Winter Farming

Hi All,

Winter greens here we come! Last week the crew renovated two of the three greenhouses by the back parking lot and Paul seeded them to winter greens. We irrigated them and covered them with row cover and are awaiting germination. It is miraculous to me that greens can be grown and harvested here all winter in an UNHEATED greenhouse. Those plants can freeze and thaw indefinitely and still survive. The work that has to go into those greenhouses to have greens in the winter shows me just how luxurious it is to eat greens from California.

Kale. There is another amazing winter vegetable. We plant a field (about 16 200 foot rows) of winterbor kale each fall for the winter CSA. The kale is planted outside without any protection from the elements. It grows big, burly and green all fall, and then when winter sets in it sits their stalwart under the snow waiting to be harvested. It can freeze down to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit if there is snow cover. We've often picked it frozen solid for a winter CSA distribution, cramming it crunchily into the box. When it is unpacked at the distribution it is crisp and perky. Now that is true winter health. Go to the farm website to sign up for your local winter bounty -www.sweetlandfarm.org.

High Point Farms, LLC is now offering shares in their winter CSA. Each monthly share includes humanely raised LOCAL meats from at least 2 species(grass-fed beef, pasture pork, free range chicken), a dozen eggs and local cheese. For more information and share sizes visit: www.highpointfarms.net

Ok, here's the week's food:

broccoli

head lettuce

pac choi/tatsoi

sweet peppers

hot peppers

potatoes

carrots

beets

kale

collards

garlic

u-pick:

raspberries: these will last til the first frost. There are many berries that are still ripening - so go pick!

chard

kale

hot peppers: 4 quarts season limit. These will last til the first frost.

OK, thanks all and see you around,

Evangeline
--