Winter CSA Shares Available!

Read on for full details on Winter and Pantry CSA Shares! These run November through February (Pantry) or March (Winter), with pick up at the farm store, rural Madelia.

There are currently 3 Winter and 9 Pantry Shares available! Winter features our winter greens. Add on items will be available for purchase at the farm store at pick up (eggs, greens, etc.).

Winter CSA

Here are the details…

•What’s in the Share: This share features greens from our passive solar winter greenhouse, alongside storage crops and canned goods.

Apples, applesauce, apple butter, apple rings, baking apples, acorn squash, butternut squash, garlic, onions, beets, carrots, pea shoots, microgreens and salad greens.

•Cost: $285  -  please pay in full at the time of reservation, or make a deposit of $185, with $100 due by first box. Payment by cash, check or Venmo.

•Pick Up: Shooting to start Wednesday, November 20—the first of 7 pick ups. Pick up will be at the Farm Store, Wednesdays from 4:00-7:00 pm. Pick up will be every 2-3 weeks, approximately. This all depends on the growth of the salad greens. Flexibility is a must. Boxes in Nov./Dec./Jan.x2/Febx2/Mar.

Pantry CSA

Here are the details…

•What’s in the Share: This share features our organic storage crops and canned items.
Apples, applesauce, apple butter, apple rings, acorn squash, butternut squash, garlic, onions, potatoes, beets, carrots.

•Cost: $95  -  please pay in full at the time of reservation, or make a deposit of $65, with $30 due by first box. Payment by cash, check or Venmo.

•Pick Up: Shooting to start Wednesday, November 20—the first of 4 pick ups. Pick up will be at the Farm Store, Wednesdays from 4:00-7:00 pm. Pick up will be once per month, approximately. Flexibility is a must, as we will line up with Winter CSA pick up as we are able (some folks do both). Boxes in Nov./Dec./Jan./Feb.

Reservation

Please email info@alternativerootsfarm.com or text 507-412-7605, to reserve your share and make sure there is one available. Then I will give you the sign up link.

Pick Up

Pick up of shares will be at the Farm Store - 11197 130th St. Madelia, MN 56062 - 23 miles West of Mankato, 12 miles South of New Ulm, 8 miles North of Madelia.
   •Wednesdays 4:00-7:00 pm
   •Thursdays 4:00-7:00 pm
   •Fridays 9:00 am-12:00pm

Notes

•Some folks to decide to get both shares.

•Other Items: When picking up at the Farm Store there will be other items you can add on to your share—eggs, raw apple cider, greens, etc. As pick up approaches we will offer reservation on eggs.

•Weather: In case of winter weather we may postpone pick up, or change the day that week.

•Your investment in a Pantry CSA Share gets you a discount on all these items and the best of our storage produce!

Photo Update June 22

So, this will be an update for all of June, apparently! As of today we have had 9.67" of rain, the field is more like a bog, but it is what it is. Cruise through the month of June so far in these pics...

Maybe I should grow cranberries in my bog?

Did you catch that worm video on facebook? The mud has provided some fun. ;)

The raspberry patch got an overhaul - well weeded and trellis posts put in. We will wait to string up wire until next year (for one thing it is just too wet right now).

Raspberries are beginning to blush!

For two weeks we did our Spring CSA pick up at the farm, here's what it looked like - a market style pick up where folks select their own goods.

Lettuce, rhubarb, radishes, strawberries, kale, parsley, sage, green shallots and garlic scapes are farm fresh in June!!

Green and red heads of summercrisp lettuce.

Heirloom rhubarb.

Beautiful radishes.

Delicious and nutritious kale.

Parsley and sage.

Strawberries.

We started on our big project for the year! We will be renovating the quonset hut to meet our changing needs at the farm. The inside is all graded, supplies are being delivered and we are getting ready to get the concrete poured.

Tomato plants are blooming and little green fruits can be spotted (same with cukes).

A little evidence of the rain - carrots look okay at the top of this planting, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to replant the back half. The rains are really setting back weed control, as well as some seeding.

Potato blooms grace the field! We have lost some potato plants, due to the water, hopefully these sunny days will help things bounce back.

I just harvested our first pound of basil on the 21st! I love the smell of basil!

Harvesting for Spring CSA and local orders has been a little mucky! Today looks dry all day - quite a blessing!!

I added two new items to our wellness line, two items we use around here regularly, our Cool It and Herbal Bug Spray. Cool It is a blend of essential oils that I use on hot days - spritzing on my pulse points, back of my neck and on my chest to cool off a little. The bug spray is a blend of yarrow and catnip to cleanly and naturally deter bugs; spray every hour, or as needed. Studies show catnip to be as effective as deet!

It's been a real pleasure harvesting fresh food for my community again this spring. The open house we had in May, the Spring CSA and Mini Market at the Farm brought old and new faces - it means so much to connect with all of you.

 Apples are growing! The crop looks really great this year. Info on Apple Shares coming soon!!

Until next time!!!

CSA Week 14

Week 14 boxes were delivered Wednesday, September 13. New for week 14 were acorn squash and baby leeks!

CSA Newsletter for Week 14

In the Box: baby leeks, German Red garlic, celery, summercrisp lettuce, 2lbs Kennebec potatoes, pint cherry/grape tomatoes, four Prairie Spy apples, red onions, Ronde de Nice summer squash OR zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, Thelma Sanders heirloom acorn squash, mix snap/wax beand, rosemary sprigs, pint ground cherries (half shares).

CSA Week 13

We're back! Missed a couple weeks in there...it's all good. My phone has been fussy with taking photos (and who even uses a real camera these days). Here are a couple photos of the week 13 boxes and a link to the latest newsletter, which features some tomato recipes. We are looking forward to enjoying the last third of the season - five weeks to go!

Week 13 CSA Newsletter ~ featuring: farm news, musings on preserving; tomato recipes, list of previous recipes.

In the Box: Jalapenos, Georgian Fire garlic, zucchini or zucchini & summer squash, head lettuce (half shares), Swiss chard (full shares), 1.5lbs mixed heirloom beans, carrots, mixed heirloom slicer tomatoes, pint of cherry/grape tomatoes, 2lbs Kennebec potatoes, trio of 'Prairie Spy' apples.

Some Tomato Shares members received 10lb boxes of mixed heirloom tomatoes; the rest of the these shares will be delivered over the next two weeks.

Herb Boosters continued with Basil, Rosemary and Sage this week.

The first of our Applesauce Shares were delivered. There is still time to grab an Applesauce Share! Stock your pantry with a case of farm fresh, clean-eating applesauce. Made with organic apples, local honey and love. A case of 12 is $65.

CSA Week #10

Quick and dirty - here's week #10! New this week - green pepper and red onions.

CSA Newsletter Week 10 ~ featuring: farm news; recipes: Melinda's Carrot Hummus, Chard-Potato Frittata, Chard Stuffed or Unstuffed.

Week 10 CSA Box ~ Aug. 16, 2017

In the Box: chives, Hungarian wax peppers (full shares), Swiss chard (full) or kale (half), Ronde de Nice summer squash, carrots, zucchini, German Extra Hardy garlic duo, Rattlesnake snap beans, 2lbs Reddale potatoes, celery, red onion pair, green pepper, cucumber trio.

CSA Week #9

It was a rainy CSA day, one where the full body rain suit is a necessity to get the job done. Most harvest work was done Tuesday, accordingly, but a few items still had to come out during the rain. So, after a quick harvest of celery, kale, squash and cukes, I pulled all the green onions out of the field to clean and bunch out of the rain. That wasn't too terribly bad, or wet, but it did make the hand chillier than one would think for August!

New this week - snap beans (finally), Reddale potatoes, celery, Beacon and Pristine apples, and German Extra Hardy garlic.

CSA Newsletter Week #9 ~ featuring: farm news and a few questions; featured veggie: cucumbers; recipes: Best Ever French Beans, Simple Turkish Bean (Fasulye).

CSA Week 9 ~ August 9, 2017

In the Box: cucumber trio, celery, German Extra Hardy garlic, French Gray shallots (half shares), Beacon (red striping) and Pristine apples, Dragon's Tongue wax beans (full shares), Rattlesnake snap beans (half shares), carrots, rosemary-sage bunch, 2# Reddale potatoes, Ronde de Nice summer squash (half shares), green onions, Cocozelle zucchini (full shares), beets with greens.

Dragon's tongue wax beans.

Heirloom carrots, after washing, before bunching.

It was very exciting to have our first harvest of Pristine, off our young orchard trees!

Beacon and Pristine organic apples.

Info on Apple Shares coming soon!

CSA Week #8

Jewels of summer in boxes this week, to celebrate reaching the half way point. New this week are French Gray shallots, tomatoes and Hungarian wax peppers!

CSA Newsletter Week #8 featuring: 
farm news
featured veggie: beans
recipes: 
-cucumber water
-Hungarian sour cream cucumbers
-carrot rice
-Paula Dean's zucchini bread (with a bunch of farmer notes)

In the Box: beet bunch, Russian Red garlic bulb, cucumber quartet, French Gray shallots, green onions, carrots, Swiss chard, pint mixed heirloom tomatoes (full shares), Ronde de Nice (round) summer squash, 'Cocozelle' zucchini, Hungarian hot wax peppers (half shares), Dragon's Tongue wax beans.

CSA Week #7

Harvest and deliveries continue with Week #7 CSA boxes. New this week are Mountain Rose potatoes...mmm...

Week #7 CSA Newsletter ~ featuring: farm news; featured veggie: cabbage; recipes for: Evolution Cucumber Salad, Unstuffed Cabbage, Fresh Basil Vinaigrette, Preparing Garlic, Grilled Cabbage, Scallion Pancakes.

In the Box: green onions, basil bunch, jalapeno duo, kale, zucchini (half shares), cabbage, Russian Red Garlic, parsley, Dragon's Tongue heirloom wax beans, Mountain Rose new potatoes, cucumber quintet, apple butter.

From the farm, farm dog Odin was working on a cucumber and farm kitten Loki decided to join him. Totally didn't set this up! They were eating cucumber together! So cute.

CSA Week #6

If you are looking back at recipes from previous newsletters all the shortcut links are HERE.

It seems time has started flying! I knew it was week 6, then it clicked that that's a third of our season! Crazy! Week 6 boxes were delivered - neither rain, nor snow, nor tornado warning shall keep us from delivering our produce. The downpour, torrential at times yielded about 1.7".

Anywho...new this week were Dragon's Tongue wax beans, jalapeños and garlic!

A Full Share CSA box packed and ready to go!

 CSA Newsletter Week #6 ~ featuring: "what's in the box"; Recipes: Grilling Vegetables Part 2, Stir Grilling, Preparing Garlic and bean cooking tips; article: "Food Waste: Put Your Guilt in the Compost."

CSA Box Week #6 ~ July 19, 2017

In the Box: green onions, zucchini (half shares) or 'Ronde de Nice' heirloom summer squash (full shares), green cabbage, kale (half shares), pair of jalapenos, German Red garlic, 1.3lbs Sangre new potatoes, chives, Dragon's Tongue heirloom wax beans, carrots (full shares), 1.3lbs Lodi (tart) apples, cucumber trio.

Sangre new potatoes.

The garlic harvest is in! Fresh, or uncured, garlic went in this week's boxes.

CSA Week #5

The weight of summer bounty is beginning to fill CSA boxes. The first summer squash/zucchini, cucumbers, beets and apples were packed into boxes this week. The delightful aroma of fresh veggies wafts from the boxes as you open them. Mmmm.

CSA Newsletter Week #5 ~ featuring: farm news, MANY recipes: Chimichurri Sauce, Baked or Roasted Beets, Sauteed Beet Greens, Grilling Greens, Grilling Vegetables part I, Beet cooking tips.

In the Box: Garlic scapes (curly-Qs), spring onions, sage (full shares), green cabbage, beets, 1# Lodi heirloom apples, pint snow OR snap peas, summer squash (round, pictured) OR zucchini (full shares), Swiss chard (half shares), kale (full shares), kohlrabi trio, cucumber trio (half shares), radishes, basil (half shares).

Lodi heirloom apples

Read more about our Lodi apples here.

Herb Booster

Herb Booster this week: Basil, thyme, spearmint.

CSA Week #4

Last Wednesday marked four weeks of delivery under the belt and we are just getting started! The bounty continues and grows!

CSA Newsletter Week #4 ~ News from the farm; featured veggie: peas; tips for cooking kohlrabi; recipes: sautéed radishes & sugar snap peas with dill, kohlrabi & cabbage salad with maple lemon dressing.

In the Box: Basil, Swiss chard (full shares), pint snow or snap peas, garlic scapes, radishes, green onions, All Hail! Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam (or apple butter), quart shell peas, summer crisp lettuce (half shares, kohlrabi.

Herb Boosters began this week, with parsley, rosemary and basil!

Bonus kitten photo...Loki...fuzzy little kitten ball.

CSA Week #3

Summer is here! Week 3 hails the salad days of early summer and brings the last of our bountiful early lettuces, while welcoming in the bounty of pea season!

CSA Newsletter Week #3 ~ featuring: farm news, featured veggie: Radish, intro to garlic scapes, recipes for: 'garlic scape pesto', 'radish butter', 'braised peas with spring onions and lettuce.'

In the Box: Bunch of kale (or chard), radishes, green shallots, herb bundle--mint & parsley, quart of shelling peas, garlic scapes, red and green summer crisp lettuce, pair of kohlrabi, pint snap or snow peas.

Green harvest! Bounty of kale and first of the Swiss chard.

Radishes add lovely color and heat to our plates!

Kohlrabi aliens are a refreshing addition.

Find Alternative Roots Farm at the farmers' market every Saturday 9:00-12:00 in the Cash Wise parking lot! Don't forget your reusable bag! ;)

What's @ market: Apple butter, garlic scapes, shell peas, snap peas, snow peas, fresh greens and herbs, radishes, rhubarb and more!