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Crop Talk August 14, 2017
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CSA Week 11
You've probably found that many of our crops don't look like what you see in grocery stores, but the carrots we're packing this week are especially different from their commercial cousins. That's because the carrot taproot achieves its classic straight, cylindrical shape only in loose, sandy soil, and we have a lot of clay out here. Even though we've been enriching our soil with compost for years, there are still plenty of hard spots below the surface that split the roots and send them off in different directions. So these carrots may not fit neatly in your crisper, but they'll help you picture what's going on underground.
A few reminders as we reach the midpoint of the CSA season:
1. CSA shares are not available on Sunday or Monday.
2. The you-pick bonus for each week begins on Tuesday -- your bonus for week 11 won't be available until tomorrow, for example -- and bonuses are always contingent on supply.
3. To forestall confusion among non-members, please consume your bonus items only after you have exited the wagon and the market. And please remember to grab wristbands before getting on the wagon.
Thanks for your help in these matters.
Week 11 Shares Include: carrots, chard, tomatoes, potatoes, peaches apples
, nectarines, onions
Pick-your-own bonus: 6 peaches
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Our thanks to members who have logged into their accounts to request vacation holds for weeks when they will be away. May we suggest that you log back into your account before leaving to confirm that your request was accurately noted? If you see anything unexpected, send an email to CSA@greatcountryfarms and let us know. Thanks.
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The Big Dig
Grab your shovel and reusable grocery bag and join us for our Annual Pancake Breakfast and Potato Harvest! Start the day with pancakes hot off the griddle, topped off with our delicious fruit syrups. Be sure to arrive by 10:30 to have time to eat your fill!
Then jump on a wagon and hunt for potato treasure in our you-pick field. Did you know that most potatoes in stores are last year’s harvest? You will be amazed by the flavor and texture of fresh potatoes! Weather permitting, we will even “rip” some rows with the tractor to make the hunting easier. Kids love to see the tractor working the field. After digging your potatoes, join us in the Roosteraunt concession for fresh potato, thyme and truffle oil flatbread pizzas, and pulled pork BBQ.
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Dogs Like Good Food Too
CSA members Eric and Julie Parkhurst understand that your dog's health depends on what he eats, just as yours does. That's why they started
EJ's Meats & Treats, a family business that produces
smoked and dehydrated natural pet treats. Each of their treats is hand-processed, with no unnatural preservatives, additives or fillers. Meat treats are made from all natural free-range livestock and poultry raised on family-run USDA certified farms in the United States. And they use produce from Great Country Farms. EJ’s Meats & Treats takes pride in the quality and love that goes into each treat that goes into your pet's mouth. Never before has spoiling your pet been so affordable.
A selection of their treats is now available in our market.
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Cooking with Lee
Long-time CSA member Lee Draznin has embarked on a blogging project this year: it's called "What Do I Do With This Box?", and the name speaks for itself. We invite all of you to join us in Lee's kitchen for the next few months, while we learn how he uses the bounty that comes to his door every week.
Here's Lee's post from Week 9:
"Possibly the most difficult of all cooking tasks is cooking for one. Eating for many of us is a communal activity. We eat family dinners, we take date out to dinner, we cook for groups and we eat in groups. Food packaging for the most part assumes that the end result will feed multiple people. Recipes are almost always designed for a group rather than a single. My friend Orrick and I have discussed writing a cookbook for single diners…Cooking for One. Maybe someday we will get it off the ground..."
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Bonus Value this week: $6.00
Year-to- Date Bonus Value: $138.79
What is the
YTD Bonus Value? Each week we total up the market value of the bonus pick-your-own items. The value to date includes 8 quarts of strawberries, two bags of spinach, four bundles of asparagus, three quarts of sweet cherries, a quart of tart cherries, two pints of black raspberries, 3 quarts of blackberries, and 48 peaches, four nectarines, two bags of green beans, and six sunflowers.
Please note that bonus amounts do not carry over from week to week, and they are offered while supplies last.
Wagon rides to the fields will start at 9:15 sharp and continue at the top of every the hour until 5:00. We update our Twitter @TheFarmerSays with the latest picking conditions, so be sure to follow us.
Group Site Members:
Please remember that you must pick up your box on delivery day. All boxes contain perishable items that spoil easily, so any
boxes that are not claimed within the designated pick-up window will be donated. Your host is not permitted to hold your box overnight.
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Blue Door Cottage ~ Farm Stay
Ever wish you could stay on the farm for a few days? Now you can experience country living, with a stay at our newly listed Blue Door Cottage. With up to 3 bedrooms available, the cottage sleeps 6 and is great for families or groups of friends looking for a little R&R. GCF is just around the corner, and there is great hiking and river tubing just 10 minutes away. Book your Getaway today!
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Stone Cottage ~ Couples Escape
Looking for a quick get-away to celebrate your anniversary, birthday or other special occasion? The Stone Cottage at Bluemont Vineyard is just the ticket! Nestled among the apple and cherry orchards just below the Tasting Room, the Stone Cottage offers a great escape to reconnect and celebrate with the one you love!
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