CSA Members 2005: Newsletter Archive

Dear Members,

Look alive there, it's Mike writing this morning. I really miss writing these notes. It is a great way to feel connected to the membership and guarantees me a captive audience with whom I can share my long winded observations and ideas, relevant or not.

I used to write these notes every week. If you have been following our progress this year you will remember that we have expanded our production significantly, and my responsibilities in the field have grown as well. Though we made every effort to utilize every resource to save ourselves time and labor we still put in a lot of hours this time of year. They are a bit less strenuous thanks to the cultivating tractor, and the days are a little shorter since we split our delivery. Seattle on Tuesday, and Oly and the neighborhood on Thursday. But alas, one other result of tweaking the schedule is I am now a celebrity guest writer instead of the primary voice of these letters.

Growing this business has been a very real challenge this year. Finishing the renovation of old equipment and adjusting newer old equipment to suit our needs took all of my extra time this winter and frankly most of my extra time this spring. Modifying seeders and sprayers, most of which have become so specialized in this industry, to be as versatile as needed for our application was both challenging and rewarding. The way we farm, with the diversity of crops we grow, is a lost art. Agriculture is all about economy of scale now, get big or get out, and the design of highly specialized equipment reflects this trend. With some few exceptions, tractors and seeders like we run have not been popular since the early to mid fifties. Finding and restoring this stuff is a joy, maintaining it is an exercise in patience and endurance. Add to this the wettest spring in memory and the steep learning curve of using all this new stuff, changing many things I have been doing for fifteen years or more and you can begin to understand what spring has been like around here.

At the risk of being redundant, as well as clearly breaking one of my cardinal rules, "thou shalt not qualify oneself," I have to comment a bit on this spring's weather. Yuck. Thank you all for your patience with the later than usual start of the program and the slow progress into summer vegetables. One of the most difficult aspects of farming is the fact that the consequences of earlier trials take months to pass. A poor seeding because of cloddy soil in April is just now being tilled under. A weak pea year owing to wet soils and sub par temps is only just ending. The first beans, a full two weeks later than last year are just beginning to mature. Thank you for your support, know that we are all putting forward our best efforts, and acknowledge that this is part of the true nature of the CSA concept; to feel connected to your food and your environment. To feel the sting of a wet spring will make peas taste that much sweeter, make the first beans and summer squash even more precious.

Thank You. It was great catching up a bit.

Dill Weed Dip

ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 4 minced green onions
• 2 teaspoons season salt
• 10 teaspoons chopped dill

procedure

Mix ingredients together. Chill. Serve with assorted raw vegetables.

Epicurious, January 1998, "Super Bowl Family Affairs", Donna Spivey

Grilled Peaches with Whipped Cream

ingredients

• 6 firm but ripe large peaches, peeled, halved, pitted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream

procedure

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush peach halves with melted butter, arrange cut side up, on baking sheet; sprinkle peaches with sugar. Let stand until sugar begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Place peaches on grill, sugared side down. Grill until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer peach halves to plates. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in bowl until peaks form. Top peaches with whipped cream and serve.