What’s Inside This Week?
August 13, 2026
Essentials Box
- Lettuce Head, 1ct, $3.00
- Basil, 3oz, $3.00
- Fresh Shallots, 1 bu, $4.00
- Grapes, 1lb, $4.00
- Garlic, 1pt, $3.00
- Cucumber Mix, 1lb, $4.00
Original Box
- Essentials Box, plus:
- Eggplant, 1lb, $4.00
- Parsnips, 1 bu, $4.00
- Mixed Lettuce, 8oz, $5.00
- Parsley, 3oz, $3.00
Hearty Box
- Original Box, plus:
- Fresh Onion, 1 bu, $4.00
- Beets, 1 bu, $4.00
- Cilantro, 3oz, $3.00
- Cherry Tomatoes, 1pt, $4.00
Free Garden Work Day — tomorrow!
Our first Free Garden Work Day is tomorrow, Friday, 8:30–11:00am. Come stay as long as feels good — pull some weeds, get some sun, and see how things work in the Dare 2 Dream garden. Sign up here →
Farmers Market Week recap
We wrapped Farmers Market Week with four new sign-ups, and 100% of every first box order was donated to Route One Market as part of our collaboration. Thank you to everyone who joined or gave during that week — it made a real difference.
Field Notes
We tagged 39 spots with pink flags this week, and by the end of it, all 39 had a native plant in the ground for Wildlife Habitat #2. Jeremy pulled out the old lavender plants along the garden fenceline first (we’ll catch more replacements during fall clearance), added compost, tilled it into the row, and pulled out as much crabgrass as we could manage. Then came the plants: toyon, oak-leafed cherry, Mexican tulip poppies, great valley gumweed, coyote bush, buckwheat, ceanothus, coyote mint, and giant coreopsis, all going in where the flags marked the spots.
Jeremy used the mini-excavator with an auger attachment to punch all 39 holes — a job that would have taken days by hand took hours with the right tool. The kids helped spread gopher baskets at each hole to protect the roots, then watered everything in as it went into the ground. Once every plant was set, Jeremy added a half bucket of mulch on top of each one, and I spread it around like a blanket so each plant stays moist and warm while it establishes.
Megan getting native plants into the ground for Wildlife Habitat #2.
Jeremy on the mini-excavator, using the auger to punch all 39 holes for the new habitat.
Zoe and Waylon placing gopher baskets at each hole to protect the new roots.
Wyatt watering in the newly planted natives.
Waylon on watering duty too. Everyone had a job this week.
We had a couple of good wildlife moments this week as well. Megan caught a gopher snake leaving the garden and relocated him near some of the newest gopher holes on the property, hoping he’d take the hint and go hunting. He had other plans — the kids spotted him sunning himself and zooming around the new pollinator habitat instead, and promptly named him Coley. Harmless, helpful, and now apparently a permanent fixture.
Wyatt also found a baby alligator lizard this week, and the cow waterer has been full of tadpoles — frog song is coming soon, and we’re looking forward to it.
Megan relocating the gopher snake toward some fresh gopher holes.
Coley, the harmless gopher snake the kids adopted by name, crossing the road.
Wyatt’s find of the week — a baby alligator lizard.
Storage Tips
Greens: lettuce head, mixed lettuce → wrap in a towel, bag in the fridge; use within 5–7 days.
Herbs: basil → jar of water on the counter, never the fridge. Parsley, cilantro → damp paper towel, bagged in the fridge; use within 4–5 days.
Alliums: fresh shallots, garlic, fresh onion → cool, dry, dark place with airflow; do not refrigerate.
Roots: parsnips, beets → fridge crisper, bagged; remove beet greens if attached and store separately.
Cucumbers: cucumber mix → fridge crisper, unwashed; use within 5 days.
Nightshades: eggplant, cherry tomatoes → counter, never the fridge; use within a few days.
Fruit: grapes → fridge, unwashed until ready to eat; keeps 1–2 weeks.
Roasted Beet & Parsnip Soup with Cilantro Oil
Roasted beet parsnip soup takes two of the season’s most underrated roots and turns them into something rich, earthy, and deeply comforting — finished with a bright cilantro oil that cuts right through the sweetness. This roasted beet parsnip soup is silky, warming, and better than it has any right to be from just a handful of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets, peeled and cubed
- 1 bunch parsnips, peeled and cubed
- 1 fresh onion or shallot, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- Salt & black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Cilantro Oil:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss beets, parsnips, onion, and garlic with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast 35–40 minutes until deeply caramelized and fork-tender.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins. Transfer all roasted vegetables to a blender or pot with an immersion blender.
- Add broth and blend until completely smooth, working in batches if needed. Return to a pot, stir in coconut milk and lemon juice, and warm gently over low heat. Adjust seasoning.
- For the cilantro oil, blend cilantro, olive oil, and salt until smooth and vibrant green.
- Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle generously with cilantro oil just before serving.
Why roasting makes all the difference in root vegetable soup
Boiled beets and parsnips make a perfectly fine soup, but roasted beets and parsnips make a truly great one. High, dry heat caramelizes the natural sugars in both roots, developing a depth of flavor that boiling water simply washes away. The trade-off is time — roasting takes 35 to 40 minutes versus 20 for boiling — but the difference in the final bowl is substantial enough that it’s worth planning for.
The cilantro oil is doing more work than it might seem. Both beets and parsnips lean sweet and earthy, and a purely creamy, blended soup can start to feel one-note by the last spoonful. A bright, herbaceous drizzle on top resets your palate with every bite and adds a pop of color that makes the whole bowl feel intentional rather than just brown and beige. This same cilantro oil technique works over almost any root vegetable soup, roasted vegetables, or even scrambled eggs.
If you want to make this dish ahead, the soup base actually improves after a day in the fridge as the flavors continue to meld — just make the cilantro oil fresh right before serving, since it loses its bright color and flavor after a day or two.
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2026-08-13 CSA by Megan_Raff
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