By Ali
This is my first blog post, so I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Ali, and I started filling in here on the farm during harvest in early summer. I officially joined the crew last month and was able to move here full-time!
I was born in Alaska and moved to California in my early teens. I’ve lived in a few different places since then, including Davis, but I always find myself drawn back to Sonoma County. There’s something really special about the climate, the plant diversity, the coastline, and the strong farming community here.
Before joining this team, I worked on another farm in the area and really connected with the pace and rhythm of the work. It’s humbling and grounding to be part of the natural cycles and to see how much each season teaches you. I’m grateful to be here, learning from everyone and settling into the shift from summer into fall.
I’m also a nutrition student, so working with such nutrient-rich foods every day has been especially inspiring. Lately, I’ve been making bone broth with our beef bones; it turns out incredibly gelatinous and makes the perfect warm drink. It even forms a thick layer of tallow on top that you can skim off and use as cooking fat, which feels like getting two uses in one! I added turmeric, ginger, and black pepper to my last batch for some extra immune support this time of year.
Another fun, seasonal thing I’ve been making is pesto with the fresh basil we have right now. It’s always fun to experiment with different nuts, but cashews are my favorite.
Upcoming Event: Harvest Festival Saturday November 1st from 10 am to 3 pm
Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members
CSA Barn Hours:
Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm!
Pick List:
Eggs
Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes
Merlin Beets
Yaya Carrots
Hakurei Turnips
Fehmel Steig Yellow, Ailsa Craig Sweet, and Red Onions
Verdonnet Leeks
Parade Scallions
Cocozelle, Goldini, and Dark Star Summer Squash (Limited amounts, possibly last week)
Cucumbers (Limited amounts, possibly last week)
Sweet Peppers
Farao and Caraflex Cabbage
Covina Broccoli or Song Cauliflower
Shelling Peas
Lettuce
Champion Collards
Rainbow Lacinato and Dazzling Blue Kale
Regiment Spinach
Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, and Dill
Hot Peppers
Melons (Last week)
Delicata, Acorn, Blue Kuri, and Spaghetti Winter Squash
Winter Luxury Pumpkins
Whole Dried Hot Peppers
Herbal Tea Blends
Pick your own flowers and herbs, cherry tomatoes, padron and shishito peppers, and ground cherries
Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)
Saltonstahl Olive Oil
Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday
Open Field Farm Swag!
Cashew Pesto Recipe
2 cups packed fresh basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
¼ cup olive oil
Water (optional)
Add basil, Parmesan, cashews, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor and blend until a paste forms.
While blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil until everything is well combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Adjust seasoning and consistency to your liking. Store in a sealed container in the fridge and enjoy within a week.