Summer CSA Week Two | What the hail

Week 2: June 25th - June 28th

We do a lot of planning on the farm. We make season plans and weekly plans and daily plans. We plan when things get planted, when they get weeded, and when they get harvested. We plan our work around extreme heat by shifting our hardest tasks earlier in the day. We plan around rain by getting plants in the ground before it falls. When it doesn’t rain, we make an irrigation plan. Plan, plan, plan.

But there’s one thing we can’t plan for: hail. It shows up on short notice and is rarely forecasted accurately. And even if we know it’s coming, there’s nothing we can really do about it. Along with extreme wind, it’s a farmer’s biggest fear.

On Friday, the farm was hit by a major hail storm, with up to quarter-sized balls of ice falling for an extended period of time. The hail destroyed beautiful heads of romaine, shredded much of our salad mix, and left many of our long-season crops in tatters. It was a demoralizing end to a day that started with us remarking on how beautiful everything was looking on the farm. We were still finding piles of hail in the fields, 18 hours later.

If you were a CSA member with us last fall, you may remember that in mid-September we were hit with a hailstorm. At the time I wrote: “The storm is a stark reminder of our susceptibility. Just as we are dependent on the weather, we are vulnerable to it. And unlike heat or rain, there's no upside to hail and no predicting it. It's a freak occurrence, albeit one that seems to happen with some regularity in our part of the world. Although record-keeping isn't accurate enough to say it with certainty, scientists suggest that climate change may only make hail storms worse. Yet another climate-related externality to plan for in the coming years.” 

True to that sentiment, here we are less than a year later, going through it again. And unfortunately, unlike the hail storm last fall, we’re left with more permanent reminders of the swift-moving storm - holes in tunnel plastic, in greenhouse doors, and even in the roof of the UTV. While these things don’t require immediate repair in the peak of summer, they’ll be added to our mounting tasks as we start to prepare for fall in the coming weeks when harvests are big and time is in short supply.

In the days following the hailstorm we have surveyed the crop damage, talked to some mentors, and adjusted our plans. We’ve stopped selling salad mix to our local co-op partners while things recover and regrow. We’ve seeded extra microgreens and replacement crops to sub in if the plants in the fields don’t pull through. And we’ve removed damaged leaves and cleaned up fields to give the remaining plants the best shot at pulling through.

Luckily, plants want to grow, and we’re tentatively optimistic that the long-term damage is minimal. As one of our farming mentors (who has gone through her share of hail) said: “They will likely be slow and yields may be a little lower, but it’s honestly amazing how things grow. Give the plants some time.” 

So we’re remaining hopeful and patient. In the short term, we may be more limited in leafy greens - lettuces, salad, chard, etc. And you may notice some cosmetic damage on some of the veggies you receive in the next couple of weeks (a ding on your kohlrabi, brown bruise marks on your cauliflower, or some holes in your kale leaves). But our hope is that the plants will heal, new leaves will grow, and the hail will give us a longer break this time around. 

We have felt incredible support in recent days, from visitors to the farm, farm friends from near and far on social media, and our wholesale partners. We’re so grateful for your understanding and for the kind words many of you have shared with us. CSA stands for community supported agriculture, and it’s times like these that we especially appreciate the community support around the farm!

Have a week of recovery,

Chris, Ashley, and the 10th Street Farmers

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In Your Share This Week

Cucumber: Crunchy and refreshing, chop up for a salad, add to sandwiches or just eat raw! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

• Carrots: Spring carrots are sweet, crunchy, and oh so addicting! Remove tops and 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:

• Cauliflower (green-stemmed): This early, green-stemmed cauliflower variety has a looser “curd” than traditional cauliflower, but stems that almost resemble broccoli. Tender and sweet, the whole thing is edible! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

• Kohlrabi: These alien-like roots are a cousin of radishes and salad turnips - mild and delicious. Peel and eat raw or cooked! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

• 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.

• Radishes: Add to salads or sandwiches for a little extra flavor. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

• Garlic Scapes: This loopy fella is the flowering part of a garlic plant - chop it up and use it just like garlic. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

• Cilantro microgreens: Zippy micros to add a little flavor to whatever's on your plate! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

• Fennel: With a sweet, anise-y flavor, fennel is a divisive but delicious vegetable. We harvest it young so it's tender and juicy. And don't forget to use the fronds! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

Salad mix is in shorter supply since most of the tender greens couldn’t stand up to the hail. If you’re feeling creative in the kitchen and can find a use for kale we’d appreciate it! 

• 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.

• Kale: Hearty yet still tender, the kale is tasting great this summer. Maybe time for some kale chips? Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Choice:

• Power Greens Micro Mix: Our newest micro mix! A nutrient-dense blend of broccoli, kale, daikon, and bekana sure to power up any dish!

• Sunflower Shoots: Crunchy and nutty flavor, these are a great substitute for lettuce on sandwiches or wraps. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

• Radish Shoots: These beautiful purple and green shoots have a spicy taste and add a pop of color. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.

Full Share: Cherry Tomatoes: The first cherry tomatoes of the year! Store on the counter - never in the fridge!

Full Share: Basil: The perfect partner for tomatoes and other summer veggies! Herbaceous and tasty. Store in a glass of water outside the fridge.

Kitchen Inspiration

As mentioned above, salad mix is in shorter supply since the tender greens were especially impacted by the hail. So if you like kale, this would be a great week to put some in your share! Maybe a kale salad is in order - like this kale salad with apples and cheddar or this kale, couscous, and tofu salad with carrot ginger dressing. Or toss it in the oven for kale chips or roasted carrots and crispy kale.

If you don’t go the kale direction, maybe it’s time to get creative with cauliflower? This parmesan roasted cauliflower looks incredible. And on opposite sides of the difficulty spectrum we have an astonishingly simple roasted Caesar cauliflower and homemade cauliflower gnocchi. Choose your own adventure!

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!

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Please remember to bring back your Purple or Blue bag!