It still feels like summer, but farmers are already starting to plan for the winter. And the Farmshare Program at Clover is gearing up for our 3rd winter offering pickups at our restaurants. A winter farmshare is similar to a summer one. It’s a way to invest in a farm for an entire growing season. You give the farmer money at the beginning of the season (in this case October), he or she grows food for you all winter long. This picture is from our trip last fall to Winter Moon Roots in Hadley. Michael Docter spends early fall growing beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, turnips. He harvests before the first frost and stores them in this amazing barn.

If you’re loving your summer farmshare, or looking to get into this for the first time, consider a winter share. It’s less expensive than a summer share and allows you to eat local during a time when there are few other options. How do you sign up? Click here for information and a signup form.

The deadline to sign up is October 20, but we expect some shares to sell out before then. 3 farms are participating this year, including a winter season of the extremely popular Rhode Island Mushroom Share. If you’re sad about the demise of the Blue Oyster Mushroom Sandwich this week, you can secure a winter’s worth of mushrooms for yourself by signing up for the mushroom share.

PS: Thanks to Elaine, my awesome intern from Middlebury C0llege, for putting all of this together!