Hello Members! (Click on continue reading to see whole newsletter):
This week marks the 14th week of CSA. There are two more boxes after this box (1 if you are a half share). If you are interested in signing up for a Fall shares, we have some shares left. Currently, our registration is not open because we want to limit the number of sign ups. However, if you are interested in a 2 or 4 week Fall share extension, please email us and we will get you signed up for that. ($80 half share 2 weeks/$150 Full share, 4 weeks).
This past weekend we had a group of Xcel Energy and United Way volunteers out to harvest about 1000 lb of produce for the Amery Food Shelf, which will be distributed to over 25 different Polk Country Food Pantry's. It was a lot of fun and they really rocked digging carrots, cleaning up onions, picking tomatoes and bunching chard and kale!
Please mark your calendars for our Annual Harvest Party and Pig Roast Saturday, October 5th
3 pm- late
Potluck, bonfire, pig roast, wagon rides, pumpkin picking, self-guided tours of animals and fields, apple cider pressing and The Beez Kneez honey demo!
We hope you and your family can make it out! Please RSVP by emailing us at blackbrook.farm.llc@gmail.com
You can always just show up, but it is nice to get an idea of how many people to expect!
As always, here are a few things for you to remember about the CSA and the boxes:
If you ordered meat, PLEASE RETURN YOUR FOIL PACKS TO US!
PLEASE RETURN YOUR BOXES ASAP! WE ARE RUNNING OUT, WHICH MEANS FOLKS AREN'T RETURNING THEIR BOXES!
ALWAYS take the box with your name on it that is from BLACKBROOK FARM! If someone is picking your box up for you, please tell them to take the box with your name on it from BLACKBROOK FARM! This is very important.
IF you can't pick your box up on THURSDAY, please communicate with me about this so I can arrange for it to be kept at the dropsite instead of donated or used.
Please return your box either the same week (bring a bag to empty your veggies into) or the following time you pick up your box. Please collapse your box and neatly stack it or put it where the other boxes are.
If you are half share, your box is delivery every other week ( unless you have rearranged your schedule with Harvie). Please remember to check if this is your week or not. Full shares are delivery every week. When your box is delivered on Thursday, a delivery email is sent out. EVERY one at that dropsite gets that email, even if you do not get a box that week. So it is important for you to know which weeks you pick up. Please email me with questions. Here is information on how to access when and where to pick up your box
We also have 100% pastured Pork extras for SALE! If you order pork from us in your share we put it in a foil pack very frozen and deliver it to you in your box. It will either be partially frozen or very very cold when you receive it. We also have Pastured Pork Packages for sale that we home deliver to your door. This is a great way to load up on all the cuts of a hog and get your good healthy fats! You can find our sign up share for that on our website or our Harvie site under shares. Let us know if you have any questions! Raising animals is a large part of what we do at Blackbrook Farm! You can also buy Pork Shares from us and we do free home delivery! This is a one-time share that you can sign up for anytime, and the price a little reduced depending on the size of the share you choose.
This is what may be in your box this week:
Tomatoes-The tomatoes officially have late blight and we will be pulling most of them this week. I think we will still have one more week with them however. This rain is not helping!
Sweet and Bell Peppers- We picked about 20 bushels of peppers this week! Most of you will get a few carmens. You may also get some lunchbox peppers that are small and sweet and shaped like a small bell peppers.
Hot Pepper Mix-Everyone will get a few- a mix of red long cayenne, orange habanero, yellowish orange hot wax and green jalapeno.
Cherry Tomatoes- Only a half pint for all this week- our tomatoes took a nose dive in production with the weather. Last week for cherries!
Ground Cherries- These are really a great fresh eating snack, like a cherry tomato- but husk them first! You can also husk them and cook them into a sauce or jam.
Spinach- first of fall! This is so thick and crunchy and tasty! .5 lb per person. Holds well in the bag for a couple weeks. Wash again first!
broccoli/cauliflower- Either/ or this week. Both are looking pretty good coming out of the field with this cooler weather! Expect more in the coming weeks, too.
Leeks- Not the biggest in the world, but really a great in a soup! They cook up like an onion or garlic, and kind of have a taste in between them. Do not eat the green tops!
Leek, Tarragon and Potato (sorry!) Soup
Spaghetti Squash- This squash is pretty great at a stuffed squash. You can keep these on the counter.
Sweet Dumpling Squash- This is a great squash for halving and baking with butter and maple syrup.
Swiss Chard- This is such a beautiful green, but sometimes hard to use!
Tarragon herb bunch- One of the most used culinary herbs, but not usually in a home kitchen! Nevermind the brown flowers that have dried down, just cut them off. Great in soup, marinaras, italian and french cooking. YOu can dry it down by hanging it upside down and then putting it in a glass jar for the winter.
Green, Purple and Yellow Wax Beans- A nice trio of beans for you this week! .75 lbs.
Eggplant- For those of you who like eggplant, this might be the last week!
Have a great week!
