Blog
CSA Bingo!
We will be doing a fun Bingo game with CSA members over the next couple of weeks! Here is the card: CSA Bingo
Once you get a Bingo (4 in a row) email lindsey@crispcountryacres.com and I will place you in a drawing to win 1 of 3 prizes.
Prize 1: 2lb jar of honey.
Prize 2: A jar of salsa & tortilla chips.
Prize 3: Get your next share free! ($20 value)
The contest will end July 31 and I will choose the winners on August 1.
I can’t wait to hear about all of your BINGO’s! 🙂
PS – Have you joined the CSA Facebook group? HERE is the link.
Grandma’s Refrigerator Pickles
This easy pickle recipe is a summer favorite in our family!
- 6 – 8 pickles, peeled or unpeeled and sliced
- 1 or 2 onions
- 1 green pepper sliced
Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. salt and let stand for 2 to 3 hours. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in Jar.
Mix the following:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 tsp. celery seed.
Bring to a boil. Pour over pickles, onion & peppers then refrigerate.
What is a “new” potato?
It is new potato season!
Why are they called “new” potatoes? The potatoes are dug while the plants are still green. These potatoes are very tender and have a delicious mild flavor.
The early potatoes are harvested by hand to make sure that we don’t miss any of the baby potatoes and are careful with the tender skins.
It is super important to note that these new potatoes need to be store in the fridge in a bag or container because of the thin skins.
We enjoy them boiled, roasted, or on the grill. My son, Ben, eats them raw as he is picking them up in the field. 
Stop by the markets this week and pick some up to try! Here is our summer market schedule.
See you soon!
Strawberry Update
Today’s Strawberry Update:
The berry season is not looking like it is going to improve. At this point we don’t think u-pick will be available.
They looked so good on Friday, but not great this morning.
You are welcome to come out and take a look, but there are not a ton of berries, and a lot of them are smaller.
Already picked berries will be available tomorrow. If you need to get berries for jam don’t delay. It is looking like the berry season will be wrapping up very soon.
Thank you for your patience as we have tried to navigate this difficult season.
We are hopeful that next year will be better. 
U-pick is CLOSED.
Good Morning,
We had to close the U-Pick for today.
We will check again in the morning and post an update on facebook & instagram.
Thank you so much for your patience as we struggle through this crazy strawberry season.
Always plan to check our social media before heading out to the farm for the most up to date info.
Have a great day!
Lindsey
U-Pick is OPEN!
That’s right!
We are opening up the u-pick field TODAY!
Here’s how it works:
1. When you arrive at the farm please check in at the farm market. We will get you boxes to pick into.
2. Follow the path out behind the farm. Watch for the signs.
3. When you arrive to the field, park in the lot to the north and walk to the strawberry field.
4. After you are done picking head back to the farm market to pay.
Strawberries are $3.25/lb for u-pick.
Farm address is 5888 120th Ave, Holland, MI 49424.
U-pick hours are Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm & Saturday, 8am – 5pm. Please double check the facebook page before coming out. We will post if we have to close the field early.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Lindsey
Strawberry Update
Most frequently asked question right now: When will the u-pick strawberries be ready?
We wish we knew.
Took a walk in the u-pick field yesterday and it is so dry. We are not able to water the u-pick fields and are completely dependent on the rain. It has been a long while since we have had a good, soaking shower.
So, it could be a week, maybe 2. We don’t have an exact date right now.
We will let you know as soon as we know. 
Thank you so much for your patience!
On a positive note, the strawberry fields that are picked for the markets are at our other location and we can water them. Already picked berries will be available at the farm and markets this week.
HERE is a list of markets you can find us at this week.
Farming can be beautiful and hard all at the same time. We are so grateful for all of your support!
Breaking News!
We interrupt your Friday night with some breaking news!
Strawberries are READY!
Here is where you can find them:
– Muskegon Farmers Market: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
– Kalamazoo Farmers Market: Saturday
– Trufant Market: Thursday
– Market at the Farm: Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm & Saturday, 8am – 5pm. Farm’s address is 5888 120th Ave, Holland.
We are planning to offer u-pick again this year, but u-pick is NOT open yet. We are not able to water the u-pick fields and so they are a bit behind. I will send an email once the u-pick fields are open. I am expecting in the next 1 – 2 weeks.
The season is always so short, stop by and pick up a quart or two soon!
– Lindsey
PS – HERE is where you can find these local strawberries + all the veggies!
All the things!
Good Morning!
Things are changing at the farm. The plants we have spent months growing in the greenhouse are heading out to the field.
The fields are filling up and we are starting to harvest the first crops.
We are seeing the first baby strawberries and pea blossoms. It is so much fun to watch the crops grow!
So, what do we all have available?
Asparagus, rhubarb, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, green peppers, lettuce, leek, green onions, radishes, kale, carrots, beets, potatoes, swiss chard & gala apples.
Here are a couple of our favorite spring time recipes for you to try.
All of the summer markets are now open. Come on out and see all of the delicious veggies we have ready for you.
See you soon!
– Lindsey
PS – HERE is where you can find us this summer!
Our favorite spring recipes!
Apple Rhubarb Crisp
Rhubarb Apple Filling
- 3.5 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 apples, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/2 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Combine all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9 x 9 glass baking dish and set aside.
- Combine the topping ingredients and mix thoroughly. Crumble evenly over the filling.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
Rhubarb Dump Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O mix
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup margarine, melted
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Spread the rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb, followed by the gelatin mix, and finally the cake mix. Pour the water and melted margarine over the top. Do not stir.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the rhubarb is tender.
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Asparagus
- 4 Tablespoons (up To 5 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt To Taste
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- After you wash the asparagus thoroughly, stack a bunch together and lop off the tough/thick bottom an inch or so.
- Spread out the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pat it as dry as you can, as you don’t want any water to “steam” the asparagus in the oven.
- Begin by generously drizzling olive oil all over the asparagus and then sprinkle the asparagus generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the asparagus for about ten minutes. The secret here is for the oven to be very hot so the asparagus can begin to brown on the outside without overcooking and getting too flimsy. You want the finished asparagus to still have a bite to it.
Farm Market Breakfast
Ingredients:
3–4 strips bacon
2 large potatoes or the equivalent
½ onion, chopped into bits
3 cloves garlic, chopped into bits
1 generous bunch of leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach, whatever is fresh)
Eggs
Cheese (optional)
Hot pepper flakes (Optional)
Directions:
- Cut the bacon into medium-size bits and start frying it over high heat.
- Wash the potatoes, cut out the bad bits; peel if you must. Score them with a fork and put them in the microwave whole for 2 to 4 minutes until they are almost done.
- Chop the heated potatoes into medium-size chunks and add them to the skillet (with the bacon). Stir to evenly coat them in the bacon fat.
- Let potatoes cook with the bacon for a few minutes. When the potatoes start to crisp up, add the onion bits and garlic. Stir.
- When everything is just about ready, fry the eggs in another skillet.
- At the last minute, add the greens to the potato, bacon mixture. Stir, allowing the heat of the other ingredients to cook them just slightly.
- To serve, add a whopping spoonful of the vegetable mixture to a plate. Add grated cheese (if you wish). Add the egg. Add a splash of hot pepper flakes (if you wish).