September 28, 2012
The CSA at Arrowhead
Winter Squash harvest, September 2012
In This Issue:
This Week's Share
Newburyport Market
Cape Ann Market
New Pick Up Hours
CSA 101
Volunteers
What We Planted
Newburyport???
CSA at Arrowhead Logo
This Week's Share
Still largely a Summer theme with plenty of Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Sun Gold Tomatoes, Coastal Star Lettuce, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Delicata Squash, Fresh Herbs to cut, lots of Apples and enough fresh Flowers to make another nice Summer Bouquet.
Newburyport Farmers' Market Logo
At the 'Market'
At least twenty varieties of Heirloom Tomatoes, the first Fall Greens including Kale, Vitamin Green, Brussels Sprout Crowns, Arugula, and several other Asian Greens, Sweet Adriatic Peppers, Jade Green Beans, Basil, Fresh Summer Flower Bouquets, several varieties of Apples and perhaps a few more raspberries. But the big focus will still be all those great Summer Heirloom Tomatoes.
Cape Ann Farmers' Market Logo
At Cape Ann
Plenty of Apples---Ginger Gold, McIntosh, Macoun, Royal Court and Cortlands, Beurre Bosc Pears, Sweet Apple Cider, Cider Donuts and likely a few more late season Raspberries. Stop by and visit us every Thursday afternoon from 3 to 6:30 at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester.
CSA at Arrowhead Logo
Late Share Signup
Sign up for the Late Season Share right here using PayPal or stop by the Farm with a check. If you would like to set up a payment plan please send us an email.
Changing of the Seasons

 

The Banner photo, above, shows Tahn bringing in this year's Squash harvest---a heavy, laborious job, good thing she had plenty of volunteer help. This season's crop includes Delicata, Honey Nut, Butternut, Sweet REBA and New England Sugar Pie Pumpkins. We will all be enjoying these in the Shares over the next couple of months, starting with Delicata, as these require no time to "cure" (convert their starches to sugars).
CSA 101 

Oh, how I hate that 101 clich�, but it does seem appropriate here. CSA Shares represent a contract between Farmers and Consumers. The Consumer, or Member if you will, agrees to provide the working capital to produce the crops in the Share for the Consumer. And the Farmer agrees to do her/his best to produce a plentiful and healthful crop.
 
But, the Farm needs the cash up front to grow the crop for the Member---BEFORE the Share crops are planted. Arrowhead started planting crops for the Late Season Share back in February (Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, Cabbages and Kale). We planted more crops for this Share in May (Squashes, Sugar Pumpkins, Potatoes).. In June we planted Kohl Rabi, Rutabaga and Broccoli. In July the Carrots were planted and in August over twenty greens were planted--Spinach, Arugula etc., along with Root crops such as Turnips, Radish and Daikons. All of the expenses for growing these Late Season Share crops have been incurred already---quite a ways back.
 
Now, most Members paid for this Share on a timely basis early in the year---January, February and March. The Farm not only needs the cash to produce the crops, we need to know how many Members to plant for.
 
But, about two dozen Regular Members have not signed up for the Late Season Share yet and they are getting a free ride paid for by the rest of the CSA Members. If you are one of these chronically delinquent Members, we ask you to get signed up this week, excuse me while I say it again,THIS WEEK! And all will be forgiven! Next week will start the sign-up for the Mid-Winter Share for 2013, which we have already started planting.
 
Payment plans are always available---all you need do is ask. And we also have Volunteer programs available. And we also have Sponsor-a-Share Funds available if you need assistance paying. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH TO PLANT!!! Thank You.
 
And if you are one of those many Members who signed up on time last Spring as you usually do, thank YOU!
Volunteers
CSA Volunteer
Volunteer Antonietta

No doubt about it; Your CSA couldn't operate without your Volunteers. They do the planting, transplanting, weeding, seeding and the harvesting - as well as meet and greet Members. Shown in the photo is Antonietta who picks for you along with her Family on Saturdays. Antonietta is from the 'old country' and this past week she made a great Corn Chowder using the last of the year's Sweet Corn, Cippolini Onions and the Yukon Gold Potatoes. And she didn't invite any of us over. Oh, well. My point is to appreciate just how much all of our volunteers do for us. Thank you Volunteers---each and every one of you! 
What We Planted This Week 

In the fields: Planted seed of five cultivars of Spinach, six different Radishes, Baby Lettuce Mix, Tatsoi, Wild Surrey Arugula and lots of other nice Greens for the Late Season Share (November and December).
 
In the Solar Greenhouses: Planted transplants of Early Spring Strawberries, Green Bunching Onions, Rainbow Chard, Kale, Leeks, Chinese Cabbages and Bok Choy---all (except the Strawberries) for the Mid-Winter Share (January, February and March).
 
In the heated Greenhouse:  Planted seed of French Chard, Bali Chard, Australian Chard, French Chard, Oriole Chard, Magenta Sunset Chard, Orange Fantasia Chard, Flamingo Pink Chard, Bright Yellow Chard, Bright Lights Chard, Fordhook Swiss Chard, Spinaches---including Red Leaf Cardinal Spinach, Green Onions,, Leeks, Chinese Cabbage and Pac Choi. All for the Mid-Winter Share. 
Newburyport or North Korea?

Shari, our intrepid, pragmatic and normally fearless Market Master at the Newburyport Farmers' Market has sent along an alarming e-mail. She has enclosed a link to a Newburyport Daily News article. It seems that the City Council has taken up the idea that many business people in the City, including those who sell at the Farmers' Market, should be finger-printed and have back-ground checks done before they can be licensed to sell.
 
And here was I, thinking that North Korea was the last remaining Stalinist Government. Jefferson warned us about such intrusions into our Civil Liberties; reminding us that we all, each of us, must be diligent about manure-ing the Tree of Liberty.
 
And I question: Where do local Governments get the idea that they can legislate on Constitutional issues?
 
And so, today, instead of a Robert Frost poem, I must leave you with this alarming issue to ponder. I urge you to read the article before the Council, reach what conclusion you may and contact your City Councilors regarding same.
Oh, and take time to enjoy this early Autumn weather.
 
Cheers,
Dick Chase
Display of Cherry Tomatoes