Something Good Organics

My dear Community,

I spent the week romping around the farm with third through sixth graders from Lompoc. Blooming Energy, a wellness center in Lompoc, received grants to visit a few farms in the valley and we were lucky enough to be one of them. It was a first for many of the kids and it was really fun to see their eyes light up as they connected to the food grown locally. Check out our Instagram for a few photos. These visits are one of my passions so it’s great for me as well.

We’re slipping samples of our Organic Seeded Sourdough from San Julian Ranch into as many boxes as possible this week. Baked fresh in the morning, this seeded sourdough is nearly exclusive to our CSA program. We have a few loaves available in our store and it’s also available as part of your subscription to guarantee a loaf with your box. Don’t forget to add some of our exclusive strawberry preserves as well!

We just teamed up with a new local source for mushrooms, Wolfe farms in Solvang who has a consistent supply of delicious shrooms. Shittakes and oyster mushrooms are rolling in. Add them on as part of a subscription or grab yourself a bag in our CSA store.

Be good to each other.

CSA Contains:
CARROTS
RED BUTTER LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
BLACKBERRIES (Regular size shares might alternatively receive heirloom tomatoes)
CHERRY TOMATOES
YELLOW ONIONS
GREEN ZUCCHINI
LACINATO KALE
GREEN BEANS from RUNDLE FARMS
ENGLISH CUCUMBERS
BIG BOX ADD: HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, STRAWBERRIES, CARROTS, BLUEBERRIES, ROMAINE LETTUCE

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED BUTTER LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
GREEN BEANS
GREEN ZUCCHINI
CHERRY TOMATOES

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
BLUEBERRIES
BLACKBERRIES
STRAWBERRIES
LACINATO KALE
ITALIAN PARSLEY
ENGLISH CUCUMBERS
RED BEETS

FRUIT EXPANSION: BLACKBERRIES + STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: ROMAINE LETTUCE
MUSHROOM MIX: SHIITAKE + OYSTER from WOLFE FARMS

Continue reading “Week of July 5th”

My dear Community,

I’m repeating again for our biweekly customers or anyone else who missed it- we are now offering 100% organic seeded sourdough from Bunkhouse bread on San Julian Ranch. These loaves are packed with goodness and make some off the chart toasts. We are also still offering classic sourdough which has received rave reviews from our members. Beautifully crafted loaves baked fresh that morning are available for subscription and a few are in our CSA store available for purchase now. Don’t forget to add some of our strawberry preserves for an out of this world taste experience.

A quick heads up as we move into summer. If you pick up at a school location, please make sure to keep your eye out for our delivery email and pick up as soon as possible. With vacated campuses there tends to be people wandering around and vegetables can go missing.

This week on the farm we’re hosting local youth to educate about local farming. Buses full of elementary school kids are spending their summer hours walking around the farm and getting a better sense of the meaning of local food sources and maybe even inspiring some future farmers. One of my favorite things about being part of this farm is sharing it with others. I lived in Santa Barbara for about 10 years before I realized local farms existed. Grocery stores offered no local produce and when I finally discovered what that tastes like, I never looked back. Eating fresh produce daily changed my outlook and all of a sudden I was craving this food. I’m hoping that involving kids as early as possible will have a ripple effect on their lives as well. It also speaks to the importance of our CSA program. Making fresh, organic and local food easily accessible to everyone in our community is our main goal. Thanks for being a part of what we do.

Be good to each other. 

CSA Contains:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
BLACKBERRIES
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
ITALIAN PARSLEY
GREEN ZUCCHINI
BUNCHED ARUGULA
BROCCOLI
ENGLISH CUCUMBERS
BIG BOX ADD: CHERRY TOMATOES, RED BUTTER LETTUCE, CARROTS, BLACKBERRIES, PURPLE SNOW PEAS

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
CUCUMBERS
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
BROCCOLI

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
BLACKBERRIES
GOLDEN BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
ITALIAN PARSLEY
FUJI APPLES
FENNEL
LACINATO KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: BLACKBERRIES + STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED BUTTER
MUSHROOM MIX: TBD

Continue reading “”

My dear Community,

Have you tried the sourdough from Bunkhouse bread yet? I’ve received feedback it’s the most delicious bread. I haven’t had time to make bread so we’re enjoying it in our house as well. Sydni wakes up early to bake and you can taste the love in each beautiful loaf. She’s also extended the invitation to purchase her seeded sourdough loaf which will be available to purchase via subscription and we will have limited quantities in our CSA store. It’s packed with whole grain winter wheat, rye, corn, spelt, oats, kamut, khorasan, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, tri-color quinoa, and maple syrup. It might have made one of the most epic avocado toasts I’ve ever had.

We picked some of the first apricots this week and though they are still a little tart, it’s a sign of good fruit to come. Blackberry vines are producing and we’re happy to have them in our boxes starting this week. Berries are one of my favorite fruits to eat. They really represent summer to me, and we can celebrate that on the summer solstice on Wednesday. There’s something about the warm weather that has me craving all the fresh delicious produce on the farm. After all these years I still need to remind myself how much easier it is to use the veggies if I take the time to prep them when I get my box home. It stimulates more positive cyclical use during the week: when I’m eating more fruits and veggies I have more energy and feel less burned out as opposed to the junk I lean on when I’m feeling tired and overwhelmed. Eating more intentionally perpetuates happiness through many aspects of my life and fuels me forward. I hope these boxes help you feel better in many ways as well. There’s a lot of love and a lot of good vibes coming with the veggies each week.

Be good to each other.

CSA Contains:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
BLACKBERRIES
YELLOW CHERRY TOMATOES
GREEN CABBAGE
GREEN ZUCCHINI
RED ONIONS
CILANTRO
CUCUMBERS
BIG ADD: RED TOMATOES, CARROTS, YAMS, STRAWBERRIES, RED BUTTER LETTUCE

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
BLACKBERRIES
YELLOW CHERRY TOMATOES
GREEN ZUCCHINI
GREEN CABBAGE

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
BLACKBERRIES
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
CILANTRO
BABY SPINACH
CUCUMBERS
GREEN KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: BLACKBERRIES + STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED BUTTER
MUSHROOM MIX: Not available this week

Continue reading “Week of June 21st”

My dear Community,

I was so happy to see my new flock of chickens and a few ducks arrive last week. The nationwide bird flu crisis late last year that resulted in massive amounts of chickens being slaughtered left grocery store shelves empty of eggs. These kinds of things mainly happen in big commercial production where chickens aren’t being treated properly to begin with. As we order small batches of chickens every year, I was caught off guard when the shipping date was six months out. It ended up working out perfectly though, as we took our time building a new coop, extra fortified for protection from predators, and they can roam around the orchard doing what chickens do best. 

Our wet winter turned into a grey spring. It’s hard to complain about the weather on the Central Coast, but we find a way. 😉 I keep finding myself talking about the slow growth of things over the past few months as it’s something John Givens is experiencing difficulty with daily. In an effort to get garlic into your house a little early we’re picking it green this week. This helps us thin out our crop and enjoy some before it’s dried and ready which would be another month. The immature bulb resembles a scallion in size and appearance and is even prepared the same way in meals. As strawberries peak, we’re offering 2 baskets in the regular and large size shares. Enjoy the bounty.

Our strawberry preserves are going into the CSA store starting Thursday and will be available while quantities last. We spent this weekend using a slow, small batch method to create pure strawberry goodness without the addition of pectin. Only strawberries, sugar and lemon go into the batches and extend the season.

Be good to each other. 

CSA Contains:
STRAWBERRIES X2
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
GREEN ZUCCHINI
BOK CHOI
SUGAR SNAP PEAS from SUNRISE ORGANICS
ITALIAN PARSLEY
GREEN GARLIC
GREEN KALE
BIG ADD: RED TOMATOES, CARROT, ARUGULA, BABY SPINACH, GARNET YAMS

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
STRAWBERRY
ZUCCHINI
BOK CHOI

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
BLUEBERRIES
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
ITALIAN PARSLEY
BABY SPINACH
FENNEL
GREEN KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: BLUEBERRIES + STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED LEAF LETTUCE
MUSHROOM MIX: SHIITAKE + OYSTER from FAR WEST FUNGI

Continue reading “Week of June 14th”

My dear Community,

If you ordered bread last week you also received a sample of a new seeded sourdough bread which we will be offering soon. We’d love to hear what you thought about it. 

We’re in peak season for strawberries, and although we have them available for quite a stretch through the year, this is their time to shine. We’re also finally offering some tomatoes in the box this week. The crops we expected to have early like tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers have been stunted due to this foggy weather. The tomatoes will remain intermittent in the boxes until the sun really starts to shine.

We’re getting a new batch of chicks and ducks this week. We’re hoping to be able to extend egg season throughout the year. If you haven’t had a chance to try our eggs, both are now available in our CSA store.

Did you know that you can receive a $25 referral credit when you send someone our way? They just need to sign up for at least 3 boxes and we’ll apply the credit to your account. We prefer to rely on word of mouth to spread the good word. Thanks for being a part of what we do.

Be good to each other.

CSA Box Contains:
STRAWBERRIES
CARROTS
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
GREEN BEANS from DURST FARMS
YELLOW CHERRY TOMATOES
BASIL
RED RADISHES
ROMAINE LETTUCE
LACINATO KALE
ARTICHOKES from SUNRISE ORGANICS
BIG BOX ADD: STRAWBERRY, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, RED LEAF LETTUCE , CARROTS, BROCCOLI

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
ROMAINE LETTUCE
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
STRAWBERRIES
LACINATO KALE
ARTICHOKES

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
CELERY
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
CILANTRO
BABY SPINACH
FENNEL
LACINATO KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: DOUBLE STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED LEAF LETTUCE
MUSHROOM MIX: SHIITAKE + OYSTER from FAR WEST FUNGI

Continue reading “Week of July 7th”

My dear Community,

Just like that we’re in the last box of May with only three more weeks until Summer solstice. After the winter rains died down, spring flew by as I enjoyed the sunshine and getting back to work outside. It’s been a gray spring so crops like zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes that are usually flourishing by now are stagnant in the ground, hardly producing anything. These are usually the months where we’re able to use all of our own crops for the CSA program. So we are grateful for our neighboring farms and the variety that they help us provide in our boxes all year round.

Check out our Instagram post to see the future of sweet potatoes in Buellton. Mathew drives up north every year to capture these sweet potato slips (plants) so we can have our own bounty. There’s something about a freshly dug potato, the sweet smell of the earth that seems to permeate it and the satisfaction of knowing that it’s grown and picked locally, just makes it taste that much better.

Don’t forget to check out the CSA store. We’re stocked with loaves of organic sourdough from San Julian Ranch, fresh eggs from our chickens roaming around here in Buellton and more.

On a personal note, I wanted to add that my health coaching business, Grounded Guidance Coaching, is up and running. My main focus is helping busy women who are feeling overwhelmed and want to get back on track. Check out my Instagram page here to get a glimpse into my world and visit my blog to get some insights into my beliefs. I’m on track to get board certified by next year and look forward to connecting with you on a deeper level. 

Be good to each other. 

CSA Contains:
STRAWBERRIES
CARROTS
RED BUTTER LETTUCE
GREEN BEANS from DURST FARMS
BROCCOLI
GREEN KALE
ARUGULA
BABY SPINACH from SUNRISE ORGANICS
ITALIAN PARSLEY
YELLOW ONIONS
BIG BOX ADD: CARROTS, BREAKFAST RADISHES, GARNET YAMS, RED LEAF LETTUCE, BLUEBERRIES from FAMILY TREE FARMS

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED BUTTER LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
BROCCOLI
GREEN BEANS
BABY SPINACH

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
CUCUMBERS
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
ITALIAN PARSLEY
BABY SPINACH
FENNEL
GREEN KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: BLUEBERRIES + STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED LEAF LETTUCE
MUSHROOM MIX: MAITAKE + LIONS MANE from FAR WEST FUNGI

Continue reading “Week of May 31st”

My dear Community,

I’m taking a break this week from the blog to get started on our strawberry jam. It’s a slow process that really captures the flavor and scent of our strawberries in a jar. It will be ready in our CSA store in the next few weeks. We have a few loaves of organic sourdough available to purchase in the store today, so make sure to grab one if you’ve been wanting to check it out.

CSA Contains:
STRAWBERRIES
CARROTS
BROCCOLI
HASS AVOCADOS
CUCUMBERS
GREEN ZUCCHINI
RED LEAF LETTUCE
SWEET SPRING YELLOW ONIONS
FENNEL
GREEN CABBAGE
BIG BOX ADD: CARROTS, ITALIAN PARSLEY, POTATOES, BABY SPINACH, STRAWBERRIES

JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
STRAWBERRIES
BROCCOLI
CUCUMBERS
ZUCCHINI

JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GREEN CABBAGE
CUCUMBERS
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
ITALIAN PARSLEY
BABY SPINACH
FENNEL
LACINATO KALE

FRUIT EXPANSION: DOUBLE STRAWBERRIES

LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED LEAF LETTUCE

MUSHROOM MIX: SHIITAKE + OYSTER MUSHROOMS

Continue reading “Week of May 25th”