above | the oak tree where the monarchs hang out.

As you may already know, good fortune came to Three Sisters Farm last April when a group of investors who were interested in creating habitat for Monarch Butterflies purchased a 29 acre parcel of land near our home farm with an understanding that Three Sisters will farm the land organically and a portion of the land will be set aside to be managed as a prairie to provide habitat for pollinators.
Since monarch butterflies have taken an interest in our farm—we have returned the interest in them. So we leave the milkweed that comes up in the garden even when it grows in with the food crops. Still I was a little surprised when on the packing line a couple week ago I was putting romaine lettuce into CSA boxes and I spotted a small monarch caterpillar in the head of lettuce.  Mind you, the poor thing had been in our walk-in cooler for a couple of days. So even though packing morning is busy I tore the leaf that the caterpillar was on off the head of romaine and put it in a small blue bucket that we use for harvesting cherry tomatoes. I set it aside where I thought no one would bother it so that I could put it on some milkweed when packing morning was all over.
I thought I had set it out of the way—I left to get a cooler for some of the eggs and when I returned to find the caterpillar it was gone along with the leaf of lettuce. Jeff in an effort to clean up had tossed it somewhere. I was pretty upset and he could tell he was in the dog house—so with his tail between his legs he went back outside and found the piece of lettuce. To my surprise the little caterpillar was still on it.
A week before I spent most of a work morning listening to Kenzie Kremer, a workershare, talk about her monarch caterpillars (she raises hundreds!) while we hand weeded radicchio in the garden.  She said most of her friends were kind of tired of hearing about her caterpillars. She explained the process of transformation that the caterpillar undergoes, how long it takes and how she cares for them. She also told me that raising them in captivity greatly increases the odds that the caterpillar will become a butterfly.
Armed with Kenzie’s knowledge, I decided to raise the caterpillar from the romaine lettuce, partially for myself to see the magical transformation and partially because I learned that I could increase the likelihood that the caterpillar would become a butterfly.
It has since spun its chrysalis and now I am waiting to see if the transformation to butterfly happens.
I want to tell you a few more of my experience with monarchs this year:
1 On my CSA day delivery route I have about 30 stops. There was one week where I couldn’t believe that at almost every stop I was greeted by a monarch butterfly.
 2 Almost every week we sit in the shade of a beautiful large oak tree in the northwest corner of the new property with workershares to bunch your carrots. It is a marvel to watch the monarchs dance around us while we work. It seems that they are particularly attracted to this tree or this corner of the property.
3 Lately as I’ve been driving past this tree to the watermelon patch I am astounded that 4-6 monarch butterflies descend from the tree and, for lack of a better word, they dive bomb my vehicle as I drive slowly down the lane. Maybe I can get a video to share—it’s really quite something to be dive-bombed by a mob of butterflies!
Well, I set out an hour ago to update you about all the wonderful changes and progress that we have made at the farm this year—instead I wrote about the butterflies. Which in a way I suppose just shows how indebted we are to them for everything that has happened in the last year. I guess this means I’ll have to write another newsletter next week to update you on the progress we have made with our community financed infrastructure improvement project.
--Kelly
 
 
Cooler temperatures this week means that summer is giving way to fall. Basil and cherry tomatoes are now done for the season. Cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes look to have a few more weeks.

Each week we get the chance to catch up with Courtney. Her enthusiasm for cooking and the CSA vegetables is wonderful. We have gotten a lot of good inspirational tips from her about new ways of preparing things. She never turns away from a challenge whether it is a broken jaw or an entire 3/4 bushel box of zucchini in a particularly abundant season. We are glad to have her as part of our CSA community.
How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? 

This is our third year. 
 
We used to get their produce at the FM in Tosa. I know there’s a lot of great farms around here, but I honestly think they have the best tasting, most beautiful produce. So we bought the bulk of our veggies from them. 
 We also get the egg share from them, we love to get the eggs and veggies each week.
 
What part of Southeastern Wisconsin do you live in? 
 
Wauwatosa
 
Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? 
 
Actually I try and be here on Thursdays (for home delivery) because I love talking to Kelly - she's so great. It’s like a bright spot in my week. I probably hold her up every week because I can get a bit wordy. 
 
In three words, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? 
 
Exciting : You never know what’s ready to choose from, and it’s always a surprise to see what we get to cook with each week.  
Blessing: Because a lot of communities that don’t have the option. 
Vital:  To our community as a whole to support local food and to eat seasonally. It’s good for the environment, for our health and for commerce. 
 
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 really like to support our local farmers and I think that’s so important. I talk about the freshness and quality, and knowing your produce came from somewhere nearby and was raised well. 
 It also gives people the freedom to experiment with their cooking. When you have a box full of fresh produce already in your kitchen, all you have to do is pick a few things and cook up some veggies and pasta. It can actually make it easier to cook at home. I think everyone should do it for at least one season. 
 
What is your favorite CSA food item? 
 
Oh my goodness - that’s hard. I’d probably say snap peas and cherry tomatoes, and the summer squash and zucchini. If left to my own devices I’d eat all the cherry tomatoes in one go. 
 
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? 
 
Nothing really stumps me, I’m a vegetarian so I’ll pretty much eat any vegetables. But I like to never waste anything so I try and cook all the parts that come in the box. But the carrot tops are one thing I never know what to do with. This year they were so beautiful, I have been using it in place of parsley - I made a carrot top chimichurri and we put it in tabbouleh. 
 Sometimes we’ll keep a bag of vegetable parts in the freezer - like carrot tops or parsley in a bag and then use them for making stock. 
 
Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? 
 
Yes I do. I usually unpack everything and lay it out on the kitchen table, take pictures and put it on my Instagram feed. Without a doubt I get tons of comments about how beautiful the produce is, and people want to know what I’m going to do with it. It also gives me the ability to look back and see what I chose from year to year. 
 
What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? 
 I love the passion of Jeff and Kelly. It’s inspiring to me that they care as much as they do about the work, the land and the vegetables, and then we have that privilege of eating the fruits of their labor. 
 Also the variety of produce and being able to pick the box contents.
 Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? 
 The first CSA delivery of the season always comes the week of my birthday so it’s like a birthday present. I always look forward to making a big fresh salad with everything that comes in the box. But last summer during that week I had a freak accident - I tripped over a big buckle in the sidewalk and face-planted onto the cement and broke my jaw. It was wired shut for two months. And when I was at the hospital I was very upset and crying about the fact that I couldn’t have my big salad! 
 But I got really creative with our box and I made a lot of soups and smoothies with the veggies, so I was spared the unpleasant experience of having to drink those nutritional drinks. I was really thankful that we invested in the CSA and also a Vitamix. 
 What about being a CSA member is most important to you? 
 Being able to have that connection with the people who are growing food for you. I’m a vegetarian, and that box is the bulk of what I'm eating each week. I have some health issues too, so I need to eat as cleanly as I can, and get the most nutrients from my food. The freshness and seasonality is so much healthier for me. Also I love to cook, so it makes that easy too. 
 I like knowing that Jeff and Kelly are just such great stewards of the land too. 
 What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? 
 The other day we roasted a big pan of vegetables - eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlic, dill and just let that get all caramelized and we had that with a loaf of good bread. When the produce is that good you don’t have to do that much to it. 
 What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? 
 Once when I was a kid, I grabbed a spoon and took a big old swipe of what I thought was butter from the butter dish. Turns out it was Crisco! My mom was thawing it out to bake a pie. 
 What is your favorite place to have a meal?  
 Outside on our patio table is perfect, when the weather is great in the summer. In fact we are having a cookout this Saturday.
 What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? 
 I know this sounds really corny but - just being here. I have been through so much medical stuff lately, there were moments I wasn’t sure I would make it here. I’m just happy and taking every day as it comes. 
 And I have full use of my jaw now! So that makes me really happy. 
 What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? 
 Honestly it’s the political climate today. For all of these steps ahead that we make we seem to get kicked back ten or twenty. I wonder how we will improve the damage that’s been done. I hope that in my lifetime I see positivity edging ahead again. 
 I think the CSA can help with that too though - that sense of community where you can see that we are all in this together, regardless of color or creed or background. 
 Eggplant or Fennel? They aren’t similar, but they can both be tricky to cook with. 
 Eggplant. Because I think this a little bit more versatile. I love fennel but I think it can overtake what you are cooking. Whereas eggplant is a Team Player. It's great by itself, but it pairs really well with other things too. 
 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 would just encourage people that if they haven’t done a CSA just to try it out. Once you try it you may never go back!
Courtney's Recommended Recipe

Tomato Caprese Pie

1 single pie crust, store bought or homemade
3/4 c mozzarella, shredded
3 lg tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/3 c. Fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed

.... topping...  
1 c. Cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. Mozzarella, shredded

Line your pie dish with the pie crust, poke the bottom with a fork in several places. Sprinkle a 1/4 c. mozzarella on the bottom of the crust. Bake at 450 F for 10 min. Cool completely.

Into cooled pie crust layer half of the sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with half the salt, half the garlic, 1/4c mozzarella and half of the basil. Repeat the layer. Finish by topping with the halved cherry tomatoes and the last 1/4 c mozzarella.

Place the pie in the oven, reduce the heat to 350 and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 min.


 Greek Chickpea Village Salad

Dressing-
1/2c extra virgin olive oil
1/4c fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves,  minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad-
1 c tomatoes, chopped
1 c cucumber, chopped
1 c scallions, chopped
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained 
2 tbl fresh dill, finely chopped
1/3 c feta cheese,crumbled 

In a large bowl combine salad ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad ,tossing to mix the salad well.

If you have non vegetarians in your family, you could easily add cooked shrimp or grilled chicken to this salad as well. Conversely, if you're vegan, you can skip the feta and add in cubed tofu that was marinated in some of the dressing and pan fried,beforehand.


 Baba Ghanouj

2 lg eggplants
2 garlic cloves,minced
4 tbl tahini
2 tbl lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 tbl plain greek yogurt (optional)

For garnish-
Zaatar spice,olive oil,fresh parsley

For serving-
Crudites, pita bread wedges,naan bread

Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Place flesh side down on parchment lined baking sheets and roast the eggplants at 450 until very tender and collapsing,about 50 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively,you could grill the eggplants whole ,turning them every 10 minutes until charred and collapsing . They should be done in 20 to 25 minutes this way )
Scoop out the flesh and drain in a strainer for about 10 minutes.
Place the roasted eggplant into a bowl,mash well with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
If desired, drizzle the Baba Ghanouj with a little olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley and zaatar . Serve as a dip with crudites, pita bread, pretzels,etc. Also makes a great sandwich condiment, spread on naan bread or toast and top with veggies, feta or fresh mozzarella and a protein of your choice.

We love trying new and interesting veggie trials and getting feedback about them from members like Kathy. Last year we grew an unusual cucumber by the name of suyo long. They were very productive and quite tasty when fresh. We didn't grow it this year because not that many people ordered it and it didn't keep as well as the regular one we grow.

ALISSA How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? 
 KATHY I think five or six years - it has been a while. 
 What was the impetus for signing up? 
 We had been part of another CSA, we’d gone to the UEC to check out other offerings and we saw Three Sisters. Then we saw them at the TOSA market the following summer. The biggest thing was home delivery.  Our lives were getting really hectic at the time, and a couple of times with a previous CSA - the pick up was at the Farmer’s Market in West Allis - it became tricky to pick up the box or get other people to pick up. 
 Plus the vegetables always looked good, and the taste is wonderful as well. 
 Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? 
 At the farmers market that one year. Every now and then we see Kelly when she drops off our food and we get to talk with her. 
 What’s one thing you remember? 
 She has a GREAT, warm personality. She just oozes positivity. It’s nice to have positive people, even if it’s a brief encounter - it's just very pleasant. 
 In three words or phrases, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? 
 Exciting! 
Very fresh.  
Convenient - you can’t get past the convenience for such fresh vegetables. 
 When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? 
 The freshness of the produce, and the taste - you can’t beat the taste compared to some of the grocery store items. And some of the unique offerings. The convenience of having it dropped off for us means we don’t have to go shopping. You get the best of the FM with the convenience of it being dropped off. And I do like that we are able to choose what you’d like in the box for the most part. It’s an easy way to plan, knowing what’s coming. It’s just a good value all around for us. 
 Do you get most of your veggie needs met through the CSA box? 
 We do. We’ve downsized, now it’s just the two of us. But it’s still nice to get a box for a family of four because we can share with other family members and friends. We rarely add to what we get (from the store.) 
 What is your favorite CSA food item? 
 Our favorite item from Three Sisters, which isn’t available this year, were some unique cucumbers. They were striped and kind of curly. It had a nice flavor and few seeds and just looked good in a vegetable tray because of the shape. 
 I think their carrots just taste fabulous. That’s probably the one we look forward to the most because they do taste so good. Otherwise we have enjoyed everything we’ve gotten from them. And the tomatoes have been tasting fantastic this year. 
 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 is always tricky. We’ve tried some recipes but have yet to find one that we really have liked. It might also have to do with what we’re willing to make in a given week. Sometimes we get ambitious with recipe ideas and plans, but then life gets in the way and we don’t have the energy to make a specific thing. 
 What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? 
 I do enjoy the newsletters and the personality of Kelly and Jeff coming through. 
 It just feels like you are contributing to the common good by supporting them and their philosophy of farming. I like hearing about the community support as they keep building on their vision. 
 Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? Confusions, misunderstandings, strange vegetables? 
 One time somebody told me to try beet greens like you would Swiss Chard. It wasn’t the greatest experience. I did not see the similarity at all. 
 What about being a CSA member is most important to you? 
 I like the local aspect. I like supporting the small farmers. 
 What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? 
 The one that sticks out was probably an eggplant, tomato, cheese and egg sandwich in pita bread. We were out in Boston, and it was from one of the food trucks there. It’s the most filling, delicious, fresh tasting egg sandwich I’ve ever had. We’re still trying to figure out how they did it. 
 You’re on a quest to recreate it? 
 Yes. Each time we get closer, but it’s still hard to replicate. It’s really all about the proportions. The hardest part is finding good pita bread. It’s hard to find one that holds together without everything spilling over. 
 (Kathy is taking recommendations for good pita bread brands!) 
 What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? 
 We were in Tonga, and we had a fish dish which was marinated in some type of lemon juice (versus being cooked.) I couldn’t even tell you what it was - it must have been a local fish. That’s probably something I would not choose to have again. 
 What is your favorite place to have a meal? 
 
I enjoy the cookouts that we have. Just a nice potluck. I like to see what people bring. 
 What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? 
 I do quilting, and I bought a long arm quilting machine and it’s just great. Sharing that with other people has also been great, and sharing the learning experience. 
 What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? 
 We’re losing a form of communication where we can listen and discuss serious things without getting upset. And getting real facts, it’s so hard to figure out what is fact and what is opinion and where they start mixing in. 
 Cucumber or Zucchini? 
 Cucumber, because the crispness and the freshness and the amount of water they contain. 
 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 just nice to support a community farm. Farming is such hard work. Every year we go to pick strawberries and cherries, and you just get an idea of the kind of backbreaking work that is. Farmers are underappreciated and I like that we can support them with the CSA. 


Kathy's Recipe Recommendation to recreate the food truck Pita Sandwich

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oNbQGTCWUs&feature=youtu.be

We are lucky to have had Laura's help on a regular basis for 2 seasons while we rented land at Sauve Terre Farm in West Bend. We've bunched a lot of carrots, pulled a lot of weeds and picked a lot of cherry tomatoes together for 3 sisters CSA boxes. She has become a good friend who continues to support our work in many ways including contributing the the community loan project, helping us create and analyze the responses to our end of season survey and providing endless moral support. Thanks Laura!

LAURA I work at Marquette, as the Associate Director of Institutional Research, and discovered that Jeff and Kelly offered a dropsite on-site. I decided to give it a try. 
 ALISSA How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? 
This is my fourth season. 
 Have you ever met Jeff and/or Kelly in person? 
I have, I was a worker share for two seasons. 
 What did you like most about being a worker share? 
I was renting at the time, and didn’t have the ability to have my own garden so it was really great to be able to do some touching of dirt, getting into nature. It was also nice to be able to do that once a week to get out of my office. To be in the summer air and have that connection to food. 
 In three words or phrases, how would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? 
 The connection: 
To the people that do the growing
To the land
To the food that I eat 
 When other people ask you what it’s like to be a CSA member or why you do it, what do you usually say? 
 So far I have not tasted any produce that’s better than Jeff and Kelly’s. I love to cook, and it’s so easy to have a giant box of vegetables dropped off every week at my workplace, that I can choose, so that I know what fun things I’m going to be eating every week. In terms of body, mind, and soul it feels very healthy all around. 
 What is your favorite CSA food item? 
 It seems like every week it changes! It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I can pick a favorite farm. Three Sisters vegetables are my favorite vegetables ever. 
 Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week? 
 Not really because I get my box at Marquette, so I have to bring two cloth bags to the place at Marquette where it is, and unload everything and then get it home as quickly as possible. I usually do some chopping up of things right away if I can, to quickly be able to use. But it’s an exciting day!
 What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm?
 Finding people like Jeff and Kelly, who are so dedicated to doing it right and to be thoughtful stewards of the land. My grandparents were farmers and it’s sort of like finding them again but with vegetables. I know I can trust the source of the food and it’s delicious. Jeff and Kelly are really doing something positive. 
 Did you spend a lot of time on your grandparent’s farm as a kid? 
 We lived just a mile down the road from them, so the farm was my babysitter growing up. They owned a small dairy farm and my grandmother had currant bushes and apple trees and a huge garden. We would just get dropped off there, so that was our rosy childhood! There was a time when their farm was almost completely self-sustaining; my grandmother told me once that there was a time when she didn’t go to the grocery store for anything except flour and sugar.  
 Do you have a funny anecdote related to a CSA experience? 
 I like the times as a worker share where, someone - usually Jeff - would pick a vegetable from the field to see if it was ready, just to try. One time he picked a melon to open, and he had a knife and he just cut it up and passed it around. It was so fun to just be eating a melon in the field in Wisconsin. 
 What about being a CSA member is most important to you? 
 Eating locally. It’s important to me to eat seasonally and locally, and understand how my habits affect the world. 
 What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? 
 I have some dietary restrictions so I cook a lot at home. In the summertime it’s probably meals from the grill. We grill a lot of fish, and veggies from Three Sisters. Recently we grilled a lot of scapes, which were delicious. At home I have a big herb garden, so we add lots of herbs. Sitting outside with a glass of rose and a delicious meal...it’s pretty awesome. 
 What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? 
 I remember the first time I ate seafood that still had eyes on it - it was shrimp with legs and eyes on it. I was in Ireland, studying abroad. I don’t think Ireland is really known for their seafood, but that’s where it was! 
 What is your favorite place to have a meal? 
 Besides my own kitchen...I was born originally in Cape May, New Jersey and they have the best seafood, I do love good seafood. Also South Jersey, when I was growing up, was farm county and there were fresh peaches, melons, corn. 
 What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? 
 My garden. I’ve been in my house for about a year, and we are transitioning our backyard into an edible paradise. We have a long way to go, but it’s amazing to take a cup of tea out there in the morning and see some of the changes that are happening. 
 We just ate our first tomato, and they were seeds I saved from 2014 from the last time I had a garden! It was a moonglow. Then one raised bed is all herbs, so it’s so nice to have those fresh herbs on everything. 
 What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? 
 I’ll echo most everyone else and say politics. And climate change. I can’t listen to the morning news anymore. 
 OK, Cherry Tomato or Beefsteak Tomato? 
 I love all the tomatoes, but the cherries are so nice because you can snack on them, and bring them everywhere. You can cook them or put them on salads, they are just so versatile.
 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 wish that everyone had the time and opportunity to try being a CSA member, because you learn so much about how vegetables can and should taste and how easy it is to get things locally vs getting them from, say, Florida. 
 And I definitely promote trying the worker share, or getting to the farm a few times to check out what they are doing, especially now with the new land. The pollinator habitat is so cool. 
 Jeff and Kelly are just so innovative, and you get a better appreciation for how much work, stamina and drive farmers have to have to make it work on a scale. Farming is not just one skill, it’s strategic planning and running a business and being organized. It’s pretty cool. 

We knew Xin had different culinary preferences when she asked for broccoli stalks. Thanks for sharing all your recipes this week! We look forward to trying them out, since it feels like our cooking has been in a slump lately.

ALISSA Tell me a bit about yourself.
XIN We are a family of two, my husband and I. I am the one who cooks and shops for the groceries. I moved to Milwaukee 7 years ago and he joined me 5 years ago. I work at UWM, and we moved from Vancouver Canada.I am Chinese and he is Canadian, so we have mixed tastes when it comes to food. 

How long have you been a member with Three Sisters CSA Community Farm? 
 I think at least three years. First I was using some other farmers and then I saw Three Sisters and I switched because of the home delivery. I don’t always have a car to use, so home delivery is a big plus for me. I love that we can select our own food and have the freedom to choose between items. And the food is so good. 
 What part of Southeastern WI do you live in?  
 We live in Murray Hill on the east side near Downer Movie Theater. 
 How would you describe the experience of seasonal eating you have through your CSA share? 
 I never used this kind of a CSA before I moved to Milwaukee, this is my first experience. It’s wonderful to have this. 
 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 say get on! Right away if you haven’t! I just always highly recommend it to everyone I know. 
 What is your favorite CSA food item? 
 I love when they have some Asian vegetables like the Chinese cabbage, and also the cherry radish and the cherry tomatoes. I always finish the cherry tomatoes right away. I always love squash, pumpkin and zucchini when they come into season. The salad greens, fresh garlic, fresh green onions.
 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? 
 There are some vegetables from here that I don’t know what to do with it so I avoid ordering them. Some of the root vegetables. Celery root, it’s not in my cooking. I do less Western cooking and more Asian cooking. 
 Does the CSA suit your needs even though the foundations of your cooking are different, not Western? 
 Oh yes. I take full advantage of it. Tomato, chinese cabbage, green onion, garlic, potatoes, zucchini, cucumber, green beans, spinach, peas. I also do Chinese pickling, so last year I asked them I asked them for more broccoli stem so I used that for pickling. Cherry radish and celery are all good for pickling. 
 Do you have a “box unpacking ritual” each week?
No I move them right in the fridge and start eating the raw things right away!
 What is your favorite thing about being a member of Three Sisters Community Farm? 
 I like the local connection, soucing my food locally and supporting local farmers is wonderful. And you get fresh, wonderful food that was picked that day or yesterday. I also get the egg share and I love that. They are fresh and good quality. 
 What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? 
 I used the fresh Chinese cabbage to make a very simple salad, just some salt and fresh chili oil. That’s one of my traditional ways of eating vegetables, to heat up hot chili oil and pour it over the vegetables. Here you have cold salad dressing, at home we have hot oil we pour on the vegetables. It’s always very popular at potlucks!
 What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? 
 From the box, the celery root. Not from the box, I bought it at the Farmer’s Market but the pumpkin flower. Another weird thing is young ginger. Back home we eat the ginger when they are fresh and young. 
 What is your favorite place to have a meal?
 In my own backyard in summer. When we can eat outside and have friends over, that is my favorite. 
 What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? 
 Cooking. I love cooking, especially in the summer when there are so many fresh ingredients. 
 What is one thing that is giving you pause, or reason for concern? 
 Right now, very few things. 
 Garlic or Green Onion? 
 Green onion. I cannot live without green onions! 
 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 really like the recipe sharing - it helps me broaden my food horizons. 

Xin's Recipes

Napa Cabbage Salad with Warm Chili Oil
 
Ingredients

• One Napa Cabbage
• Two tablespoons of canola oil
• Three dried red chilies
• 8-10 dried Sichuan pepper corn (optional)
• Salt to taste

 
Cut the Napa cabbage to half, cut off the hard core near the root. Thinly slice the cabbage into strips (like the way you do with cabbage slaw) . Put the sliced cabbage into a mixing bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix well.
 
Heat the canola oil in a pan on medium heat, throw in the chilly and pepper corn. When the color of the chill started to turn dark brown, take away from the heat and pour the oil onto the cabbage, mix well, press it down a bit, and put it in the fridge for ½ to 1 hour to settle, and then it is ready to serve.
 
Sichuan Pickle
The traditional Sichuan pickle use traditional Fermenting Jar where there is an extra edge for water seal.  (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FRBTU7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VQSCF4E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). However, you can also use any well-sealed big glass jar.
 
Wash the pickle jar and let it dry completely.
 
Making the pickle sauce:
The pickle sauce can be used for yeas once made and if well-maintained.
 
Boil the water (enough to reach 2/3 of the jar), and let it cool. Add salt (double the amount of you usually use for cooking), 20 Sichuan pepper corn, 3-5 pieces of ginger, 5-8 fresh red chili (the spicier the better, such as Thai chili). 50g Vodka, or other hard liquor, the higher the percentage of the alcohol, the better). Seal the jar well and let it set for 7-10 days, then the sauce is ready.
 
Picking vegetables
You can pickle all kind of vegetables, preferably not the too watery ones. Wash the vegetable and let the water dry out, cut the vegetables to big chunks so it is small enough to go into the jar but big enough to retrieve (but do not cut cucumbers). Each time you add new vegetables, add 1-2 tea spoons of salt, and some Vodka.
 
Here are some of my favorites:

• Broccoli stem (peel off the skin) 3-4 days
• Cherry radish, daikon radish, 3-4 days
• Watermelon radish, 4-5 days
• French bean (chop finely and fry with ground pork), 4 days
• Cucumber, whole in, 1-2 days
• Celery, carrots, 3-4 days

 
I like to mix the pickled vegetable with a bit of chili oil to serve. They can also be stir fried with pork, chicken, or beef. I like to have freshly pickled (3-5 days) vegetables, but you can keep some of them in the jar for months, if you don’t mind them becoming very sour (good for soup).
 
Notes
Always have ginger and chili in the jar, seal it well, keep it in cool and shady place, and remember, absolutely no contact of oil in the whole process.
 
If there is white stuff forming on the surface, add Vodka, and celery, garlic will help stopp it too.
 
Summer Drink: Cucumber and Pear Juice with Mint
 
(For two servings)
Two long cucumber
Two Asian pear
Honey (optional)
Mint leaves
 
Put mint leaves in each of the box of the ice cube maker, pour in water, put in the freezer. Now you have ice cube with mint leaves in it.
 
Put the cucumbers and pears in the blender, blend well, pour the mixture through a filter to get the juice. The pear should give it enough sweetness, add honey if desire.
 
Pour the juice into glasses, add ice cube with mint leaves, and serve.

A long time ago Michael's brother contacted us on facebook...and was like..."Three Sisters...we are Three Brothers, and our mission statements are so similar." So we were having a farmer potluck and we invited him out. He was the first person to show up and we were like "really there are more people coming...we promise."  That was the first we heard about Three Brothers. Over the years we have gone to concerts at their beautiful farm and Michael ended up marrying our good friend Courtney. So it is a small world after all. We are super thankful that they supply eggs for you and incredibly thankful for the work they do. I think very few people realize how much strength it takes to steward farm animals well and also have it be economically viable. Please be sure to thank them and their chickens.Alissa Tell us a bit about your farm…
 Michael Three Brothers Farm is Michael and Courntey Gutschenritter. We raise 1800 laying hens a year, and depending on the year, several thousand roasting chickens. We have about 30 sheep and a garden of flowers for weddings. And some pigs. And all the animals are pasture raised so right now every animal moves every single day onto fresh pasture. That is what we’re proud of. 
 Farmland has been in your family for a long time, correct? 
 My grandpa bought the farmland in 1954 with borrowed money from his best friend. Grandpa was never a true farmer - did some hobby stuff, made hay, had a couple dairy cows for family, some chickens for eggs. He did sharecropping with our neighbor so the neighbor was renting the land and for the most part it was either in corn, soy, wheat rotation, or it was in CRP when CRP was thriving. 
 You grew up next door, correct?
 Yes. Now Courtney, Ylva and I are living in the house Grandpa lived in. I grew up in the original farmhouse that my grandfather bought. In 2007 when my grandpa died the land went into a trust, and later my dad bought out his siblings. And after four years of farming the land, Courntey and I are now buying the land from my parents. 
 How did you get into farming? 
 I was living as a ski bum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the land was in the trust at that point and all my aunts and uncles wanted to sell, so they put it on the market. They were three days away from closing on the farm. When my brother and I found out it was being sold we said, “why don’t we give it a shot? We’re mildly interesting in farming.” Somehow we convinced my folks not to sell the land and let us try to farm the land. I moved back, my brother moved back, and we started a CSA. I dIdn’t even know what it stood for, and had never actually had a garden. 
 We sold 25 shares the first year and we ended up doing a pretty good job, but we quickly realized that was not going to pay for the land. We have 100 acres we’re trying to pay for now - it’s a big mortgage. The following year my brother left the farm - he has a law degree. He said he was going to Portland to get a good job and send us money to float the farm. That never happened. After another season I realized that the eggs were starting to make some money so I kept the chickens and continued to produce eggs. 
 Then Peter Sandroni asked if I would raise eggs for him for Engine Company No. 3 when it was new, so we did. I was on a pretty steep learning curve, but I figured it out by stumbling through it. I supplied him and only him the first year and was also growing the CSA. At a certain point, we realized we would have to do like 500 shares to pay for the farm so we dropped the CSA entirely. Instead we ramped up egg production. We went from 600 birds to 900 to 1200, and now 1800, and we are supplying way more than just Peter. We supply 10 restaurants and two grocery stores and a couple small retailers and Jeff and Kelly. 
 Tell us about the laying hens on the farm - what are their lives like?
 We have two batches of 900 laying hens, and we buy one batch in the spring and one in the fall. Each batch has on 100’ by 80’ paddock, and within that paddock there is one 20’ X 40’ mobile greenhouse on skids. The mobile greenhouse is just a shady spot for them to hang out when it gets hot and it’s where they lay their eggs. Within the large paddock we move the coop three times. Then we move the whole paddock again. So every day we go into their paddock and hook the GH onto the tractor and slide it forward about 50 feet. 
 The reason that we do that is so that they spread their manure out evenly throughout the whole pasture, and they don’t scratch any one area too much. We’ve noticed this year that the space where they were about 10 moves ago greens up really dark and lush - it’s beautiful to walk 400 feet back and see the effect of 900 birds on the pasture. 
 So it’s really, really good for the pasture. It’s really, really healthy for the hens -  they get fresh air, they get sunshine, they get to act like themselves. They get to eat clover and alfalfa and bugs and establish pecking order - that is all really healthy stuff for a flock. 
 It’s also healthy for the farmer and the consumer. We, the farmers get to be outside in the fresh air and sunshine, collecting, feeding, moving. 
 How does the pasture improve the quality of the egg? 
 We feed a non-gmo grain to the birds, but when they move onto a fresh paddock they ignore the feed and go straight for their natural diet of grasses, legumes and bugs. So when they’re eating those things and laying an egg every day, all the nutrients from their natural diet are being transferred directly to the egg, which makes for a super nutritious white and yolk. This year our chickens have been specifically dining on toads - just about every day I see our chickens chasing each other with toads. 
 How did you meet Jeff and Kelly? 
 I don’t know...probably through Courtney. At a get-together with area farmers. There was a potluck and I was just starting to date Courtney and Jeff and Kelly were there. 
 How did you get to the point of supplying the eggs for Three Sisters Community Farm? 
 I think that we are one of the only pastured egg producers doing anything on scale in SE WI. So I’m sure that was appealing to Jeff and Kelly because they didn’t want to have chickens anymore. They asked if we had enough eggs for them and we were looking to increase our birds at that point from 12 to 1,800 and we were changing our model, using these mobile greenhouses on pasture. We were looking for new accounts anyway when they asked to do between 50 and 70 dozen a week for them. 
 Also, we’re in the same group of friends and it’s just a compatible relationship.
 How does the CSA model work with your system? 
 We have major seasonal fluctuation with our flock. Animals respond to the seasons differently. Chickens are extremely sensitive to temperature and natural light, so their ideal situation is 70 degrees outside, dry and 16 hours of daylight. We can’t always have that in Wisconsin, so therefore their production fluctuates. We try our best to even out production through adding light, adding heat, cooling them down, but of course it’s an uphill battle. We shoot for 85% production, but in the winter we get 70-75% production. We know that, and it’s OK. We know that right after the summer solstice our production goes down a bit - we aren’t sure why that happens but it must be something to do with the decreased sunlight. 
 That’s why it’s so nice to work with summer CSAs because it allows for fluctuation. It’s also so nice to work with chefs like Peter Sandroni and Karen Bell, because we can explain our reality and they understand. 
 Without technology, eggs are a seasonal food. But we need to pay the bills. If we just used natural light and no supplemental heat or shade we’d be bankrupt for sure. 
 What are the most well known restaurants you sell products to? 
 La Merenda is probably the most popular. Engine Co #3, Bavette, Bowls restaurant (Walkers Point by Purple Door - also in Mequon.) Birch and Butcher buys a lot of chicken. Camino (in Walker’s Point.) 2894 on Main in East Troy is killer. 
 How do Jeff and Kelly get your eggs? What happens? 
 Kelly emails me each week with the order. This week she ordered 54 dozen, so Monday is a big egg washing day. We have helpers who help wash and pack the eggs. The eggs will be ready by tonight and Renee, Kelly’s mom will come, she’ll go into the barn and pick up the eggs and leave a check on our washing table. 
 Why do you farm?
 Well, I have found myself thinking about that a lot lately. The most fundamental reason is to keep the land in our family in a productive way. It is a very emotional decision. I don’t think that it’s the most economically viable way to keep the land in the family. 
 I feel so many emotions about this question, it’s really amazing what this question does for me. It’s so simple though, I really do just farm here because I feel an obligation to farm this land. If I stopped farming here, nobody else is going to do it. And maybe my parents would forgive the fact that I took on buying the land and take on the mortgage payments, maybe, but I don't think so. I don’t think anyone in my family feels the way I do about this land. I think my grandpa did, but that’s it. So I’m farming to farm this land. 
 Are you thinking about it more because of the birth of your daughter? 
 I think so. The fact I’ve been thinking about it for the past 7 weeks tells me yes. I can’t say specifically why. I don’t even want to encourage Ylva to be a farmer. If she wants to be a farmer she should be and I’ll be happy about it but I don't think I’ll be pushing it on her. I’m going to push her to find her true calling. 
 I think it’s more about me than it is about her. I think that having a kid just made me reevaluate my life. I’m definitely reevaluating my schedule because of her and reevaluating what I’m doing on the farm because of her. 
 What’s the best part of life on the farm? 
 For me it’s two parts - one is, I am a very physical person so I really like to work. I like physical labor, I like the manual, hands on stuff. Hooking the chains up to the tractor to pull the coop, tinkering with an engine, that stuff is fun. 
 But the number one thing I like most is that I have found in the past couple years that farming has become an expression of my creativity. I am able to think more deeply about what I'm doing. I’m more mindful of the overall picture and effect. That allows me to be more creative in my problem solving.
 Our farm is just a giant problem that needs solving. It’s just constant figuring stuff out. When I see the ability to improve something, that’s the thing I really want to get my hands dirty on. Like right now I have four big projects I’m trying to figure out and for me that’s really cool. I love learning entirely new skills to solve a problem. 
 What’s the most challenging aspect? 
 For me the most challenging aspect would have to be finding time to take off. Creating a full day off for myself has been a major challenge. I don’t have employees here at 6 am, and there is a task that needs to be done at 6 am every day. So even if that’s the one tak I do for the day, it’s not a full day off - I can’t leave overnight. 
 That and figuring out finances is also difficult. 
 What has farming taught you? 
 Running the enterprise has taught me quite a bit - first how important it is to stay organized, and maintain a clean operation. Generally when things aren’t organized and cleaned up - even in the storage barn - things start falling apart in the pasture operation too. When everything is always in its place the whole operation runs more smoothly. 
 Also, something I’ve noticed is that all we really have to do is give the animals the environment to thrive, and then they just thrive. If we see it’s going to be super hot we accommodate them and put in a misting system in each coop to cool the air so they are much less stressed. That results in a healthier hen, more production and more profitability. 
 What’s the most delicious meal you have had recently? 
 Chicken Caesar salad - a giant salad we made out of Jeff and Kelly’s vegetables with our chicken on it. 
 What’s the strangest thing you have ever eaten? 
 I ate a chicken carcass once, like all the bones. I chewed and mashed it so much that I was able to fit the entire carcass in my mouth. I wouldn’t recommend it. 
 What is your favorite place to have a meal? 
 In the upper barn on our property. We have these big rolling doors, so we can open it up and look over the entire pasture. That’s always been my favorite place, period. 
 What is one thing that is bringing joy into your life these days? 
 My baby girl, Ylva Joy and my wife Courntey Joy. (These are their real names folks!) They are both bringing me joy. 
 Something outside of my family would be working with our employee, Trey. I haven’t worked with a guy my age on the farm until Trey, so that’s pretty nice for me. 

​

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!!!

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.”