2016 was our best year yet, and to cap it off we threw a party for our CSA members and friends of the farm. Our friend and CSA Alumnus Maaren runs an awesome catering business – “A Wandering Fire,” featuring wood-fired pizza, baked on site with a mobile pizza oven trailer – and she was kind enough to donate her services for the day.

The day we chose could not have been more lovely – sunny and 60 degrees, with fall colors exploding all around us throughout the Saint Croix River valley. (And since it was 30 degrees cooler and a week earlier than last year, there was no insane swarm of Asian lady beetles to contend with this time!)

We prepared a variety of farm-grown toppings – Que Sehra leeks, tomatoes, beets, potatoes, tomatillos, onions, chives, kale, arugula, eggplant, peppers,  squash, and more topped the pizzas that came out in rapid succession, disappearing into our guests as fast as they emerged from the blazing hot oven … which took only about a minute to go from doughy to crispy. Combined with farm-fresh salad mix and a smorgsaborg of potluck dessert options, everyone ate until happily stuffed, as the platoon of friendly dogs romped around us, bocce balls rolled, the bonfire crackled, and Jim’s vintage tractors gave rides.

It was great party – not only giving a beautiful year a fitting close, but making us excited for next year’s beginning!