SUMMARY: FOURTH WEEK of SPRING 2021! - EXTRA VEGGIES! - FARM CREW SPOTILIGHT - NEW* - NURSERY SPOTLIGHT- ACI DONATION UPDATE AND DONATE TODAY! - DID YOU KNOW? - LOCATIONS AND TIMES - WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEK - WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK
Week 5 - The FIFTH Week of SPRING CSA 2021!
HELLO DEAR CSA MEMBERS!
This week is a beautiful Spring CSA share, but this week's weather hasn't been much better and our Spring has continued to give us trouble. Today, this incredible hail storm that we are receiving, as I write this, is insane and not helping! It's hard to get quality work done on a farm when you can't work outside 🙄 and when you are constantly trying to catchup via repairs from the previous storms (like the collapsing roof we just had to brace and will repair later this week😣!)! Anyway...
This week we are/were planning on planting all of our onions and we are hoping to put in our cucumbers, peas and more carrots, lettuce, radishes and turnips...but we will see.
We are still very far behind. With the tomatoes already fruiting at this time last year, we are still at least 6 weeks behind (better than we were, but still very bad!) - as the onions being planted today are the very first veggies to be planted outside (aside from the overwintered stuff - like chives, mint, garlic and parsley root)!!😮
What this means is that our Spring is still a struggle! We are essentially 100% planted inside the houses, but with this cold and cloudy weather, the crops simply aren't growing very fast. Summer may just have an overabundance of crops (good for Summer members!) while the Spring ends up being just so-so. We hope this isn't the case, but there is only so much we can do to fight the weather. In the meantime we ask for your patience and understanding as our crops come in slower than expected and the next few weeks may be fairly anemic. Bottom Line: We are hustling and doing everything we can from our perspective and as soon as the weather turns consistently warm, we should have a very large harvest -considering the amount already planted and waiting to pop!
See below for event updates, new articles and announcements!
Enjoy your share this week and don't forget to join the fun and share your recipes and pictures in the Facebook Community Group!
Volunteering
Our BIG NEED for this week: WEEDIING and BAG-PACKERS - contact Bekka if you would like to help!
Want to volunteer? We need weeders, harvesters, nursery workers, bag-packers, washers, construction/project helpers and we need help at the pickup locations and more! There is so much to do, there is something for everyone! Kids can help too (over 10y/o with supervision).
We still have some openings for some work-exchange shares as well.
Want to volunteer? Simply e-mail our amazing Administrator, Bekka at aci@ahavahcommunity.org to get more information and to sign up!
EXTRA VEGGIES and PLANTS FOR SALE
DON'T FORGET: SNAP MEMBERS ALWAYS RECEIVE 50% OFF!!
&
As always, all prices are
"Pay-What-You-Can-Afford."
See the weekly "What's in your Bag" e-mails that get sent on Wednesdays for your "extras" list.
👀GARDEN PLANTS ALSO QUALIFY FOR SNAP AND 2x DOUBLE-UP BENEFITS!!!👀
For Payment: Cash or Check at the drops or the balance can be sent via PayPal to contact@ahavahfarm.com or via Venmo to Ahavah Farm, LLC or by paying with credit card over the phone.
SUMMER SHARES STILL AVAILABLE - FALL NOW OPEN.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF SUMMER CSA MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE AND WE MUST SELL THESE SOON. Please share with your friends, neighbors and family!
Go to www.ahavahfarm.com/csa to sign up.
If you are not an auto-renewal member and have not signed up for Summer, but want to save 5%, please e-mail Havah at contact@ahavahfarm.com to be placed on auto-enrollment and automatically save 5% every season.
ATTENTION AUTO-RENEWAL MEMBERS:
Your automatic renewal will be charged on May 10th , 2021 for the Summer 2021 season. Please make any changes or request known no-later than May 7th. If you would like to change your share size or pickup location, or if you would like to change your Market-Style / Traditional style share or for any other requests, please send them to contact@ahavahfarm.com before May 7th. Thank you.
The following are the amounts to be charged:
Large - Cost $602.49 minus 5% discount. Amount to be charged: $572.36
Medium - Cost $468.60 minus 5% discount. Amount to be charged: $445.17
Small - Cost $334.72 minus 5% discount. Amount to be charged: $317.98
If you are paying cash or with SNAP there is an additional 2.99% discount for either of these methods.
DID YOU KNOW?
This week I thought it would be a lot of fun to include a throwback from our very first full-year of farming, back in 2015. A documentary was done on our farm, Ahavah Farm, and on the Wiley farm, Larga Vista back in 2015. It is such a hoot to see the differences, not only in perspective, but in the land, our family and the farm itself, from how things were back then. Of course our farm is 10x the size it was and we have 12 employees now besides our family - and of course, the children are so grown up now - I get teary eyed watching them!!!!
This is such a fun opportunity to go back from time to time and see where we came from. I think you will enjoy this video (it's only 7 minutes long)!
🔦 Ahavah Community Initiative SPOTLIGHT 🔦
As you know, Ahavah Community Initiative loves to donate free food to those in need. But did you know that ACI is all about education and outreach too (see our class schedule below)!?
It's true! We strive to put on as many events and classes as we have the bandwidth to do. Classes include kids education classes (like Tracy's Storytime class every month) and project classes for children (like this week's "Build a Herb Box" class). We also do in-depth, professional level classes (like last week's Nursery Management class, and next week's Biological Agriculture 101 class). We also really enjoy putting on educational tours and events and sometimes we even have school groups (like later this month) and kids camps come and stay on the farm or we go and visit your school or event (like Yosef did last month for a Girl Scout group). In short, education is a key component to Ahavah Community Initiative and it isn't slowing down!
This week Lorin, our Nursery Manager, absolutely crushed her first on-farm class! Lorin taught "Seed Starting and Nursery Management 101" and she did a fabulous job! Lorin taught us all about Nursery Management and Seed Starting and she taught us about transplanting, seed starting, organization, irrigation, temperatures, varieties and more.
Every student had great things to say about this class and we are so thankful for all who attended! Lorin will be teaching two more classes this year on Microgreens (June 11th and September 17th) - so be sure to register and don't miss the classes!
Interested in making a tax-deductible donation to ACI? Ahavah Community Initiative is registered as a 501c3 with the State of Colorado as a non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.
Want to get involved with either ACI or as a volunteer on the farm? E-mail us to let us know. We are always looking for volunteers and we would love for you to join the party!
🚨CLASSES AND EVENTS!!!🚨
So many classes are happening this year and registration is filling up!! Go to www.ahavahfarm.com/classes and click on the calendar event to register. Don't miss them!
UPCOMING CLASSES:
KIDS CLASS!! Natural and Organic Mother’s Day Windowsill Herb Garden. – By Asher Camire
*April 30th @ 10am
Cost: CSA Members: $35. Non-Members: $45 (Includes materials)
Description: Bring children out to make a Windowsill garden for Mother’s day! A beautiful pine box stained with an organic wheat-based seal to make for a gorgeous addition to your Mom’s kitchen! We will build the box from scratch and fill it with four beautiful herbs to take home to your Mom for a wonderful gift! Herbs included: Chives, Oregano, Thyme and Parsley
Class Length: 2 Hours.
Biological Agriculture 101 and beyond – 5 Series of classes.– By Yosef Camire
* May 7th @ 10am
* June 4th @ 10am
* July 2nd @ 10am
* August 6th @ 10am
* September 3rd @ 10am
Cost: CSA Members: $12.50 (50% off) / $62.50 (50% off) for full series. Non-Members: $25 / $112.50 (10% off) for full series (Including materials)
Description: An in-depth look at biological agriculture and how it impact our planet, our health and our communities. This class is an interactive and hands-on class with some powerpoint class time and field time. Classes are approximately 2 hours in length and cover all the fundamentals and basics related to biological farming and gardening. A very valuable class for beginners and a great review for experts.
Class Length: 2 Hours
TOURS:
Tours are educational in nature and last for about 1 hour. We see all the facilities, walk through and see most of the gardens, test some veggies, meet the crew and learn all about regenerative agriculture and our growing methods. Tours have a suggested donation of $10 and is free for all CURRENT CSA members.
Next tour is scheduled for:
* May 11th @ 10am
EVENTS - Put it on your calendar!
Summer Festival, Sunday July 11th from 5pm to 9pm. More information and details to come.
Harvest Festival, Sunday October 17th from 5pm to 9pm. More information and details to come.
AHAVAH COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
BRING-A-BUCK!
Oh the amazing power of community and crowdfunding!
Every week, at all of the CSA locations, we have a bin or jar that looks like this. We ask all of our members to bring just $1 with them every week to help support their fellow-members and community.
Bring $1 every week and be a part of supporting, directly, families in need.
Don't say your $1 isn't important! The only way crowdfunding works is if we all participate. Therefore, your $1 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!
Everyone can afford to Bring-A-Buck and if we ALL bring $1, the impact can be enormous - to the tune of feeding 1 family for an entire season for every single week we all participate!!!! WOW!!
🔦 The Farm Crew Spotlight🔦
Where do I even begin with singing the praises of Asher? Well, for starters, he is our son. He is also one of the hardest workers we have ever known, and this farm, sincerely, would not be remotely close to as successful as it is if it was not for him.
Because he is so young, just 15 years old (Happy Birthday yesterday!), we may have a tendency to give him less credit than he deserves, however, the truth is that he deserves way more credit than anyone could possibly imagine - and we mean that! As a 9 year old, Asher helped build this farm from the ground up - whether it was helping to build greenhouses or fencing or it was planting and harvesting and he has only increased his efforts and responsibilities ever since. Now, our resident blacksmith (literally, he was the youngest certified Journeyman Blacksmith in the United States at just 11 years old!), he is also our maintenance manager and there isn't a tool, torch, welder or vehicle that he isn't capable of operating...and better than most others too!
Obviously, we are a little biased towards our son, but the truth really is that he has been indispensable on the farm and as the oldest in our family of 6. I can't sing his praises enough or express how absolutely proud we are of him and how grateful we are for all the benefit that he brings not only to our farm but to our family and our team. Sure, he works hard and sure he brings a tangible benefit to the team, but the truth is that Asher's greatest quality is his character - His uprightness, honesty and passion for serving others is something to look up to and celebrate! There is not a day that goes by that I don't witness (and learn from!) some sort of positive moral situation where I am not impressed with how mature and centered and morally upright Asher truly is. We love you Asher and we could sing your praises forever.
In Their Own Words...
How long have you worked for Ahavah Farm?
Well, I heled build it, so....since it has been built? :)
What is your job title and what do you do on the farm?
I am the maintenance manager and general farm-worker. I bunch, wash, harvest, repair, weld, blacksmith, weed and just about every last thing you can imagine on the farm!
What do you like most about your job?
Ummm, I like the fact that it's a family farm and I can work with my family. I also love the community and those aspects to working here.
Can you share one thing you have learned by working for Ahavah Farm?
The list is too long, but I would say work ethic is the most valuable lesson I have learned here...but there really is too much to list.
Do you have a favorite hobby?
Blacksmithing and reading.
Do you have a favorite quote?
"Ein od milvado" - which means, "There is none other but Him" - Deuteronomy 4:6
What is a fun-fact that only a few people know about you?
I love learning, so it's a great thing I am homeschooled!
What are three words or phrases that describe you?
Honest, hard-worker and passionate.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Well, I'll only be 19 by then, but I can see myself still being here working as a blacksmith and still as a farm-worker too.
Anything else you would like to share with us?
I love the community and am very grateful for all the community's support so that my family and I can continue to operate this farm.
NURSERY NEWS
There are still lots and lots of plants being brought to the CSA locations every week!
That's right - everything from tomato plants to lettuce and kale (and more) seedlings will be available - best part?
ALL CSA MEMBERS STILL RECEIVE 15% off!
Microgreen CSA Share!
Love our microgreens!? Than this selection is for you! Receive 3 types of microgreens every week of the year and save 17% every single week!
✔SIGN UP ANYTIME AND START YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AT ANY TIME OF YEAR! AND CANCEL AT ANYTIME TOO!✔
Our microgreens are fresh and will last - unlike anything you can find in the store. 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, they are THAT good!
What's in a Share?
In your share you will receive a combination of 3 microgreens every week with the option to purchase add-ons and extras when available. Every week we will be growing a mixture of microgreens and you will receive 3 selections of the following: Sunflower Shoots, Pea Shoots, Radish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Basil, Cilantro, Lettuce, Brocolli and more.
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.
Go to https://www.ahavahfarm.com/microgreen-csa to learn more and to sign up!
COMPOST
Be a part of our ZERO-WASTE mission here at Ahavah Farm and bring us your compost! PLEASE REMEMBER - NO PLASTIC BAGS. 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 mission to become Waste Free!
CSA PICKUP LOCATIONS AND TIMES
NOTATE TIMES: Times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to check Facebook and this blog on ahavahfarm.com for updated information and changes.
THURSDAYS:
COS North / Monument @ Beasts and Brews (7 Spectrum Loop, Ste. 140)
12pm to 1pm (Drive Thru / Market Style)
Denver @ JCC (350 S. Dahlia St.):
3pm to 4pm (Drive thru / Market Style)
FRIDAYS:
Colorado Springs @ Ranch Foods Direct (4635 Town Center Dr.):
1pm to 2:00pm (Drive Thru / Market Style)
2:00pm to 6pm (Inside store - 🚨TRADITIONAL SHARE MEMBERS ONLY!!)
Peyton @ Ahavah Farm (7545 Log Rd.):
10am to 11am (Drive Thru / Market Style)
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
Redbor Kale- Absolutely stunning in appearance is this kale! It's the first year we have grown this kale and this is the first harvest. It looks beautiful, let us know your thoughts! (don't forget to massage it just like the green kale- no really!).
Red Fire Lettuce - A beautiful red lettuce with big, fluffy leaves.
Beets - These beets are big and beautiful and absolutely tasty! Our absolute favorite vegetable, roasted with a touch of salt, lemon juice and parsley. WOWZER! Here is a great article with 36 beet recipes!
Turnips- One of the most desired of all the things we grow are turnips. Now, for you newbies, I know you are thinking that sounds crazy...but until you try these amazing, mouth-watering turnips, you won't believe it!!!
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.
Living Plant - You will have the choice of Oregano, Chives, Mint, Kale, Tomato, Basil, Mustard or Marigolds (and more).
Mustard - Red and Green mustard this week. The red is little milder than the green southern giant, and stunning in appearance! Have you ever made a frittata? Ever made one with mustard greens😋😋? Learn about 10 recipes and how to use them here.
Carrots - There really is nothing quite like our beautiful and incredibly tasty carrots!
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
