Would you believe that there are MORE brand new baby goats on the farm? We still have a few more pregnant does, so with that comes the babies! Want to name one? The next few people to sign up and submit a deposit for a year’s CSA will get to name one of our newest kids! (CSA details can be found under the “CSA” tab at the top of the screen.)
Aren’t they precious?
Speaking of CSAs, we have a few things to share with you….
First, we have received a few questions regarding the volunteer hour requirement that has been added to the purchase of CSAs for the 2014 growing season. This year, we will be having a increased amount of what we like to refer to as “indulgences”–items such as meats, cheeses, vegan products like tofu and “soysage” (made from our own organically grown, non-GMO soybeans), and breads and other items processed and made from grains that are grown here organically from heritage seed that we sourced last year. These are only a few of the “extra” items you might see from us, in addition to the traditional fruits and veggies that you would normally expect. Due to the increased workload that results from the addition of these products, we need help from our CSA members. A half-share requires 5 hours of volunteer time, a regular share requires 10 hours, and a full share requires 15 hours of volunteer work.
Some of you will not be making it to the farm because of distance, work or other related reasons. If you have any recipes you can share, that counts. Perhaps you could provide some website help, or help in writing reviews. We are not looking for all 5 star ratings (though we try–ha!). We would just like to give others an opportunity to make informed decisions about whether our farm’s CSA is right for them.
We are having an advisory committee meeting on March 11 @ 5:00 pm. This is a CSA member board that we are counting on to help guide us to meet the needs of our members better. We already had our 1st meeting in January, and there is room for more members to join, and that would count as volunteer time, too. (Open to previous CSA members only.)
We do have very light duty, pleasant work to be done here for those who would prefer not to be pulling weeds all day, but still would like to come to the farm. This would include transplanting delicate seedlings into larger growing containers, helping at the farmer’s market, posting pictures to our Facebook page, whatever floats your boat. The greenhouse work is already going on, so if you have cabin fever, this is a nice atmosphere to shake it off. 🙂 Keep in mind, this is supposed to be fun, not a drag, so think positive about it, and if you have any apprehension at all about volunteering, let us know, and we’ll see how we can tweak the duties to fit your needs.
For those of you who would like to get into shape for the summer, we have our very own Goodness Grows workout that will trim you down in no time!
The volunteer hours will be counted per person, so if you are a couple, that would be 2 hours for 1. A family of four would equal 4 hours for every 1 (4 people working 1 hours would make 4 man-hours of work completed), so the time commitment isn’t all that bad, either.
For those who are Winter CSA members, we have the usual market style offerings, PLUS, we will be harvesting some tomatoes and might even have some eggs. Quantities are limited–so consider coming to pick up your items on the farm early to ensure availability! (We will still do deliveries, but we can’t promise what will be available when.)
Yummy tomatoes in a steamy greenhouse….
We have a Maple Tree Tapping class on February 22nd at 10:00am. Making Maple Syrup will follow at 10:00am on March 1st. Details are still forthcoming, and the classes ARE weather dependent, so feel free to follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on class status, additional information on cost, etc.
Want to know what to do with leftover bread from your Winter CSA that is getting a bit stale? Included is a recipe for Best Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce from Better Hens and Gardens. (Recipe can be found by clicking here.) Blog owner Lesa, from the Homestead Bloggers Network, includes the note in the recipe that it is good even without the whiskey sauce/bourbon, if you choose to omit it.
goodness grows 