In the Share 

RED POTATOES: “New”potatoes are dug fresh and the skins have not yet cured. They aren’t for keeping, but man are they tasty.

ONIONS: These Desert Sunrise red onions are well cured and ready for all your allium needs. An overwintered onion, it can be strong.

CUCUMBERS: You might see a variety of cucumber types in your share, regular slicers and picklers.
SUMMER SQUASH: Tonight our vegetable side dish is zucchini and onion with garlic and tomato sauce garnished with basil. It is a yummy addition to any meal.

BASIL BUNCH: This year we bought several basil varieties that are resistant to a mildew that has plagued our basil the last several years. This year’s crop is healthy and green. Some varieties are small leafed and others are large. All have a great basil flavor.

SALSA PACKS, GREEN BEANS OR OKRA: Most all of the summer crops are beginning to kick in this week at various stages of harvest.

GREEN PEPPERS: A green and a purple pepper to start the harvest. Grilling them with some onions and garlic creates a great side dish, omelet stuffing, meat topping or burrito addition.

TOMATO: These fruits of summer are just starting too. We grow a wide variety of hybrid and heirloom in a rainbow of colors.  Enjoy!

Farm report

It is the busiest time of year for us as we juggle all three seasons of crops in the field. The potato harvest today was a beautiful thing. The old timey plow opened the hills like a zipper. The soil was loose, dare near crumbly. This is remarkable given that all too often the potato harvest on our upland soils end up breaking plows in the hard dry ground. Instead, it was like buttah…

Nothing lifts a farmers spirits more than a good harvest.   A second planting of cucumbers and squash should be coming in as the first one is tapering out.

The plants are producing well, but the pest pressure is getting to be too much. Hopefully it will take them awhile to find the new crop on the other side of the farm.

So far we have been keeping on track during this strange season. The month of July is long days filled with the summer harvests and plantings for fall. It is a lot to juggle in a normal year. Our strategy remains to stay focused on our work, keep social distancing and stay healthy and as sane as possible. Progress continues on the preparations for fall. First step, back in March, plant a cover crop. Several steps later, we have incorporated the cover crop, spread compost and minerals, shaped the beds and subsoiled.  Now we are ready to begin planting.

With a little sweat and toil, this area and several others around the farm will be transformed into roots and greens for the fall harvest. 

In the Share 

CARROTS: First digging of the season. Enjoy the freshness and crunch of these beauties. We shred them into a salad to add color and sweetness.

BEETS: Try the Beets with Butter and Maple Syrup recipe from our June, 2016  blog.

GARLIC: Fresh as can be, it is great to have it in the shares again.

WALLA WALLA ONIONS: It is great to see the onions sizing up in the field. The Walla Walla’s are nice and sweet, a great addition to a fresh cucumber salad.

 LETTUCE: Last of the heads until fall. This summer crisp type goes great on sandwiches.

SQUASH: For the last two nights we have used our zoodler to make some zucchini noodles and sautéed them with some onion and garlic. A little butter and salt is all you need to finish this tasty dish.

CUCUMBER: Don’t forget to lightly salt your cucumbers after dicing to help them keep their crispness.

HERB MIX: A bunch of basil with a sprig or two of parsley or summer savory. You can chop the whole bunch up for a pesto, or garnish your dishes for the week.

Farm report 

Well, we are back. The farmer report was silent last time to keep the focus on healing the wounds of racism in our country. It won’t be done in a week, or a month, or a year, but we hope that everyone keeps the conversation going.

On top of considering ways to actively fight racism in our community (“home of Jesse James”, so yes there’s a bit of work to do…) we have been giving a lot of thought to the prospect of re-opening the farm to the community amid the pandemic. Long story, short, we have decided to postpone any changes in our current “stay-at-home” policy until the end of July.

 So, there will be no CSA member farm shifts for July at the very least. It is a difficult decision to make because we know many of our families are feeling the cabin fever and would love to stretch their legs and run around the farm on a Saturday. Many CSA members have expressed concern for the farm and what a burden this puts on us with less help.

Our concern continues to be that even one positive case on the farm would be devastating. We would need to shut down at the peak of the season and quarantine ourselves when we are at our busiest. And there would still be chickens to feed, plants to water and crops to harvest.

If the pandemic had arrived in 2006 or even 2016, when were over stretched and under staffed, we might have come to a different decision. Now, thanks to a leaner crop schedule and our current crew, we are keeping up despite it all. Actually, the 2020 farm crew rocks!! They are a shy bunch so don’t expect to see them plastered all over social media, but the farm is purring along thanks to Marlene, Lucas, Liz and Danielle. They are an experienced, efficient lot with plenty of integrity and grit and we love them all dearly.

 We hope that our CSA members do not take this to mean that we do not need them. On the contrary, we need the CSA more than ever. It continues to be very challenging to adapt to a new normal that is still revealing itself. The farm prospers because of the intent that so many have given to her rebirth. Who knows what the future looks like, regardless,we know as long as we have the support of the community, it will all work out. We will continue to explore ways to include the CSA in our work and we hope that one day we will be able to welcome you all back to the farm.  Until then, we thank you all for your support. It means everything.

Before we go, we must mention that is National Pollinator Week! Every year we have increased our plantings of pollinator habitat or “insectories”. Pollinators are crucial to the production of many crops and native plants plus they are fascinating to observe. Please avoid pesticides in your gardens and buy organic to protect these essential workers.

In the Share 

SUGAR SNAP PEAS: Fresh versus cooked can be a tough choice for these sweet pods. If fresh don’t forget to string them. If you cook them, sauté some onions and garlic scape in olive oil before adding the peas. Cook the peas a couple minutes, add some chopped herbs, cook a minute more.

NAPA CABBAGE: The heart of our kimchi recipe, this napa cabbage is also good cooked. It is a mild and tender green. I like to cut the stems in big chunks, giving any dish a hearty feel.

RED LEAF LETTUCE: The last red leaf of the spring.

ROMAINE LETTUCE: A small head of crunchy romaine. The red variety is Red Rosie.

SCALLIONS: Scallions go with most anything. Add them to a creamy salad dressing or to a lettuce and cabbage salad.

GREENS CHOICE: Sprouting broccoli, kale or chard.

HERB MIXED BUNCH: We will be picking parsley, summer savory, basil, oregano and maybe more as we prune the herbs this week. Oregano and summer savory are best cooked while the parsley and basil shine when fresh.

ROOTS MIX: A mix of radishes and turnips.

Farm report 

This week we are skipping the usual crop update and farmer complaints about the weather. Instead we take this time to reflect on racism in our country.

 As a couple of white farmers we are not the experts on the topic, however, we feel very deeply that our democracy has yet to live up to its promise of equality and justice for all.  We understand that all injustices come from the same sickness:  racism, sexism, homophobia, environmental exploitation.     
We must create a new way of living with each other and the planet if we are to survive.  The outpouring of support for the Black Lives Matter protests give us hope.  Our thoughts are with those putting their bodies in the streets to demand change. 

In the Share 

STRAWBERRIES: Here they come! Enjoy these first pickings. Be sure to save some for use in strawberry salad dressing (see below).

CHARD OR KALE: So good for you, these spring greens are at their peak. Unlike their spring buddies in the high tunnel, these greens have been able to enjoy the outdoors for the last several months, and grow with direct sunlight. Enjoy the difference each crop brings.

ROMAINE LETTUCE: We love romaine lettuce. Crunchy for a sandwich, or in a wholesome salad.

RED LEAF LETTUCE: A favorite time of year for us is when the fresh Spring lettuces meet strawberry season.

ASPARAGUS: One last picking this week. Once the strawberries come on, it is time to stop picking the asparagus and let it grow ferns for the summer.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI: Great in a frittata, or raw in a crudité with a mustardy dip.

GARLIC SCAPES: The garlic is ready for the shares, in scape form. This flower stalk is a great in a strawberry dressing. https://fairsharefarm.com/wp2/search?q=garlic+scape+dressing   Add extra strawberries and some mayo for an even creamier dressing.

SPRING ROOTS: A mix of turnips and radishes from the field.

Farm report 

The farm is flush with growth with the recent rains. After a month long dry spell in which whole days were spent laying irrigation, it feels good to have some damp. The new transplants and the ripening Spring crops are drinking up the moisture and growing before our eyes. The potatoes are ready for another hilling.

The Swiss Chard is ridiculously happy. Next door our insectary of flowers (not many flowering yet) and old seed has given us an early flush of roots, an unexpected bonus of radishes and turnips for the shares.

Rain means softer soil, and good conditions for turning under the cover crops in preparation for the sweet potato and fall crops. This was a particularly beautiful stand of ladino clover, crimson clover, sweet clover and barley.

If you have a chance, we encourage you to check out Farmer Tom’s presentation he gave on soil health for a recent Growing Growers workshop, which covers how we feed our soil the same way we feed our body, and what improvements we have made to the land during our 18 years of farming. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwjrPgl89xo&t=140s

In the Share 
KALE: First picking from the field, these bunches highlight several varieties of kale that we grow. They all are a bit different, some smooth and some frilly. Let us know what you think. 

BUTTERHEAD LETUCE: It is lettuce heaven at the farm right now. The butterheads are living up to their name. Quarter is and have it as a wedge, or break it apart for lettuce wraps.

FRISEE ENDIVE: Another frilly vegetable in the share, this mild salad green adds flavor, texture and color to a salad.

RED LEAF LETTUCE: Rounding out the trio of salad greens, our dependable New Red Fire.

SPRING ONIONS: We started these onions last August. They are a variety that can overwinter, bringing us an early crop. Welcome back onions!

CILANTRO/DILL MIX: Chop the bunch together and add some oil and crushed nuts for a fresh, spring pesto.

ASPARAGUS: The amount you get will depend on your distribution location. The harvest slowed down with the recent frosts. We are looking for a flush once the warm weather returns.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI: Our outdoor planting is kicking into gear, giving us a bounty of early growth. The shoots are edible and tender. Have them raw with some dip or dressing.

Farm Report 
While the share may look similar to recent ones, there is actually a big shift taking place, as our harvest moves to the field. The Spring fields look good which is a relief after what was a very cold and extremely windy start to the growing season. The hard work of repeatedly re-pinning wind-whipped covers is hopefully behind us now. The reward is big salads and nutritious greens for weeks to come.

 The farm feels eerily normal at times despite the pandemic. We continue to wear masks inside the buildings and the washing and packing area, but out in the field today planting the summer crops one could almost forget the troubles of our world. It is not hard to stay six feet apart when you are putting in long rows of plants on the contour.

 Today, we finally decided that the frosts are behind us and planted the majority of the summer crops: hundreds of tomatoes and peppers also eggplant, okra, basil and lots of flowers. Our new electric workhorse pulling it’s little trailer was the perfect vehicle for bringing the plants to the field.

In the midst of a flurry of harvest and planting, CSA member Andy arrived with his drone and got some great photos of the farm.

 You can see our berms and swales running about every forty feet on the contour. Also visible are the tracks of the subsoiler that we have dragged 18 inches down running parallel to the berms. Our old pattern of rectangles is giving way to the undulations of the earth itself.

In the Share: 

TAT SOI: As deep green as can be, tat soi is mild enough for a fresh salad, a stir fry, or even a kimchi. Some of this week’s bunches have some flowertops, all of which is very edible and add color to your dish.

RED LEAF LETTUCE The lettuce is starting to size up well. The “New Red Fire” variety is both crispy and tender.

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE: A favorite around here. Cut it into wedges and dress with shredded root vegetables, nuts, raisins and dressing.

RADISH/SALAD TURNIP BUNCH: The radish is crisp and fresh, while the turnips are sweet and juicy. These are some of our best.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI: It seems to us that the broccoli is only getting sweeter. It is good both raw and cooked when topped with mustard vinaigrette.

ASPARAGUS: The asparagus plants are starting this season strong and we are happy to be able to get a bunch to everyone. Snap off the tough, white end and enjoy this spring treat. We dusted the spears with garlic and onion powder before frying in a little oil until crisp.

CILANTRO/DILL BUNCH: A fresh garnish for most anything you cook, we like to add it to yogurt to make a dressing/dip.

SPINACH OR CHARD: These two greens are actually in the same botanical family. Only spinach is recommended for fresh eating. This week’s chard is bagged, so there is not as much stem as with the bunches. So all you have to do is rinse it, cut it up, and add it to your pasta sauce, soup or potatoes. 

Farm report: 

Greetings from the farm! Our “home office” is the great outdoors which is a lot quieter these days without the community working with us. In the evening we go indoors and catch up on the news and our hearts sink, but during the day our spirits are lifted by the natural world that surrounds us. The high tunnel has never been happier.

Turnips, red lettuce, spinach and sprouting broccoli fill the frame. All of what is in the share this week, except asparagus, is coming out of the high tunnel. After this share, the indoor pickings will be slim and we will need to rely on the outside fields to keep us fed. The freeze two weeks ago did do some damage. It may be a lighter share in two weeks as a result.

The freeze came under the covers.  Some of the strawberry flowers were lost. Any with black centers won’t bear fruit. Luckily many more healthy flowers are blooming now.

The aerial shots were from the last transmissions of our first drone-SKYBOT-1. Too lightweight for a stiff wind, we lost the little guy in the pond. The pics do a good job of showing how we have changed from a rectangular farming system to one on the contour.

 The swales are placed to move water throughout the farm, rather than letting it rush away and erode the soil. The space between the swales, (aka, the “alleys”) is where we will be growing our crops, pasturing livestock, planting perennials, and managing water. We are glad we could get a view from above of what we have been doing. It helps us better visualize our progress.

IN THE SHARE:

SWISS CHARD: If you are new to chard be sure to chop and cook the stems first, and then the leaves. We add a quarter cup or so of vinegar while the chard is cooking, to help mellow it out. Green garlic is a nice addition too.

CABBAGE: The cabbages have been stored in our cooler since fall, awaiting their return to our tables. Grate it into a slaw, cook it with the potatoes, or add it to a soup.

POTATOES: These Kennebec potatoes were dug late last summer. We keep them cold and in the dark, fast asleep until now. We like them this time of year in a hash.

SPOUTING BROCCOLI OR BOK CHOI: The sweet taste of broccoli vs. the crunchiness of bok choi make this a tough choice.

LETTUCE:  First little heads from the high tunnel.

SPINACH OR LETTUCE:  We may have one or the other at each distribution site, farmers choice.

GREEN GARLIC: It’s great to have the chance to harvest some garlic again. Chop it fine and add to egg salad or other spreads.

CHIVES: Garnishing your meal with fresh chives connects you with the first growths of spring. Mix it with sour cream or yogurt to make a great dip, or into your morning scrambled eggs.

FARM REPORT:

The farm is in week three of hunkering down due to the virus. We are staying home and away from others as much as possible. We are hand-washing, using sanitizer, physical distancing and other measures to ensure that we keep our community safe. Face masks arrived last week. We use them during post-harvest handling and at farmers markets and CSA pickup.

Compared to most, our lives have not changed much due to the virus. We work from home, grow food, with no kids and few social engagements. We are a crew of four which can easily keep our social distance across the fields. Less cars on our little country road have meant we hear more birds and frogs instead. So far we are all healthy.  It is an embarrassment of riches during a worldwide pandemic.

We had thought perhaps that even Spring itself had gone into hiding. Bitter cold north winds blasted the farm on Easter weekend. The same storm that left a foot of snow in Wisconsin, led to 50 tornadoes across the South, gave us freezing temperatures and a relentless wind that turned our covers into tatters.

They were all patched and back on the next day, but it is too soon to tell how the crops will fare. The plants aren’t dead but they might be stunted.

Other crops are fine and happy for the moisture and cooler temps. The strawberry patch has been growing leaves, but no blossoms yet, luckily. May flowers bear June fruit, but they will probably start flowering in late April.

 The onion transplants are adjusting to their new ground. They can handle cold nights and don’t need cover. You can also see here our new farming system on the contour with berms every 40 feet.

It has been fun learning to wrap ourselves around the berms and swales that we installed this winter. They attempt to solve the problem of uneven distribution of water on our farm. The berms slow down the movement of water down our slopes, preventing erosion and allowing more moisture to stay on the land and soak in. So far, they seem to be working.

Meanwhile, the hens are enjoying the fresh Spring growth of the cover crops and whatever insects might buzz their way.

We look forward to the day when we can welcome the community back to the farm to see it all in person. Until then, let’s stay home and be well.

BONITA SWEET POTATOES: The Bonita’s definitely live up to the word sweet. Also, be careful as they cook relatively quickly, so check them often for tenderness. Treat them as you would a white potato and make a unique salad.

SALAD TURNIPS AND RED RADISHES: Fresh and crispy, all you need is a little salt to enhance the flavor of these fresh roots.

BOK CHOY, SWISS CHARD OR SPROUTING BROCCOLI: .

SPINACH OR LETTUCE MIX: Fresh greens from the high tunnel. A tough choice, but no losers here. The spinach is full of body and flavor while the lettuce is tender and crunchy.

ROOTS MIX: A mix of carrots, beets, and two types of colorful radishes can make for a bright fresh slaw, or a yummy roast. More suggestions below.

BULB FENNEL OR LEEK: Great roasted with the root mix.

GARLIC: We store the garlic in a cool and dry cooler to keep it at peak quality. It goes with everything in the share.

DILL OR ROSEMARY: We still have some herbs in the high tunnel. Just the thing to garnish a slaw or cooked greens.

RECIPE: The root mix this week is a versatile group of vegetables. When used fresh, you simply have to clean and grate them together with some salt, garlic, and a dressing of your choice. That has been our angle the last few days. A finely chopped couple stalks of fennel really enhances the dish’s freshness. On the other hand, all you have to do is clean and cut the vegetables into chunks, toss with a little salt, oil and herbs, and roast at 400 F for 30 to 45 minutes. Mix in some fennel and sweet potatoes for a real mix of flavors.

FARM REPORT:
‘Tis the final week of the 2019 CSA season, and just in time as old man winter arrived last night. The low dipped to 5 degrees, although by the time the sun was up enough to take the photo it had reached a balmy 7.

This is perhaps the coldest weather this early in the fall that we have experienced in our 17 years of growing food on the Graff place. It was an abrupt change from the 65 degrees we enjoyed on Saturday during our hike across the farm.

In the high tunnel with two heavy layers of row cover, we still had some freezing. Most plants recovered but you may notice a bit of tinged stems and leaves in your share this week. They are all still completely edible and may be even sweeter due to the cold snap.

The cold has kept the farm crew indoors as much as possible. Between the high tunnel and the fermenting kitchen there is still plenty of space to work even when it is freezing outside. The cooler is full of cabbages and roots destined for pickles and krauts. Today we made green kimchi from the last field harvests of bok choy and tat soi. The kitchen is spacious enough that we move the winter packing work inside as well. Having year-round work is important for our employees and the farmers too. We look forward to watching the winter season from the big kitchen windows.

Finally, we thank our 100 CSA member families from the bottom of our dirty boots for joining us this season. Our farm is growing stronger every day due to your consistent support. We hope you have a happy, healthy winter season and look forward to feeding you again in the Spring. We also encourage you all to support the Brookside Winter Market, which has a record number of vendors this season: https://www.brooksidefarmersmarket.com/   We hope to see you there!

SALAD TURNIPS: We can’t grow these turnips any better. Eat these fresh with a little salt for a wonderful appetizer or snack.

SPINACH: The spinach has flourished in the protection of the high tunnel. Enjoy it with some fresh cheese or with some free-range organic eggs.

CABBAGE: Fresh fall cabbage is always a treat. The harvest always coincides with the coming of cold autumn nights. To keep cabbage crisp and tender, salt it after cutting.

KALE AND BROCCOLI BUNCHES: Tender tops of the kale rescued from the field before the freeze. Bundled with some hefty sprouting broccoli, they make a great greens combo.

GARLIC: This softneck garlic stores best in the vegetable crisper. And if you have a garden, you can plant the larger cloves in your garden now to get a head of garlic next July.

LETTUCE/ARUGULA: Wednesday pickup will be lettuce, Satuday and Monday will get the arugula.

FARM REPORT
With the onset of wintery weather, the best work environment on the farm is the high tunnel.

The first picking of the spinach crop is outstanding. If we are lucky, we will continue to pick it every few weeks throughout the winter into next Spring. For the next several months, our harvest field has been reduced to this 30 ft. by 96 ft. space. While buttoning up the end wall, we got a bird’s eye view.

Left to Right:  Swiss Chard, sprouting broccoli, spinach, salad turnips, lettuce.  Outside is another story, with the fields headed towards a winter slumber.

This was on a lovely fall day last week when we got out the big ladders and buttoned up the end of the high tunnel.  Since then, we have just a few tasks left to complete before we can settle in to the winter routine. We could use a few more sunny, dry days to plant and mulch the garlic, wind up the remaining irrigation tape and chop down the sunflower stalks. As the season draws to a close, nature dresses herself in her own Halloween decorations.

BULB FENNEL: Chop the white part of a couple stalks along with some fronds and add to any fresh salad.

SWEET POTATOES: Dug several weeks ago and cured in the greenhouse. We’ve cutting them into wedges and covering with a cumin, coriander, paprika and garlic rub. Toss in olive oil, then the spice mix, and bake at 425 30 minutes or until browned and tender.

LEEKS: Started in the greenhouse in February and in the ground since March, these slow growing cousins of onions are worth the wait. Check out this recipe from our first season in 2004. www.fairsharefarm.com/archive/info/Newsletter/2004/week_18_september22.pdf

LETTUCE: Big, leafy heads from the high tunnel.

ASIAN GREENS: It’s a great time of year for a fresh stir fry. Check out these recipes from our first blog of 2011 https://fairsharefarm.com/wp2/welcome-to-the-vegetables/

KALE OR CHARD: happy, leafy greens

GREEN PEPPERS: Summer’s swan song, a great stir fry addition.

SAGE: Chop the sage leaves fine and add them to the sweet potato rub described above.

RECIPE: Going through old blogs checking for leek recipes, I came across the final blog of 2016. https://fairsharefarm.com/wp2/what-to-do-with-your-share-week-24/. Leeks and fennel were center stage, just as they are this week. It’s a nice tradition to carry on.

FARM REPORT:
Just two weeks ago, the summer sizzled and the fields were full of flowers and a buzz with insects including a migrating monarch who is hopefully far to the south by now.

Saturday morning, frost laid a heavy blanket over the farm. In a few hours, the heat-loving plants were gone and our fields turned into a graveyard. Only the hardiest roots and leafy greens survive. In anticipation for the big event, the farm crew worked quickly to dig the sweet potatoes and pick crate after crate of green peppers.

Meanwhile, inside the protected high tunnel the plants are happily oblivious to the drama.

Nature puts on quite a show out here. You never know what you are going to see next. After one little shower last week, this was the view from the farm house.