CSA Newsletter - Summer- Week 1 - 2021

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for joining our CSA! I hope you all found your boxes without too much fuss and bother. Please call or email right away if you have any issues. I have encountered a few little kinks with the new CSA software and am figuring them out as I go. Please bear with me.

Since this is the first week, the newsletter will be mostly housekeeping details. Please be sure to read, especially if you are new to our CSA.

NEWSLETTER FREQUENCY AND CONTENT: In an ideal world, I would send one each week. However, there are not always enough hours in a day. I will definitely send a little something if there is important news to share or a new box item to tell you about. When I do send them, please take the time to read as there might be critical info and it will help you to connect with the farm and crew.

CONTACTING THE FARM: I (Jen) do all the admin stuff on the farm. If you need to contact the farm for a non-urgent matter, shoot me an email info@risingriverfarm.com or call the office phone 360-273-5368. If you need immediate help (like your box is missing) call my cell 360-584-6720. Please only use the cell number if it can’t wait.

BOX CONTENT: The boxes may seem a little slim at first, since most crops need more time to mature. Fear not. Soon you will be swimming in veggies! We also rotate crops around the pick up sites, so if you see something in the box photo that wasn’t in your box, that is probably why. Today, for example, half of you got beets and the other half got kale. Next week it will switch. We do this to keep the boxes interesting and it allows us to better manage the harvest. We keep careful track of who gets what, so it will all even out in the end. I will include a list of what should be in your box, so if something is indeed missing, do let me know and we will make it right. I will also do my best to help identify the more obscure veggies in your box.

WASHING PRODUCE: We wash everything upon harvest, but it is always a good idea to rinse everything before you eat it, just as you would produce purchased at a market or store. Likewise, if it is a particularly hot day and greens are looking wilted, rinse and store them in a plastic bag. They should perk right up.

RETURN YOUR BOXES EACH WEEK! We have a way to clean and reuse the wax boxes. They are expensive and hard to acquire thanks to global supply chain chaos. We need to make these stretch as long as we can. When you return them to the site, please carefully unfold then. Be sure that you do not rip the tabs.

RECIPES: I will occasionally include new recipes I come across in the newsletter. Additionally, I invite you to check out our recipe archive. There is a tag cloud at the top of the page. Click on a veg or herb and all sorts of recipes featuring that item will pop up

PICKY EATER SPIEL: Speaking as a former picky eater, I implore you to try each item in your box a few times in a few different ways before you totally write it off. I know some of you have allergies or have tried farm fresh this-or-that and are very certain you never want to see it on your plate ever again as long as you live. But, if you are avoiding a veggie because of poorly prepared and/or was a bland grocery store version, please do try it again. Freshly harvested produce is so sweet and flavorful. Many things like carrots and peas are better raw (in my opinion, anyway). Try to be open and adventurous!

WHAT’S IN THE BOX THIS WEEK:
carrots
beets or Russian kale
dill or cilantro
fresh garlic
garlic scapes
green onions
Lettuce: green leaf, red leaf, or romaine.

TIPS AND ELABORATIONS:
Garlic scapes (the bundle of curly-q’s) are the seed stalk of the garlic plant. The texture is like green beans or asparagus when cooked and they have a milder garlic flavor than a clove so you can use a lot. Add them to any savoy dish where you want garlic flavor and asparagus texture. They are delicious on their own, tossed with salt and olive oil and roasted in the oven or on the grill.
Russian kale: This variety is sweeter and more tender than your standard curly type. Add to salad, blend in a smoothie, or simply saute with garlic (or scapes).
Green onions: We use them in place of onions until the real thing comes along. They are endlessly versatile.
Beets and their greens: Fresh beets are a-maz-ing! So sweet and flavorful. The greens are good, too. They taste a lot like chard and can be prepared as you would chard or spinach.

That’s all for today. I’ll write more about the farm itself next time.

Enjoy!
Jen