Green Gate Farms: Last Week of Spring CSA, Farewells, Art, and More!
FARM STAND/ADVANCE ORDERS
- Farm Stand at Big Red Barn, East Austin (8310 Canoga Ave., Austin 78724)
- Open to all, Saturdays, 10-12
- Veggies, Flowers, Garden Plants and Breathtaking Beauty at our 1902 Historic Bergstrom Farm
- SNAP accepted (soon!)
This week at the farm stand you’ll find:
- Greens: Kale, Swiss Chard
- Root Veggies: Beets, Carrots
- Alliums: Onions (Red & Yellow), Garlic Chives, Garlic
- Herbs: Fennel Fronds, Mint, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil
- Other: Potatoes, Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Artichokes
- Brassicas: Napa Cabbage, Kohlrabi
- Plants for your Garden and Flower Bouquets!
- Baked Goods and Pickles - Made In House
Advance Orders via “REKO Ring”
- Place your order weekly at private Facebook page for touchless pick up on Saturday mornings from 10-12.
CSA NEWS
- Spring Veggie and Flower CSA Snapshot: This is the last week of the Spring Veggie CSA!
- No Summer Veggie CSA – food available at our farm stand and REKO Ring.
- Veggie CSA Spring Season, 10 weeks: March 31st - June 2nd, $25 share weekly/prorated
- Flower CSA Spring Season, 12 weeks: April 7-June 26, $20 bouquet weekly/prorated. (Or join for one month in May and/or June.)
- 5 pick-up locations in Austin and Bastrop, Wednesday/Saturdays
- Got a question about your food or flowers? Contact your Community Organizer, the volunteer who manages your pickup site and handles any issues that might arise.
FLOWER NEWS:
As the rain continues and the grasshopper population begins to explode, what brings me joy is the start of the lisianthus season. These thornless rose-like flowers are a favorite because they love heat and can last more than a week in a vase. Until there is an abundance of lisis, you may find buttercream sunflowers and trumpet lilies in your bouquet, or perhaps some sweet pea and delicate pink delphiniums. Regardless, we hope our flowers brighten your day as we begin June (the last four weeks of our flower season). Time to start planning for Fall blooms!
Feel free to pick up additional bouquets at our farm stand on Saturday mornings and tell your friends we have room for more members in our June Flower CSA. Also, we will be seeking Flower Workshares beginning in August so let us know if you’d like to trade four hours per week of farmwork for learning and free bouquets, flowers@greengatefarms.net.
FARM NEWS & EVENTS
Flower Crown Class! - June 19, 10:00. Just in time for Father’s Day. Bring your Dad and decorate his head (like we did with Farmer Skip, or bring your gal pals as we create flower crowns. After a farm tour, we’ll show you how to use grapevine, wildflowers and herbs to create a one-of-a-kind headdress. Fun for birthdays, celebrations, all ages. Last chance to enjoy a flower class on the farm until Fall. $75 per crown, price includes portrait.
Sign up here!
- Farm Camp for Adults! Have a farm or want one? The founders of GGF share their secrets (and mistakes), while advising on tools and techniques; Sunday June 27th, don't miss it!
- Cooking Class! June 19th, 12-2pm: Get some fresh ideas as our Farm-to-Table Intern Reese Bergschneider leads a cooking class at the Bergstrom farmhouse next month...stay tuned!
- Green Gate Gift Cards Available: Need something special for your friends and family? Give the gift of fresh, organic food while supporting our farm. We have Farm Bucks for all your celebrations.
AGRIHOOD NEWS:
Village Farm Presents: Kerry Beverly’s Art Exhibit– June 12th, 6pm-9pm at The Bergstrom Farm House!
Join us for the first Austin exhibit of Kerry Beverly’s landscape paintings. Located in the historic Bergstrom Farmhouse, the expansive vistas of rural Austin make it the perfect setting to enjoy Kerry’s art—the output of a mind most at peace dreaming of the clouds, open spaces, and big skies of Texas and the desert Southwest.
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After 13 years, our friend and food reporter Addie Broyles is stepping down from the Statesman. She will be missed! Read about her here.
GET INVOLVED!
- Volunteer on our farm! Shifts available in east Austin and Bastrop. No experience necessary. Just complete the volunteer form on our website and we’ll be in touch!
- Make a difference: Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (TOFGA) is the leading voice of education and advocacy for organic food production in Texas. As a member-run/funded organization, TOFGA includes farmers, ranchers, gardeners, dairies, cheese makers, soil amendment producers, nurseries, food markets, farmers markets, educators, students, eaters and more. Volunteers and donations welcome, see www.tofga.org.
FARMER UPDATE :
Notes From the Field: The Last Week of the Spring CSA & My Final Week On The Farm
By Farmer Kalina
Well folks, we made it to the end of the Spring CSA. It’s been a wild season, starting with the winter storm that almost wiped out our crops, and ending with towering green growth spurred by the incessant thunderstorms of May. The transformation at the farm over the past 10 weeks is has been incredible and daunting to watch. This week not only marks the end of the Spring season for us, but also marks the end of a chapter for me. After this week I will longer be the farm manager at Green Gate Farms.
I first came to Green Gate in September of 2018. I had just finished reading The One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka and Letters to a Young Farmer by Gene Logsdon and I had decided that I wanted to be a farmer. I began my time at Green Gate as a workshare. I came to the farm every Tuesday to lend a hand and learn as much as I could. Tuesdays quickly became my favorite day of the week. After six months as a workshare I moved up to field crew and got my first real taste of the huge amount of work farming is on a daily basis. I learned to do tasks efficiently and to look at the big picture of the season. To notice the different stages of growth and to anticipate the needs of each crop throughout their life cycle. This hunger to learn and commitment to being a part of the local farming community led me to the position of farm manager, which I took on last September.
For the last three seasons I fully emersed myself in the role of farm manager. It has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and challenges, and my knowledge has grown exponentially. From crop planning, to invoicing, to harvesting, to equipment maintenance– you name it, I’ve been doing it. It is this variety of tasks and the unlimited opportunities to learn more, that have me still working towards being a farmer three years later. For me, this is just the beginning of my journey.
My time at Green Gate Farms has given me a solid foundation and point to grow from as I continue to find my place in my small scale agriculture. The mentorship I received from Skip, Erin, and Matt, has been the best education. I am extremely grateful for the work they have done for me and this community to raise a generation of young farmers. I am also thankful for the support of our community organizators, of all of our CSA members, and of the numerous people doing the behind the scenes work that brings local food to this community. We as small scale farmers, rely on the support of our community to do the work that we believe in. I would not have been able to pursue this career or to learn what I have, without the support of this wonderful community that have chosen to be a part of and lift up their local food system. Again, thank you.
Spring CSA - Week 10 Veggie Share, LAST WEEK!
- Texas Red Garlic
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers - Suyo Long & Marketmore
- Purple Bush Beans
- Basil
Recipes From Kalina:
Tomato, Cucumber, Basil Salad - What better way to enjoy the first tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil of the season than this simple and classic recipe?
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Garlic-Parm Sauteed Zucchini - Use your zucchini in this simple recipe to highlight the flavor of our Texas Red Garlic!
Ginger, Carrot, and Sesame Green Beans - Get a little creative with your purple bush beans and carrots this week with this simple and delicious recipe!
