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April 2nd, 2025 Newsletter 

Recipes: Raab and Nettle Rice with Pesto Chicken



Hello friend of the farm,


This note provides a quick Spring update for returning and new Crop Shareholders to help you get excited about the season ahead (deliveries begin May 14th); and provides a discount code "may1" to share with your friends.


We are a few weeks into Spring and the weather is predictably unpredictable – changing from rain, cold, and stormy to sunny and hot. Each mood of the weather brings something of use but can leave a lot to consider on a farm -- is the soil dry enough to spade? Is the overnight low too low for transplanting tomatoes? Elsewhere there are bigger uncertainties in jobs and funding for programs we believe in -- what is not changing is that we will grow the best crops we can using locally sourced supplies (such as seed, compost and boxes) from local companies, we will grow for our community and we will provide our produce at the best price we can while still raising wages for our staff. We are committed to mutual support and interdependence.

 

To ensure a full Crop Share program at Camas Swale (and we are getting there!) -- we are extending our early sign-up discount of 5% off to May 1. Please share the news with friends. Please direct them to www.camasswalefarm.com to sign up with the discount code “may1”. Consider that the cost of produce from a Crop Share is unchanging. Crop Shareholders are free from potential rising costs on produce while supporting a local organic family farm. Let’s do this!

 

Crop Shares are something we meticulously plan for and the early commitment brings the farm security. We appreciate this direct connection so much that we make CSA our number one focus. For all you CSA members present and past —thank you! You motivate us like no other to do the best job we can.

 

On the farm we are eating a lot of kale, raab, storage potatoes and squash, and homemade pesto from last season (see the Spring recipes below). In the greenhouses and field we are seeding summer crops, weeding over wintering garlic, harvesting a few items for grocers (Og Market, KIVA, Friendly Market, Main St. Market, Capella’s and Sundance), preparing soil for greenhouse tomatoes (which go in next week!). Humble Bee's honeybees returned to our field last week and they are not the only buzz on the farm. Training apprentices from Rogue Farm Core has commenced and we are planning a June CSA Crop Share holder tour and paint and sip.


What can you expect in your first Crop Shares in May? Get ready for lots of spring salad greens, cooking greens, green garlic, baby roots like radish, turnip and carrots and more.

 

See the CSA Calendar below for more information on upcoming events.


New Pick Up Site: we have a new pick up site on River Road at Riversong Co-Housing, see our website CSA information page for details.

 

We will be in touch closer to your first delivery with more information. If you have any questions sooner, please email us!

 

Thank you and we look forward to growing for you,


Camas Swale Farmers

Amber & Jonah

Frosty morning in February, garlic growing next to freshly spaded soil.. The "February fake out" week happened-- it's a week of sun mid-Winter. In most years the dry and warm weather of this week dry out the soil enough to allow farmers to prepare soil for the season ahead. We've prepared a lot of beds and the planting continues!
Frosty morning in February, garlic growing next to freshly spaded soil.. The "February fake out" week happened-- it's a week of sun mid-Winter. In most years the dry and warm weather of this week dry out the soil enough to allow farmers to prepare soil for the season ahead. We've prepared a lot of beds and the planting continues!

A poem for the child in your family or in you, from an elementary school teacher. What the Robin Told

Anonymous

The wind

told the grasses,

And the grasses

told the trees.


The trees

told the bushes,

And the bushes

told the bees.


The bees

told the robin,

And the robin

sang out clear:


Wake up!

Wake up!

Spring is here!


--

In celebration of Women's History Month (in March), I sought poetry written by a female farmer. Naima is a spoken word artist and farmer at Soul Fire Farm in New York state. I love the reminder to just be you, and that longing is natural. You can find the entire poem and her performances at the link below - Amber

"Being Human"

Excerpt, by Naima Penniman


I wonder if the sun debates dawn some mornings

Not wanting to rise out of bed from under that down feather horizon

If they sky grows tired of being everywhere at once, adapting to the moods of the weather

If clouds drift off trying to hold themselves together, make deals with gravity to loiter a little longer

I wonder if rain is scared of falling, if she has trouble letting go

If snowflakes get sick of being perfect all the time, each one trying to be one of a kind

I wonder if stars wish upon themselves before they die

If they need to teach their young how to shine

I wonder if shadows long to just for once feel the sun, if they get lost in the shuffle not knowing where they are from

I wonder if sunrise and sunset respect each other even though they have never met...

I wonder... if rocks are insecure of their weight

If mountains are insecure of their strength

I wonder if waves get discouraged crawling up the sand, only getting pulled back to where they began

If land feels stepped upon

If sand feels insignificant

If trees need to question their lovers to know where they stand

If branches waiver at the cross roads unsure of which way to grow

If leaves understand they’re replaceable and they still dance with the wind ... View the artist performance of the poem in its entirety here


Pesto Chicken and Butter Rice with Kale and Raab

Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts 5 – 6 oz each

  • 4 Tbsp + pesto

  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Garnish, optional:

  • Finely chopped parsley or basil


Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C (200°C fan).

  • Pound chicken to 1.5cm / 0.6″ at the thickest part – using a rolling pin, meat mallet or even your fist (key tip for even cooking + tender chicken).

  • Mix Seasoning.

  • Line tray with foil and baking / parchment paper. Place chicken upside down on tray. Drizzle with pesto. Rub over with fingers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  • Flip chicken. Do the same, covering as much of the surface area as you can.

  • Bake 18 minutes, or until surface is golden per photos and video, or internal temperature is 165°F/75°C using a meat thermometer.

  • Remove from oven and immediately transfer chicken to serving plates.

  • Wait 3 – 5 minutes before serving, garnished with freshly chopped parsley or basil if desired. Eat with Garlic Butter Rice with Kale and Raab.


Rice

Ingredients

Marinated Kale:

  • 7 cups kale sliced leaves , tightly packed (1cm / 2/5" slices)

  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

Garlic Butter Rice:

  • 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter

  • 3 - 4 large garlic cloves , minced

  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice

  • 2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)

Finishing:

  • 1 - 2 tbsp (15 - 30g) butter

  • 1/3 cup chopped almonds (or other nuts / seeds of choice)



Instructions

  • Place kale in a large bowl. Drizzle over oil, sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Scrunch with hands for 30 seconds, set aside while rice cooks.

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute until just starting to turn golden and is incredibly fragrant.

  • Add rice, stir for 10 seconds.

  • Add broth, stir, then cover.

  • Turn heat down to medium or medium low so the liquid is simmering very gently. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check).

  • Quickly toss all the kale on top of the rice, put the lid back on then remove from heat.

  • Rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork, stirring kale through.

  • Lastly, stir through extra butter and add salt and pepper to taste.

  • Serve and sprinkle over nuts (or stir nuts through rice).


CSA Member Calendar


First Summer CSA Delivery

Wednesday May 14th /Friday 16th


First Fall CSA Delivery

Wednesday November 5th


Farm Tour + Paint and Sip

Sunday June 29th RSVP coming soon


Harvest Potluck and Party

TBD, tentative Saturday September 13th




ABOUT PICKING UP YOUR CSA

Bring your own bag. Pick up at your pick up location and day (Wednesday or Friday) from 12-6pm. If you ordered an add-on, it will be packed in a separate labeled tote. 

 

HOW TO PICK UP YOUR CSA

#1: Sign-in! the golden rule

Find & Sign-off your name on the sign-in sheet each week and please ONLY take the items listed next to your name.


This vital step helps ensure everyone goes home happy, including our site hosts and farmers, week after week.


#2: Locate your shares


Boxes are labeled as Small or Full. Summer Salad Lover Add-on shares are in a large tote labeled "Salad Add-ons"  


 #3: Unpack your tote & stack the empties  


Please bring your own reusable shopping bag to transport your items - we’ll pick the totes up next week for reuse! We can use them for multiple seasons, reducing waste one box at a time.


USING THE WEEKLY SWAP BOX? 

Swap boxes are green with flowers painted on them. Swap boxes are labeled and will stand out! If your pick up site has a swap box, please feel free to swap an item you may not want in your box with an item in the provided and specifically-labeled SWAP BOX. Please limit the swaps to one item for one item per week.


 


UNABLE TO FIND AN ITEM?

(Please do not supplement it with something else!) Contact the farm directly before taking something else. The sooner you reach out the sooner your item may be located.


 


SOMEONE ELSE PICKING UP FOR YOU?

(Please share all the details of how to pick up with them BEFORE they attempt to pick up -- BYO bag, take from the right size box, check off the right name). Friends and family picking up for others is the number one cause of pickup mistakes, and we thank you in advance for your consideration.



CSA FAQS PAGE 

Since our hands are often tied up with roots, soil or kids we keep this information on our CSA FAQS web page. 



VACATIONS

Every CSA member can put their share on hold in trade for a $20 credit per week, up to two. Login to your account and select your vacation dates or email us. Please request your vacation at least three days in advance to receive the credit.



REDEEMING YOUR VACATION CREDIT

Go to our Online Store to see availability for add-ons this week and to double check the value of your credit. You'll need to login to see your credit amount. In the 2025 season you can use your vacation credits to purchase add-ons electronically or apply the credit to a Fall Share. But as always you can also just email the farm. Thanks!



NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Your current season of newsletters and many of our newsletters back to 2012 are on our website here. Find recipes from previous seasons. Friday CSA members can go to this link on Wednesday and see what this week's CSA has to offer.



ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

If you have additional questions, please contact the farm at 541-335-9756 on a week day (office hours are M/W 10-2pm) or email us at camas.swale.farm@gmail.com. 






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