Abbe Hills Farm CSA

Greetings shareholders,

This week, we'll have potatoes, onions, squash, turnips, beets, kale, and radishes.  Depending on how cold it gets between now and then, we might also have lettuce, bok chois, Chinese cabbage, arugula, and spinach.  The things in the hoophouse have been freezing every night, but as long as the sun comes out even a little, they thaw and I can harvest them for you.  They suffer a bit from freezing and thawing, but the damage is pretty minor and they still taste very good.  They might not have a long shelf life, but we'll never know because we eat them up so fast, right!

There are, however, a few possible complications.   There is a big storm coming on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, followed by very cold cold.  I have to give a conservation talk in western Iowa on Tuesday.  The plan at this moment is that I will have an uneventful trip home Tuesday evening, harvest things for you on Wednesday when the sun shines between noon and 2:00, easily set up the tractor and plow the snow out of the driveways, and have everything ready at 3:30.  However, there are a couple of weaknesses in the plan.  I might get stuck in a snowdrift somewhere in central Iowa and not get back until too late on Wednesday.  Or, the sun may not shine long enough for the lettuce to thaw.  Or, I may not have all the drives plowed by 3:30 and you won't be able to get in.  Or, the door to the shed might freeze shut.  Or, the vegetables might freeze sitting in the room between 3:30 and 6:00.  Or, the farmer might freeze sitting in the room between 3:30 and 6:00.  And on and on and on.

So, here's the tentative plan.  If I'm not going to be ready for you by 3:30 Wed, whatever the reason, either I or Cindy Strong (cstrong@cornellcollege.edu) will send you an email by noon that day that will say not to come that afternoon.  We might have to change pickup to Thursday afternoon/evening (but it's going to be a lot colder then), or we might have to move pickup location to a church basement in Mt Vernon.  Or both.  Or neither.  Either way, you'll hear from somebody Wednesday midday, so be sure to check your email to save yourself a trip out here on slippery, cold roads.  If everything else fails, I'll deliver your vegetables to you on Thursday. 

Sorry for the inconvenience of all of this.  You know I'm practicing on all of you good natured greens eaters.

Please remember to check your email Wednesday, and see you sometime this week, 

Laura