As you can see we were quite excited and relieved to have successfully pushed the 30'x96' high tunnel 200' uphill into an easterly wind with 6 strong farmers (Dana took the photo). Under protection are the heirloom tomatoes. This moveable beast allows us to properly rotate crops using the three positions; lets the soil interact with the weather and climate when not covered; and gives us 2 or 3 protected moves a season. After the heirloom tomatoes wrap up in late summer we'll slide it to another position to protect greens for the winter and then sow a nourishing cover crop of rye and vetch where the tomatoes were.

It was with heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to our flowering crimson clover last Friday before the big rain event. This cover crop was sown along with oats and buckwheat last fall. The oats and buckwheat winter kill from the cold while the crimson clover hibernates and begins growing again in the spring, flowering in late April or early May. The bumblebee enjoyed the blossoms. Fortunately for the nectar loving pollinators there are patches of the clover left around the farm, as well as volunteering buckwheat, and soon our 2.5 acre pollinator habitat should be blooming with a variety of flowers.

Harvest #1 (Week A) should include kale, spinach, chard, bok choy, arugula, mizuna, broccoli raab, green garlic, oregano, mint, and winter savory. Some items will be a choice.

What is green garlic? Good question! It is the young/immature garlic plant, edible in its entirety. Simply use like a leek or a scallion.

Most of the greens this week can be used interchangeably in a salad, stir fried, sautéed, smoothied, or gently cooked on the stove top.

There may not be any u-pick this week as we attempt to round out the portion of the share that we harvest with herbs from the perennial herb garden. With the expected heat wave this week, crops should grow by leaps and bounds and u-pick should begin shortly. Strawberries, peas, and herbs picked by you aren't far away! Thank you for understanding.

Full Shares, Medium Shares, and Week A Half Shares pick up this week; Week B Half Shares will begin picking up next week, the week of Sunday May 21st.

When you signed up for your share you selected a pick up day to retrieve your share, either Monday 1-8pm, Thursday 1-8pm, or Saturday 10am-12noon.

The u-pick portion of your share can be collected 8am-8pm Monday-Sunday of your pick up week. Allotments for the farmer harvested share and u-pick portion will be specified in the pick up room. Staff will be available in the pick up room to assist new members. **There may not be any u-pick during the first couple weeks of pick up.**

**To find your balance and/or your pick up day and week Log In to the website. It is very important that you come on your correct and assigned pick up day since we harvest specific amounts for the number of members coming on that day. Sign in sheets are provided by the pick up room when you arrive to collect your share.**

If you need to temporarily switch your pick up day please let us know by 5pm Sunday prior to your pick up week. If you need to make a permanent day switch please let us know as soon as possible.

Workshifts this week:

Tuesday 5/16 10-12noon

Wednesday 5/17 10am-12noon

Sunday 5/21 10am-12noon

Workshift sign-up instructions may be found here.

Thank you!

Some of you may still have a balance on your CSA share. Please remit as soon as possible to help us avoid having to make phone calls! Let's say the due date is May 31st, 2017.

Log in to view your balance or send us an e-mail (anchorruncsa@gmail.com).

Would you like to eat the BEST organically-raised and pastured chicken, pork, and beef? Ledamete Grass Farm offers a chicken and also a pork share with pick up at our farm. Each month over the course of our season they'll also set up a monthly market stand, but there are discounts for joining their CSA. Drop offs for their meat CSA also occur once a month for 6 months. For more information and to sign up follow this link to their website.