Sapsucker Farms

Here is what members will find in their CSA harvest

APPLES – several different varieties of apples, with an equally wide variety of colors, sizes, textures, and juiciness.

GRAPES – These table grapes are nothing like you find in the grocery store. They are small, tart with intense flavors. Some are purple, some red, some white, and the all have seeds. I know at least on variety is concord, but we lost the list of varieties long ago, so I couldn’t tell you what they are. Just that they are really good.

LEEKS – My favorite way of enjoying leeks is potato leek soup. And this is the perfect time of year for soup.

BEETS – I think there will be enough beets for all. I won’t know for sure until I get out there and dig them up…. Hoping that the beet-eating varmints haven’t over taken them, but you will soon find out what’s happening there.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – Still have some growing on the tall vines. Looks like most of them are cherry tomatoes, but you’ll find a variety of colors and sizes as well. Be sure to pick them up in the sugarhouse!

PEPPERS – A combination of sweet, hot, big and small.

OREGANO – A bundle of fresh oregano, which is delicious in potato leek soup.

CUCUMBERS – I think there are enough cucumbers ready to harvest. Again, I won’t know for sure until I get out there and harvest them.

GREENS – you can grab a bag of greens of your choice – either collards, Swiss chard, or kale.

EGGS – one dozen from our lovely ladies in the hen spa.

BEVERAGES – three four packs of your choice (mix and match as you please)

The sugar maple trees are starting to turn, the trails have been mowed, so we are looking forward to a beautiful autumn season here on the farm.

Cheers to fall!

Here is what CSA Members will find in the August CSA bag:

APPLES – (Please wash first) four different varieties of early season apples: Zestar, Norland, Beacon, and Irish Peach. Some are crunchy and juicy, some are soft and juicy.

VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – heirloom tomatoes are beautifully ugly. Some are the perfect-looking tomato, but most are lumpy, striped, or even sometimes looking like your favorite cartoon character. What’s most important to note is that they are very delicate, with thin skin, so it easily cracks. But so what. They are juicy, sweet, and absolutely delicious.

GNARLY CARROTS – I’ve never been a very good carrot farmer. I’ve never been successful growing the perfect, long, cylindrical carrots, but rather, I just let them do their own thing. The result is quite an entertaining variety of wild-looking carrots, much like what you would see in a Picasso painting. Anyhoo…. You’ll find a bag of crazy looking carrots, but they are crunchy, juicy, and sweet.

THYME – An earthy herb to add to any of your favorite savory dishes.

CUCUMBERS – Yup. You know what do do with these.

PEPPERS – A mix of sweet and hot peppers.

BEETS – A nice bundle of these healthy roots, full of antioxidants

CABBAGE – You’ll find either a red, green, or cone-head shaped cabbage in your bag.

GRAB BAG – Grab an item of your choice from the grab bag bin. You can also exchange an item if you prefer.

ONE DOZEN EGGS – The ladies in the hen house are slowly starting to get back on track, so I’m happy to say that eggs will be available this month.

BEVERAGES – three four packs of your choice.

Enjoy these last days of summer. It sure is beautiful, and we hope to see you here on the farm to enjoy the food trucks, music, classes, and whatever else we have going on.

Here is what CSA members will find in their July 2022 harvest:

CABBAGE – One head of green cabbage, either a round head or a cute pointy head.

FENNEL – If you’ve never had this, you’re in for a treat. It is a member of the carrot family and has a fresh, somewhat anise flavor. It can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Just google and see what recipes pop up that you’d like to try.

CUCUMBER – One cucumber for starters, but you can be guaranteed to see more in future bags.

ZUCCHINI – the vegetable that keeps on giving. The trickiest part of about zucchini is harvesting it before it gets too big. But even the big ones are still enjoyable, especially for grilling or making zucchini bread.

TOMATOES – a tiny handful of tomatoes. They are just starting to ripen so I was able to harvest a small handful for all to enjoy. Watch for more next month!

MINT – Mint fresh mint to add to your favorite summer beverage.

BEETS WITH GREENS – a bundle of beets with greens. While the greens may look a little beat up, they are still delicious to cook up as a side dish or add to your salads.

PEPPERS – the peppers are starting to ripen up. You’ll find a combination of sweet and hot peppers.

SCALLIONS – a small handful of these tender green onions.

BEANS – There will be just a small portion of beans, a combo of yellow, purple, green, and dragons tongue. Unfortunately, some sort of hungry, toothy varmint illegally ate up the majority of the crop. I guess they probably knew we were on vacation for a week and attacked while we were away. Anyhoo… there seems to be enough to put together a small bunch for everyone.

GRAB BAG – Take one item from the grab bag. This will be a variety of different options from which to choose. Or you can even swap out something you know you don’t like for something different, and let someone else enjoy what you don’t want. 

3 – FOUR PACKS OF BEVERAGES – Mix and match as you please.

NO EGGS THIS MONTH – unfortunately, the heat has taken a toll on the chickens. When it gets hot out, they start to molt and slow down their egg production. And since they are free-range, they often lay eggs in places that we don’t see, and then show up with baby chicks. The good news is that the baby chickens we started in the spring, are about ready to lay eggs. It is also my goal to make up for the lost eggs this month, and should be able to have two dozen eggs in a future harvest.

Here is what members will find in their CSA harvest this month:

BOK CHOY – This is a crunchy and juicy green that is frequently found in Asian cuisine. It can be enjoyed raw or cooked in your favorite recipe. You will find both green and this cute little purple heirloom variety.

KOHLRABI – If you’re not familiar with this, it’s kind of like a giant radish. My favorite way to enjoy them is to peel it, slice it thin and sprinkle with salt. The large greens are also delicious and you can prepare them just like collard greens. Sadly, a large portion of the kohlrabi crop fell prey to some sort of hungry, toothy varmint. Based on the bite marks in the plants that fell victim, it appears I may have an infestation of crocodiles or a miniature t-rex.

WOMBOKS – A few years ago, one of our farm volunteers from Australia taught me that down under, they refer to Napa Cabbage as “womboks.” While the name sounds more like a kohlrabi-eating predator, I kinda like it, so I’ve adopted the Australian name for this large, versatile, curly-leafed cabbage. Now you too can tell your friends that you have eaten womboks.

RADISHES WITH GREENS – I admit, I’m not a very good radish farmer. I have a hard time thinning them out so the bulbs just don’t get very big. But the good news is that the greens are equally delicious, so you will find radish greens with some tiny radishes in your bag again this month.

RADICCHIO – this green looks like a hybrid between cabbage and lettuce. But it is actually chicory. It’s a slightly bitter green, and I like to put it on the grill which sweetens it up.

ROMAINE – This large-leafed head of lettuce is always a favorite.

ARUGULA – a nice bag full of this spicy green to spice up your salads, pesto, pizza or favorite wombok recipe.

BASIL SPRIG –  The basil plants are coming along nicely. To make the plants turn more into a shrub, they need to be trimmed. So the trimmings from the plants can be found in the sugarhouse. Just grab a small bunch out of a jar and enjoy. (Please leave the jars in place)

ONE DOZEN EGGS – The ladies in the hen spa have been a little fussy with this heat, but they’re still producing. This time of year they tend to slow down production… plus since they are free range, they like to find adventurous, new places to lay their eggs, such as under an apple tree, on the seat of the skid steer, in a wheel barrow, on by bee suit, or under the bunkhouse. So sometimes we just can’t find them. Oops, I digress. Anyhoo, I’m pretty sure there will be enough eggs for one dozen for everyone, but if by chance there aren’t enough, let me know and I’ll try to make it up to you later in the season.

THREE FOUR PACKS OF BEVERAGES – Mix and match any and all of the various ciders, pop, and kombucha. If you chose to substitute the beverages for maple syrup or honey, you will find it on the counter in the sugarhouse.

Enjoy the harvest.

Here is what members will find in their First CSA harvest for 2022

Three 4-packs of beverages* – a mix and match any combination of all of the beverages:  several flavors of Yellow Belly cider, root beer, ginger ale, and several flavors of kombucha. (Must be 21 to pick up any hard cider).  
One dozen eggs – complements of the ladies in the hen spa
Pea shoots – a handful of these tender, sweet tendrils of pea shoots that can be added to salads, stir fries, or just as a delicious snack.
Sunflower shoots – sprouted sunflower seeds that are fresh and nutty, also great for salads and snacking
Heirloom lettuce – A nice bunch of small heads of heirloom lettuce heads including baby oak leaf lettuce (a frilly leaf) and deer tongue (yes, it actually looks like a deer tongue, but it is very delicate and delicious lettuce).
Radish greens with itty bitty radishes:  No doubt you are already familiar with radishes. But what you may not know is that the radish greens are also a treat. They are a peppery flavored green, much like arugula, and can be made into pesto, added to salads, and is great as a pizza topping. The original goal was to actually have a nice crop of radishes, but the radish bulbs just haven’t caught up yet due to the late plantings. However, the greens are delightful, and you will see some teeny tiny, cute little radishes too. More radishes are planted so hopefully they will mature for the June harvest.
Collards and kale – A mixed bag that includes large leaves of collard greens and and kale
Baby spinach – A small bag of baby spinach. I was hoping the spinach would be a little bigger right now, but baby spinach is very delicious. But since the spinach is kinda small, the bag is kinda small.
Arugula – A small bag of this spicy green adds a nice zing to pizza toppings, raw in a salad, or even made into a fun pesto.
Smude’s Microwave popcorn– Made in Pierz, MN using a fancy machine made by our neighbors right here in Quamba. This is the ABSOLUTELY BEST popcorn ever. It is made with Sunflower seed oil grown right here in Mora/Quamba, popcorn and salt. You will see that the bags might be a little oily looking, but fear not, it is just fine. Just pop in your microwave and enjoy. We also have it available in the cider barn.
Basil herb plant – one live herb plant for you to grow in your kitchen window and enjoy. The plants have been recently trimmed, so even though they may not have a perfect shape, they are healthy and growing new branches. Just put it in your kitchen window, or on your deck and watch it grown. Clip it and enjoy.
Looking forward to having you join me in my farming journey for 2022!

The end of the season is here, and the last CSA harvest is ready. Here is what you will find in your final bag of the season:

GINGER – for those of you who have been a CSA member previously, you know just how wonderful this freshly harvested ginger is. For those of you who haven’t had it before, you are in for a real treat. The best way to store it is in the fridge storage drawer, or you can freeze it for future use.

SQUASH – you’ll find some big squash and little squash. Of course, the best way to enjoy is with some butter and maple syrup or brown sugar.

GREEN AND RIPE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – the tomato crop continues to be prolific, so you’ll find a combination of green and ripe tomatoes. The green ones can be prepared as fried green tomatoes, pickled, or left on your counter to ripen.

PEPPERS – a combination of sweet and hot.

EGGPLANT– some big, some small.

KALE – a big bunch of this popular green.

PARLSEY – a nice bunch of this fresh green herb.

SAGE – a popular fall herb that is wonderful for savory dishes.

EGGS – one dozen, compliments of the ladies in the hen house

BEVERAGES – three four packs, mix and match as you please

Enjoy the harvest! Most of all, I want to thank you all for your support for our farm. It has been a real pleasure providing fresh, certified organic produce for you each month.

First, I need to confess that I forgot to take a photo of the CSA harvest for this month. So the photo pictured above is actually from the September 2020 CSA…. but the items pictured are similar to what was included in the September 2021 except there was actually more produce and only one dozen eggs in 2021. With that in mind, picture if you will:

APPLES – Even though our apple harvest this year is a bit small due to the hot, dry summer, I am happy to say that I am still able to include some apples in your bag this month. You’ll find a variety of different apples, ranging from small (crab apples) to large (pie apples). Some are beautiful, some are not so beautiful, but all are tasty for you do enjoy as juice, baked in apple crisp or pie, or as a snack.

GRAPES – The hot, dry weather also impacted the grapes this year, but I am able to harvest a good handful of these tart, juicy, treats. They small, have seeds, tart, and they are not at all what you find in the grocery store. 

LEEKS – If you’re not familiar with leeks, they look like giant scallions (green onions). They have a mild onion flavor and aroma, and I highly recommend finding a good recipe for potato leek soup.

EGGPLANT – I know, some folks love it, and some folks hate it. I personally love it. For those of you who don’t like it, you can exchange it for something else in the yellow grab-bag bin.

VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – My tomato crop this year is abundant and beautiful. You can expect more tomatoes this month, which are especialy delightful for home-made tomato soup – an autumn favorite here in our household.

PEPPERS – a smaller portion this month of a combination of sweet and hot peppers.

BEETS WITH GREENS – Last I checked I did have some nice looking beets… but that can change quickly if the critters find them and start munching on them. I’ll know for sure tomorrow when I start the harvest. So if you find them in your bag, it’s because they looked great. Otherwise, you may find them in the “optional” bin… meaning that they might be critter munched and you can grab some if you’d like. For what it’s worth, we do enjoy critter-munched beets, but I completely understand if you don’t want them. As always, the greens are always great.

KALE – A nice bunch of this nutrition-packed greens

SAGE – a fall favorite herb, especially great with poultry or pork.

GRAB BAG – A random grab bag of goodies, also used as a way to exchange an item for something you might prefer instead.

EGGS – compliments of the ladies in the hen house

BEVERAGES – Three four packs of your choice, mix-and-match as you please, cider, root beer, or kombucha, or substitute for honey or maple syrup.

Here is what CSA members found in their August CSA bag:

VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – a bulging bag of tomatoes, ranging from large to small and a variety of colors and flavors. SPECIAL NOTE: heirloom tomatoes are very fragile. That is the reason you don’t see them in most grocery stores. Characteristically, heirloom tomatoes are prone to crack, the skins are easy broken, and they can be quite gnarly looking. Don’t let the cracks, odd shape, or scars scare you, it’s all normal in the life of heirloom tomatoes.
GRAPE LEAVES – for those of you who have been a CSA member throughout the years, you will recognize the grape leaves. For those of you who are new, you are probably thinking “what tha… huh??” We absolutely love making stuffed grape leaves, and nothing is better than freshly harvested grape leaves for supper. Technically, the dish is called “Domas” which is a Mediterranean treat. There are a number of really simple recipes, which you can just google to find. But the way we prepare it is to use a ground meat… we’ve made it using hamburger, lamb, venison, turkey, chicken, pork, and moose… Just blend the raw meat with rice, your favorite herbs and spices, salt and pepper, roll them up in the grape leaves, place in a pan with water, add some lemons on the top and boil about 45 minutes until it is done. Super simple, and you’ll feel like a Mediterranean foodie 🙂 
PEPPERS – a handful of a combination of sweet and hot peppers. Of course, they are the perfect ingredient along with the tomatoes for fresh salsa.
GNARLY CARROTS – I confess that I’ve never been a very good carrot farmer, in that my carrots are never perfectly straight, consistent size and shape. But if you just close your eyes, you’ll still get a nice bite of sweet, crunchy carrots… no matter what they look like.
CABBAGE  You’ll find either one large, or two small cabbages in your bag. I have a couple of different varieties I’m growing, one is a large variety and another is a small variety. But both varieties are tasty.
CUCUMBERS – There will be a couple of these in your bag this month. If you’re a cucumber lover, you can also grab extras in the grab bag bin (see below)
PARSLEY – A handful of this popular, and well-loved herb.
ARUGULA – A nice bunch of this spicy, peppery herb, which can be made into pesto, added as a pizza topping, added to a salad, or sautéed as a side dish.
KALE – Two varieties, Russian (wide leaf with blueish color), Dino (long, dark green). I know that kale is one of those things that folks either LOVE or HATE. If you don’t like kale, you can exchange it for something else in the grab bag bin (see below).
GRAB BAG – You get to grab one extra item from the grab bag (yellow bin). You can also use this to exchange something in your bag that you know you don’t like (kale haters and lovers take note). There are a variety of different items from which to choose such as extra cucumbers, beets, Swiss chard, arugula, or other items. 
ONE DOZEN EGGS – grab one dozen eggs
THREE FOUR PACKS OF BEVERAGES – Mix and match as you please among all of the beverages available (hard cider, kombucha, root beer), Sorry, but we are temporarily out of stock of Ginger Ale. We hope to get some more bottled by next month.

Here is what members will find in the CSA harvest this month:

VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – I’m so excited to have tomatoes in July! The tomatoes are just beginning to ripen up, so you’ll find a few fully ripened and some that are close to ripe. You can look forward to more tomatoes as the season progresses.
BEANS – a nice bag of a mix of green, purple, yellow, and dragon’s tongue beans.
CUCUMBER– One cucumber for each of you.
BEET GREENS – So I have a dilemma with the beets this year…. They were progressing so nicely, but now a chipmunk has decided that beets are his favorite snack GRRRRRR….. so most of the beet roots have been munch by this little monster. The greens, however, are still quite nice. They can be enjoyed raw in your favorite salad, or cooked for your favorite side dish. You’ll find a nice big bag of greens in your bag.
OPTIONAL – TOPLESS CRITTER-MUNCHED BEET ROOTS – Even though the chipmunk munched on the beet roots, for those of you who are not bothered by critter-munched veggies, you will find a bin inside the cooler, along with some bags, so if you want some of the munched beet roots, help yourself… while supplies last.
ARUGULA – If you’re not familiar with this, it is a spicy, peppery green that can be made into pesto, added to a pizza, or combine with your beet greens for a pretty terrific salad.
PEPPER – The peppers are also starting to ripen up. You will find at least one large pepper in your bag, and randomly there will be a couple of additional smaller peppers.
CABBAGE – You’ll find either a Napa cabbage or a cute little pointy headed cabbage.

RADICCHIO or KOHLRABI – Not enough of both for everyone, so it’s a random drop in the bags of either one or the other.
EGGS – one dozen eggs
BEVERAGES – three four-packs of any combination (mix and match) of any of the flavors of cider, kombucha, ginger ale or rootbeer.
Stay cool and enjoy!

Here is what CSA members will find in their June 2021 CSA harvest:

SUNFLOWER SHOOTS – a handful of these tender, nutty, sprouts of sunflower seeds. They are delightful to add to a sandwich, salad, or just munch as a snack.
ROMAINE LETTUCE (slightly bolted) – I had such a beautiful crop of romaine growing…. until the super-early, super-hot spell. Lettuce doesn’t like heat, so the hot spell caused it to start bolting much early than predicted. However, I did harvest the crop JUST as it started to bolt. The good news is that it is still very tasty, even though it has a pointy top. I don’t want to toss out good food just because it looks a little funny, so I hope you too will enjoy it as we have.
NAPA CABBAGE – also known and Chinese Cabbage…. Or in Australia… Womboks. This is a hearty cabbage with frilly, curly leaves that can be prepared in any of your favorite cabbage recipes.
HAKUREI TURNIPS WITH GREENS – These are cute, little white turnips, which are kind of a cross between radishes and turnips. The greens are also delightful and can be added to salads, as well as prepared as a side dish.
RADICCHIO – this is a leafy salad vegetable with a spicy flair that adds a colorful and sharp flavor. It can also be saute’ and added to pasta, stews, or grilled as a tasty side dish.

KOHLRABI – Think of them as a gigantic radish. The best way to enjoy them is to peel, slice thin, add a little salt and enjoy as a snack. Or add them to a salad for a crunchy complement. The leaves are also delish, and can be prepared just like collard greens.
BASIL – a handful of fresh basil – you can make a lovely tea, add to your favorite pasta dish, or make into pesto. Be sure to pick it up in the sugarhouse (the big room next to the cooler) since basil cannot be put in the cooler.
EGGS – 1 dozen fresh eggs from the happy ladies in the hen spa.
BEVERAGES – 3 four packs of beverages of your choice: cider, root beer, ginger ale, or kombucha – OR – if you choose to substitute the beverages for honey or maple syrup, let me know ahead of time and I’ll have it ready for you in the sugarhouse.
This is what is planned, but if I find some new discoveries as I’m harvesting, there might be more. Meanwhile, if the dates for pick-up don’t work for you, just let me know and we will easily set up a time that does work for you.