FARMER’S LOG
HARBOUR
It was a bittersweet harvest morning today — the last Friday harvest of our 2020 harvest season. This Tuesday’s harvest pick-up will be the last of our 2020 CSA harvest season. Earlier in the year we wrote of the farm like a ship, setting out to sail in the Spring on a grand adventure. We have reached our harbour now.
Around 10 am, as we knelt in the frost kissed lettuce, Ingrid, our resident Great White Egret, glided down from the pond. She spotted something in the grass near us and walked over, closer than she has ever come before. Kayta and I, entranced, set down our harvest knives and watched her for the better part of an hour as she patiently, gracefully tracked the movement of a gopher. Her trust and comfort with us felt like a gift — a parting gift from our 4th season here.
As we watched Ingrid, her feathers smooth like one translucent porcelain, I began to ponder: What happened over this last six months? What did we, as a farm community, just do? And what does it mean?
In the world around the farm, 2020 was year of immense tumult, flux, and suffering in our world. Even the lucky had the rug pulled out from under them more times than they could count.
But here in the fields, on the farm, 2020 felt very normal. More than that, it was a year of growth; of uber-abundant strawberries and flowers; of new members, neighbors, opportunities, and friends; of softball sized onions; of Wesley the Weasel and Ingrid returning to the pond. We grew and harvested for over 260 adults and 100 Sonoma County kiddos.
That the farm remained a nourishing table and a place of respite, even in a year like 2020, was not luck and was not an accident. It was because of you, dear members.
You see, the community supported agriculture that we practice here, that we ask you to practice here, is not a gimmick or a fad. It is not a clever way to sell farm produce ahead of time. It embodies a direct relationship between a human community and the land and the farmers that feed it.
And while this CSA model is a blessing in a normal year, 2020 showed it’s true strength. While so many of our farmer friends were suffering incredibly stressful years — pivoting their entire business plans while planting fields for unknown buyers — this model, you, meant that we could keep our heads down, trim strawberry runners, and stay the course.
This is not to brag. No, this is to remind ourselves. This is to mark that even in a storm, in a year that shook supply chains and shattered every idea of normalcy, the simple model of a community supporting a farm held fast. This is to mark that people who know their farm are lucky people and a farm that knows it’s people is a lucky farm.
Each year, each Spring, human beings all over the world set out on adventures of gathering and growing food. When farmers kick off from shore, they know not what awaits them; whether their nets will come up empty; if they’ll make it back to shore. It is scary. As the climate changes, these voyages are only going to get more and more precarious.
Vanishingly few farmers have a community behind them on their voyages as we do.
So as we close out this Farmer’s Log on the voyage of 2020, let it be known that we couldn’t have survived this year were it not for you — who taught us that even in the nastiest of gales we can nourish ourselves if we take care of each other and the land. There is no safer harbour than that.
And now for our customary parting words: If, in the dark season ahead, you feel pent up, like you need to get out and stretch your legs, come visit the farm and stand still for a moment in the fields…
There you will find silence, broken only by the screech of a hawk or the chattering of quail. A coolness will emanate up from the wet soil, chilling your knees. Before you will lay the sleeping farm and the soft curves of the land draped in a blanket of green.
But listen closely...
For within that slumber next season churns. The cover crop stretches its living roots deep into the soil where subterranean creatures break down this year's roots and residue, processing them — like so many memories — into the raw materials that will make up next year’s story, next year’s bounty, next year's life.
Listen closely and you’ll hear the land dreaming.
Now, it is time for your farmers to rest, to reflect, and to do a little dreaming ourselves. Thank you all so much for the memories this harvest season. Here’s to many more to come.
See you in the fields,
David for Kayta, Kate, and Anna
LAST HARVEST WEEK OF 2020!
This Tuesday’s pick-up will be the last of our 2020 harvest season.
BULK WEEK: Pick-up will be a little different this week: We will be offering larger than usual quantities of potatoes, carrots, onions, and winter squash so that you can fill your larders and eat from the farm on into the Solstice. We recommend bringing an extra tote bag this week!
THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
German Butterball + Harvest Moon + Desiree Potatoes, Zoey Yellow Onions, Bolero Carrots, Loose Mixed Beets, Watermelon Radishes, Green Daikon Radish, Turnips, Celery Root, Assorted Salad & Cooking Greens, Cabbage, Butternut + Jester Delicata + Kabocha Winter Squash, Hopi Blue Cornmeal, Lorz Softneck Garlic
HARVEST NOTES
Storing your roots: Potatoes and Carrots and other roots should be stored in a bag or container in your fridge.
Storing your squash: Keep your extra Winter Squash in a cool, dry place. Eat the smaller ones (Delicata & Jester) first as their flavor doesn’t last as long.
Hopi Blue Heirloom Cornflour: This beautiful corn flour is from the tall stand of corn that watched over our Jack-O-Lanterns all season long. Ground today, then frozen, this cornflour contains fresh oils, fats, and flavor that only fresh ground grain can have. Store frozen to preserve freshness. See last Week 24’s newsletter for our favorite Hopi Blue Corn Recipe.
NEXT YEAR’s CSA SIGN-UPS
We will send out an email in January letting you know when sign-ups open for our 2021 harvest season. Returning members will have first chance to sign-up before we open it up to folks on the waitlist . If you have friends who are interested in joining the CSA next year, please have them sign-up for our waitlist on our website.
WINTER FARM STAND
Starting Monday, January 4th, we will be running a self-serve farmstand for CSA members out of our cooler in the barn. For sale will be any leftover root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, as well as cabbage, winter squash, and other goodies we can scrape from the fields as long as they last. We’ll send an announcement in January with details.
SPECIAL ADD-ONS THIS WEEK
All while keeping this ship afloat, Anna and Kate have both had side project this year from which they will be selling their lovingly crafted harvests. Please bring cash or be ready to Venmo.
ENJOY FARM CITRUS AND TURMERIC
Looking to add a little zest or spice to your winter cooking? You’re in luck! This week, Kate will be selling fresh, local organically grown citrus and turmeric from her mom’s property in Occidental! From Indira Yellow to Hawaiian Red (and even a small amount of a rare White Mango variety) these turmerics make a wonderful addition to curries, soups, teas or blended raw into creamy turmeric lattes! The specialty citrus ranges from Yuzu limes quintessential of Japanese cooking, little sweet mandarins perfect for snacking or making into marmalade, kaffir limes ready for your next Thai dish, and Persian limes that can go in almost anything but will definitely add something special to a good gin and tonic! Turmeric and citrus available both Saturday and Tuesday while supplies last!
ANNA’S LAMB
Anna will be selling rotationally grazed lamb from the sheep she raises on pasture (with the occasional treat of leftover farm greens) just five minutes down the road from the farm. Cuts ranging from stew meat, leg of lamb, various chops, bones, etc. will be available in the freezer at the back of the pickup barn (where the frozen bread was). Prices range from $12-20 per pound.
STAY CONNECTED
There are many ways to connect to this beautiful land:
Green Valley Farm + Mill, the umbrella entity that manages this land, hosts events, workshops, provides event space, and other offerings that connect people with land. Check out their website and sign-up for their newsletter.
Bramble Tail Homestead’s creamery and their amazing herdshare runs year ‘round. To sign up for the herdshare contact Aubrie at brambletailhomestead@gmail.com
The Green Valley Marketplace will remain open this winter with amazing local dried goods, crafts, and bevvies.
Food and Farm Tours’ Alex Fox and Kim LaVere host beautiful tours of area farms combined with one-of-a-kind feasts from our amazing food shed. Check them out. They’ve also been offering an incredible experience right here on this farm. Pamper your pod, or give an unforgettable gift, with a Feast on the Farm.
