Blog

May 25

Published on
May 26, 2020

Box Contents:

1 bu Carrots

0.5 lb Arugula

1 lb Asparagus

1-2 heads Napa Cabbage (depending on size)

1 bu Chioggia Beets

About 0.5 lbs Little Gem Lettuce

2-3 White Spring Onions (depending on size)

Field Notes: This will be the first warm week of the season. The forecast is calling for 103-105 degree days starting today, Monday. To protect the farm’s employees, we moved the workday start time to 6 am so that the bulk of the work will be done during the first half of the day, the cooler part of the day. On very warm days, we shorten the workday to prevent heat stress. To prepare the crops for the hotter weather, we have given the spring crops a thorough irrigation set. The tomato, pepper, and eggplant crops are irrigated with drip line. We’ve been giving the summer crops deep watering to ensure their viability during temperature spikes. The longer irrigation sets will help the plants stay cool and hold their cellular turgidity.

Box Notes: The colorful, pink/white concentric ringed Chioggia Beet is back. It’s a mild, sweet beet that has the most beautiful coloration. The Chioggia beet holds its color and striping when cooked. Steam, roast, or boil the beets. Then peel under cool running water. Beets can be eaten warm or chilled. The tops are edible too: cook them like spinach, steamed, sautéed or braised. Season the tops with a splash of vinegar or lemon and salt and pepper.

Riverdog Farm has an active Instagram account. Find us via our Instagram handle: riverdogfarm. On our account, we share images of the crops, the farm, re-posts of your farm product posts and provide market/CSA updates.

When you pick up your CSA box or at home, please unfold (collapse) your box carefully to keep the end flaps from tearing. Slowly, bend the two end panels towards the outer ends first then collapse (flatten) the whole box by gently folding the rest.

Thank you for keeping the pick up sites tidy and for bringing the paper liners home to recycle. Our site hosts and delivery drivers appreciate your diligence with the upkeep of the sites.

Webstore Updates: For the sauerkraut and kimchee lovers out there, Green Cabbage is now available on the webstore by the 40 lb case for $35. We also have fresh garlic (not cured yet, but no longer green, the cloves have divided and have some paper layers that need to be peeled) by the 10 lb case for $80. The fresh garlic keeps best refrigerated. In the pastured meat department, Pork and Chicken Broth, Pork Bones, and Pig Heads are available on the webstore. Please place webstore orders 48 hours prior to your delivery day to ensure same week delivery. Due to a limited supply of pastured hogs, the fresh pork cuts, sausage and bacon will only be available at farmer’s markets at this time. We will update the webstore as product availability changes so please check it often.

  • Keeping it safe: with the Shelter-in-Place order still in effect in Yolo County and throughout California, we continue to implement our COVID-19 prevention protocol on the farm per the CDC and Cal-OSHA recommended best practices. Prevention measures include: required face covering and glove wearing, 6 foot distancing in the workplace, employees are not allowed to work with symptoms of COVID-19 illness, increased frequency of hand-washing/hand sanitizing, and increased sanitizing of the packing shed high touch areas including stainless steel wash tubs, packing tables and walk-in cooler door handles.

  • Because of the recent surge in CSA subscriber sign-ups, we have added new drop sites in Berkeley, Piedmont, Oakland, and Woodland. We also have a new drop site at Zuni Café in SF. Visit www.riverdogfarm.com to view the new sites to see if there is a location that is more convenient for you. You may change your pick up site 48 hours prior to delivery by logging into your account and selecting a new pick-up location.

  • Here are some updates/changes/reminders:

At this time, new chicken orders are not available via the CSA. The weekly chicken subscriptions and orders placed prior to 3/21/20 will be fulfilled. There is a waitlist for new chicken orders placed via the CSA after 3/21/20. You may purchase a whole Chicken at any one of the 3 markets in Berkeley or the 1 in Sacramento. First come, first serve.

  • New egg orders and add-on dozens are not available at this time via the CSA. There is currently a waitlist for new egg orders/egg subscriptions. You may purchase eggs at the farmers markets in Berkeley and Sacramento when available. At markets, the eggs are available first come first serve. 

  • New Egg Pick Up Procedure: At each delivery site, the eggs will be in a box, with an open lid, with a list of names of those whom ordered eggs. Please look at the list, make sure your name is on that list, and only take a carton of eggs if your name is on that list. Please use a face covering and precaution while picking up your order. Please only touch the carton of eggs that you’re picking up. Do not touch any other egg cartons. Do not open any egg cartons. To simplify the driver’s deliveries, we are no longer labeling the egg cartons with subscriber names. Keep the site safe and tidy. Thank you!

  • Please respect the site host’s privacy when you pick up your order. Do not knock on the site host doors. Call or email the farm if you need assistance finding the boxes, if an item is missing from your order, or your name is the not on the sign-in sheet.

    • Please take only the items that are yours. Check order labels for your name and match them to the items listed on the sign-in sheet. If you inadvertently picked up an item that is not yours, let the farm know so we can let the member know and fix the issue.

    • NEW A/B subscriptions are no longer available. If you wish to skip weeks, use the delivery hold tab to skip the weeks you wish to not receive a box. To skip CSA Box deliveries, please login to your account and enter your skip weeks as a Monday-Friday selection: http://www.riverdogfarm.com/csa .

    • Take the brown paper box liner with you to recycle at home. Gently unfold the cardboard boxes and place in a stack with other cardboard boxes. Please help keep the site host space tidy and ready for the driver to pick up the following week.

    • For current A/B week subscribers please note that the delivery schedule is every other week. Some months may have 3 deliveries, some may only have 2 but the schedule is every-other-week for your deliveries. See below for the 2020 A/B schedule.

    • Reminder: So your subscription continues uninterrupted, please make sure your credit card on file is up to date on your CSA account. For those who need to end the CSA subscription before your deliveries end, you MUST contact the farm through email to request cancellation. You may now put your account on a permanent hold if you will be gone for long periods of time. If you wish to cancel your account, you may call or email the farm and we can cancel it for you.

“Delivery hold” is used for short periods of time – you use this feature 48 hours in advance to schedule the deliveries you are unable to pick up.

“Permanent Hold” is used for long periods of time – you use this feature if you are gone for extended periods of time and wish to resume your account when you get back. You must reinstate your status back to active when you return in order to resume deliveries.

“Cancel” is used to delete membership details, this means you would need to re-enter delivery status, subscriptions, and credit card information when you return.