Neighbors

By Alyssa

Last night, driving home in the dark, I saw a badger in the driveway! At first, I thought it was an opossum because of its shape and size, but as it turned toward my headlights I saw its squat little face and its black-and-white striped snout. It seemed to be having a conversation over dinner with a large owl, who flew away as I approached. I was on the phone with a friend, and they started laughing at me because I was so excited. I have lived and worked in several places where badger signs are present. But I had never seen a badger! They are nocturnal and live underground, so it is far more common to see signs of their lives than it is to see the animals themselves.

This time of year, when we are tilling and planting and rushing to fill the fields, it is especially easy for me to get laser-focused on the goings-on of the farm. My attention is on the fields and the lives being lived in those spaces. But there are so many other lives being lived here, in all those nooks of the farm to which my daily labors never bring me: in the grasslands; in the groves of eucalyptus; in the ponds, the creeks, the ditches. Like the little wild mint that grows in the drainage ditches here that smells like my childhood – it grew in the creek and the old road behind my grandparents’ house where we would look for tadpoles after school.

The last time I was up at the pond, there were strings of frog eggs floating in the shallows. As they hatch into tadpoles and become frogs, they may never know I exist. They may live out all the dramas of their lives right there on the muddy shore without ever knowing what we do in the fields below. But the way we do our work here matters. The choices that Seth and Sarah have made throughout the years to work with the land rather than against it – to work without pesticides, to practice rotational grazing, to maintain biodiversity in the fields, to restore the watershed that flows out by the tunnels... All those choices and more are what hold the space for all those other lives, all those other worlds. Our work, our stewardship of this land, feeds far more than just you and me. I may never cross paths with all of our neighbors, but when I do, I hold those meetings close to my heart.

Upcoming Event: Farm Potluck Friday May 5/30 at 6:00 pm

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Fresh garlic

• Fava Beans

• Scallions

• Kale

• Lettuce Mix Tuesday, Spinach Friday

• Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

We also have new items for sale in the barn!

Open Field Farm youth t-shirts, adult sweatshirts, and tote bags with a new log designed by Cici. We love them and hope you do too. We are also open to suggestions about other items: adult tees, hats, and more.

Plus we have gorgeous naturally tanned sheepskins!

Fava beans and greens with ground lamb and onions

I love fava beans in the spring. They come when we have little other food, and they are so verdant and delicious. While laborious, the shelling of them can either be a lovely meditative solo task, or a festive communal effort. This weekend, my friend did the fava bean labor while I cooked the rest of the meal. I stir fried some blanched and shelled favas with whatever greens I had on hand, a lot of garlic, and a lot of mint and parsley. I served that over rice with ground lamb that I had cooked with a massive onion, some sumac, and my favorite spice blend to use with our meats, Sonoma Spice Queen’s Ethiopian berbere blend. It is a splurgey spice, but worth it! I love it with both our lamb and our beef. Some more herbs to garnish, and some toasted pine nuts, too. 

Blue

By Alexis

I have spent a lot of hours weeding in the perennials lately. This is one area of the farm that does not get grazed upon by our livestock - nor does it get mulched, mowed or tilled. It is home to the plants that die back every winter, and come back every spring. They grow back in various ways; some grow back on old dead branches that appear dead, or others from mature, hardened rhizome roots. Most people identify plants from their flowers, but currently, the only way to know our plant friends is by the leaves - as they have not yet flowered into spring. The weeding is tedious yet in this time I have witnessed the portal of death as a renewal. 

While in the perennials a few weeks ago I lost my water bottle, and the next morning I was feeling… blue.  While doing chores, our farm baby Julio came up to me, from what seemed out of nowhere (I’m easily caught off guard). He was holding up my water bottle to me. I was so happy and thought it was so funny because Julio already has a fixation with water bottles. Then, while he was looking at my waterproof apron, I heard him say his third (or fourth.. or fifth) word. He said “blue” - the color of my apron. This made me smile real big and changed my mood for the rest of the day. I listened to music and danced for a while, looking up at the vast sky - blue. 

On another note, we have begun to plant herbs and flowers in the flower field! The first thing we planted in the soil was Dahlias. This was my first time planting Dahlias, and Celeste guided me through it. When we finished planting Celeste said a few prayers, one of which made me kinda emotional - I feel there’s a common theme here about me being emotional, which is weird because my zodiac is mostly fire, earth and air. Anyways, get ready for flower season! We are also planting lots of herbs for your tea pleasures! One herb we plant is marshmallow, which is one of my favorite herbs. This plant dates back to Egypt and was used to make the original fluffy marshmallow treat we all love. It has a medicinal affinity for your mucous membrane, the first line of defense in your immune system. Below is a recipe for actual marshmallow!

Upcoming Event: Farm Potluck Friday May 5/30 at 6:00 pm

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Fresh garlic

• Fava Beans

• Scallions

• Kale

• Spinach

• Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Homemade Marshmallow

• 1 cup water divided

• 3 tbsp grass fed gelatin

• 1 cup raw honey

• 1/2 tsp salt

• ½ tsp vanilla bean powder

• 1 tbsp marshmallow root powder

• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder

Pour half (½ cup) of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer and pour the gelatin on top to bloom. It will take about 10 minutes to fully bloom.

In the meantime, add the second ½ cup of water, honey, and salt into a small pot on the stovetop with a candy thermometer. Toggle the heat between medium to high, also avoid stirring the mixture after the first minute to prevent the mixture from boiling over. You want the temperature to get between 230°-240°F (110-115° C), this will take an estimate of 10-14 minutes.

Turn the stand mixer on low to mix the gelatin, and slowly pour the honey mixture into the stand mixer. Slowly increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture has reached “peak” meaning your mixture will look and feel like pure marshmallow fluff. This takes an estimate of 6-10 minutes, in the last minute add in the marshmallow root powder, and vanilla bean powder.

During the 6-10 minutes your marshmallows are beating, prepare a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Dust the parchment paper with half (¼ cup) of the arrowroot powder.

When the marshmallow is at its peak, quickly scoop it into the pan and flatten the top with an offset spatula. Dust the rest of the arrowroot powder onto the top of the parchment paper.

Gently place parchment paper over the 9x9 pan, and let the marshmallow set overnight.

The following day, take out the parchment paper by flipping the pan over onto a cutting board. Take off the parchment paper from the marshmallow, and use a sharp knife to cut the marshmallows into squares.

Enjoy the marshmallows right away, or place them into a glass jar and store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Sheep Profiles

By AJ

Here is a close-up of some of the sheep in our herd (i will probably do more of these):

Anya-Lets start with the star of the show. IF you glace out at the herd, the first thing most folx notice is the singular black sheep in our flock of seemingly homogeneous beings. Anya is a classic trope, in that she carries the characteristics of a “black sheep”-- she likes to deviate from the homogeneity. She also seems to enjoy imparting the black sheep wisdom onto her offspring. 

Aster- Anya’s offspring. She was the first lamb born this year and one of the few lambs we will bebe keeping from this lambing season.

Ugg- Aster’s sire (her biological father). And the sire of all the lambs from the last two years. Ugg is a butthead. And a majesty. He was showing signs of aggression last season and we’ve had to put a lot of work into making sure he stays calm and safe (including infrastructure). In his new environment, with his new friends, he has been thriving and responding well to our efforts to work with him. He as grown on me, immensely. Even so, Ugg is not going to continue to procreate in our herd and he is also the reason why we are not keeping most of the lambs from the past 2 years. 

Olivia- Olivia is one of the three of the “elders” of the herd. I fondly refer to her as a “trash baby”. Primarily because when she is shorn, it really brings out all her bumps and funks, resulting in a rather scrappy vibe. I dig a scrappy vibe.

Upcoming Event: Farm Potluck Friday May 5/30 at 6:00 pm

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Celeriac

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Fresh garlic

• Asparagus ( Last week.)

• Fava Beans

• Scallions

• Kale

• Lettuce Mix

• Spinach

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Recipe: Fava beans!

I have no recipe for fava beans, but i have been using them in lieu of peas, as a side or in fried rice. I pop them out of the shells and then boil them for a couple minutes until I see small cracks in the skin. Then I pop them out and salt them or toss them in my dish. 

Mindset

By Stephanie

Yesterday, while harvesting asparagus I was not in the best mood. It was hot, it was the end of the day and we were rushing to get as much done as we could before the day ended. My bare hands were scrapping against last years brittle asparagus stocks and the wood chips we’ve laid down as mulch, and as I received my fifth splinter in my hand, I caught myself whispering cuss words at the stock that got me. I realized that this is not the way I want to be talking to the plants and not the mindset I want to have while harvesting food. I took a moment to look at the green hills around me, the little white wispy clouds in the sky and remembered that there actually no where else I’d rather be than being cut up by wood chips. “Enjoy the work” is something I’ve been trying to embody going into this farming season and felt like this was a time where I was able to change my energy and end interacting with the plants in a more positive way. Going into this farming season, I’m anticipating having days and tasks much harder than my experience in the asparagus, but I’m going in confident that I do enjoy the work even if it just sometimes takes a second to remember that. 

Upcoming Event: Farm Potluck Friday May 5/30 at 6:00 pm

Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Celeriac

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Fresh garlic

• Asparagus ( We are hoping we have enough to give a limited quantity both days.)

• Fava Beans

• Fennel

• Scallions

• Kale

• Lettuce Mix

• Spinach

• Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Fresh Fava Beans

•  fava beans with their pod

• 3 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium size onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup water

• ¼ cup fresh dill or parsley chopped

Optional Garnish:

• Red pepper flakes

• Fresh dill

• Lemon

Remove the fava beans from their pods.

Make a small slit on each bean.

Fill a saucepan with boiling water. Add in salt and stir.

Soak the beans in this hot salty water for about 10 minutes. Then peel their shells.

Heat olive oil in a pan and cook onions and garlic until translucent.

Add in shelled fava beans and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in salt and water. Cook over medium low heat until tender, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit. Then add in chopped fresh dill or parsley and give it a good stir.

Serve with red pepper flakes, fresh dill and lemon slices.

Picture Books

By Seda

One thing I love to reminisce about are all the picture books I read when I was young. Some of them expressed morals and lessons, some were adventure tales, my favorites were the ones full of interesting detailed illustrations. Some of my most memorable include Ferdinand the Bull and Strega Nona, among many others. 

Seeing all the lupine flowers out in the rolling green hills reminded me of a book I totally forgot about. It's about Miss Rumphius, who, after a life of travels, returns to her seaside community in Maine where she takes long walks over the hills next to the sea spreading lupine seeds everywhere she goes. Everyone thinks she's crazy until spring rolls around and the hills are blooming with lupine. She is thereafter dubbed the Lupine Lady. 

I incorrectly assumed this story took place in California, as we have rolling green hills sprinkled with lupine but apparently we are not the only ones so privileged. I do like to imagine that here on the west coast we have our own version of the Lupine Lady, though she might take the form of the birds and the wind spreading the seed of lupine across the hills. 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Green Cabbage

• Green garlic

• Asparagus ( We are hoping we have enough to give a limited quantity both days.)

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce Mix

• Spinach

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

What I’ve been having for lunch lately:

Eggs salad on bed of mixed greens

• 2 hard boiled eggs 

• 3 Tbsp mayo

• 1 tbs mustard

• 1 tsp ACV

• Pinch of cayenne 

• Pinch of paprika 

• Salt and pepper to taste 

• Dash of olive oil 

• 1/2 green garlic chopped

• Pickled beets

• 1/4 cup Chopped parsley

Combined and serve over greens:

Half cup chopped fava greens 
Half cup chicores or lettuce

Little Garden Limbo (a.k.a. the Best Kind of Break)

By Celeste

There’s this funny little window of time every year—after I’ve finished processing peppers but before I head over to the flower field to get to work. It’s kind of a limbo, but in the best way. Lately, I’ve been spending that in-between time helping Kelsey and Alexis.

We recently gave the herb circle a full refresh: weeded, added compost, mulched it up—the whole spa treatment. If you’ve walked by recently, you’ve probably noticed how good it’s looking .

It’s open for harvesting, so feel free to snip some chives or grab a handful of spearmint next time you’re nearby.

With the herb circle thriving, our attention has shifted to the perennial garden, tucked right next to the flower field. We’re deep in the weeding phase and clearing space to tuck in more herbs soon. The dream is to get it just as beautiful and functional as the herb circle—another little pocket of the farm for you to enjoy and gather from.

Even the “in-between” moments on the farm end up being full of life. It’s all part of the rhythm out here—pepper hands, herbal limbo, then flowers.

Speaking of flowers! Our first sowing was back on March 17, and today we’re already onto our third. This round includes rudbeckias, snapdragons, sweet peas, strawflowers, gomphrena, and hibiscus—just to name a few. I’ll drop a couple pictures below of the sprouts from that first sowing so you can see how things are growing.

Thanks for following along—we can’t wait to share more bloom magic with you soon.

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Yaya Carrots

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Cabernet Red and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Green garlic

• Asparagus ( We are hoping we have enough to give a limited quantity both days.)

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Chicory Mix

• Lettuce Mix

• Spinach

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Toasted Sesame and Furikake Cabbage Salad, from food52.com

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 1/4 cup Japanese mayo

• 1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon tahini

• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 medium green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 3 to 4 tablespoons furikake, plus more for garnish

Add the sesame seeds to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Toast, tossing frequently, until deeply golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until sandy in texture. There should still be some whole seeds present in the mixture.

In a medium bowl combine the crushed seeds, mayo, rice vinegar, tahini, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Whisk until fully combined, then set aside.

Add the cabbage to a very large bowl and sprinkle over with your desired amount of furikake and dressing. Toss thoroughly until the cabbage is fully coated, transfer to a platter, top with more furikake and serve.

What is a farmer?

By Ellie

Whenever I tell someone that I’m a farmer they say, “You don’t look like a farmer!” And I never know what to say back. What do you think people mean by that? It’s made me reflect on what it means to be a farmer. I believe that anybody can farm if they want to.

The first season that I farmed, I honestly hated it because it was so hard. I was exhausted, I was hot, I didn’t know what I was doing and did I say I was exhausted? After my first week I remember telling my roommates that I’ll never do this again but I pushed through the season until it was over in the winter. When I looked back on my first season throughout that winter I found myself appreciating the things I learned and did and decided to do it again the following spring and summer. Now here I am, 5 years later. 

I learned to appreciate the hard work that is farming because I believe that it’s worth it. I farm because I provide good, local and nutritious food for my community. I farm because it’s a tangible step I can take to fight climate change. I farm because I want to learn about plants, climate, seasons, soil and people. To me being a farmer is so much more than work and I can’t wait to share another season with all of you. 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours start this week: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Harvest Moon Purple

• Yaya Carrots

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Asparagus ( We are hoping we have enough to give a limited quantity both days.)

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Chicory Mix

• Lettuce Mix

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Recipe: I’ve been making a lot of biscuits lately and farm flour works great!

• 2 cups farm flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup cold butter

• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt 

Cut in cold butter until crumbly

Make a well in the middle of the bowl and pour in milk then mix with a fork until the batter pulls away from the bowl

Knead 10 times on a floured surface then roll out to 1 inch thick

Cut into circles (I use a mason jar)

Place onto a cast iron and bake for 12-13 min

Website

By Kelsey

I love it when Sarah gives me writing projects. Especially on rainy gray days, I like to get cozy with a pot of coffee and my laptop and let the words flow. It's a welcome change of pace after a busy season of fieldwork. I think in another life perhaps I could have been a writer. But in this one, I hate the feeling of having homework constantly looming, so I chose a job that, most of the time, requires me to stop working when the sun sets, at the very latest. Still, it's fun to dip my toes into a different lifestyle every now and then.  

One of my winter projects has been updating the Open Field Farm website. As I've been writing about different aspects of the farm over the last few months, I've noticed my appreciation for this land and this community deepening (which is saying something, because it was already pretty deep!). Please excuse me while I sing our own praises here for a second, but trying craft into words the full scope of what this Open Field Farm project aims to do, our guiding principles, the contours of the land, and the fundamental desire for growth and connection that underlies it all, instills me with feelings of hope and awe. And though you'll never hear Sarah saying these things, self-effacing and humble as she is, it is her vision, leadership, and generosity that are the guiding forces behind what makes this place so special. I feel most in my element when I am helping her realize some aspect of her dream for the farm (sorry Sarah, but its true).

Anyway, this is all to say: go check out the website! We are still putting the finishing touches on, but please feel free to peruse the updated content and photos. Note: I recommend checking it out on your laptop or desktop because it does not look good in the mobile version... maybe there's someone reading this who could help us with that??

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours start this week: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Harvest Moon Purple

• Yaya Carrots

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Asparagus ( We are hoping we have enough to give a limited quantity both days.)

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Chicory Mix

• Lettuce Mix

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Parmesan Baked Rutabaga, from https://www.peelwithzeal.com/parmesan-baked-rutabaga/

• 2 pounds rutabagas

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ cup fresh grated parmesan divided

• ⅓ cup stock

Preheat the oven to 375°. Peel and slice the rutabagas crosswise into rounds, about ⅛ inch thick.

Place the oil in a large bowl, and stir in half the parmesan, the garlic, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.

Layer the rutabaga slices into sideways stacks in the baking dish. They should be tight enough that the slices stay upright. Pour over the stock. Cover with foil and bake until the edges and tops are golden brown and the center is tender, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining parmesan, cook 5 to 10 minutes to melt. Garnish with extra thyme

Cleaning Projects

By Alyssa

One of the things farmers do in the winter is clean and fix everything. This year, I have spent a chunk of my winter hours deep-cleaning some of our barns. It was on the docket last year, but we were too short-staffed in the winter to do much. This year, since we have kept on our whole crew, we have had time to do so much!

First up was the straw barn, where we store not only straw, but also all of our tarps and sandbags, all of our row covers, and many other odd bits and bobs. I swept and reorganized and scraped all the dirt and growing weeds up off the concrete in front of the barn. Jesse rebuilt part of the floor and put in a new support beam, so that it is safer and easier for us to bring things in and out from the barn.

Second up has been the storage barn aka Danny’s barn aka the milk barn (no name has ever really stuck). It is the barn right next to the bathroom and the herb room. Holy cow, did we have a lot of junk in there! Not just trash, but things we’ve saved for a rainy day, equipment we no longer use, and so. much. raccoon poop. There was a pile of old electric fencing that has been back there since I started working here, just covered in raccoon poop. Throwing that out was one of the grosser things I’ve done at this job, and that’s saying a lot! But it has been deeply satisfying.

We have also deep-cleaned the potting shed, including sharpening all our hoes and oiling all our tool handles. I have begun to reorganize the irrigation shed, where we keep all our little irrigation pieces and trellising supplies. I’ve been able to sell some of our old equipment to other local farms, and offer other things to the community for free. I’ve learned so much about how to properly dispose of different types of waste – Zero Waste Sonoma is awesome. I miss touching plants, but the inside spaces of the farm are looking a lot cleaner these days, which will make the rest of our season so much more pleasant. Happy spring cleaning!

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours start this week: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Harvest Moon Purple and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon Radish

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Chicory Mix

• Lettuce Mix

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Carrot Leek Soup with Miso, from nytimes.com

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 cups peeled, cubed carrots (from about 6 medium carrots)

• 2 medium leeks, white part only, chopped

• Salt and black pepper

• 8 cups water or vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons yellow or white miso

• 1 small lime

• Thinly sliced chives, for garnish (optional)

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter starts to sizzle, add carrots and leeks. Season generously with salt and pepper, and stir to coat well. Sauté for a minute or 2, then add water (or broth, if using). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. As soup simmers, taste and add salt as needed. Cook until carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.

Once the soup is cooled, reserve 2 cups liquid, then purée the remaining contents of the pot in a blender. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender in the pot.) Use reserved liquid to adjust the purée’s thickness, adding just enough so the consistency is that of a thin milkshake.

To serve, heat soup and whisk in miso. Divide among 4 bowls. Grate a little lime zest over each bowl. Quarter the lime and add a good squeeze of lime juice into each bowl. Scatter with chives, if using.

In Defense of Bugs

By Cici

While I was at Davis, I took a vegetable and crop production course that focused on large-scale conventional vegetable farming practices. As part of the class, we took a trip to the Central Valley to visit farms and see real-world applications of what we had been learning. One farm we toured stood out—it deviated slightly from conventional practices while still operating on a large scale. They dedicated significant acreage to experimenting with less disruptive tillage methods, cover crop rotations, and new technologies aimed at reducing weed pressure with minimal herbicide use.

During a Q&A after the tour, the farm manager said something that stuck with me:
"Really, we wouldn’t need to do this much if consumers were just more okay with finding bugs in their greens from time to time."

As someone more interested in small-scale, organic farming, I’ve kept this quote in my back pocket. Many people dismiss anything that doesn’t align with conventional agriculture, arguing well you can expect to feed everyone with that. And yes, the system is complex—cycles of pests and disease maintained by wartime chemical interventions, the socioeconomics of government subsidies, food treated as stock. But amidst all this complexity, there are simple, no-strings-attached solutions—like just being okay with a bug.

The days of subsistence farming are long gone, and with so many people working indoors, few encounter these bugs daily—except for maybe us, your farmers! So, a bug in your greens is a thread connecting our work to you. It’s proof of all the little worlds outside of us, proof of all that lives in spite of us, and proof that no invisible, insidious substance is left behind on your vegetables—because otherwise, they wouldn’t be there!

If you still find yourself uncomfortable with the creepy crawlies that may hitch a ride into your home, think about removing those bugs from your veg the way you would remove an eyelash from the face, no biggie —and maybe even make a wish on that little bug.

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours start this week: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Harvest Moon Purple and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon Radish

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Rubro

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce Mix

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Irish Colcannon, from billyparisi.com

• 8 ounces unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup whole milk

• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

• 8 ounces sliced bacon, thickly sliced

• 1 thinly sliced leek

• 1 head thinly sliced savoy cabbage, stem removed

• 2 pounds peeled and thinly sliced russet potatoes

• 2 pounds peeled and thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes

• 1 bunch thinly sliced green onions

• salt and ground white pepper to taste

Add the butter, milk, and cream to a medium size pot, and heat over very low heat. Keep warm.

Next, add the bacon to a large rondeau pot or frying pan over medium heat and cook until very crispy and browned, which takes about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, and then add the leeks to the pan and cook them in the rendered bacon fat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in the cabbage, season with salt, and cook over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes or until very tender. Keep warm.

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until tender. They should cook in that amount of time if you thinly slice them.

Before removing the potatoes, quickly mix in the green onions with the warm milk and butter mixture just to heat them up.

Strain the potatoes completely and then mash them through a food mill.

Fold in the butter-milk and green onion mixture until combined and then fold in the cabbage, bacon, salt, and pepper until combined. Serve.

Brief Overview

By Alexis

Anytime I mention to someone, and I mean anytime, that i work on a farm the response is always the same, "oh, what do you do there?". Today I decided to give you all a VERY brief overview of the labor that goes into your food. This does not include any of the meat. 

Spring

Filling seed trays with soil and spend hours sowing trays of seeds,  making sure they are labeled, watered, and in an adequate location within the greenhouse. 

Water greenhouse (yearround) - as we get into the season the greenhouse and shadehouse become so full it can take an up to an hour to water everything. 

Start transplanting into tunnels. This means we must prepare the plant beds by broadforking, wheelhoe-ing, and raking each bed. Then placing compost at the start of the season. 

Cover fields with tarp using tractor and sandbags to prepare for planting. This helps to kill weeds, grass and make a new clean slate of soil. When its time to plant, we will uncover the tarp/sandbags as we go. 

Redig multiple field trenches for main irrigation lines. Re- establish 200 ft irrigation lines, making sure all the connections are accurate and lines are drained and inspected for holes/leaks. 

Summer/Fall 

Use tractor and attachments to transplant greenhouse babies into the fields. Sitting on the attachment that places plants in the soil  is an arm workout! But the use of the tractor makes a big difference on a farm of this scale. We also have a water tractor to heavy water plants directly after being planted. Some plants are hand planted.*  

Spend hours weeding the fields and chatting about anything under the sun, listening to podcasts/audiobooks/music. 

Harvest, harvest, harvest. CLEAN tons and tons of fresh produce from the field. Some of these are preserved in the freezer to use throughout the year so we will also bag/store some. 

 We also carry these 50+ lb bags from the freezer to the CSA barn every week of the year for your CSA shares. 

Winter

Clean up everything we put into fields, including irrigation, trellises and other. Clean the barn, office space and other spaces. 

Make soil potting mix. Combine material from several resources to make a nutrient dense bed for seeds. Haul over huge bag of soil to potting shed with forklift, as needed throughout the year. 

Order new seeds. Prune back perennials. Process Dahlias. 

Process all the herbs and make tea blends. Sow seeds for spring plantings/greenhouse plantings. 

Like I said, this is brief and I'm sure that I am missing many activities. But I hope this helps! 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

CSA Barn Hours:

• Summer hours start this week: 2:30-6:30 pm!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Scallions

• Rubro and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

FAVA beans are very versatile, you can replace them for spinach in your recipes. And you can replace them for basil in your pesto! They are rich in vitamins and minerals like folate, manganese, copper and phosphorus. 

Pasta With Fava Greens

1. Bring a large stockpot 2/3 full of water to a boil. Salt liberally. Cook pasta according to box instructions. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add in the fava greens. As soon as they turn bright green (this should only take a few seconds), immediately strain and transfer the pasta and fava greens to a bowl.

2. Garnish with olive oil, grated cheese, and pepper to taste. 

Veggie Crew

By Seda

I have been here at Open Field Farm for coming up on a year. Crazy, it went by fast. For me, last season was full of flowers and herbs, barn chores, sorting and washing veggies, and of course getting to know CSA members. One of the highlights this past season was working in the CSA barn twice a week, seeing where all the food goes and witnessing the community hub that is the CSA barn. I enjoyed the liveness of Tuesdays and Fridays, seeing the parking lot start to fill around 2:30, and the crunch of having everything set up in time. While I won’t miss the stress dreams about sorting endless amounts of peppers, I will miss not being around the barn all the time, sharing recipes and chatting with all of you! 

As I transition to veggie crew this season, I get to learn a whole other side of the farm, oh there's so much to learn! I am a little nervous, rumor has it veggie crew kicks your butt, but I am nevertheless excited to learn what really goes on in all those fields and I feel good knowing that everything that we grow is going into good and appreciative hands. 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: This Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details sent, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Last week of winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, and Cortland Yellow Onions

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Scallions

• Rubro and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Fava Greens

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour and Cornmeal

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Korean Sweet Potatoes (I used regular potatoes and it turned out great!)

• 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon gochujang

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

• Black sesame seeds (optional for garnish)

• Salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1 ½ inch pieces.

Toss the potatoes in the coconut oil and place on a parchment paper line baking sheet.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown and caramelized on the outside and can be pierced with a fork.

While the potatoes are roasting, combine the honey, coconut sugar and gochujang in a bowl and heat in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, until the ingredients can be stirred together. DO NOT OVERHEAT OR THE SUGAR WILL BURN

Place the roasted sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the honey mixture.

Place them back on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, or until bubbling and caramelized on the outside.

Remove from the oven and serve sprinkled with black sesame seeds and a pinch of flaky salt (optional).

Lambs!

By AJ

This week, being my week to write the blog, matches up with the week of lambs!

Lambing season has begun and feels like it will be a short, frenzied burst. We are already half way through. There are fewer ewes bred this past fall, so there will be fewer lambs but you can still expect to see up to 20-30 bopping around in the coming weeks.You may even get lucky and be able to see a birt, since the mamas are in the new (but old) sheep barn, visible from the CSA barn. It is a joy to watch the lambs running and skipping around together. As always, take care in how you approach the sheep-- the pregnant mamas appreciate their rest and the less stress, the better!

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details sent, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Rubro and Rosalba

• Prize Choi

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Esmee Arugula

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Tiny Potato Gnome

this is not a recipe. this is me. I am the tiny potato gnome. for some bizarre reason, people don't like to take the tiny potatoes. all the better for me. i take the tiny potatoes. i boil a pot of them, whole. then i cut them in half and pan fry them, flesh side down. season. eat. refrigerate whats left. pan fry more in the morning. and possibly the next morning, depending on the size of the pot. 

Moon Baby

By Stephanie

Like Sarah in last weeks blog, I have also been taking the winter time opportunity to take more walks around the farm, but instead of a human son to accompany me, I have a little black cat named Moon Baby. He’s been having the best time up in the eucalyptus grove, using fallen logs as pathways, old stumps for parkour, before trying to scramble as high as he can into the trees. On our way to and from the grove, I’ve been enjoying taking a few moments at the top of the hill, observing the farm from a new perspective, looking down on what will be the fields that nourish us all year long. What a gift it is to be able to have a relationship with the land that feeds you. From this vantage point, the farm looks like a big bowl of delicious love soup. Thank you land for keeping me full on love soup! 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details sent, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Rubro and Rosalba

• Mei Qing Choi

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Yogurt, from smitttenkitchen.com

Carrots and assembly

• 2 pounds (905 grams) carrots, peeled and trimmed

• 1 cup (235 ml) water

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 cups cooked or 3/4 cup (135 grams) dried lentils de puy

• 1/3 cup (or a big handful) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1 cup (235 grams) plain Greek yogurt

Dressing

• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Roast the carrots: Heat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place carrots and water on a sheet pan and cover tightly with foil. Steam in the oven for 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Carefully remove foil (steam burns! and I always forget), drain any water left in pan, and drizzle carrots with a few tablespoons of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper and roll them around in it, making sure there are no stuck parts. Return to the oven uncovered and roast until carrots are browned, about another 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook your lentils: Cook dried lentils in salted water according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.

Make the vinaigrette: Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. I’m aiming for a sharp, lemony vinaigrette here that will wake up the cooked lentils.

Assemble right before eating: Pour all but last two tablespoons of vinaigrette over lentils and mix. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in all but last two tablespoons of parsley. Spoon yogurt directly onto a serving plate and use the back of a spoon to swirl it to coat the bottom. Spoon 3/4 of lentil salad over yogurt. When carrots come out of the oven, pour remaining dressing over carrots in the pan, rolling them in it, and then lay the cooked carrots on top of the lentils. Spoon remaining lentils around the carrots and sprinkle platter with remaining parsley.

Eat right away.

Heart Shaped Miner's Lettuce

By Sarah

Teddy and I are in our winter routine of farm walks to all corners of the farm, returning to favorite spots but always finding new treasures. Our most regular route is to head into the cypress and walnut trees on the other side of the farm. We snack on the abundant miner’s lettuce, follow the deer paths, and then head to the top of the hill to get a different perspective and peek at the water in the cistern.

This is our third winter of abundant, overflowing water and we are immensely grateful for the deep replenishment and ground saturation. We are also happy to have had many frosts to help manage soil disease and pest populations. The downside is there is slower growth in the tunnels. Still we can feel the change towards spring starting. Just in this past week, you could see the grass start to grow faster. Both the cows and sheep are back grazing, moving every day in this sensitive period of change. When the sun is out and they are happily eating the green grass, you can sense their joy.

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details sent, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Rubro and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Fried Apple, Kale, and Cheddar Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette, from Department of Salad, EMILYRNUNN.SUBSTACK.COM |

• 1 large bunch  kale, tough stems removed, roughly chopped (about 1 pound, or 5 cups chopped)

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Maple Cider Vinaigrette (method below)

• 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced (no need to peel)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Quick-pickled red onions (method below)

• ½ cup very roughly chopped toasted walnuts

• ½ cup golden raisins

• ⅔ cup small-diced sharp cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, sprinkle the kale with the lemon juice and a large pinch of salt then use your hands to massage vigorously for a minute, until the leaves are slightly brutalized and beginning to wilt. Drizzle about ⅓ cup of the dressing over the kale and toss again. Set aside.

Meanwhile, fry the apples: Pour a scant tablespoon of olive oil into a large stainless-steel skillet then use your hands to distribute it evenly. (You want to use as little oil as possible). Heat the pan to medium. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, add the apples, season them with several generous grindings of black pepper and a bit of kosher salt and cook for 3 minutes without moving; flip and cook for another 3 minutes, or until they are tender and very brown in spots.

While the apples are frying, add a few of the pickled onions (I use about ¼ cup; save the rest for another use), most of the walnuts, most of the golden raisins, and the cheddar to the dressed kale, making sure the cheddar is on top, where it will make contact with the hot apples and warm/melt a bit.

Dump the fried apples into the bowl (on top of the cheese!) 

Maple Cider Vinaigrette
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients and shake until well emulsified. Taste for salt and pepper; more lemon,etc.

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pickled Red Onions
This makes much more than you need for 1 salad but you can put them on grilled cheese sandwiches and use them in other salads, etc. You can also, of course, cut the recipe in half, use a different vinegar, etc.

• 1 medium red onion peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into thin half-rounds

• 1 cup cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons salt

Place the onions in a heatproof bowl or jar. Heat the vinegar in a saucepan until it begins to bubble, then stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the onions. Let this cool a bit then cover (or transfer to a lidded jar) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using. You want them cold and crisp not warm and limp.

A dose of my own medicine

By Kelsey

The other day, as soon as we came back inside after work, my 14 month old beelined it  for the dog’s water bowl and dumped the whole thing out on the floor, then stuck his face in the floor water and started drinking. Unthinkingly, I said something like “hey, you know better than that!” It was lighthearted but I immediately knew it was a mistake. Obviously, he does not know better. He’s a baby. But even more than that, as my husband gently pointed out, we pretty much all struggle with “knowing better” but being unable to do anything about it. So as an admonishment, “you know better” is useless.

Last week, I put together a couple new tea blends. One of them, called Calm Kid, has chamomile, catnip, and milky oats, all of which have affinities for children and the nervous system. Baby sleep challenges were on my mind when I was making this blend. “This will put him right to sleep,” I thought, and figured a calming blend for children would be helpful for many of you as well. But then it occurred to me that I’ve been trying to regulate my child’s nervous system without properly caring for my own, while I do things like scroll at night and drink too much coffee, despite knowing better. I realized that I need this tea way more than my kid does! “I’ll drink a big cup tonight,” I told myself.

Well, I still haven’t drunk any. But hey, maybe tonight will be the night I finally do better.

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details sent, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Fennel

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Treviso and Rosalba

• Mei Qing Choi

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Esmee Arugula

• Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Sheet Pan Burgers and Carrot fries

Adapted from Let Them Eat Dirt by Andrea Bemis

• 1.5 lb carrots (6-8 medium), cut into matchsticks 

• 2 tbsp melted ghee or duck fat

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or sub open field farm paprika!)

• 1/4 tsp dried thyme or rosemary (or open field farm culinary blend!)

• 1/2 tap unrefined salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Grease two baking sheets with ghee or another cooking fat and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots with melted ghee, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, herbs, and salt. Scatter the carrots between the two baking sheets, being careful not to overcrowd the pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender and golden brown, flipping halfway through cook time.

While the carrots are cooking, start the burgers. Liberally grease a baking sheet with ghee, then form the burgers. I like to season the meat with salt, cumin, and basque pepper. Make about 1/2 inch-thick patties and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Thinly slice 1/2 large yellow onion and add them to the same sheet pan and drizzle them with a little melted ghee.

Place burgers on the upper rack of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the burgers from the oven, put the onions on top of the burgers and then top with cheese. Place back in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until the cheese has melted and the burgers are cooked through.

Hi everyone celeste here ,

Every winter after the harvest festival is over , my work environment changes . Unlike my colleagues i feel my task changes drastically 

From vibrant sweet smells of those beautiful 

fresh flowers into the spicy - earthy scent of dried peppers adding that i do not work out in the field under the sun / rain,  I work from home crushing , smashing, heating, blending seven aromatic peppers and today im going to talk a little about them. 

1. Guajillo : Un clasico

One of my favorite pepper for adding color on soups like Red pozole, mole , and marinades . 

This pepper could be spicy or not is always a hit and miss like poblanos. But overall they are slightly sweet peppers. This pepper is going to be offer whole.  

1. Chile de Arbol : El favorito 

Chile de arbol is one of the most popular peppers to make your delicious spicy taco salsa or chili oil ; this is a very fiery pepper you do not wanna mess with if you can’t stand paprika. 

This pepper was made in too chili flakes and was offered already. 

1. Ancho: Sabor Ancentral

This pepper is used for everything when it comes to traditional dishes like Birria , enchiladas, Esquites.  Its sweet - mild flavor complements this disges at its finest . 

1. Vallero 

I didn’t grew up with this type of pepper but what i have read it has an earthy-robust flavor like Ancho and apparently it could be amazing as chili flakes too. 

1. Cayenne : 

Also another pepper we didn’t had in our kitchen this belongs more to Central and South America but i do love its medicinal benefits being inflammatory and metabolism booster and a good pepper that can be add on a chocolaty dessert . 

i have been grounding cayenne into powder and i have to get out of the house , inhaling the dust that comes out when i open the blender is taking the soul out of my body. Its so intense. 

1. Basque : Fruity - Aromatic

A pepper that belongs to France , this peppers are mildly spicy with fruity and aromatic flavor good to sprinkle on eggs and roasted vegetables. 

1. Sarit: Sweet Heat

This pepper also takes my soul out when grinding even tho that i dont think is as spicy as chile de arbol somehow i bow down for this when im grinding it . This pepper can complete your currys and glazes. 

1. Chimayo “ New Mexican” Gem 

Chimayo are a treasure for New Mexico known for their mild heat and sweet smoky flavor . This powder could be used on stews and sauces and for a very traditional dish called “ Carne adobada” that is made with whole Chimayo peppers 

1. Chipotle: El ahumado favorito 

Smoky and spicy flavor for your salsa, adobos , and marinades dishes . 

Open Field Farm 2024 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members

Upcoming Farm Events:

• Pancake Breakfast: Saturday March 8, Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am (Email with details coming, please RSVP)

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Fennel

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Treviso and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Esmee Arugula

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

We did not harvest a lot of chipotle peppers this year. The variety of jalapenos that we chose was a bit of a flop. It was not spicy at all and did not turn red easily. This summer we growing a new variety and are hoping to harvest more chipotles to offer everyone! (Chipotles are red japapenos.)

Chipotle Chiles in Adobo

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried chipotle chiles (see note)

• 4 cups boiling water

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 large white onion, peeled and chopped (a generous cup)

• 2 shallots, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup passata or tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

• reserved soaking liquid, as needed

Instructions 

• Remove the stems from the chiles and place them in a bowl. Cover them with 4 cups boiling water and weigh them down with a small plate; let them soak for 20 minutes. They will not soften as much as other chile varieties; don’t be concerned if they feel leathery.

• While the chipotles are soaking, heat the olive oil on a skillet over medium heat and cook the onions and shallots until clear and slightly golden.

• Remove the soaked chipotles with a slotted spoon and place them in a blender; reserve the soaking liquid. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar to the chiles. Blend until you have a uniform paste.

• Scrape the blended chipotles and sauce into the skillet with the onions and add 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, along with the salt and vinegar. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour until very thick. Keep an eye on it and add reserved soaking liquid when it gets too dry. As it cooks, the mixture will turn a very dark, mahogany brown. It may look done before the hour mark, but keep cooking it and adding more soaking liquid. You want the flavors fully blended, and that takes time.

• Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture. Alternatively, add the mixture back to the blender and purée. Transfer to glass containers.

• The chipotles in adobo keep well in the refrigerator for several months, and can be

  frozen.

• Makes a scant 2 cups.

New Year's Resolutions

By Cici

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been discussing New Year’s resolutions while out in the field—whether or not we set them, if we find value in them, and sharing our personal and professional goals. Personally, I don’t have the discipline or attention span to commit to rigid resolutions. Instead, I focus on a loose vision of where I’d like to see change in myself and my life.

This year, I decided that I want to create more and actually see some of my ideas through. My first step towards this was deleting Instagram (account and all, not just the app). It sucks! And Mark Zuckerberg sucks too! I could feel my brain deteriorating as I scrolled, getting stuck in awful comparison loops that made me think my art wasn’t good enough before I’d even started. Now, my only digital presence is these occasional blog posts, a neglected Facebook account that I only use for Marketplace, and Letterboxd for movie reviews. Like an true gen Z addict, I still fiend for the endless scroll, but I do feel that I have been engaging with my world and my people more thoughtfully. 

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Fennel

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Treviso, Sugarloaf, and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Tetsukabuto Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup, from pinchofyum.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 3–4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

• 1–2 tablespoons flour (optional, makes it a bit thicker)

• 5 cups chicken broth

• one 15-ounce can of cannellini beans

• 4 medium potatoes, diced (any kind of potato will work)

• 2 stalks kale, ribs removed, chopped

• 3/4 cup heavy cream (can sub half and half)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

• freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice

Onions, Garlic, and Sausage: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 10 minutes or until very soft and fragrant. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Drain out excess grease.

Spices: Add the smoked paprika and flour; sauté for one minute.

Veggies: Add broth, a little at a time. Add potatoes; bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add kale and white beans and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Finish: Add half and half, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. VOILA!

Grace and Frankie

By Ellie

Lately Seda and I have been watching this show on Netflix called Grace and Frankie. It’s about two older women who develop a friendship after finding out that their husbands have been in a relationship together for the past 20 years. I’ve been really enjoying watching it because not only is it really funny but I feel like I’ve never watched a show where the story is centered around two old women. 

It’s been really cool to see representation of aging and older people in general. Grace and Frankie do not shy away from talking about things like menopause, hearing loss and learning/trying new things when you’re older.  There is so much societal pressure on women especially to try and not age as much as possible. I used to want to get Botox and work done when I got older but now I see that aging is privilege. A lot of people look at growing old in such a negative light but imagine how many things I’ll know and experiences I’ll have had when I’m 75. How much more I’ll understand about myself and other people. How many books I’ll have read and places I’ve been, people I’ve met. I can’t wait to get old and have gray hair and wrinkled hands. It’s the in between, from now and until then, that’s the hard part!

But when the time comes, I’m going to be the coolest old woman. 

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Cabernet Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Radicchio, Sugarloaf, and Rosalba

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Gil’s Golden Acorn, Tetsukabuto, and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Stewing Hen Chicken Salad:

• 1 hen roasted in a 350 oven for one hour

• Handful Lettuce mix

• 5-10 stalks Celery

• 1 Red onion

• 1 Apple

• 2-3 sprigs Parsley

• Blue cheese

• 1/3 cup Mayo

• 1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice

• Salt and pepper 

Pink Salad

By Alyssa

As you may or may not know about me, I have strong salad opinions. To begin with, I am not fond of eating lettuce – I prefer the green bits in a salad to be mint, parsley, kale, arugula, or chicories. I think lettuce is a very pretty plant, and I like to grow it. I love that other people love it! But as far as eating goes, I find it to be watery and tasteless, and I probably waste more energy chewing it than I get from digesting it. See, I told you, strong opinions!

Secondly, I opine that it is way too much work for me, as a person living alone, to prepare all the nutritious and delicious components that a truly satisfying salad requires. If the salad is the main event of my meal, I’ll roast chickpeas or beets, boil eggs, toast nuts or pumpkin seeds, or make croutons to bulk it out. It is so much chopping! So many dishes! It’s okay if I make a big batch, but then I definitely can’t use lettuce as my green bits because it will get sad after a day in the fridge. Usually, I’d rather just eat stew. Or stir fry. Don't even get me started on bok choy stir fry – I will wax rhapsodic. 

However, this time of year, when we are bringing in chicories, especially the magenta radicchio and the pretty pink rosalba, I eat more salad than I do any other time of year. My salad opinions have evolved enough over the last few years that I enjoy a lovely side salad now and again. It can be a refreshing, bright addition to a heavy, winter meal. And if I can make pink salad? Well, that’s even better. Pink salad is superior to non-pink salad.

CSA Barn Hours:

• Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 PM!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Sangre Red, Harvest Moon Purple, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish Radish

• Rutabaga

• Purple Top Turnips

• Parsnips

• Celeriac

• Sweet Spanish Colorado #6, Monastrell Red, Cortland Yellow, and Cipollini Onions

• Shallots

• Leeks

• Red and Green Cabbage

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Celery

• Radicchio, Sugarloaf, and Rosalba

• Prize Choi

• Kale

• Rhubarb Chard

• Lettuce Mix

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Pie Pita Pumpkin

• Gil’s Golden Acorn, Tetsukabuto, and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Ground and Whole Dried Hot Peppers

• Herbal Tea Blends

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (from the herb garden and perennial field)

• Sonora Wheat Flour

• Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)

• Saltonstahl Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday

Pink salad

I made this with my partner last weekend as part of a light brunch. We did not add any other mix-ins, but ate it alongside buttered toast, soft scrambled eggs, and coffee/tea.

Basic salad ingredients

• 1 head of pink chicory (rosalba or raddichio) – chiffonaded into little ribbons

• 1 grapefruit or blood orange – supremed into wedges

• 1 apple (bonus points if it’s a Pink Lady) – cut into wedges, then thinly sliced

Dressing

• Olive oil

• Juice and zest of one citrus fruit of your choosing, or apple cider vinegar

• Salt and pepper

Optional mix-ins

• Toasted or candied nuts

• Croutons

• Crumbled goat cheese or farmer’s cheese

• Quartered boiled eggs

• Pomegranate seeds

Whisk together dressing in a large bowl. Toss together the basic salad ingredients, and any mix-ins of your choosing. Salt and pepper to taste.