Mountain Bounty Farm News 

Dear Farm Friends,

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a tomato. Our first tomato planting has been in the ground for a couple weeks, and it’s going to be a couple more months before we have ripe fruit. Just want you to know that I share your pain. And I can reassure you that tomatoes are one of our biggest priorities. To that end, we plant three successions of tomatoes, in order to harvest them abundantly over a long season that goes from late June/early July through October.

Amidst our spring rush –endless preparing fields, planting, weeding, and now irrigating, there is work in the greenhouse grafting tomatoes. Grafting tomatoes is a process where we cut the top off one tomato variety and connect it to the roots of another tomato variety. The rootstocks are specialized varieties that provide vigor, disease resistance, and higher yields of better quality fruit. We started learning how to graft about 10 years ago, saw and measured the benefits, and now graft most of our second and third tomato successions. This is an expensive, tricky, and laborious process, but it’s worth it. See how much we love you?

-John

Greenhouse manager Aspen Wells grafting tomatoes. The greener plants in the back of her tray are the vigorous rootstock which will get their tops cut off with a special tool and then clipped to new tops.

Aspen carefully cutting the baby tomato plants and grafting the scion (fruiting variety) onto the strong rootstock.

Second succession grafted tomatoes. You can see the healed cut where the scion (fruiting variety) connects to the rootstock, near the bottom of the stems.

Another view of the vigorous rootstock (bottom) vs top variety that produces the fruit we want (top)



More views of the newly grafted tomatoes

The goal!

Farm Box Contents

(Contents are subject to change depending on harvest and weather conditions at Mountain Bounty and our Partner Farms.)

Please check the delivery list at your CSA site and sign your name indicating you have picked up your shares. We deliver exactly what is on the delivery list.

Vegetable Share CSA

Provided by Mountain Bounty Farm and our partner organic farms

Small Box (Feeds 1-2 people)

• Asparagus (Durst Organic Growers)
• Green Garlic (Fogdog Farm)
• Snap Peas (Coke Farm)
• Chard (Pinnacle Farm)
• Broccoli (Coke Farm)
• Pea Shoots (Natural Trading Co.)

Fruit Share CSA

Provided by Frog Hollow Farm

Fruit Share Subscriptions are currently on a seasonal break.

Deliveries will resume May 15th.

If you have prepaid Delivery Credits, those will hold over after the break.

Summer Fruit Share costs will be $38.50/box moving forward after the break for new Delivery Credit purchases.

Thanks!

Mushroom Share CSA

Provided by Mountain Mushrooms, Reno NV

We are excited to once again offer a Spring Mushroom Share from Mountain Mushrooms!

This week you will have Blue Oyster Mushrooms in your share.

These garlicy, thyme seasoned Pan Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Click here)would be so yummy on top of a Swiss chard scramble or loaded baked sweet potato (See recipes below!)

Mountain Mushrooms in Reno, Nevada, focuses on growing the highest quality gourmet mushrooms for our local communities. Varieties they are growing include King Trumpet, Lion's Mane, Chestnut, Black Pearl, and a variety of oyster mushrooms.

Bread Share CSA -

Provided by Beloved's Bread, Reno NV

Organic Sourdough Loaves

delivered weekly!

The Bread Share is an 8 week share of weekly deliveries of Beloved Bread's City Sourdough Bread, which is their most versatile and popular loaf. Ever loaf is a handmade mix of organic white and wheat flour with wild yeast, water, and sea salt.

To slice, or not to slice - that is the question! If you are a Bread Share CSA member, we are asking your opinion if you prefer sliced or whole loaf bread each week. Popular opinion determines the outcome.

Please let us know if you have a preference (click here)!

Recipes, storage tips and inspiration on how to "Use Up" leftovers from last week:

• Spring is here, and with it comes the incredible treat of getting snap peas AND asparagus in the same box!  Use them together in this Zesty Lemon Pea and Asparagus Pasta (Click here). Try topping with finely chopped green garlic!

• Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes (Click here) are a healthy alternative to your classic loaded baked potato. Top with any of your favorite potato toppings and black beans to make it a complete, protein filled meal. 

• This Swiss Chard Scramble (Click here) is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It is cheesy and nutrient packed with chard, onion and eggs! You could also try this with pea shoots.

• You've got golden beets in your box this week. Try out this Roasted Golden Beet Salad (Click here) complete with salty goat cheese, crunchy walnuts and spicy arugula. Swap in green garlic for scallions and you've got yourself a perfect spring salad. 

"USE IT UP" WEEKLY RECIPE!

Didn't get through all the beautiful lettuce you got in your box last week yet? Me either! Don't let it wilt!

Last night I whipped up this Caesar Dressing (Click here) and made a purely lettuce salad with a whole head of Romaine (but it would also be fantastic with that glorious Red Leaf Lettuce!) to go alongside our BBQ. It was crunchy and creamy and there wasn't a leaf left in the bowl at the end of the meal!

info@mountainbountyfarm.com

Mailing Address:

14579 Blind Shady Road, Nevada City, CA 95959

Phone:(530)292-3776