Hello from the Gardens,
Thank you for joining us for our CSA basket season.
Baskets start next week, Wed. June 24th and Sat. June 27th.
I apologize for not being more in touch earlier but we have been heads (and hands) down getting the gardens planted and trying to keep up with the demands of the farm.
Your signup is for 16 weeks and baskets are available for 18 weeks.
You can skip two weeks, for holidays, life or choosing which part of the season you want more food. You can also choose to purchase two additional weeks.
All the dates are in the system so you can "skip" the baskets you choose and the system will add them to the end of the season.
Thoughts:
- start of the season is predominantly greens and you will have less options to substitute.
- fall (late season baskets) will have lots of items that you can store and there are a large number of substitutions available.
Process
- by the start of the week I will set up the "farmers' choice basket"
- send you a group email saying "baskets open for substitutions"
- your choice, 1) do nothing and we will pack the set basket for your pickup day. 2) sign in to the system, see what's in the basket and remove items and replace with items available (if you wish).
- tutorial is attached below
- you have until 6am the morning before your pickup day to make changes
- morning of pickup you will get a reminder email
Pickup day:
- bring back your basket (we start with two of your baskets, will pack one for next week and then each week we swap baskets)* basket details below
- pickup will be at the barn (grey building beside main greenhouse)
- baskets will be either in the walk in cooler (hot days) or on metal shelves just outside the cooler (when possible)
- the list of items will be on the outside of your basket and should be all checked off with eggs in the bottom of the basket (if you ordered them)
- flowers and herbs are in addition to your basket items, there are rows for you to pick from just ouside the barn (bring your own sissors or there are ones available out by the rows.
- there will be a pump bottle of sanitizer just outside the cooler on a table, please use before touching (cooler/scissors), this is also where you will drop off your empty basket.
*** Please be aware of others and respectful of appropriate distancing.
- this is new for all of us, so patience is a virtue and adaptation the key
- please don't take too long around the baskets so others can pickup
- parking up at the barn would be ideal for those with young children or physical challenges, otherwise parking is available at the market stand.
- you are welcome to visit the animals outside of the barn
- children are welcome to stay with you but sadly we aren't able to offer the play area.
- if you wish to visit the animals, walk around the gardens or go for a walk in the woods, please park at the market stand parking lot or past the greenhouse (not in the roundabout)
Baskets Thank you to those who have dropped off their basket. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out the picture below of the reusable shopping bins (usually available at Zhers), we need two of them and your name on the end lip of each one. We have spares to use if need be.
Payments I am hugely behind in tracking and being in touch re payments. Thank you to those who have paid in full or made payments over the last couple of months. I so look forward to being caught up and in touch with you!
We are so fortunate to have the support and technical expertise of Ciniki, aka Andrew Rivett who has designed all these amazing capabilities available on our website and even hosts the site.
The gardens would not be possible without the exceptional work and good-heartedness of Kiara Edwards and Kate Hanna. They work for us, with us and harder then most people will ever experience.
What pulls us all togeather and creates a wonderful community is some very special volunteers, they give of their time, enthusiasm, energy and love to help grow what I think is really special food.
Personally I ask for your understanding as we work to grow lots of food and appreciate your patience that I often prioritize the gardens over my desk. I'll try not to complain too much that it's been a challenging spring season and share my continuous mantra that "it all works out!"
I so look forward to seeing you and pray that we can have some time in community (I miss the potlucks already!). As we have experienced, life can change quickly and I so appeciate the amazing people that you are who support local, fresh, delicious food.
Wishing you the very best,
Kim & Tom
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