Greetings from ATG and welcome to the fourth week of the CSA! Just like past weeks, the customization period begins once this notification lands in your inbox (which should be around noon on Friday) and will end at 11:59pm on Sunday, June 14th.
On another note, you have probably received an email in your inbox about a set of spontaneous CSA work days next week. We are asking for volunteers on either Monday, June 15th and/or Wednesday, June 17th from 9am to noon. Please respond to that email if you'd like to come out to one of those days. We realize that this is very short notice, so please feel no obligation to attend. We will be offering more work days in the future!
In other farm news...our Scottish Highland cow had a baby bull calf this morning (see photo above)!!
Otherwise, this week's newsletter contribution comes to you from M Mueller. M is a Biodynamic practitioner and has been connected to the farm since it's early beginnings. In the spring of 2020, he took up residence on the farm and is contributing in many ways beyond the farm's initial imagination. The following is one of those ways...
As the sun rises higher in the sky each day, we can really feel it on the farm. The day lengthens with earlier sun rises and later settings, until we feel that sunrise and sunset could almost meet! The plants stretch quickly forth into the warm air as all nature reaches upwards in a dreamy exhalation from the earth: the afternoon thunderheads pile high into the sky, the blue sky dome recedes even further away, the scent of flowers escapes upwards, and the bees launch in golden glory into brilliant air.
We're feeling a festival arising in our hearts, and we are not alone! The season around the summer solstice has been celebrated since earliest times--and in places it's still being celebrated--and our farm will do so, too, by composing a special biodynamic stir and spreading of the preparations mixed with other substances which we hope will communicate our recognition and love of the land, plants, animals, people and all the beings seen and unseen which reside or sojourn here on Against the Grain. We will feast and light a bonfire and sing the children home to bed and make merry till the wee hours in fine fashion.
Because of current Safer-At-Home Covid-19 restrictions, we are unable to open our festival to everyone this year, but we encourage everyone to check out Spikenard Farm's newsletter web page with encouraging how-to ideas for making Summer Festival with close friends in smaller groups. Connecting oneself with the season and our closest people is a healthful way to stay strong and connected during these times, and until we can celebrate in large groups again, we must keep our social selves in loving relation to others as much as we can in smaller groups.
As always, we wish you much love and happy eating,
Holly, Andy and the ATG Crew
