage

The Share
Opportunities abound for delicious meals with this week’s vegetables, and any that you have left from last week. Remember, that for most all of the greens that we give you the best place for them is in a bag in your vegetable crisper. They will last over a week in such storage conditions. Vegetables will dry out in a fridge if not in a bag, so be sure to keep them happy.

First, a couple links to recipes. If you look to the right, you will see a link to member Emily Akins’ blog Everything Begins With an E. Her post of May 15^this for braised lettuce with peas..just the thing for your share. If lettuce has accumulated, here is a good chance to eat some in a new way.

Re: the peas, you can “string” the sugar snap or snow peas and cut them into small pieces as a substitute for individual peas. Remember, with both types of peas we give you the pods are edible, but it helps to snap off the top and pull off the string (see photo). Try the recipe on that link too.

The turnips will be in the shares for a while, so keep our curried Hakurei turnip recipe in mind.

Raw Stir Fry SaladOur suggested recipe for this is an Asian vegetable salad/slaw, or as Rebecca noted, it is a “raw stir fry.” It started as we pulled a Chinese cabbage last week to check them out. I wanted to make a slaw, but felt that was a little too normal and finely chopped. So I cut up the more solid ingredients (turnip, radish, cabbage stem) into chunks while chopping up the greens. Tossed with an Asian sauce it really is the same ingredients as a stir fry, but raw.

Ingredients:Any that your want from your share. It is a good use for the Chinese cabbage. Also good in it would be radish, turnips, turnip greens, peas, broccoli, onion. Cut greens fine and other parts chunky for a good mix of textures.

Dressing:For a slaw-like taste I go for a dressing that is about half oil and half sharp tasting liquid (ie, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce). You can try the following and adjust to your taste:
5 tbsp sesame oil, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp chopped ginger.

Method:
Prepare vegetables and mix well in a large serving bowl. Toss with dressing. Serve as is or over warm or cold rice. Garnish with cilantro and crushed peanuts.

Week 1: What to Do With Your Share

May 8, 2012csa, fair share farm, leeks, lettuce, stir fry, sustainable agriculture, thousand island dressingFarmer Rebecca

Welcome to the 2012 Fair Share Farm CSA. In this section of the blog we will give you recipe ideas and other suggestions for enjoying your share to the fullest. This weekly blog will serve as a jumping off point for you to explore your possiblities. The recipes we post are all tested, and often created, right here in our kitchen. We suggeest the following supplemental sources of information each week:
Fair Share Farm Recipe Page—This website page is a compilation of some of the recipes we have recommended in the past. It was compiled several years ago, so it does not include all of our recipes. You can use the search bar or menu to find what you are looking for.

2004-2006 Fair Share Farm Newsletters—Prior to the blog we posted newsletters every week. An archive of them is on our website. You can look at newsletters from weeks with the same date as the week of your share for some probable cooking options.

This blog—As with the newsletters, you can search out what we were doing in previous years to find recipes appropriate for that week’s share. Also, you can use the search bar in the upper righthand corner to look for things.

Use the Google and the internets—The early days of CSA’s consisted of mimeographed newsletters. Today, if you have internet access, the possibilities are endless. Find something tasty? Link it in our comment section or post it on our facebook page. We would like everyone to signup.

So…on with the show. We have a great first share this year. So nice that the encores could be difficult, but that is our job after all. Just no more hail storms please.

Before our feature recipe of the week, here are a few past ones that are known favorites. New to leeks? Try an Asparagus and Leek Fritatta, or if you don’t get your asparagus until next week, try Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Garlic.

The bok choi is perfect right now, so get the wok out and have a stir fry. Hope we don’t have to tell you what to do with the strawberries, but a nice option is presented below.

Butterhead Lettuce Wedge Salad with Strawberries and 1,000 Island Dressing
Rebecca and I saw a recipe similar to this on a cooking show this winter, and it stayed with us. The butterhead lettuce in your share is an Italian seed variety know as Regina di Maggio. They are the light green lettuces with the head in the center. The tender leaves combined with the thick dressing are a nice textural combination. Needing a knife to eat it makes it feel so civilized, like you are living at Downton Abbey.

Ingredients:
1 butterhead lettuce
Spring onion
Radishes
Strawberries

Dressing:
Combine in a bowl and blend 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp chili sauce or catsup, 2 tbsp chopped pepperoncinis or relish, 2 tbsp EV olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Peel the loose outer leaves away from the lettuce head and save them for salad or other use. With the root end still on, cut the lettuce head into sections (top to bottom). Keeping the root on allows you to wash and drain it without it falling apart.

To serve, cut off root and set wedges in individual bowls, cut side up. Top with chopped onions, radishes and strawberries. Top with dressing.

Fair Share Farm CSA to Start May 9th

April 29, 2012bad seed, csa, fair share farm, irrigation, lady beetles, onions, solar power, sustainable agriculture, tomato plantsFarmer Rebecca

The time has come to start the harvest. This Spring has been unusually mild and has created an early maturing of most everything on the farm. These conditions have convinced us to start the CSA a week earlier than originally planned. So…the schedule for the first week’s pickup will be:

Wednesday Distribution (Bad Seed or Farm) May 9th
Saturday Distribution (Liberty or Farm) May 12th

For deatils relating to your distribution site please click on the link. If you are a farm pickup, you will have chosen either Wednesday or Saturday, so please take note of which day you are scheduled for.

The farm crew has been busy keeping up with everything the last month. Our 2012 apprentices Dani Hurst and Ryan Stubby started the last week of March and have now been on the job for a month. Peruse the previous blogs and you can see all that we have been up to.

This last week we have been concentrating on our summer crops. On Monday we started up the irrigation system as the plants were becoming quite parched. Our solar irrigation system seems to be working well this season. You can see in the photo the high flow we get on-demand from the panels. We measured this flow at 35 gallons per minute.

Elsewhere in the field crops destined for future shares, such as onions and broccoli are growing well.

The tomato plants are starting to go out. The cherries and caged hybrids are in the ground, and the heirlooms and remaining hybrids are No. 1 on the runway. Squash and cucumbers are germinating in the greenhouse and will be in the field in the next 10 days or so.

We began seeing aphids in the greenhouse on the peppers and eggplants the last few days, so felt it was time to call in the biological hit squad of lady beetles. Rebecca bought some at Family tree nursery and we set 1/3 of them loose last night. This morning they seemed to be quite active. We expcet them to do their job and help keep our transplants as healthy as possible.

Look forward to seeing and feeding all of you soon.