Click the link below to view our CSA information for the 2011 season.  Sign up before the holidays and receive a special rate

2011 CSA Brochure

Photo 1:  The tomato patch-  The lack of rain gave us complete control over the watering situation of our heirloom tomatoes and the first round was spectacular.  The best I have seen and tasted in many years.  We have about 1000 plants here- half cherry and half heirloom.

Photo 2:  Our gorgeous tomato harvest!

Photo 3:  Our greens and roots during April and May.  The intense heat and drought caused these to shrivel prematurely.  Lesson learned- lay drip line down on everything planted, even if it is raining all of the time when you plant.  These beds were quite generous!

Photo 4:  Our first CSA box- Bordeaux Spinach, Snow Peas, Haikuri Turnips, Swiss Chard, Toscano Kale, Baby Bok Choy, Kohlrabi, Tat Soi, Dill, Spring Onions, Lettuce and baby Daikon Radishes.

Photo 5:  The squash, melon and cucumber patch.  The plants are up to my waist now.  The squash vine borer has attacked the summer squash- we are dealing with round two of the infestation.  Our treatment is to make a slit at the base of each vine where the worm has drilled its way in and spray Bt into the stem.  The worm is killed and the squash plant heals itself- a certain check in production, but otherwise an end to the plants life.  For our next planting we will cover the plants with row covers until the plants begin to flower to prevent the borer wasp from laying any eggs.  The stink bugs should be kept off this way too.

Photo 6:  Our chickens!  They range around on our post-harvested field during the day and are secured in their chicken tractor on the right during the night.  The predators on our farm are quite active.  We found a hawk on the turkey pen today!  We scared him away from the turkeys, only for him to find the pastured chickens.  Luckily we have a rooster who sends his gals a warning to run for cover in the tractor.  The white netting more or less keeps the chickens contained, with a few strays here and there, but does a great job keeping curious dogs out.

Photo 7:  The outdoor shower- cool down and clean up time.  Haven’t used the indoor in months!

Photo 8:  Canned Heirloom Tomatoes- you won’t find these in the grocery store!  Another part of the joy in growing your own!

The Deceased

Roots and Feathers Farm has officially hatched its first batch of Spring Chickens!  The story began a month ago on a blustery, flurry-filled late-Wintery day when our flock was decimated in one afternoon by a frenzied fox.  We lost 12 of our 16 birds, including our rooster, in a horrendous display of predation.  The birds were not eaten by the sneaky fox, who crept in the yard through a small hole in the fence, but tossed about, broken apart and left for dead, only one being carried off to the den.  And to kick us while we were down, the next morning our “sweet” dog intercepted a chicken from the woods returning to its home and made the poor bird a nice meal for himself.  Arghhhh…..  The three hens who remained did not leave their perch inside the barn for days.

Instead of settling on defeat, we had the idea to gather the last few days’ worth of eggs, buy a $50 incubator and see what the possibilities could be.  We had no idea if the eggs were fertile, and no way of checking as the shells on the eggs were too think to candle, but we knew we had a busy rooster.  After 18 days of incubation, turning the eggs three times a day, trying to keep the temperature at a steady 99.5 degrees, plus an additional 3 days to let the chicks position themselves for hatching- a crack!  March 31 the first chicken came out of its egg to be followed by 18 more!  Out of 24 eggs, 22 were fertile, but three never made it out of their shell, but 19 did!!!  So we are now the proud hatchers of our succession flock- over one bird for each bird we lost.  We even have a fuzzy footed friend, just like our Madame Cornichon.  We could not be happier and neither could the birds.

The Newborns!

We are amazed at this circle of life, at the same time, learning not to become too attached.  These birds will have a new home on lockdown- a super secure mobile coop to be moved about daily for rotational grazing in our vegetables fields.   They shall have fresh grass, bugs, protection and sunshine.  We shall have fresh eggs, manure fertilization and insect control.   Symbiosis at its finest!

A Close-Up

The Caravan

We arrived to a snow storm and ended up with over a foot of snow the next day.  The U-Haul had to be towed into the driveway- the 34hp Kubota is a work horse!  We were snowed in for a few days, but the property could not have looked more beautiful with huge snowflakes falling and the pure snow untouched.  The dogs were loving it and what a treat to explore the forest, pond, fields and barn while stomping through a substance I had hardly seen in ten years.

The old farmhouse has been home to a number of young bachelors over the years and has needed some serious TLC.  Hunger prompted me to clean and unpack the kitchen- an all day endeavor.  The bathroom and porch came next.  Thankfully, a few of the rooms had already been cleaned prior to my arrival.  The house is huge! a secret bathroom, two staircases, and a tiny storage cellar under the stairs.  Quite a step up from the single-wide.

Chopping firewood, stacking and building and tending the fire takes up more time than one may realize.  The wood stove provides the heat for the house, as well as a few space heaters, so we mostly stay in the same few rooms.  Every morning we see our breath in the kitchen, which is doubling as the root cellar for now.  I think the refrigerator might be warmer than its surroundings.  Much of our focus is on keeping warm and showers have been scarce.  Ah, country living!  I love it…

The Homestead

The chickens have found a nice home in the barn.  We shored up one of the stalls to protect them from any critters coming out of the woods.  They have plenty of space to peck around, but not much light right now, so eggs production has dwindled.  As soon as the snow melts, we will let them out into the run connected to the stall.  We have plans to add at least 100 more hens to our flock and have found a local hatchery that raises them using natural feed (no GMOs!) and produces healthy, heritage breed birds.  We are hoping to add some ducks and possibly guinea hens to our farmstead.  Hopefully a few heritage piglets, mushrooms, honey and a milking goat, along with all of our vegetables are in the works.  We are staying very busy!

Next week, we are building the greenhouse to start our brassicas in the following week.  Photos to come…

The Barn

The Pond

So with that being said, I’d like to link an article that was written a few days ago in the Post and Courier by one of our CSA members.  It was a pleasant surprise to wake to these humbling words.  Thanks to everyone who makes this possible.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/nov/17/csas-great-way-to-get-veggies/

Any of these squash can be used for fresh pumpkin pie or soup.  The Acorn, Delicata, Marina di Chioggia and Hubbard are better for baking and leaving in chunks to eat as the flesh is not as watery as the pumpkins. 

Click the link below for a very detailed pumpkin pie recipe from fresh pumpkins:

http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinpie.php

Fore more delicious seasonal squash recipes, www.epicurious.com has a diverse selection when searcing for Winter Squash.  Many of the recipes use fennel and other ingredients currently found in the CSA boxes.  Butternut Squash can be used interchangeably with the other harder squashes.  The harder squashes also have flesh similar to sweet potato. 

If you are not quite in the mood for squash yet, as long as the skin is blemish-free, these fruits should keep for 1-2 months in a cool dry space in your house.  Sometimes it takes a karate chop with a knife to get these squash started for cutting, so be very careful! 

Happy Fall and Thanksgiving (which is every day anyways!)

Szechwan Green Beans – Molly Katzen
Yield: 4 – 6 servings

Once the beans are trimmed, all you need is a large hot pan, and the rest is one big, quick sizzling action!

These will keep for up to a week in a tightly covered container (or a zip-style plastic bag) in the refrigerator.

 2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 pound whole green beans, trimmed
Salt
5-10 crushed garlic cloves
Red pepper flakes

1. Place a large, deep skillet or wok over medium heat. After about two minutes, add the oil, and swirl to coat the pan.
2. Turn the heat to high, and wait another 30 seconds or so, then add the green beans and a big pinch of salt.
3. Cook over high heat , shaking the pan and/or using tongs to turn and move the beans so they cook quickly and evenly.
4. After about 3 minutes, take a taste test and see if the beans are done to your liking. They should be relatively crunchy, but you get to decide. If you like them cooked a little more, keep going another 2 minutes or so.
5. Sprinkle in the garlic and some red pepper flakes, and cook for just a minute longer. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

1lb Swiss Chard, Beet Tops, Turnip Greens, Kale, Collards, etc.  washed and torn into bite sized pieces.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek/ or bunch of scallions chopped

1/2 tsp lemon pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp porcini mushroom powder (optional)

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2tbsp water

Heat large pan to low/medium, add olive oil, heat, then add spices and leek/scallions.  Cook for a few minutes, until scallions begin to wilt.  Add swiss chard, soy sauce, water and cover for 5 minutes to steam.  Remove lid and continue to cook until wilted.  Add nutritional yeast, mix, add cornstarch, mix and let sauce thicken.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Yum.

The boxes each week will contain a decent amount of greens.  Get creative and don’t be afraid to eat them all raw, use them as wraps, in wraps, as salad greens, braised, quiched, omletted, chopped finely in a sautee, stir-fried, steamed, on pizza, or even fed to the pet rabbit!  If you can’t get them down fresh, I strongly encourage you to take the 30 minutes out of the week to pop them into freezer bags.   It is the best way to make the most out of your farm share.  We strive for diversity in the boxes, but sometimes the weather and Mother Nature- with her entourage of insects- happen, and what we planned does not work out.

Making a living from small-scale organic agriculture is no easy feat.  The farmers I know are some of the most brilliant, hard-headed, determined folks I have ever come in contact with.  They persevere through rain storms, crop failures, hail, floods, blights, worker shortages, broken machinery and so on, somehow making it to the next season, seeing it as a challenge to do better next time.  If you question the challenges of spending “days in the sun picking veggies at the farm,” join us on a rainy one like today!  We don’t get volunteers when there are clouds.

Most importantly, thank you all for placing your faith in us to provide you and your families with sustenance.  We are working to do our best, and would like any and all feedback from you about our program.  Happy and healthy eating to all, and fill us in on your cooking suggestions for the vegetables too.

Best and Bless!

2009-2010 Fall and Winter CSA

A Great Way to Support Local Sustainable Agriculture

What is CSA?  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  It is a program designed to help preserve and support small farms, while bringing the community the bounty of each season’s harvest.  It can be a great way to receive healthy, sustainable food at a value to the customer.  Our customers purchase a “share” in the farm at the beginning of each season (Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter), and receive a ¾ bushel portion of the harvest each week for the duration of the CSA.  With the purchase of the CSA share, the customer also accepts the risks associated with farming- hurricane, wind, water, pest, and disease destruction. Should a natural disaster occur, that could mean no harvest (and no refund!)  We will strive to provide each shareholder with vegetables aplenty.  We want you to come back year after year!

Rita’s Roots and Thackeray Farms formed a partnership in the Fall of 2008, forged between a landless organic farmer, and an experienced conventional flower farmer. Rita’s  Roots works  intricately with Thackeray  Farms to heal the soils and design a sustainable organic farming system for the benefit of the consumers, the Earth and all of the creatures living and working on the farm.  Even the flowers are grown using organic amendments!

What to expect for the Fall/Winter session:  The ¾ bushel box each week will contain 8-12 different kinds of vegetables, fruits or herbs, enough for a family of two to four.  The crops planned for Fall 2009 include Radish, Arugula, Onions, Lettuce, Spring mix, Broccoli Raab, Kale, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Spinach, Swiss Chard,  Red Mustard, Broccoli, Red and Green Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bush Beans, Edamame, Snow and Snap Peas,  Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Okra, Heirloom Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Eggplant, Peppers, Sweet Corn, Winter Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Collards, Tat Soi, Bok Choy, Grapefruit and fresh Herbs such as Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro, Sage, and Dill.

Each week will include a farm update listing the contents of your box as well as cooking and preservation suggestions.  We have a blog which permanently lists many of our recipes, too.  We are also offering a 6 week flower share running from October 11-November 21 in which you receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers from our farm each week.

Dates, Costs, etc:  The CSA will begin the week of October  11th and run through the last week in January for a total of 15 weeks.  We will be taking the latter part of Thanksgiving week off and the whole week between Christmas and New Years.  The cost is $375 for the season, which also covers the costs for packaging, fuel and administration, to be paid in full before the start of the CSA.  The flower share is an additional $60.  Please mail your checks and the sign up form to reserve your spot early.   Registration is open to current members and wait-listers as of July 16 and will be opened to the public on August 15, 2009.

Totals:                                Vegetable share: $375

Vegetable share picked up at Thackeray Farms: $350

Vegetable and Flower Share: $435

Vegetable and Flower Share picked up at Thackeray Farms: $410

How it works:

As the customer it is your responsibility to select a pick up location you can make it to every week to pick up your share of vegetables.  We are unable to make special arrangements or change pick up locations for travel, forgetting, etc.  We recommend having a friend pick up your share if you are unable to make it.  Any shares remaining after the pick- up time will be donated.   You must pick up at the same location each week- we pick each share to order!  It is our responsibility to grow the produce to the best of our ability and deliver it to your location on time each week.

Fall 2009 Pick up Location Options:

>Tuesday afternoon from 3pm-8pm “Bring Your Own Bag” to Edisto Ave. in Riverland Terrace on James Island to select your produce from large bins.  The produce in this location will not come in a box , so bring your own reusable bags to cart it home in.

>Wednesday from 12pm-7pm at Ted’s Butcherblock on East Bay St.  in downtown Charleston

>Thursday in Mt Pleasant from 4pm-7pm, with an emergency rollover to Friday morning until 12pm at the Sprout next to Eco-Fitness.

>Friday at Thackeray Farms on Wadmalaw Island from 10am-5pm.  We are offering a special discount to those who come to the farm to pick up their boxes- $25 off!  Thackeray Farms is a 10 minute drive from the intersection of Maybank and Main/Bohicket Roads on Johns Island.

Please print out the small form and sign below to agree to the terms of the CSA and mail your checks to Rita’s Roots P.O. Box 12568 Charleston, SC 29422.  The first 150 checks and forms received will fill up the CSA.  If you need to work out a payment plan or have any questions feel free to contact Rita or Riad at vegitup@yahoo.com.

NAME:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

E-MAIL ADDRESS (one that is checked regularly and any additional addresses to receive weekly CSA updates):

PICKUP LOCATION:  James Island                     Ted’s Butcherblock

Sprout                                 Thackeray Farms

FLOWER SHARE:         YES       NO

I have read and understand the above information about the risks and rewards entailed in participating in a CSA program.  I also understand that it is my responsibility to pick up my produce each week at my specified pick up location.

X______________________________________________ Date_________________