{2013 CSA Season @ a Glance}

Early season CSA box packed with spring goodies.

Happy New Year!

Let's take a look back at the entire 2013 CSA Season with pictures of the weekly CSA boxes and the accompanying newsletters.

2013 was our second year on the farm, delivering CSA and Farm Shares, our first year at the Saturday New Ulm Farmers' Market and our second year in transition to Organic certification. We love what we are doing and are looking forward to all that 2014 has to hold for us!

Preseason

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15

Week 16

Week 17

Week 18

Other 2013 Blog Highlights:

Muddy Beans, Muddy Boots  {most viewed post of the year}

Field-to-Table: Swiss Chard Gratin  {most viewed recipe post}

Our Seasonal Chef posts were also highly popular, provided by The Land Connection.

French Breakfast radishes, packed for CSA boxes.

Thank you for your support and following our blog! Cheers!

CSA Week #18

Week #18, the final week of the season, has been delivered--members took home their full-to-the-brim and heavy last boxes yesterday. This was our second CSA season on the farm and it was a good one. A great big thank you to all of our members who supported the farm--we couldn't do it without you!

So here's a look at the last box...

Link to the Week #18 CSA Newsletter

CSA Box Wk #18 • Layer 1 • Oct. 22nd, 2013

 In the boxes: Butternut and acorn squash, beets, 1.25# leeks, 1.5# parsnips, Jonathon apples, 3# Katahdin potatoes, 1/2lb garlic...

CSA Box Wk #18 • Layer 2 • Oct. 22nd, 2013

...green bell peppers, 2# mixed onions, French gray shallots, rosemary, sage, dill seed and tarragon. Plus the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 shopping guide and the Seafood Watch guide.

CSA Week #17

It was a cold and rainy delivery day. It makes for muddy harvesting--it's dirty work, but someones got to do it! The parsnips were all dug Monday, in anticipation of the rain. We ended up getting about 1.25". We are loving the rain, but also hoping for an opportunity to get in and till to prepare for garlic and shallot planting. Here's a look at the boxes from this week--regular full shares and the final boxes for our Week half shares.

Link to CSA News Week #17

CSA Week #17 • Oct. 15, 2013 • Full Share

Still holding summery goodness with the peppers and tomatoes!

In the Full Share Boxes: Cherry tomatoes, ground cherries, red and green bell peppers, garlic bulb, Valencia tomato, 1# leeks, butternut squash, 2# Katahdin potatoes, apple mix, 1.25# parsnips, red and yellow onions.

CSA Week #17 Half Shares Final Box • Oct. 15, 2013 

In the Half Shares final box: In addition to our weekly newsletter members also received a copy of the Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 & Seafood Watch reference cards (for health eating off CSA season), parsnips, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, 4# Katahdin potatoes, 2# red & yellow storage onions, red and green bell peppers, butternut squash, 1# leeks, 2# mixed apples, acorn squash, kale, French Gray shallots, 1/2# garlic, Superschmeltz kohlrabi, Valencia tomato and herb mix--dried tarragon, dried rosemary, dried sage and dill seed.

The apple mix this week included heirloom Northern Spy, Cortland and Regent.

Leeks!

CSA Week #16

Week #16 boxes were tasty looking! We are loving the parsnips and brussel sprouts this time of year!

In the Boxes: Sweet green bell peppers, parsnips, apples, acorn squash, potatoes, pie pumpkin, decorative corn, shallot mix, 1/2 # brussel sprouts, red and yellow onion, kohlrabi, tomato mix.

Link to the Week #16 CSA Newsletter

Week #4 of our Apple Shares was also delivered this week!

CSA Week #15

Week #15 CSA boxes have been delivered, along with the 3rd week of Apple Shares and other goodies to Farm Share members. It was a very fall box this week!

In the Boxes: Wealthy apples, red and yellow onions, butternut squash, green bell peppers, leeks, Red Russian kale, cherry tomatoes, brussel sprouts, parsnips, heirloom tomato mix, heirloom roma tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and (pictured below) Winter Luxury pie pumpkin and decorative flint corn.

Link to the Week #15 CSA Newsletter

All of the boxes received a bundle of decorative corn. We grew this to use for animal feed and corn meal. The colors are amazing!

I am looking forward to fresh pumpkin pie! And pumpkin bread! Have a great week :)

CSA Week #14

Quite a nice variety in CSA boxes this week and the first parsnips of the season. Apples continue to come and the frost has held off so fresh tomatoes and peppers keep coming!

Apples this week include the one pictured: Haralson, Red Baron and Cortland. You can find more about apple varieties at the Orange Pippin website.

In the Boxes: Parsnips, apples, yellow onion, acorn squash, garlic, German Butterball potatoes, beets ground cherries...

...green peppers, parsley, basil, heirloom tomatoes and broccoli.

Link to the Week #14 CSA Newsletter

CSA Week #13

The first winter squash made it to boxes this week. Peppers, tomatoes and ground cherries will slow down with this cool weather and stop all together after frost, so we'll enjoy them while we can!!

In the CSA Box: Acorn squash, fresh sage, heirloom tomatoes, ground cherries, muskmelon, basil, green and red bell peppers, red onions, garlic, apple mix and swiss chard.

Link to the Week 13 CSA Newsletter.

Apples in the boxes this week...McIntosh, Early Gold and Red Baron.

Tomatoes! Lots of sweet heirloom goodness.

Here's a sneak peek at the boxes getting packed for delivery. Enjoy!

Early September Photo Update

The field is still full and green, but there are many changes apparent. The cucumbers and beans have finished for the season. Beds where spring cabbage, lettuce and peas, as well as garlic and early potatoes were grown are now filled with a buckwheat cover crop.

The first fall frost is looming around the corner and that will bring more changes. The frost will bring a sweetness to root vegetables and kale, and help the remaining dry beans fully dry down.

Brussel sprouts are filling out, and will sweeten with frost.

The pack shed drying/curing area is full to the brim. There are red and yellow onions, and mid-season potatoes curing. Garlic, shallots, herbs and early season potatoes are cured and stored.

The winter squash is start to mature. September 10th we had our first harvest of acorn squash.

Our flint corn harvest has begun. (It may take a while, because with each ear we pick  we stop and say, "Oooo, ahhh....look at this one!"

The flint corn is grown for animal feed, and may also be used for hominy and corn meal.

CSA Week #12

Ooooo muskmelons! We sure like this variety, it's tasty. We are two thirds of the way through our delivery season and again you can feel the seasons shifting. The last cucumbers appeared in the boxes this week--we'll have to wait until next spring for those treats again! Late season potatoes are looking great and tasting delish. I can't wait to make a big batch of potato-leek soup!

Link to the Week #12 CSA Newsletter.

Filling the boxes...carrots, leeks, beets with greens, German Butterball potatoes,

Stuttgarter yellow onions, Hale's Best muskmelon...

...then add some sweet green and red bell peppers, hot jalapeno peppers, 

a yellow cucumber...

...and top it off with some delicious kale, parsley and tomatoes--

Valencia (yellow), Costoluto Genovese (red) and Black Krim.

CSA Week #11

Week #11 boxes are delivered!

In the Boxes: yellow cucumbers, tomatoes {Valencia/Costoluto Genovese}, German Butterball potatoes, green bell peppers, Dragon's Tongue wax beans, McIntosh apples, broccoli, yellow onions, garlic, rosemary and watermelons {some shares}. The watermelon pictured is Creme de Saskatchewan.

Link to the Week #11 CSA Newsletter.

CSA Week #10

Week #10 boxes. Link to the CSA Newsletter Week #1. A little sneak peak at packing the boxes...

 Layer one, packing up the boxes...broccoli, Beacon apples, heirloom snap bean mix, carrots, yellow and green cucumbers, beets, sweet green bell peppers...

CSA Box Week #10 ~ Layer 1 ~ Aug. 27, 2013

...then add basil, heirloom tomato mix, sweet corn, Red Russian kale, ground cherries, and (not pictured) watermelon. Members either received Moon & Stars (dark green rind, pink fleshed) or Creme de Saskatchewan (light & dark green striped rind, white flesh).

A view in the packing shed--boxes all over the place! Lots of tomatoes :)

Boxes are packed and cooling pre-delivery in the walk-in cooler with the watermelons.

Happy eating!

CSA Week #9

With the Week #9 boxes delivered we are officially half way through the CSA season. My how time flies when you are having fun!

In the box: Swiss chard, bunching onions, zucchini, basil, green bell pepper, carrots, parsley, broccoli, yellow and red onions, heirloom snap bean mix, green and white cucumbers, potatoes, jalapenos, apples, tomatoes and kohlrabi.

Link to the CSA Newsletter

CSA Week #8

What a week! Week #8 boxes delivered Tuesday, and Wednesday night we had a Walk-and-Talk Field  Day with the University of Minnesota Extension/Rural Advantage with a group of 25 people. Cool beans. The first melons went in the boxes this week! The tomatoes are really kicking it up a notch, with all varieties now producing--Yellow Pear, Reisentraube (cherry), Valencia (yellow), Black Krim (black), Mountain Princess, Costoluto Genovese and Gilbertie (roma).

CSA Box Week #8 • August 13, 2013

In the boxes this week: Nicola potatoes, Lodi apples, tomatoes--Mountain Princess and Valencia, beets, Creme de Saskatchewan watermelon (some boxes/white flesh), baby cabbage, cucumbers--Boothby's Blonde and Double Yield, zucchini (some boxes), kohlrabi--white and purple vienna, Red Baron onions, beans--Dragon's Tongue wax or Rattlesnake snap, bunching onions, broccoli, parsley and oregano.

Link to the Week #8 CSA Newsletter

From the newsletter, Italian Three-Bean Salad--yum!

CSA Week #7

Hooray, tomato season has begun! Apple season has begun! Our Week #7 boxes have been delivered and they boasted some great treats making their first appearance this season. Check our recipes for your apples, beets and roots vegetables in the newsletter. Link for CSA Week #7 Newsletter

In the boxes: leeks, basil, rosemary, red cabbage (half shares), broccoli, dragon's tongue (light green) wax beans OR rattlesnake snap beans (bright green), carrots, kale, beets, onions, potatoes, Mountain Princess tomatoes, kohlrabi (purple/white), Lodi apples, green bell pepper and a zinnia.

CSA Week #6

Week 6 boxes have been delivered, and they were colorful boxes! We are one-third of the way through our delivery season and it has been a great season so far. Check out the newsletter for a beet chocolate cake recipe!

In the boxes: Dragon's Tongue wax beans, red cabbage, beets, swiss chard, bunching onions, carrots, yellow onions, zucchini, paprika sweet pepper, yellow and green cucumbers.

CSA Newsletter Week #6

CSA Week #5

That was a full box! I almost couldn't get it closed :) We are headed into the season of abundance, with the first tomatoes harvested, and peppers, melons and squash growing larger every day!

In the Week #5 box: Celery, kale, bunching onions, wax beans, cucumbers, onions, beets, carrots, broccoli, basil, parsley, potatoes. Half shares also included: swiss chard, zucchini.

Link to CSA Newsletter

John harvesting potatoes for CSA.

Harvesting potatoes!

Gorgeous St. Valery carrots. The CSA boxes packed and ready to deliver!

CSA Week #5 Box • July 23, 2013

CSA Week #4

Delivering the Week 4 boxes brings us a quarter of the way through our season. These first four weeks have gone fast! 

In the Week 4 boxes: Basil, yellow and green cucumbers, Pirat butterhead lettuce, Swiss chard, Red Russian kale (half shares), dragon's tongue wax beans (full shares), broccoli (half shares), snap peas, snow peas, new potatoes, kohlrabi, table onions, chives and mint.

CSA Newsletter Week #4

Look at this bumble bee! Amazing pollinators :)

CSA Week #3

Our Week #3 boxes have been delivered. At this time you can start to see a change from spring veggies to summer, heat-loving veggies. We are excited to be offering more herbs in the boxes this year--our members will be able to try out different herbs throughout the growing season. Here's a snapshot of delivery day.

CSA Box Week #3 • July 9, 2013

This weeks box included: Green cabbage, shell peas, snow peas, beet with greens, broccoli, yellow and green cucumbers, garlic scapes, kale, new potatoes, zucchini (full shares), carrots, dill and tarragon.

CSA Newsletter Week #3

Early morning storm approaching.

When we went outside in the morning to begin harvesting we could hear the thunder, and see the lightning off in the distance. We got a nice little rain for a while, which made for muddy harvest.

Brooke harvesting carrots.

We had our first harvests of carrots, beets and potatoes!

Detroit Dark Red heirloom beets.

Setting up for packing our CSA boxes.

The assembly line.

Cucumbers, zucchini and flowers.

 Ta-da! CSA boxes packed and ready to go.

How fortunate I am that I get to drive up to the beautiful Schell's Brewery each week for delivery. I love seeing this fancy peacocks!

Have a great week!