CSA Week 14: Celebrating 15 years of farming for the community

The rainclouds gave way to a gorgeous evening for this year’s celebration and potluck marking the farm’s 15th year in business.

Welcome to Week 14 of the 2025 summer CSA season. This week is a Group B week, which means full shares in all locations pick up and half shares at the farm pick up.

In their shares this week, members will receive the following vegetables: carrots, fingerling potatoes, green beans, collard greens, dill, salad mix (unwashed), pickling cucumbers, sweet peppers, yellow onion and apples (thanks for our neighbors, the Connor family).

Online store: Aside from Fall Share signup, there is just one item on the online store this week: A quart of mixed hot peppers (cayenne, Hungarian hot wax, jalapeno and matchbox peppers).

Scenes from the potluck

A photo from the farm’s potluck at another location a decade ago. Many of the same people in this photo were at the potluck at our farm this year. We are grateful for their loyalty and support. In the center of this picture are the mother-daughter team of Rosanne and Alesha tending the fire and…
…here they are, at it again, at the farm on Saturday.

Heather-Marie started Rising Phoenix Community Farm 15 years ago, and the end of season potluck has always been a part of how she works to build community through growing food and flowers.

This year’s potluck was a great success, with about 30 people joining us. We had neighbors, farm stand customers, friends and CSA members as well.

While we spent the morning dodging rain squalls, the weather broke and we ended up with a cool fall-like day with great food, a fire and a chance to pause and savor the growing season. Here’s a few images from the day.

We always wondered how many people could fit on that swing.
Heather-Marie gives a tour of her flower beds.
John and a friend hanging out with the chickens.
Moonrise at the end of a wonderful evening.
Reminder: Fall Share open to all at end of week
A typical fall share box.

This is the last week that our Fall Share is open exclusively to returning CSA members. At the end of this week, we’ll open signups to the larger community.

The Fall CSA Share offers three, large, weekly deliveries in late September/October of cold and root crops. Choose just one week or three weeks for a savings.

Share details

What’s in these shares: Garlic, leeks, yellow onion, sweet peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, rutabaga, fresh herbs, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, broccoli, cabbage, radicchio, beets, arugula, spinach, Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes, winter squash, pumpkins

  • How much produce: One, large 3/4 bushel box. Choose between one and three weeks.
  • How often: Three deliveries on Tuesdays (September 30, October 7, October 14)
  • Pickup locations: Our farm in Barnum, Duluth Cider and Duluth East Hillside
  • Price:
  • Farm pickup: Three weeks for $150; one week for $55.
  • Duluth pickup: Three weeks for $165; one week for $60

This week’s veggies and recipes

Stuffed Fresh Peppers

from Carol-Ann Bloom

(6 servings)

  • 6 large raw peppers (red/yellow/orange are sweeter than green), washed
  • 5 cups boiling water, lightly salted
  • 1# ground beef (organic preferred), or make vegetarian with meat substitute, or mushrooms, etc
  • ¼ c. chopped onion
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • dash black pepper
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic or to taste, chopped (optional)
  • 1 c. cooked rice
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce

(Note: If more sauce is needed, can add a little more tomato sauce, cooking wine, or white wine)

Heat oven to 350 degrees*. Cut thin slice from stem end and around top of each pepper. Remove all seeds and membranes. Cook peppers in the boiling salted water 5 minutes; drain and cool quickly in cold water.

Cook ground beef and onion in medium skillet until onion is tender, then drain off fat. Add garlic and cook a couple minutes together. Add salt, rice and 1 c. of the tomato sauce; stir to blend; and heat through.

Lightly stuff each pepper with ½ c. meat mixture. Stand peppers upright in ungreased baking dish, 8x8x2”. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers. Cover; bake 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer. (Some ovens vary – watch so peppers don’t dry out.)

*This recipe can be cooked stove-top as well over medium heat for the same length of time, but in a covered pot.

Quick Pickles

Six Seasons  by Joshua McFadden

Brine

(makes enough for about 3 pints pickles)

  • ½ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 Tb white wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • 5 Tb sugar
  • 1 Tb plus 1 tsp kosher salt

Put everything in a pot or big pitcher and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. 

Using clean canning jars, fill with your vegetable in a way that shows off the beauty of it, pour over the brine until the vegetables are completely covered and the jar is full, and screw on the cap.  Refrigerate for up to 2 months.  Start tasting after the first day to see how the flavor and texture are developing.  They are ready to eat as soon as you think they are ready.

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