Newsletter for Week 10 of Spring CSA 2022
Hello FaRmily!
It's been an amazing week here at Ahavah Farm! So much has been going on including an amazing Farmer's Market turnout last week, a great Storytime & activity, a HUUUUGE Memorial Day volunteer day where we planted 1,200 squash plants!, new construction of a brand-new cold-room and some more concrete being poured for the Nursery. We also have a bunch of littler projects happening, like Havah's Strawberry patch, our Kid's Garden, more tree planting...and even more! The CSA has also continued to be be awesome this Spring, as it's been one of our best seasons - if not THE best season we have ever had. We have another wonderful share for you this week and tons of updates in this week's newsletter! Read-on and have a blessed week!
👉See below for a new article, new interview, new video VLOG and some important updates and deadlines fast approaching!
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👇🔔ATTENTION🔔👇
REMINDER:👉 Every week we will be sending out this newsletter on Monday/Tuesday and every Thursday we post to the blog and to the Ahavah Community Facebook Group all the details of your bag contents, the extras available for purchase and what to expect to be available for Market-Style members. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AWARE OF CHANGES AND UPDATES DUE TO WEATHER AND CHANGES DUE TO HOLIDAYS OR OTHER UNPREDICTABLE SITUATIONS THAT MAY ARISE (we are a small family farm, not a grocery store, after all😄 )
👉Please see the weekly updates below including a word from Farmer Yosef, some educational articles, announcements, changes, interviews, highlights and more.
📢See below for event updates, new articles and announcements!📢
⭐Enjoy your shares this month and don't forget to join the fun and share your recipes and pictures in the Facebook Community Group!⭐
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Ahavah Farm & Ahavah Community Initiative
UPCOMING Schedule
👉June 3rd @9am: Full Season Garden Class #4
👉June 3rd @ 9am to 12pm: Farmer's Market with vendors of all kinds!
👉June 5th: ACI Deadline to apply for donated share.<--IMPORTANT!
👉June 10th @ 9am: KIDS CLASS! Painting with Tess (during Market).
👉June 10th @ 9am to 12pm: Farmer's Market with vendors of all kinds!
👉June 17th @ 9am: Composting Basics with Mark Robinson!
👉June 17th @ 9am to 12pm: Farmer's Market with vendors of all kinds!
👉July 1st: Fall CSA registration opens.
Go to www.ahavahfarm.com/classes to learn more, to register and to see the rest of our schedule of events and classes!
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New Section! - 👩🌾Around the Farm👩🌾
👈We just keep planting trees any chance we can get! We have planted so many! From plum to cherry, to poplar and paw-paws. Here, Ovi, Eliana and Elisheva are planting a red oak going in with the help of Mr. Charles.
👉It's been a while since we have had a nice day at the Monument pickup! The weather has been either cold, rainy, windy or snowing. Week 9 was warm and the wind was calm! We love seeing the Monument members every week!
👈Peppers! Oh my, we had 1,200 pepper plants go in last week! Red sweet marconi, yellow sweet marconi, sweet bell peppers and jalapeños all went in. No habanero's this year!
👉The young chicks were out to say hi to the kiddo's that came out for the Farmer's Market on Friday. This week we will have alpaca's to meet and to feed!
👈Havah hasn't stopped her projects around the farm! Here she is doing composting and farm clean-up - Havah, the place has been looking amazing! Great job!
👉The volunteer day this week was AMAZING! So many people came out on Memorial Day and spent the morning with us! We are so grateful and excited that we got 1,200 squash and pumpkins planted this week! Volunteer days are always a lot of work, but they are also very heartwarming🥰! Thank you everyone who came out!
👇We have wanted to do strawberries for 7 years now! Finally, they are in! Havah crushed this project! From the mulch to the plants to the planting and irrigation and the fencing, she did it ALL!...and with a little one on her back - what a champ!
👉 The weeds are killing us! Volunteers, can you please help!? Come any day, just let Jessie know you are coming!
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🚨📢👇NOW OPEN!!!👇📢🚨
✨Open Monday - Friday 9am to 3pm✨
The nursery has been rocking! So far this season we have sold over 4,000 plants to our local community for their gardens! We are so humbled and blessed by this amazing support!
We will continue to offer the purest, locally grown plant starts (the majority are heirloom crops and they are all tested to be successful to our area, started from seed - all Organic with no fertilizers or chemicals of any kind!).
We will also have planter boxes, pots, soil and other items available. Come check us out and support us as we start small and aim for a bright future of supporting our Calhan, Peyton, Falcon communities!
📢As always, current CSA members receive 10% off EVERY DAY!📢
Come to 7545 Log Rd, in Peyton CO 80831 and get your garden started and save 20%!
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IMPORTANT! June 5th deadline approaching!
FREE VEGGIES EVERY WEEK - ALL SUMMER LONG!
🚨👉DEADLINE TO APPLY IS JUNE 5th!👈🚨
✔Applications for a FREE weekly bag of freshly
harvested veggies, all Summer long, is available now - APPLY TODAY!
✔The deadline to apply is June 5th - please click below to learn the details and to apply.
✔Applying takes 2 minutes and receipt of any donations is completely private.
✔Please share this with your friends, family and on social-media!
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WORD FROM YOUR FARMER:
Weekly video update for Ahavah Farm CSA members and Non-members. There's always a ton happening on the farm, so we make a new video every week and talk about what to expect in the CSA, any special updates and events and sometimes a little ramble or two. Enjoy!
0:01 - Intro
0:17 - So much to celebrate!
0:51 - Farmer's Market update.
2:49 - This week's Market and Events.
3:27 - Memorial Day Volunteers! THANK YOU!
4:13 - Nursery Update.
5:06 - CSA Update this week and last.
6:20 - ACI Deadline - IMPORTANT!!!!
8:00 - "CORRECTION" - Fall CSA Registration is July 1st.
8:30 - Limited number of summer memberships opened!
9:30 - Outro
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We are now on Twitter!
Yes, Twitter has been in the news a lot lately, and no, that's not why we are jumping in. Actually, this has been in the "thought-shed" for quite awhile now. Well, it's here. Join us - we'll see how much we utilize it and go from there!
Come Follow Us
Click the bird to follow us!
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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, 8AM to 5PM.
Please let Jessie know you are interested, she will send more information and necessary paperwork, and we will welcome you with open arms!
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Weekly Farmer's Market Update
Ahavah Farmer's Market is Every Friday from 9a - 12p
WOW! What an amazing market we had this past week! I don't think it was the free coffee ☕ and hot-chocolate that people came for, I think it was our amazing line-up of AWESOME local vendors 🤩! Everything from Meat to cosmetics to deserts, baked goods and veggies, and even a mobile chiropractor are at these market's every Friday from 9a to 12p...of course, you can't forget about all the events, activities and classes!
⭐We also had an amazing story-time with Ms. Tracy that is always a hit with the kids! Three books were read this week: "The Chicken and the Worm," by Page Mcbrier, "Wiggling Worms at
Work," by Wendy Pfeffer and "The Little Red Hen," by JP Miller. The children also got an opportunity to meet and pet a chicken too!
📢More and More Vendors Every Week!📢
We are so excited about our current line-up of vendors, but we are still seeking more!
👉If you are a local vendor and are interested in attending our FREE farmer's market, please reach out directly at contact@ahavahfarm.com and we will send you information and the vendor agreement.
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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!
DID YOU READ THIS NEWSLETTER!?!?
If you read this newsletter, we want to hear from you! in return, we have something for you!
Simply take this 5 minute survey and let us know your thoughts on the newsletter and automatically receive 1 FREE item (of your choice) at any Farmer's Market stand or CSA pickup!*
*reward coupons will be e-mailed to you after the survey is completed in July.
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CLASSES & EVENTS
Brought to you by ACI (Ahavah Community Initiative)
Our classes have been amazing so far!
We have 31 events scheduled this year for adults AND kids, be sure to sign up!
Register at www.ahavahfarm.com/classes and be sure to checkout the rest of the classes - there's a ton going on!
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🥕🍅🥒🧅🌳🌵EXTRA VEGGIES and PLANTS FOR SALE - Every Week!
Please be sure to check out the extras table, 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!
And as always, remember: SNAP PARTICIPANTS ALWAYS RECEIVE 50% OFF!! & all prices are
"Pay-What-You-Can-Afford."
For Payment: Cash or Check at the drops or the balance can be sent via PayPal to contact@ahavahfarm.com or Venmo to 719-233-7828
FOOD PRODUCING GARDEN PLANTS ALSO QUALIFY FOR SNAP AND DOUBLE-UP BENEFITS!!!
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Try traditional. Try market. Try them both!!
Change Any Time!
Did you know that you can choose either Traditional OR Market-style for your CSA membership? That's right, and it's one of the things that makes the Ahavah Farm CSA program unique. Not sure which one to try? Try them both - feel free to change your share selection any week. Simply e-mail Jessie and let her know that you would like to change from a Market to Traditional or vice-versa any time you choose. PS. You can do the same with your locations!
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Got SNAP (EBT)?
Save 50% off your veggies, garden plants, meat, treats and more!
👉Did you know that Ahavah Farm accepts EBT / SNAP? Did you also know that we are partnered with the State of Colorado to offer our members and non-members 50% off every purchase!?
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That's right, with #doubleupcolorado you can receive 2x your veggies, meat or bread (etc) purchases either as a CSA member or as a customer at the Ahavah Farm Nursery & Garden Center as well as the Ahavah Farmers Market on Fridays.
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Want to Change Your Location!?
We Invite You!
Switch your CSA pickup location to the Farm and visit the farmer's market happening at the time of pickup, join the classes and events, view the farm, visit the nursery and meet YOUR community!
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⚠ ⚠ ⚠ 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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REFERAL PROGRAM!
Refer a friend to Ahavah Farm's CSA and you BOTH will receive $35 in credit to use ANYTIME you want! Use to buy extra vegetables, or take $35 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 $35 certificate! It's that easy!😁
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📢DID YOU KNOW? 📢
"Storing Fresh Produce is Simple and an Important Aspect to Eating Local."
- By Yosef Camire
In the last article I wrote, titled "Here's One Vital, and Unrecognized Reason Why Local is Always Better," I spoke about the degradation of the nutrients of harvested and stored produce over the course of just a few days and weeks. For instance, I referenced that green beans and other vegetables can lose up to 70% of their nutrients over the course of 1 week in a refrigerator! These statistics are not only shocking, but they speak to the level of malnutrition in our world and how spread out and inefficient our food system really is.
It's unfortunate that most people do not realize that by having a garden and eating un-washed, un-sanitized vegetables, one can get almost their entire DV of vitamin B12 - not to mention the grounding benefits, the mental wellness benefits and of course the beneficial-bacteria! This, on top of eating fresh, nutrient-rich food that hasn't been stored is one of the the best things you can do for your diet and perhaps one of the greatest things you can do for your health overall. Supporting a local farmer whom you trust is second-best (but particularly beneficial if you get your hands dirty on the farm - wink, wink, nudge, nudge 😄). For those of you planning a garden this year, we'll have the plants and the help and instruction you need, for the rest of you, read on to learn how to best store your crops in order to keep the plants alive and nutrient-dense for as long as possible.
Our CSA and market produce is always harvested ripe and delivered the same week. It is as
fresh as you can get, but it is much more fragile than store bought produce (even Organic) for multiple reasons:
The produce is harvested and delivered fresh. Within 3 to 4 days of your receiving it and eating it, it was harvested from the ground. Compare this to tomatoes harvested green and gassed on trucks to ripen them. This causes tomatoes and other vegetables to last for many days longer than produce harvested fresh and ripe.
We do not use chemicals, coatings, unnatural preservation methods or harmful packaging to prevent rot and increase storage and transport.
We do not use irradiation - a means of killing "bad" bacteria to increase storage life.
The majority of our produce is heirloom, meaning it has more nutrition and flavor, but the storage is much shorter since the over-whelming majority of crops grown in the US are bred for storage and transport - not flavor or health.
Now, with all of that said, since the produce is harvested so close to delivery, if the right steps to preserving and storing your produce are taken, your produce can last for a (kind of freakishly) long time! The key is what you do with it when you get home. For our family and many of our members, we will have lettuce and microgreens that lasts for many weeks and the root crops should last for months. In short, there is no reason for your produce to go bad before it's eaten. So copy us and your produce will last just as long and hopefully you will be able to capture and keep as many of those vital nutrients as possible!
First, the following are the main culprits of rotten produce (so our goal will be to combat these):
Rot due to too much moisture.
Rot due to too little moisture.
Temperature.
Age (we already captured this one with our fresh produce!).
Follow these "stupid-easy" instructions to store your veggies:
1. Do not wash your produce when you get home. Wash the produce when you need it. Actually, the truth is that much of the produce doesn't need to be washed at all. First of all, we use absolutely no chemicals. Second of all, they are already pre-rinsed and dried to the right moisture percentage. Unless you are concerned about Kashrut (Kosher preparation), washing of most of the produce is not purposeful (in fact, the more you wash it the more of the good biology and bacteria will all be gone - think vitamin B12 and pro-biotics).
2. As soon as you receive your produce, remove your veggies from the paper bags (and green bags), if they are wet, dry them with a paper-towel (rarely), and place your veggies in an airtight container (like a plastic bag or Tupperware) and immediately place in the fridge (33 to 40 degrees is best). A little air is not bad, it helps the produce breathe. Therefore, a plastic bag with holes or a container with holes or a vented lid is best - or occasionally burping or changing out the container will work great for extended storage also.
3. A lot of people like to wash the veggies immediately and store them in the refrigerator wet or with a paper-towel. Where this came from, I have no idea - but stop it 😊! It's nearly impossible to have good success with this method because not only are you intentionally removing the bacteria (both good and bad) it's simply too difficult to get the moisture level correct and it rarely succeeds. Remember, too much or too little moisture and your veggies will rot, and too much moisture is always worse than too little moisture. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD.
So that's it! Storing fresh veggies is a breeze and it shouldn't be something we make too complicated. Store them dry, in a sealed container in a cold 33 to 40 degree refrigerator and you should be golden! Our lettuce will last us over a month at times and many of our members report the same success. However, occasionally we do get accused of delivering "old" produce because someone either leaves their roots on an open shelf and allows them to dehydrate or they store something away wet or otherwise improperly. How to tell them they are wrong and improperly stored their produce? It's not an easy task, but hopefully this article may help at least a few 😉.
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Taking Applications: ACI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBER OPENING
ACI currently has a few board openings and we are taking applications until vacant positions are filled. If you are interested in being considered as a member of our board we would love to hear from you!
All board appointments are two year commitments with monthly board meetings, events and official activities requiring board presence. We anticipate that all board members provide a personal, anonymous, donation to ACI as well as be an active participant in serving our community.
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AHAVAH COMMUNITY INITIATIVE BRING-A-BUCK!
"Hi, nice to see you! Did you bring your buck today!?"
These are the words you should hear every week when you show up at the CSA locations to get your veggies.
That's because, supporting families in need through ACI, is the MOST IMPORTANT and BEST part of being a CSA member with Ahavah Farm! Don't say your $1 isn't important! IT IS!! The Bring-A-Buck program is how ACI has sustained its food donations, so we thank you members! - EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!
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Meet YOUR Community!
Meet one of our most-awesomest volunteers, Emily!
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Microgreen CSA Shares Are Available! Sign Up Today and SAVE 💲💲💲!
Love our microgreens but haven't signed up for a Microgreen CSA?
✔ You can sign up anytime after January 26, 2022 to receive your weekly Microgreen CSA starting the first week of February. You can cancel anytime in 2022 too!✔
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
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Be a part of our ZERO-WASTE mission here at Ahavah Farm and bring us your compost! PLEASE REMEMBER - NO PLASTIC BAGS or Animal products (except egg shells). Want more information? CLICK HERE to learn about the program. Thank you everyone who has been bringing their compost! We are so excited that we can help on your personal mission to become Waste Free!
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CSA PICKUP LOCATIONS AND TIMES
Times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
**Please be aware that it is your responsibility to check the newsletter at www.ahavahfarm.com/blog for updated information and changes.
North Colorado Springs @ Colorado Mountain Brewery
- THURSDAYS
- 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
- 1110 Interquest Parkway,
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Go to cmbrew.com to learn more about this location.
Denver @ Jewish Community Center
NOW INSIDE! Turn left, park then use main enterance. Bring ID. Thanks.
- THURSDAYS
- 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- 350 S. Dahlia St, Denver CO 80246
Go to www.jccdenver.org to learn more about this location.
Peyton @ Ahavah farm
NEW CSA LOCATION AT AHAVAH FARM!!
- FRIDAYS
- 1o:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- 7545 N. Log Rd., Peyton, CO 80831
ATTENTION FARM PICKUP MEMBERS! There is a new location. Please see the map above and the video to the right👉! We are so excited because this will make things easier and more streamlined for
weather interruptions and a much shorter walk! We even have introduced Handicapped Parking!
Central Colorado Springs @ Ranch Foods Direct
NOW INSIDE! Enter the bay right of the main enterance.
- FRIDAYS
- 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM (All)
- 2:31 PM to 6:00 PM (Traditional ONLY)
- 4635 Town Center Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916
- Go to www.ranchfoodsdirect.com to learn more about this location.
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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
Medium = 7-9 items per week
Large = 10-12 items per week
Garlic Scapes - Scapes are here, scapes are here!!!!!! A once a year treat that is beloved by EVERYONE! Check out some awesome preparation tips.
Radishes - Beautiful red radishes this week. Not too spicy with a bit of sweetness. Roasted radishes are my absolute favorite!
Redbor Kale and Darkibor Kale - Some of the most amazing kale you have ever seen or tasted! Taste is NOTHING like in the store - those that know, know! Try some this week, massage is real good, follow one of THESE recipes and let your tastebuds have a party!
Scallions - Who doesn't love scallions!? Did you know that if you leave the roots on and stick it in a glass of water the scallions will re-grow for a second cut!? It's true - try it!
Hakurei Sweet Turnips - The absolute best turnips on the planet - they are SO sweet and delicious, kids eat them like apples and they are extraordinarily versatile. Definitely a CSA staple and favorite for so many!
Chives - Oh, chives are the best! if you cross garlic and onions...this is the magic you get!
Swiss Chard - One of my absolute favorite greens to saute' and wilt deeply. I love garlic, oil and salt and taking this amazingness and adding it to a bed of rice or quinoa and adding in different vegetables, some tofu (or meat) and then we love an asian peanut-based dressing and it's to die for.
Red Splendor Mustard - Simply the most amazing mustard on the planet! Beautiful in appearance, smooth in taste, this mustard is ready for everyone - raw, saute'd, roasted or added to a stew are some awesome ideas: our favorite way is in a fritatta! OH MY! Keep in mind that mustard greens taste totally different after cooked. Check out this link for 10 recipe ideas. ⭐All members will receive 2 bunches with their CSA this week, as part of their share.
Carrots - Our sweet carrots are to die for! The ONLY carrots on the planet that we will eat...and many of our members absolutely agree!
Salad Mix lettuce- A beautiful and soft/fluffy salad mix (with some arugula and flowers mixed in - YUM!). perfect for a salad base or even a bed of rice etc.
Plants - There will be plenty of plants to choose as an item this week, even some garden varieties. Enjoy!
Arugula - Wonderful baby arugula is similar to mustard with a bite, but a change in flavor after cooking. Very versatile and a specialty green with a high demand. Here is an article with 30 ways to serve arugula.
Living Herbs - We have basil, chamomile, mint and a lot more!
Dried Herbs - Basil, dill, mint and fennel (our herb room smells like heaven!😇).
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-shoots
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
That's it for this week! We love you to pieces, are incredibly grateful for each and every one of you and we are blessed to the core to be YOUR farmers!!
Yosef, Havah, Kids and Team The Camire Family
