Newsletter Week 7

We hope you're enjoying your summer!  Our transition into summer crops this season has been a bit delayed from all the rain and cool weather.  The first are just starting to ripen: summer squash and zucchini, cucumbers, potatoes and beans--you'll be receiving them soon.  As for tomatoes, they are still a few weeks off but looking nice.  The crew here has spent the past few days stringing up the ungainly plants and pruning them so your tomatoes will be plump and beautiful.  We're hoping for some nice ones again this season!

Some items of business: it is sometimes difficult for us to get useable feedback from our shareholders about their CSA experience at Wellspring.  Our end of year survey will typically yield such results as 50% of respondents claiming they received too many beets, and 50% claiming they didn't receive enough!  So this year we're trying something new.  In the next couple weeks you may receive a call from one of our board members.  He or she will ask you some brief questions about your experience.  Your feedback is much valued and will be used to serve you better into the future.

You're receiving carrots for the first time this week.  Afghanistan has the largest variety of carrots so scholars believe it to be the country of origin for this vegetable.  Originally carrots were two colors: purple and pale yellow.  Europeans preferred the purple variety as they were milder in flavor, but they also stained pots and soups.  The Dutch set about developing a better yellow variety and by the mid-18th century our familiar orange carrot was born.

Later in the season we'll be "topping" your carrots, but for now enjoy the greens.  Remove them as they'll dehydrate the carrots, wash and chop for salad.  Or, add them to a stir fry or dry them for later use in winter soups.

-Jeff Schreiber