>THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Shelling Peas
• Stir-Fry Mixed Greens
• Lettuces
CHOICES: Small Shares choose 3, Large Shares choose 6
• Green Onions
• Fresh “Spanish Roja” Garlic
• Beet Greens
• Spinach
• Heirloom Lettuce
FRUIT SHARES:
“Chelan” Cherries from Tonnemaker Orchards in Royal City
COMING SOON:
Fava Beans
Swiss Chard
Cabbage
Broccoli
Apricots for Fruit Shares
I don’t know that there’s a lot to add about this week’s produce. Peas are pretty self-explanatory—eat them. We generally don’t cook a lot of peas, we all just eat shelling peas raw, usually in the field. Sugar snap peas, usually we eat raw as well, although I do sometimes sauté them in a little butter. Remember—shelling peas need to be taken out of the pod, and sugar snaps you eat the whole thing.
We are trying out the “choice” system this week, officially. Please make sure that you choose from the five things in the choice list, and don’t take all 5. Small shares will choose three things, large shares will choose 6. Mike will be at the stand on Wednesday to help with this, as I’m sure it will be confusing at first.
Also, we will be starting u-pick next week. Shelling peas will be ready for u-pick first, and sugar snaps the following week. Yes, we are picking peas now, but it makes me nervous to have other people in the rows when there are so many tiny, undeveloped pods there.
Our house has arrived, finally. It needs paint and some love, but we’ll have a house to live in next year without rent, and it was a really good price. We can’t wait to be living on the farm, instead of across the street. We won’t have so much to worry about with the kids, that’s for sure. We just need to wait on the County business, especially the septic system permit. We hope it goes along quickly, but we’ve heard horror stories.
Whistling Train Farm 
>The stir fry greens were gone when I got there around 5:15 and so was the spinach. ???
>The new “Choice” system has a downside for us. We can’t anticipate what anyone will choose, so we don’t know how much of those items to pick. Mike and Luis spent all afternoon Wednesday picking a little more spinach, a little more beets, etc. For the Seattle subscribers it worked well, I think, because we had them choose by email, and it was like doing an order for each person. A little cumbersome, but everyone seems to be happy. For the farm pickup subscribers, we need a little help figuring out how to make this work. There was also a lot of confusion with how many of the choice items to take. Some people helped themselves to three of everything. Others thought they should take one of everything. This is a new system for us, and our goal is to make everyone happier, and give them all more choice. But, if it ends up being more complicated this way, and people aren’t happy, we will have to go back to the old system where we just choose for everyone. If you have any ideas on how to improve the system, please feel free to share them with me. Thank you,Shelley
>hi you guys we are looking forward to our summer shares we have been on extended holiday see you on saturday its all good!!!! kevin/trish
>Regarding the Choice System: I understand that this could be a nice service for you to offer, so if it works out for everyone, then keep it going…….I just know that I don’t need for you to offer the Choice System…..I’m happy knowing we are getting good veggies and fruits and meats, and I’m happy to take home what is offered, regardless of whether or not I had a choice about it. So, no pressure on my part to keep it if it isn’t working…….and if it ends up staying around, then I’ll make my choices….Sandy Buzzelli
>I agree with Sandy. The choice system is kind of fun, but I can see how it would be a huge hassle for you to try to organize. Maybe you could have a preset 3 items for veggies you know you have a lot of, then let the people who have the big shares have the other 3 things you don’t have a big supply of.
>Hi Shelley:For the benefit of us newbies, could you please explain how the U-Pick system works? Do we need to call ahead to make arrangements with you?Jill Olson