Hi everyone-
Winter CSA is a beautiful opportunity to connect a little deeper with the bounty of what the season and the soil has to offer here in New England. We often think that once there is frost, once the days turn dark, leaves fall and snow starts to threaten, that the growing season is just done, but the farm continues to grow for another couple of months. The grass continues to feed our animals, the fields grow cover crops, newly planted garlic cloves send out hungry roots and we still have crops growing in our fields. Lettuces, kales, radishes, mustard greens, beets, carrots and onions will continue to grow–often they need a little extra protection if we have a super drop in temperature, but usually they just keep trucking along. They grow a lot more slowly, but if we plan carefully in August and September, we will still be harvesting for not just this Winter share, but for all three and growing gorgeous storage crops that will last us well into March.
Our high tunnel provides a protected, warm environment that shuts out the bite of the wind and the danger of snow and adds a little extra solar gain to keep the dark soil moist and warm even during the darkest part of the year. It will still eventually freeze inside, but it will never freeze solid so roots will continue to grow all winter. Since Massachusetts has the same latitude as Northern Spain and Southern France, where it rarely freezes and the growing season is year-round, we are also able to accomplish year round growing by providing a little extra shelter for our crops.
Some interesting nutrition density info on the foods you will find in your winter shares-
Potatoes: high in Vitamin C
Squashes, Sweet potatoes & Carrots: high in Vitamin A, C, Anti-oxidants
Kale & Cabbages- Vitamin D, A, C, folate, protein and calcium (this is a nutrient dense food for a reason folks)
Chard & Beets- Vit A, Iron, calcium and more, bio-flavonoids
Alliums (onions, scallions, garlic):all contain cancer fighting flavonoids and cholesterol lowering antioxidants
We hope you enjoy our first winter share. These foods bring comfort and cleansing to your body while also adding valuable nutrition and dense flavors. Let them snuggle you in for a time of rest and recovery.
-Farmers Des and Jeff
In your share this week:
| Packed for YOU!!! Sweet Potatoes (2lbs), Powisset Farm Carrots, Rainbow (2lbs) Potatoes, Elba (3lbs), Alprilla Farm Elba’s are the best mashing potato! Also good in soups! Garlic, (.25lbs), Powisset Farm Butternut Squash, 1 large, Appleton Farm Red & Yellow Onions, (3lbs) Appleton Farm Apples, Cortlands, Empire & Gala (3lbs), IPM; Brookdale Farm Beets, mixed (1lb) Cauliflower, 1 head, Appleton Farm Napa Cabbage, red (1 head) Fill up your Box the rest of the way with: Kale, green curly Pac Choi, Asian delight Radishes, mixed: Watermelon, Purple/White Daikon & Red Round Salad Turnips Arugula & Mustard Greens Escarole Lettuce, Romaine Scallions Napa Cabbage, red or green |
We Love Meat CSA!
| We still have some space for you to sign up for (or renew!) a meat csa share to keep your local food mojo in high gear all winter long! There’s nothing like a juicy roast to pair with all of those fantastic root vegetables or just go ahead and throw it all in the slow cooker! Either way we’d love for you to give our sustainably raised, grass-fed & pastured meats a try. Each monthly (or twice-monthly!) pickup includes a farmer’s choice of mixed beef, chicken, goat, lamb and pork, which is then filled out by your choice from our variety of sausages, ground meats, burgers, or franks up to 7lbs per share. You can even add on an option for eggs. These packages vary seasonally, offering a healthy variety of meats & cuts! Check us out online for more info. Discounted seasonal shares are available as an option with the winter veggie share, or you can get more flexibility with a month-to-month subscription through our specialized meat-share Farmigo portal. |
