Greetings from Against the Grain and welcome to the Fourteenth week of the 2021 CSA!
Just like previous 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, August 29th. During this customization window, you can make swaps to your box and add extras. Pick up your box at your chosen location on Wednesday, September 1st. Just as a reminder, if you'd like to change pick up locations for the share that is currently open for customization, please email Harvie support to request that change support@harvie.farm. Always feel free to double check with Holly to make sure the change was made. It is so important to the farm that CSA members have flexibility in their pick up location.
If you'd like to donate your box, change your pick up location to the FARM Cafe and email Holly to let her know you'd like to share the love!
This week's newsletter is brought to you by Alejo Salcado, a tatoo artist, independent blogger and podcast host and ATG farm apprentice.
The summer is coming to a close. At the farm we processed tons (literally thousands of pounds) of tomatoes. We’ve made lots of sauce and I even attempted making sun dried tomatoes for the first time. We also just got into apple season and have already had one fun pick and press with the farm friends. We harvested 6 full crates and got close to 20 gallons of juice. Half the juice is fermenting in the cellar. Soon enough we will be sipping on some crisp cider in front of a fire on a cool fall evening. There is an abundance of wild apple trees on ATG’s property, most of which are not the best eating apples. Although few apples make the cut as eating apples, surely any can be pressed into juice.
Earlier this month I visited my friend Taylor, who is working at the farm Spikenard in Floyd, Virginia. Spikenard is a Biodynamic farm dedicated to the preservation of the honey bee and other pollinators. It is a one of a kind, non profit bee sanctuary, designed to educate and celebrate. ATG's very own Biodynamic mentor, M, has studied at Spikenard over the years, and it holds a place deep in his heart. The farm is fairly small and easily walkable, but a palpable energy of peace and vitality flows through the air. Its a gallery of bee hives, each of which have their own name. There are a variety of hives (all active) on display, many of which were hand made.
Taylor has been learning to keep bees for a few years. She visited ATG last fall, when I first arrived on the farm. A conversation with M catalyzed her to seek out this unique opportunity at Spikenard. While visiting Spikenard, we harvested rosehips and I decided to infuse them in honey, a gift from Taylor’s bees in Connecticut. Preserving in honey is an elegant way to fuse a flavor into this mineral rich nectar. Almost anything can be infused into honey. Take for instance a garlic clove. Simply peel the clove, chop it up and put it in a jar of honey. Make sure to refridgerate, otherwise the garlic will secrete its water and cause the honey to spoil. Another fun combo is preserving roasted red peppers in honey.
Here's to many more adventures in food preservation, agricultural exchange and friendship.
Much love and happy eating,
Holly, Andy and the ATG Crew
