Welcome to the 2021 growing season! In our weekly farm happenings this season, we will keep you up-to-date on important details and fun facts about the farm. Please take a couple minutes to read through these happenings when they arrive in your inbox so that you don't miss out on anything! Folks who are getting a box every other week may consider reading the Farm Happenings from the alternate weeks in order to be completely up-to-date on all the info coming down the pipe from the farm.
Summer is officially here. We love all the light, and so do the plants. It’s hard to keep up with the rate of growth out there in the field…vines are stretching at record speed and sets of leaves are popping out almost overnight. Every week something new appears on the scene. Over the past week, we've noted a first flush of zucchini, new blossoms on the pea vines, and another bed of spring sown carrots that are ready to harvest. This week we will begin to dig into our celery harvest so that we can send their sweet, juicy stalks to your table. For anyone who loves to cook, celery offers a unique flavor and texture that can elevate many types of dishes. Even for the kid who wants to nibble some ants on a log, celery has its place. During the summer, celery tastes both refreshing and crunchy - just the right mix for salads of all kinds. Whats more, is that celery is good for you! Studies show that celery helps reduce fat build-up in the liver. The nutrients in celery protect the liver, and actually, help the liver produce enzymes that help flush fat and toxins out. With all the junk that we end up sending through our bodies (in spite of the best of intentions), this should make us want to eat our vegetables. They literally help our bodies function more optimally, both in the present moment and in the long run.
Interested in further customizing your next box?? If you are new to the CSA, you may have some questions about how to customize your box on a week-to-week basis. Every Saturday night (on a delivery week) you will be receiving an email from the farm telling you what is planned for your upcoming share. At that time you can make changes to your share by clicking the "Swap Items" button in the email. From there, you can add more items (plus sign) or swap items for items not already in your share (two arrows) or remove items from your share (trash icon). This swapping screen takes a little getting used to and is explained in great detail in the Harvie University Article: How Extras and Swaps Work. I highly recommend checking it out if you are having any issues with the process. If you have not already set preferences for your share deliveries, please do so now that you can make the most out of your options. Need more info on how to do this? https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021794754-How-do-preferences-work-
For those of you who prefer to be surprised, feel free to leave your preferences blank and you will receive whatever it is we are harvesting on a given week.
Note for Ripon/Mugs drop site members. Last week we made an announcement about a temporary change in the Mugs drop site due a change in the ownership. We were initially told that Mugs would close for one week and then reopen, but we just learned that the cafe will be closed for a handful of weeks while the new owners remodel the space. We have worked out a temporary site with Matt Holley the former owner. Matt sold his coffee shop so that he could focus more on roasting coffee, and he will be doing this out of a space that is located just behind Mugs on Blackburn Street. If you are planning to use the Ripon drop site this season you will hear from us with the details on this change.
In the meantime, we'll bring on the bounty. We hope you're ready for it!
Bon Appetit,
Danielle
