Dear members,
Welcome to your harvest season!
This moment — the moment have enough of a harvest spread coming out of the fields to call you all out here — has been in the works for since the leaves were falling from the trees in 2019. Garlic cloves stirring; strawberry crowns dividing; and cover crop roots diving. Then seeds sprouting; leaves reaching, roots swelling. And here we are…
We have a delicious, diverse, healthful, and surprising harvest season shaping up in the fields and garden for you this year and we can't wait to begin sharing it with you!
The purpose of this newsletter, which will appear in your inbox each week before Saturday pick-up is to let you know what's in the week's harvest, what's available in the garden; and to keep you posted on farm events and share stories of life on this farm.
This newsletter is jam packed so let's get to it!
HARVEST DISTRIBUTION BEGINS THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 13th
The first pick-up this year will be Saturday, June 13th. The first Tuesday pick-up is June 16th. We will run for 26 weeks, the last pick-up of the 2020 CSA harvest season season will be Tuesday, December 8th, 2020.
Saturday pick-up runs from 9:00am - 2:00pm (note longer hours on Saturday, old members)
Tuesday pick-up runs from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
You can come to either day, whichever works better for your schedule that week to attend an orientation (see below).
U-picking is now open 7-days a week, sunrise to sunset.
FARM ORIENTATIONS
This year, we’d like everyone (old and new members) to attend a short orientation when they come to pick-up their first harvest share of the year.
If you haven’t signed up for an orientation time-slot yet, please sign-up here.
Please allow about 15 minutes (old members) and 30 minutes (new members.)
COVID -19 POLICIES
Check out this blog post for a refresher on the COVID-19 policies we will have in place on the farm to keep the farm and garden safe for everyone.
FOR NEW MEMBERS
Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 13024-E Green Valley Rd. Sebastopol, CA 95472. The "E" is important! Google maps will send you to the first driveway of the property, 13024-A Green Valley Rd., that is not the right one. If you’re coming from Graton/Sebastopol, keep going a few driveways down (or turn back if you're coming from Guerneville) and look for our fishy logo and sign at 13024-E Green Valley Rd. It’s right across the street from the big Mt. Gilead bible camp sign.
Parking: After entering the gravel driveway, find a place to park on in gravel lot directly ahead of you. Please park on the peripheries in a way that leaves central avenues for entering and exiting cars. Please do not block the bay of the big open barn.
Where is orientation? Our barn is in the middle of cluster of old mill buildings to your right as you drove in. Just head towards those big greenhouses to your right and you can’t miss us.
What should I bring?:
An extra tote bag for add-ons like bread, frozen yogurt, etc. We will give you a harvest tote as well.
Produce bags for greens
A face covering / mask
Clippers to cut flowers and herbs
A vase or water bottle to keep your flowers happy on the way home
Water / sun hat / picnic supplies if you plan to stay awhile!
Cash for add-on goodies in the creamery and Marketplace!
THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
Freshly Harvested Lorz Softneck Garlic, Hopi Blue Corn Meal, Arugula, Mustard Mix, Spinach, Flowering Purple Bok Choi, Fennel, Pink Lady Slipper Radishes, Hakurei Turnips, Summer Squash, Green Little Gems, Panisse Oak Leaf Lettuce, Storage Carrots, Desiree Red Potatoes
HARVEST NOTES
In this section of the newsletter we offer history or recipes/tips on things in the share are particularly noteworthy or exciting that week.
Fresh Lorz Softneck Garlic: A glorious heirloom garlic brought to Washington State's Columbia River Basin in the early 1900s by the Lorz family when they emigrated from Italy. This large, purple tinged softneck garlic has a robust, spicy flavor that lingers in dishes. Try it in pasta or mashed potatoes, or simply roast the thing and make aoli! These bulbs were just unearthed on a sweet evening last week so you will notice green stalks, silky soft inner papers and turgid, crips cloves. Store in a dry place if you won’t be using it soon — this is a live food!
Hopi Blue Corn: How about a little Fall vibes in your late Spring? This beautiful corn originates from the Hopi people, of the Four Corners region. The corn in your share grew tall and watched over our cherry tomatoes all season in 2019 and was lovingly harvested by members on an October evening. Stored whole over the winter, stone ground on Tuesday and then frozen, this is a rare, heirloom cornflour with a freshness and flavor that only fresh ground corn can have. Store frozen to preserve the fats and oils. See below for our go-to Hopi Blue Corn pancake recipe.
U-PICK
Albion Strawberries
Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Parsley, Tarragon, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Vietnamese Coriander, Culinary Lavender, Culinary Sage, French Sorrel, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Balm, Shiso (limited), Chamomile, Cilantro, Tulsi, Ginger Mint, Strawberry Mint, Mojito Mint, Julep Mint, Chocolate Mint,
Flowers! First of the Spring flowers — bring your clippers!
ADd-ONS
All of us here at Green Valley have been hard at work adding to the bounty that you’ll be able to pick up on your weekly visit to Green Valley. Here is a summary of offerings:
Revolution Bread: In our barn, we will be selling Eli Coldin’s organic, stone milled and locally sourced grain sourdough breads, brownies, cookies, and other baked beauties. You won’t find a tastier, more nutritious, or more carefully sourced baked good than Revolution.
Bramble Tail Homestead: As most you already know, we share this land with the freshest, friendliest dairy and creamery in Sonoma County. Bramble Tail Homestead, offers a herdshare program (similar to our CSA) where members sign-up to receive a weekly share of creamy Jersey cow milk and other added-value dairy. With their beautiful cows, Aubrie and Scott manage the grasslands here to improve soil and regenerate habitat.
In their creamery, you can purchase their 100% grass-fed beef, herbal remedies, frozen yogurt, as well as goodies from other local producers like eggs, duck, rabbit, and honey.
To become a member of the weekly dairy share email Aubrie at brambletailhomestead@gmail.com. It’s delicious — trust us!
Green Valley Marketplace: We're so excited to announce Green Valley Farm + Mill’s Marketplace, a shop right next to our barn featuring home goods and pantry items from some of Green Valley Farm + Mill's favorite local makers.
The Marketplace will run parallel to CSA pick-up days on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Existing members of either the CSA or Herdshare can shop at the store, but registration is required. Learn more from Marketplace manager Kim La Vere right after your farm orientation.
GREEN VALLEY FARM + MIll
Green Valley Farm + Mill’s mission is to reconnect people to land.
Stay abreast of the many ways to connect to this land by checking out their website and signing up for Green Valley Farm + Mill’s newsletter.
HOPI BLUE CORN PANCAKE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup blue cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted (coconut oil would be a delicious, dairy-free substitute)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans, toasted (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together the blue cornmeal, salt and sugar. Stir in the boiling water until all of the ingredients are wet. Cover, and let stand for a few minutes.
In a measuring cup, combine the milk, egg and melted butter. Stir the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the cornmeal mixture until just incorporated. If the batter is stiff, add a little more milk until it flows off the spoon thickly but smoothly.Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, and grease it with a dab of oil or butter. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Quickly sprinkle a few pignoli (or other nuts if using) onto each cake. When the entire surface of the pancakes are covered with bubbles, flip them over, and cook the other side until golden.
Serve immediately with maple syrup or fruit preserves.
FARMER’S LOG
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION
Our favorite section of the newsletter is this here little section at the bottom each week. It is a little journal of whimsical and practical musings from us to you — our attempt to open a window into the “how” and the “who” and the “why?” and the “wow!” behind your food and the multitudinous lives and stories surrounding it.
By way of introduction, we thought we'd offer a compendium of past Farmer’s Logs for our new members joining us this year.
Like, did you know, Green Valley is really wild place? Read about it here. Or hear tell of one mysterious flight of the owlets; or read of a lesson taught to us by our beloved oak trees; or enjoy a short tale of one quick baby turkey!
If you’re in the mood for spooky, read about the ghost of Green Valley Community Farm.
To get to know your farmers, here’s one about our super hero powers and our favorite Spice Girls; or a sappy one about a suburban boy falling in love with farming. Ever wonder what one in the world one talks about while weeding for 5 hours? Or just what a week in the life is like?
Enjoy these for now and next week we’ll give a little synopsis of the last few insane, challenging, joyous, monotonous, and galvanizing months on the farm.
Thank you all for being with us this season. It is our privilege and honor to be farming for you. We can’t wait to share the fruits of the land.
See you in the fields,
David for Kayta, Anna, and Kate
