CSA Week 11; Learning from each other

Weekly Update – Learning from each other
One of the most rewarding as well as most challenging things about running a diversified farm is just how many different things you need to know about. From soil science to plant biology to pest life cycles to animal nutrition to equipment repairs, the “to know” list goes on and on and is continuously augmented. My bookshelf is filled with titles like “Building Soils for Better Crops,” “Steel in the Field,” and “The Backyard Orchardist,” and my web browser threatens to crash every time I open my computer if I add one more tab of Google queries. But my preferred approach to continuing education is learning from the other farmers around me. These fellow and sister farmers are a collective source of knowledge that runs deep and wide, gathered from experience, trial and error, and their own research and outreach.
Whenever I have an opportunity to visit another farm or chat with another farmer, my brain is abuzz with questions and observations. Sometimes it’s as simple as seeing a new piece of equipment or a different system for a common task. Often we will both be in the midst of the same seasonal task and can compare notes on successes and challenges. And when a specific question arises, my default is to pick the brains and pool the knowledge of the farmers around me. This week, alone, I’ll have my learning antennae tuned to full capacity while picking up our last batch of chicks at a dedicated poultry farm and touring a production tomato operation at a Twilight Farmer gathering. New ideas about tools, supplies, systems, and efficiencies are sure to abound, and hopefully I can reciprocate with information about some of our own practices and experience. With so much to know and learn, we’re all students and teachers to each other, and the sharing of knowledge and collective education creates a community of curiosity and continuous improvement.
And now, on to the harvest!
Cheers,
Norah and the Sweetland Crew
 

Week 11 Harvest

Onions, Red Long of Tropea 
Onions, Ailsa Craig
Cabbage, Red Mini
Cabbage, Savoy
Rainbow Chard
Mesclun Mix
Sweet Corn
Bell peppers
Eggplant
Beets
Carrots
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Fennel
Scallions
Broccoli
Kohlrabi

What’s Cooking This Week

You can find ingredients for all of these recipes in our farm store! We source meats, dairy, grains, beans, sweets, and more from local and sustainable producers. Don’t forget to use your CSA member discount by entering your account phone number in our POS (member discounts are automatically applied to LocalLine purchases for off-farm delivery).

In honor of this week’s How To CSA Veggie Road Map theme, here are several more recipes that can use many of this week’s veggies “interchangeably.”