Summer #3 CSA Newsletter June 15 - 21, 2025

Stacey Feiner
Jun 20
10 min read

The rose bush Bill & I planted when we first moved to the farm some 29 years ago is blooming!

Don't ask me what kind of rosebush it is, because we have NO clue! And my answer will be similar to what I say when someone asks what kind of car someone else drives, and I respond with the color.

As in, this is a red rosebush. Lol.

We planted it by our picture window and imagined our future with it, wearing our young, rose colored glasses, being graced by multitudes of beautiful roses.

Reality check = no blossoms, save one or two, all those years.

At some point I was irritated with my disappointment and even asked Bill to get rid of it. He agreed and proceeded to cut it off and dug it up.

And we thought that was that and wrote it off.

Good riddance!

Well, turns out this rosebush we'd picked up from the local big box store - on the cheap at the end of the season - could match Bill and my stubborn ol' German farmer natures step for step!

The one that rises up when times are hard, or the weather doesn't cooperate, or we just feel hot, tired, and overwhelmed, and are ready to throw in the towel.

But it says, "Oh heck no you don't! Get your butt back out there and get the job done. And I mean now."

And so we do.

Yeah, that one.

No doubt, you've experienced it somewhere in your life, too.

So, in this story the rosebush grew back again and again.

We were busy, turned our attention elsewhere, and for all the years since, have been practicing benign neglect where it's concerned.

Fast forward to this year, and we're getting rose after rose! Five and counting.

We're enjoying every single one and find ourselves respecting the strong spirit of nature once again.

🌹

VEG SHARES - "A" week for EOW

(Photo of the "Default" FULL Share. See info, guides, recipes below for vegetables in the Default share as well as vegetables available for the Design My Share option below photo.)

LETTUCE MIX (¼ lb) - Store in a plastic bag in your fridge. Often considered a “1st Priority Vegetable” with a shorter shelf life than the other vegetables in your share, however if you put a paper or cloth towel in the bag to absorb moisture, our freshly harvested lettuce will often lasts more than a week! Guide & Recipes

ARUGULA MIX (3 oz) - Peppery salad greens. Tip: If you don’t like the spiciness, using dressing with dairy and/or adding cheese will lessen the heat. Add a paper or cloth towel to the bag to absorb moisture and extend your greens life by several days! Store in the fridge. Arugula Guide & Recipes

RADISHES with greens (1 bunch) - Separate radish from leaves for storing! Keep the greens in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator and eat them soon. Store the colorful roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or so. Eat them raw with a sprinkle of salt, slice into salads or on sandwiches for added crunch, pickle or roast with carrots. Guide & Recipes

SNAP PEAS - Snap the top and pull down to remove string, then eat pod & all! Guide

GARLIC SCAPES - (1 bunch) These are the curlicue curiosities in your box. Store them in a plastic bag in your crisper. They’ll last about 2-3 weeks. You can trim off the bottom inch of the scape (if it’s woody) as well as the flowering tip (although that is also edible if you want to try it). Steam, saute, or grill them whole or chopped in pieces, similar to green beans, with some olive oil and salt/pepper. Or finely chop as a garlic substitute. Can also be sliced and included in fresh dishes - like you’d use green onions. Can also pickle or chop and freeze them in a Mason jar or Ziplock bag. Then you can use them all summer/winter as needed.

KALE (1 bunch) RED RUSSIAN (FULL ONLY) - Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” If you can’t use them in the next few days, freeze them you can use the stalks too! Every part of the leaf is edible, though really thick ribs take longer to cook, so they're often discarded. The kale can be cooked whole, cut into thin strips, or chopped, depending on your recipe and use. Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” to be used in the next week. If you can’t use it in the next few days, consider freezing it. Guide & Recipes

SPINACH (¾ lb = FULL, ½ lb = HALF) - This green is very versatile (and YES! You can eat the stems, in fact they are very tasty too. ;) It can be eaten cooked or raw, requires little prep, works with sweet or savory ingredients, stands up to other hearty ingredients, and pairs well with rich, fatty foods such as cheese, butter, bacon, and cream. Raw is popular in salads with, or without, pecans, dried fruit such as cranberries, chunks of cheese, sunflower seeds, and roasted beets. Other possibilities are steaming, boiling, stir-frying, or sautéeing with butter or olive oil. Known as a longer keeper than lettuce, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or more. Note - Cooks down in size considerably. Guide & Recipes

ASPARAGUS (1 lb) - Can be eaten raw or cooked many ways—roasted, grilled, steamed, boiled, pan-roasted, fried and can be added to pasta, salads, soups, and stir-fries.Steam with butter or hollandaise sauce, blanch and chill with a vinaigrette, herbs, or other dressing. Generally speaking, thicker spears are better for roasting, grilling, and stir-frying, and thinner stalks are traditionally left whole so their tender, meaty texture can be appreciated. Trim before cooking by holding the ends and bending the spear until it breaks somewhere in the middle; everything from the middle up will be tender enough to eat easily. Store in the fridge either in a vase of water (cut a sliver off the stalk ends first if they are dried) or store them in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Just remember that the sooner you eat it, the better the flavor. Asparagus can also be blanched and then frozen although it will be more mushy when thawed - perfect for soup! Pickling is another option.

Optionals:

1 DOZEN EGGS

1 lb RUSSET POTATOES

SUNFLOWER SHOOTS (3 oz.) - Sunflower Shoots, also called sunflower greens or microgreens, have a nutty flavor with a crunchy texture. They are versatile and can be used like fresh salad greens, stir fried or steamed lightly, used in sandwiches, with pasta, or on pizza. Store in a plastic bag or wrapped in a slightly damp towel for about a week or maybe a little more. Guide & Recipes

PEA SHOOTS (3 oz.) - Pea Shoots are microgreens, or baby pea seedlings, that smell & taste like peas. They are versatile and can be used like fresh salad greens (they pair well with parmesan cheese & lemon!), stir fried lightly, used in sandwiches, on pizza, or as a garnish. Store in a plastic bag or wrapped in a slightly damp towel for about a up to two weeks. Guide and Recipes (2 different PDF’s)

PAC CHOI (1 bunch) - Store this green in a plastic bag in your fridge and use within a week. Wilt these down in sauces or soups. Or try grilling them in a cast iron pan. The stems are also great chopped up in a stir fry.

SORREL (1 bunch) - Kind of a salad green & kind of a herb and in the same family as rhubarb, sorrel’s astringent citrusy flavor adds a little kick to your meal. And its rich in potassium, vitamins Q, B1, and C. A rule of thumb for using - anywhere you’d add a squeeze or two of lemon, sorrel would be good! When heat is added, sorrel breaks down nicely making it a great thickener for sauces and soups. It’s strong flavor pairs well with fatty meats & fish like salmon, creamy dishes, and cheeses. Great cut into thin strips and mixed with other salad greens to eat fresh. Other ideas include using it in soups, sauces, pesto, salads & dressings, potato toppings, hummus, quiches, omelets, crepe fillings, pizza, pasta dishes. 7 More Recipe Ideas Sorrel will last 1-2 weeks in a plastic bag in your fridge. If you wish to rinse or wash, wait until just before using to prolong shelf life.)

CHIVES (1 bunch for FULL shares only) - Chives, with long, pencil-like, thin edible leaves with hollow centers and also edible purple flowers, belong to the allium family, making them relatives of onions, leeks, scallions, and garlic. They are typically chopped and are most often used as a garnish but are good on just about anything. Their flavor pairs well with any savory dish. and the bright green color adds visual appeal as well. Note: if added to a dish too early, they will wilt easily. Chives will keep a few weeks in the fridge in a plastic bag although quality will be better if used within a week.

GARLIC CHIVES (1 bunch) - Garlic chives look similar to chives, but their leaves are broad and flat instead of hollow. Their garlicky flavor enhances cooked dishes, particularly ones where the food is slowly simmered in a sauce, such as red-cooked stews or soups, or in stuffing. Use them also to add flavor to stir-fries. They go particularly well with eggs and seafood—you’ll often find them paired with scrambled eggs or prawns.

CILANTRO - Snip the bottom of the stems off and keep in the fridge or on the counter in a glass of water, with, or without, an upside down plastic bag over the tops. Refresh water every few days and your herb will last for weeks! For an even more low-maintenance way to store cilantro, give your leaves a wash and thorough dry, then chop them up to freeze in ice cube trays with a little water or oil. Once frozen solid, transfer them to freezer bags and add to sauces, soups and marinades as needed. Or use now in salads, salsas, tacos, slaws, rice, stir fry (sprinkle on as you remove from heat), and pesto.

BEETS (1 lbs) - Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for months. Guide & Recipes

RUTABAGA (1 lb or more) - Nutritious root vegetable with dense sweet-tasting flesh also known as Swedish turnip or neep. When you buy at the store, rutabagas are often coated in wax so they need to be peeled before cooking. Since these are organic and not waxed, peeling is optional. Can be used in hearty soups like beef barley or chicken noodle, stew, and casseroles, boiled, mashed (with potatoes and/or cauliflower, or on their own), and are excellent roasted, either alone or, with other root veggies like carrots, radishes, turnips, potatoes, onions, etc. This long storing veggie can be stored in the refrigerator, in the crisper drawer. Or if you’ll be using within a week or two, these can be stored like potatoes and onions in a cool, dark place on the counter.

YUKON GOLD POTATOES (1 lb) - An all-purpose popular variety known for thin, smooth, eye-free skin and yellow-tinged flesh. Its moist flesh and sweet buttery flavor is versatile and can be used for roasting, baking, frying, mashing, and making potato salads. from Mythic Farm - organic Guide & Recipes

PETER WILCOX POTATOES (1 lb) Blue skin with gold flesh these add nutrition because of their blue color and are very versatile. Firm, but not waxy, they can be roasted, boiled, grilled, sliced or fried. A NY Times food editor has said they posses "a full earthy flavor with hints of hazelnuts." We're not sure on that but agree they taste great! from Mythic Farm - organic Guide & Recipes

DAKOTA RUBY POTATOES (1 LB) - Red skin, white flesh. from Mythic Farm - organic Guide & Recipes

CARIBOU RUSSET - Russet with white, dry flesh and excellent baked, mashed, or as fries. from Mythic Farm - organic Guide & Recipes

KEUKA GOLD - Buff skin and light yellow flesh, similar to Yukon Gold. Best when boiled but also good for baking or roasting. from Mythic Farm - organic Guide & Recipes

DAKOTA BLACK POPCORN (1 lb) - This richly flavored popcorn has a deep purple kernel that pops into a bright white and tender treat. (from Meadowlark Organics)

BLACK ECLIPSE BEANS (1 lb) - A classic, inky black bean, perfect for soups or as a stand alone dish. Eclipse beans are more of a Cuban or Brazilian style bean than Mexican, but you’ll love them however you choose to prepare them. These beans have been cleaned and sorted, but it’s a good idea to pick through and give them a good rinse before you get cooking. (from Meadowlark Organics)

MES SHARES - Mazomanie, Dianne Dr

EGG SHARES - all Weekly & "B" week Biweekly

Recipes:

On the Farm . . .

Snap peas are here! We should have them for a couple weeks.

The guys have been doing lots of mowing and trimming lately. Here's a bed of raspberries after Aidan trimmed grasses growing up along them that the mower couldn't get.

Below is a close-up of green raspberries. This year we're expecting to have not only our abundant fall crop of raspberries, but also a small crop of summer ones. It's the first year we've tried this, so we aren't sure how many we'll end up, but - fingers crossed - they'll be enough we can include them in your share! 🤞

Here we are harvesting spinach in the hot and humid temps this week.

While the plants are going crazy with recent rains and heat, we haven't always been quite as thrilled.

I didn't realize I caught our feelings on the weather in Marlee's expression, but it's about as perfect a reflection as could be.

In other exciting farm news, we have one and a half week old Border Aussie puppies again!

There are six boys and one girl for a total of seven healthy pups.

The photo above is the morning after they were born and the one below is eleven days old. Our girl I.O. is a great mama. She's super attentive and these guys are thriving.

Marlee chose a bird theme for their puppy names so we have Cardinal, Blue Jay, Finch, Owl, Dove, Falcon, and Hawk.

Five of them have been spoken for.