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What's in the Boxes
Large ShareBox
Asian greens, Pac choi Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Green garlic Kale Lettuce Summer squash Strawberries Medium ShareBox
Asian greens, Pac choi Beets Broccoli Carrots Green garlic Kale Lettuce Summer squash Strawberries Small ShareBox
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Green garlic
Kale
Lettuce
Summer squash
Strawberries
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 Red Ace Beets
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Crop & Field Notes
Snapshots of what's happening in the field
There is always a number of things happening in the orchards and fields. This week, Tom updates us on how our apple, tomato, and potato crops are doing. Apples - Between apple blossom and apple fruit, a tree is never left unattended and there is lots going on behind the scenes. After the enchanting springtime apple bloom it is now time to thin. Thinning an organic apple orchard is mostly done by hand, and takes a lot of time.Tomatoes - The short heatwave last weekend has the tomato plants developing quickly, many are starting to flower, which means we can't fall behind on the important task of staking and trellising. In the past this was a dreaded job as we used to pound every single stake by hand using a contraption built from a 2 inch metal pipe that has two large handles welded to it, jokingly this tool is referred to as "El Nino" or "The child". Potatoes - This year we were able to plant our potatoes early and the crop looks gorgeous, covering the entire field like a green lush blanket. Soon the green will be offset by pretty white and purple flowers which means the plants are at a stage where they will have peaked in their growth of shoots and leaves and will start reverting that energy by directing it below ground to develop potato tubers.Continue reading on our web site
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Our Farm Stand is Open 
Our on-Farm Stand is now open. Come visit the Farm on Saturday and go home with fresh produce. Our Farm Stand is at our Green Valley Barn at 1275 Green Valley Rd near Watsonville. Hours are 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
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CSA Update
Extra Fruit Option Starts Next Week
Everyone who signed up for the extra fruit option will start receiving additional fruit next week. Please make sure you read carefully the allotted amount noted by your name on the Checklist in the site binder. If you would like to add the extra fruit option to your subscription, just log in to your online account and click on the blue Add Subcription button at the bottom of the Summary box.
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Request of Current CSA Members
Help us meet our CSA membership goal for the Season
We are only 75 members short of our projected CSA membership goal, and we would like you to help us reach it. Unlike in past years where we've had a waiting list for CSA memberships, many, mostly positive, factors have changed that reality, where today we enjoy more choice and availability of locally grown organic food. As a farm we are adapting by diversifying our marketing strategy, selling more of our harvest to grocery stores, restaurants, and small distributors, as well as expanding our deliveries to new markets all the way into San Francisco. Nothing has changed in our commitment and philosophy, we however need to adjust to new economic realities and meeting our membership goal is important. You, our members, are what supports and makes the Live Earth Farm community. We are asking that you spread the word to your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers about what a benefit being a part of Live Earth Farm and receiving your CSA share box is.
Continue reading on our web site
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Discovery Program
Summer Camps at Live Earth Farm
Looking for a Summer Camp for the kids? This year our Discovery Program is offering three camps: Art on the Farm Camp, Young Farmers Camp, and Sprouts Camp. We have a really good time at our Summer Camps. Summer is such a brilliant time on the farm. The experience is warm, sunny, bright, and full of flavor. Our days are filled with fun activities designed to encourage creative expression in many different media. We make art, crafts, snacks, preserves, garden beds, and great friends. During the course of the week we plant, weed, harvest, water, cut, cook, can, we weave, print, paint, all in the beautiful setting of Live Earth Farm.
There's even a 10% discount for CSA members, returning campers, siblings and coupon holders (only one discount may be applied per family). Regular price of $350 per camper.
For more info, continue to our web site
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Bread Love 
We've been offering artisanal organic whole wheat sourdough bread from Companion Bakeshop as our "Bread Option" for a few years now, and started offering individual loaves through our web store last season. So if you want to try a loaf or two before committing to the full Bread Option, just order them over the weekend for your next delivery. Look for ordering instructions in the Saturday morning "What's in the Web Store" email. Then if you like it (we know you will!), you can simply log in to your online account to add a bread option and get a loaf weekly!
Companion Bakeshop uses their own sourdough starter, all organic ingredients, hand-mixes their dough, and hand-shapes all their loaves. These are rustic, European style loaves, stone baked fresh the morning of delivery! The only ingredients in them are their starter, Giusto's organic whole wheat flour, water, salt, plus whatever seeds are added depending on the loaf-type.
Please note: bread is currently only available for Wednesday and Friday deliveries.
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Upcoming Workshops at the Farm
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Want to learn how to make cheese, pickles, jams, and other preserves?