What a Shoulder Season Means at TCSA

We may have experienced one of the sharpest changes of seasons I can remember (in my recent, aging memory). It seems that just last week we were still in the 80s and currently it is snowing on the mountain! For better or worse, our farmers and their crops experience these shifts more gradually. As the summer crops start to fade out with shorter days, the winter crops (which could not be planted until temps dropped down enough) are still taking their time to fill out and mature.

This past week, one of our farmers, Aaron of Arevalos Farm, reached out about the various possibilities to keep some produce coming our way and income going his way. He planted more than enough beets, carrots, broccoli and cabbage to get us through winter, but they are not quite ready yet. Some of them needed to be thinned out so that we can have larger beets and carrots – they need space to grow. And this is why we get beet greens with maybe the smallest, arguably the cutest little beets you’ve ever seen! (A helpful hint for using your beet greens- they are very closely related to chard and have a similar flavor and nutritional profile.)

These are both the joys and challenges of being part of a CSA – you get to support farmers through the tricky changes in seasons, but you may get items like green tomatoes or beet greens that are either at the end or the beginning of their prime and abundance. Be sure to check out our Winter Greens Guide if you are new or just want some reminders on what do with the various and abundant greens we will be getting in the months to come. Know that you are supporting local, even through the tough shoulder seasons, as we learn to make use of and appreciate the fresh, local produce we get in this season of gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!