Fall Cauliflower is looking amazing this year at Aspen Moon Farm. Here we have classic white cauliflower and Veronica Romanesco, which has a slight greenish tint and its form develops into fractals. What is a fractal? A fractal is a self-similar repeating pattern, or kind of like a never-ending spiral. It is a useful concept in mathematics and is exhibited in nature. The Romanesco cauliflower is one of the most famous examples of fractals in nature. The other cool thing is that it tastes great! The flavor is a subtle nutty version of classic cauliflower. Wonderful roasted or steamed or chopped and enjoyed raw in little fractal pieces. Both types of cauliflowers have also been known to adorn ones table as a centerpiece for a short time to inspire awe in the grandeur of this flower. Cauliflower is also quite a difficult crop to grow well here in Colorado because it is all about weather and timing. The leaves keep the flower tightly protected while it grows unseen until one day- BOOM- it pushes forth through the leaves directly into the intense sun, where we must harvest it quickly before it opens all up and passes its prime. A little bit of color variation (of pink or beige) shows it has been kissed by the sun a bit and is a normal occurrence which maintains its quality and flavor. We plant it in 3 successions starting in June in order to guess at the right timing for good Fall production. This year, it has worked out the best ever. Though they are growing so well, that they are sometimes HUGE and it can be a bit intimidating for customers. Cauliflower stores well for a few weeks. You can easily cut it in half or quarters and store the rest in the fridge in a bag or tub for quite a while.
Back to Farm Happenings at Aspen Moon Farm
Week 19 CSA 2020
About the farm
Please see aspenmoonfarm.com for 2022 CSA sign-up! Started in 2009, Aspen Moon Farm consisted of 2.5 acres in Longmont, Colorado with one acre of cultivated vegetables and one Farmer’s Market in Longmont. Now we are amazed by the 99 acres in our care with approximately 25 acres in production! We typically serve seasonal Farmer’s Markets in Longmont and Boulder (and hope to get back to that soon), and offer an abundant Roadside Farm Stand, open as weather permits(and dependent on current staff scheduling). Finally we are most proud of our CSA program and are so grateful for a wonderful group of annual CSA members (over 900) whose kind support keeps the farm open and productive. Aspen Moon Farm is USDA Certified Organic and has been practicing biodynamic agriculture since 2009 so our produce is truly 100% natural and bee friendly. We work hard to provide our own on-farm fertility through biodynamic compost, cover cropping, and crop rotation. All of our crops are carefully tended (many are hand-harvested) so you get the cleanest, freshest, and most nutritious produce possible. Our crops include a wide range of seasonal vegetables, beautiful organic flowers, succulent berries, and starter plants for your spring garden. Led by Jason and Erin (biodynamic gardeners, turned homesteaders, turned farmers), Aspen Moon Farm is managed by a team of inspiring and aspiring farm crew and interns. It is truly this team and the heart & soul they put into this farm (not to mention the 60+ hours of physically demanding work every week) that allows us to maintain and grow.
We are helped along by the dignified (sometimes not so dignified) ministrations of 20 kind-hearted cows, a gaggle of escape-artist chickens, a small herd of Navajo Heritage sheep including their aspiring guard dog, a spunky mini-horse, an elusive band of wandering cats, some very busy bees, and our dog/mascot Zuzu who keeps us all in line and laughing. At Aspen Moon Farm we work together to cultivate sustainable, life-giving, deliciously organic produce for you and your family. We plant, we weed, we tend, we dig, we water, we run, we lift, we clean, we bunch, we clean again, we count, we pack, we ache, we tire, we thank, and we love it all! Simply, we love growing good food for you!
Go to farm profile
We are helped along by the dignified (sometimes not so dignified) ministrations of 20 kind-hearted cows, a gaggle of escape-artist chickens, a small herd of Navajo Heritage sheep including their aspiring guard dog, a spunky mini-horse, an elusive band of wandering cats, some very busy bees, and our dog/mascot Zuzu who keeps us all in line and laughing. At Aspen Moon Farm we work together to cultivate sustainable, life-giving, deliciously organic produce for you and your family. We plant, we weed, we tend, we dig, we water, we run, we lift, we clean, we bunch, we clean again, we count, we pack, we ache, we tire, we thank, and we love it all! Simply, we love growing good food for you!