Last week was another very busy spring week:
- Planting and transplanting – over the past few weeks we’ve planted basil and the first melons, basil, tomatoes, and eggplants
- Preparing other beds for planting, including mowing cover crops with tractors and sheep
- It got pretty warm, and we got a long enough break in the rain that we’ve needed to start irrigating
- Lots of weeding and harvesting
- and more!
We also took some time away from our normal work to have our annual CSA Open Farm Day on Saturday! It was so nice to have CSA members here to take tours, talk and ask questions, pet some of the lambs, and enjoy the farm on a beautiful spring day. The weather couldn’t have been better and everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks to everyone who made the trip to the farm, whether making the relatively short trip from Woodland and Davis or the much longer trek from the Bay Area! We had CSA members of all ages and from all spans of being in the CSA at the event, from longtime member to folks who just got their first box a week ago, and a few site hosts joined us too.
I really enjoyed meeting folks who I normally only interact with via email or phone and getting to hear their questions and comments. A major “finding”: rutabaga fries are a favorite rutabaga preparation method! Someone shared their special carrot top pesto recipe, another person proclaimed their love of poached quince, and there was a lot of cauliflower and carrot love.
Thank you to everyone who filled out the CSA member survey! I will be contacting raffle winners shortly and will be sharing results once I get a chance to dig into the responses.
The CSA/farm relationship is a special one, and one that we don’t take for granted. We hope you feel the same. By choosing to be in the CSA, you’ve sought out a personal connection to your food and the people who grow it. And we’ve chosen a very direct, less anonymous customer base that really has been an important part of Full Belly Farm’s development and success. We are thankful for the 32 years of CSA members and their support and involvement with the farm. It’s much more than an economic relationship.
Last thing for the week – I want to share two things that have come into my inbox recently from CSA members:
First – this note and beautiful photo from Olivia: “Loving our Fully Belly dinner tonight including:
- Moroccan beet, radish, and carrot medley (loosely based on this recipe, which I got from the Beet)
- Garlicky carrot, beet, and radish greens
- Potatoes with green onions
- (…and some Tilapia topped with lemon)”
And this recipe from Christina, who said that she’s been putting it on EVERYTHING!
Umami Dressing, Riffed from Carla Lalli Music
- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup Braggs liquid aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons neutral vegetable oil (grapeseed, avocado, etc)
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1.5 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Put all of the ingredients in a quart mason jar and blitz together using a stick blender.
When you have questions, comments, feedback, recipe ideas, and more, let us know!
Elaine Swiedler, CSA Manager
