Sign up for 2011 CSA now!

(CSA Newsletter: Week 37)

Meet this week’s vegetables:

• Romanesco — Is it a broccoli? A cauliflower? Romanesco is something else entirely but related to both! You can prepare it anyway you would broccoli or cauliflower, but before you cut it up, be sure to marvel at its beautiful fractal face!
• Sweet peppers
  
• Broccoli side shoots
  
• Beets OR cabbage
  
• Carrots
  
• Potatoes
  
• Cipollini onions — These small disc-shaped onions pack some big flavor! They’re amazing roasted but can be used any way you would use a standard cooking onion.

It’s the moment you’ve been anticipating … the unveiling of our 2011 CSA details and the opportunity for you to sign up (and pay) now!

You’ll find more information on the back of this newsletter and the sign-up form attached. You’ll notice a few changes that I’d like to elaborate upon here:

First, more options — We took your input seriously and have devised three share size options that we think will fit everyone’s needs. We hope we have explained the options well. Take your time reading through the differences and ask us if you have any questions!

Second — A shifted CSA season. Next year, our season will begin in mid-January (Jan 18) and run through the end of November (Nov 29). It’s the same number of total weeks (45), but we shifted it to avoid the winter weather that often happens in December.

Third — No more monthly payment option. I explained our reasoning behind this last week, but if you have any questions or concerns, please talk to us!

Fourth — Slightly higher prices. Last year we upped the price of our CSA share for the first time since 2007 (based on per week prices). When we did so, we pondered how to keep up on rising costs without having to make a major increase every few years. We decided to follow the model of farmer friends and raise our prices in accordance with rises in minimum wage (which in Oregon are pegged to increases in cost of living). Since the minimum wage in Oregon is going up 1.19% in 2011, we have raised our prices about the same amount.

Fifth — The option to pay your first payment in this calendar year. In the past, we have tried to keep all of each year’s payments in the same calendar year. But now that our CSA is going to start two weeks earlier, we realize that it’s easier to receive money as soon as you are able and willing to pay. Either way, please send us your first payment by January 18.

These are the big and little changes for 2011. We are excited about seeing how we can continue to improve upon your CSA experience, but our commitment to the basics remain the same: we will provide you with high quality, seasonal organic vegetables for 45 weeks of the year! We hope that you will continue in our CSA in 2011. To reserve your spot, please return your complete form by November 18. (To be clear, you may give us your first payment with your sign-up or later — just before January 18.)

Download CSA info & sign up form here: 2011CSASign-up (At this time, we are only accepting CSA sign-ups from current or prior Oakhill Organics members. However, we will be contacting folks on our waiting list soon!)

In the meantime, enjoy this week’s vegetables!

Your farmers, Katie & Casey Kulla

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Pumpkin Patch CSA Open House
This Sunday, October 24, 2 – 4 pm

Our final CSA Open House is coming up this Sunday, October 24 from 2 to 4 pm. This is our annual pumpkin patch event, where you can come and pick a pumpkin for free! We’ll also offer tours of the farm and have cookies and fresh apple cider!

To get to the farm: Take HWY-18 to Dayton. Go straight through Dayton on Wallace Rd/HWY-221 and stay on that highway for about seven miles (look for signs to Heiser Pumpkin Patch). Turn LEFT onto Grand Island Rd. After you cross the bridge onto the island, at the first four-way intersection, turn RIGHT onto SE Upper Island Rd. Our driveway is immediately on your left. See you there!