Newsletter Week 19: October 16-18-20, 2006
Dear CSA Members,
Here we are almost at the end of the line for the CSA this year. Next week, October 23, 25, and 27 will be the final week of the CSA. There are two or three folks who have stopped picking up. Please finish out the season with us, or let us know not to pick for you. Now more than all season, we are passing out abundant numbers of vegetables and fruits.
Next week I will enclose a farm evaluation in your newsletter. Please fill it out and help us plan for next year.
On our minds as we go into the winter this year is the question of what shape the farm will take next year. Dan is already farming full time for a woman in Concord (and has moved out there). He has been a major lynch pin for this operation these past years, and without him here next year (he is still finishing up here three mornings per week), things will have to take on a different scale.
We have some options for a person to take over some of his management duties, particularly of machinery (fixing and running it) and animal management, but there will be no "replacing him" in his foresight filled and efficient management role. I am initially thinking that we will substantially decrease the size of the CSA next year, possibly by 1/3, possibly more. I will keep you posted as we ponder all of this, figure budgets and staff commitments.
As we plan for next season I realize that we need a newsletter editor. My newsletters have been short and infrequent this year. I usually find myself early in the am on Monday throwing something together that doesn't include as much thought or content as I would like. Anyone have any ideas? How nice it would be to have an appropriate recipe each week, some news of the organic movement (like the real story on spinach for example - check it out on the NOFA/Mass website at www.nofamass.org).
We got our serious frost - Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, last night. . . The tomatoes are gone - however, you can do some gleaning, at least early in the week, in the orange hoop house. There the plants are dead but the tomatoes are still in good shape. We will be removing all the plants late this week or perhaps next, and planting winter salad greens.
This week you will receive in a full share: 2 garlic, 1 lb potatoes, 1 lb pears, a winter squash; a, pumpkin, Celery, parsley, chard, Radishes, cilantro, 1 bu. Beets, 2 lb Asians, 4 leeks, Broccoli or cabbage, kale. Let's keep our fingers crossed for more cabbage and broccoli for our final week - some warm nights, or days, will help these beautiful but late brassicas mature in time.
Attached please find a flyer from Bruce and Jenny Wooster for carrots and beets for winter storage. Bruce and Jenny are top notch organic farmers who have offered this opportunity for us to share with you. Place your orders with me no later than Saturday, October 21 at noon. Then send to me or bring a check to Picadilly Farm made out for the appropriate amount. I will get the carrots and beets on Sunday, October 22 and pass them out to those who have ordered them at next week's CSA.
There are a handful of you who still have balances due for the CSA. Please take care of this payment this week.
This week and we will make hay, weed strawberries and mint, split garlic in preparation for planting, plant the home greenhouse with winter greens, get the tomato hoop house battened down and planted. The chickens and pigs are going to meet their makers on Sunday. Oh yes, I can feel the guilt. This may well be the most difficult part of being a farmer!
Stay warm and dry this week! Consider joining NOFA/Mass if you haven't already - to support local and organic farming in Mass, and to learn how to live more sustainably and hang out with like minded people. You can do that at www.nofamass.org or I can join you up right here in the house!
Julie