Welcome to week 37 of the year 2020...it’s been a good one huh? (snicker snicker)
What can we do but laugh? Answer: Cry...probably should be doing both at times.
Each week I write this newsletter, I try to check back into my optimistic self to talk about the good things we are seeing in terms of food security, personal health, and changing the world one bite at a time.
This week I want to highlight the “Italian Frying Peppers”.
Have you ever stood in the middle of 2000 cannabis plants? It smells pretty good.
I only had to travel 5 miles from YB headquarters to get to Jeff Gabric at Honey Bee Acres and his 1-acre plot of hemp. He is growing over 2000 plants that will be processed for the cannabinoid CBD and CBG.
It’s starting to feel like fall outside, and it’s starting to feel like fall inside (the boxes).
When we start to see new mixes of hot peppers, sweet peppers, cabbages, and beans rolling in on a regular basis we know it’s time to start thinking about another season shift.
That shift will bring with it...apples of all kinds and of course cider. Fall and Winter squash, the muscles from brussels, cabbage, nice fall greens like spinach and lettuce mix again, and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes.
We’ve finally got some 2020 apples in from Quarry Hill Orchard. The story about the “zestar” is as follows...
Finally, an early season apple with a crisp, juicy texture, and an exciting zesty flavor with a hint of brown sugar!
For generations, the University of Minnesota has taken great pride in developing high quality apples. Since 1878 when our breeding efforts began, we've brought you 24 new apple varieties including Haralson, Fireside, Honeygold, Regent, Sweet 16, Honeycrisp, and SnowSweet®. Zestar!® was introduced in 1999 from a hybridization of State Fair x MN 1691. We're confident that you will be pleased with this flavorful, crisp apple.
I didn’t know I could say “WOW” this many times in one conversation.
JBoston grew up in Stuebenville, OH on the eastern edge of the state, about 33 miles from Pittsburgh.
The story takes off out of the gate with her mom getting stabbed 27 times right in front of her...WHEN SHE WAS 9!
From there we journey through her life...
-Doesn't graduate high school
-Get’s pregnant
Folks, can you feel the shift in the seasons? I feel it most in the height of the sun...it must have something to do with the way the shadows change. What that means as always, is that our food is shifting again.
Out ahead of us we have hot peppers, sweet peppers, melons, peaches, plums, apples, grapes, beans, and brussels!!!
Corn and Blackberries again…#sorrynotsorry
These blackberries are the example of how each year is different. The strawberries were a bust this year for a few different reasons but these blackberries just keep on giving so we are just going to let them...keep on giving.
Sweet Corn, Peaches, Blackberries, and Cantaloupe. Seems like we could just end the newsletter right there.
2 big items on the docket for today.
1. Still backed up on Eggs so it’s time to give them away...Spend $65, enter promo code “EGGS”, and get a FREE DOZEN Sweet Grass Dairy Mobile Pastured, NON-GMO eggs
Photo cred - YBFS subscriber @graceejones
Kendyl and Andy run a tight ship at 3 Creeks Produce. Being PRACTICAL has enabled them to grow a 7-acre farm from just a dream to a fully functional food economy.
When we sat down, it was hot and dry. My wife and I had been given the tour and we let that “wow” factor of what we had seen propel us into this conversation.
Last Monday I went to Groveport, OH to meet with Kendyl and Andy who we also know as Three Creeks Organic Produce. They live on 7 acres right in the middle of a bunch of warehouses and have carved out a serene food growing space. We had a discussion that we will release next Monday as a podcast episode.
Friends….Lend me your ears!...(so corny)
Cobbs in every box this week but you can also add more for next week right here.
Judging by people’s posts on social media, it looks like the summer boxes are finding their way into your belly in all kinds of fantastic ways.
This time of year I start to shift into eating a lot of “ratatouille” type dishes. For those of you that are not familiar with Ratatouille…
Early on in our vision for this company, we decided that we didn’t want to make fruit cost “extra”. This is usually the model that is used for doing what we do, primarily because fruit is waaaayyyyy more expensive than veggies.
We have always stuck by that desire to include the fruits in the box because like everyone, it is many of our favorite items!!
4 of our drivers went out yesterday like the 4 winds to the 4 corners of the state.
What they brought back around 7pm last night was over 32 varieties of produce from over 15 farms….
Logistical nightmare? Yes
Worth every minute and mile? Absolutely.
Old Slate Farm sits on the south side of Mount Vernon as you head towards Johnstown. Brad and Katie Carothers have been friends of mine since we moved here. Katie reached out to me when we were first getting Yellowbird off the ground and worked with me a day a week in exchange for a box of food!
WE ARE REPRESENTING 17 FARMS in our boxes this week!!
A few special shout outs!!
Darista Dips - FINALLY, we get to send each of you the best hummus in the land. I dare you to try and NOT eat this entire container in one sitting.
Three Creeks Produce - We strive to grow tasty food in ways that nurture our land, our environment, and our community. Refraining from the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides, we keep our focus on feeding our soils through regenerative practices and careful stewardship.
Whew....I'm not sure how to write that sound you make when you take a deep breath and then blow out a relaxed and rejuvenated noise. I turned 40 last weekend and it's been monumental. My friends and family showered me with words, time, surprise after surprise, good food, laughs, and on top of that the weather has been phenom.
This week I have listened to a couple of podcasts about the dire situation many of the people in our country are facing as it relates to both their personal health and the supply chain issues of the conventional food system. Both of these issues we have been able to circumvent as we continue to be supplied with the tastiest and most nutritious food from our very own OHIO growers.
WE take YOUR grocery shopping very seriously. Each week we have a budget for you, that we are able to take DIRECTLY to our growers and producers to get you the cleanest, tastiest, freshest produce and products in our market.
This is when things start to get really fun. All the food is going to change quickly now as we start to see the early spring plantings, ready to harvest.
Over the next few weeks EVERYBODY will be getting LOTS of STRAWBERRIES and LOTS of ASPARAGUS...part of the power of being involved as a member is that you get a box each week so we can space out everything and make sure that everyone gets the goodies, but without having to force the growers to do something that contradicts nature in order to have enough for everyone all at once.
