CSA SEASON IS HERE!
Last week Hannah and I ordered the bulk of our seeds for this year’s CSA and we are EXCITED about this upcoming season!CSA members will be getting over FIFTY different types of vegetables in our CSA this year. That’s a lot of good, healthy, vegetable diversity, organically grown and delivered straight to your door.But I wanted to take a few minutes to explain how CSA works and answer some frequently asked questions.To sign up, click HERE or you can also send a check to the farm (which saves you 3%). And of course, email us if you have any other questions.How long does your CSA last?This year we have shortened the duration of the CSA from 20 to 15 weeks, starting some time in may (depending on weather).How much does it cost? The price of the CSA is $360, which works out to be $24/week, part of which pays for the home delivery.What if I can’t pay it all upfront? Hannah and I want to feed people who want good, healthy food and for that reason we are happy to work out the payment plan that’s right for you—don’t let the price be the reason you avoid our CSA! The reason we ask for the money upfront is so that we can budget for the year and buy all of the seeds and tools we need (which so far is about $2000 we’ve already spent). Your early investment in the farm is what pays for us to get the food growing! So we ask that everyone pay as much as they can before the season starts so that we can get a sense of how much money we have to work with for the year. Preferably, our members would be fully paid by the time the seasons starts BUT, you can pay in installments. Email us and we’ll work out a payment plan that works for you and your budget.Oh, you deliver?Yes! Straight to your door. So long as you live in Versailles, Frankfort, or Lawrenceburg, we will deliver straight to your door every week.How much food is in a single share?The single share is designed for a single person or couple who cook several meals at home per week, or for a small family who likes to cook a few from scratch. Larger families, especially those who cook a lot, may prefer the double share (at a 10% discount) as a single share might not be enough food.So wait, do I get to choose what goes in the CSA?Yes and no. Via a member survey, every year we make an effort to figure out what our CSA members liked and didn’t like, what they want more of and what they could do without. So in some ways you will get to help guide our planting decisions year after year, but we also have to plant the garden based on the season, so some of what you receive, and the amounts, are left to us so that we can grow foods that perform best at that time of the year. Different crops have different seasons, and by planting based on when they will perform best we 1) save water, increase biodiversity, and take advantage of seasonally sensitive crops and 2) ensure that you’re getting the most healthful and flavorful version of each veggie. This diversity of vegetables can be a cooking challenge, but we will help you there, too, giving you tips on how to store, prep, and cook your veggies with our weekly newsletter and YouTube page .What happens if I go out of town?Don’t worry. We are fairly flexible here, too. In that situation, if you would like, we can double up on a week to make up for the missed week, or we can offer you extra of certain items throughout the share to compensate. Some members like to give their share to a neighbor or friend for the week they miss. Whatever works for you, works for us!What if I have an allergy or don’t like a certain vegetable? We always encourage our customers to try vegetables that they may have disliked in the past, but we are not going to force anything on you! There are people who just can’t handle say, cilantro, and we are sympathetic to that—we will always substitute where we can! If you are allergic to something such as nightshades, the CSA is perhaps not going to be worth the cost for you as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are a large part of the offerings. We will happily work with you, but we will also always be honest because, more than anything, we want to get more people eating locally and diversely: if our farm is not the right fit for you we will recommend one that is!Last week I posted this video about five reasons I think everyone should join a CSA just in case you need more convincing!
FIELD TO FORK.
Jesse and I took a week off of our CSA delivering duties (my amazing mother rose to the task) so we could work the Field to Fork Festival in Paint Lick, Kentucky. It was an amazing event - and we were honored to be there representing Bluebird Cafe. Bluebird is a new-ish restaurant located in Stanford, not far from us in Danville. Open for breakfast and lunch, they source their meats and produce from local FARMERS! We love any place that we can eat a burger and actually feel good about it! So when they needed help for this event on Saturday, we were excited to join them!
The festival was a full day of workshops - ranging from beekeeping and beer brewing to composting and seed bombing. There were many different booths - all with Kentucky Proud products - people selling wools and fibers, honey, watermelons, homemade ice cream, Ale-8, and our dear friends at Sweetgrass with their granola. It was a great day - fun to meet lots of new folks, sell lots of delicious pear salad wraps, and plunge ourselves deeper into the community. This is an annual event, too, so be sure not to miss it next year!
- Hannah.
