Fat Donkey Digest - Issue #3

Written By Ryan Schmid

Fat Donkey Farm Newsletter — April 1, 2025

Issue #3

🥕 CSA Shares Still Available!

Fat Donkey is currently accepting signups for our 2025 CSA! Know someone who loves fresh produce and supporting local farms? Spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors!

CSA Rates for 2025:

  • Large Share: $749

  • Medium Share: $549

  • Small Share: $349

👉 Click here to learn more and sign up — only a few shares left!

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight

Big thanks to the Nutrition Club from Colorado State University for spending a Saturday morning at the farm! They helped clean out fields for bed prep and knocked a bunch off our to-do list.

Special shoutout to Sadie, Bo, Brook, Ana, Nate, and John — we appreciate your energy and enthusiasm!

🐱 Staff Spotlight: Meet Zita the Barn Cat

Say hello (if you can spot her!) to Zita, our elusive and hard-working barn cat. She's an elite-level mouser, keeping the rodent population in check across the barn and fields.

Zita prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but she’s one of the most dedicated members of the Fat Donkey crew.

🌱 News from the Farm

The greenhouse is booming! Here’s what’s growing right now:

  • Cabbage

  • Kale

  • Broccoli

  • Basil

  • Oregano

  • Tomatoes

  • Peppers

  • Lettuce

  • Eggplant

  • Cucumbers

  • Flower starts galore!

We’re also prepping beds for our first spring plantings and upgrading irrigation for the orchard and a new flower patch.

Oh, and in cool news — Farmer Ryan got a personal weather station (a birthday gift from his sons). So if you need a hyper-local forecast, he’s your guy! Shoutout to the late, great Mike Schmid — the original Schmid weatherman — for passing down the weather-watching wisdom. It’s a Schmid thing. 🌦

🥣 Recipe Corner: “Eat Your Vegetable” Hummus

This recipe hails from Matt’s days cooking in Newton, Kansas at a beloved spot called Eat Your Vegetables. It’s been a Goering family staple for nearly 30 years — perfect as a dip or sandwich spread. (And yes, no tahini — it was hard to find in 1990s Kansas!)

Eat Your Vegetable Hummus

Ingredients:

  • 3 cans garbanzo beans

  • ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

  • ⅓ cup plain yogurt

  • 5 Tbsp olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1–2 tsp cumin

  • Salt to taste (1–2 tsp)

Instructions:

  1. Drain and rinse chickpeas.

  2. Blend all ingredients except cumin and salt until smooth.

  3. Add salt and cumin to taste.

  4. Adjust texture with more olive oil or water, if needed.

Serving Tip: Drizzle with olive oil and top with red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, basil, or cilantro. Serve with veggies or pita chips!

🧺 What’s Growing in 2025?

Here’s a sneak peek at this year’s crops at Fat Donkey Farm:

  • Carrots

  • Tomatoes

  • Head lettuce

  • Kale

  • Beets

  • Turnips

  • Garlic

  • Potatoes

  • Yams

  • Snap peas

  • Radishes

  • Chard

  • Spinach

  • Cabbage

  • Summer & Winter squash

  • Eggplant

  • Broccoli

  • Onions

  • Basil, Oregano & Cilantro

Thanks for being part of the Fat Donkey community! 🌾

Ryan Schmid
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Fat Donkey Digest - Issue #1