What’s In a Share?
moving through the seasons with the CSA

 

fresh vegetable and fruit crops vary through the year, while the dry goods are fairly consistent

Vegetable-wise, the SUMMER provides traditional lettuces/greens, a variety of veges and herbs. FALL moves into squashes, roots and heartier greens. WINTER provides apples and dried fruit, more roots (storage crops), and thanks to greenhouses and tunnels the fresh leafy greens continue even after the ground freezes.  In SPRING, locally grown vegetables are just not in nature’s plan although a wide variety of leafy greens, spring onions and garlic may grow abundantly as the weather begins to warm and daylight lengthens.  (Spring greens are excellent as March and April are a tradition time of "spring cleaning" our bodies.) 

Expect Spring and Fall to be the time for abundant greens while Summer and Winter have more of other vegetables.  Any thin times are filled in with extra dry goods.

The Crop Chart shows what the Kimberton CSA farm has planned for the seasons.  Updates are occasionally posted on the member's MIGHTY NETWORK with the weekly share list. 

Fresh fruit varies through the year with a good supply of apples in fall and berries in summer if the bugs and birds don't get to them first. There is less fruit in summer than one would expect until more local, Biodynamic or organic farms surface - this is beginning to happen as demand increases and our CSA is contributing to this.  Avocado, mango and meyer lemons are offered as superior health foods from a very special farm in Florida.  Delicious dried fruit is given when fresh is not available. 

We call the additional items "supplements" which include the weekly half dozen eggs while a rotation of cheese, bread and other grains and legumes round out the shares year round providing whole foods for a balanced diet. 

  • Eggs are truly free-range and organic from Amish farms

  • Dried fruit comes from Biodynamic and organic farms we have worked with for many years

  • Cheese is made by Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, and is raw, aged over 60 days

    > Bread comes from Sweetwater Bakery and is made from certified Biodynamic wheat freshly ground on a stone mill, literally hand made, and baked in a wood fire stone oven according to protocol set by Rudolf Steiner (www.camphillkimberton.org/bakery/). All of the bread in CSA shares is 100% whole-grain and slow-rise from sourdough starter rendering it suitable even for many people who are considered wheat intolerant. It is hearty and wholesome, and normally holds up a week or more. We rotate 6-7 varieties for a total of about 10 times in a season. (Other varieties are available to order including gluten-free)

  • Grains and legumes are staples to round out a nutritious diet; we offer popular ones according to member surveys e.g. brown rice, quinoa, rolled oats, lentils, chick peas, black beans, white beans.

    > Some very special items, such as Biodynamic Raw Apple Cider and Apple Cider Vinegar, or Really Raw Honey, are offered as available to introduce members to them and to support those providers as well. Usually included in spring when there is less fresh food.

Here are sample shares throughout the year
Keep in mind there is more variety in Summer and more weight in Winter

Summer
8 oz Perpetual Spinach or Swiss Chard
head lettuce
zucchini and/or yellow squash
fresh peas or beans
European cucumber
eggplant
tomatoes
bunch parsley
watermelon or cantaloupe
1/2 doz eggs, organic
Mountain Brown Bread or qt size bag of grain
8 oz cheese

Fall
bok choi or tot soi
kale
lettuce
peppers
beets
butternut squash
fennel
cilantro
potatoes
1/2 doz eggs
apples
lentils

Winter
Greens, rotating kinds
salad mix
Chinese cabbage
carrots
onions
turnips or beets
sweet potatoes
lemon
dried fruit
oatmeal Bread
1/2 doz Eggs

Spring
arugula
romaine or other lettuce
mustard greens
spinach
kale
radishes with greens
bunch spring onions or spring garlic
mushrooms
fresh rosemary
almonds
quinoa
1/2 doz eggs