Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
July 10 and 12, 2007

From Farmer Scott
You know summer is here when you make your first pesto! And I’m happy to say that pesto made from our basil is now for sale in the store. Our hope is to have good things to sell to you made from the produce we’ve grown, when there is over-abundance in the fields. We are working with some folks who like to make quality processed food, especially with good quality ingredients (such as ours). Currently we have an abundance of basil. There will not, however, be an abundance of peppers, because there is a disaster happening in the tunnel that we planted in the spring. But we’ll hopefully have extra tomatoes to make salsa in the late summer.
We have made the decision to raise the box price and delivery price. It is something we’ve put off for a couple of years, but are feeling the ever-increasing rise in costs. In the spring, the round of raises to the field crew and staff alone made a significant jump in the cost of running the farm. I have not yet invented the free energy device to run our engines (imagine what that would save us!), and insurance, supplies, etc. have only continued to climb in cost. I trust you understand and have seen this in many other parts of your lives. We appreciate your support and know you feel the difference in the food.

In your box today:
All from the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, turnips, peas, summer squash or beans, chard, onions, cucumber, and a double bunch of basil. Fruit subscribers will receive apricots from Gilroy, nectarines from Dinuba, plums from Reedley, and peaches from the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm.
Basil is native to India and Asia, and has been cultivated for over 5,000 years. It calms nerves and treats digestive complaints, insomnia, headaches, nausea, and parasites. Add to hot tea, soup, sandwiches, salads, vegetables, meats, beans, tofu, eggs, or fish. Pesto can be made a zillion ways: blend in the food processor with oil, pine nuts, walnuts, even sunflower seeds, and parmesan, goat or any sharp cheese. Preserve basil by drying, freezing, or placing in olive oil or vinegar. When freezing pesto, add a top layer of olive oil.

Messages for pick-up subscribers
We need paper bags at the blue CSA table – please bring them in at your convenience. Of course, we encourage you to bring and use your own canvas bags, but it’s helpful to have a supply of paper bags here for various uses.
If you’ve come to pick up your box before 2 PM, and you’d like to shop at the store, remember that the store doesn’t open until that time. But before 2 PM, we are setting it up, and can’t always help you effectively (or set up the store properly). Please be mindful of this scheduling situation and try not to affect the progress of set-up, if possible. Thanks! The store is open 2 PM – 8 PM daily.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
July 3 and 5, 2007

From Farmer Scott
I want to wish you a happy Inter-dependence Day. I salute you for being the conscious individual you are, by making the consumer choices of shopping local and buying products from people you have a connection with.
With this heat wave, I know what I will be doing the next couple of days. Water will be my main focus. I am laying out thousands of feet of dripline on the winter squash, pumpkins and corn so we can maintain an ideal moisture, without wasting the precious and magical liquid. I am sometimes amazed by the qualities of water, astounded by how important this fluid is to life on this planet, and concerned by the way it is treated by our species.
I just returned from a five-day retreat to the Sierra Mountains, I spent some much- appreciated time at the 11,000-12,000 foot elevation, where a lot of the water California depends on is accumulated in snow and fed down the rivers as it melts in the Central Valley. I return refreshed and inspired, and ready to continue the work I started in search of sustainability. Thanks again for being part of this quest. Be well.

In your box today:
From the alchemical fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, carrots, kale, squash, cucumbers, spinach, and scallions; also corn from Coalinga. Fruit subscribers will receive strawberries from the farm and peaches from Shone Farm (Santa Rosa Junior College’s farm).

A few messages for pick-up subscribers
We need paper bags at the blue CSA table – please bring them in at your convenience. Of course, we encourage you to bring and use your own canvas bags, but it’s helpful to have a supply of paper bags here for various uses.
If you’ve come to pick up your box before 2 PM, and you’d like to shop at the store, remember that the store doesn’t open until that time. But before 2 PM, we are setting it up, and can’t always help you effectively (or set up the store properly). Please be mindful of this scheduling situation and try not to affect the progress of set-up, if possible. Thanks! The store is open 2 PM – 8 PM daily.

Join the Slow Food movement, the international organization formed to counteract fast food, the disappearance of local food traditions, and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how food choices affect the rest of the world. www.slowfood.com.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
June 26 and 28, 2007

Farmer Scott
……is away and will return to the newsletter next week.

In your box today:
From the sunny fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, chard, beets, squash or beans, garlic, broccoli (supplemented with some from San Juan Bautista), peas (supplemented with some from Goleta), and apricot bars from Gourmet Green here in Sebastopol. Fruit subscribers will receive strawberries from the farm and blueberries from Sebastopol.
Beets get their color from betacyanin, a pigment that shows promise as a cancer fighter. Another phytonutrient in beets, betaine, supports detoxification in the liver, intestines and blood, and can guard against the damaging effects of alcohol. Eat a 1/2 cup serving to benefit from the high folic acid, iron and potassium content. Store the greens and roots separately for longer keeping. Steam beets or wrap them in foil and bake at 400 degrees for an hour.
Peas probably originated in northern India. They are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, D and the B’s, the minerals iron, potassium and phosphorous, protein (ranking very high in comparison to most vegetables) and fiber. The shell pea has an inedible pod encasing the peas, the sugar snap pea features juicy peas encased in a crunchy edible pod, and the snow pea is a flat edible pod with undeveloped peas inside.
Broccoli and peas (as well as spinach, tomatoes, potatoes and Brussels sprouts) contain alpha-lipoic acid, a powerful antixoidant that destroys harmful free radicals (destructive molecules formed in the body as a result of detoxification or in response to environmental stressors).

“Like a drug, the land can lure a person into destitution. It can overshadow one’s love for others. The land can embolden, exhaust, ennoble. It can nurture, destroy, sustain.
I don’t know why I farm. I just farm.”
–John Peterson, Angelica Organics CSA (1200 members!), Rockford, Illinois

From a work exchange member at Meadowlark Farm CSA, in Missouri
Community is about intersecting circles of relationship: between the creatures that live in the soil and roots of plants, between the turning of the moon and stars and the movement of all waters, between the birds that have made nests in the stones of our house for generations and the foundation of our home, between the cutworm and the broccoli, and between the old sheltering walnut trees and the kids that ride on the big green swing that hangs from their branches. CSA is the relationship between human eaters and this wide and vast system of circles that we call Meadowlark. The fact that we rely wholeheartedly on the workings of Nature, around us, within us, between us, in spite of us, Nature creates the framework of relationships, the circles, that blossom into community.

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
June 19 and 21, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Here we are at that point in the year where the day length is at its longest and the fields are bursting at the seams with crops that we have planted over the last two months. There is corn with tassels head-high, just pushing out the silks to be pollinated. Watermelon vines are spreading out to catch the most sunlight possible to grow and ripen the fruits. I often look at the land here as one big solar panel, gathering energy for various purposes.
Speaking of solar, we just came to the 12-month point in our contract with PG&E, when we balance out the exchange we have used as compared to what we have supplied with the solar panels. Some folks pay for any power they use over that which they’ve produced, and some, like us, give up credit of unused kilowatts. It bugs me to lose that credit, but I guess it means we are producing enough power to cover the farm’s needs. I am doing an analysis to help track each month’s use, such that we can come out as close to zero balance as possible next year. Some day there will be legislation that will allow us to transfer any credit to a different account, or even get paid for the extra energy produced. This year was an exceptional solar year, with such a dry winter, but some years will be the opposite, I hope your all are enjoying the increasing summer diversity, and are feeling happy and healthy.

In your box today:
From the solar fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, carrots, fennel, beans or broccoli, mini onions and basil; also rapini from Freedom and avocado from Las Palmalitas. Fruit subscribers will receive raspberries from the farm (supplemented with some from Watsonville), navel oranges from the Central Valley, and apricots from Yolo County.
Florence fennel is distinct from the “wild” fennel found growing freely alongside roads in the Mediterranean and naturalized here in California. That variety is cultivated for its leaves and seeds. Florence fennel, however, is cultivated for its bulbous stem, and has a texture similar to celery, combined with an anise-like flavor. You can substitute it for celery in most any recipe, cut it into slices and use for dipping, or steam or saute with other vegetables. Also try cutting it into quarters, drizzling with olive oil and baking for about 35 minutes or until tender.
Rapini, sometimes called broccoli raab, is a pungent green common in Chinese and Italian cuisine. It is high in Vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, calcium , potassium and iron.

THE FRUITS OF SUMMER ARE HERE! Only fruit subscribers will receive fruit in the boxes from now on. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please let us know.

Doctors at the University of Toronto reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association that in a recent trial, subjects eating a higher-fiber vegetarian diet reduced their LDL (bad) cholesterol (28%) nearly as well as subjects taking statin drugs (30%).

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
June 12 and 14, 2007

From Farmer Scott
It sure is nice to see the flow of summer produce — especially the yummy fruit. We are mostly done with the big plantings, such as the winter squash (which includes the pumpkins). With these warm temperatures they will get a jump start, and the tomato crop will get here even sooner.
Nacho and I are planning what to do if/when the heat wave hits, and how to prevent the loss of crops, such as the sunburn of ripening tomatoes. The same fabric we use to exclude the “uglifiers” (flea beetles and cucumber beetles) from eating lots of holes in the greens, and which in the winter keeps the lettuces from getting tough from cold temperatures, can be used to create some shade. We plan on folding it and using it as a protective strip of shade that will prevent the usual big losses of tomatoes (like last July and many other Augusts). The reduced irrigation we use to concentrate the fruit’s flavor also reduces the amount of vegetative canopy that would create shade for the fruit. We think you all like the flavor over high water content in fruit, so we look for ways to pull that off without losing too much crop. The heirloom varieties we plant are low producers, compared to the hybrid varieties, so there is less fruit on each plant to begin with. Hope you’re well.

In your box today:
From the warming fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, green garlic, potatoes, cabbage (supplemented on Tuesday with some from River Dog Farm in Yolo County), cilantro, and summer squash from the farm or green beans from Fresno; also Juliet tomatoes from Indio. Fruit subscribers will receive strawberries from the farm, pluots from Dinuba, and Maycrest peaches from the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm near Forestville.
The potato is the leading vegetable grown worldwide! It is native to the Andean mountains of South America, where it has been cultivated for at least 3000 years. Unless it is in the form of French fries or potato chips, the potato is high in fiber and potassium (provided the skin is eaten – remember, most minerals are concentrated just under its protective coating). It’s a good idea to trim away any green spots or eyes, where the toxic compound solanin resides. Potatoes store well, and keep best at 45-50 degrees, high humidity and darkness. Warm temperatures will cause them to sprout and shrivel, and cold temperatures will cause their starch to turn to sugar.
Green garlic (harvested when young) is almost as high as mature garlic in the antioxidants which protect against heart disease, strokes and cancer. Its milder flavor is a cross between mature garlic and green onions.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
June 5 and 7, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Another lovely day in Sonoma County. We are so lucky to live in such an amazing place, where the climate is moderate and the people are considerate, open-minded folk. Here at the farm, we are so blessed to know that the local community really gets the idea of supporting local farming and eating living food! We are adjusting to growth in the membership, and finding ourselves feeling that the number of members we have is a good place to stay. So for the time being, the only new members are ones that are replacing ones that are leaving. The walk-in cooler is maxed out, along with the box set-up tables and the people power to harvest. There are some other great CSA’s in the area to support, as well.
The corn is climbing towards the sky, and tomato vines are spreading across the land and growing fruits for our tummies. I sure am ready for the first sungold tomato to pop into my mouth…… probably you, too. This is the first week for the fruit option for fruit subscribers. We have some beautiful fruit, such as Andy Landerman’s blueberries, and more to come over the summer months. Enjoy.

In your box today:
From the grateful harvesters at the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, carrots, kale, squash, parsley and basil; also bell peppers from Hollister and sugar snap peas from Las Lomas. Fruit subscribers will receive blueberries from Sebastopol, strawberries from the farm, and apricots from Dinuba.
Blueberries are rated the number one fruit in antioxidant levels by the USDA – 1/2 cup gives you more than five servings of apples. The nutrients lie in the skin, which has been shown to have strong anti-tumor and anti-bacterial properties. Strawberries are also high in a separate class of antioxidants, which protect the brain from age-related decline, and offer anti-cancer benefits as well.

THE FRUITS OF SUMMER ARE HERE!. Starting this week, only fruit subscribers will receive fruit in the boxes. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please let us know.

“ALL THINGS HERBAL,” an herbal faire and plant sale, will take place in the Sebastopol town plaza this Sunday, June 10, 10 AM–3 PM, in conjunction with the farm market. A benefit for the Herb Exchange (located here at the farm), you will find plants, tinctures, cordials, dried herbs, health and skincare products, books, flowers essences, jewelry and music all day!

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
May 29 and 31, 2007

From Farmer Scott
I hope your Holiday weekend was fabulous. I used part of it to recover from the physical exhaustion of all the recent activities happening around here. My body is resisting getting back into shape — it needs to be running around the farm and jumping on and off the tractors and such. But the projects are getting done. We ended up making 300 yards of compost, and still have plenty of biomass (plant material) to cut in side areas.
The topic of the size of the CSA program has arisen, since we have reached our capacity of production in the fields. I am so inspired that so many people are getting the concept of supporting local farming and eating living food. We have temporarily capped the membership at around 500, and we have a waiting list. The logistical element of adding more members is significant! So, one possible direction is to increase the spectrum of foods you members obtain through the farm, instead of increasing the number of boxes we produce. We would love to hear what you would like to see us carry (in addition to the produce and current products). The outlook is encouraging, because overall progress in the fields is looking good, especially compared to last year.
It is great to be able to share good news with you….sometimes in farming the news can be, well, not so good. Be well.

In your box today:
From the busy farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, saute mix, potatoes, and beets; also cucumbers from Madera, Little Finger eggplant from Riverside, celery from Oxnard, and garlic from Gilroy. No fruit this week: fruit subscriptions will begin next week.

Laguna Farm ON THE ROAD: Farm Market season! We’ll be at these farm markets in 2007: Downtown Fairfax, Downtown Petaluma, Oakmont (East Santa Rosa), and Downtown Sebastopol. Details are at www.lagunafarm.com.

As you know…… FRUIT SUBSCRIPTIONS start up NEXT WEEK . If you are not signed up and would like to be, please email us. Starting in June, only fruit subscribers will receive fruit in the boxes.

SUMMER VACATIONS ARE COMING….
Instead of cancelling your box, consider these options: 1) gift your box to a friend, neighbor, co-worker or relative, or 2) donate your box to the internship program at the farm – a crew of hardworking folks doing repairs and improving the farm’s infrastructure.
If you want to donate your box or skip, please email us with the exact dates you will be gone, and we’ll reply with an acknowledgement. If you are on an alternating week schedule, check the website to see week A and week B annotated for the entire year, so you can do your holiday planning in advance. Thanks very much for your commitment to the farm!

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
May 22 and 24, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Summer heat is a-pushing the heat-loving crops along…like the basil you received last week; I hope you enjoyed it. As far as other things go, I am beat from this compost project, but there will be a sizeable quantity of compost in the end.
We had a meeting with a wonderful raw food processor yesterday, a mother of five who is building a small cottage business. She discovered that shifting to a diet low in animal products (mainly dairy) and high in fresh organic ingredients enabled her to make delicious foods that solved her spring/summer allergy experience. Now, instead of a hundred miserable days a year, she has only a couple of uncomfortable days. I was impressed with the products she is making: pesto and pates, flax crackers, tortilla wraps, buckwheat crusts for Bobali-like pizza use, salad dressings and salsas. We will be carrying some of these products soon, and may begin to feature demos and instructional classes taught by her and others of our artisan providers. I look forward to using ingredients from the farm to make some yummy food products for the farm store. Be well.

In your box today:
From the summer fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, spinach, radishes, bok choy, chard, and strawberries; also cauliflower from Salinas and golden potatoes from Bakersfield.

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! FRUIT SUBSCRIPTIONS
Fruit shares will be resuming in two weeks. If you were signed up for the fruit share at the close of last year’s fruit season, you are still signed up for this year (and if you have requested fruit since then, you are also signed up). DON’T FORGET, if you do NOT want fruit this year, PLEASE LET US KNOW. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please email us. Starting in June, only fruit subscribers will receive fruit in the boxes.

SUMMER VACATIONS ARE COMING….
…and some of you may want to skip some CSA weeks. But as Farmer Scott likes to say, the crops have been planted ahead of time for you, and we can’t attach an ON-OFF switch to their ripening process. With that in mind, we’d appreciate your considering these options: 1) Gift your box to a friend, neighbor, co-worker or relative (this is a wonderful gift, and you’ll be reintroducing them to the taste of a real carrot!) 2) Donate your box to the internship program at the farm – a crew of hardworking folks doing repairs and improving the farm’s infrastructure.
If you want to donate your box or skip, please email us with the exact dates you will be gone, and we’ll reply with an acknowledgement. If you are on an alternating week schedule, we have a calendar on our website with the week A and week B annotated for the entire year, so you can do your holiday planning in advance. Thanks very much for your commitment to the farm!
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
May 15 and 17, 2007

From Farmer Scott
I hope you will enjoy the first taste of summer in your box today: the first bunch of basil. The other summer crops are doing well too. We have two successions of corn that are looking great, and will definitely be knee high by the Fourth of July. The latest planting, which was directly seeded (compared to the last two being transplanted), is unfortunately not going to make it. The seed was planted during the recent hot period, but then cool weather followed, and the seed is rotting in the soil. We will follow that with another planting as soon as possible, but there could be a gap in the corn harvest. We will likely purchase some from the closest organic farm, just to have some available in the store during that period. This problem would not have happened if we had used fungicide-treated seed, but we are commited to using zero toxic material in our fields.
We lost a lot of strawberries to the sudden shift to hot weather last week, and were challenged to provide a basket in the boxes. Some folks received kiwi as a substitute. I have seen various fruits on the “conventional” market that we are not seeing in the organic market, but that will change soon, and there will be more abundance of fruit in the store (and of course you fruit subscribers will be getting yours). This year’s fruit subscribers will hopefully experience a better fruit year than last year, with all the spring rains that affected it. Well, it’s always a ride, and I’m glad you’re along for the ride.

In your box today:
Our “beyond organic” salad mix, turnips, fennel, basil, and parsley; also crookneck squash from Madera, broccoli from Salinas, and avocados from Temecula.

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! FRUIT SUBSCRIPTIONS
Fruit shares will be resuming in June. If you were signed up for the fruit share at the close of last year’s fruit season, you are still signed up for this year (and if you have requested fruit since then, you are also signed up). DON’T FORGET, if you do NOT want fruit this year, PLEASE LET US KNOW. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please email us. Starting in June, only fruit subscribers will receive fruit in the boxes.

SUMMER VACATIONS ARE COMING….
…and some of you may want to skip some CSA weeks. But as Farmer Scott likes to say, the crops have been planted ahead of time for you, and we can’t attach an ON-OFF switch to their ripening process. With that in mind, we’d appreciate your considering these options: 1) Gift your box to a friend, neighbor, co-worker or relative (this is a wonderful gift, and you’ll be reintroducing them to the taste of a real carrot!) 2) Donate your box to the internship program at the farm – a crew of hardworking folks doing repairs and improving the farm’s infrastructure.
If you want to donate your box or skip, please email us with the exact dates you will be gone; we’ll reply with an acknowledgement. If you are on an alternating week schedule, we have a calendar on our website with the week A and week B annotated for the entire year, so you can do your holiday planning in advance. Thanks very much for your commitment to the farm!
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
May 8 and 10, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Wow, what a sudden shift into summer. The summer crops — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, corn and eggplant — are loving it. Next week there will be a vibrant bunch of basil for your first batch of pesto.
This week begins the big compost project. We will build an approximately 100-yard pile of biomass from the fields and local manure. Then we will aerobically (with air) compost it before we start feeding it through the anaerobic (without air) digestor to produce bio-gas, which will supplement the biofueled (vegetable oil) generator, tractors and delivery vehicles. I am really looking forward to this project !
We have started a summer internship program that has attracted some wonderful new folks to the farm. They’ll be helping out, and learning about sustainable agriculture and energy practices. I also welcome John Taylor, our new coordinator for that program and the volunteer and work exchange programs. John is also my Angel/ Right Hand Man/Jack of all Trades/Assistant, who will develop and maintain all the different working systems of the farm.
And I have to say, once again, thanks to you for being part of this incredible, ever-evolving example of sustainability and model of food securityl. Hope you’re well.

In your box today:
From the sustainable biomass of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, carrots, green garlic, red kale, and strawberries; also zucchini from Madera and kohlrabi from Hollister.
Green garlic is an early harvest which is milder in flavor than mature garlic and more commonly used raw (think of using it as you would use onions and shallots).
Many botanists believe that kohlrabi is a hybridization of cabbage and turnips – ‘kohl’ means cabbage and ‘rabi’ means turnip. It can be enjoyed cooked or raw (peel it and eat like an apple!).

NEW EXPANDED BOX PICK-UP TIMES at the farm: You can pick up your box starting at noon on Tuesdays or Thursdays, until 9 PM, and you can now pick it up 9 AM – 9 PM on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. “Market hours,” with a full range of produce and artisan products, will still be from 2-8 PM. Outside of these hours, there will be a limited amount of produce available, but the cooler will be open. No box pick up or store on Sundays and Mondays.

THE FRUITS OF SUMMER ARE COMING! Yum, yum – fruit shares will be resuming soon. If you were signed up for the fruit share last year through October, you are still signed up for this year (and if you have requested fruit since then, you are also signed up). To check on this, look at your most recent invoice. If you are signed up for fruit, there will be a quantity number next to “Fruit” that is equal to the number of bins you received that month. The dollar amount will be zero (because there was no fruit received). But this indicates that you are signed up and will be invoiced once the fruit shares begin. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please email us, and we will add the fruit share to your account and send you a reply. Also, if you are currently signed up for a fruit share and do not want it, please email us so we can remove it from your account.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
May 1 and 3, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Happy May Day! Crops are bursting with growth from all the pleasant warm days. There is a feeling of abundance and fertility in the fields.
Last week there was a sound of possible metal-on-metal in the main tractor that worried us, which I finally diagnosed as loose lug bolts on the right main tire rim. When the eerie sound disappeared after I tightened everything up with my monster wrench set, I was so relieved that it wasn’t something major. This time of year there is so much to do, and I am really motivated to work on the alternative energy projects.
My current passion is the methane digester project. We will be greenchopping and layering the purchased manure together with 40-50 tons of biomass from the edges of the fields (plus a dedicated field for compost making). This material will mostly be fed through the digestor to create bio-gas, which will supplement the biodiesel running the generator. I am still designing a system which will use the waste heat from the generator’s engine to loop back under the digestor and keep it at the 90-100F optimum temperature in which the anaerobic bacteria thrive. The idea is to optimize the diesel engine by running it on vegetable oil, mixed with a portion of cleanly combusting methane gas, to gain more potential energy from the liquid fuel (and lower emissions). As a bonus, the liquid effluent that comes out after 80 days of processing inside the digester is excellent fertilizer. ….And if you’ve followed me this far, you can see why I’m excited by it all. Hope you’re doing well.

In your box today:
From the optimized fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, saute mix, turnips, scallions, and parsley; also yellow onions from El Centro, green beans from Bakersfield, and blood oranges from Falbrook.

NEW EXPANDED BOX PICK-UP TIMES at the farm: You can pick up your box starting at noon on Tuesdays or Thursdays, until 9 PM, and you can now pick it up 9 AM – 9 PM on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. “Market hours,” with a full range of produce and artisan products, will still be from 2-8 PM. Outside of these hours, there will be a limited amount of produce available, but the cooler will be open. No box pick up or store on Sundays and Mondays.

THE FRUITS OF SUMMER ARE COMING! Yum, yum – fruit shares will be resuming soon. If you were signed up for the fruit share last year through October, you are still signed up for this year (and if you have requested fruit since then, you are also signed up). To check on this, look at your most recent invoice. If you are signed up for fruit, there will be a quantity number next to “Fruit” that is equal to the number of bins you received that month. The dollar amount will be zero (because there was no fruit received). But this indicates that you are signed up and will be invoiced once the fruit shares begin. If you are not signed up and would like to be, please email us, and we will add the fruit share to your account and send you a reply. Also, if you are currently signed up for a fruit share and do not want it, please email us so we can remove it from your account.

From Farmer Scott
Nice deep rain we had. This will delay major irrigation, though bring on a strong flush of weeds in areas already planted. A bonus that I will be utilizing is the growth of the fringe areas adjacent to fields and what I call the “biomass” fields. Wiith a greenchopper machine, I will harvest the grass and vegetation on those edges of the cropping fields, and make it into compost and feedstock for the methane digestor that we plan to build in the next month. The bio-gas from this will supplement the vegetable oil-fueled generator, and possibly the tractors. In the months when we are not irrigating with the generator or using the tractors, the bio-gas will be heating water, providing fuel for cooking, and possibly running the delivery vehicle.
A recent project I am happy with is the wash-water reclamation project in the barn: with this water, we’re irrigating the gardens close to the barn. I am wanting to use the water we bring up from the underground aquifer as wisely as possible. This will be more important if drought conditions continue.

In your box today:
From the growthful fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, leeks, radishes, beets, chard, and carrots (supplemented with some from Wiley Farm in Madera); also sweet potatoes from Livingston, garlic from Gilroy, and raisins biodynamically grown in Fresno.

THE FRUITS OF SUMMER ARE COMING!
Yum, yum – fruit shares will be resuming soon. If you were signed up for the fruit share last year through October, you are still signed up for fruit share this year (and if you have requested fruit since then, you are also signed up). To check on this, look at your most recent invoice. If you are signed up for fruit, there will be a quantity number next to “Fruit” that is equal to the number of bins you received that month. The dollar amount will be zero (because there was no fruit received). But this indicates that you are signed up and will be invoiced once the fruit shares begin. If you are not signed up and would like to receive fruit, please email us, and we will add the fruit share to your account and send you a reply. Also, if you are currently signed up for a fruit share and do not want it, please email so we can remove you.

New drop-off site in Sebastopol
If you are currently picking up your box at the farm (on Tuesdays) and would like to pick it up at the new drop-off site, email to let us know! (There is a charge of $3.50 per box for this.) The address is 327 Murphy Ave., and pickup is Tuesdays 3-8 PM and Wednesdays 8 AM – 8 PM.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
April 17 and 19, 2007

From Farmer Scott
… is on a short personal retreat and will return to this space next week.

In your box this week:
From the “beyond organic” fields of the farm, our gourmet salad mix, kale, carrots, and cilantro; also snow peas from Yolo County, cabbage from the Central Valley, and avocadoes from Las Palmalitas.
Early Americans called the avocado an alligator pear, not because of its lizard-looking skin but because they could not pronounce the Spanish word for avocado, “ahuacate.” This fruit is rich in monosaturated fats, which help lower the body’s bad LDL cholesterol, while retaining the good HDL cholesterol (avocados themselves are free of cholesterol and sodium). They are a good source of fats for vegetarian diets, which sometimes leave out fat sources. Avocados are rich in Vitamins E, C, and B, as well as beta carotene (converted to Vitamin A in the body). Beta carotene, aside from providing antioxidant protection from damaging free radicals, is necessary for good eyesight, healthy skin and wound healing. It plays a role in white blood cell response to infections, and, by supporting the health of cells and fighting free radicals, helps protect the body from cancer. And avocados are a good “first food” for babies, when fully ripe and mashed.

IT ALWAYS BEARS REPEATING……..What do we mean by “beyond organic?”
For a number of years, Laguna Farm has chosen not to continue our organic certification, even though we were one of the earliest Sonoma County farms to be certified, and our farmer Scott is a Past President of the local chapter of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). One glaring problem for Scott is the National Organic Standards Program, which was formally implemented in 2002. He believes that this program selects for large corporate farms because it places a crushing financial and administrative blow on small farms (operations that are often operating with small margins in the first place). This has the effect of diluting the high standards of the original spirit of the organic movement, in which he was involved closely . Scott supports a new grassroots movement of small farms that are establishing peer-reviewed independent certifications. Most of these subscribe to the “open gate” policy of peer-reviewed organics, meaning that you, the customers, are always welcome to come to the farm and inspect our growing practices. We think you’ll find them BEYOND “Organic.”

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA BROWN PAPER GROCERY BAGS, bring them by to increase the supply at the blue CSA table. We are running low!

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
April 10 and 12, 2007

From Farmer Scott
The weather continues to give us conditions for easy planting. If we do not get much rain from this next little system, we will be going into irrigation mode. All looks well…. except!!!,,,,,,,the recent reports on bee populations has me worried. The reports from Germany are showing 15-25% reductions in bee populations, and in the U.S. on the East Coast, 70%, and the West Coast, 60%. This mysterious phenomenon, called “Colony Collapse Disorder,” could have catastrophic effects on the food system — much more than just the fruiting trees. We have many vegetable crops that depend on the honey bee for pollinization. This issue that I have been following, along with the recent U.N. Global Warming Report, have me pretty concerned. I sure am appreciating the abundance of our local food systems in Sonoma County after reading these things. We are very blessed.

In your box today:
From the pollinized fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, saute mix, parsley, and green garlic; also red onions from Hollister, broccoli from Coalinga, and navel oranges from the Central Valley.
Our salad mix is made up of “baby greens,” harvested when they are small. Most of these are much more nutritious than head lettuces, especially in Vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and fiber. We include the leaves of tatsoi, red mustard, mizuna, arugula, chard, curly cress, and when in season, edible flower petals and selected herbs.
The saute mix is a blend of greens that can be used similarly to spinach in stir-fries, bakes and casseroles. There is a pleasing tang or bite to the taste because of the addition of mustards (good for the digestion!).
Parsley is often ignored on the side of a plate and considered only an attractive garnish. But if you knew how good it was for you, you’d include it with your meal. This herb offers outstanding nutrition: it is extremely high in Vitamin A and C and most minerals, especially iron. It is a valued medicinal as well – the leaves are a strong diuretic (promoting the urinary flow, which helps to flush toxins from the bloodstream) and the root is a kidney tonic. It can be added to soups, stir-fries and sauces, and chopped into salads. And it is famous for freshening the breath at the end of a meal.

INTERESTED IN CUTTING HERBS and maintaining the Laguna Farm herb garden? We are looking for a committed person who would love to care for the herb garden here, supply to our distributor, and build a business selling fresh-cut herbs to markets. Email leslie@lagunafarm.com or call 824-1447.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA BROWN PAPER GROCERY BAGS, bring them by to increase the supply at the blue CSA table. We are running low!

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 i Barn phone 823-0824
April 3 and 5, 2007

From Farmer Scott
In the fields, we are cruising along with soil preparation and plantings. This is going to be a stellar year — if the weather pattern continues.
I am focusing on energy when I am not dealing with other farm needs. The solar panels are producing more power as the day length increases and the sun angle rises. It will be interesting to see if the system can keep up with the electrical needs as the irrigation season progresses. We are now using the small pump for the low needs, but that could change quickly if we don’t get more rain. The biofueled generator is getting ready for another season, and I have big plans to run it with a majority of “bio-gas” (methane) from the Digestor Project I’ve been working on. I wish I could just spend my time putting this element together, but, alas, my attention is needed in many different facets of the farm. I am trying to manifest a right hand helper to assist me in the many tasks needed to build this and maintain all the other parts of Laguna Farm. If you know of anyone interested in a work/ learn position here (or a quick Clone-the-Farmer program), let me know. I hope all is well with you and your loved ones. Be well.

In your box today:
From the energized fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, beets, parsley, and chard; also asparagus from Yuba City, celery from Oxnard, shallots from Hollister, and kiwi from Auburn.
Kiwis are native to New Zealand but are now grown around the world, including Sonoma County. They grow well in our climate, and store for weeks in a refrigerator. Recent research revealed that the kiwi ranked No. 1 among 27 fruits in terms of nutrients per calorie: it is highest in Vitamin C and strong in folic acid, potassium and other antioxidants protective against cancer and heart disease. To ripen a hard kiwi, place it in a bag with a ripe apple, banana or pear. Tart ripe fruit is firmer (good in salads), and soft ripe fruit is sweeter (better for eating alone or in desserts).
The Greek word aspharagos means “long as one’s throat.” The early spring season is short, adding to the special quality of this nutritious, low-calorie culinary delight. It is high in Vitamins A, B-complex, and C, plus the minerals potassium and zinc.

INTERESTED IN CUTTING HERBS and maintaining the Laguna Farm herb garden? We are looking for a committed person who would love to care for the herb garden here, supply to our distributor, and build a business selling fresh-cut herbs to markets. Email leslie@lagunafarm.com or call 824-1447.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA BROWN PAPER GROCERY BAGS, bring them by to increase the supply at the blue CSA table. We are running low!
Laguna Farm CSA

1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
March 27 and 29, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Well, that was a perfect little rain that we got, and it will keep the soils moist after we turn in the vegetative cover plants. A week or two of decomposing and another pass with the tiller, and we will have abundant amounts of soil to plant into. The Sparks Rd. field is nearly all planted — plus we have a couple hundred first tomatoes here at the home field covered with black plastic mulch to warm the soils and floating row cover to protect them from frost and encourage them along.
I recently made a wonderful connection with the Postcarbon Institute. They are supporting research and working farms that demonstrate the possibility of reducing and eventually eliminating community dependence on fossil fuels for energy. We are working with Julian and Celine (who have become new members of the CSA and a new drop off site in Sebastopol). The technical support for our energy program, including a new direction into Bio-Gas production from a methane digestor, will be very helpful. We are beginning the process of becoming one of the Institute’s Energy Farms, which you can check out on the website at postcarbon.org and then click the link on “Energy Farms.” Within a week a weather station will be set up here at the farm, and the info will be available online.

In your box today:
From the fields of the Laguna Energy Farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, kale, leeks and cilantro; also artichokes and carrots from Madera, Yukon Gold potatoes from Bakersfield, garlic from Gilroy, and navel oranges from the Central Valley.
Kale has a long history of traditional use: enhanced with sauteed leeks or onions, it becomes the traditional Scottish or Irish dish called colcannon. Combined with beans and smoked sausage, it is an ingredient in an old Portuguese country soup. In America, hardy settlers traditionally mixed it with mashed potatoes and butter for a winter dish. In the deep South, of course, it is always boiled with pork shoulder for an hour and sprinkled generously with salt and pepper. Kale is a nutritional superstar, one of the green leafy vegetables known for their high levels of antioxidants, especially alpha-linoleic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, and Vitamins A and C.
Carrots contain large amounts of beta-carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin A in the body and protects against virtually all cancers that have been researched. It protects the retina of the eye and the myelin sheaths around the nerves. Beta carotene, along with all the carotenoids, is an antioxidant, and fights the effects of oxidizing free radical molecules in the body. You will absorb the beta carotene in carrots better after they are cooked!

LISTEN TO FARMER SCOTT ONLINE (an interview conducted a week ago) by going to the Laguna Farm website or www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/wakeupamerica/, then click on “Archives.”

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
March 20 and 22, 2007

From Farmer Scott
We are working some bigger fields with this dry weather, in hopes of continuing the early plantings. I have been going out to the greenhouse late at night to collect the snails and slugs from the precious seedlings. Those little critters are hungry and have chomped a number of little pepper plants.
I want to give you a snapshot of the direction we are thinking of going with the store and walk-in cooler access. We are putting the call out for an employee that would work 20-30 hours a week, Tuesday through Saturday, selling products in the barn (including produce). This would be a farm market-style setup. The walk-in cooler holding your bin would be open, say, 9 AM to 9 PM, so you would be able to get your box almost anytime. We would, over time, look for the best time periods to have the store open, so you would have access to the produce and ever-increasing artisan products. The main physical change would be the ability to lock the back section of the walk-in cooler (where all the produce is stored for the farm store, farm markets and wholesale). Our goal is to find a single person to staff this position, instead of the handful of folks doing it now, and give you access to your bin and the products you want to buy in addition.
Please make bin payments only to the locked box on the blue CSA table or through the mail. We are looking to dial in an extended payment incentive plan(see your next invoice). This will be a voluntary program for those who choose to participate. Thanks!

In your box today:
From the “beyond organic” fields of Laguna Farm, our gourmet salad mix, beets, bok choy, and collards; also broccoli from El Centro, spring onions from Kern County, carrots from Madera, sweet potatoes from Livingston, and kiwi from Auburn.

LISTEN TO FARMER SCOTT ONLINE (an interview conducted on Monday): www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/wakeupamerica/, then click on “Archives.”

ANY TUESDAY SUBSCRIBERS THAT COULD SWITCH TO THURSDAY (pick-up subscribers only)? We have an overload of boxes on Tuesdays! Email us at the address above, or call, and please include your bin number with your message.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE’S WAREHOUSE ORDER
Order deadline is THIS FRIDAY, March 23 at 8 PM, and pick-up is next Thursday, March 29. Let us know if you can help break down the order that day!

“BRINGING BACK THE GREEN”: a benefit for the Sonoma County Herb Exchange this coming Sunday; see the flyer in your box! Info, 824-1447.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
March 13 and 15, 2007

From Farmer Scott
This warm spring weather continues to allow us to proceed with plantings of summer crops. Beans and summer squash seed are in the ground and receiving enough warmth to germinate. What a contrast from last year, when rains kept us out of the fields for a long time into the spring. We are planting a thousand new strawberry plants this week because we know how much you like them.
We have been exploring the idea of a step towards a classic CSA model, wherein subscribers pay for the entire season of veggie production, and in some cases, even share the risks with the farmer. In this spirit, we would like to encourage you to adopt prepayment of three months. This is not mandatory (I hope those that were stressed by that possibility will feel at ease with paying monthly). And I hope that those knowing they are commited to at least three months will explore with us how to simplify the billing process. I know that my idealism sometimes gets in the way of practicality. I guess I just want the farm to keep moving towards a sustainable model. I would love to get your ideas and suggestions. Please contact me at scott@lagunafarm.com, or leave a note in the payment box.
We have some sadness around the farm with the loss of our turkey, Gobblers. A dog took Gobblers’ life this past weekend. The owner is going to replace him, and build a safer fence in the front to prevent other losses in the future. We will all miss his song and dance.

In your box today (WEEK B):
From the warm sunny fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, baby spinach, turnips and chard; also Brussels sprouts from Salinas, red onions from Hollister, and grapefruit from the Central Valley.

ANY TUESDAY SUBSCRIBERS THAT COULD SWITCH TO THURSDAY (pick-up subscribers only)? We have an overload of boxes on Tuesdays! Email us at the address above, or call, and please include your bin number with your message.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE’S WAREHOUSE ORDER
Catalogs and order forms are on the blue CSA table in the barn (main catalog for reference only, specials catalogs for sale at $1 each). Order deadline is Friday, March 23 at 8 PM, and pick-up is Thursday, March 29. Let us know if you can help on that day!

“BRINGING BACK THE GREEN”: a spring fling with herbalist, author and
professional cook Diana Deluca, Sunday, March 25, 4-8 PM, Willowside Hall (5299 Willowside Rd.), speaking on “Spring, Sex, and Herbs” at 6 PM. $25-$40 entrance ticket includes gourmet dinner, fine wine and libations, live music and door prizes. Shop the Kava Bar and the herbal bazaar. A benefit for the Sonoma County Herb Exchange. Info, herbexch@sonic.net or 824-1447.
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472 info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
March 6 and 8, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Spring is bursting here at the farm, and the plum trees are going into full bloom. You can almost see the grass growing. The first tunnel of basil is germinating well in response to these warmer and sunnier days. We also have pretty good germination in the greenhouse with all the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
And there’s more — the solar panels are also taking in the energy from the sun and powering the farm. I have been wanting to focus on other sustainable energy projects, such as the fuel saving devices, but I haven’t been able to put much attention on that. I have a full plate managing the other aspects of the farm and property, but I will keep working toward my goals when I get time.
In that spirit, this year we are going to hire another son of Nacho’s (our incredible farm field manager) . By bringing on Santos for harvesting and other work, Nacho will be taking on the irrigation work I did in the past. He will have more time to focus on good soil preparation (to create more successful planting with less weeding), so that we can produce the 30 extra boxes needed to fund the new position. With this change, I hope to find more time to focus on the sustainable energy element of the farm.
I am thankful for your support in our goals of “beyond organic” sustainability.

In your box today:
From the energized fields of the farm, our gourmet salad mix, leeks, radishes, and kale; also cauliflower from Salinas, shiitake mushrooms from Red Bluff, garlic from Gilroy, and Mandarin oranges from the Central Valley.

More than one million new acres were devoted to organic agriculture in 2005, according to USDA figures, bringing the total to over 4 million acres. For the first time all of the 50 states in the U.S. reported having some certified organic farmland.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE’S WAREHOUSE ORDER
Mountain People’s Warehouse catalogs and order forms are on the blue CSA table in the barn (main catalog for reference only, specials catalogs for sale at $1 each). You can order many grocery, bulk, frozen and body care products found in your local stores, at wholesale prices with our group order. Order deadline is Friday, March 23 at 8 PM, and your items will be ready to be picked up here at the farm on the afternoon of Thursday, March 29. Please let us know if you can help on that Thursday with the breakdown and organization of the order; we’ll need volunteers!
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
February 27 and March 1, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Taking my son to school this morning, I surveyed our neighbor’s field as we drove around the corner on Cooper Rd. The “Round-Up orange” color is gone, but it is pretty obvious the field was sprayed with herbicide. The contrast to our fields is dramatic. Since I have not yet taken a physical photograph to post, I am creating it this way. I imagine it is pretty clear to you which soil you want your food to be grown in, but there is still a majority of our national (and county) agricultural land abused in this way. Soils that do not get a regular addition of organic material — via cover crop or plant material grown there and incorporated, an/ or composted materials from elsewhere added to the soil — are on a path toward low microbial activity. The microorganisms in our soils are the key to healthy fertility, thus healthy food, thus healthy consumers.
Back to the Round-Up-sprayed field: this practice further degrades soil, along with the chemical fertilizers that are usually used alongside (which are very high in harsh acidic ingredients). Thanks for supporting sustainable products. Your consumer choices as to where you spend your buck are more powerful than you might think……and if we all practiced this method of voting, we’d see some big changes.

In your box today:
From the sustainable, “WAY BEYOND ROUND-UP” fields of the farm, our gourmet salad mix, chard, turnips, potatoes and carrots (supplemented by some grown by our heroes, T.D. Willey Farm in Madera); also, artichokes from Bakersfield, shallots from Hollister, and kiwi from Auburn.
Artichokes, which we classify as a vegetable, are actually the unopened flower and surrounding leaves of this member of the thistle family. They come from the Mediterranean area, which means that they don’t grow well where the winters are cold, and have been enjoyed as a delicacy for centuries. The leaves are used medicinally as a spring tonic and lymphatic cleanser.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE’S WAREHOUSE ORDER
Mountain People’s Warehouse catalogs and order forms are on the blue CSA table in the barn (main catalog for reference only, specials catalogs for sale at $1 each). You can order many grocery, bulk, frozen and body care products found in your local stores, at wholesale prices with our group order. Order deadline is Friday, March 23 at 8 PM, and your items will be ready to be picked up here at the farm on the afternoon of Thursday, March 29. Please let us know if you can help on that Thursday with the breakdown and organization of the order; we’ll need volunteers!
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824

February 6 and 8, 2007

From Farmer Scott
Seeds are ordered and fields are being planted. Nacho (our field manager) and I selected many new varieties to trial this next season, such as some interesting tomatoes. It is still a little early to be planting many crops, but with this dry weather, soil moisture has not been an issue. Many of the cover cropped fields are still recovering from the cold period and are yellow from the death of the grass species mixed with the legumes that survived.

You will notice a shift in the barn, with the Artisan Store cabinet and sales table moved to new positions. This is to make things more accessible and is just the beginning of the ideas our newest employee, Jennifer, has in store for us. I am feeling so blessed by the group of wonderful people that is the incredible team that runs the farm and the CSA.

In your box today:

From the wintery fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, beets, Romanesco broccoli, winter squash, and kale on Tuesday or bok choy on Thursday; also celery from Salinas, chives from Pescadero, and Pippin apples from Sebastopol.

GOLDEN RULES FOR BETTER DIGESTION (from Neal Barnard, M.D., President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington D.C.)

1. Keep your diet reasonably lowfat. As fatty foods encounter the lining of the digestive tract, they tend to slow the motion that propels food along.

2. Don’t be afraid of fiber. Although some experts believe that fiber may inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients, Barnard says this effect is not significant. Furthermore, consuming fiber keeps your digestive tract moving smoothly and reduces constipation.

3. Choose food wisely. Base your diet on whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits (include smaller amounts of harder-to-digest animal products and processed foods).

4. Cook completely. Be sure legumes and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are thoroughly cooked (but not mushy). Eating them raw is tough on your digestive system and causes flatulence.

5. Chew thoroughly. Eat slowly, and aim to chew each mouthful 15 to 20 times. This starts the process of food breakdown and allows it to mix well with digestive juices.

6. Whenever possible, focus on your meal and eat in a relaxed environment. A calm nervous system begets a healthy digestive process.

Extended hours for the store and csa pick-up: Tuesday and Thursday: noon to 8 PM (self-serve noon – 2 pm), Wednesday and Friday: 2 PM to 8 PM, and Saturday: 10 AM to 4 PM.

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
January 23 and 25, 2007

From Farmer Scott

Another frosty morning beckons as I prepare to go to the Eco-Farm conference for the rest of the week. I anticipate there will be some talk of this long cold period of weather and how it has affected different crops. I look forward to sharing, in general, with all the different people from different places that are involved in agriculture in various ways.
It is time for seed ordering and the first plantings of the longer term crops, such as tomatoes and peppers. Our goal of having tomatoes in the boxes from June through November during the higher production, and in the store during low production, will start with the seeds placed in starter trays on heated pads in the greenhouse. The end of the season depends on July plantings that will be grown and protected inside hoop houses at the Sparkes Rd. field. I hope that you are well and enjoying the produce in your box. As you know, during this period of time we need to purchase more items off-farm, and will be searching for the best farms that are committed to sustainable practices. Be well.

In your box today:
From the frosty fields of the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, collards, carrots, Russian Banana fingerling potatoes, and parsley; also green onions from Hollister and garlic from Gilroy.
Our salad mix is composed of baby greens, sometimes referred to as “mesclun,” which is Provencal for “mixed.” These greens usually cost more in markets than iceberg or romaine lettuces, but nutritionally they are worth it. Some of the greens we use are tatsoi (high in vitamins A and C, calcium and folate), arugula (high in vitamins A and C and calcium), mizuna (high in Vitamins A and C, calcium and folate), chard (high in Vitamins A and C, thiamine and riboflavin [B vitamins]), mustards, and when in season, edible flower petals and selected herbs.
German researchers conducting a four-year study demonstrated that garlic (in supplement form) reduced artery plaque buildup by 18%, decreased LDL cholesterol by 4%, increased HDL cholesterol by 8%, and reduced blood pressure by 7%.

Extended hours for the store and csa pick-up:
Tuesday and Thursday: noon to 8 pm (self-serve noon – 2 pm)
Wednesday and Friday: 2 pm to 8 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 4 PM

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BE KIND TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND DRIVE SLOWLY ON COOPER RD. WHEN YOU ARE VISITING THE FARM. THANKS!
Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
January 9 and 11, 2007

From Farmer Scott
A BIG WELCOME to Jennifer, who is taking over Holly’s position managing the CSA produce and work exchange. Holly may likely be seen around the farm next year growing cut flowers and herbs. We give thanks for all the love and effort put into the boxes by her.
This run of sunshine has been wonderful, and has made it easier to get around in the fields and work the land for plantings and such, but the cool temperatures are slowing the growth down significantly. You might observe the nice color in the leaves of some crops, and extended shelf life due to hardier cell structure. I just wonder how much longer it will last.
I am getting ready to go to the Eco-Farm conference this year, to connect with others in my Tribe of Sustainable Agriculture Folks. I often return with new inspiration and knowledge to help with the next season. The theme this year is Energy. Be well.

In your box today (WEEK A, for every-other-week members):
From the farm, our “beyond organic” salad mix, turnips, cabbage and red chard on Tuesday and Romanesco broccoli and Dino kale on Thursday; also yellow onions from Hollister, Shiitake mushrooms from Moss Landing, parsley from Oxnard, and kiwis from Auburn.
You will find, as the winter progresses, that some of the veggies will be sourced from warmer places to supplement what we can provide from the farm. We choose the freshest, highest quality, and most local produce that we can find (always organic, either certified or personally verified). Buying “off-farm” allows us to offer a box throughout the winter months, when our production is down, and provides you with the best possible food at a below-retail cost. Continuing through the winter saves us a lot of startup costs in the spring. We appreciate you supporting us year-round, even when not all of the produce is grown here.

Seeking two dedicated, reliable work exchange volunteers for a long-term position helping with CSA set-up at the farm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Call or email us!

Extended hours for the store and csa pick-up:
Tuesday and Thursday: noon to 8 pm (self-serve noon – 2 pm)
Wednesday and Friday: 2 pm to 8 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 4 PM

EARTH ROOTS GARDEN FESTIVAL BENEFIT – THIS Saturday, January 13 1 PM – 11 PM
This fun event at the Sebastopol Community Center will benefit the Earth Roots Learning Garden here at the farm, organized by two of our residents. There will be music, workshops, kid stuff, sustainable goods and crafts, exhibitors, a raffle and silent auction, a healing temple, and more! Earth Roots will be offering summer programs to open children to our interconnections with Earth’s living systems, through the Community Center. For more information, call 970-227-8040, 707-332-8906, or visit earthrootsfieldschool@gmail.com.

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 Barn phone 823-0824
December 19 and 21, 2006

From Farmer Scott
Wow — what a series of frosty mornings. This will definitely put the fruit trees into dormancy. Unfortunately, it also slows growth on all the annual crops (vegetables). The salad greens will be glad to have a week off, to catch up to the weekly harvest we have been doing. I am happy to know that the farm’s produce will be going into your holiday meals.
We are in the process of looking for someone to fill Holly’s position as CSA Store and Box Manager. There will be a job description posted on the board in the barn, and interested individuals can either email or call us. I am sad to see Holly go, but excited for her to continue on her path of right livelihood.
I have had some minor success with my fuel saving research experiments. We have just about completed a hydrogen generator that in its partial state has given a 5% fuel savings. I also experienced a slight fuel savings with a small dose of acetone in a diesel vehicle. I will be starting to post my results and thoughts on the website, so if you’re interested, please check it out there. You can also view the CSA newsletters and recipes. Speaking of newsletters, please sign up to have your newsletter emailed to you, if you’d like. This will reduce paper/toner and staff time. If you pickup at the farm, you have access to a printed one in a basket on the CSA table (and delivery folks are getting one in the box).
Along with the rest of the folks here at the farm, I am………

WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND SUPREME SOLSTICE AND NEW YEAR! NO BOXES NEXT WEEK!!!!!
THE FARM WILL BE CLOSED Sunday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Jan. 1.
but you are free to buy produce in the cooler on the honor system 9AM – 9 PM these days
Boxes will resume Tuesday, January 2.
You can donate your box to the Food Bank by calling or emailing us with your intention.

In your box today:
From your “beyond organic” farm, a holiday box: our gourmet salad mix, chard, carrots and leeks; also purple caulfilower and Romanesco broccoli from Fremont, sweet potatoes from Livingston, parsley from Oxnard, and kiwis from Auburn.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE’S WAREHOUSE ORDERS
Catalogs and order forms are on the blue CSA table in the barn (main catalog for reference only, specials catalogs for sale at $1 each) and the order deadline is THIS FRIDAY, December 22 at 8 PM. Your items will be ready to be picked up here at the farm on the afternoon of December 28. If you have questions, contact Hassan at the barn phone (823-0824) Wed. and Fri. 2-6 PM or Sat. 12 noon-6 PM.

Laguna Farm CSA
1764 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA info@lagunafarm.com
Office phone 823-0823 ? Barn phone 823-0824
December 5 and 7, 2006

From Farmer Scott
Actually this is from Scott, the Better Mileage Farmscientist: I thought I would give you a brief update on my experiments. This effort is partly due to your donations. Most of the funding is going towards the solar array, but there are portions that will promote the living wage, soil fertility and sustainable energy areas of the farm. I thank you all for this.
With one of my projects, a hydrogen generator/ethanol bubbler and water mist injector added to the veggie-oil-fueled generator, I attained a 10% decrease in fuel use this past fall.
Recently I have been researching a fuel additive that can be purchased off the shelf from the hardware store. It is acetone – a common solvent used for paint and fingernail polish removal, and also an ingredient in products like vehicle injector cleaning additives. It has given me a small mileage gain, better cold start and reduced emissions. The basic effect is in how it changes the surface tension of the fuel, be it gas/ diesel or biofuel, such that the fuel vaporizes more easily. Fuels apparently vary from one gas station to the next (which I will be testing), and the addition of ethanol may actually lower mileage, which acetone can counter. Two ounces per 10 gallons of fuel is the recommended amount, and is what I am using. Diluting it down to 1/4 of one percent prevents it from damaging fuel lines and such. I have read many reports, and feedback from 40 users, along with my personal experience, that leads me to believe it is at least a good occasional-use engine cleaner and likely longterm fuel conditioner. Reports say that our overall national fuel quality has gone down recently.
Keep an eye out for additions to the lagunafarm.com website for more in the future. We will be creating links to pieces written by myself and others on these topics and more.

In your box today:
Our “beyond organic” gourmet salad mix, saute mix, broccoli on Tuesday and cabbage on Thursday, carrots, and potatoes; also Mandarin oranges from the Sierra foothills and rice from Chico.
The short grain brown rice in your box today comes from the Massa family, rice growers in the Central Valley. who are creating a direct marketing link between sustainable farms with their products. You can buy more at the farm store.

ONCE AGAIN, thanks to those who donated Thanksgiving boxes to the Sonoma County Food Bank. We sent very nice boxes of fresh veggies because of your generosity. You may do it again at Christmas by emailing info@lagunafarm.com.

THE FARM WILL BE CLOSED CHRISTMAS WEEK (Sunday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Jan. 1). Boxes will resume Tuesday, January 2. You can still send in those holiday recipes!!