Crop List: Huckleberry Gold Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Wild Berry Potatoes, Fingerling Potatoes, Carrots, Beets, Basil, Fennel, Garlic, Broccoli, Turnips, Radish, Dill, Murdoc Cabbage and maybe Red Onion

This is the final share of 2022. Thanks for joining us. As always 2022 had its ups and downs. It is one of the things I love about farming. Each year some crops thrive and some don't. Sometimes we know the reasons a crop fails...some crops we have to guess about. If we had to describe the whole season..."slow and steady" would sum it up. The more normal wet, cool spring was a good reminder that we live in the Tetons. It took us a long time to get the garden planted this year because the ground stayed so wet. Putting the seeds in the ground before the soil warms and dries results in them rotting. A late plant date slowed the crops down. Many were about a month behind. Once they started coming in, they produced a steady stream of veggies. Some years the garden goes into a growing frenzy and we are unable to get the crops in because so much is ready at once. This year we didn't have as much diversity with each share, but the crops made an appearance when they were ready.
The highs and lows of 2022
Lows were sunflowers, all the squash, spinach, arugula, broccoli and cabbage. We experimented with planting the sunflowers in the one of our cover crops. Major fail. They were one of the crops which were planted really late. In addition to being late the competition of the cover crop was too much. I usually start harvesting flowers at the very beginning of August, but the ones who bloomed arrived the last week of August and they were only about 2" blooms instead of the 6" flowers we are used to. 90% of them never bloomed. We won't do that again!!
The squash (summer, winter and cucumbers) were also on the list of things that had to wait for the soil to dry and warm to go in the ground. Missing a month of growing time made the summer to short for this veggie family. Growing cucurbits in  the Tetons is always a gamble, and this year we were sad to miss them! I am particularly heartbroken over the winter squash.
The spinach and arugula (we did get one good early cut on these, but lost the next round) loved the cool spring but the transition from cool to hot was not gradual enough and it bolted. "Bolting" means going to seed too early because of stress.
The broccoli and cabbage could have used a bit more time in the garden too.
The highs of 2022! Radish, carrots, potatoes, sugar snaps and tomatoes! YAY for these goodies! The early radishes this year were exceptional. Amazing flavor, no cracks and no hollowing out. The radishes loved the cool wet spring and they were ready for harvest before the heat came so they didn't bolt!
We tried a new variety of sugar snap peas and love them. We were pleased with the amount we were able to give out. We know everyone always wants more...but the labor involved in pea picking is a serious limiting factor. 
The tomatoes were great. Consistent, yummy, slow and steady for almost 2 1/2 months! 
The carrots are incredible this year. I weighed one carrot today that tipped the scale to almost 1 1/2 pounds! Holy lunker carrot! The cooler nights have encouraged the roots to sweeten up to a degree I haven't tasted in some years. I should warn the parents out there that it is totally normal for your child to refuse store bought carrots after a year like this.  All the varieties did well this year. 2021 was not a great carrot year, so woohoo for 2022!
And the potatoes. I know we are an Idaho farm, and you expect these from us...but this year's crop looks great. The potatoes are healthy and abundant. I am still recovering from 2020 when the spuds froze and we were not able to deliver many potatoes at all. It feels great to have such a gorgeous crop coming in.
2022 is a wrap. Thanks for joining us. Your commitment to the farm is what permits us to grow so many different crops. We all share in the abundance and feel the lack as a community. We are very aware that you could go to the grocery store and get exactly what you want each week. Your willingness to be flexible is noted and appreciated.
We work really hard to grow the best food possible for the people of the Tetons. We hope you can taste the difference. We pray you feel nourished physically and spiritually by this food that grounds us all here, together, in such an amazing place.
​On behalf of Jed and I, thank you for allowing us to be your farmers. We are truly honored. We wish you a fall and winter of rest, joy and connection with those you hold dear.
​We hope to see you all again in the spring standing around some yellow crates weighing things!!

Crop List: Purple Carrots, Radish, Cilantro, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Huckleberry Gold Potatoes, Shallots, Bok Choy, Lacinato Kale and maybe Tomatoes

The shares are getting heavy! Here comes the poundage. Remember way back in June when the shares were light, leafy and green? Now is the time of year for dense, earthy and weighty veggies. This time of year we are usually happy to be moving around heavy crates because it warms us up. While we are still happy to be moving the bounty of the harvest... we are not actively seeking heat. These fall days have been dreamy. The temperatures are delightful for what is happening on the farm right now! We are savoring the warmth and colors. 
We are in the process of digging carrots and potatoes. We pulled out the potato digger on Monday and are cruising through the rows. We have 12 rows each 500' feet long of spuds out there to collect. Every yellow crate we have will be in use, and we end up pulling out sacks to put the remainders in.
The carrots are calling us too. We have another 3 rows (also 500' long) to dig. We use a tractor implement called an "undercutter" to dig the carrots. It is a bar that is pushed under the soil about 18" by the tractor and it "undercuts" the roots to loosen them and then we can just grab them instead of using a digging fork and digging by hand.
Cosmic Mix may be done for the season. We have a crop out there, but it is not as eager to grow as we would like.
We will be giving out lots of veggies this week and next. Be sure to check out the recipe pages for storage tips.

Free Cosmic T-shirt, Hat, Mug or Water Bottle!
We have started our 2023 CSA membership drive! If you sign up for next year's CSA at a pick up location before the season ends, you will receive a free organic cotton t-shirt or hat...or a non-organic mug or water bottle! Your site host will have sign-up sheets, one is attached to your email or you can get one here: ​Sign-up sheet
Sign up early to get the best prices and to guarantee the pick up location/day you really want...and did I mention the free swag?! Shirts available in Men's, Women's, Kid's, Toddler and Onesies! Hats are cap style or trucker style. Mug or water bottle in blue or black are insulated and have a cool magnet lid.
Speaking of Cosmic Merch...I have not mentioned it, BUT we have awesome Organic Hoodies, Bigger Mugs and Water bottles too. If you want anything, you can purchase it online and we will happily bring it to your pick up site and refund the shipping cost. (We can't give these out with a share purchase, but they sure are cool!)​
Link to check out all merch: here

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Fingerling Potatoes, Winter Squash, Basil, Carrots, Parsley, maybe Tomatoes, Radish and/or Beets

Jed has been evaluating the garden and figuring out what is left out there. I've been told there is a lot! We will be providing 16 shares this year! Please mark your calendars. The last dates will be: Tuesday, October 4th and Thursday, October 6th.​
We still didn't see a frost in the forecast strong enough to kill the tops of the potatoes, so Jed mowed them. This will signal the plants that the time has come to "suberize". We are soon going to get the potato digger out and go to work on harvesting them all. The fingerlings in your share this week are still hand dug and have sensitive skins. They need another week or so in the ground to be considered storage potatoes.
The garlic is done curing! The bulbs in your share this week can be stored for months. The stalks are dried down and the paper has also.
The tomatoes have really slowed down. Even with plastic and propane, they are dependent on how many hours of daylight they get...and we are not getting them grow lights!
​The Fall Equinox is on Thursday. Day and nights are equal. We are returning to the dark time of year. I can really feel the pull to slow down and go within. But the reality of slowing down is always just over the horizon right now. There is still much to be done. Lots to harvest, dry, ferment and store. I feel like a mouse scurrying around trying to get it all done right now. I watch the landscape slowly let go and wither back to the earth, while I attempt to stock up and sustain life all winter. I'll admit to having tired moments when I just want to lay on the earth and melt into her embrace, really letting it all go. But as a healthy human...when I do lay down, it seems to revitalize me. I rise and get back to the to do list of fall. With fresh eyes I can witness all the beauty of fall. The smoke is gone, sky is blue and the leaves are starting to change. We have days forecasted in the dreamy 70's for the next week. May you feel embraced by fall in this gorgeous place we get to call home!!!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Rainbow Carrots, Purple Potatoes, Tomatoes, Basil, Red Kale, maybe Slicing Cucumber and/or Summer Squash

The garden received a frost on early Saturday morning. It got to 31 degrees for about an hour. The summer squash and cucumbers are done.  We harvested on Friday afternoon in an attempt to save some things, the squash and cucumbers in your share are from those efforts.
Everything else is still looking good. The carrots will now get sweeter. The cold weather shocks the plants into producing more sugars as the threat of freezing stimulates their desire to survive. We wish the potato plants would have frozen a bit more! When the tops of the plants die, the potatoes (safely tucked underground) grow tougher skins. The tougher skins make harvesting easier on us and they also store better. If they don't freeze soon we will mow the tops to encourage the spuds to toughen up!
I admit it...I was not quite ready for the frost this year. I could have used one more week. The cucumbers just got going and they are one of my favorite garden treats. Some years it is very easy to step into fall, other years I try to hang on a bit longer. I guess it's one of those hanging on years. I know in my core hanging on is futile and just creates strife. It's time to let go of the summer days, swimming, wide open windows, and grazing in the garden. I'll welcome fall...eventually. The rain and cooler temps this week will have me looking for my slippers I haven't seen since June, making more tea and wanting to cook dishes that need time in the oven. I will get excited about tasting the garden delights that have needed all season to be ready for us. I am already looking forward to a bit of cooler temperatures. And hiking! This is my favorite time of year to get out in the woods. Okay, thanks for listening. Newsletter therapy is really helpful.
We do still have lots of goodies growing in the garden for you. We are now in "empty the garden mode"!
​
​​​Volunteer!
Here's the big secret. September is the best month to volunteer. It is the month of some of the biggest shares. Help us wrap up the harvest and receive lots of veggies!!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 10-15 hours left this month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Swiss Chard, Chives, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Head Lettuce, Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, maybe Beans and/or Sugar Snap Peas
​
 The cucumbers decided to join the party this week. We have been coaxing them along all summer, and they have arrived. Enjoy them, they are extremely frost sensitive and may not last long. We grow 2 types of cukes. Pickling and slicing. BUT! Refrain from feeling limited by their names. You can use pickling cucumbers just like slicing ones. Our household prefers the picklers for all uses. They have a much more tender and less bitter skin then the larger slicers. We eat them like apples. It is one of our favorite snacks on a hot day. Usually the picklers come in earlier and are more prolific all season which is why we grow both. The slicing cucumbers are larger and more traditional. All bets are off this year about timing and abundance of cucumbers...they have grown differently this year then other years. This week the slicers were way more prolific!
We have begun harvesting small amounts of potatoes. These early season spuds are called "new potatoes" because the skin is still tender. They will not store for a long time like the ones you will get later in the season. Consider these new potatoes a warm up for your spud skills! We have lots more coming as the season progresses....would you expect anything less from an Idaho farm?
​It is still summer on the farm with temps reaching the high 80's everyday and warm nights. The hills are green with no real hint of leaf color change yet. The grasses at the farm have gone to seed and turned a beautiful beige and some bird species have begun moving through on their journey south. Fall feels imminent, but just out of reach. I am savoring the heat, soaking up as much sun as I can on my skin to store the warmth for the winter!

​​Volunteer!
Here's the big secret. September is the best month to volunteer. It is the month of some of the biggest shares. Help us wrap up the harvest and receive lots of veggies!!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 15-20 hours left this month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Lunch this Week: Burritos with Idaho Salsa and Summer Sauté
Recipe Ideas: French Chive Dressing, Honey Roasted Potatoes, Summer Squash Boats
Lifeline Cheese Update:​ We have cheese again!!!!
The coolers at your site are stocked with a selection of the beef and pork listed below. If you know you want something, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved for you. I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit!
Lifeline Beef Available: Ground Beef, Patties and Stew Meat
​Pork Available: Grandpa's Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Pork Chops, Shoulder Roast, Neck Bones (make the real deal Ramen!), Fat, Country Ribs, and Hock

WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
​
Bring Bags to pick-ups!

If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week. 
Members get 10% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1 (ends 9/30)
JH Farmer's Market: Saturdays 8-12 (ends 9/24)
The People's Market: Wednesdays 4-7 (ends 9/21)
Farm To Fork Festival: Saturday, October 1st; 1-4 at the Center for the Arts
Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? dale@cosmicapple.com

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Tomatoes, Kale, Carrots, Basil, Summer Squash, maybe Sugar Snap Peas and/or Cucumbers 

September is coming in HOT! The forecast is calling for lots of heat in the next week with no chance of frost. Any frost free day in September always feels like a gift. We will keep harvesting the summer squash and cucumbers until they freeze. The cucumbers had a rough start and are just getting going. The tomatoes and basil are tucked in the greenhouses, so thanks to plastic and propane, they will keep producing even after we frost. The fall crops are shaping up nicely and it looks like it will be a promising harvest.
Once September arrives, folks start asking when the shares will end. Truthfully...we don't know. It is weather dependent. Our goal is to put out 16 shares. Some years it takes us longer to clean out the garden, other years we get it done quicker. After we freeze, it depends on how many hands we have to help get the thousands of pounds of produce out of the ground. It also depends on the weather. If it is cold and wet it slows us (and everyone else!) down. I promise to keep you posted on the fall progression, but like I said Mama Nature is in charge!!

​​Volunteer!
Here's the big secret. September is the best month to volunteer. It is the month of some of the biggest shares. Help us wrap up the harvest and receive lots of veggies!!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 20-25 hours a month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Summer Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Fennel, maybe Sugar Snap Peas, Beans, Basil and/or Parsley

​In last week's newsletter I touched on the cover crops we have been planting. The truth is...we went big with cover crops this year. A cover crop is planted to "cover" the soil so it is not bare, which leaves it susceptible to erosion and available for weed seeds to grow in. Cover crops also improve the microbial life in the soil, which I spoke of last week.
We have multi species cover crops in 3 places. In the garden we alternated the veggie rows with rye and vetch. In the greenhouses and in the garden paths we planted plantain, clover and grasses. The "pasture to be" is the big one, it now grows grasses, legumes, radish, turnips, collards, oats, barley, wheat, flax and chicory! It is a mix of perennials and annuals and the cows are gonna love it! The grasses need a couple of years to establish themselves but the annuals will be food for the cows this fall. The pig yard has oats, barley, wheat and winter peas in it. Our 4th cover crop is where the garlic was harvested from. It is only winter peas, since they were the only seeds we could get this time of year.
We now have more soil covered then before. I think of the forest in relation to cover crops...there is never bare soil in the natural world, you always have to dig down to find it. This is how the farm should be mostly. Most of the veggie crops are the exception, they need to have some space around them for harvesting and so the plants have enough room to grow with limited competition. But we have started to make sure the paths between garden beds have cover crops growing.
At Cosmic Apple the cover crops feed the soil and suppress weeds. Luckily for us, erosion is not a big deal because of our location (wind deposits soil, instead of taking it), and flat topography (water does not move soil). With cover crops interplanted as paths and alternating garden beds we are feeding the soil at the same time we are harvesting from it.
During our yearly organic inspection a hole was dug in a cover cropped path. The soil was moist, rich, full of worms and crumbly. It had good moisture retention and had become a soil microbe reservoir! A hole was dug in an old path that had not been cover cropped. The soil was compacted and dry...Jed said "it was not pretty."
We recently learned that soil microbes proliferate when 4 or more plant species are growing together...again the forest floor! Most farms in the US are mono-cropped.
And now to get completely geeky about soil.... 
Plant roots release this stuff called root exudates. The exudates come out of the roots and improve the microbial life and resist harmful microbes. Weeds (the ones that are prolific at the farm) only put 20% of their energy into the soil through root exudates. The veggies and cover crops put about 60-70% of their energy into root exudates. SOOOO what does this mean and why does it matter? Guess what else root exudates do? They sequester carbon! It's all a very complex process and I don't really understand it... people are getting Doctorates trying to explain it all kinds of papers right now!
Once again...it feels like we are on the right path trying to grow the best food. The practices that make sense to us to help get rid of the weeds are good for the earth. And as usual diversity wins. 

​Volunteer!
Here's the big secret. September is the best month to volunteer. It is the month of some of the biggest shares. Help us wrap up the harvest and receive lots of veggies!!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 20-25 hours a month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Red Kale, Tomatoes, Maybe Shell Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Summer Squash and/or Baby Carrots

Holy amazing rain. We were on a bit of an irrigation roller coaster at the end of July. The night before we left for our trip, we found out the water was being shut off before we returned. Ugh. I did not want to come back to a brown and dead garden. Then halfway through our vacation we found out we had another week of water. (giving us to August 9th) Woohooo! I was so relieved. I told Jed and he was so even keeled about the whole thing it was puzzling to me. He just laughed and said he got used to the idea of not needing to move pipe when he returned. Vacation suited him well.
Then the rain started. Big soaking downpours. Only a tiny bit of hail! The garden is now so well hydrated we have not been moving pipe. We have not heard anything about the state of our irrigation...but because of really complicated water laws, we are feeling pretty secure about the garden staying green for the duration of the summer.
 
I asked the crew what I should write about today. Answers were: Kids eating veggies, garlic harvest, cooking and the big picture of the farm.
How to get kids to eat veggies. Oh my. I don't have a magic answer. The closest thing I have to sorcery is butter. Cook veggies in butter. I swear it helps and kids need healthy fats to grow their brains. Yummy sauces for dipping. Hummus, yogurt dill, "the ultimate dressing", yogurt-cuke-mint. Let them free range eat. Put out a snack so they can munch and play. Let them help prepare the food. I think my kids were always more willing to eat things they helped to make. Bring them to the farm. Making the connection between food growing in the garden and then seeing it on their plate is huge. Our farm members are welcome to walk around any time. The teenage pigs are near the parking area...and will definitely provide some entertainment. If we know you are coming I can sometimes get my daughter to give you a tour. I'll even pay her to say she likes veggies!
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Garlic Harvest! It's happening...happened! As I type the last two rows are being pulled. It looks large and healthy. Some of it went out in last week's share. The rest of it is now curing in our storage shed, waiting to be distributed to you in the fall or planted for next year's crop in October. I have written all about garlic's unique lifecycle on the "Garlic" page in the recipes. Check it out!!
Speaking of recipes...if you are not sure how to use a specific veggie, check out each corresponding page on our recipe link. There are also storage and cooking tips on each page.

And finally...the "big picture of the farm"? Our goal is to "Grow the best food for the People of the Tetons". Every single thing we do comes back to that little sentence. It all starts with the soil. It is our most precious resource and preserving its health is our greatest job. The soil is alive. This following fact is mind boggling:
*There are more living organisms in 1 teaspoon of healthy topsoil then there are people in the world.*
That is a lot of life to protect and preserve. There is more life below our feet then above it. It makes me want to hover over the soil in constant amazement and gratitude. All this life is literally holding us up and the irony is we are walking around on it not noticing our foundation!
Our caretaking of the soil involves many layers. We use Biodynamic preparations to enhance the microbial life in the soil. We don't use sprays that kill things. We are currently experimenting with cover crops to feed the soil and to promote diversity. The water we irrigate with is Teton snowmelt so nothing creepy is being added to the farm when we water. We strive to keep the soil "covered". We don't have large sections of unplanted garden for long. The soil needs plants to protect it and hold it in place.
The compost pile from our animals is an integral part of the farm. Our cows make manure all winter which is put into a pile in the spring. The compost pile cooks all summer long and is spread in the fall to replenish the nutrients we harvested as vegetable matter. The microbes in the living soil break down the compost further to create more humus. The compost also improves the soil structure. 
We have been farming at the same location for 20 years now. In the time we have been here, a tangible difference in the soil is evident. The soil has grown darker since we started farming here. The structure is better...more aeration occurs. And honestly...the farm soil is just gorgeous. It is a rich brown and feels amazing when I hold it. The smell alone seems to nourish me. Walking barefoot in the garden (in the thistle free zones!) is one of my favorite sensations ever, I can feel the life beneath my feet, holding me up, taking care of me. I hope in return, we take care of the soil in the way it needs us too so we can continue to grow the best food possible!

Volunteer!
Here's the big secret. September is the best month to volunteer. It is the month of some of the biggest shares. Help us wrap up the harvest and receive lots of veggies!!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 20-25 hours a month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Collards, Tomatoes, Garlic, Head Lettuce, Bok Choy maybe Basil, Sugar Snap Peas, Shell Peas and/or Summer Squash

Tuesday the 2nd of August was Lammas, the day half way between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. It is considered the beginning of the harvest and the season of fire...not just the forest type. The sun burns brightly above us, tempers flare and a feeling of scarcity of summer days creeps in for some. The urge to pack it all in is upon us. At the farm this translates to getting the harvest in. There is so much to do. We planted a lot and now we must reap it!
In August I like to wear a necklace I have with a bee on it. Bees amaze me. Everything they do is for the hive. The necklace reminds me to keep going "for the hive". The season of rest will be upon us soon, until then the eating is still so good!!!!
I was unable to write about Lammas last week because the farm family took our first ever summer vacation. We did it!!! My parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and we wanted to be there. We went to the beach. In the summer. Our whole family! It was great. I feel refreshed and even more committed to growing great food. Getting out of the farm bubble makes it easy to see how hard it is to access really good food. Although the kids were really happy about all the options on the boardwalk! I ate as much corn on the cob with Cosmic butter as I possibly could. 
Traveling in the middle of summer made me so incredibly grateful for the thriving local food scene in the Tetons. We managed to find some fresh, locally grown items that were not organic. And we managed to find one natural food store that had some non-local organic produce. They only had 1 farmer's market that we did not attend because the timing did not work. But...wow...3 cheers for all the growers around here supplying the stores and the 3 different regional markets. Good food is way more accessible here. A huge part of that is the work local consumers are willing to do to access it. So thanks for putting the time in to keep the local food scene thriving. We need you!
We could not have pulled our vacation off without the help of our employees. We sincerely knew the farm was in good hands and we were genuinely able to relax. Some employees worked extra hours so we could go. Everyone had extra tasks to get done. They all pulled together and did it. So once again...and never enough....YAY FARM CREW!

Volunteer!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 20-25 hours a month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Tomatoes, Bok Choy, Lacinato Kale, New Red Fire Head Lettuce, maybe Sugar Snap Peas, Shell Peas and/or Parsley

Guest Newsletter author this week! Emily has been working with us for 13 years and is now a fulltime mama. Gratefully our lives are still intertwined and she offered to write the newsletter this week....
I wanted to reach out to you all with some insights I have gained now that I am not a part of the day-to-day activities that go into growing our food. 
The word empowered has been on my mind and in my heart for a while now. For the last 13 years my sense of empowerment came from helping grow food for my community. More recently empowerment came from research and making my own choices about my personal health and welfare. Empowerment also came in the form of a healthy pregnancy on my terms and an unexpected free birth with my husband and now 6 month old. Now that I am a mother, I sometimes feel lost. Where did that gal go that was always doing things and going places and sleeping through the night? 

I have had to dig deep to find empowerment these days. (I know being a mother is empowering but it doesn’t always feel that way!) And of course, where is one of the places I rediscovered my sense of self? Where did I find some solid ground that I could control? My farm share!! The world out there is bonkers right now and there feels like so much that is out of our control. Yet I keep going back to food, water, shelter. It all pretty much starts with those things and it all starts with food! When my mind starts racing, when I am exhausted, when my mom guilt is taking over, I come back to my veggies.

I truly believe that we are what we eat. If we eat animals that have been tortured, we will feel tortured. If we eat veggies grown with poison, we will be poisoned. I am not saying you will see me eating all the right things all of the time. I wish it were possible. But I will find empowerment in trying to eat my entire share each week, in reaching for yet another salad when the bag of chips is so much easier. We are so distracted these days and separated from one another in so many ways but when we all eat veggies grown in soil where we all live, grown by people who live here, we become one. We become nourished, we support the nourishment of the earth and we become empowered. So grab that bok choi, butter up some radishes, check out the meat and cheese coolers and get to eatin’. 


Volunteer!
If you (or someone you know!) is curious about high altitude gardening becoming a garden helper may be just right. We are only asking folks to commit to 1 morning a week for one month, that's 20-25 hours a month! It feels really good to have volunteers back on the farm, we missed them!! Lunch and veggies are provided! Follow the link below to check it out!