Share #16 October 4th & 6th

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!!

Free Cosmic T-shirt, Hat, Mug or Water Bottle!
We have started our 2023 CSA membership drive! If you sign up for 2023's CSA at a pick up location before the CSA 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. 16 oz. 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

Do you want to stock up on some meat or cheese before we stop seeing you every week? Just send me an email with what you would like and I am happy to put an order together for you to make sure you get what you want. Even if it is only a couple to a few items...or more! I am happy to do it.

Recipes

Lunch this Week: Beef, Broccoli Carrot Stir Fry and Burritos with Cabbage Slaw
Recipe Ideas: Oven Roasted Beets and Potatoes; Sauerkraut; Roasted Veggies (turnip page); Beer Baked Turnips
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, Neck Bones (make the real deal Ramen!), Fat, Country Ribs, and Hock

WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
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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. 

Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? [email protected]