Farm Happenings at Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farm
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CSA Week 4 Open For New Members AND NEW RESOURCES for YOU!

Posted on May 15th, 2021 by Dave Redfearn

CSA signups now Open for a few more members

We've had a few longtime members move away and some new folks decide the CSA wasn't their thing, so we're opening up a few dozen spots for new members.  These spots will go fast, but if you've got that friend that has been ogling your share each week, you should go here: harvie.farm/member/refer-a-friend to get your personalized referral link.  That link will give you $25 to spend on extra items throughout the season.  Don't wait, though.  Once the word gets out, those spots will fill up quickly, but we hope your friend or family member gets to join so you can share the experience with people you know and love.  It's sorta part of the whole CSA experience, Community I mean.

Help, I'm drowning in Veggies!!!

Does the CSA provide more veggies that you are used to eating, especially in the way of greens?  If you are new to CSA, then this time of year when the greens are prevalent can be challenging.  If you are like most Americans, vegetables aren't a large part of your diet and if they are, you are used to getting anything you want out of season shipped in from across the world.  Seasonal eating is different as you are probably noticing.  So, greens are especially prevalent this time of year.  The good news is that greens are just about the healthiest thing you could eat and if you want to consume a lot of them, cooking them stir fry style, sauteed, or blanched and frozen for later use is a great way to go. 

We're glad to announce that Sheri's A to Z guide to veggie storage and use is here for you!  This has been a long time coming and we couldn't have done it without Christina D. one of our amazing CSA members who did the design work for it.  In the guide you'll find every vegetable we grow with Sheri's instructions on how to best care for and store those veggies as well as tips on how best to use them.   

You can go Here to view the guide: https://redfearnfarm.com/kansas-city-csa/redfearn-farm-veggie-storage-and-recipe-handbook/

If someone else who is more tech savvy than could give me advice on how to best share this .pdf file that would be fantastic!  I can't attach it in the email because spam filters won't allow that.  But at least you can see it for now.  

Also, our very own farm nutrition coach, Robin from Cook 2 Flourish has been making amazing cooking videos for using her farm share.  She's got a collection of more than 30 videos that feature different veggies that you can see here:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLytgLgDyw1RcXL1s_RRoo4GvpDyV4VNYA This is a great place to go for inspiration.

Finally, you can go to the private Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2940994039304376/?multi_permalinks=5631318653605221 where CSA members just like you are posting ideas and sharing tips.  

I'd also like to mention a book that has been inspirational for helping us consume more veggies and whole foods.  It's called How not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger.  He shows medically the amazing results that can be had in preventing and even counteracting the top diseases in America and the western world through a whole food plant based diet.  If you read that book, you'll be begging for more greens!!!  No seriously, it took 5 years living in China to help us see the excesses in the typical American diet.  Personally, we are not 100% plant based as we do like to support some of our local ecological, sustainable animal farmers. But if you can cut out processed foods, increase consumption of veggies and whole grains, and reduce meat consumption and maybe even purchase local, non-GMO fed, outdoor raised natural meats, I think you'll find some very positive results.  That's why we're so glad to be supplying the veggie part because that's often the most missed part in the American diet.  I'd highly recommend checking this book out of the library and giving it a read.  

Farm Update

Wow, what an amazing spring we've been having!  It's been just plain beautiful and cool!  We're praying for a slow ramp up into summer rather than a brick wall of heat.  There are so many amazing crops in the field that are just now starting to grow quickly in these optimal conditions.  Broccoli, sugar snap peas, napa cabbages....they're just around the corner as long as it doesn't go straight to summer!!!

We experienced what we hope to be our last frost of the season on Thursday morning. The forecasted continued cool weather made us continue to hold off on the heat loving summer transplants.  But once the frost was melted, and the forecast looked good, we went to work planting the outdoor pepper and tomatoes, green beans and even okra!  We aren't finished yet but we managed to get more than 3,000 tomato and pepper plants in the ground in 36 hours before the week of rain that was/is supposed to come. So, if you are home gardening, we're giving ourselves the green light to plant those warm season veggies in the ground. 

Add on Shares:

Bread Share: Sourdough Sliced loaf

Cheese Share: Smoked Applewood Cheddar Curds

 

Thanks for being part of the farmily!

Dave and Sheri