Filling the Basket

It's been several weeks since we gave out our first vegetable share to our CSA customers.

Week two which is the top picture above we provided,

* sample of goat milk soap
* bunch of green onions
* bunch of radishes (red globe & icicle)
and radish greens
* mesclun salad
* fresh herbs ~ tarragon (1-½” thin leaves on a stem)
~ parsley
~ basil (2 oval curled leaves)
~ sage (green, purple, & golden
~ thyme (tiny leaves on a stem

Week three which is shown in the middle picture there was,
* rhubarb stalks
* bunch of small onions
* bunch of radishes (icicle, red giant,)
and radish greens
* salad mix - Butter crunch
Prizehead
Blushed butter cos
Emerald Oakleaf
Romaine
European mesclun
* cilantro (great in salsa, or chopped up
with tomatoes and onions
* Swiss Chard (red, orange, and yellow, and
can be used fresh in salad)
* Pea pods (wonderful addition to salad or
stir-fry)
* celery stalks
* fresh basil leaves
* fresh lavender sprigs (use in tea, dried for use
in potpourri)

Week four which was just given out yesterday and pictured in the basket had,
* rhubarb stalks
* bunch of small onions
* bunch of radishes (icicle, red giant,)
and radish greens
* salad mix - Butter crunch
Prizehead
Blushed butter cos
Emerald Oakleaf
Romaine
European mesclun
* cilantro (great in salsa, or chopped up
with tomatoes and onions
* Swiss Chard (red, orange, and yellow, and
can be used fresh in salad)
* Pea pods (wonderful addition to salad or
stir-fry)
* celery stalks
* fresh basil leaves
* fresh lavender sprigs (use in tea, dried for use
in potpourri)

God has been good and between us and the other growers we are harvesting enough for ourselves and our eager customers. However we are finding one fairly significant hitch and that is getting everyones shares picked up in a timely fashion. Two different families alternate in coming up from Rhinelander to help us harvest on Thursday mornings. Since we have a number of shareholders from their area they take those shares back with them to distribute those veggies. Then the folks in our area come here to pick up the rest. The problem is its not always getting picked up on Thursday. One family has only picked up one share so far. There is a clause in the contract that says if it doesn't get picked up the vegetables will be forfeited. But, still we hate for that to happen and want everyone to get their fair share, after all, they paid for it. So it is something that we hope will get ironed out before long.

Green onions have been a weekly provision and are now getting thinned out to the point where the bulbs are getting larger. They are a great addition to salads. I for one always like to add onions to my meal be it on a sandwich or on the side. I might be biased but, I do believe this years are the best I've ever tasted.

We just cleaned out the last of the radishes this week because they were starting to get strong in the heat of the summer but, we have more growing right now.

Weeding has been an on going task. With the square foot method of planting we aren't able to mulch like were used to and the weeds are prolific this year. I enjoy weeding when the weeds are small but, it takes me away from a ton of other things I need to be doing.

That's the thing about material possessions. Once acquired it then requires continuing maintenance to just keep it going, whatever it might be. At times a person might be inclined to take Jesus at his word and sell everything and just set out in faith following wherever he might lead being completely free from the encumbrances of this world. But, for us I'm confident we have a purpose here. We kind of already did that when we came here and started a new life.

And on that note I have to share that earlier today Kelli and our three kids and my dad all got baptised in a lake by my parent's pastor. My dad was baptised as a boy but, he has rededicated his life to the Lord and wanted to be baptised again now that he has a more full understanding.

A wonderful day it was!

Until Next Time