Hello again! Welcome to your first customization email!
We just wrapped up the day here on the farm, and I am very much looking forward to a Friday stroll down to the river with Eric and Iona and Delilah the farm dog to unwind from what felt like an endless and crazy week. In a "regular" year, May into June and even July can feel a little like a roller coaster careening out of control. There is so so much to plant, the weeds are starting to really take hold as the days warm, and we begin our harvests and deliveries in earnest. Each day is just packed with happenings, it's almost a blue. For example, today the field crew weeded many beds of greens, cleaned up row cover, picked potato beetles out of the crops, seeded aisles for weed management, uncovered some crops, and covered others with row cover, hung trellis for cukes, planted the last of the tomatoes, started building our new cooler, bagged carrots, and hooped eggplant. Eric seeded carrots and beets, prepped aisles, set up irrigation in the tomatoes, hauled irrigation to a whole new field, and worked on finalizing delivery routes. You get the idea, but this doesn't even mention all the tractor happenings, greenhouse work, and the 5 million emails going out, all while waiting for rain and thunder that never came. It is an invigorating and exhausting time, even before the current pandemic. We're feeling very lucky to be outside, busy, in the company (safely) of our wonderful crew, and gettting to feed people this spring and summer. Six years in and we're still humbled by June.
In terms of crops, early June is all about the greens, and this week is no different. You'll find in your share a variety of different greens to try in your salads, soups, and on your pizza (my recommended use for arugula -top after it's cooked). Familiar to all will be spinach, lettuce, kale - new to some might be baby bok choy, mesclun. Baby Bok is wonderful in salad and stir fry, bringing great crunch, but my fav way to cook it is to roast it. Check out this recipe: https://www.thespruceeats.com/roasted-bok-choy-4690759
Mesclun (mixed baby greens) is perfect for salads or rice bowls.
We have been mightily fighting flea beetles, a tiny pest that eats crops in the mustard family, so if you see teenyweeny holes in things, know it's because your food is organic and the weather is hot and dry (their preferred weather).
We expect beefier and exciting things to come along soon, as summer squash and cukes are growing fast and our heavier greens are sizing up. We are short of rain so if everyone could cross their fingers for some, it would be much appreciated.
Exciting Extras:
Extras we have for purchase this week come from other local farms and producers that we think are great. Some of these items are available a lot as they are shelf stable, other items are seasonal and will only be available for a few weeks. We'll always let you know where something comes from. These items are subject to selling out, so order early to guarantee getting them in your box. Charges for extra items will be added to your weekly charge.
Organic Dill Pickle Chips from Turtle Rock Farm - Turtle Rock is our go to for wonderful organic preserves and her pickles are a CSA favorite. Crisp, tasty and made with local, organic cukes in Brunswick, Maine. $6.75/16 oz jar
Moses Dyer Coffee - Moses Dyer Coffee is a new offering this year, but something Eric and I have enjoyed for almost as long as we've lived in Maine. It's locally roasted, organic, fair trade coffee, and it is perfect for your morning buzz. We have a dark and light roast available, all is whole bean. Also most coffee is packed to 3/4lb. but Moses Dyer gives you a full lb, so it lasts longer! $15.00
Winter Hill Farm Everett's Tome Cheese - Winter Hill is one of our favorite creameries, and it shows as we have their cheese available often. This week we have their Everett's Tome is an aged, raw milk cheese with a natural rind. Aged for 2-5 months, this creamy, semi hard cheese is mild but has a complex flavor. Great on crackers or grated onto a salad. (Cheese for cheese share of the week) $9.00
We will be increasing what we offer each week, so keep an eye out!
Thank you to all for joining us! Please expect and read thoroughly an email coming this weekend regarding how to pick-up your share at your specific pick-up site. Also, don't forget to customize your share before 6:00 PM on Sunday!
Best,
Bethany
