Summer CSA Week Ten | Family Farming
- 10th St. Farm & Market
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Week 10: August 20th - August 23rd
When people picture a family farm - that term that gets thrown around so frequently when talking about small-scale agriculture - they typically envision rolling hills, a few cows, and the bucolic ideal of a postage stamp of land being passed from one generation to the next.
This past week, with both kids off from camp and getting ready to go back to school, our family farm has looked a little bit different. Think: LEGO masterpieces being toured around carrot fields, Ashley doing floor puzzles while editing salad mix labels (to include the certified organic logo!), and most notably, farmers packing veggies while being slowly barricaded in by a six-year-old with access to a limitless supply of cardboard boxes (photo above). This is what a family farm looks like for us.
We love farming with our kids around. They remind us what a pure joy it is to pull a carrot from the ground, wipe it on your shirt, and eat it immediately. To make a basket out of the front of your shirt and fill it with cherry tomatoes. To dig a big hole, with no real motive other than digging a big hole. They may not be the most efficient farmhands, but they spark the most smiles.
Rhys went off to his first day of first grade today - a bittersweet step toward growing up. And Ollie’s off to pre-K next week. We’ve tried to savor these last few days of summer on the farm with them, adventuring through the fields and trying to balance play and productivity. We are so grateful to our amazing team of farmers for shouldering the load this week as Ashley and I have juggled back-to-school conferences, picture days, and the forms and school supply stock-ups that go along with that savoring. Maddie, Ash, Evelyn, Kandyss, Joan, and Stacy have stepped in and stepped up, making a potentially tumultuous week feel smooth and easy.
While it feels early for kids to be heading back to school, September is just around the corner. This week is the penultimate week of our summer CSA (gasp!) and we’re starting to see the signs of oncoming fall on the farm. The sweet peppers are arriving in full force, the garlic has finished curing, and some plants in the fields and tunnels are starting to look a little worse for the wear. In the greenhouse we’re switching to fall planting mode, seeding spinach, arugula, baby kale, radishes, and other crops that thrive in the crisp fall days. We’re soaking up the last few weeks of summer and reveling in the bounty of late August.
Have a week of soaking it up,
Chris, Ashley, and the 10th Street Farmers
A NOTE ABOUT FOOD SAFETY:
As you have no doubt seen in the headlines, a pretty nasty bug called cyclospora has been making its way around the country. We want to assure you that our produce is not affected! This parasite is transmitted through human feces, and likely originated at a farm or food processing facility with improper water management practices and/or poor labor conditions. We are food safety certified through FSMA (the Food Safety Modernization Act) and our farm is certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. We follow best practices by (of course) providing a bathroom with running water to our employees and emphasizing hygiene on the farm. All of our produce is washed with clean well-water (the same well we use for our own home) and we test that well regularly to ensure its safety. So go forth and eat salad! And tell your friends to support local farms!
In Your Share This Week
Peppers: Sweet peppers are amazing raw, with dips, or added to a skillet or grill. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Bok Choy: So versatile! Use in Asian-inspired dishes like soups and stir fries, or just chop and add to anything for a bit more flavor and nutrition. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Broccolini: Tasty tender broccoli shoots - eat them leaves and all. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Carrots: These carrots are sweet, crunchy, and oh so addicting! Remove tops and store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Beets: These earthy beauties are good in sweet and savory roles alike. Boil, roast, or grate into baked goods! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Walla Walla Onions: Sweet onions ready for fresh eating or caramelizing! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Jalapeño Pepper: Add some zip to whatever you’re cooking up! Not the hottest pepper, but these flavorful and familiar jalapeños serve up plenty of spice! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Melon: Your choice (while supplies last) of cantaloupe or watermelon! The ‘icebox’ watermelons are packed with flavor in a manageable size - ready to eat right now. And the cantaloupes are perfect for breakfast or a snack! (Wait until they smell delicious before cutting them open for full flavor.) Store in your fridge.
Farm Mix Salad Mix: A diverse mix of tasty red and green lettuces. Delicious with just olive oil and salt, or dress it up! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Cherry Tomatoes: A rainbow of flavor, packed in a pint. Store on the counter - never in the fridge!
Choice:
Slicer Tomatoes: The taste of summertime! Store on the counter - never in the fridge!
Shishito Peppers: Typically mild, occasionally you will get a spicy shishito mixed in! A delicious pepper that makes the perfect appetizer - you see it frequently at restaurants. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Garlic: The best cooking advice we ever received? When a recipe calls for a clove of garlic, use two or three! Store on your counter.
Eggplant: This Asian variety of eggplant has a very thin skin, so you don't need to peel it - just cut it up and cook it! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Basil: The perfect partner for tomatoes and other summer veggies! Herbaceous and tasty. Store in a glass of water outside the fridge.
Full Share Choice:
Green Beans: The classic taste of summer - these green beans are flavorful and ready to rock. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Flavor Mix microgreens: Mild and tasty, these make an easy salad on their own or can add some color to any other salad. Try them on eggs or sandwiches – or anything, really! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Kitchen Inspiration
I have to talk about peppers here, with all of the delicious peppers coming out of the fields this week - so many fun things to cook! We love the versatility of peperonata - a pepper-forward sauce that can be spooned onto toast, on pasta, or alongside other grilled veggies or meats. Or, if you want a more composed dish, this chicken cacciatore looks absolutely perfect for late August. On the simple side, these balsamic-roasted peppers would be great in a salad or alongside tomatoes and mozzarella.
I’m also in a dip kind of mood, so maybe it’s time to whip up something to dip your carrots, peppers, or other veggies into. Try a roasted carrot dip, a creamy beet and tahini dip, or even some eggplant baba ganoush. You can’t go wrong!
If you've found a recipe you're loving, please send it our way. We're always looking for new things to cook and share with other members!
Please remember to check your name off on the list! And please bring back your Purple or Blue bag each week! Thank you.
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