Week 11 - Brrr, this is August???

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What's in the Box?

From The North Farm
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic
Slicing Tomatoes
Spring Mix
Sweet Onion
Sweet Pepper

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Notes From the Field

Welcome to week 11 of your CSA. It's been quite a week for a variety of reasons, one of which I am going to share with you, despite it not being the most uplifting of stories.

As you all know, the Upper Peninsula can be a challenging climate. We take pride in our ability to withstand the harsh winters and are not scared by the short seasons or cool summers. However, every once in a while, Mother Nature throws us a challenge that we cannot quite prepare for, leaving us at the mercy of our climate.
Last week, we had the earliest frost we have experienced on the farm. Temperatures dipped down to the mid 30s, which allowed the dew on the surface of our crops' foliage to crystallize into ice. Many of the items in the field were not affected - they can withstand temperatures below freezing without any damage. However, some of the sensitive crops were hit pretty hard, resulting in dead foliage and possible total crop loss.

The most heartbreaking of these losses was the squash and watermelon field. We didn't have the ability to protect our large planting, so when the cool temperatures hit, the tender cucurbits were vulnerable. We saw pretty substantial damage throughout the field which you can see in the picture above. 

So what does this mean? Well, it means that we may not get a crop of watermelons or winter squash. The watermelons were hit harder than the squash, so those seem unlikely to pull through. I am hoping that the squash can grow through the damage and still manage to ripen fruit, but it is hard to say at this point. This is one of the many realities of farming in northern climates - we can't always protect our crops from the weather, and because of this, we may lose them. Please know that we do everything we can to ensure a diverse and delicious box for you each week, but also understand that there are some things out of our control. I hope that boxes later in the fall will still be able to feature some of our favorite winter squashes, but if not, we will continue to pack them with other fresh and delicious items from the farm.

We hope that you are staying warm, even on these cool nights. If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, please feel free to get in touch. As always, thanks for your support.


Collin Thompson
Farm Manager

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​Recipes and Resources

Tomato Celery Salsa

• Celery isn't really the star of most salsas, but when it is, it's hard to resist.

Classic Mirepoix

• This classic trio (carrots, onions, celery) is often viewed as the essential base for much French cooking. Simple, delicious, and hearty.

Roasted Cauliflower Steak

• Slicing cauliflower thickly and treating it like a steak is a truly satisfying way to use up a head of cauliflower. This is an example recipe, but you can season it like you would any steak. I really love using a honey mustard glaze, which caramelizes on the surface of the steak.

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Featured Item

​Celery
Celery seems like the forgotten vegetable. It is a huge flavor component for a wide variety of dishes, but rarely is in the spotlight. Well, today is it's day!

You may notice our celery is a little different than what you might get at the supermarket. The stems are not blanched, meaning they will be a bit darker green than what you might usually see. Also, the stalks are a hair smaller. Most commercial celery producers apply an enormous amount of water to celery, which allows it to swell and create fat juicy stalks, but waters down its flavor. Ours has a concentrated flavor, but may also be a bit less tender. We prefer this, as the flavor is really what we are after, but you will have to let us know what you think.

If you love celery flavor, this is likely to be a treat in your next dish. See a couple of ways to use it in the section above.

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​Storage Recommendations

In the Fridge:
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Spring Mix
Sweet Pepper

On the Counter:
Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic
Slicing Tomatoes
Sweet Onion

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Have feedback? Let us know what you think!