Hello to all returning and potential CSA members, neighbors, friends and family!
The days are getting a bit longer, the sun is actually
shining even though it is single digits out but - it's time, it's time ..Here
we are - middle of February - seed starting ordering time and CSA sign up time!
Delia asks, "Mama, are the lambs to be born today? Soon, sweet girl, soonJ
This year we celebrate the CSA's birthday here on the
farm - 10 years old! It all started when two frequent customers at the Alburgh
Farmers' Market (which turned into what is now the Champlain Islands Farmers'
Market) said "Hey why don't you start a CSA - we'd be members." That first year we had 17 members - 17
families we produced for and now we are at just over 60 families. We are glad
we listened to their advice and because of our CSA we are able to thrive as a
small diversified farm. With diversifed
income streams for the farm: farmers' markets, wholesale, direct sales, and our
thriving CSA we are able to make farming work for our family. We love that you are part of the farm and
that we get to see you every week during the season to share the farm's bounty
with you and that you are here with us in the fields - knowing where your food
is coming from. What a great direct link
to one of your food sources - knowing the hands that grow your food and being
able to shake them. Can't get that from
the grocery store.
We have been busy this winter taking care of the animals
and planning for the growing season to come. Adam is on the farm full time now
with some teaching in these winter months at CCV. Sadie, 7, is working on her First Grade year
at home with us and she is very active in her dance classes at Miss Liza's, 4H,
sports, and book club. Sadie is learning how to read and enjoying every minute
of it. During her 4h group, she was able
to practice what she has learned with electricity and made her own lamp. Delia,
4, is doing most of the same activities with her big sister and she is loves
doing her schoolwork alongside her sister.
Delia loves all things baby and animals - watch out if you have a baby
kitty, puppy or real baby - she will be quite the little mama to it. I have
been busy with Sadie's school, helping Adam with the animals, going to farmers'
market at the hospital and working on some really fun knitting projectsJ
So, How are you ?-
what have you been up to? Sorry we
haven't written more this winter - but as I am realizing writing with two
children and a farm - are quite hard to do.
You all have been in our thoughts thoughJ
Adam and I continue to learn about farming - what we
want to be, what we don’t want to be when our farm grows up. We are looking at systems and are continually
reflecting on our farm practices to make things more efficient, more
productive, more nutritious, more manageableJ We
are heading to the NOFA winter conference this weekend and are looking forward
to being energized, inspired and walk away with a few more skills.
We will be offering 60 shares this year. We will have the Individual, Full and Salad
Shares available. There is still the sliding scale, financial aid is
available(through NOFA-VT and the farm), we will take EBT for payments, payment
plans, credit cards, possible bartering,
pro-rated summer resident shares and prices will not go up. We can make
deliveries but there needs to be 10 or more full or individual shares in that
one location. Looking to get a birthday
or anniversary present? Why not a BHF CSA share - It's the gift that gives over
18 weeks of delicious organic food. Or
would you like to donate a share to a family in need or buy veggies to be sent
to the food shelf or Food for thought - we can do that tooJ
We
also have 1 to 2 CSA Individual share membership to barter to a person or family that can commit to working 8 hours a
week. Please get in contact with us if you are
interested in this. We will also have CSA member work days scheduled once a
month where you can come out to the farm and help us with big labor projects
that are family friendly. Also, this year we will continue to work on and post
on our farm blog www.blueheronfarmvt.com and we are pretty active on facebook
too - please "friend" us.
We want to
continue to make organic produce affordable to all and be able to pay our
costs. With members buying upfront their vegetables for the season, it helps
our costs immensely and we can budget for the rest of the season. We would like
to get payment by April 15th. If any of you can pay sooner than that, that
would be great since most of our buying is right now through March (I know, I
know I should have mailed this in January). Shares will start the first or
second week in June. If these shares don't work for you, or you would like to
make a creative share - please let us know - we can try to work something out -
we are pretty flexible.
**For those who pay by March 15th – you will be
entered to win 5 dozen of eggs or a skein of our organic yarn or those who
refer someone to our CSA, you will be entered to win also - the more you refer
- the more chances to win. Just have
those people write your name at the bottom of the 2015 membership registration.
We value your support and friendship. If these costs are
a hardship, please call us and we can come up with a payment plan. We are also
hoping to provide 5 supported shares for families who are in need of this. If
you are in need of financial aid this year please let us know and we will get
you the financial aid info for a
supported share. Also we are
accepting donations for the Farm Share program that supports our farms
supported shares. Last year we were able to give financial support to 4
families from our community and provide extra food to the Round Barn through
generous donations from our members. Our goal is to raise $500 for supported
shares so NOFA-VT will match it and make a share more affordable to families in
our community. If you would like more info, please give us a call. You can send
the donation in with your registration form or send it directly to NOFA-VT with
“Blue Heron Farm supported share” in the memo.
Because of you, our CSA members, we are able to outreach
to our community here in Grand Isle County with food and goodwill.
Last year, we had our 9th year with the Senior Shares at
the Round Barn here in Grand Isle. We delivered fresh veggies to 16 residents for
10 weeks and have had community dinners with them once a month since October.
We are looking to expand this for this upcoming year and look forward to having
them out at the farm with us. If you would like to join us for our monthly
lunches, just let us know and we will let you know when they are. We will continue this program again this year
with the hopes of expanding it.
Also, we donated and sold, at a reduced rate, a bunch of
food for the Food for Thought program last year, which fed over 125 children in
Grand Isle County for 12 weeks. Each week, Blue Heron Farm was able to donate
or sell fresh veggies. Our farm plans to
help out again with this year by donating veggies and if any of you would like
to help with volunteering on those Sundays, delivering food to families,
growing veggies here at our farm or your own place, buy a CSA share for this
program, donate money (see our registration form) or with financial support
please call Kaight at 372-5843 or give us a call.
We will also be working on growing certain crops for the
food shelf here in the county. If you
would like to help with any of this, let us know. There are times - for example - last summer,
a bunch of lettuce mix came up that was ready and we had way too much to sell
or give to you all. We called a few
people and folks came out and we harvested over 75lbs of lettuce mix, that we
washed, spun, and bagged and brought to the Grand Isle Food Shelf. None of it went to waste, it didn't get
plowed under, it went right to people in our community. We are always looking for folks who would
like to help come glean veggies for the food shelf - let us know if you are
interested.
Thank YOU!
We couldn’t do this without all of you. It is because of
you, we made it through last year with the hope for this growing season. Adam,
Sadie, Delia and I look forward to walking out to the chickens with you and
your children, meeting our sheep and their lambs in the pasture, mooing to Miss
Annie, Miss Maggie, picking ground cherries, finding beautiful flower bouquets
again, uncovering treasures of potatoes
and carrots from the earth, and enjoying that you know where your food comes
from.
When we sit and plan this year and reflect over the last
11 years(!) – we are truly blessed to have this as our work. We are honored that
we are one of your farmers and you are our community. Hope you are all well. We
have enclosed this year’s CSA brochure. Please pass to a friend if you are
going to fill out the electronic version. Thank you and we look forward to
seeing you walking in the fields - smelling the basil, having tomato juice run
down your cheeks, & eating fresh sweet peas again .
Your friends/farmers at Blue Heron Farm,
Adam Farris, Christine Bourque, Sadie and Delia Farris
PS- NOFA-VT Supported farm share program will be released
March 1 - If you need financial assistance - please let us know and call NOFA
(434-4122) or download(www.nofavt.org) their application. Get your supported
share application in ASAP as soon as it is released because it is on a first
come first serve basis until funds run out.
