Greetings from Against the Grain and welcome to the Sixteenth week of the 2021 CSA!
The CSA Harvest Celebration Pizza Party is just 2 weeks away! Please RSVP HERE if you plan to come, otherwise, no need to fill out the form. We look forward to seeing all those who can attend.
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, September 12th. 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 13th. 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 Everette Young, ATG apprentice.
The sunflower that grew up in the compost bin—my favorite flower on the farm—died about a little over a week ago. And I think that’s what marked the end of summer on the farm. The past two weeks have been a blessing: crisp mornings that require jackets and breezy afternoons which feel like putting on a new skin after the dog days of summer. With fall suddenly arrived—and so returns a reminder of what cold mornings in the winter were like —so does the chance to look back at what was gained during the summer.
The summer at ATG was immensely sweet; the staff enjoyed what must at least a dozen watermelons together at the end of workdays and during farm potlucks. We jumped into the Watauga river after work on the hottest days, found our favorite camping spots in the Linville Gorge, and were delighted with several volunteers and guests to the farm which imbibed new life into our culture. It was a time where the staff created a steady rhythm with each other. During weeks of drought and the days of picking more than 800 pounds of tomatoes, there was an obvious flowering which took place, a natural spectacle of our growth from where we were in the spring. We were no longer getting the feel of each other during life and work, but realizing a system of community which worked best for us. We grew alongside each other in ways and provided for each other an incredible amount of joy.
It was also an extremely busy time of the year: a great variety of vegetables to manage, and added problems with deer and an on-again-off-again drought; we were often at capacity making sure everything stayed alive and well. It was amidst these daily challenges where the community grew, accelerated by the expansiveness of the summer.
But as more of the leaves turn and the mornings get cooler, the yearlong apprentices begin to plan what we’ll do during the winter. There’s a lot of hope to carry on what we’ve learned and experienced together, and a lot of want among the existing staff to stay in this part of Appalachia, where we each found something to love deeply. Autumn will be a time to not only reflect on the heights of this season, but to crystallize the bonds and feelings of this year: to take them with us as we find out what’s next for us workers and ATG as a whole.
As for the summer, I will greatly miss the bountiful harvest of peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. I’ll try to remember how sweet they were in the winter.
Much gratitude and happy eating
Holly, Andy and the ATG Crew
