Abbe Hills Farm CSA

Greetings Late Fall CSA shareholders,

Welcome to the first pickup of the new CSA.  This Wednesday, we'll have kale, potatoes, onions, daikon, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, baby Red Russian kale, arugula, squash, cilantro, chilies, and a little broccoli.  Depending on how cold it gets tonight and what I am able to find, I might also be able to cut some leaf lettuce and small cabbages.  

Like Saturday, we have quite a lot of squash that needs to be taken care of right away.  You will be able to have as much of that as you would like.  Even with the good squash that appears to be blemish-free, don't let down your guard.  It could change quickly, so if you are trying to keep it for later, keep an eye on it.  I'm going to try to give you squash every week from now until Christmas, so I'll probably give you the ones that are least likely to store well first. 

They are predicting a warm, dry week.  WOW!!!  That will be great if it really happens.  The crop farmers are absolutely, completely frustrated by their inability to get the crop in and the financial losses that are occurring.  I sure feel sorry for them.  I know how stressed the weather makes me; now multiply it by about $250,000, and that's how they feel right now.   I expect my little field of open pollinated corn will be combined sometime this week.  The Jordans are coming here as soon as they finish their soybeans.  It doesn't take very long to combine such a small field, but it's a hassle when there is so much other work on their own farm that needs to get done.  I really appreciate their help, so I'm spending today and tomorrow getting everything ready so they can get in and out of here quick.  The open pollinated corn is an heirloom that has been grown on this farm since 1903.  I sell it for seed to livestock farmers all over the Midwest, primarily organic dairy farmers. Abbe Hills OP is quite different than modern corn hybrids in both performance and in quality characteristics, and it is valued by my customers because it makes a very high quality feed, especially important for dairy cows.  It's what keeps me busy over the winter.

Most of what I am harvesting for you this week is coming from the garden.  Only the Chinese cabbage will be from the hoophouse.  If it does stay warm and sunny, there should be arugula, radishes, and a couple of kinds of Asian greens that will be ready to pick in the next 10 days.  Finally!  I planted them to harvest the first of October!  We might even get a few brussels sprouts if the warm stretch lasts three weeks.  And, the things in the hoophouse look really nice, too.  The lettuce isn't quite ready to cut, but will be in about two weeks, about when the main garden should start to fizzle out.  It just might work out perfectly. 

We still have about 2500 hills of potatoes in the field by the entrance driveway.  We don't need them; I have so many potatoes in my garage that I'm sure I'll even have quite a lot to donate to Green Square Meals when we get closer to the end of the season.  But, I hate to let the ones in the garden go to waste, so we're working to line up a team of kids from Metro High in CR to come sometime this week and dig them.  They will take the potatoes back to distribute to the Metro families.  All we need is a couple more dry days to make it so we can get into the field.  It will be nice to cross off "dig potatoes" from my list!

Pickup is this Wednesday, November 4, 3:30 until 6:00.  Come in the farm driveway and go out the house driveway, like we have been doing.  You can park nearer to the shed since there will be fewer cars, but please do pull in at least so you are even with the front of the shed so we don't block the entrance too much.  Maybe you won't have to dodge any mud puddles.  That would be unusual.  Bring bags and maybe a flashlight.  It will be dark by 5:15.

One more thing.  I would like to attend a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Working Group in Ames next Wednesday, November 11.  The meeting will take all day and I won't get home until about 5:30.  Because of that, I'd like to change pickup next week to Tuesday night, 3:30 until 6:00.  If that WILL NOT work for you, please let me know this week.  I'll make a special delivery to your house, or make arrangements for you to pick up here later that night, or something.  This meeting was announced after I make the arrangements for the CSA or I would have mentioned this to you earlier.   Sorry for the inconvenience. 

See you Wednesday,

Laura