Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful holiday spending some well-deserved time with family and friends, and eating delicious farm-fresh meals. We would love to see pictures of your Thanksgiving farm feasts – post to our general Facebook page, our Facebook CSA group, or tag us on Instagram (@moutouxorchard). FARM PRO TIP: Freeze your turkey carcass for a future batch of bone broth. Did you all notice the new CSA layout, cool light fixtures, and modern w

Fall is just flying by! We are past the first frost and you are likely planning upcoming holiday festivities to closeout the year. Your Thanksgiving meal is always a perfect time to show off all of the fresh, colorful, flavor-packed produce from Moutoux Orchard. Without further ado, here are Show-Stealing Sides for all of your holiday needs. ROASTED CABBAGE WITH WALNUTS AND PARMESAN 1 medium-large (1 3/4 pounds) or two small heads savoy cabbage 7 tablespoons extra-virgin oliv

Have you ever heard of an "ugly veggie" club? The concept is taking imperfect produce that doesn't meet grocer standards and selling it at a discount. While the waste reduction is commendable, the underlying issue is that society has become completely disconnected from their food source. People want perfect looking food and believe that "imperfect" is inedible and inferior. Here at Moutoux, we know that isn't true. Real food isn't perfect. An occasional bug in your lettuce,

Here we are in the last few days of October, 6 weeks into fall, and heading into the “fall back” Daylight Saving Time (DST) clock change. Do you ever wonder why we mess with our clocks? We’ve learned that it was created for the farmers… but that is actually a MYTH! Globally, DST roots are in war and energy, first being implemented in Germany in 1916 as a way to conserve coal usage during World War I. The U.S. followed suit in 1918, and the implementation has come and gone

As members of Moutoux Orchard, we get to see the benefits of having access to the full-diet CSA. We know our farmers, know how the food gets to the table and know the work put in to make it happen. I’ve recently seen the same health benefits that I’ve noticed in myself in my foster dog, Leslie. Brian and I welcomed Leslie into our home ~1.5 years ago. Leslie came to us a hot mess – 7 pounds overweight, oily coat that would leave a film on your hands, soft stools, anxiety thro

We read about and hear the headlines regarding the numerous links between our health and our food. The gut-brain axis; link between fast food and depression; food insecurity raises risk for diabetes; etc. A new study published last week examines the link between our dietary habits related to food packaging and chemical exposure. Although the results of the study aren't all that surprising, it concludes food prepared and eaten at home reduces our exposure to food-contact mate

As you all have likely noticed by now, the peach trees that stood directly outside the barn have been cleared. There was a sentimental attachment to these trees because they were the first ones planted back in 1997 when the Moutoux family took over the property. A peach tree has a lifespan of 10-20 years and these had been declining in health over the last several years. Although the tough decision was made to cut the trees, it will bring with it upgrades and changes in the c

“Whether we or our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do” -Wendell Berry I read the other day that koala bears are in danger of becoming extinct due to global warming and habitat loss. Now, I've never seen a koala in the wild, but this really shook me to the core because I—and I'm sure many of you-- want to raise children in a world where koalas exist. I ne

As usual this time of year, summer can't decide if it's staying or leaving. We like it though, the hot days aren't as hot and the cool days are welcomed. Enjoy the early fall produce, new things are harvested almost weekly now. This weeks focus is spaghetti squash! Although this is an early fall arrival at the farm, it is technically considered a winter squash. Unlike summer squash, which has a relatively thin edible skin and small edible seeds, winter squash has thick sk

Summer is winding down and the crew has been hard at work weeding the fall fields. The next few weeks will be picking and cleaning up what remains of the summer crops, continuing to harvest, and seeding for late fall. The first harvest of fall provided us some chard, arugula, and Russian kale! Coming soon: radishes, several varieties of kale, lettuce, and Asian greens. Farm tip: When making a raw kale salad, massaging the leaves is the key. Working the greens with your han

With this abnormally cool weather, fall is in the air. But we know summer is not done with us yet! We are very grateful for the long soaking rain on Saturday which we haven't had in quite a while too. The farm continues to have a lot of peppers showcasing a rainbow of bold colors and flavors. We hope you enjoy this weeks post, Spice Spice Baby. Peppers are defined as either sweet or hot, but there is no true definition for either. All peppers are rated on the Scoville Scale

As the Labor Day holiday draws near, summer vacations come to an end and schools go back in session. But this isn't a time to be sad and reminiscing about the beach! Late summer at Moutoux Orchard provides amazing foods and continues to gives us those summer flavors. Each week you'll notice the food offerings changing as we inch forward to the fall equinox on September 23. This week we are diving right into Salsa, the Summertime Staple. There is nothing better than a homemad

Hello Week 10!! As we roll into August, peak summer continues on the farm. The last of the late-spring/early-summer crops (chard, fennel, blackberries) are done producing, the last of the celery has been picked, peaches are winding down, and the second generation cantaloupe and cucumbers are here. The summer harvests are being enjoyed by all but we are also already planting for fall! Take a peek behind the barn and you'll see your fall produce in the ground. The crew rec

Welcome to Week 9 of the 2019/2020 Moutoux CSA! Summer is flying by and we are at the peak of all the summer goodies. Take-a-Crate of tomatoes is here, eat and preserve as many as you can. We know not everyone has time to walk the farm fields during pickup so enjoy some pictures of the beautiful Moutoux fields that are steps away from your CSA table. Until next time, see you all at the farm!

Welp, what can we say? It’s been hotter than a jalapeño fart. That’s right, we said it. While the fruits and veggies are loving it, us farmers are wishing and waiting for the heatwave to break. With that said, it’s all relative. Our relationship with the weather is very different than most people. And even if you’ve never thought of it this way, being part of our CSA connects you to the weather more than most people too. Mother Nature and the weather she provides has everyth

Welcome to Week 7 Moutoux crew! As summer marches on, this is a great time to try your hand at preserving the harvest. Preserving really gives you the most bang for your buck and provides seasonal eating all year long. Condiments are a great place to start, they are simple and typically small batches. If you are new to canning, make sure to check out reputable blogs, recipes, and tutorials and give it a shot! You can pickup canning kits just about anywhere these days includi

Welcome to Week 6 of the 2019/2020 Moutoux Orchard CSA! As the northern hemisphere transitions from spring to summer, so does the farm and our diets. Greens are on their way out and summer produce is on the way in. Look for onions, tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, peaches, and melon! Although we have so many wonderful fruits and veggies on hand, we wanted to give a shout out to the cows! Although sometimes in a field out of sight, they are always nearby free-ranging and grazin

Happy 4th of July! We are chock full of produce at the farm for you to whip up some amazing dishes for all your upcoming festivities. Delicious dishes cooked with farm fresh ingredients will likely win you bragging rights to boot. Let these recipes inspire you this week and all through the summer! REMINDERS: Please return your cleaned glass yogurt containers each week DILLED POTATO AND PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD 6 Tbsp distilled white vinegar 4 tsp coarse kosher salt 2 lbs cucumb

Summer is officially here! The weather is heating up and we are starting to harvest the first jalapenos and potatoes of summer. There is an abundance of beets, carrots, and cucumbers so take home as much as you can use! The first 'TAKE A CRATE' moment is upon us for cucumbers, it's kind-of a big dill. It is only fitting that we highlight this cool veg on the vine. Read on and enjoy our Week 4 post, Cool as a Cucumber. What does "cool as a cucumber" even mean? We have al

Welcome to Week 3 of the 2019/2020 Moutoux Orchard CSA! Spring is chugging along here at the farm and the weather has been absolutely beautiful. We continue to have all the spring fixings. The greens are loving the unseasonably cooler weather and will be producing a while longer. Keep an eye out for late spring/early summer arrivals such as squash, cucumbers, and carrots which will be in abundance very soon! This week's focus is on chard. If you don't know and love chard