Eaters' Guild

Good Afternoon!
Large harvests are happening this time of year...mainly potatoes and hay for us at this point--squirreling it away for winter.  Needless to say, every moment can be filled with some preparatory gathering, as well as keeping an eye on what is directly in front of us.  This is the time of our season we consolidate information for the winter shares offered Dec-March.  Once we piece this together, we will send it off to you.  We are planning some changes reflecting lessons learned from past seasons, but for the most part, if you have taken part in winter shares in the past, you know the gist.  In the near future, this Sunday, Sept. 20, the South West Michigan Community Harvest Festival takes place in Scotts, at Tillers International (just south and a little east of Kalamazoo).  This is a great day for learning what is going on agriculturally in our region, food and entertainment are offered, draft horse hay wagon rides, kids activity tent...and it's very affordable.  Time is 11am-6:30pm.  You may check out the festival details at www.swmiharvestfest.org.  

Now that it is Saturday--the week got away from me as I started this Tuesday and became distracted then, and I guess every day in between.  I really want to get this off to let folks know about the festival.  Fall veg. looks pretty good.  Hard squash, mainly the type Delicata, looks good.  A second round of summer squash is ready for harvest, so we are able to extend distribution of this  a while longer.  

This is all for now, given the time, I need to get to market.
be well
Laurie, Lee and IRis.

HI there--
Whether your weekend was extended or not, we hope you enjoyed every bit of it.  What a week, it has been beautiful.   The salad mix succession this week is lovely, so we are back on track with this.  Leeks are being brought into the fold.  The potato digger is back on track (last update I heard), so more spuds will grace your share.  If you feel weary of these, keep in mind they will store well in a dry, dark, cool space....another planting of summer squash and zucchini is coming on line, whether this week or next, you will see more of these.

What I would really like to use time to mention are the apples we are able to offer in your shares this week.  They are from Molter Farm in Watervliet, MI.   This is the farms first season certified organic under MOSA.  The shares last saturday were the first to receive the apples, and they sure are tasty.  We will offer you the opportunity to purchase these apples in quantity, sometime in the next couple weeks.  I'm not certain of the varieties available--as of now you are getting Golden Supreme, and an early variety of MacIntosh.  The cost will be $40/bushel and $22 per half bushel.  You would pre-order and then pick up apples direct from us at a farmers market on Wednesday in Holland, or on Saturday in South Haven.  We will also have these for sale at these markets in smaller quantities, if the bushel/half-bushel is too much for you.  Our coordination with Molter Farm is fairly free-form, so if you can be the same, get your orders to us, where you will pick up (Sat. in south haven or Wed. in Holland) and we can let you know the date your apples will be there for you.

Other fall fruit news is that Kismet Organics in Fennville has pears available now.  They are offering 1/2 bushel field run pears for $15.  For these, you would contact Mari direct at Kismetorganics@yahoo.com.  Mari says it is a small crop this year, so the fruit is larger than years past, and the nicest yet!

That's all for now!
Have a great week~
Lee, Laurie, and Iris.

HI there--
Keeping it brief as usual.  As the subject line says, we are venturing out to begin to see the effect of last weeks weather, and the cool nighttime temps., on the crops.  As usual with organic process, time will tell, but there are a couple effects we see outright now.  Pertaining to deliveries early in the week, we find ourselves between salad mix successions.  Successive rain events bog things down due to nutrient leeching.  The stand is there, but growth is slower than usual.  The high demand on Tuesday and Wednesday cannot be met--but it is a temporary absence.  WE foresee being on full track next week.  The other suspicion, not certainty, is tomato crop failure.  So much for the positive anticipation forecasted in weeks prior.  Maybe you've heard radio articles pertaining to late blight, and how this disease is moving our direction from the Northeastern areas of the country.   We saw signs of it in shady areas of the tomato field, it looks like fuzzy black mold.  After last week it has spread further.  The Heirloom varieties appear hardest hit.  We have a couple F1 hybrid varieties, which may give them some resistance...it is just hard to say absolutely now.  So check with the friends that always have too many tomatoes, see if you can reserve some for yourself.

On a sweeter note, looking ahead:  We have been contacted by a certified organic apple grower in the area, and will have apples for your shares.  Also, we plan to offer bushels and half bushels for sale , details to follow.  We can say that the bulk orders would be available on a pre-order basis, and they will be available for pick up in South Haven on a Saturday, at the farmers market, or the farm.  As soon as we have a schedule set, we' ll let you know.

I've had to leave this message numerous times to take care of other things, so I'll cut it off here.
Enjoy the week and the sunshine!
Be Well
laurie, Lee and Iris