It's the final week of Winter CSA. We hope you have enjoyed both the fresh greens this winter as well as the storage crops and other farm products in your Farm Share box.
Customize early and often for the most choice. You can customize your share Friday morning, and then check back throughout the weekend to see if you can snag anything else you want that other members have put back in inventory. And don't forget about the Webstore where you can order cheese, milk, and other products that aren't yet available on our Harvie site.
Farm News
Bushel and a Peck Farm: We are in the throes of maple syrup season. Just when we think we can predict how the season will go, Mother Nature throws us a curve ball. The season began a little later than normal for us this year because of the very cold temps at the end of February. But this week's warm temperatures have made the sap gush from the trees so we can barely keep up with it. We boiled all night Wednesday night, having to collect sap in the middle of the night so our tank didn't overflow, while almost all of the storage tanks at the evaporator were also full. We made 60 gallons of syrup in one night, which equates to about 4,500 gallons of sap from about 2500 taps. We plan to catch up on some sleep this weekend since the sap will slow down when the temperatures cool a little. The featured photo above is a sample vial of some of the liquid gold made this week.
Glacial Till Farm: "I will get into the game 4-6 weeks earlier with these tunnels, after stretching my season 4-6 weeks later in the fall. Not to mention I was READY to move, easing my mind, and delivering more local goodness!" Plus check out Derek's Facebook Live video where he talks all about cover crops.
Grateful Life Farm: This was written last week before the warm weather. "It’s cold, cloudy, and snow flurries are blowing outside my window, but Wednesday was a beautiful warm and sunny day in the 50’s. We checked our maple taps, listened to the birds, and gathered some firewood and it felt amazing to be outside! That day was a glimmer of hope that the process of bundling up to go outside each morning and the perpetual struggle against ice in the water bowls might soon be over for this year. I can also feel the tantalizing approach of spring inside myself. The recliner and the woodstove are calling me less and there is a renewed desire to dig in the soil, to feel the wind on my skin, and to move my body more vigorously. Our garden plan is complete and seeds are ordered. Lettuce and brassica transplants are sprouting in our grow room. The baby chicks have been ordered and the first will arrive in a little over six weeks!"
Spur Hollow Farm: Our new growers are busy getting ready to add their fresh veggies to our boxes this summer! "This is our second block of beds, which will be growing tomatoes, sugar snap peas, lettuce, onions, peppers, beets, and a whole lot more throughout the season! This deep compost mulch on top of these permanent beds acts as a mulch as well as feeds the soil microbiology in order to grow healthy, nutritious plants with abundant harvests."
Spring CSA is right around the corner! If you haven't signed up yet, don't delay because we only have 150 shares available for spring. https://www.harvie.farm/farm/nwpa-growers-co-op/signup
Do you know what else is coming soon? It's almost ramp season, wild-harvested deliciousness of garlicy-onion flavor. I can't wait! Plus Glacial Till Farm has overwintered spinach that is so sweet and juicy. Those are two of the best reasons to join Spring CSA.
Eating locally with you...
Amy Philson on behalf of your NWPA Growers farmers
