For 2011 season information, including current produce offerings and where you can purchase our products, please visit the websites for our member farms:

Village Farm

Restoration Farm

We’re taking the season off from this blog.

If you purchased Farm Bucks for the 2011 season, you can use these for items from Village Farm and Restoration farm.

Once again this year, we’re offering Farm Bucks, which you can use to buy the items you want from Village Farm and Restoration Farm at the Rogue Valley Growers Market, and the Restoration Farm farm stands from May to November 2011.

Farm bucks offer the best of all worlds. You enjoy the variety and surprise of seasonal foods, with the selection and amount you choose each week.

You can purchase Farm Bucks for the 2011 Season from now through through June 1, 2011. We’ve got an early bird deal: buy now and get a 10% bonus of Farm Bucks! For example, if you purchase $100 worth of Farm Bucks now, we’ll send you $110 of Farm Bucks. We’re offering  a limited number of Farm Bucks and encourage you to sign up and buy your Farm Bucks early so you don’t miss out!

How to Order Your Farm Bucks

You can order via mail or online. We encourage you to help us keep more money in the local economy and avoid credit card fees by mailing us a check. Questions: Email us or call 541 531-7467.

Payment by check:

Make checks out to Village Farm or Restoration Farm and write “2011 CSA Farm Bucks” on the memo line. Mail checks, and your name, address, phone and email to:

Village Farm
285 Willow Springs Drive
Talent, OR 97540

Online orders:

Click here to order online.

Dispatches from the Dirt ~ 9/10/10 ~ Ashland-Talent Growers CSA Newsletter

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters! It’s Eat Local Week and September is “Eat Local Month” and “Organically Grown in Oregon Month.” We’re ready to help you celebrate with fresh, healthful, local goodness.

CSA Update

Gentle reminder: When picking up your CSA box, make sure it matches what you  ordered in terms of size (half or full) and add-on items. Before taking a box home, please check inside to make sure there are no add-on items you didn’t order and that don’t come with a regular share, such as a loaf of bread or carton of eggs. Thank you for helping us and your fellow CSA supporters out!

What We’re Harvesting: Come & Get It!

CSA Boxes This Week: Carrots, Summer squash, Slicer tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes, Potatoes, Cucumbers, Melons, Rosa di Milano young onions, Brocolli, Kale, Garlic, Chilli peppers.  Full shares only, add: Sweet basil

Growers Market & Farm Stand Sales

We accept FarmBucks, cash and checks

* Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/Lithia)

* Look for HappyDirt produce from Jan Lyon at the Talent Market: Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall

* HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4, 100 Eagle Mill Rd, 541-499-4903, happydirtveggiepatch.wordpress.com. Full array of produce: Corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, greens, etc., with melons any day now. Now is a great time to preserve peak season tomatoes for use through the winter by dehydrating, freezing, canning, and making sauce.  We’re offering volume discounts on some types of tomatoes for preserving.

- Juliets, a grape type tomato that is ideal for dehydrating
- Romas & San Marzanos, perfect for sauces, freezing, or drying
- “Small reds,” smaller slicing tomatoes that get overlooked, good for canning or salsa
“Seconds”: blemished, overripe, or misshapen tomatoes that are still quite usable and delicious.
If you buy 20 pounds or more, the price is only $1.25/lb. Seconds can be even cheaper depending on quality and how many are piling up in our cooler.

Events

It’s Eat Local Week! Sign up for the “Eat Local Challenge” and check out the delicious and fun lineup of events, including farm tours, tastings, restaurant specials, classes, demonstrations, a fundraising dinner for THRIVE, and more at THRIVE’s website.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters! The days may be getting shorter, but our farms are just hitting their peak, with bushels of amazing produce waiting for you to enjoy. September is “Eat Local Month” and “Organically Grown in Oregon Month,” and  we’re ready to help you celebrate with fresh, healthful, local goodness.

** What We’re Harvesting: Come & Get It! **

* CSA Boxes This Week: Melons, beans, cucumbers, slicing tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, bunched young onions, chard, summer squash, eggplant, cabbage, peppers, potatoes, salad mix. Full shares only, add: sweet onion, purple basil

* Growers Market & Farm Stand Sales

We accept FarmBucks, cash and checks

* Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/Lithia)

* Look for HappyDirt produce from Jan Lyon at the Talent Market: Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall

* HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4, 100 Eagle Mill Rd, 541-499-4903, happydirtveggiepatch.wordpress.com. Full array of produce: Corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, greens, etc., with melons any day now. Now is a great time to preserve peak season tomatoes for use through the winter by dehydrating, freezing, canning, and making sauce.  We’re offering caseload discounts on some types of tomatoes for preserving:

- Juliets, a grape type tomato that is ideal for dehydrating
- Romas & San Marzanos, perfect for sauces, freezing, or drying
- “Small reds,” smaller slicing tomatoes that get overlooked, good for canning or salsa
“Seconds”: blemished, overripe, or misshapen tomatoes that are still quite usable and delicious.
If you buy 20 pounds or more, the price is only $1.25/lb. Seconds can be even cheaper depending on quality and how many are piling up in our cooler.
Stop by our farmstand before you go elsewhere, and you’ll save a bundle and get your veggies straight from the garden.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters! We hope you’re having a delicious, relaxing and beautiful summer!

Farm Updates

* Village Farm: Ashland’s 2009 Siskiyou fire burned within a few
hundred yards of Village Farm, charring 150 acres. We were at the
front lines with our irrigation pond, La Marre Reservoir, used to
quell the blaze. On Tuesday, we were once again at the edge of another
fire, which decimated 11 homes near Ashland”s Oak Knoll Golf Course
(Village Farm’s backyard). The fast-growing fire required teams of air and ground support from the Valley and beyond and Village Farm served as a water source once again, with helicopters seamlessly loading one gigantic aerial water basket after the next out of our reservoir. We are grateful that Village Farm wasspared, hope the best for all those affected and encourage you to support relief efforts as you are able.  Given the inherent challenges of growing a successful market garden, especially this year, we have a lot to be thankful for!

What We’re Harvesting: Come & Get It! **

* CSA Boxes This Week: Potatoes, Lettuce, Eggplant, Cukes, Basil, Garlic, Squash, Chard, Onions, Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes, Chives (full shares only)

* Growers Market & Farm Stand Sales

We accept FarmBucks, cash and checks

* Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland
Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/Lithia)

* Look for HappyDirt produce from Jan Lyon at the Talent Market:
Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall

* HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4, 100 Eagle Mill Rd. We have heirloom and standard tomatoes, peppers, green beans and other summer favorites. Conveniently located, ample parking. Prices are lower than local retailers and often the Growers Market, with slightly blemished produce at bargain prices. Please stroll around the farm and see where it all comes from. Info:
541-499-4903, happydirtveggiepatch.wordpress.com

Events

Our friends at Farm to Fork have added additional dinners through October and seats are still available. Dinners benefit local farming advocacy groups and Ashland-Talent Growers CSA. Dates locations and sign up info at the Farm to Fork website.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters!

What We’re Harvesting: Come & Get It!

* CSA boxes this week:
Cucumbers,Tomatoes–slicer (all shares) and cherry (full shares only), Sunchokes, Eggplant, Rosa di Millano young onions, Squash, Green Beans (full shares only), Brocolli, Sweet Basil, Garlic

* Growers Market booths & farm stands

* Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/Lithia)

* Look for HappyDirt produce from Jan Lyon at the Talent Market: Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall

* HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4 at 100 Eagle Mill Rd. We have a good selection of heirloom and standard tomatoes, plus the usual summer crops and midsummer surprises like chard and broccoli. Peppers and green beans are coming in and we’ll have corn and melons in 1-2 weeks. Our farm stand (see below) is conveniently located with ample parking and prices that are lower than local retailers and often the Growers Market. We also offerblemished produce at bargain prices. You can stroll through the gardens and see where it all comes from. For info call Matt at 541-499-4903 or visit our website.

* Village Farm farm stand: Saturdays 9 am-12pm, Restoration Farm, 1133 Old Hwy 99 S, Ashland. Restoration Farm also has organic u-pick berries and other treats.

Recipes

Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes)

Jerusalem artichokes, more aptly called sunchokes, aren’t from Jerusalem and are not artichokes. These vegetables, native to the United States, look a lot like ginger root. Harvested in the fall, or over-wintered and harvested in the spring, sunchokes are the knobby tubers that are sliced or broken from the extensive root system of a tall, perennial sunflower. Eaten raw, they are crisp and refreshing like water chestnuts. Cooked, they are moist, sweet and starchy.

A simple way to cook them, if preferred, is to cut all sunchokes to the same size, lightly scrub them, then toss in a baking dish with olive oil, adding other root vegetables (beets, carrots, potatoes, etc). Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes, or until soft, like baked potato consistency. Add a little Salt and Pepper if you’d like. Enjoy!
Here are some sites we dig for great recipes

Ashland Food Co-op

Angelic Organics

GOOD NEWS!!

In a sweet victory for supporters of truly sustainable agriculture and safe, healthful food, a US Federal court revoked approval to plant genetically modified (GMO) sugar beets, at least until a full environmental impact is completed and a informed decision can be made. The GMO crop that was planted this year can be harvested but now new seeds can be sown. It’s important to keep watching this issue and raising our opposition to GMO crops as this process evolves and companies attempt to push other GMO crops into the soil, the marketplace and our mouths.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters!

CSA Update

We’re now half way through our 2010 CSA season, and we would like to express our appreciation for your support.

It has been a difficult season for most local growers, primarily attributable to the extreme cold and wet weather of late spring. There have been many crop failures, lots of premature bolting, poor germination, slug and earwig invasions, and just plain slow growth due to cool temperatures. At our farms most crops are running 3-4 weeks later than last year. Even lately, the cool nighttime temperatures in the 40′s have slowed down the heat-loving summer crops.

It’s been tough on us farmers personally, too. We take a direct hit on our already meager income when nature throws a curve ball. Expenses stay the same or go higher. Workload goes up. Sales go down. Everybody wants what we don’t have…Not fun—but sometimes it happens. We have been doing our best to keep the boxes as full and varied as possible.

The good news is…conditions are getting much better in the fields, and the second half of the season is looking pretty good. The summertime items that everyone waits for are starting to come in. Both quality and quantity appear to be improving.

For members with fruit shares, and those interested in the status of local fruit production, here’s an update from Neighborhood Harvest, our fruit provider: We’re hoping that with the hot weather this weekend, our first plums will be ready next week and we’ll resume fruit CSA boxes on 8/20. We may have blackberries as well. It was a much worse year for plums than we initially thought. We’ve been getting reports that many of our trees had no fruit on them this year. We do have trees with plums on them, but it’s the later plums that escaped the frost, and it was such a cold spring that everything has been slow.

What we’re harvesting: Come get it!

* CSA boxes this week: Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Onion, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Cabbage, Lettuce, Potatoes, Garlic, Basil

* Use FarmBucks, cash, checks, etc. at Growers Market booths & farm stands

• Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/ Lithia)

• Look for HappyDirt produce from Jan Lyon at the Talent Market: Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall

• HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4 at 100 Eagle Mill Rd. We have a good selection of heirloom and standard tomatoes, plus the usual summer crops and midsummer surprises like chard and broccoli. Peppers and green beans are coming in and we’ll have corn and melons in 1-2 weeks. Our farm stand (see below) is conveniently located with ample parking and prices that are lower than local retailers and often the Growers Market. We also offer blemished produce at bargain prices. You can stroll through the gardens and see where it all comes from. For info call Matt at 541-499-4903 or visit our website.

• Village Farm farm stand: Saturdays 9 am-12pm, Restoration Farm, 1133 Old Hwy 99 S, Ashland. Restoration Farm also has organic u-pick berries and other treats.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters!

Farm Updates

* HappyDirt: We’re not currently attending the Ashland Growers Markets.  Please visit us at our farm our stand or the Talent Market. See below for location and times.

* Village Farm: We will have a light market on Saturday as there are not a lot of berries or veggies right now. We will have garlic, squash, kale and cabbage to enjoy.

What we’re harvesting: Come get it!

* CSA boxes this week: Tomatoes, Basil, Green beans, Eggplant, Lettuce, Broccoli, Garlic, Kale, Summer squash, Cucumber, Carrots, Onions

*  Use FarmBucks, cash, checks, etc. at Growers Market booths & farm stands

•  Look for Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers Markets: Tuesday (8:30-1:30, Armory), Saturday (9-1, 1st/ Lithia)

• Look for HappyDirt Veggie Patch and Village Farm at the Talent Market: Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, Main St. in front of Talent City Hall.

•  HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri Noon-6 and Saturday 10-4 at 100 Eagle Mill Rd. We have lots of summertime crops.  Come on by. For info call Matt at 541-499-4903 or visit the HappyDirt website.

• Village Farm farm stand: Saturdays 9 am-12pm, Restoration Farm, 1133 Old Hwy 99 S, Ashland. Restoration Farm also has organic u-pick berries and other treats.

Recipes: Cool Local Foods From Ashland Food Co-op

This week’s recipes are once again from Ashland Food Co-op, which has a treasure trove of recipes online, featuring lots of fresh, local, healthy locally grown foods. These are room temperature or chilled dishes to beat the summer heat.

•   Chilled Cucumber & Almond Soup (also includes garlic and onions, available from our CSA farms now)

• Kale and Lentil Salad

Recipes to Share?

Do you have a favorite recipe for produce that’s currently available from local farms and producers? Email recipes to us or post them as a comment to our recipe page.

Kids’ Corner – Local Fruits and Nuts

Many fruits and nuts grow locally. Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at trees, vines, shrubs and garden plants to see if you can find:

A: Five fruits that are ready to harvest now

B: Five fruits that will be ready to harvest in late summer or fall

C: Five nuts that will be ready to harvest in late summer or fall

Try planting some at home to grow food year round!

Take Action for Local, Small-scale, Sustainable Farming!

Mark your Calendars: Ashland Hearing on Regional Problem Solving

The City of Ashland will present its resolution on the Regional Problem Solving plan to the Jackson County Planning Commission 8/12 at 9 am at the Courthouse Auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford. Ashland’s resolution asks that the County plan adopt higher-density zoning models that would make public transit more feasible and cost-effective, and preserving of high value farmland currently slated for development in the overall plan. Citizen voices are needed to advocate for these recommendations. Please attend and speak out and/or write to the Jackson County Planning Commission on support of Ashland’s resolution. For more information and sample testimony to draft your comments, contact Sarah Vaile, Rogue Advocates.

Thanks for your support! Till next time…

Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Learn more, sign up, contact us

Greetings CSA Members & Supporters!

CSA Update

Chris Hardy from Village Farm along with happy customers.

We’ve all had challenges this year and many successes. Sometimes the challenges can get more attention. One of this year’s great successes is that we as farmers were willing to come together for one CSA. We picked a heck of a year to start this off, and we’re sure glad we did. Working together has allowed us to keep your weekly boxes somewhat full, and offer a good selection across our Growers Market booths and farm stands. Alone, none of us could have pulled it off this year. We’re grateful to be friends who were willing to work through things to get this CSA started and running, and for all of you who were willing and able to support your local food growers. With all of our diverse growing sites and farms we will continue to supply all of you with a selection of fresh, healthful, delicious, local vegetables.

Farm Updates

* HappyDirt: The cold spring caused delays and crop failures. The summertime crops look good, but are slater than normal. We have wonderful heirloom and standard tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, onions, cukes, potatoes, beans, flowers, etc., at our farm stand.

* Meadow Lark: Things are coming along nicely. I’m getting a lot of eggplant, summer squash and onions, and cucumbers are about to hit hard so I should have a million of those soon.  Cherry tomatoes are turning and melons may not be too far off.  I’m really busy trying to get things seeded and planted out for fall – brassicas, carrots, beets, etc.

* Village Farm: We’re having a challenging year, with losses & delays of our anchor crops of carrots and onions, but are excited about our wide variety of open-pollinated tomatoes and peppers that are coming on strong! We’re putting much of our energy into our Saturday farm stand at Restoration Farm and hope to see you there (see below).

What we’re harvesting: Come get it!

* CSA boxes this week: Tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, garlic, carrots, cabbage, kale, peppers, Japanese eggplant, summer squash, onions

*  Use FarmBucks, cash, checks, etc. at Growers Market booths & farm stands

•  Look for HappyDirt Veggie Patch, Meadowlark Family Farm & Village Farm at the Ashland Growers’ Market, Tuesdays (8:30-1:30, Armory) and Saturdays (9-1, 1st/ Lithia). Village Farm also attends the Talent Market, Wednesdays, 5:30-dusk, on Main St. in front of Talent City Hall.

•  HappyDirt Veggie Patch farm stand: Wed-Fri noon-6pm and Saturday 8am-4pm at 100 Eagle Mill Rd. We have lots of summertime crops.  Come on by. For info call Matt at 541-499-4903 or visit happydirtveggiepatch.wordpress.com.

•  Village Farm farm stand: Saturdays 9 am-12pm, Restoration Farm, 1133 Old Hwy 99 S, Ashland. Restoration Farm also has organic u-pick berries and other treats.

Recipes: From Angelic Organics

This week’s recipes are from Angelic Organics (angelicorganics.com) and ‘Farmer John,’ champion sustainable farmer and educator, and hero of “The Real Dirt on Farmer John.”

•  Eggplant (pdf)

•  Tomatoes (pdf)

Recipes to Share?

Do you have a favorite recipe for produce that’s currently available from local farms and producers? Email recipes to us or post them as a comment to our recipe page.

Kids’ Corner – Fall and Winter Crops

Farmers are starting to plant vegetables to harvest in fall and winter.  Check out OSU Extension Calendar and find:

A: Five vegetables farmers are planting in July

B: Five vegetables farmers are planting in August

Try planting some at home to grow food year round!

Take Action for Local, Small-scale, Sustainable Farming!

Support the Siskiyou Challenge Multi-sport Relay, September 25th!

On 9/25, Ashland will host a 5-leg multi-sport relay benefitting Rogue Valley Farm to School, including road runs, a lake kayak, road bike & mountain bike. Scenic course with views of farms, orchards, parks and mountains, including Emigrant Lake and the watershed. A short fun run/walk will also be held. Participants, volunteers & sponsors are needed. Visit the event website to race, volunteer or sponsor. If you’re on Facebook, check out their page there, too!

Thanks for your support! Till next time…

Your farmers, Chris, Matt, Michael, Quinn

Learn more, sign up, contact us