8/14/24 - Goodbye Lola, Bo & Oliva
This week is the last week on the farm for Lola, our Farm Manager. Lola has been working full time with us for three and a half years and along this time has taken on more and more responsibility. She has kept this farm growing. Don’t worry, she’s not leaving us hanging, she’s helped train a cadre of amazing people and has already stepped back from leading to provide support as they have taken the reins.
Lola is exceptionally dedicated, hard working, detail oriented and thoughtful… plus she has a great sense of humor, her laugh soars through the fields and she is a deep conversationalist. Lola is also an amazing chef, especially of veggies. Last summer when Elizabeth was on vacation she took over the newsletter one week and I love what she wrote.
“Whenever I am asked why I’ve gotten into farming, the answer boils down to a pretty simple truth: I love food. I love to grow food; I love to cook food; I love to eat food; but above all, I love to share food with those around me.” And share food Lola does. She’s shared the food that she’s been a part of growing with you the last several years.
As the Kaisers developed the farm, we found crops that did well with the compost, the soil, the climate, the sales outlets, plus of course our personal preferences. Those things have all changed. One of Lola’s great contributions has been moving us into the future with her astute observations on crops and their growth on the farm. I see her time here as a pivot point in the farm and am grateful for all the notes, pushing the boundaries and making sure this farm grows great food.
Thank you Lola and Goodbye!
Bo is also leaving the farm this week, again. Bo started farming with us straight out of his CalPoly Sustainable Ag undergraduate and worked full time a year and a half. At that time he quit to start his own landscaping business, but after a few months came back one day a week. His own business was a lot of time alone and he enjoyed the work on our farm and working alongside a jovial crew. At this point, he’s traveling, taking off to Vietnam and Australia hopefully for a year, to explore. The door is always open if he decides to return.
Bo has been so tremendously full of energy, with that energy focused on field work, driving the tractor, managing compost, mangaging beds, soil health and planting are what he thrives at. He will be missed.
Olivia worked with us first during a gap year between high school and college but then Covid hit and that was extended. She took a break to do a NOLS course but was with us on and off during that time. This summer she popped in for two months between her Sophomore and Junior year at Colorado College and she didn’t skip a beat but jumped right in as if she’d never left. We’re so grateful she came with her positive energy, great smile and good insights.
Auto-Billing Timing - 13 vs 4 boxes
On to something more mundane but it’s come up with a few members. We do our auto-billing by 13 or 4 box increments per your choice, and we also have a few people who reach out to want to do full year payments.
Those who joined our CSA this spring were automatically put into 13 box billing and we recognize that that is a lot. We appreciate those who do this but we also want to make sure it works for everyone financially.
If 13 box billing is a stress for you, please send us a quick email that you’d like to switch and we’ll switch you over.
Note, this is not applicable for members paying with EBT. Our online EBT billing system is finally up and running well.
As a reminder, when auto billing goes through it purchases 4, 13 or more box credits. With every CSA box you receive your account is debited one box credit. When your account is at 0 credits, it will automatically bill you Monday at 5pm before your next box.
The Flower CSA is billed every 4 bouquets.
Produce Notes & Recipes
This Week’s Box
Panisse Lettuce
Rainbow Chard
Carrots
Tomato Quart
Strawberries (SR) OR Cherry Tomatoes (WC)
Parsley (SR) OR Basil (WC)
Family: Cauliflower
This week’s Tomato Quarts continue to have more and more Heirlooms, please take a look at last week’s newsletter which has our full write up of Tomatoes (look to the email as that has photos).
I love Rainbow Chard and Tomatoes together, here is a more simple and more complex recipe for you.
Balsamic Chard (Eat With The Seasons)
1 bunch chard
one small can chopped tomatoes (or 2 tomatoes chopped)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
freshly cracked pepper to taste
Wash chard and chop into pieces, discarding tough stems. Sauté tomatoes and garlic over medium heat in large skillet until cooked to desired consistency, 5 to 15 minutes. Add vinegar, chard and water if needed. Cover and steam vegetables until cooked to desired doneness, 5 to 15 minutes. Check occasionally to be sure there is enough water in the pan.
Lasagna with Chard, Tomato Sauce and Ricotta (NY Times)
1 generous bunch Swiss chard (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Salt
1/2 pound regular or no-boil lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, or 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice
Pinch of sugar
1 large basil sprig
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you prepare the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. Tear the leaves from the stems and wash thoroughly in two changes of water. Discard the stems or set aside for another purpose.
When the water comes to a boil, add the Swiss chard leaves. Boil 1 minute (from the time the water comes back to a boil), until tender but still bright green, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in the same pot of water if not using no-boil lasagna noodles. Remove the pasta from the pot and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl.
In a wide, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprig, and salt (begin with 1/2 teaspoon and add more later), and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, until thick, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the amount of juice in the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the basil sprig. Stir in the Swiss chard and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a square or rectangular baking dish (no bigger than 2-quart) and line the bottom with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half the ricotta over the noodles and half the tomato-chard sauce over the ricotta. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the tomato-chard sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top with the remaining ricotta and tomato-chard sauce, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes, or until bubbling and the pasta is tender. Uncover, allow to sit for 5 minutes, and serve.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Our Parsley crop is going crazy right now so Parsley bunches are quite large! We’re hoping with this crop and the next just going in to have quite a lot for you this fall. I know that everything things of Basil Pesto but I honestly love it on pasta, and although we’re so used to Basil and Tomatoes, it’s great with tomatoes.
Parsley Walnut Pesto
1 1/2 cups walnuts
2 – 3 cloves garlic
Leaves from 1 large bunch parsley
1/2 cup walnut or olive oil
1 – 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or cider vinegar
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
You may wish to toast walnuts (I often do them raw) in pan over med-high heat, toast walnuts, turning/shaking often for 3 to 5 minutes.
In a food processor or blender, pulse garlic, then parsley, then whirl with oil and lemon juice until smooth. Then add walnuts and pulse until as smooth as you like. add parsley leaves and pulse. Last add cheese and pulse just to combine. Taste and add salt as you like.