Winter Wellness CSA

 ***Winter Wellness CSA Shares are limited! If interested contact me directly to be put on a wait list. We only offer 10 shares each season. One off Samplers Shares are sometimes offered during the winter as well. Organic greens and other farm goods are available 5 days per week at our farm store and at the Winter Mankato Farmers Market, held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays Nov.-March at Bomgaars from 9-Noon.

Winter Wellness CSA 2023

I’ve just marked another trip around the sun, feels like a good time to mark another start to our Winter CSA!

This year the CSA is going to change up a little bit!

Winter Greens CSA is evolving into our Winter Wellness CSA. As always, the highlight is our winter greens! Pea shoots, microgreens and salad mix will be accompanied by canned goods and herbal wellness items. This season the apple harvest was not abundant, so unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be able to add apple bags, as we do most years.

What's in the Shares? 

Winter Greens Feature – organic pea shoots, zesty microgreens, mustard greens salad mix.

Canned Goods Feature – applesauce, apple butter, jam/jelly, pizza sauce, salsa – with 1-2 items in each share pick up.

Herbal Wellness Items Feature – salves, lotion bar, elderberry syrup kit and more – holistic wellness comes from more than just food.

 

When are the Shares?

Winter Wellness CSA will have 7 pick-ups November—March. We like to start the week before Thanksgiving. Pick ups will look like à Nov(1), Dec(2), Jan(1), Feb(2), Mar(1), by my best estimate. Greens are picked up at the farm store, or the Mankato Winter Farmers Market (ONLY if dates line up). Shares are roughly every several weeks, dependent on the growth of greens. I am better at anticipating this now, but every once and a while I may have to push back a week if growth is slow (clouds and cold and such). Some flexibility must be honored to be a share member.

 

Cost is $240. $140 due up front for reservation, with remaining $100 due by first pick up.

 

Eggs – This year I’m not reserving ahead (it’s all based on the current batch of chickens), but I will take reservations the week of share pick up, as available. Eggs are $6/dozen.

 

How to get a share?

Shares each year are first offered to returning members. If spaces open up then they are offered to folks on the wait list. If any shares need further filling I'll post on social media (rarely happens!). 

 

Thank you!!

 

Brooke 

A Dozen Wonderful Ways to Use Your Apple Butter

Alternative Roots Farm apple butter is made with love, local and organic ingredients. We use only our organic apples, organic spices and it is now made with local honey from Moody Bees Farm. But what should you do with it besides putting it on toast?!

1. Top your oatmeal or pancakes! This is a great way to add some clean-eating sweetness to your breakfast routine.

2. Add it into baked goods. This is a great way to add some subtle apple pie flavor and make a great moist, delicious baked good. Think muffins, pancakes, bread and more!

3. Freeze into ice cubes. Toss the frozen ice cubes into your smoothie for a delicious apple pie flavor! Try it with bananas, almond milk and vanilla protein powder. This is also a great tip for using up apple butter that you aren't going to use up.

4. Spread on sweet potatoes. Dip sweet potato fries! Again, a great clean-eating option.

5. Yogurt topping. Drop a blob of apple butter in your yogurt, maybe add a squirt of Moody Bees Honey and enjoy a bowl of delicious yogurt of breakfast, a snack or healthy dessert! You can always add another dash of cinnamon or cardamom to add flavor and health benefits.

6. Muffin spread. Choose apple butter, instead of regular butter, for your next muffin indulgence. In summer it’s a great way to add flavor to those zucchini muffins. ;)

7. Add to your pork! Drop a dollop on your pork chop or loin.

8. PB & AB. Make a simple sandwich with apple and peanut butter - a double-butter sandwich. I think the kids will like this one!

9. Cottage cheese swirl. Drop a dollop in and swirl it into your cottage cheese.

10. Just eat it. Grab a spoonful of apple butter and enjoy the apple pie flavor. No guilt, just pure joy.

11. Add to roasted nuts. Drizzle over nuts that have been warmed in the oven and enjoy.

12. Top that ice cream! Add some natural goodness to your bowl of ice cream. Feel free to warm it up.

BBQ Bonus tip from a customer! Put a jar of apple butter, a jar of BBQ sauce and an ARF pork roast in the slow cooker, HEAVEN!!!

Made with Organic apples, local honey and organic spices. Apple butter is a clean eating treat!