(photo from jigsha.com)We joined a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this year. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, a CSA works like this: You buy a share at the beginning of the growing season that generally feeds a family of four. The farm takes the money from everyone's shares and plans their gardens and the next six months or so of their lives accordingly. If the weather is great and the pests don't take over, every week they deliver a shipment of whatever happens to be ready for harvest at the farm. If the weather is terrible and there's a sudden pestilence that takes over the Minnesota countryside, then we have all shared the risk and we shop at the grocery store instead. At most of the CSAs around, the produce is organic, though the farm may not be officially organic as the certification is quite arduous.
Our farm is called Victorian Meadows. You can follow this link to check out their site. We've belonged to other CSAs in the past but I was attracted to this one because they have goats. And they make cheese. And the cheese is part of the share! Can you see where I'm headed with this one? I contacted the owner early on and mentioned my fascination with all things goat and she assured me that I could have goat milking lessons as well as help out with the cheese making. Perfect! We split a share with my parents this year, hoping to learn a little more about just how much food comes in the boxes weekly at this farm.
Here is the latest email from our farmer Jill:
Just some quick updates on the CSA farm……
We got all the seeds into the ground and everything is planted. The gardens are ahead of schedule by almost a month! We got a little “over ambitious” for those who know me… know that it’s not hard for me to be over ambitious.
This year we decided to put in over a acre of green beans, an acre of peas and a acre of sweet corn. Along with the other gardens…. So we have a total of 6 extremely large garden fields this year and we have a huge variety, just like last year.
The only things I haven’t plant yet is the fragile produce like tomatoes plants, broccoli, peppers and sweet potatoes plants. If we even were to get a light frost they would be gone so I always wait. Next week they will go in after mother’s day.
Radishes are peeking there sprouts out of the ground and it shouldn’t be too long for them to be harvested along with small soup and salad onions!
We have organic pasture raised eggs high in Omega 3 ready to go along with goat cheese and soaps. We are going to start May 8th this Friday!
We need the egg cartons back
Organic chevre or ricotta goat cheese:
Will come in a glass jar and fresh frozen. I will need the glass jar and lids back as well.
We got all the seeds into the ground and everything is planted. The gardens are ahead of schedule by almost a month! We got a little “over ambitious” for those who know me… know that it’s not hard for me to be over ambitious.
This year we decided to put in over a acre of green beans, an acre of peas and a acre of sweet corn. Along with the other gardens…. So we have a total of 6 extremely large garden fields this year and we have a huge variety, just like last year.
The only things I haven’t plant yet is the fragile produce like tomatoes plants, broccoli, peppers and sweet potatoes plants. If we even were to get a light frost they would be gone so I always wait. Next week they will go in after mother’s day.
Radishes are peeking there sprouts out of the ground and it shouldn’t be too long for them to be harvested along with small soup and salad onions!
We have organic pasture raised eggs high in Omega 3 ready to go along with goat cheese and soaps. We are going to start May 8th this Friday!
We need the egg cartons back
Organic chevre or ricotta goat cheese:
Will come in a glass jar and fresh frozen. I will need the glass jar and lids back as well.
We received our first shipment on Friday. 2 dozen eggs (brown and blue beauties!), freshly snipped chives, a tube of goat milk based lip balm and one of eye cream, and a strong scented farm made goat milk based (lemon grass... yum!) laundry soap that requires only one Tbsp. to do a large load of laundry. 1 Tbsp? Yes... so far, it is working well. I'll keep you posted on the grass stains on Gus' new dress pants. You can order the laundry soap here. Slim pickings in terms of vegetables or fruits, but this is Minnesota and the ground is barely thawed.
1 comment:
I want some of that laundry soap!!! I will have to order some. your farm sounds awesome! CSA's have come a long time in the last 15 years, huh wife?
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