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2020 Shares, Snow Arrives & Fall Shares

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2020 Shares, Snow Arrives & Fall Shares
This Week's Fall Vegetable Harvest:
  • Lacinato (Tuscan) Kale
  • Beautyheart Radishes
  • Garlic
  • Mixed Herbs (Oregano, Thyme & Rosemary)
  • 'Cameo' Apples - from Mick Klug Farm, St. Joseph, MI
  • Russet Potatoes - from Igl Farms, Antigo, WI
  • Brussel Sprouts - from Harmony Valley Farm, Viroqua, WI
  • Cranberries - from Mick Klug Farm, St. Joseph, MI
  • Crimini Mushrooms - from River Valley Ranch, Burlington, WI
*Note: Due to the cold temperatures, all shares will be packed into wax boxes this week. We ask that you unpack your share into your own bags or return the wax box to us next week. Thank you! 
Farm Journal
Good morning from the farm!

We began this week with a sense of quiet after a flurry of activity last week to prepare for snow and cold temperatures.
Jeff and I spent the weekend focused on preparing the farm for deep winter. We gave our crew a day off from the cold on Monday. We installed heaters in coolers to keep produce warm, added more fabric cover to tender greens in our hoophouses and gave our animals plenty of extra food, water and wind protection. The farm is mostly ready for winter, despite the fact we are not! This is evidenced by our mud room featuring a variety of summer, fall and winter boots and shoes at the ready.
This weekend, we also began new indoor routines including planning the remaining "fall" work with our farm crew, revamping our website, launching 2020 shares (details below!), catching up on record keeping and trying a few new recipes in the farm kitchen. 
We still have quite a bit to accomplish before we rest for winter. Our remaining work will include our final popcorn harvest, washing our remaining fall crops, installing winter protections on our trees and shrubs, and receiving and storing our Vermont Compost (potting soil) until seeding starts in February to name a few. Thanks to sunlight, the encouragement of our members and positive attitudes of crew members here at the farm, we'll get everything done before the winter sun sets on the 2019 growing season.

Enjoy this week's share of the harvest!
Your farmers, 
Jeff, Jen and the farm crew
2020 Prairie Wind Farm Share Registration Open

Farm Share membership is a very important part our farm business. We're thankful for our 2019 farm share members! As a farm share member, you have contributed to improving our three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. Read more below about how we approach these pillars within our farm business.

Please join us for the 2020 growing season! We're grateful for your support and to show our gratitude, we are again offering discounts for our renewing members:
  • Save 5%.  The 5% discount is available to all members through December 25th and can be applied to the Spring/Summer/Fall Vegetable Package Share and/or the Summer Fruit Package Share. Please use discount code renew at checkout.
  • NEW! Save 3%. We value your help to share us with your friends and family! The 3% discount is available to your friends and family through December 25th and can be applied to the Spring/Summer/Fall Vegetable Package Share and/or the Summer Fruit Package Share. They can use the discount code friends at checkout.
Based on member feedback, here are a couple of updates we've made to the program for the upcoming season:
  • We're refreshed our website. We added (and will continue to add more!) information and resources for you.
  • We're extending the Fruit Share Season. We added two additional weeks to our Summer Fruit season. To do this, our new calendar will include a Mid-Summer Share.
  • We're consolidating delivery dates. We consolidated delivery dates from 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) to 2 days (Wednesday and Thursdays). Please see the 2020 Pickup Sites page for details. This change will allow our farm to run more smoothly while still providing the flexibility and service you've come to expect.
  • We continue to offer payment plans. This year, you can select this option prior to checking out online. Please contact us if you have questions. 
  • We're happy to accommodate. We know life is busy! If you're unable to make to a pickup, we're happy to coordinate alternative pickup arrangements for your shares. 
Sharing food with our community is at the heart of our farm. Your membership and support makes this possible.

Thank you for making us your farm! 
LAST CHANCE! Pastured Local Turkeys Available 
Reserve a local, pasture-raised, organic-fed heritage turkey for a special Thanksgiving dinner from our friends at All Grass Farms.

Farmer Cliff raises Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys which are moved to pasture at 3 weeks of age.  They are free range in and around portable shelters with their shelters being moved daily.  They are fed certified organic, non-GMO feed mixture from day one with no antibiotics or growth hormones.  They are processed at 17-19 weeks for maximum flavor and they are humanely processed at local, family-owned USDA inspected facility.

  • Weights range from 15-25 lbs. We will do everything we can to provide you with a turkey in your desired weight range. Turkeys are frozen and packaged in a vacuum-sealed bag. Heart, liver, neck, and gizzard included inside each turkey.
  • $35 deposit per turkey due at time of order. You will be invoiced with your total at $5.95/lb. (less your deposit) due upon pickup.
  • Turkeys will be available for pickup from the farm Thursday, November 21 from 3:30 to 7:00pm. Alternative arrangements may be made if needed.
  • Reserve yours HERE
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Many of the fall crops store nicely for months. While kale and mushrooms should be used within 1-2 weeks, you can dry the herbs by hanging upside down in a dry area of your home. Root crops (e.g., beautyheart radishes, celery root, rutabaga, carrots, turnips) can be stored within plastic in your refrigerator for weeks. Potatoes and garlic are best stored within a cool, 50 degree dark space. Cranberries can be kept in a plastic bag and used within several weeks, or into a ziplock bag in your freezer for use at a later date. 
Recipes and Ideas from the Farm Kitchen

Simple Homemade Ramen (pictured above)
Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake
Garlic Butter Crimini Mushrooms
Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms Gratin
Spicy Tuscan Kale and Ricotta Pie
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... pie pumpkins, onions, cranberries, parsnips, carrot and more!

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