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Boy time flies! Yes Leah, you have been a member since 2011. When we launched home delivery in CSA that year everyone thought we were crazy--Chris Blanchard a famous farm consultant told us it would never work. We had just started Three Sisters Farm and wanted to give ourselves a competitive edge. That year we had 6 CSA members and delivered them in our Toyota Echo--Leah was one of the six. In 2019 it is hard to imagine a business existing without home delivery. Still we are exceptionally thankful for those of you who pick up at our neighborhood locations--it allows us to serve more people. Our delivery routes are very long and exhausting--yes your farmers are still the ones dropping off your box--but we still do it because we know it is highly valued. One day we hope to figure out how to out source this aspect of things and still have it be viable--but I don't know--is there value to us meeting you one on one on the delivery route? Our routes give us insight into your daily lives and if we are lucky we get to find out how the CSA is going for you. Anyway...without further ado:ALISSA What do you do for a living?
LEAH I am a surface designer, so I do textile design and fiber work. My background is really contemporary craft. Primarily, I make utilitarian objects for people out of fiber based materials. It can be fabric or paper or any kind of natural material. How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? My husband and I have been trying to remember if it is three or four - we feel pretty solid that it is three. (Here Alissa informs Leah that according to Kelly, she and her husband have been members since their very first season, so more like 6 years.) Oh wow, well I trust Kelly’s records! What part of Southeastern WI do you live in? Riverwest. In three words, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? OH! Freaking Fantastic!! When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? I can tell you exactly what I say. I am vegan, but my husband is not. For me the CSA ends up being this fabulous mix of foods I love to eat and foods he loves to eat, but then there’s foods neither of us will touch, but they are not the same foods. There isn’t a time when one of us won’t eat everything in the box. For example, he loves spicy foods and I do not, so I never purchase hot peppers at the grocery store but he will eat every one. And things like beets, he hates and I love, so I don’t buy them because it’s just me eating them. So the CSA becomes this Bingo of sorts for both of us! Do you choose your box contents? Sometimes we choose, sometimes we don’t. I like the luck of the draw. But if we’re having company and I want to meal plan a bit I will choose so I know what to expect. What is your favorite CSA food item? That's a touchy one - I Love it when, at the very beginning, often we will have strawberries or something and it’s just a surprise and fabulous treat. I will eat the whole carton. Does your husband get any? Depends… Then other things like later in fall when we get the squashes - so many times there have been squash that I’ve never seen - it looks like Frankenstein but it is just delicious. It doesn’t matter if I know what a vegetable is I’ll give it a shot. I guess I like the beginning and end of the season, the bracket. Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? I have always been challenged by the kohlrabi. I always feel like every time I eat it I want it to be broccoli, but its not. I’ve panned fried it, roasted it, boiled it. I’ve sort of given up on cooking it and now just eat it raw. Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? Yes I do. In my kitchen I have a tall stool and I always prop the box that stool and lay out all my vegetables on the stove. Then I decide what can be stored together or what can be separated. For example with carrots, I take the tops off and store the tops separately. What do you do with carrots tops? I chop them up and put them in salad as a garnish. Not a ton but a little. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? Home Delivery!!! Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? One time my nephew had come to visit me and he was probably 7 or 8 at the time. He and I always cook together, it’s always been our routine. We had gotten two big bulbs of fennel that week, and I was like “you are going to love these” - cuz he likes licorice. So we made this pie - i’m not really sure how that happened - I thought originally that it would go the savory route, but he wanted to add vanilla and things and I thought “why not?” But it turned out to be the most atrocious thing you’ve ever eaten. But my nephew was so excited he ate the whole thing. Over the course of the week he polished that pie off. What about being a CSA member is most important to you? Since I’m vegan, it’s really important to me to consume a variety of nutrients. But also I want to know that what I’m spending my money on is supporting somebody. It's’ not going to ConAgra or something like that. I feel like its worth every penny to support a CSA - I’m investing in my health while supporting someone else's business. I’m also a small business owner and I want to support as many small businesses as I can. What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? Last week I got two different kinds of greens in the box - I think I got chard and curly kale. So I chopped them both up, mixed them together and I always cook them a certain way. My husband and I both grew up in the rural south so greens are a big deal to us. SInce I’m vegan I’ve worked out a system over the years to mimic the greens I grew up with. Three days last week I had that packed in my lunch and it was so satisfying. (Get Leah’s Vegan Southern Greens Recipe below!!) What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? Whenever I travel anywhere, as long as it’s vegan I’ll eat it, I’ll fire it a shot. My brother lives out in Portland, OR and it’s pretty much the vegan capital. So I’ll go to restaurants with things on the menu and I’m like “I don’t know why you’d make that vegan” The last time we went out to vegan Hawaiian place and there was all this fake pork and I have no idea what it was made out of. But they’d also made all those cream based tropical drinks, but vegan. So I had a white russian. I don’t know if a white russian needs to be made vegan? What is your favorite place to have a meal? If this was time warp, I would have said my grandparents house. My grandmother was one of those people who always had a gorgeously set table and always did a whole display on your plate. Even if we’re just having sandwiches it was the whole display. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life in the present? Even though the weather is hot, I’m thrilled because I love to cycle - it’s so nice to just meander on my bike. Basically seasonal, outdoor activities. What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? Oh, politics!! Swiss Chard or Kale, and why? Swiss Chard, just because it’s so nice and delicate and it’s something you can also just put on your sandwich like spinach. It’s so tender. I love it on a sandwich - it’s delicate but crunchy. Is there anything you would like to share about seasonal eating, local food, CSA membership or anything else related to these topics that you have never had the chance to say? I just feel like I cannot say enough positive things about our experience with Three Sisters. Especially the delivery of this quality of food. Everyone can get a pizza delivered, but you can’t get a whole box of nutrient dense food delivered to you. If we ever go out of town I always tell our neighbors when the box is coming so they can get it. I don’t want it to go to waste and I also want them to see how fabulous it is so if they consider joining a CSA they will think to join ours! Leah's Simple and Vegan Southern Greens Recipe: Wash two bunches of greens (any kind) Shake them dry (you want them to be a little damp) Put a couple of tablespoons of toasted sesame oil in the bottom of a Dutch Oven Place half the damp greens in pot Shake on a layer of nutritional yeast (around 1/4 cup) Place other half of damp greens on top Cover and cook very low until greens are wilted and a bit soupy Stir occasionally When greens are cooked down, remove lid from pot and let moisture cook off Keep stirring at random intervals Once the majority of the liquid is gone they are ready to eat YUM!!!
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As Jesse mentioned, we first met at the Urban Ecology Center local farmer open house. He passed us by the first year, but we do remember meeting him the second year. The next season he helped at our onion weeding party last season and we enjoyed a root beer float together out of the back of our farm end after a hard morning of work crawling around on our hands and knees. We were glad to have his help with more weeding this spring. He helped to hand weed the carrots available in this weeks CSA boxes on a work morning this spring when the weather was particularly cantankerous and moody-with scattered storms and rain. We always tried to pick his brain about pumps to understand better how they work since we have to deal with them on the farm and that is his expertise. We still don't understand how they work but are happy to say that as of this morning the well at our new site is outfitted with a pump and pressure system that will allow us to start irrigating on our broader acreage--just in the nick-of-time. Its real hot and dry out there. Give us a brief introduction... I live in Milwaukee and am an engineer working in Germantown. I have a ten year old son named Carter. How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? This is our third year with Three Sisters, and we had two other CSA’s prior to this. What is your dropsite? Wauwatosa How did you hear about the farm? I did the open house{UEC local Farmer}. But when I went the Three Sisters table was too busy so I joined someone else. But that only lasted a year then I jumped on with Jeff and Kelly. Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? Yes. I’m not a worker share but I go out to the farm sometimes. I just did a morning with them about a month ago. I try to give back on top of the financial purchasing of the share. I grew up on a farm, so for me (the work) is kind of second nature. I did have my own garden for a while but it got into disarray. It’s a lot easier working in a garden that’s fairly well maintained, even if it’s a lot bigger. In three words, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? Fresh Unique Enjoyable When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? Main reason is because I can guarantee where my food came from. Growing up on a farm I always knew where my stuff came from because I was in a small town, and often they would use the local food sources to stock their shelves during the season. I grew up on that, so it’s normal for me. And I have always thought that it taste better in general. What is your favorite CSA food item? I really love the radishes right now, but I can’t wait for tomato season. Some of the time, I swear I eat all those cherry tomatoes in one sitting. And I’m like “Dang! There was only one container!” Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? I would definitely say the kohlrabi. At first maybe celeriac, but I’ve figured out some things to do with that. Kohlrabi seems like it shouldn’t be cooked. I bet you could do a quick pickle with it, but pickling is an art that I have yet to master. How do you use the box each week? I pretty much regularly turn the box into weekly salads for my lunches at work. Then once the summer squash and zucchini come in I pan fry it, because I grew up on that dish. I try to be patient with them to get the caramelization, but I don’t always have the time for that. It’s also good if you throw in cut up fennel - that was another one I didn’t know what to do with at first. Do you still order things you don’t know what to do with or aren’t sure about? Since sometime last summer I have not chosen the contents of the share - I have left it up to them. Partly because I think it might be easier on them, and partly because I love to cook and I see the challenge in that. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? The variety of food that I have received. And the personalities - primarily of Kelly, she is very bubbly. It’s just easy to get along with both of them. I can relate to them. And I’ve not been disappointed with any of the food I’ve received. With another farm it was just OK - it may have been because of the weather that season, or it seemed like they were trying to do more meat production than veggies. (The variety) from Three Sisters might be because they have the greenhouses that they use so much. And not many places include mushrooms. They are constantly trying to change varieties of things like tomatoes and melons - they are willing to try out new things and that means more variety for me. Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? Confusions, misunderstandings, strange vegetables? When I first started doing the CSA I could not figure out how to unfold the box without ripping apart. It’s a simple box but...the very first farm we went to sent a video about how to unpack the box and I watched that in the driveway of the pickup site trying to figure out how it worked. What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? I would say it was some pork chops that I made with homemade chimichurri sauce. And I’m looking forward to making that again with the garlic scapes when they start popping in. When I first had a CSA I had no idea what the garlic scape was, now they are a favorite. What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? Probably something my grandmother made for me. She was 100% Polish. She used to make homemade perogies and stuff them with plums. Which a lot of people find to be weird but for me it was awesome. It was almost like wrapping a wonton around a plum and eating it. What is your favorite place to have a meal? If it’s a restaurant then La Merenda - I love their grilled octopus. But my absolute favorite is grilling in the backyard. I just love the flavor of the food - no gas, has to be hardcore, true charcoal. So maybe camping is even better than grilling in the backyard. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? The last couple months I’ve been doing this Friday morning group workout called the November Project - the whole premise behind it is pretty cool, their mantra is “bringing free workouts to the world.” They are a national organization but a couple of people here in MKE are volunteering their time to lead various workouts around the city. They switch locations, and you check their Facebook page to find out where the next workout will be. What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? The obvious one is politics, but I don’t even want to go down that road. Chard or Kale? Probably Swiss Chard. I fell in love with this sauteed bacon and swiss chard thing I found a couple years ago and I can never get enough of it. Is there anything you would like to share about seasonal eating, local food, CSA membership or anything else related to these topics that you have never had the chance to say? It’s worth it - it’s worth the cost and even the time to make it up to the farm and go help them out. Anything in particular related to your son and the CSA? My son likes his specifics. I keep trying to get him to try more things, but usually “green is gross.” But he thinks carrots and tomatoes are the best, and he likes it when melons are in season. As Ryan mentioned, we first met when he came to our fall harvest day at Wellspring where we worked for several years before staring Three Sisters. We tried to get members to come out and help plant garlic before the festival and he and Monica were the only ones that showed up. If I remember correctly we just decided to call it off since there wasn't that much interest. Over the years Ryan and Monica have continued to support us in so many ways, from contributing to our first crowd-funding campaign to purchase a skid-loader, hosting the dropsite, providing us with endless snacks on delivery day and even offering up some spotted cow beer at our wedding. They are both so generous and we are glad to have them as part of the farm community.
ALISSA Please say a little bit about yourself: what you do for a living, what is the makeup of your family? RYAN My wife Monica and I moved to Milwaukee in 2009 for my fellowship - I am a pediatric ER doc at Children’s Hospital. We moved here right after oldest was born in 2009. We lived here for three years, and we met Kelly and Jeff around that time. Now we have two more kids, our children are 10, 8 1/2 and 5. We joined our first CSA in 2009 with a late season share at Wellspring and have pretty consistently been shopping with them at either the Farmers’ Market or the CSA since then. Monica was the biggest push for it - we are probably both hippies but she’s a bigger hippie. She does the majority of our cooking and shopping, and really values that piece and does a good job of making use of all the veggies. What is your dropsite? Our home is the Tosa dropsite. We have hyped up Kelly and Jeff and the CSA a lot, so a decent portion of the TOSA drop site are friends. It makes Thursday’s really fun - all our friends and acquaintances show up in our driveway. How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? Since the beginning. Our favorite story is that we have pictures from this potluck they had at Wellspring in fall of 2009, we went with our oldest who was 6 month old at the time. We have pictures of the three of us on a hay ride to go to the pumpkin patch and in the background Jeff is driving the tractor. What strikes you about Jeff and Kelly? They are ernest and genuine, and so bought into the farm and the food and the lifestyle, and everything that goes along with it. (Because of that) it’s hard to not also feel strongly about making good choices about what you are eating, where it’s coming from and who’s making it. It’s nice when we get to see them at the drop off to catch up with them. They are so cool and have such a great perspective on things. In three words, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? Delicious - there are certain vegetables we get, like peppers or Nancy lettuce or tomatoes, and when they come there are some that we can’t get enough of. Resourceful - we’ve definitely made the shift that people talk about, going from, “What do I want to eat?” and then getting those ingredients to, “What do I have and what can I make out of these good ingredients we have?” Community - it really is a community. We’ve been out to pick up stuff at their farm, we love being a part of their infrastructure and they are so grateful that we do it. When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? Biggest thing we rave about is to tell them, even if they’ve tried CSA before, is the U-Pick aspect. If you hate kohlrabi you don’t have to get it, if you know you're going to be fixing a particular meal you can choose the items. Even if people think they know CSA, this just works so well. And they produce such amazing food. Monica talks about how attentive they are with what goes on with certain crops. For example, one year the newsletter tracked what phase of the moon things were planted in. They are so conscious with everything that they are doing - getting their soil tested, knowing what to do to make things come out as good as possible, and they are also doing it so lovingly. What is your favorite CSA food item? Oh that’s tough - we love Nancy the lettuce. We always get peas, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms. There are so many things. I’m going to say the Nancy lettuce just because I’ve never had it anywhere else. Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? We had a hard time with greens for a long time. We didn’t necessarily always use them the best or completely. Even chard etc. But now we saute them in sauces and dice them up and put them in with Indian food etc. The learning curve for a lot of the cooked greens was the highest because it took a bit more effort to plan. But now when we have those we say “Ok what to make that we can use this in?” Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? No, but especially later in the summer it amounts to basically us popping it open and grabbing whatever it is we are really excited about - cherry tomatoes or peppers and taking bites out of things. Normally the box makes it inside but is quickly picked over. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? I really like that we are a part of it - I feel like we are benefiting from the CSA because we get our food and I don’t even think about that part of my grocery budget because it’s paid months ago and we get all this amazing food directly to our house. I love that we’ve known Kelly and Jeff for as long as (Milwaukee) has been our home. And we were able to see the farm come together and see them get married. I was able to donate my keg hardware for their wedding reception. What about being a CSA member is most important to you? Not to put words in Monica’s mouth but I think she would say that it’s knowing your farmers, knowing how your food is grown and what it’s made of. When it comes down to it, that's what's really different about this. We have insight into who cares for our food and how they grow it and how it’s done. What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? At a restaurant: We went to Cafe Central about three weeks ago. And every single thing we had was delicious - risotto and a pork noodle bowl and a poke bowl and the kids got amazing burgers. At home: Monica makes this really great pasta dish the kids love with mozzarella and basil and it’s perfect for fresh herbs. What is your favorite place to have a meal? I love La Merenda’s patio. My backyard is pretty great, which is a lot cheaper. But both of those places are pretty go-to. And if it’s sunny and/or above 60, chances are we’re eating outside. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? We had a really phenomenal father’s day, with the kids and I building things - we built a bookcase to put my son’s turtle cage on, we all baked monkey bread together, we all went out to dinner together and had a phenomenal meal. That was a highlight this week. And we’re going camping this week. What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? I worry about the state of the world, vaccines and guns and climate. There seems to be a bunch of bonkers stuff in the world, and some of it more directly affects me (with my work.) Kale or Chard? Kale - because you can make kale chips in the oven and they are amazing. Is there anything you would like to share about seasonal eating, local food, CSA membership or anything else related to these topics that you have never had the chance to say? Our kids have grown up always being offered stuff (from the CSA) so even the stuff they didn’t like initially they have changed their minds, because they continued to see it, and now they will put in in their mouths. Generally we’ve had the good fortune of having kids with reasonably good taste. My 5-year old will eat all the kale if we’re not careful. My 8-year old loves brussels sprouts. Since the veggies are all out there and offered, they get tried. The kids get seasonal eating too. They say they are in the mood for something, we talk to them when we are picking the share. Like this last week, our daughter lobbied very hard to not get radishes, so we said “OK, we won’t get radishes.” Please share a seasonal recipe with the group… “Our go-to Summer Recipe is roasting everything we've got whenever we've got the oven heated up for something else. Kohlrabi sliced into fries, whole beets, carrots, kale, potatoes... pretty much everything! We coat them in olive oil and sea salt or other coarse salt. We usually roast them at 425 for 15-20 minutes (beets and potatoes are closer to 45). Once they cool off enough, many go directly in my mouth, often with ranch. The remainder get mixed up with some fresh greens in a buddha bowl of sorts and topped with a fried egg. Most everything I eat is accompanied by lots of Cholula.” We first met Megan's husband, Ben, when he came to the farm years ago with a friend in the late fall. We were tearing out pepper plants that had little baby peppers left on them. He asked if he could pick them and donate them to a food pantry--so they hauled away a couple garbage bags full of mini-green peppers that day for donation. Our relationship with Megan and Ben has continued to inspire us to seek ways to get our produce to people who may not have CSA on their radar. Megan suggested Tricklebee Cafe as a potential partner. The cafe is right up the street and offers a vegetarian "pay what you can" menu. They are glad to receive a regular donation of fresh organic produce from the farm and we are delighted that they know how to put fresh stuff to use in the kitchen and offer meals to community members on a sliding scale. If you choose to donate your share for the week...this is where it will end up. ALISSA How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? MEGAN I think this is our fourth summer. In our family it’s myself, my spouse Ben and our daughter Cadence who is seven. What is your dropsite? We have home delivery in Sherman Park. Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? Yes it was probably the first season we were with the CSA. I do a lot of after school programming work with kids, and took at group of third graders out to the farm in spring to help turn compost and plant seeds and other tasks to help the kids get a feel for what’s going on on the farm. Ben has also helped out a couple of times on the farm. What’s one thing you remember? I remember (Jeff and Kelly) being super kind and gracious, especially since we showed up with a whole bunch of kids. So willing and excited to teach about the farm and what they do, and not just “here’s what we do and how you can help” why they do it and what is exciting and challenging. One of the reasons we stay with Three Sisters is that Jeff and Kelly seem to have an ethic that guides how they think about food and farming and that’s important to us. In three words, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? Fresh Delicious Lots of squash When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? I talk about seasonal eating and how it’s really important to us that our eating habits reflect what's going on with the land around us. Even though it means that in February I don’t want to look at another sweet potato in my life. I also talk about the convenience, because it’s delivered. And that it’s a small step to doing something justice-related within our food system. Saying there is a different way to grow food, rather than dumping chemicals on a lot of land. What is your favorite CSA food item? The cherry tomatoes. When those come in the little pint boxes there are literally fights in our household over who gets them. One year our daughter got to them first, and ate a whole pint herself and we were legitimately mad at her for it! Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? The other thing we really like about Three Sisters is that we can select what we want, so we usually don’t get those vegetables. There are some weeks we forget to log in and then maybe we will get kohlrabi - haven't figured out how to appreciate it. Radishes are also tricky, but I've done a lot of different things with radishes this week (because I forgot to log in) after soliciting the internet for suggestions. Roasted radishes are actually pretty good. We just try to avoid kohlrabi. We’ve come long way on things like beets and all of the different squash. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? I really love the convenience of it, that’s really nice. And everything does just taste better. You can tell that it’s so much fresher. We get really sad every fall when the egg part is over and we have to go back to grocery store eggs. Food is a value for us as a family - both in that we want it to be sustainably sourced and that we want to have a good relationship with Wisconsin’s’ land. And we like to eat things that taste good and the CSA makes that really easy. Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? Confusions, misunderstandings, strange vegetables? I don’t think so, but Kelly probably has a couple from dropping off the box at our house. Our house is the one in the neighborhood where the kids like to congregate. So I usually hear kids saying things like “what’s that?” when she is dropping off the box. And Kelly’s not going to just drop it off and leave - she wants to take the time to teach this kid about what a farm is. What about being a CSA member is most important to you? At this point we’ve been partnering with Jeff and Kelly (as members) for four years and it’s a relationship of sorts - we love our farmers and we want to continue to support them. There are tons of other CSA’s in this area which is really cool, but we love Jeff and Kelly and we want to support them and we think they have a good philosophy of farming. So that’s why we stay, why we continue to do this year after year. What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? The other night - Monday - we roasted up a bunch of the vegetables that we had, including the radishes, and made a big salad with some of the early lettuce. My husband and daughter are both meat eaters so they had some BBQ turkey - it was just really good and mostly plant-based, and all local stuff. It was just delicious and all came from this general area of the country, and there were hardly any leftovers so I guess that was a win. Do you think your daughter’s eating habits have been affected by being CSA members? Yes - she’s a pretty adventurous eater - even the other night with the roasted radishes she tried one, she didn’t like it but she tried it. She really likes beets when they come in because if you grind them up with strawberries it turns hot pink. But also we talk a lot about plate composition - rather than “You have to clean your plate” or “You have to eat this” we are more like “have you had veggies today?” She does some self-guidance even when my husband and I aren't around. She’ll be like, “That’s cool that there’s cookies but I haven't had my vegetable today.” We’ve been members since she was three, so she just assumes everyone has farmers and everyone knows where their food comes from. What is your favorite place to have a meal? We love to have people over, so just around our dining room table. We’ve had some really good meals. I like to cook a lot so whether it’s just our family or whether we’re having people over...we’ve had like 30 people in our little duplex dining room. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? Any time it gets warm outside it’s just so joyful to me. I didn’t grow up in Wisconsin, I’m from the south originally. So when my face doesn't hurt when I go outside it’s good. What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? I think just our inability to see one another clearly. Because we’re never going to all agree on the way things should be and the way we should organize ourselves. But right now it feels like we can’t even be honest about our observation of another person and where they are coming from. Spinach or Arugula? Spinach. Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables. As a vegetarian it is crammed with all the things I’m constantly trying to get enough of. It’s mild enough that you can go savory or throw fruit on it. It’s great raw, or wilted. It’s more versatile than arugula. And the winter spinach is the best when it’s more sweet.  We met Sophia at the UEC CSA open house the year we handed out "funky onions" free to members. Remember the funky onions? They looked like giant shallots. We blamed ourselves and scratched our heads but found out in the end that it was a seed company error. A year or two later Sophia connected us with Marquette Law School M-Clinic and we were lucky to have our community loan promissory note reviewed by several attorneys as part of an educational workshop for the law students. ALISSA How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? SOPHIA We used to buy from them at the Farmers Market when they were doing that. And when I came to Marquette we started getting a share here. Might be five years at the Marquette dropsite? What is your dropsite? Marquette - I work at Marquette and they do a delivery to our Wellness department. It’s so nice to be able to pick up right there, sometimes you see other employees so you get to know other regulars. At first I did the every week share, but we had three teenagers at the time. We switched to the every-other week when our kids left. Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? I did one time, other than at the farmer’s market. We did go one year to the Urban Ecology Center when they had the CSA thing in the spring, we got a bag of onions. What’s one thing you remember about them? There are just so charming, they are just delightful. They are people whom you would trust to grow your food, and that you would want to hang out with as well. They are just really kind, and seem like just really wonderful people. In three words or three phrases, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? Delicious. Convenient, with the online platform. Something to look forward to every week. When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? We really like to support the local agriculture, you know where your food is coming from, it’s not full of mysterious chemicals or pesticides. It tastes a lot better and it is fresher. It’s fun - we’ve been doing a CSA for at least 18 years, it’s enabled us the opportunity to try things we never would have bought. I’ve learned a lot of new recipes, and our kids are very adventurous eaters because of it. If anyone has kids, it’s a fun way to introduce them to things they never would have heard of. What is your favorite CSA food item? It depends what is in season! I get a little excited when the first heirloom tomatoes come out. Or the first sugar snap peas in the spring. Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? Fennel. I haven’t quite figured out how to get the licorice taste out of fennel. It looks like celery but it’s not! Fennel is one of the most mysterious things to me. Pretty much everything else I’m good with, parsnips and kohlrabi we love. That’s the thing that’s so great about Three Sisters - you get to pick what you get. I don’t always select the weird things, so there have probably been things I haven’t tried because they are just really out there. Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? If yes, please describe. What I used to do, when our kids were around, is I would put it all on the kitchen table and take a picture, then send it to them. I stopped doing that eventually. At this point I just rush to get the cold things in the fridge. Between the selection time (on the website) and the pick up is when I research the recipes so I kind of know what I’m going to do with it. Especially the fennel. You still choose the fennel, even though it stumps you? I keep hoping one day I’m going to be like “this is really good.” My mom used to cook with it, she grew up in California so she always cooked with fresh produce. She moved to the Midwest when she got married but she always tried to have fresh food - we were the weird family that had artichokes and avocados. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? I just like being a part of this wonderful farm - being part of what Jeff and Kelly provide. Appreciating their hard work, I always try and remember to thank them because it’s something I would never want to do in a million years. It’s such hard work. Not to be a wimp but I can barely do a couple garden plots at home. My husband's mother grew up on a farm and my dad worked in meat packing so we are kind of a food family, we appreciate well put-together food. Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? Confusions, misunderstandings, strange vegetables? Sometimes when I’m out of town I have a coworker pick up my box for me, and one time this person ate all of it in a weekend. They are single, they don’t have a family. They were just so excited to have it! I find that pretty funny. What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? (For the first box this year) I forgot to pick out my stuff, so Kelly gave me this giant thing of parsley and I made this giant thing of chimichurri. I was so excited because I haven’t had any parsley since the last parsley from the farm, which was probably October, and just having that to put on some chicken and potatoes we made was wonderful. I was happy to see the parsley come back. Last summer there must have been a bumper crop, and I didn’t know much I loved parsley until then. What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? Octopus in Galicia, Spain. It’s supposed to be the best in the world but to me, it just sticks to your tongue. Everything is so good there but I just don’t love that stuff. What is your favorite place to have a meal? (Restaurant, your backyard, a friend’s house etc.) Out on the deck in the back on a beautiful summer day with lots of wine and fresh food and friends and family. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? Summer in Wisconsin! What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? Oh my goodness, I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’d like to see more of people taking time to listen to each other and not be so judgy and critical. It gives me pause that that doesn’t happen. People just get so critical right off the bat. Spinach or Arugula and why? Spinach. It’s more versatile. Arugula is good too, but it’s spicy. Is there anything you would like to share about seasonal eating, local food, CSA membership or anything else related to these topics that you have never had the chance to say? Just being part of a CSA, my kids got involved with local food. Maybe more as a lifestyle more than a career but my son got involved in Slo Foods and he lived in Spain for a while, my daughter is now a good cook and a vegetarian, actually her career is in nutrition and public health. The third child likes everything, he’s younger but he’s not particular. All three of them are really into eating healthy. I don’t know if that’s normal for that generation. When I told my daughter about this interview she said, “you have to tell them that we eat all kinds of weird vegetables because of the CSA.”  Recipes | Sophia's Chimichurri"It’s so good on eggs, chicken, beef, roasted potatoes, pasta salad, and even with crostini. It keeps a few weeks as long as there is an oil seal on top- much like pesto."
SUBSTITUTION DISCLAIMER Sophia admitted that she never follows the recipe exactly and that she also uses cilantro and basil at times. This week since we are harvesting cilantro(and parsley is several weeks out yet) we recommend subbing cilantro for parsley for a slightly different take. CHIMICHURRI · 1 ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, tightly packed (about 1 large bunch of parsley) · 1/2 cup diced red onion · 1 t. dried oregano · 3 cloves of garlic, peeled · 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus a little lemon zest to taste · 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar · ½ tsp sea salt · ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper · ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or more, to taste · ½ cup good-quality olive oil ( I like California)DIRECTIONS:1. Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse a few times until just chopped. Slowly stream in the olive oil, while pulsing the mixture a few more times until the olive oil is combined. 2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container- it will keep a few days at least. In addition to being a Three Sister's CSA member, Linsey is the creative force behind the Three Sisters Community Farm logo. She also designed our CSA essetials booklet. She is owner and founder of Third Sector Creative. Alissa How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? Linsey Since the very beginning – six or seven years. I followed them from Wellspring, which is where I got to know them. When I knew they were heading off to do their own thing and I said I’m going to follow them. What is your drop site? Or for home delivery: What part of Southeastern WI do you live in? I’m part of the lucky crew that gets it delivered right to my front door. I live in East Tosa. Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? Yes I have, many times. If yes, what’s one thing you remember? There are so many things – I love their passion. There’s a real desire to serve the world through this stewardship they are doing and to serve their members. I love that that is what’s driving them - making really good choices for people and for the earth. And, they’re just…such a sweet couple! I’m thinking about the very first time when I went out to Wellspring to work, and I think Kelly was an intern, and there’s just this warmth and friendliness about her, she was just enjoying so much what she was doing. They are just really good people In three words or phrases, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? Connected to the season. Nourishing, because it was just picked a day ago. The variety – the way it forces you to be responsive in your cooking to what is available. When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? I love it because it’s like getting a weekly present, like “ooh, what’s in there?” It really is this gift that I get every week. I feel much more connected to the reality of our food system, just by participating in the CSA. And I have greater appreciation and understanding of the work that goes into delivering that beautiful gift every week. And much more of a desire to use everything that is in the box. And there’s a sense of appreciation that I have for the food, in the off-season my produce comes from Outpost and I do all I can to choose local sources, but there’s something about the connection to Kelly and Jeff, and knowing the work that goes into it that gives the CSA produce a greater value. What are your three favorite CSA food items? Tomatoes are so good. I love the lettuces and I love the potatoes – the are so good. It’s very hard to narrow down. Is there a CSA food item that most confounds or stumps you when it comes to cooking or eating, or used to before you knew what to do with it? Going back in time…it was things like kohlrabi, rutabagas, root vegetables that just weren’t totally in my wheel house and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to embrace them. Especially having grown up in, not the most adventurous food home, my mom was like a “processed food fanatic”. So there was a lot of new stuff that was presented to me when I started with the CSA. Those root vegetables with the long names. You powered through…I did, and learned to love all these things. Like I love kohlrabi now. And that was one of the “what the hell is this?” vegetables. What do you do with kohlrabi? I love eating it raw, with some dip of some sort. Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? I take everything out and I put it out on my kitchen island, and just admire everything really. And then I refer to the list, the “how to store everything” list so I make sure that I’m going to get the greatest life out of it. This idea of planning your menu around what will perish first totally hit home for me – it’s intuitive but to be intentional about it is really important, so for example if there’s a lot of greens the first from the box will be a big salad. What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? For me it’s just knowing that for a big chunk of the year – at least 20 weeks and I also do the fall share – knowing that I’m supporting what I believe to be the best way to access food. It feels like I’m making – for my set of values – the most right decision 20 weeks or more out of the year. And it’s the most nutrient-dense food and the best all the way around - for our farmers, for our family and for the earth, for the soil. How does spending time actually on the farm change your experience? It is just a fantastic way to spend a morning. It deepens that connection – everything I mentioned that I love about the CSA, it deepens that even more. Seeing the land and actually helping – pulling weeds and then eating strawberries afterward and talking with fellow CSA members who are always incredibly smart people doing interesting things in the world. It deepens that sense that I’m part of a community. What’s the most delicious meal you have had in recent memory? Well, it’s been a long winter…I would say comfort food with roasted chicken that I made at home with mashed potatoes and a delicious salad with citrus and walnuts in it. That’s a go-to for me because it always delivers. What’s the strangest, or most memorable, thing you have ever eaten? One of my most memorable meals was the first time – it was maybe 15 years ago – I was invited to a dinner that had multiple portions in small courses, like a tasting menu. There were things on it I had never heard of before, there were cheeks of some sort – what kind I can’t remember – just the term cheeks turned me off at the time but they were delicious. It was a new and fun way to eat. It was at Hinterland in Milwaukee. Also farm dinners – some friends of ours (Pam Percy and Marty Hintz) have a much smaller little urban farm and they host farm dinners in the summer that always sell out. That’s my favorite thing in the world, those experiences. What is your favorite place to have a meal? My backyard. I love summer meals in my backyard. A meal that just goes on for three hours with friends handing out in the back yard is my version of heaven. What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? I just recently organized an art show with my extended family. It’s up through the end of June at the Jazz Gallery in Riverwest. That was a really joyful experience – the making of the art and having a way to connect – there were 15 of us in the show and it was really fun to bring everyone together around something outside of the usual family stuff. What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? Our administration and corporate leaders being in denial about climate change and the effect of their actions on the environment and natural systems. Spinach or Arugula? And why? Spinach, because I have more uses for spinach. I haven’t expanded my ways to use arugula. I use spinach in all kinds of things. Is there anything you would like to share about seasonal eating, local food, CSA membership or anything else related to these topics that you have never had the chance to say? Being a CSA member is the single thing that has widened my food experience. As a cook it has made me much more intuitive and adventurous. And I credit that box of food arriving every week with that total shift in thinking. So embrace it!  Recipes | Linsey's dinner recipe from last week's share.
Linsey: I'm a bit of an improviser when it come to cooking, so here's my framework: Spring Risotto with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Pea Shoots + Green salad (based on Risotto Bianco from "The Art of Simple Food" by Alice Waters) 1. Steam 6 spears of asparagus to desired tenderness, chop into approx 1" pieces and set aside. 2. Slice and sautée 6-8 mushrooms and set aside. 3. Make the risotto: 2 T butter 1 small onion finely diced 1.5 cups risotto rice (I use arborio) 5 cups broth (veg or chicken) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 T butter 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
After all these years of CSA newsletters mostly comprised of Jeff and I talking about the weather, we have decided that it is high time we switch gears and put our members in the spotlight. To that end, our good friend and CSA member Alissa Moore will be conducting brief interviews with some of you - our wonderful Three Sister’s CSA members - for our Saturday newsletters. I am personally looking forward to learning more about the community we serve and am hopeful that cooking tips and resources will emerge from this sharing that will benefit all our membership. At one members request, Jeff and I will also be featured in interviews. So to kick things off..... -Kelly OK, Let’s get some basic stuff out of the way first… How long have you been farming? I have been farming since 2008. This is my twelve season. And how did you get your start? Through Americorps, I got a community gardener position in Milwaukee and that got me into growing food. Then I continued to do that with different organizationss for several years, and then I had an internship in New York state on a farm as an educator, and I realized I wanted to get back to the countryside. That led me into farming instead of being a farm-based educator or garden educator. How long have you and Jeff been operating Three Sisters Farm? Since 2011 What is your favorite vegetable to grow? Garlic. One thing I really like about it is that we save the seed from year to year, so I like to think that the garlic has a memory of our farm. More so than the other crops we grow that we buy seed for every year. Garlic marks the season for me – first thing that comes up in the spring and last thing we plant in the fall. So it inaugurates the season and brings it to a close. And it's delicious. What is your favorite vegetable to eat? That's a tough one. It's whatever is coming in for the first time in that moment. Whatever is available for the first time that season. If its' the first cherry tomatoes it's cherry tomatoes. If it's the first head lettuce its' head lettuce, if it's the first radishes it's radishes. But then after five weeks of radishes...they aren’t my favorite anymore. I never get tired of carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic. If you were a CSA vegetable, which one would you be and why? I think it would probably be garlic. Because I'm spicy and I feel like there's something about the fact that garlic is also a medicine. I think of myself as a healer. Garlic is a healer, I'm a healer. What is your favorite thing about being a CSA farmer? I really love being able to work with the seasons. I think of myself as an artist and each week the harvest is like an installation – like an art instillation. And I think “what better medium to work with than living plants and the elements?” And then trying to work with all the factors to bring this final picture [of the CSA box] to people. What is your inspiration to get up and do the sometimes difficult work of farming each day? It's definitely a beautiful box of vegetables, and bringing that box to someone who can appreciate it. What is your favorite farming tool and why? I'm pretty sure it's the wheel hoe. There's something about all the different techniques one can use a wheel hoe for that I really enjoy. Some people like to push it going forward but I like to pull it because I erase my footsteps And I like to think about that, erasing my footsteps. But more practically, you don't have to bend over to use it, you can be upright. If you're using the wheel hoe correctly you can really keep your spine in the field of gravity. You are approaching things straight on. It's kind of like a meditation because if I get overwhelmed by the amount of weeding there is to do and I try and move faster, then I work way faster than I should and then I’m leaning forward or leaning back - I’m out of alignment. When I'm using it I always think about how it seems like you get more done if you put more effort into something, but actually you get more done in the long run if you approach it more mindfully. It looks like you are working slower but you're somehow actually getting more done over time. What are you excited for in the 2019 season? I'm really excited about learning more about native plants, because that is a part of the new property that we are managing with the meadow installation. I'm trying to learn more about native plants and propagate them in our greenhouse so we can plant an understory in the orchard we planted this spring. Native plants are like a whole new world, and it's really exciting to learn about them. And I think about how a lot of the foods we eat are not really native to here, and I think about incorporating those natives back into what we're growing – I think it will enhance the terrior and I’m also excited about what it will do for the insects. And I’m excited about Jeff's cultivating tractor, and I think it works. He tried it on the onions the other day. Because as much as I love the wheel hoe, I don't know about wheel hoeing 20 acres. (The cultivating tractor, if working properly, means less hand weeding for Jeff and Kelly.) Is it true that before you were a couple, Jeff was your boss at another farm? That is true...that is true... Sounds like there’s a story there…? Um...yeah well, I met Jeff at Outpost and he was managing Wellspring – a not for profit Organic farm - and he was looking for interns for that coming season. I had just graduated college, and I was doing an internship over the winter but my summer was open. S0 I set up an internship – I was so excited to learn about an organic farm located so close to where I grew up. Within days of being there I knew I liked this guy. I think it took until August until anybody made a move; I didn't get there until June. Jeff put his hands on my feet – that was his first move. It was after a field day at Angelic Organics farm, we were the only two of the crew around that weekend. We went to Lake Michigan and sat on the beach and it was kind of clear that it wasn't a typical manager/intern relationship. I didn't care that he was my manager, but I guess he did. So we started dating in secret. What is something many people don’t know about you, and might not guess from meeting you a few times? That I was really in to cheerleading when I was younger. If you weren’t a farmer, what career might you be doing right now? I'd probably be an herbalist. What, aside from farming, is bringing joy into your life these days? Playing Beetles songs on the piano. Any wrap-up sentiments or final words? I hope that its's great season for everybody!! And they should try to come to the farm at least once in their tenure as a CSA member. This past week weekend we stayed up past our normal farmer bedtime of 9pm for a the Perseid Meteor shower. The moon was new and the sky was extra dark which made for spectacular viewing. Each year at this time the earth passes through the dust and debris or the comet Swift-Tuttle which is the largest object known to repeatedly pass by the Earth; its nucleus is about 16 miles wide. It last passed nearby Earth during its orbit around the sun in 1992, and the next time will be in 2126. This week I'm grateful for space because when I contemplate it's infinitude it gives me a whole different perspective on my life here on earth.
As farmers we spend a lot of time with our heads down tending the soil. At the same time on our farm we try to tune solar and lunar rhythms and how they affect the growth of our crops. Farmers used to be tuned into this but many have left it behind in favor of technology and petrochemicals. Fortunately for us we do not have to start from scratch and figure it all out. While we would love to do experiments, we simply do not have the time. There have been researchers who have dedicated a lot of time to experiments in the garden and we use the information they provide as a basis for our work. Its really exciting when you start to see connections between sky and earth. Of course we approach this work with a healthy amount of skepticism. Over time we can say we have observed concretely how seeding crops leading up to the full moon improves germination, yields and shapes of the vegetables. We also pay attention to the phases of the moon and their impact on the storage capacity of vegetables. We harvest our storage vegetables if possible between last quarter and new moon when leaf and root growth are both declining according to the work of Alan Chadwick. I think it works because for example, we still have shallots from last year in our kitchen...meanwhile we just harvested this years shallots. --Kelly |
AuthorJeff Schreiber has been farming organically for 10 years. In 2011 he started Three Sisters Community Farm with his wife, Kelly. Archives
July 2019
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