Even though it's frigid outside, we see new life at Bushel and a Peck Farm. Newborn lambs are up and running within minutes of birth. It's so fun to watch them scamper around and play with each other.
While your farmers would love to stay warm inside on these cold, snowy days, there is still lots of work to be done. Water for our livestock needs to be monitored against freezing, with fresh water given sometimes three or four times/day. Eggs need to be collected before they freeze and crack.
At Bushel and a Peck Farm we are in the woods repairing maple lines that have been chewed by raccoons and bears in search of the sweet sap inside. We will begin tapping as soon as repairs are made. We are also tearing apart our evaporator and deep cleaning it, as well as setting up the bulk tanks to hold sap.
At Harmony Grove Farm, the wood stove in their greenhouse needs to be stoked regularly to keep the plants nice and cozy, especially on these cloudy days when the sun can't shine its warming rays on the plants. Your shares are filled with their hydroponic greens this week, fed by water enriched with organic nutrients. We hope you appreciate the fresh, healthy greens grown locally in the winter!
Your farmers are also studying seed catalogs, planning crop rotations, and even starting some seeds in flats for early crops. Plus we're finalizing plans for Summer CSA 2021!
If you love squash, this is likely the final week that butternut will be available. The other varieties of squash are all sold out until next fall.
There is enough lettuce for most boxes to have two heads this week, so if you love lettuce you can swap for more, or add more as an extra. A note about swapping: there aren't a lot of extra veggies this week, so you might want to check back a few times. If someone swaps in lettuce, then their Swiss chard or cabbage might be added back into inventory as available.
We finally have beef cuts back in stock in our Webstore! You could choose steaks for a special meal (think Valentine's Day), or a roast for comfort food on a cold day. You can also find chicken, pork, and fish in the Webstore. As always, Webstore orders are delivered with CSA shares for no extra delivery fee (be sure to choose "CSA Member" at checkout).
Stay warm and enjoy good food!
On behalf of your NWPA Growers farmers,
Amy Philson
