This is week 20 of the 22 week Summer CSA. The summer CSA ends at the end of October. The Fall CSA** starts promptly after on the first week of November. Crop Update.... This has been a stellar year for tomatoes and peppers! We hope you have gotten your fill of delicious tomatoes of many different types, and lots of fresh crunchy peppers both super sweet or spicy. This is the best harvest we have ever had of specialty shishitos and incredible Jimmy Nardellos. Eggplant has been plentiful and amazing. We have a great selection of fantastic Fall greens now and moving forward too. Being in membership with our Farm, also means feeling the lack of some crops that have not faired well this season. This has not been a good year for potatoes nor winter squash. Sweet corn and carrots have been somewhat limited. At Aspen Moon we prioritize crop rotation for optimum soil health. At our size we can produce an incredible amount of diversity in crops, but this also means that we have fields of vastly differing soils. There are always some crops in the least favorable fields and unfortunately this year those happen to be some of our favorites that we are used to having lots of. We will have Delicata, Butternut, and spaghetti squash in shares this week and we hope most members who want them can get them, but we do not have control over how the Harvie software algorithm will disperse them exactly. In general, members seem to love how the customizable Harvie software works, but there are times with items that are limited that it is tricky. We still have some squash curing in the barn for the Fall CSA shares. Carrots and potatoes will be available in good quantity the next 2 weeks. Broccoli and Cauliflower are coming in with a medium size harvest so they will be somewhat limited. We have a large beautiful harvest of onions, garlic, and leeks. Beets have been abundant and will continue so. Cabbage and Napa are also incredible moving forward. Parsnips, celeriac, and Winter radishes are looking awesome as well. And more.... Also, how about the amazing flowers arrangements this year? Wow!
The meaning of CSA. Community Supported Agriculture connects people to their local food source. Grown out of an old tradition, the CSA model has played an integral part in supporting the return of a strong local food system. The farmer offers ‘shares’ in the farm for sale to the local community in the winter or early spring season. By joining a CSA (purchasing a ‘share’), members enter into a partnership with the farm in which they share in the risk and bounty of each season.
Thank you for being in partnership with us. We value your membership. It is you that helps grow this local food movement. Please pass it on to your friends and neighbors.... Stay tuned for info about 2022 summer shares in November/December.
We also wanted to share that this has been a great building year for Aspen Moon Farm. We have invested a lot of time this year training lots of new staff members, many of which will be returning next season.
One last note, we have finally got the final permits for our new packshed barn here at the Farm. It has been in process for 4 years! This will allow new efficiency and improved post-harvest quality control next season and beyond. We certainly have outgrown the small packshed we started with 13 years ago.
CELERY- oh yes and we have had fantastic celery too this season!! Please enjoy it this week before the frost comes. It will store in your fridge for several weeks. Coo with the outer stalks and eat the inner raw. Try making Cream of Celery Soup because it is amazing and so easy at home! Remember to store your head of celery top down in a bag in the fridge so that it doesn't wilt. Pull off any unused leaves and dry them for winter "celery flakes".
Cream of Celery Soup
1 TB butter
2 cups celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1tsp fresh dill
2 cups Milk
2 TB grated fresh carrot
2 TB grated fresh celery
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a soup pot and sauté the chopped celery and onion together. Add the potatoes, cover lightly and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the soup stock and dill. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and remove from heat. Puree the soup in food processor or inverted blender (this is a great kitchen tool if you haven’t checked it out). Stir in the milk, add grated carrot and grated celery. Heat through, but don’t boil. Serve hot.
**Please note, Fall CSA shares are sold separately. If you are unsure, please log in to Harvie to see if you are signed up the Fall CSA (November- Dec 15).
