CSA Wk 16, October 22

Thank you all for being members this year.  We will be in touch in the winter to see your interest in joining again next season.

Medium Shares:
Carrots
Beets
Turnips
Potatoes
5 winter squash - Butternut, 2 Sweet Lightning, Carnival Acorn, that same one as last week we didn't remember the name of :-)
Onions
Garlic
Broccoli
Celery - needs to be washed, sorry
Scallions
Kale
Chard
Grapes - make jelly! Here is an easy recipe
Jerusalem artichokes

Large Share:
Same as above, except an additional Buttercup squash
Napa cabbage
Brussels sprouts

Baked Goods Share:
Yeast Bread - my sister forgot to tell me what kind, I think it's oatmeal
Banana Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hawaiian Granola
Cinnamon Raisin Granola

CSA Wk 15, Oct. 15

So we've made it 15 weeks. With the freeze at the end of last week, we were surprised to find in the gardens what we did today.  Our commitment of 16-18 looks like it will fall on the 16 side. We decided today that we just won't have enough to give you for more than that.  So next week will be the last week of pickup.  We will spend this coming weekend harvesting most everything from the gardens and dividing it up for your last pickup. 

This weeks bags have:  

Medium Shares:
Peachy colored squash which we forget the variety of :-)
Carnival Acorn Squash
Radishes
French Carrots
Tomatillos Potatoes
Peppers
Broccoli
Onions
Mixed Lettuce
Brussels Sprouts
Eggplant
Kale
Swiss Chard
Cilantro

Large Shares - same as above, add:
Red Cabbage
Cantaloupe

On the table there is an aromatic plant called sweet annie.  It is just decorative, but smells so nice.  Hang it somewhere in the house, or make a wreath with it.  If you have ever been to The Common Ground Fair, people wear wreaths of it in the hair :-)  Take what you would like.

There are also bundles of corn stalks and please take one if you can to decorate your home with.  I understand some of you may not be prepared to stash it in your cars :-)

Baked Goods Shares:
Pumpkin yeast bread  - it's ginormous! 
Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
Almond Joy Granola

Thanks.  Will try to be around next week for goodbyes.

The Farmers 8

CSA Week 14, Oct.8

With this cold fall weather, things are changing daily in the garden. One day there were cucumber vines, the next day they were brown mushy piles. The tomatoes were a flop this year - luckily we got to share some with you. Hope for a better year next year in that respect. A few new things this week that you may not recognize. Parsnips Horseradish longer smelly Jerusalem artichoke Jerusalem artichokes are the knobby potato like things. They also go by sunchokes. They have a very unique flavor. I like them roasted, they also make great soup. Parsnips look like white carrots. They are great roasted along with beets and carrots. Horseradish looks a lot like parsnips but longer and stringier, and oh, smells like horseradish. Be careful with this. Peel it, process in a food processor for your own fresh horseradish. Make a sauce for beef, or preserve it with vinegar. Google will take you there :-) Carrots Peppers Onions Kale Broc or cauliflower - not enough of each to go around so everyone got one or the other Grapes - these HAVE seeds, but are delcious sour concord grapes. Pucker up. Sweet lightening squash Large share just recieved larger amount of the same items this week. Baked Goods: Hawaiian granola Soft ginger/molasses cookies Cinnamon Raisin bread

Lack of Communication

I have got to apologize for the month long glitch in communication I've had with you.  I'm not sure how many of you know this, but I homeschool my two teenage sons.  Once September hit, I tried to manage doing the Monday CSA into a typical hectic school day for us - which involves planning, teaching, driving to sports etc.  I have helped pack up your bags, but that's about where it ended.  At first it was just a lack of me being around when you picked up, then I even stopped posting what was in your bags.  My bad!

So I just wanted to address that and say sorry that there has not been much person to person involvment in your CSA - which is why some people join them.  Know your farmer, know your food......well, the food you probably know more at this point ;-).  I always have good intentions - life just gets in the way.

So we have completed 13 weeks of veggie pick up with you.  Still moving towards our 16-18 committment.  Shorter days, colder nights means not as much growth, and your bags of produce will start to dwindle as well, as was to be expected.  We hope you have enjoyed your summer veggies, but time to say goodbye to fresh salads with greens, cukes, and tomatoes.....and say hello to boiled dinners and roasted root veggies.

Please feel free to call, email, or post comments if you have an issues or questions!

Thanks!

Tammy

Turkey Talk

Rising feed costs have become an issue for turkey growers this year. I have seen the price of grain fluctuate 25-30% higher because of the drought and corn shortages. With 7 weeks still left to go before slaughter on November 19, and not sure where grain prices will go in that time, I am taking a risk even setting a price. Basically, fresh holiday birds will be high this year. I am setting my price @ $4 lb and think this is fair. If things plummet in the next 7 weeks, and my costs drop considerably, I would love to bring it back down to $3.50 lb, which has been the going rate for fresh turkeys for years.

Either way, know you are getting a turkey that has been raised outdoors (during the day - they are brought in at night to keep them away from predators). They eat a diet of grass, bugs, garden forage, and scraps as well as their pricey grain. Do you think mass produced Butterball birds are raised this way?  Do a little research to find out for yourself.

If you are still interested in making a commitment to buy a 20-25 lb. fresh turkey from me at this price, please email me.  tammy@farmers8.com

Thank you.

UPDATES

Our Farm Stand is officially Closed for the Season. Thanks to everyone who supported us this year. We appreciate your business.

Still interested in finding our products. Mom sells @ 3 local Farmers Markets:

Cumberland Farmers Market, Saturday mornings 9-12 Town Hall, Tuttle Road
Falmouth Farmers Market, Wednesday afternoons 12-4 Route 1 Behind Walmart
New Gloucester Farmers Market, Tuesday 4-6 Peacock Hill Road @ Connemara Farm

Some of these markets will be ending their summer season, but will start indoors so keep up to date on when that will happen by asking.

Also, we have about 15 slots left for farm raised turkeys. These guys are growing a lot, and I anticipate that for my Nov. 19 slaughter date they will weigh in around 20-25 lbs. That is a big bird, but perhaps it's what you are looking for. I have not set my price yet but anticipate it being around $4 a lb, based on grain cost rising this year.

Any ?'s, comment here, or email tammy@farmers8.com

Thanks!

CSA Week 11

Another nice week of weather, some cold nights but no frost and still able to harvest plenty from the garden. Here's this week share.

Cabbage
Onion
Cukes
Zephyr summer squash
Carrot
Chard
Curly kale
Celery
Annelino beans
Romano mixed
Cilantro
Peppers
Russian kale
Red potatoes
Lemon grass - lemongrass and cilantro are both used in Thai cooking. Look up a recipe :-)
Cherry tomatoes
Tomatoes -we were able to harvest some this week without many blemishes. Some of them may not be completely ripe - just leave them in a warm spot like a sunny windowsill and they'll ripen right up

Large share:

Same as above minus Romano beans, add:
Zucchini

Purple beans

Sugar snap Peas

Cheddar cauliflower
Red pepper

Baked goods share:

Oatmeal bread

Almond Joy Granola

Cookies -

3 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

3 Italian Ricotta

Thanks! Have a nice week. Enjoy your share!