Jiminy crickets, July, you’re here already!

A View from a CSA picnic at Farmdale Organics, 2011.
Photo Credit: CSA archives

Summer is in its glory (as are the rain clouds!), and my how the time flies when we’re working, living, avoiding the rain, and collecting shares! Despite the radio silence of our blog, our office has experienced anything but! From fielding farmers’ crop predictions, to designing yummy veggie shares that include those crops, to drafting and sending newsletters, to coordinating weekly farm visits (you’re always invited to tag along!), to planning the upcoming farm picnic (later this month at Farmdale Organics; more details to follow – email us at csa@lancasterfarmfresh.com!), we have been a-buzz with activity here in the office.

Some of the best soil in the country, courtesy of Farmdale Organics.
Photo Credit: CSA archives

We are thankful for the rain and the growth it enables, but we’re also a little over it when it caused widespread strawberry shortages in early June for our fruit shareholders and undesirable Tatsoi just earlier this week! We are never beyond the reach of the rewarding yet risky nature of a CSA—even in a cooperative of 80+ organic farms! Despite the large number of farms that grew strawberries this year, we did have to send value added replacements of some of our farmers’ other fruit goodies like jam and applesauce.

Not quite ripe blueberries at Echo Valley Organics.
Photo credit: Sara Hummer

In other fruit share news, we’re excited to note that as the world turns, so do the fruits of our shares… You all who collect the fruits of our farmers’ local labor are enjoying cherries, blueberries, and raspberries (the raspberries have also gotten a bit water-logged, though, unfortunately) at this point. Yum! Pies and jams, anyone?

Green Beans at Echo Valley Organics.
Photo Credit: Sara Hummer

Speaking of changing share contents, we hope that you’re as excited as we are to start seeing more veggie varieties in the weekly ration. We know some shareholders (coworkers here at the coop included) were growing tired of monochromatic salads every day—greens, greens, greens? Officially, we, the CSA team, weren’t; we thought it was pretty awesome, but know this: trudge through those nutrient-packed green-leafies no more! Potatoes, garlic, onions, green beans, zucchini, and summer squashes are here! Tomatoes are on their way! Time to count your veggie blessings, folks!