Mountain Bounty Farm News 

Dear Farm Friends,

Next in our series of crew interviews is Aspen Wells. At 24, Aspen is our youngest farmer. She’s in her second year here and already running our giant greenhouse, in charge of seeding and caring for thousands of transplants, as well as picking up many, many other important tasks on the farm.

Tell us a bit about yourself? Tell us about how you got to Mountain Bounty?

I was in school in Utah, thinking about a career in medicine, and working as a CNA. I started questioning whether or not the way that we’re living works. I was concerned about climate change. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I wanted to make a positive impact. I wanted to learn how to live well, do the least amount of harm. 

Farming felt right somehow. I like that we are sort of breaking the status quo here. While I wanted to change the world, I am also learning how much I don’t know and how complicated it is to make change. Now, along with my grandiose visions, I’m trying to do what’s needed. I’m learning how to communicate, how to take care of other people and myself. I’m working to stay optimistic, learning from my mistakes, learning the hard way. 

On the farm all of your actions will come back to you. I can see the other farmers, that have been here for a decade or more, the way they tie up the tomatoes. How well something grows because of the way that you cultivated it. In the greenhouse I can control the environment, dial it in, and see the effects of my work clearly. It’s much more complicated in the field. Putting a seed into the ground and then just waiting and expecting it to come up, I mean it’s outrageous! Every time I still can’t believe that a crop is going to make it.

When I’m at work, I like to investigate, to look closely at the ground, what insects are moving around, what are the different life stages of the Harlequin beetles, and what small changes in the plants mean.

What’s next for you?

I’m interested in learning more about seeds and selective plant breeding. I handle the seeds, and I find it pretty much the most magical thing that we can put seeds in the ground or in a tray in the greenhouse, and that is entirely what builds the farm. It’s like the foundation of our lives.

I just moved into a new place and it’s in a more natural and wild setting, I like the quiet and solitude. It can be scary but it’s also exciting. I feel like a lot of activities of daily life can distract me from the resting and slowing down that allows me to gain more clarity.

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.

Small Box (Feeds 1-2 people)

• Lettuce (Mountain Bounty Farm)
• Tomatoes (Mountain Bounty Farm)
• Jalapeños (Mountain Bounty Farm)
• Potato (Mountain Bounty Farm)
• Onion (Mountain Bounty Farm)
• Cherry Tomatoes (Mountain Bounty Farm)

Fruit Share CSA

(Provided by FROG HOLLOW FARM)

A note about box returns!

There are a few things we ask our members to do so we can continue to reuse the boxes efficiently:

1. Remove the fruit from your boxes immediately so the fruit does not stain the box (plus it keeps longer outside of the plastic shell).
2. Store your Fruit Share box inside until you return it
3. If your box is torn or stained, please do not return it and instead place it in your recycling bin. Both farms are using crew time to manage the box return program, so we'd love to only deal with boxes that can truly be reused.

Thanks for your support!

Box contents:

• Zee Lady Peaches (Frog Hollow Farm)
• Crimson Royal Pluots (Frog Hollow Farm)
• Flavor King Pluots (Frog Hollow Farm)
• Summer Fire Nectarines (Frog Hollow Farm)

This week I am going to make this Pluot Summer Salad (Click here). It is a savory take on a fruit salad that looks delicious! My only worry is that my kids will eat all the pluots in our fruit box before I get to whip it up!

It's that time of the year!!

Order Flats of Bulk Tomatoes or Jalapeños

for Delivery with your CSA Box Next Week!

Now is a great time to stock up on our organic peppers and tomatoes to capture the taste of summer by making sauces, salsas and more! Order this week before Saturday at 5pm, for delivery next week. We can also accommodate Saturday Nevada City Farmer's Market pickup requests. Please email info@mountainbountyfarm.com after you order, to set this up.

Summer Flower Shares begin THIS WEEK!

Sign Up Today for weekly flower bouquets!

Flower Share CSA

Provided by Little Boy Flowers

Fill your home with gorgeous flowers this summer! Each week you will receive a large bouquet filled with top quality blooms including garden roses, dahlias, gladiolus, lilies and more!

Coffee Share CSA

Provided by Remedy Supply Company

Try our Mountain Bounty personalized coffee blend CSA (both Regular and Decaf) from Remedy Coffee Company in Auburn!

Remedy coffee is made with a focus on quality, by working directly with growers and producers, and small batch-roasting to bring out the natural flavors of the coffee bean. Their coffee is served at local Nevada City haunts such as Three Forks and Briar Patch.

We are thrilled to offer up our own signature coffee; the "Mountain Bounty Blend" as a Weekly or Bi-weekly CSA Subscription.

Recipes, storage tips, inspiration and nutrition information:

• This Soba Noodle Salad (Click here) is the perfect combination of heat, sweet and acidity. You can add chicken or prawns if you want more protein, or eat as is!

• This Garlic Herb Potato Salad (Click here) comes together quickly and is a grat fresh option, even for those who aren't always a fan of potato salad! It is tossed with lemon zest and juice for an extra zing!

• Celebrate the slightly cooler temperatures this week with this Tomato Tart (Click here). Make the dough yourself as described in this recipe, or buy a premade one at the store to simplify!

• Pile your Arugula on this Farmer's Market Flatbread (Click here). This recipe is pretty flexible and you can add in what ever you have in your fridge!

info@mountainbountyfarm.com

Mailing Address:

14579 Blind Shady Road, Nevada City, CA 95959

Phone:(530)292-3776