June 4th, 2024 - SPRING CSA Season Week 10
What's Inside This Week?
👉*NEW* - Monthly Giveaway!
👉This Week's Article "Cultivating Community Through Sustainable Farming Practices"
👉Featured Gardening Tip of the Week: NEW VIDEO SERIES: "Tools For Your Garden"
👉*NEW FEATURE* - CSA Tip of the Week
👉*NEW* - Upcoming schedule of events for June
👉*NEW* - Event Day Recap
👉Special Offer for our Summer Members!
👉*NEW* - Must-Read Announcements
👉Featured Vendor of the Week: "Minions Ranch"
👉*NEW*-Farmer's Market Update
👉Featured Vegetable: "Radishes!"
👉*NEW* Also: Don't miss our "Around the Farm" this week, our announcements, our "Weekly Harvest List" and more!
Dear FARMILY!
Well, it sure has been a wild few weeks around here! As you all know, I (Yosef) was in the hospital for 9 days! I will talk a little more about this down below if anyone is interested in knowing more, but the good thing is that I am better, at home with my family and the farm is doing wonderfully! The team didn't skip a beat while I was gone and though I had to manage the farm remotely, the team was able to get some help from volunteers and everyone worked a little extra to make sure that things went as smoothly as possible. So here we are, the very last week of the Spring season and I must say that it's been one of the best, if not THE best season we have ever had (at least the best Spring season anyway). the consistency throughout the season has been stellar, while the value of the CSA shares has been above par and the preparation for the Summer season has been flawless! I am super excited about the Summer season coming up, and I hope you are too - more on that below.
THIS WEEK'S CSA
This week's CSA should be a beauty! It will be the most abundant share of the season with the most variety. 23 varieties will be harvested this week for the CSA, market and CSA extras this week, so there will be no lack of choice this week! The highlights for this week's CSA share are lettuce, cilantro, beets, radishes, mustard (with beautiful and yummy flowers), fennel, radishes and kale. These items along with the rest of the varieties (all listed below in the "This Week's Harvest" section below) will make up your shares. As always, don't forget to see the "What's in your Bag" sections this week to get all the details.
FARMER'S MARKET
The last three Farmer's Markets have been incredible! All of them have been outside and the weather has been perfect lately! This week should be no exception with the forecast to be between 78 (at 10am) and 85 (by 1pm) with some relieving cloud-cover.
Not only has the weather been fantastic, but the vendors have also been abundant, the classes and activities have been exciting and a huge success and our awesome playground has been LOADED with kids!
This week we have another great lineup of vendors for you and we also have a special returning activity, "Storytime and Activities w/ Ms Tracy," which in years past has been one of our most-succesful and beloved events for the local kiddos. You can learn more about all of this below, so don't forget to check out our "Upcoming Events" listings below, our "Events - A Look Ahead" section and also for more information on this week's Farmer's Market, the vegetables available at our stand and all the vendors that will be coming this week, please see our "Farmer's Market Update" section below as well!
THIS WEEK'S NEWSLETTER
This week's newsletter has a whole bunch of new items in including some new event updates, important CSA announcements and a really exciting announcement about the farm! This year we have been awarded, for the second year in a row, the The Top Sustainable Farming Company for 2024 by Agri-Business review. I have included this announcement as well as the article itself in this week's newsletter and you can find it in the "Article of the Week" section below.
There's also plenty of more updates to look at this week too, like a new video on the "Tools of the Garden" series in our "Gardening Tip of the Week" section, a video update from yours-truly in the "Video Update from Yosef" section, a new "Veggie of the Week" with recipe as well as many more new items throughout - and be sure to see the "CSA Tip of the Week" this week as it is a great one!. Be sure to check it all out down below, enjoy the newsletter and spread the word!
IMPORTANT: Summer Season starts next week!
Summer season starts next week, and as we have been announcing of the last few weeks all CSA pickups will be happening on Friday, June 14th with all locations, deliveries and pickups at the same times. This is for the first week only, as all following weeks will return to the regular schedule for Thursday and Friday.
Also, please don't forget that next Monday, June 10th @ 6pm is the Preseason Meeting for the Summer CSA season. Please don't miss this meeting and if you can't make it, it WILL be recorded for you. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL FIRST-TIME MEMBERS. The meeting will be held LIVE in the Facebook Community Group, so if you aren't currently a member, be sure to join it BEFORE the meeting.
Finally, if you are a current member and are NOT on Auto-Renewal and you are interested in continuing with us for Summer you have two options:
1. To Sign up for auto-renewal and receive all of the great benefits and additional discounts please e-mail Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com and we will waive the one-time registration fee.
2. If you do not want to be on auto-renewal but want to join us, please go to www.ahavahfarm.com/csa to re-register. Thanks!
We love you all, our beautiful FaRmily!!!
Farmer Yosef and Family!
WE L❤️VE OUR COMMUNITY!
🌟An Important Video Update from Yosef
Weekly Update of Ahavah Farm. It's been a while since I've done one of these. I hope you enjoy and let me know if I should keep at it! 0:01 - Intro 0:25 - Health Update with HUGE Announcement! 3:13 - I'm CANCER FREE! 4:25 - ANNOUNCEMENT # 2! - Top Sustainable Farm in America! 5:00 - Do NOT miss the newsletter! 6:35 - 10th Annual Farm Festival - July 7th from 4p to 8p 9:45 - Last week of Spring season 2024 - Thank you! 11:45 - Sign up and don't miss out! 13:25 - 🌟VERY CRITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SUMMER SEASON MEMBERS. 15:03 - Preseason Meeting - June 10th @ 6pm 16:20 - Outro
🚨🚨ATTENTION COMMUNITY! PLEASE READ!🚨🚨
The Ahavah Community Initiative (501c3) board has met this week and we have approved the Summer CSA FREE membership applications and there were a total of 43 memberships that were approved!!
We are so honored to be able to help out our community in this way, and we simply could not turn down these members! HOWEVER, the budget for these 43 memberships will be a total of almost $22,000 and our current bank account only has almost $5,000.00 to go toward these applications. We approved the memberships on faith that our community will not only come together and support these hurting families, but will also spread the word and work hard to get this food paid for so we can continue to provide for our community in this way! PLEASE, with all of our hearts we plead with you to help these struggling families! DONATE TODAY AND SPREAD THE WORD! We can't thank you enough and we KNOW you will come through and help!
100% of every penny donated to this campaign will go STRAIGHT and only to these local community families. Please consider a donation today!
👩🌾Around the Farm This Week👩🌾
👉For the second year in a row, Ahavah Farm, was selected as the "Top Sustainable Farming Company"! Here is the cover of the Agribusiness Review magazine and you can see the article down below in this weeks "Article of the Week."
👈Wow, I can just about smell that aromatic cilantro right off the page! The cilantro this week is absolutely gorgeous and loaded with flavor!
👇Havah had her first bee class this week - "The Wonderful World of Bees." The class was fantastic - more on this below in the "Events Recap" section. It was such a success, she is going to do it everything month through September!
👉We are so excited to have the amazing Ms. Tracy back for Storytime and Activities w/ Ms Tracy! Tracy is the very best children's teacher we know. She is so great with kids that even though she hasn't been available over the last year or so, all the local kiddos still ask about her! Well, she is coming back to tell her stories and to do her activities every week of the month of June!
👆The new sea-saw has been the draw for all the local kids lately! When you come to the market, don't forget to check out our awesome playground with a huge bus that's been turned into a sandbox, a large swing set, tons of theings to climb on and more!
👉It was so nice to be back home from the hospital and to be back at work on the farm this week! Although I need to take it easy from my surgery, I was able to hang out at the market this week and tell everyone my story and feel loved by our amazing FaRmily ❤️!
👈If you e-mail the farm this week you may notice that you will get a response from Havah, well that's because Beth is in Costa Rica enjoying a break from the hustle and bustle - and her demanding boss😉! We miss you already Beth and we look forward to having you back soon!
👉The Radishes are GORGEOUS this week, and they are the veggie of the week. See an article and recipe down below in the "Veggie of the Week" section.
👇So, this week I wanted to place this video here because apparently it's one heck of a popular video! Did you know that this video has now over 2 MILLION views on Facebook!? Holy - moly! I had no idea it would be so popular when we posted it, but apparently it got lots of traction and went viral. It's a video of our paperpot transplanter that usually takes just 1 person, but because the onions grew so long the roots got stuck together forcing Aiden to have to break his back and walk alongside it. Either way, it's a cool machine. 2 Million views...geesh!
ARE YOU SIGNED UP FOR SUMMER YET!?
Please don't wait until the last minute to sign up. The sooner you sign up, the better the farm can prepare!
💥With a Special Offer For Summer Members (SEE BELOW👇!!)💥
...and don't miss out on our REFER A FRIEND program to earn $25.00 for both YOU & a FRIEND!
If you are looking for the freshest, purest and most nutrient-dense vegetables you can this Summer, then you don't want to miss the Ahavah Farm CSA Veggie-Share! 16 weeks of the best veggies you can find. It's going to be an AWESOME year!
Go to www.ahavahfarm.com/csa to register for our Spring & Summer season Community Supported Agriculture Veggie-Shares and get weekly bags of the freshest, most nutrient-dense vegetables available!!
✔The highest quality, 100% local, produce you can find, harvested and delivered fresh every week! ✔Pure, chemical-free, regeneratively grown produce. ✔Flexible payment options. ✔Many discounts are available - see website! ✔4 Locations for CSA pickup (Peyton, COS, DEN and Monument. ✔Door to Door delivery options available! ✔Got SNAP!? Get 50% off your CSA share automatically! ✔Every share supports families in need through donations. ✔Flexible CSA options, holds, credits and more! ✔Classes, events, tours and community opportunities.
⭐100% of everything we sell is grown and harvested and delivered by Ahavah Farm and Ahavah Farm ONLY - All produce is grown 100% on our farm in Peyton Colorado, near Colorado Springs without a single chemical, in rich, composted soil. We use biodynamic principles to grow the purest, most nutrient-dense vegetables available and deliver them to you fresh, every week!
EATING HEALTHY SHOULD NOT BE A STRUGGLE!
Our mission at Ahavah Farm is to "provide health to our region, healing to our earth and love to our community by growing the purest and most environmentally responsible food available" and we are proud to say that we have never given up on our mission or compromised our values throughout all of these years.
Our mission has never been about making profit, getting wealthy or about anything other than service to you and to our planet. We strive to grow the freshest, purest, most sustainably grown produce that we are able to, without compromises and we want those that need the food the most to be the ones to get it! That's why we have so many options to make your support of our farm to be more convenient and more affordable!
Whether you pay with SNAP benefits, make monthly or weekly payments, whether you simply
share the support with your neighbors or you simply are having a difficult time making ends meet, we want to serve you and we want you and our whole community to flourish!
We hope you will sign up for our four-season CSA, whether for one season or for them all, and we want to make it easy for you to do so with the following opportunities:
Pay What You Can Afford
Times are tough, and getting PURE food is difficult for so many. Support your local farm, eat fresh, pure, chemical-free food with our Pay-What-You-Can-Afford program! All of our prices are suggested prices and if you can’t afford the suggested price, please be blessed by paying what you can! Select “CASH PAYMENT” at checkout and send us an e-mail telling us how much you can afford! No questions asked! It’s that simple!
Refer-A-Friend and Get $25.00
When you tell a friend or neighbor about our CSA program, not only do you get $25.00, but your friend ALSO get’s $25.00 too! After your friend signs up, simply have them send us an e-mail telling us who referred them and you BOTH get $25.00 for free food!
Flexible, No-Fee, No-Interest Payment Plans
The lump-sum of paying for your CSA share can be inconvenient! That’s why we allow all of our members to pay us, not only WHAT they can, but WHEN they can! These payment plans are INTEREST-FREE and flexible to YOUR needs! Simply select “CASH PAYMENT” at checkout and send us an e-mail to work out a plan that works for YOU!
Got SNAP? Get 50% Off Automatically!
Saving 50% off is a “SNAP” when you pay with your EBT / SNAP benefits! That’s right, when you pay your CSA share with your SNAP benefits you AUTOMATICALLY get 50% off of your CSA membership and all of our veggies at all of our stands! Eating pure has never been more affordable! Simply select “CASH PAYMENT” at checkout and send us an e-mail to let us know you will be paying with your SNAP / EBT benefits!
BECOMING A MEMBER OF ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS IS SUPER-SIMPLE:
Go to ahavahfarm.com/csa and scroll down to select the size share you want (all the details are found there).
2. When checking out select "CASH PAYMENT"
3. Send us a quick e-mail and let us know you will be paying with SNAP or making a payment plan, or let us know how much you are able to afford so we can work with you to make a plan that fits YOUR budget!
Please spread the word and let us know if you have any questions!
PS. We do not get subsidized for any of our vegetables. Not from any one person or from any organization. Ahavah Farm is a for-profit, family farm, but we simply can't stand to see people struggling to feed their families our nutrient-dense produce, when it's needed. The only two things we ask in return is that you tell others about our family's generosity and that you don't take advantage of our generosity. THANK YOU!!!
REFERAL PROGRAM!
🌞TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY AND YOU BOTH GET $25🌞
Refer a friend to Ahavah Farm's CSA and you BOTH will receive $25 in credit to use ANYTIME you want! Use to buy extra vegetables, or take $25 off your next CSA purchase - your credit will never expire!
New members simply send an e-mail to contact@ahavahfarm.com to let us know who referred you and you BOTH receive your $25 certificate! It's that easy!😁
Weekly Farmer's Market Update
Ahavah Community Indoor / Outdoor Farmer's Market
Every Friday from 10am to 1pm!
We aren't even technically to Summer yet and the market has been booming! loads of people, loads of activities and loads of vendors - and we are just getting started! If the market has been this good so far, we are hopeful it is going to be a stellar season all together!
As we mentioned earlier in the newsletter, the weather has been amazing lately with no wind
and this Friday should be the same. The vendors have also been filling all of our spaces (though there's always room for more!) which has been a huge boon for our local community and for the vendors themselves! This week we have another awesome line-up for you and a really exciting activity for the littles - Storytime & Activities w/ Ms Tracy is back after a few years of hiatus and we couldn't be happier!
Here are the list of Vendors you can expect to see this week:
✅Ahavah Farm-Beyond Organic Veggies 🥕
✅The Sourdough Boulangerie 🥖
✅Bumble Bee Dairy - Raw Milk!🥛🐄
✅Good Shephard Coffee Roasters ☕
✅Come to the Table - Flowers 💐
✅Rohi Ranch - Goat Milk Soap & More 🧼
✅Simply Blessed Boutique-Crafts & More 🏺
✅Robynne's One Stitch at a Time🧸
✅CC's Tamales🫔
✅Scent Together - Candles 🕯️
✅Minions Ranch - Grassfed and Pastured Meats and Eggs 🥩
✅What's Your Bag? 🛍️
✅Cleanse Bath and Body 🫧
✅Jr Js Freeze Dried Treats 🍭
✅Garza Farm - Pickles and More 🥒
✅Ahavah Farm Nursery 🪴
✅The Chicken Math Professor - Hatching eggs and chicks 🐣
✅Meadow Gate Studio - Handcrafted Items 👒
(ATTENTION LOCAL VENDORS: DID YOU KNOW OUR MARKET IS FREE!? WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE VENDORS FOR OUR WEEKLY FARMER'S MARKET. CONTACT BETH AT MANAGER@AHAVAHFARM.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION!)
🥕🥬🌱Vegetables at the Farmer's Market this week
(June 7th)
✅Beets ✅Radishes ✅Cilantro ✅Carrots ✅Lettuce ✅Red and Green Kale ✅Kohlrabi Greens ✅Mustard Greens ✅Arugula ✅Chives ✅Scallions ✅Rhubarb ✅Honey ✅Fennel ✅Swiss Chard ✅Dried Herbs ✅Rhubarb ✅Cabbage Rolls ✅Duck Eggs
✅Living Plants (basil, cilantro, mint, succulents and MANY more) ✅Pea Shoots ✅Sunflower Shoots ✅Radish Microgreens ✅Broccoli Microgreens ✅Wheat Grass
(For CSA location "extras", please see below in the "Extra Vegetables" section below)
PLANTS!!! We got 'em!
👆DON'T MISS OUR AMAZING SELECTION OF GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD PLANTS!!!!🌻🌸🪴
TOMATOES, PEPPERS, GREENS, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, HERBS AND A BUNCH MORE!
EVENTS RECAP
"The Wonderful World of Bees"
This bee class was AWE-SOME! Havah did such an amazing job teaching the kids this fantastic class and the kids loved it! Not only was there so much learning from Ms. Havah, but there was so much to look at and see. From interactive hands-on models of the inside of a beehive, to the big honey extractor, bee suits to try on, an actual bee-hive, a live glass educational hive and all the bee-keeping accessories were on display. The kids also got to look for mites in the hives, see a fully capped comb and extract some honey from it - taste-testing and all 😋! All the kids got to take home a small gift as well - it was an awesome class and since this was the first one, it's only going to get better from here. Check out the next classes (registration required): July 12th, August 23rd and September 20th. Please e-mail Beth at manager@ahavahfarm.com to register.
*NEW* - June Monthly Give-Away!
Every month we will be having a monthly give-away for our members and non-members. Here is this week's MONTHLY GIVE-AWAY!
We are looking for volunteers for our Summer Festival. If you are interested in volunteering for the festival we want to offer you $25.00 off your next CSA share purchase OR $25.00 credit towards veggies at our Farmer's Market or our CSA Extras available at all CSA locations.
Festival Volunteers needed July 7th from 3:30p-8p
Please e-mail Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com to sign up.
(Limited numbers of volunteers slots available - sign up now)
📢FEATURED VENDOR OF THE WEEK!📢
Minions Ranch
Minions Ranch has been a part of our market since the beginning and we and our community
love having them! Many community members say that Minions Ranch is the only place they will get their meat and that's because the way they raise their animals is the right way! With care and compassion, and be pasture raising them naturally without antibiotics or anything that would, as they say, get in the way of their natural lifestyle.
Minions Ranch's mission is the following: "At Minions Ranch, we believe in providing our animals with the best quality of life that we possibly can. Our duty first and foremost is to tend to the animals and land." and they say "we believe in letting our animals do what they need to do with as little interference from us as possible. We are there to provide protection, oversee the farm, and tend to the land and animals to ensure a good quality of life."
Based out of Rush, Colorado, they offer beef, goat, chicken and pork and you can find more information on their website at www.minionsranch.com
ATTENTION LOCAL BUSINESSES!
We are so excited about our current line-up of vendors, but we are still seeking more!
✅FREE MARKET for all vendors!
✅100% of raised funds goes to feeding LOCAL FAMILIES IN NEED!
✅PERMANENT tents! No need to bring a tent - just come and set up under ours!
✅Indoors and heated on COLD days!
✅GUARANTEED traffic of 200-350 people+ per market!
✅FRIDAY's from 10am to 1pm
👉If you are a local vendor and are interested in attending our farmer's market, please reach out directly at manager@ahavahfarm.com and we will send you information and the vendor agreement.
Article of the Week
"Ahavah Farm: Cultivating Community through Sustainable Farming"
By Yosef Camire
Ahavah Community Upcoming Schedule
UPCOMING EVENTS
👉June 7th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉June 7th @ 10am: ADULT EDUCATION! Grow Your Own w/ Lorin Mattemore. Email Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com
👉June 7th @ 10am - 11am: FOR KIDS! Storytime & Activities w/ Ms. Tracy!
👉June 10th @ 10am: SUMMER CSA PRESEASON MEETING! LIVE Preseason Meeting for Ahavah Farm Summer CSA w/ Yosef and Havah Camire in the Facebook Community Group.
👉June 12th: FARM CLOSED! Ahavah Farm will be closed due to the holiday of Shavuot.
👉June 13th: FARM CLOSED! Ahavah Farm will be closed due to the holiday of Shavuot.
👉June 14th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉June 14th: IMPORTANT - CSA SCHEDULE CHANGE! All First week Summer CSA's will be scheduled for delivery on Friday, June 14th (all times and location remain the same).
👉June 14th @ 10am - 11am: FOR KIDS! Storytime & Activities w/ Ms. Tracy!
👉June 21st @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉June 21st @ 10am: FARM TOUR! Come tour the farm with Farmer Yosef!
👉June 21st @ 10am - 11am: FOR KIDS! Storytime & Activities w/ Ms. Tracy!
👉June 28th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉June 28th @ 10am - 11am: FOR KIDS! Storytime & Activities w/ Ms. Tracy!
👉July 5th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉July 7th @ 4pm - 8pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! 10th Annual Summer Festival! Join over 1,500 people for an annual fundraising event, bonfire, shopping, activities and more!
🥕EXTRA VEGGIES and PLANTS FOR SALE🌻
Can't make it to the Farm for the Friday Farmer's Market? THAT'S OK! Please be sure to check out the extras table at all of our CSA pickup locations: available for all members and even NON-MEMBERS!
Simply come to any of the CSA locations on Thursday and Friday and pick up some of our beyond-organic veggies for sale!
(IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that selection is limited and the more requests and participation we receive, the more vegetables and varieties we will provide)
Food bearing plants also qualify for SNAP !!!
For Payment: Cash or Check at the drops or the balance can be sent via PayPal to contact@ahavahfarm.com or via Venmo to 719-233-7828
Availability for "EXTRA's at the CSA pickup locations this week (Week 10):
(see Farmer's Market Section, above, for market selection this week)
✅Lettuce ✅Carrots ✅Turnips ✅Dried Herbs ✅Cilantro ✅Red and Green Kale ✅Kohlrabi Greens ✅Scallions ✅Rhubarb ✅Swiss Chard ✅Fennel ✅Chives ✅Living Plants (basil, cilantro, mint, succulents and more) ✅Pea Shoots ✅Sunflower Shoots ✅Radish Microgreens ✅Broccoli Microgreens ✅Wheat Grass
Microgreen CSA Shares Are Available! Sign Up Today and SAVE 💲💲💲!
Microgreen CSA Share: 3 Servings of Microgreens EVERY WEEK! Save 17%!!!
Love our microgreens but haven't signed up for a Microgreen CSA?
All Packaging is Compostable and Green!👉
We pride ourselves on our microgreen quality as being not only absolutely pure - grown without chemicals, fertilizers or inefficient energy (we grow with 100% solar, renewable energy!), but they are absolutely beautiful, long-lasting and delicious! We really can't rave enough!
WHAT'S IN A SHARE? In your Microgreen CSA you will receive a combination of 3 microgreens every week with the option to purchase add-ons and extras when available.
Pickup locations and times are the same as Ahavah Farm Veggie Share CSA but you do not have to be a veggie-share member to be a microgreen CSA member - these are two independent programs combined into one.
Order yours today at https://www.ahavahfarm.com/microgreen-csa
🚨Updated Member Benefits🚨
🚨Easy & Flexible Payment Plans!🚨
🥕Paypal "Pay Later" options on the website! These are no-credit check, interest-free online payment plans so you can make 4 smaller payments directly through Paypal. Ahavah Farm benefits as well by paid immediately, thereby providing the farm liquidity, while giving our members flexibility and ease of mind!
🥕We also still have FLEXIBLE and CUSTOMIZABLE offline pay plans in place if you would prefer to make payments via check. Please email us at contact@ahavahfarm.com if you would like more information on offline payment plan and to set up your payment schedule.
Founded in April of 2018, our mission is to connect people who are facing food insecurity due to financial struggles to locally-farmed, regeneratively-grown produce, and to provide education centered around healthy living and environmental consciousness. We do this by offering donated memberships to a local CSA program. Memberships include a weekly bag of produce along with discounted (often free) farm tours, classes, and events.
We want to help participate in the creation of a local food-system-economy, build on a diversity of local and regenerative food education and provide activities and children's events centered around environmentally responsible agriculture and pure, beyond-organic, local food.
"HI! Did you BRING-A-BUCK Today?!"
Oh the amazing power of community and crowdfunding!
Every week, at all of the CSA locations, we have a bin or jar that looks similar to this. As being a part of Ahavah Farm is also about being a part of a community, we ask all of our members to bring at least one dollar with them every week to help us provide a CSA membership to a family in need next season.
Don't say your dollar isn't important! The only way crowdfunding works is if we all participate. Your $1-$5 is vitally important and it is directly through this program that we raise the majority of ACI's food donation funds than any other fundraising program, and yet it is the absolute easiest for all of our members to participate!
During the Fall season, your Bring-A-Buck dollars will allow us to donate Fall CSA shares to families facing food insecurity and to offer subsidized shares to struggling families as well.
PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR BUCKS!🙏
Video Series:
"Tools For Your Garden."
- By Yosef Camire
Welcome to our Gardening Tip of the Week w/ Farmer Yosef of Ahavah Farm. In this series we discuss "Tools for Your Garden" with practical tools you can use in the garden and show you what they are, why they are important, and how we use them. Enjoy!
VOLUNTEERING
Our volunteers are the backbone of our organization and we couldn't do it without you...but we need more help!
We need help with so many things:
Construction Projects
Landscaping Projects
Composting Projects
Harvesting, washing and prep.
Weeding
Bag Packing
Teaching Classes
General farm cleanup
and more...got a skill you want to share? Let us know!
Volunteering is Monday through Friday 9AM to 4PM.
Please let Jessie know you are interested, she will send more information and necessary paperwork, and we will welcome you with open arms!
What's in your bags this week?
SPRING Week 10 - June 7th
CSA MEMBERSHIP SAVINGS THIS SEASON*:
AUTO-RENEWAL MEMBERS:
👏SMALL +11.86% 👏MEDIUM +20.51%👏23.8%
NON-AUTO-RENEWAL MEMBERS:
👏SMALL +6.86% 👏MEDIUM +15.51%👏18.8%
*MARKET-STYLE MEMBER SAVINGS MAY BE GREATER OR LESSER DEPENDING ON SELECTION MADE BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. THE ABOVE SAVINGS ARE CALCULATED VIA BAGGED TRADITIONAL-SHARE MEMBERSHIPS ONLY.
Market-Style Members Selection - Week 10
Lettuce, Cilantro, Beets, Scallions, Arugula, Mustard, Fennel, Radishes, Red Kale, Dried herbs, Plants, Sunflower Shoots, Pea Shoots, Broccoli Microgreens, Radish Microgreens, Wheat Grass
CSA Tip of the Week!
How to Get the Best Bang for Your Buck as a CSA Member
there are various ways to get the best bang for your buck out of being a CSA member. Whether we are considering the special discounts that are offered to our members (especially auto-renewal members), or we are talking simply about which items to select at the CSA pickups.
Take advantage of our classes.
The classes we offer at Ahavah Farm are not your run-of-the-mill type classes. They are down and dirty, deep-dives. We strive to make sure that our classes provide a real benefit and are worth it for our members. Members get amazing discounts on our education opportunities, and you know what they say about education? It's the greatest wealth one can accumulate.
Non-Auto Renewal Members get 10% off on our higher level classes while auto-renewal members get 25% off! All lower-level classes and tours are free for both membership levels!
Use your discounts to the max!
Do you know that all CSA members get amazing discounts at our Farmer's Market and at our CSA drops? Not only do Auto-Renewal (AR) members get an automatic 5% off every season on the cost of their membership, but both auto and non-auto renewal (NAR) members get additional discounts too. At all CSA locations AR members get 10% discounts on any extras that you buy and NAR members get 5%. But that's not all. AR members also get 15% off on microgreen shares while NAR members get 5% off and there are many more discounts as well. See our website or ask our staff for a list of all the discounts you are eligible for (or simply look above in this newsletter for the "Member Benefits" section for more.
Select the higher priced items with the highest nutrition.
When you select Market-Style you get to choose what goes into your bag, and although you will see above in the "What's in Your Bag" section a detailed overview of how much money the members have saved this season, that can be increased considerably if you choose market-style and make the selections that really add up. For instance, did you know that the highest nutrition items are usually the most expensive? Our microgreens pack a punch of 40x more nutrition that mature vegetables, and what do you know? They are the highest priced items we offer. By stocking up on these items your value will go through the roof.
2 Shares are better than 1!
Many families choose the Large style CSA share, but when you do that you are limited by the number of items you can take per variety (most items are single-limit, while some items are a limit of 2). But what if you purchased a small and a medium share? Did you know that you get 15% off the small? This makes the total price very comparable to a large and saves you more money while giving you more items than just a Large share. In addition, when it comes time to pick out your selection as a market-style member you can take any of those single-limit varieties for EACH of your shares and get two instead of one!
This Week's Harvest
As always, nothing is guaranteed. These are the items that are "in season" and are anticipated to be ready this week (which may or may not be available at the CSA).
Small = 4-6 items per week ($23.50/wk)
Medium = 7-9 items per week ($33.50/wk)
Large = 10-12 items per week ($43.50/wk)
Golden Beets - Beets are to die for! They are, hands-down our favorite vegetable in our family (with Turnips being the closest second!). If you want to learn about our beets and get an awesome recipe check out the veggie of the week section from THIS NEWSLETTER HERE.
Carrots - Only the sweetest, most delectable carrots you have ever tasted! Be careful not to eat these too fast!!! Next week will be a huge harvest of these, so don't miss it!
Swiss Chard - Swiss chard is one of our absolute favorite items to saute. We love to put this into a cast-iron skillet with loads of garlic, salt and perhaps a little oil and cook it well. It's to die for! Want some more ideas? Check out this article HERE.
Cilantro - Full of aroma and great for that summer fiesta dish! CLICK HERE FOR SOME CILANTRO USES AND RECIPES.
Radishes - These are the vegetable of the week. See below for a recipe and article.
Fennel - The fennel is back and is one of our fan-favorites! Absolutely one of my most favorite raw veggies to chew on, I love just taking the greens and snacking on them for a fresh and clean feeling! DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that when you cook the fennel it changes flavor!? That's right, try it. Add some garlic and onions and whatever else and saute these beautiful bulbs for a delightful treat - or, better yet - DRY THEM! Hang those greens upside down and dry them and use them when you want to to add a wonderful flavor to pasta or salad!
Arugula - A spicy green packed with unique flavor. Our favorite way to use the arugula is in an egg fritatta, but you can use it any way you'd like - especially enjoyed raw in a salad.
Garlic Chives - These little chives are incredible! With a hint of garlic and a hint of onions, chop them up and add them to...EVERYTHING! Salads, sandwiches, to top soups, you name it - these add a flavor like nothing else!
Cabbage Leaf Rolls - The best stuffed cabbage comes from the large outer leaves of the cabbages and they are delectable! Don't want to stuff them? That's ok, just chop them up and use them raw or saute'd in your favorite salad or dish. The cabbage flavor is sweet and abundant!
Living Herbs - We have tons of these beautiful herbs available - from mint, to basil, to chives, to marjoram...and more! - See our article on living herbs HERE.
Scallions -The whole scallion, from the root to the tip of the greens are not only edible, but DELICIOUS! Did you know that if you save those roots (about an inch above the bulb or so) and stick them in a glass of water you can grow new greens? It's true. Try it!
Red and Green Kales - The best tasting kale in the world! Great for soups and saute's, sure, but as a raw kale salad, massaged with tihini, nutz, cranberries and shredded carrots? It doesn't get any better. Then again, get creative...to help, click here are 30 ideas.
Lettuce - Not much to say about lettuce, except that it is wonderful and fresh and delightful and all that stuff! We love it. It's light and fluffy and delicious!
Dried Herbs - We have a mixture of dried herbs for you this week. We have dill, basil, mint and fennel.
Wheat Grass - Many of our members absolutely love our wheat grass and use it religiously. We hope you take the time to learn and enjoy this most amazingly nutritious green! Wheat grass is used mostly for juicing. However, I, Yosef (and many of our team members) love to use ian energy and nutrition
Radish Microgreens - Next to the barley grass and the sunshoots, radish microgreens are some of the most nutritiously-dense items we grow on the farm and not only that, but during our annual survey last year, they ranked as the #1 most requested and love item we grow! They have a fantastic bite to them, last considerably long in the refrigerator and are beautiful in appearance.
Kohlrabi Greens - To us, the best part of the kohlrabi plant is not the bulb, but the leaves themselves. That's why it is one of our favorite greens to grow. This week we only harvested a little, but next week will be an abundant harvest of these sweet and tender greens. The best way to eat them is either saute'd or as dehydrated chips with oil and salt. OH MY!
Rhubarb - Did you know there is more to rhubarb than just strawberry-rhubarb pie? It's true. Check out this article for information on how to use Rhubarb 64 ways!
Pea Shoots - One of the most desired and sought after items we provide are these pea shoots! Quite literally the best you added to any dish or salad. Our favorite way is to add them to stews and soups. A perfect topper too! Here are four fun ways to use Pea Shoots: http://blog.bostonorganics.com/4-fun-ways-to-use-pea-shootst
Mustard greens- Add these leafy greens to your diet by mixing mustard greens into a chopped salad or cook it like most leafy greens. The greens are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, B1, B2, B6, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E! this is one of our absolute FAVORITE greens to saute' 😋 and when we do we simply add some salt and garlic and enjoy.
Broccoli Microgreens - Last week we told you that Radish Microgreens were the #1 most loved item we grow, well, these microgreens weren't on the list then! I have a sneaking suspicion that these microgreens are the real winners!
Sunshoots - Our sunshoots are certainly some of the nicest, most high-quality sunshoots you will ever find (that actually goes for all our microgreens). They are one of the most beloved items we grow as well and a regular staple to our CSA. Here are some ideas to use your sunnies this week: https://www.martinsgardenacf.com/sunflower-shoots-recipes
Veggie of the week!
Radishes
Radishes are one of my favorite snacks to eat, especially in the hot summer. Not only are they vibrant and beautiful, but they are crisp, refreshing and hydrating - as well as extremely nutrient dense. There are many different varieties of radishes with all different colors from white, to red, to even purple and black varieties!
Radishes are low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals. Here are a few examples of where Radishes do a great job nutritionally:
Rich in Vitamin C: Radishes provide a significant amount of Vitamin C, which is essential for immune function and skin health.
High in Fiber: They are a good source of dietary fiber, aiding in digestion and promoting a healthy gut.
Antioxidants: Radishes contain various antioxidants, including flavonoids and anthocyanins, which help combat oxidative stress in the body.
Hydration: With a high water content, radishes help keep you hydrated and can be a refreshing snack, especially in warm weather.
Radishes are well-known for their cardiovascular benefits and on blood pressure and their leaves actually contain the most amount of benefit.
Radishes can be enjoyed in numerous ways (and we have done them all):
Raw: Add them to salads for a crunchy texture and peppery flavor or simply eat them like the old-timers by dipping them in salt (my personal favorite way).
Pickled: Pickling radishes can enhance their flavor and add a tangy twist to dishes.
Roasted: Roasting radishes mellows their sharpness and brings out a slightly sweet taste.
Cooked in Soups or Stews: Radishes can be added to soups and stews for a unique flavor and added nutrition.
Recipe of the Week: Roasted Radishes with Garlic and Herbs
Ingredients
1 bunches of radishes, washed and halved
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh thyme sprigs)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Prepare the Radishes: Trim the ends of the radishes and cut them in half. If the radishes are large, you can quarter them.
3. Season: In a large bowl, toss the radishes with olive oil, minced garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper until they are well coated.
4. Roast: Spread the radishes out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown around the edges. Stir halfway through the cooking time to ensure even roasting.
5. Garnish and Serve: Remove the radishes from the oven and transfer them to a serving dish. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Fun Fact
Did you know that radishes were one of the first crops to be domesticated in Europe? They have been cultivated for thousands of years and were even used by ancient Egyptians as a staple in their diet.
ENJOY!
⚠ ⚠ ⚠ BAGS! We need your bags (PLEASE🙏) !!⚠ ⚠ ⚠
Thank you everyone for recycling your LARGE bags with us! When we receive your bags we immediately quarantine them for 2 weeks before reusing them to ensure they are safe of any yuckies. Thank you for bringing them and any others you may have (we need any large PAPER-ONLY grocery bags you may have) THANK YOU!
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