Mountain Bounty Farm News 

Dear CSA,

The warm weather this week has got us dreaming and scheming about our summer crops, especially TOMATOES! 

Did you know that the majority of the tomato plants that we grow on the farm are grafted? And that we do this grafting ourselves? Grafting is a fascinating process that essentially takes the tops of a desirable eating tomato variety and pairs it with the bottom or "rootstock" of a variety known for strong disease resistance and more vigorous growth. In the spring, we graft all the delicious Big Beef red slicing tomatoes you see in your box with a healthy rootstock variety (that makes furry, small, yellow tomatoes if not cut and grafted).

We plant seeds for both the Big Beef and furry yellow tomatoes, and plan on grafting them when they are about 2-3 inches tall. We split into teams of 2 and get to work: using special scissors to cut at the exact same angle, one farmer cuts the rootstock and the other farmer cuts desired tomato varieties and then quickly clips the two together. 

These tomato plants are then quickly placed into their "healing chamber" (a heated, converted soft drink cooler) where we can maintain the ideal light, temperature and humidity over the next week. We're a competitive group, so we label the trays, and the team with the most successful grafts earns a burrito (food is a strong motivator at Mountain Bounty)! 

It is a lot of work, but we have found that the tomatoes grafted with the more sturdy and vigorous rootstock leads to higher yields and more disease resistance in the field, which means more beautiful organic tomatoes in your boxes and on your plates soon!

Enjoy your shares this week!

-Becky and the Mountain Bounty Farm Crew

The Winter Mushroom Share has ENDED!

Spring Mushroom Shares - NOW AVAILABLE for sign ups. First delivery is THIS week!

Due to popular demand, we have added an 8-week Spring Mushroom CSA Share from April 3rd through May 22nd, so you still have the opportunity to eat Grass Valley Mushrooms' amazing Lions Mane, Oyster Mushrooms and other delicious fungi. Sign up today! Spots are limited! This will again be a traditional CSA, with no holds or rollover credits.

Please do not grab a bag of mushrooms this week unless you have signed up for the Spring Mushroom Share!

Seasonal Flower Shares -

Provided by Little Boy Flowers

The Early Spring Flower CSA offered by our partner farm Little Boy Flowers is happening now! Signups are still available for the remaining weeks of delivery. This CSA runs through April 17/18

The Early Spring Flower CSA includes bouquets of our farm's most popular blooms- anemones, ranunculus, Icelandic poppies and tulips. The size of the bouquets progresses with the season.

Try our Mountain Bounty personalized coffee blend CSA (both Regular and Decaf) from Remedy Coffee Company in Auburn!

Remedy coffee is made with a focus on quality, by working directly with growers and producers, and small batch-roasting to bring out the natural flavors of the coffee bean. Their coffee is served at local Nevada City haunts such as Three Forks and Briar Patch. We are thrilled to offer up our own signature coffee; the "Mountain Bounty Blend" as a Weekly or Bi-weekly CSA Subscription.

Farm Box Contents

(Contents are subject to change depending on harvest and weather conditions at Mountain Bounty and our Partner Farms.)

Please check the delivery list at your CSA site and sign your name indicating you have picked up your shares. We deliver exactly what is on the delivery list.

Small Box (Feeds 1-2 people)

• Spring Onions (Coke Farm)
• Red lettuce (Pinnacle Farm)
• Parsley (Coke Farm)
• Sweet Potato (NorCal Farms)
• Radish (Coke Farm)
• Red Russian Kale (Riverdog Farm)

Fruit Box - (Provided by FROG HOLLOW FARM and contents subject to substitutions)

**IMPORTANT! The Fruit Share will be taking a seasonal break the weeks of

April 10/11 through May 15/16, with deliveries resuming May 22/23**

• Pink Lady Apples - Cyuyama Orchards
• Fuji Apples - Cyuyama Orchards
• Murcott OR Gold Nugget Mandarins - Wild River Fruit
• Cara Cara Navel Oranges - Blue Heron Farm
• Blueberries - Central West Produce
• Hass Avocados - Eco Farms

**Due to delivery logistics, we are unable to return the Fruit Share Boxes to Frog Hollow. Please recycle your box at home**

If you are unsure if you are signed up for Fruit Shares, please visit your Member Dashboard HERE to verify!! Please do not grab a share unless you see your name on the pickup list.

Spring Mushroom CSA

(Provided by Grass Valley Mushrooms)

This week will be a bag of Shiitake Mushrooms, locally grown from Grass Valley Mushrooms.

General mushroom cooking instructions: Mushrooms should be cooked for about 15-20 minutes. Sautéing them is what we do most around here! 

Health Benefits of Mushrooms:

Aside from being a low-calorie food, mushrooms have a wide variety of health benefits! They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all which are important for our bodies. Some specific ways they have been found to benefit us include: boosting our immune system, lowering blood pressure, assisting with weigh loss, and even reducing the risk of serious diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.

They are also an amazing option for plant-based diets, since they have a meaty texture and can absorb flavors extremely well!

Shiitake Mushroom recipes:

Crispy Mushrooms with White Beans and Kale (click here.) — use the Kale from your box, and the Shiitake mushrooms to create this dish! It calls for Maitake mushrooms as well, but you can just sub all Shiitake instead.

Rutabaga Carbonara with Mushroom Bacon (click here.) — If you haven’t used your Rutabaga from last week, you can use it with your Shiitake mushrooms in this delicious pasta creation!

Recipes, storage tips, inspiration and nutrition information:

• While Broccoli Rabe (aka Rapini,) looks similar to broccoli, it’s actually more closely related to turnips! Often used in Asian and Italian cooking, broccoli rabe can be added to many types of recipes. One of the best ways to prepare it is by blanching it before sautéing or roasting. This tames its bitter flavor, as does cooking it for longer. Try serving Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Chile Flakes (click here) with any dish!

• Looking for a new Sweet Potato recipe? Look no further! This Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe (click here) combines chickpeas, spices, and a garlic herb sauce to make a healthy, vegan, and gluten free meal. You can use your Parsley here, too!

• If you have the will power to not eat all of your Sugar Snap Peas straight out of your box, you can try these Quick Asian Sugar Snap Peas (click here.) This 15-minute side dish showcases flavors from Thailand and Vietnam with the help of Thai basil, lime, and mint. YUM!

• Anytime Bunched Carrots are in the box, I get excited for Roasted Carrots (click here.) Not only do they look fancy, they are incredibly delicious as well! With a honey glaze and a touch of salt, they’re sure to be a hit.

Important Dates:

• The Fruit Share will be taking a seasonal break the weeks of April 10/11 through May 15/16, with deliveries resuming May 22/23.
• All shares will be delivered on Wednesday, November 27th for the week of Thanksgiving.
• We will be closed for a Farm Vacation from 12/21/24 through 1/5/25. There will be no deliveries those weeks, as well as no Admin support.

info@mountainbountyfarm.com

Mailing Address:

14579 Blind Shady Road, Nevada City, CA 95959

Phone:(530)292-3776