April 10, 2024 - SPRING Season Week 2
What's Inside This Week?
👉Video Update and walk around with Farmer Yosef
👉*NEW FEATURE* - Monthly Giveaway!
👉*NEW FEATURE* - CSA Tip of the Week
👉Upcoming schedule of events for April
👉*NEW FEATURE* - Event Day Recap
👉Special Offer for our Summer Members!
👉Must-Read Announcements
👉This Week's Article "No Tractors, No Way!"
👉Featured Gardening Tip of the Week: "How To Naturally Encourage Beneficial Insects in Your Garden."
👉Featured Vendor of the Week: "Rohi Ranch Goat Milk Soap"
👉Farmer's Market Update
👉Featured Vegetable: Ground Icecream - AKA Japanese Sweet Turnips
👉Also: Don't miss our "Around the Farm" this week, our announcements, our weekly harvest list and more!
There's always so much to talk about on our weekly walk arounds and some very important updates for members! 0:01 - Intro 1:10 - Homeschool Day recap and more. 4:00 - CSA recap and looking forward. 7:20 - Weather update. 9:05 - IMPORTANT announcement for members! 12:00 - Tomato plant sale. 13:20 - Summer will be here quick - sign up today! 14:20 - Love ya'll!
Dear FARMILY!
Shalom! to our beautiful friends and family and thank you so much for taking the time to read our newsletter this week! I, as always, hope that you are doing wonderfully and are having a good spring so far.
For our members this week, I hope you have been enjoying the first week of Spring season and are looking forward to more yummy veggies! The first week of CSA started out beautifully and the value was almost ridiculous, it was so high! If there is one way we like to start out a season, it's like that🤩! This week will surely not disappoint as we have yet another beautiful bounty of veggies ready for you (though a tad smaller)! The highlights in this week's share will be lettuce, turnips (aka, "the Ice Cream of the Ground"😋), arugula, spinach and pea shoots. Of course we will also have some more items in this week's share too - and you can see the rest down below in this newsletter under the section "What's In Your Bag This Week?." It's going to be another great week!
Though I must say, this weather stinks! The weather has been horrific this Spring with temperatures, almost every single night, into the teens and last week we even were still in the single digits! The cold is really slowing the growth of the crops and putting a wrinkle in our plans😤! That's ok though because we will just have to work that much harder to iron them out and fear not, because once that sun decides to warm things up around here we will be off to the races and won't look back! With that said, the harvest may (or may not) be a little on the smaller side if these temps continue!
A lot of stuff is starting to happen on the farm, as last week was our first homeschool day (which was AWESOME!!) and this week is the second of Lorin's four-part gardening class, then we have a girl scout troop coming out the next week and then Passover (with schedule changes - see below)😅 - it's gonna be a busy month! Keep an eye out for our announcements.
Also, in this week's newsletter I am introducing two new section's: "CSA Tip of the Week" and "Monthly Giveaway." Take a look below to see those new sections and don't forget to read our articles this week, our new gardening tip of the week and of course this week's harvest, announcements and everyone's favorite "Around the Farm" section! Please share this newsletter with your friends and family - it would mean the world to me! Thank you so much and have an absolutely blessed week!
We love you all, our beautiful FaRmily!!!
Farmer Yosef and Family!
WE L❤️VE OUR COMMUNITY!
🚨🚨ATTENTION COMMUNITY! PLEASE READ!🚨🚨
Dear Ahavah Community,
Since 2018 we have donated over 7,500 bags of freshly harvested vegetables to local families in need. This Winter season alone there are over 50 families who will have received over 400 bags of these vegetables, and this Spring we just approved 69 more families for an additional 690 bags!! That’s right, nearly 30% of our members are families who receive free memberships of these weekly vegetables! These are families that have been suffering with severe illness, are poverty stricken through various means and are struggling to feed their families healthy foods.
As you stand in line for your CSA, or rub elbows with those at our stand, you should know that one of every three of those very individuals are receiving a donated share. These are people with real needs and real struggles, families whom we all love and cherish and people we absolutely must continue to support.
With that said, the Spring season is upon us and our funds are running very low. With over 80 applications at the time of this writing, we are absolutely petrified that we won’t have the opportunity to support them all, and we don’t know how to say no to so many dire individuals and families, nor should we have to – but we can’t do it without you!
Although the Bring-A-Buck campaign has helped tremendously this year and so many have continued to support your neighbors and friends in our community in other ways, we are pleading with you to help us support these families who need fresh, healing vegetables with your additional donations this coming season.
If you have any ability to help, we are simply begging all of our community to pull together and donate. If every one of our members donated $25.00, this would supply all the funds required to support these members for the Spring season.
Please, from the bottom of our hearts to yours, PLEASE HELP support your community by considering an additional donation of $25.00 to help support a local family in need!
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👩🌾
👈My little farmers🥰! They planted a beautiful bed of fresh mint this week in one of our raised beds. We don't have many raised beds on the farm, but the ones we do are usually used for perennial plants that come back every year and plants that tend to spread and we want to limit their domination - like mint.🌿
👉This week we had the honor of hosting the Pikes peak Public Library for our special Storytime activity. Alison is such an awesome person and she is so fantastic with the kids! Thank you so much for coming out, we LOVE having you here!
👈This week we had TONS of kids out at the farm for our Homeschool Day! It was such an awesome blast to have all these wonderful kiddos come out (see more about this event with more pics below!)
👉Whenever I (Yosef) do my rounds on the farm I am usually trailed by at least one little one, but lately it's been these two cute-things! Here they are running their fingers in the dirt to check the shoulders of the carrots to see if they are ready. Great helpers and even better company!🥰
👈Just check out the microgreens this week! WOWZERS! Did you know that 1oz of broccoli microgreens is equivalent to 3lbs of broccoli!? They are not only the tastiest thing we grow, they are also the highest in nutrition...and value!
👉Havah took the little ones out to inspect the bees yesterday. Here is a picture of Ovadya putting on his bee suit and getting ready for the action!
👈The farmer's market was very busy this week! Don't miss this great opportunity to support some awesome local vendors every Friday from 10a to 1p (see more below).
👉Chodesh Tov FaRmily! This is the head of the Hebrew month of Nissan, and it is a great opportunity to celebrate and break bread with our team to let them know how important they are to us! Did you know that Havah is a downright INCREDIBLE, BEYOND-WORDS cook!? Like, for real, she is the best cook I know...gosh, our family is blessed to be cared for by this amazing woman!
👇When I did my (Yosef) rounds this week I caught the microgreen house overflowing with amazing goodness and though I would take a second to capture a video to share with you! you can see how we have to grow these in a controlled environment because they are so sensitive. It is a difficult and skilled task that takes a lot of training and practice to get them like this, but our staff - headed up by our microgreen master, Charles - does the best job ever!
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!
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!
The market's are continuing to be so much fun week after week! Especially after all the events that we had this past week, with homeschool day, the story-time and the tour, the markets sure have been abuzz with lots of people.
We are still struggling a bit with getting more vendors, so if you know anyone interested in a FREE market, please let us know! The biggest hurdle is the time, so we are being told. It's difficult to find vendors during the 10a to 1p timeslot, but the more people get involved, the more activities we continue to host and the more customers continue to come in, the more vendors we will have. It's really that simple.
Speaking of activities, we are currently in the market for more individuals who are interested in putting on classes and activities for kids on Fridays. Whether you are available for one Friday, or every Friday, we need you! In exchange for your time, we would love to offer you free vegetables too! So if you are good with kids and love serving your community and are looking for a great volunteering opportunity (or you just are looking forward to getting some good veggies), let us know and contact Beth at manager@ahavahfarm.com and let us know how you can help and we would be delighted to plug you in!
🥕🥬🌱Vegetables at the Farmer's Market this week
(April 10th)
(For CSA location "extras", please see below in the "Extra Vegetables section)
✅Radishes
✅Turnips
✅Carrots
✅Salad mix
✅Arugula
✅Mustard
✅Dried Herbs
✅Living Plants (basil, cilantro, mint, succulents and MANY more)
✅Pea Shoots
✅Sunflower Shoots
✅Radish Microgreens
✅Broccoli Microgreens
✅Barley Grass
EVENT DAY RECAP!
This week we had the most amazing Homeschool Day! So many wonderful kids came out to join us for a tour of the farm, some planting projects, an amazing storytime with the Pikes Peak Library, to play on our awesome playground, feed the animals and of course everyone's favorite...the zipline rides!! It was such a blast to have everyone here - check out the pictures from this awesome events and don't miss out on our next one - MAY 10th from 10a to 1pm!
*NEW* - April 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!
Give us a review on Google and get $5.00!
It would mean the world to us if you would give us your feedback on Google Reviews! you wouldn't believe how important having positive reviews on Google helps our business reach others. For taking the time to do a review for our business, we will give you a credit for $5.00 to be used at any of our CSA booth's, the Ahavah Farm Nursery or at the Ahavah Farmer's Market. Simply click on the link below to do a review, then send an e-mail to contact@ahavahfarm.com to confirm it. That's it! Thank you so much, it means the world!🙏
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*When at our drop locations or the farmer's market show us your review and we will happily apply your credit!
📢FEATURED VENDOR OF THE WEEK!📢
Rohi Ranch Goat milk Soap
Come and experience some of the most beautiful soaps you can find and support one of our amazing vendors, Rohi Ranch Goat Milk Soap! Made from 100% all natural ingredients including olive oil, shea butter and goat milk along with natural oils and fragrances, Rohi Ranch's soap is incredible in appearance, texture and in their aroma. Their selection doesn't
stop there, however, they also offer other body care products and even a broad assortment of delicious teas!
Run by beautiful people with amazing hearts, we have thoroughly enjoyed having them at our market and getting to know them week after week. Come on down and support them every Friday and tell them we sent you! This local small business has a very bright and exciting future and you can be a part of it with your support!
ATTENTION LOCAL ARTISANS!
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 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.
"No Tractors, No Way!"
By Yosef Camire
Yes, that's right. Say "NO" to tractors around your food! Why? How else will we feed ourselves without those big shiny (or in many cases not-so-shiny) tractors? The answer is simple and so is the explanation.
I get asked all the time why we do not use tractors, and what is our "beef" with them. There are multiple issues that I have with the tractor, the least of the reasons may shock you, and it is probably what you are all thinking: The greenhouse gas emissions.
Although tractors do emit enormous amounts of greenhouse gases, that is not the reason I am so adamantly against them - though it is definitely a good reason, it is the smallest of them all. Here are the 7 main reasons we do not use tractors on our crops or our fields (references for all these statements can be found at the end of the article for your own research):
1. Tractors compact the soil.
2. Tractors emit particulates all over your food and soil.
3. Tractors release heavy metals.
4. Tractors leak fuel and oils.
5. Tractors encourage a lack of land-use efficiency.
6. Tractors encourage the use of herbicides.
7. Tractors emit greenhouse gases - lots of them.
1. Tractors compact the soil.
If you have been following me or our farm for a while now, you should be well aware of the problem with tilling our soil and the damage it has created to our environment and soil web. You are also probably aware that one of the most detrimental things to soil is compaction and the lack of oxygen - not allowing the microbes and bacteria to breathe or room for roots to grow. Whenever we use a tractor we are compacting the soil, causing major amounts of compaction and therefore destroying the microflora in that area. We are also encouraging the need for tilling as a cyclical part of our ecosystem, which is clearly not a good thing.
2. Tractors emit particulates all over your food and soil.
This one is so obvious, yet no one thinks about it. Everyone thinks that tractor emissions simply turn into a gas and go up into the atmosphere. Some gases that come from the tractor do, but not all. There are over 40 toxic air particulates that come from the exhaust of these engines. Many (most) of these particulates are heavier than air and when they get released from the tailpipe of the tractor - where do you think they go? That's right, on your food! Not only is it going right onto your food, it is going in a way that acts like a foliar spray, right onto the leaves so it can't even be filtered out by the soil, it just gets absorbed right away into the plant...isn't that lovely? So yea, next time you pick up that "Organic" lettuce at the store, you can think about all the toxins you might be ingesting.
3. Tractors release heavy metals.
Everyone knows about the numerous studies that have been done concerning the dangers of brake dust in our cities and in our air. Brakes, especially on older tractors and vehicles, contain major heavy metals - like asbestos. Every time the brake is pressed, dust is created and that dust...yes, goes right into your food! This is such a big issue that there are actual lawsuits over this because it is a major cause of diseases like mesothelioma!
4. Tractors leak.
Have you EVER seen a tractor that doesn't leak? Especially the older ones? Ever worked on a tractor? What happens when you go underneath one of these tractors is that you will find that it is black and covered with oil, grease and other fluids. Well, my friends, the absolute truth is, that vehicles, tractors, and especially the older tractors, leak - a lot! There is no regulation for this, and all those "Organic" or "Beyond-Organic" farms that are going along with those older tractors (even new ones too!) are most likely spreading these chemicals on your food. Simply Google "Tractor Engine Leaking Oil" and you will get 530,000 results. Don't tell me "MY tractor doesn't leak!" Ya, right.
5. Tractors encourage a lack of land-use efficiency.
This is a broad topic and one that a whole book could be written about. However, the idea is an easy one to convey: Tractor agriculture requires a large amount of space - duh! On our farm we produce over 70,000 LBS per acre pf mixed vegetables without a tractor. We use almost every square inch that we can, outside of the pathways. For example: In a 30inch bed, we can grow 6 rows of carrots. With a tractor, we can typically grow 1 to 3 at most.
6. Tractors encourage the use of herbicides.
It's common sense, but it's also eye opening if you think about it. Think about how a tractor cultivates crops: It drags a tine down the middle of the row. What about the weeds that are directly competing and up against that onion? Well, the only way to get rid of these weeds is through the use of chemical herbicides for most farmers. Yes, there are organic herbicides that can be used - but a herbicide is a herbicide and it kills the soil-food-web, regardless of how you want to shape the argument.
You can also pull the weeds by hand, and many organic and small farms do this, so it is not the rule. However, the purpose of tractors is to minimize labor and to be able to grow on a larger space, as mentioned above. When this happens and it is time to cultivate the crops and remove weeds, if we do it by hand it is nearly impossible to do because the tractor encouraged such a large growing area that to walk it and weed by hand is an incredible task. However, if the farm is set up to utilize hand-labor and to make efficiency of every square foot, weeding all of a sudden become a much smaller task and much easier to manage.
7. Tractors emit greenhouse gases - lots of them.
Compared to other forms of greenhouse gases produced by agriculture, like methane from animals or GHG's from synthetic fertilizers etc. (65%), tractor use is small in comparison. However, with agricultural emissions anticipated to increase 15% or more by 2030, why is it ok to say "the tractor and transportation of our agricultural products are only 35% of the total GHG's that agriculture produces, so it's ok!" It's not ok. We need to take measures in every area to reduce our need for fossil fuels, and it can start with the tractor and our means of delivery - i.e. supporting local!
Now, you may have read all of this and thought to yourself: "That's great, Yosef, but how else are we going to feed the world?" The answer is simple in that the overwhelming number of farms in the world do not use tractors at all. There are currently about 2 million tractors in the world today, but there are 570 million farms in the world. That means that 3/10ths of one percent, or .0035 of the worlds farms have tractors - so you can simply answer that question for yourself. When the majority of our food comes from the "Major" farms, imagine what a world would look like if we returned to a local-standard, one that celebrates local, small, beyond-organic and regenerative farms? It is a many-year process, but we have to start somewhere, and I am glad that we have this amazing community around us who cherish these ideals.
References:
Ahavah Community Upcoming Schedule
UPCOMING EVENTS
👉April 12th @ 10am: ADULT EDUCATION! How to Grow Your Own. Part 2 of 4. w/ Lorin Mattemore. Email Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com
👉April 19th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉April 22nd - April 26th: Week of Passover - EXPECT changes to the CSA pickup schedule.
👉April 26th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉April 29TH - MAY 3RD: 2ND Week of Passover - EXPECT changes to the CSA pickup schedule.
👉May 3rd @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉May 10th @ 10am: ADULT EDUCATION! How to Grow Your Own. Part 3 of 4. w/ Lorin Mattemore. Email Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com
👉May 10th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Ahavah Community INDOOR / OUTDOOR Spring Market
👉May 10th @ 10am - 1pm: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Homeschool Day @ Ahavah Farm! Ziplines, activities, storytime and more!
👉May 10th @ 10am: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Tour of Ahavah Farm! Come and learn, see, ask and do!
👉May 12th @ 10am: REGISTRATION DEADLINE! ACI Applications for FREE FOOD closes. Come and learn, see, ask and do!
👉May 17th @ 10am: ADULT EDUCATION! Composting 101 w/ Farmer Mark Robinson. Email Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com
👉May 17th @ 10am: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Tour of Ahavah Farm! Come and learn, see, ask and do!
👉May 24th @ 10am: ADULT EDUCATION! Biblical Agriculture Class 1 of 4 w/ Farmer Yosef Email Beth at contact@ahavahfarm.com
👉May 24th @ 10am: FAMILY FRIENDLY! Tour of Ahavah Farm! Come and learn, see, ask and do!
Go to www.ahavahfarm.com/classes to learn more, to register and to see the rest of our schedule of events and classes!
🥕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 2):
(see Farmer's Market Section, above, for market selection this week)
Please take the time to read the article above regarding our availabilty
✅Salad Mix
✅Carrots
✅Dried Herbs
✅Living Plants (basil, cilantro, mint, succulents and more)
✅Pea Shoots
✅Sunflower Shoots
✅Radish Microgreens
✅Broccoli Microgreens
✅Barley 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.
🚨Got SNAP? Save 50% Off Automatically!🚨
‼️🛑STOP - Please do not miss this section🛑‼️
⚠️ATTENTION MEMBERS! Please share this information with your friends and family members! ⚠️
People on SNAP NEED this information! Ahavah Farm offers 50% off all of our memberships, vegetables and market items! This is the healthiest, MOST nutrient-dense, MOST regeneratively grown produce for less than non-organic Walmart prices. EVERYONE who is on SNAP should know about this!! - PLEASE HELP GET THE WORD OUT🙏!
🥕If you receive EBT (aka SNAP) you will receive 50% off of your membership automatically!
In addition, all extra veggies sold at the market or the CSA locations and also all nursery plant starts are also 50% off when paying with SNAP!
Follow these steps to purchase your SNAP membership 👉
Signing up for a CSA share using SNAP is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!
1.
Go to ahavahfarm.com/csa and select the size share you want.
2.
When checking out and select "CASH PAYMENT"
3.
Send us an e-mail and let us know you will be paying with SNAP. We will automatically discount your share 50% and set you up on a bi-weekly payment plan to pay with your SNAP card!
Please spread the word and let us know if you have any questions!
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!🙏
"How To Naturally Encourage Beneficial Insects in Your Garden!"
- By Yosef Camire
One of the key aspects of sustainable/regenerative gardening is the use of beneficial insects to control pests and promote plant health. In this article, we will discuss a regenerative gardening tip of the week that emphasizes the use of beneficial insects.
Beneficial insects are those insects that are natural predators of garden pests. By encouraging these insects to live in your garden, you can reduce the need for harmful pesticides and create a more sustainable and healthy environment for your plants. Here are some tips for encouraging beneficial insects in your garden:
Plant Diversity: One of the best ways to attract beneficial insects is to plant a diverse range of plants in your garden. Different insects are attracted to different plants, so planting a variety of plants will help to create a habitat for a diverse range of insects.
Plant Flowers: Many beneficial insects are attracted to flowers, so planting a variety of flowering plants in your garden can help to attract and retain these insects. Examples of flowering plants that are attractive to beneficial insects include daisies, sunflowers, and marigolds.
Avoid Chemical Pesticides: Chemical pesticides can be harmful to beneficial insects, so it is important to avoid using them in your garden. Instead, use natural methods such as hand-picking pests and using row-covers to protect plants.
Provide Shelter: Beneficial insects need shelter to live and reproduce. You can provide shelter by creating habitat areas such as brush piles, rock piles, or logs. These areas can also provide nesting sites for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Consider Companion Planting: Companion planting is the practice of planting different crops together in order to benefit one another. Certain plants can attract beneficial insects that will help to control pests on nearby plants. For example, planting dill or parsley near tomato plants can attract predatory wasps that will help to control tomato hornworms.
Avoid Using Chemical Fertilizers: Chemical fertilizers can harm beneficial insects as well as the environment. Instead, use natural fertilizers such as compost to nourish your plants.
Practice Crop Rotation: Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops in different areas of your garden each year. This helps to reduce soil-borne diseases and pests, which can help to create a healthier environment for beneficial insects.
By following these tips, you can create a healthy and sustainable environment for beneficial insects in your garden. By doing so, you will reduce the need for harmful pesticides and create a more balanced ecosystem that promotes the health and growth of your plants.
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 1 - April 11th and 12th
Market-Style Members Selection - Week 2
Mustard, Radishes, Red Romaine, Salad Mix, Arugula, Dried Herbs, Living Herbs, Turnips, Spinach, Lettuce, Sunflower Shoots, Pea Shoots, Broccoli Microgreens, Radish Microgreens, Barley Grass
CSA Tip of the Week!
"Try the Market-Style!"
We LOVE our market-style CSA members and we know that our market-style members are die-hards for this option! It's an option that doesn't exist at all CSA farms and we are grateful and proud that we can offer it to our members!
With this option you show up and select your veggies from the coolers provided. Of course we provide tongs, signage, scales and bags for your convenience.
TIP: DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SWITCH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MARKET AND TRADITIONAL STYLE ANYTIME? LET US KNOW A FEW DAYS AHEAD OF YOUR PICKUP DELIVERY DAY (BY TUESDAY NIGHT) AND WE WILL CHANGE YOUR SELECTION FOR THAT WEEK!
Being a market-style member is a huge benefit to so many that are seeking community, choice and the feeling of being at a market. It's fun and lively, the like-mindedness of our community is really unique and to see the friendships being cultivated is heart-warming and special.
The downsides to the market-style include the lack of convenience and if you are a late-comer, meaning you show up at the last minutes, there may be less choice available (since they have all been picked through). However, we try to balance it out so that we have plenty of variety throughout, and if we run out of your favorites, let us know and we might just offer you an extra item (we try to do this as regularly as possible)!
This last part is key! When we bring our veggies to the CSA drops we make sure that we calculate the right amount to bring so that it is fair (as fair as possible) to all of our members. To give all of our market-style members the best experience possible, we all need to be aware of the best-practices, in order to cultivate community, fairness and cleanliness.
Next week, we will talk more on this last part and I will provide some tips on picking out your CSA veggies to provide yourselves, and your local community, fellow CSA members, the best opportunity and experience possible!
🌞Also, be on the lookout for tips every week on how to get the biggest bang for your buck, how to store your veggies, tips for delivery members, further opportunities for you to have the best experience possible and more!
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)
Spinach - Truly, and without exaggeration, this spinach is the sweetest spinach you have ever tasted in your life! The best way to enjoy this spinach is raw, but if you are so inclined, it is fantastic simply cooked down, sautéed or to use in a soup.
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.
Arugula - Love it or hate it, it's the best arugula you've ever had. With a slight peppery taste, it is fantastic raw, but it is even better when cooked down, added to a fritatta or included amongst an array of veggies in a raw salad. We LOVE the arugula!
Radishes- Radishes are most often served raw, halved and sprinkled with salt, shaved into salads, layered over butter-smeared baguettes, or shredded into slaws. They also can be marinated with olive oil and lemon and mint for a refreshing salad, and they can be pickled with a classic vinegar-sugar-salt mix. PS. if you have never tried roasted radishes - you are missing out on a delicious treat! It's our favorite way to eat them (with a drizzle of honey, of course!😊)!
Head 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!
Sweet Turnips - By far, these are the most beloved vegetable we grow - I know, I know, it's a turnip...but is it really🤔!? No way is this a normal turnip! I'm telling you, if you have eaten them than you know, but if you haven't you will find out! Taste this amazingness raw - then, if you don't eat them all by the time you get home, then roasting them is our favorite way to eat them. We love to roast these turnips with garlic, or honey, or salt and pepper..but the truth? Raw...I'm telling you, the sweetness of these turnips is to die for! Our kids call them "Ground Ice Cream!"
Carrots- The best carrots around! You will be amazed by how much flavor our carrots pack. Many of our members have commented that they cannot go back to store-bought after tasting our pure, beyond organic carrots!
Dried Herbs - We have a mixture of dried herbs for you this week. We have dill, basil, mint and fennel.
Barley Wheat Grass - Many of our members absolutely love our barley grass and use it religiously. We hope you take the time to learn and enjoy this most amazingly nutritious green! More nutritious than wheat grass and less bitter, barley 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.
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 as
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
Living Herbs - We have an abundance of beautiful living herbs for you. Choose from cilantro, oregano, parsley and more. Each plant counts as one serving.
Veggie of the week!
"GROUND ICECREAM!" is what my kids call the turnips! I know what you are thinking..."Turnips? Ice cream? They couldn't be further from each other" and yet YOU ARE WRONG! LOL! No, really, most people have no idea that our Japanese sweet turnips are literally our favorite vegetable, and for those who have been around for awhile, they have become one of, if not THE, most requested item! Our kids absolutely LOVE them, and our family and our members eat them like...well, like ice cream!
These turnips don't need to be peeled, they don't even need to be cooked to enjoy them! In fact, Eliana and I (Yosef) went on a hike yesterday and what did we bring for a snack but 3 bunches of turnips! We ate them on the way too the hike, on the hike itself and on the way back! Monday afternoon I took the kids fishing, what did they want to bring? Turnips! NO KIDDING! We ate our full and then some. When our kids go looking for something in the field to harvest and eat as a snack, what do they choose? Almost always, it's the turnips - as you can see in the cute picture above!
Now that I have gotten THAT out of the way, let's talk about how to cook them. We do like to roast our turnips too. We have found that the best way to prepare the veggies is to do it the most simply way, without many spices and sauces. We like to simply cube them and roast them with a little tiny bit of salt, perhaps a small dose of oil and to give them an added AMAZINGNESS, we drizzle honey on them! SOOOO good. Want to go another step further? Cube them and stir-fry them. Cooking them in a cast-iron pan is the best way, add butter and garlic and cook them until they are browned. OMG, you will beg me to grow more of these turnips for you week after week - they are that delectable...I mean D-E-L-E-C-T-A-B-L-E!!!!!!
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!