Thanksgiving 2008

(CSA Newsletters: Late Season Week 7)

Meet this week’s vegetables:

Sometimes, I think that Thanksgiving should either come earlier or later in the year. Earlier, because the end of November seems a few weeks late for the true end of most people’s harvest season (although I doubt many people even associate Thanksgiving with harvest anymore). Later, because then our act of giving thanks could truly encompass the entire year’s worth of events and become a turning point as we enter the next year.

Instead, here we are — not quite at the end of the year — and I find myself reflecting on the year as a whole, even though an entire month still lies ahead. Perhaps that last month, holiday-filled December, doesn’t require thanks since it seems to stand out of normal time anyway.

But, anyhow … 2008. Although we still have three more weeks of CSA shares (the last pick-up is on December 16), we are almost at the end of our season for 2008, our third season as a farm. What a year it has been. Our list of thanks is long, as usual. We are as grateful as ever for the support we’ve received through this year’s unique challenges.

Specifically, we give thanks for water. As you know, we struggled again this year with irrigation, as our well continued to be problematic and then broke mid-season. We have faced many rough days as young farmers, but the day the well broke was one of the most trying. We are especially thankful for the people who made our new well possible: my mother for calling well drillers that same day and asking for help in ways we couldn’t at the time; and the well drillers themselves, who worked hard to get us a darn fine well in record time. Thanks, thanks, thanks for all of those mid-summer mercies. We still can’t fully believe that we’re (most likely) going to start our next season with a functioning well. Hoorah!

We were also grateful this year for the diverse variety of quick growing spring vegetables that kept us in abundance through June, despite record cold weather: especially tatsoi, white turnips, beets, and chard.

For friends, who stopped by the farm to lend a helping hand or to share a meal.

For our cats, who are still the cutest cats on the planet.

For our land, which feels more and more like home each day that we live and work here. We are continually amazed at how beautiful and generous this place is.

For an election that provided us with hope in an otherwise uncertain future.

For the skills that keep developing, despite our continued feeling of newness at our work.

For avoided mistakes (we’re learning!).

For the time to swim in the river. For the river.

For the birds who share our home, passing through or building nests at the edges of our fields.

For the time and energy to continue building our farm’s infrastructure.

For three nourishing meals every day. For the time and energy to prepare our food lovingly and enjoy it thoroughly.

Farming continues to surprise us with its challenges and its joys. The simplest pleasures make up our days, and we hope to stay ever aware and grateful of them.

For so many gifts and luxuries of time and love. More than ever, we feel supported in the work that we do. As our nation looks towards a recession of unknown duration, we are grateful for the strong community networks that exist in Yamhill County. I think that in the coming years our nation will relearn the importance of connecting as people and as communities. We are grateful for the comfort our community provides us — for the security of knowing we are cared about and for the satisfaction of knowing that we have much we can give back.

Not surprising then, that at the top of our list of thanks is: you, our community of eaters. Each year of the CSA, we are astounded by how real this experience is. We have loved getting to know each of you at the pick-up and on-farm events, learning about your life or hearing your thoughts on the farm and the vegetables. And, your real support through this year’s trials was as crucial as any year before.

We hope that you too have many gratitudes on your list this Thanksgiving. And, let us all remember that for some people this year the challenges are continuing to grow.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! As always, enjoy the vegetables!

Your farmers, Katie & Casey Kulla