It’s garlic planting season again on the farm — one of our favorite planting times of the year. This week, we got our seed garlic in the most unexpected (and practical) place: Costco.
That might raise an eyebrow, but hear us out: Costco’s garlic is grown right here in California, travels fewer miles, and tends to be clean and healthy — which makes it perfect for planting. Over the years, we’ve actually had better success using Costco garlic than with specialty seed garlic from traditional suppliers. This week we composted and prepped Section 8 for planting, where the garlic will stay in the ground until April or May.
Section 8 has had quite the journey. It used to be a paddock for our calves, and after that, it became part of the garden where we grew corn, butternut, and delicata squash this year. That field has been naturally fertilized for years, and it shows — the crops there have been some of our best. The garlic will feel right at home.
Farm Visitors and Food System Friends
We also hosted a few visitors from Fresh Approach, the organization behind the Farms Together program that Dare 2 Dream Farms is part of. You can read more about the program here: freshapproach.org/farms-together.
Their team joined us for a tour and an overnight stay on the farm, and helped us break apart the garlic bulbs for planting. There’s something special about working side by side like that — hands busy, conversation flowing. We talked farms, food access, CSA programs, COVID, and what resilience really looks like in local food systems.
Farm Engineering: Jeremy’s DIY Vacuum Seeder
Jeremy got creative again (he’s the Dreamer) this week and built a vacuum seeder from scrap materials around the farm and about thirty dollars in parts. For context, a commercial vacuum seeder can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
He pieced it together using leftover plexiglass, scrap cabinet plywood, and a handheld shop vac — and it works like a charm. Seeding a 330-cell tray of lettuce, broccoli, kohlrabi, romanesco, or cauliflower used to take 45 minutes to an hour, and now takes less than 15 minutes. Plus, manually handling tiny seeds can cause quite a bit of seed waste if you’re moving quickly! This equipment will be one of those small wins that adds up fast during the busy season.
Know Your Produce: Persimmons
If you’re new to persimmons, you’re in for a treat. These bright orange fall fruits are sweet, rich, and full of personality — somewhere between honey, pumpkin, and a hint of spice. They are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin A — perfect for a seasonal immune boost. Try slicing them into salads with arugula and nuts, or our personal favorite, adding them to homemade cranberry sauce.
Farm Stand Feature: Handmade Empanadas from Los Olivos
This week at the farm stand, we’re proud to feature handmade empanadas from a local friend we met at the Los Olivos Farmers Market. These golden pastries are filled with seasonal ingredients — strawberries, blackberries, and apples — and baked to perfection.
What’s Inside?
Check out what’s inside this week’s box, discover the value of the items and how to keep them fresh, and see our curated recipe using items in this week’s harvest!
Essentials Box
Cost: $18 | Retail Value: $23 | You Save: $5.00
- Spaghetti Squ. (2lbs) $4
- Yellow Onion (1lb) $3
- Cilantro (3oz) $3
- Rosemary (3oz) $3
- Kale (8oz) $5
- Persimmons (1lb) $5
Original Box
Cost: $30 | Retail Value: $42.00 | You Save: $12.00
- Essentials Box, plus:
- Butternut Squ. (2lb) $4
- Bunching Onion (1bu) $4
- Zucchini (2lbs) $6
- Arugula (8oz) $5
Hearty Box
Cost: $42 | Retail Value: $53.00 | You Save: $11.00
- Original Box, plus:
- Cabbage (2lbs) $4
- Eggplant (1lb) $4
- Basil (4oz) $3
Values are based on farm stand and regional farmers market pricing for comparable produce.
For full details on this week’s harvest list, including a recipe for Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs, storage tips, most popular FAQs, and partner farms, you can view the complete newsletter at the link below.
