6-17-10

WHAT'S IN YOUR BASKET?

It was a full day at Full Bloom. We hit the road at 7:30 this morning with Matt and headed to the Pack Out for the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative. This cooperative CSA combines the efforts of 10 local farmers in order to make up to 140 boxes for CSA members. In addition to produce, and depending on your membership level, the boxes may also include: fresh eggs, breads, goat cheeses, meats, dried fruits, herbs, and flowers. All contributing farmers are organic and grow top notch produce. This is the second cooperative CSA we've worked with, and we find plenty of benefits with this system. For example, if one farmer is set to grow tomatoes for the CSA and for some reason their crop fails, there are surely at least one or two other farmers who are also growing tomatoes and can supply the CSA customers with the food. This method means means that different farmers can focus on a handful of crops to grow and make them excellent. Also, the customer still gets lots of diversity each week, and supports many local farmers instead of just one. The Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative CSA offers three box sizes, mini, small, and large so there is a perfect fit for everyone. This week, the boxes included some or all of the following produce: lettuce, kale, radishes, carrots, strawberries, onions, green garlic, scapes, dried pears, kohlrabi, turnips, salad mix, braising mix, peas, broccoli, chard, spinach, and dill. Aria and Matt contributed green garlic, scapes, and some kale. Rosie and Jo provided breads and Danny sent a few flower arrangements.

With so many hands on deck, boxes were packed quickly and we were back on the farm by 9:30am. Danny was here today, so Jen spent the rest of the morning helping him weed his organic flowers while Aaron helped Eden sand the bath house that is in progress. The flower garden is nice, and although most flowers haven't blossomed yet in a few weeks it'll be gorgeous and aromatic out there. Danny sells his flowers through the CSA and is hoping to expand his business to sell cut flowers to some restaurants or other local businesses in the future. We always think of organic agriculture as it relates to food, but giving thought to how flowers are grown is quite pertinent. The vast majority of flowers are heavily sprayed with chemicals and may smell nice, but are full of toxins. Organic flowers cost more, just like organic food, but when you consider how they were raised and the special love and care they were given, they seem worth it. How often do you really buy flowers?

The communal bath house was constructed about two years ago, and has been a work in progress since. The building is cob and strawbale and has a bathtub, two shower stalls, and an outdoor shower. With the floors tiled and the tub in place, it's finally time for painting. Aaron spent the morning with Eden sanding the walls in preparation for the afternoon swap when Jen helped start painting and Aaron helped Danny in the flower garden. The primer and paint being used are all no VOC (volatile organic compounds). This type of paint contains no toxins and provides clean air as well as reduces indoor pollution, something one rarely thinks about. But paint that contains VOCs, which most do, is bad for your health because it leaches toxins into the air years after the paint is applied. Common perception is that pollution is outdoors; but your indoor environment is just as susceptible to pollutants in the form of cleaning supplies, varnishes, and paints. Danger lurks everywhere, but can be avoided with smart decisions.

We enjoyed a communal meal for dinner to celebrate Ryan's 34th birthday. Ryan and Eden are raw vegans, so dinner was mostly raw, but featured cooked quinoa. It was tasty. Dessert was raw vegan ice cream sandwiches, which really gave chipwiches a run for their money.