7/1/26 Thinking about the 3-Legged Stool
It’s a busy summer and we’re going hard on the farm, in the last week we have planted our last winter squash plus basil, lettuces, herbs and more, did a big seeding push (7500 plants double our normal week), weeded and weeded, trellised and mulched peppers and tomatoes and so much more. On the property we did a full weedwack and clearing back of a bunch of hedgerows that were impeding movement not the farm.
Yet bookkeeping has gotten really far behind and this the last week Farmer Elizabeth has really had to dive into the numbers and how we’re doing. One thing that’s becoming prominent is this year’s crew is pushing efficiencies. We were planning growth (and we have) but we were able to keep our staffing the same as prior years. Part of this was due to clearer leadership positions along with raises. And yet, we’re in a bit of a deficit. It’s so hard with how costs are rising and yet the price we’re getting for our produce is the same.
With both sides of this equation a thought that hasn’t been in our mind in years and recently resurface is the 3-legged stool. This was talked about a lot 20 years ago with discussions on sustainability. We’re past sustainability and well into regeneration as the discussion topic but there’s still a lot of value in those three legs.
Ecology. Social. Economics.
For us these three legs is what pushed us to no-till and they’re still the pillars of what we do.
Ecology is the back bone of this property, the fields and the growing of our produce and flowers. Just read last week’s newsletter about river otter and other creatures. We are fully committed to building the soil life, having space for predators because we love it and also because we know it makes growing healthier plants and food.
Social is the people without which we have NO farm. This year’s crew has a lot of people who have experience on the farm and so efficiencies are easier. We know what we’re doing.
Economic is an important part of our world. This is our biggest struggle the last few years. We’ve made some strides this year but I’m a little concerned that pushing more may lead to burn out.
As such, I’ve tried to hold off but we need to raise the price of the CSA. We haven’t done so in 18 months. We’ll do such starting Aug and Classic Boxes will go from $32 to $34, Families from $40 to $43. We appreciate your support & understanding.
Summer Subscription Shares
Add-Ons are a great way to get more in your box of the things you love. Add-on subscriptions do the same, but you get them automatically and we prioritize them before making add-ons available.
We will have a favorite Summer Pint Share available starting next week. We’ll start with a max of 10 but will keep a waitlist as more comes on. Summer Pint Share is a rotating extra pint of Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes, Shishitos, Lunchbox Peppers and Fairytale Eggplant.
Starting August we’ll also have an extra Quart of Mixed Tomatoes. Once tomatoes are rolling in, CSA boxes will get a quart of mixed tomatoes every week. Last year this was 8/13-10/1 but we anticipate this earlier this year. The Quart of Tomatoes Share is for people who like more and want two quarts. We’ll start this share Aug 1st (pending continuation of tomato ripening).
Our standing Add-On Subscriptions include:
Lettuce Share
Bunching Green Share
Culinary Herb Share
Flower Share
This Week’s Box
Lettuce Leaf Mix
Rainbow Chard (SR) OR Toscano Kale (WC)
Mixed Beets
Cabbage
Cucumber (SR) OR Summer Squash (WC)
Herb: Basil (SR) OR Parsley (WC)
Strawberries (Classic) OR Cherry Tomatoes (Family)
Family: Broccolini + bigger Beet Bunches
Produce Notes & Recipes
There were a lot of rotations between not only Santa Rosa and West County but also Classic vs Family so there are two listings above to help clarify. The CSA is such a huge part of our farm having rotations means we get a you all the best of what’s out there. Our Farm Manager Sean puts a lot of thought with Elizabeth curating the boxes but we get it’s confusing.
This week Family Boxes also have Strawberries. We’re hoping to start having a stronger rotation with them.
Also, watch out as we’ll soon start offering some of our summer add on subscriptions like our Summer Pint Share and extra Tomatoes. These items will be in the boxes but automatically will get more of them to these members.
Today you have a big head of Cherokee Red Lettuce. These Cherokee were something we discovered last season as very heat tolerant and so a big summer head for us. We hope you enjoy them.
Classic Boxes have also a big head of Escarole plus Napa Cabbage and a Bunching Green so let’s work on some greens recipes here.
Escarole is more often thought of as a cool-season green, but we love slipping it into the CSA now and then because it bridges the gap between salad greens and cooking greens beautifully. The tender inner leaves are lovely raw, while the sturdier outer leaves mellow into something silky and rich when wilted or sautéed. Escarole with garlic scapes would make an amazing Ceasar type salad but since you have a lot of lettuce I’m going to focus on a cooked recipe.
Warm Escarole with Garlic Scapes, Summer Squash & White Beans
1 medium head escarole
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium summer squash, halved and sliced
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbs water or broth
¼ cup chopped parsley
Lemon wedges, for serving
Optional: grated parmesan
Wash the escarole well and roughly chop it.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic scapes and cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant and just beginning to soften.
Add the summer squash, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook 3–4 minutes, until the squash is just tender.
Add the white beans and stir to warm through. Add the escarole and the water or broth. Toss everything together and cook until the escarole wilts down, 2–4 minutes.
Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust salt or lemon as needed. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon and parmesan if you like.
If you didn’t have a box last week, check out our write up on Garlic Scapes (I gave a garlic scape pesto recipe). This is our second and last week of them. Of note… these store amazingly well, so keep them, don’t feel you need to eat them right away. Use them almost anywhere you’d use garlic cloves, but with a fresher, greener, less intense flavor: slice them thin for salad dressings, mince them into vinaigrettes, blend them into pesto, or sauté them as the aromatic base for eggs, pasta, greens, stir-fries, or roasted vegetables. As a rough guide, 1 garlic scape = about 1–2 cloves of garlic, depending on size and how garlicky you want the dish.
Napa Cabbage & Cucumber Slaw with Basil-Lime Dressing
Serves: 4
½ to 1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1–2 cucumbers, thinly sliced into half-moons
½ cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped or torn
1 garlic scape, very thinly sliced (optional)
2 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts for topping
Prep the vegetables: Thinly slice Napa cabbage and cucumbers. Chop or tear basil. If using, slice scallions or red onion.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice (or vinegar), oil, honey, salt, and pepper.
Toss together: In a large bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, basil, and onion. Pour dressing over and toss well.
Let sit (optional): Let slaw sit for 10–15 minutes for the flavors to meld, or serve immediately.
Serve: Top with toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts if desired. Great on its own, or alongside grilled proteins, rice dishes, or in wraps.
Extra Shares
Flower Share: 🌻 Sunflower Focus
Lettuce Share: Lettuce Leaf Mix 🥬
Bunched Greens Share: Red Russian Kale
Herb Share: Dill
Eggs Share: 🥚🥚 EGG NOTE!! 🥚🥚 Feel free to send us back your clean egg cartons to get reused.Extra SharesS