We made it through the first half of the first CSA season! Time for a review of what’s working and what needs attention.
It’s been a real learning curve for us to figure out how to plan the garden for this kind of market, how to work around weather and production issues, how to organize the business end and how to streamline harvest and delivery. I imagine our ‘share holders’ might have some learning curve, too – figuring out how to fix different new veggies.
I must say, we have the most thoughtful and supportive customers of any CSA in the country! We can’t thank you enough for your patience, courage, suggestions and wonderful feedback.
The primary goal is being met: all the boxes have been filled and delivered on time (within a few minutes, anyway) with a nice selection of produce – most picked the morning of delivery. Feedback as to the selections and quantities has been positive. You can check out what we’ve been putting in the boxes HERE.
We’re working on website improvements to help you know how to store and prepare the different varieties of veggies. We’ll try to put more recipe cards in the boxes, as well.
Many, many thanks to Sharon Locke at Serenity Baking Co. and Mike and Mandy Mugavero at Athens Organic Supply for serving as pickup locations for us. They don’t charge us for the assistance, which helps us keep prices lower. With a small start-up CSA, those details are super important! I hope you all will let them know you appreciate their kindness and take your business their way every chance you get.
Weather has created some challenges this spring, but that is always a factor for garden production. So far, the garden has bounced back from freezes, hail storms, heavy rain and wind storms and is producing beautifully. Lots of goodies in store for the rest of the summer!
Still producing: Summer Squash, French Filet beans, kohlrabi, kale, chard, radicchio, onions, potatoes, garlic, chioggia beets, turnips, multi-color carrots and leaf lettuce.
New next week: Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, Chinese Red Noodle Beans, Dragon’s Egg cucumbers, Japanese Eggplant, bell, poblano, pimiento, cayenne and corno di toro peppers.
Coming very soon: Blueberries! Blackberries! Heirloom tomatoes! Watermelons! Cantaloupe! Okra! Red Ripper peas! Daikon radish!
And the good news?!
Production is high enough to add a few more CSA customers for the rest of this season!
Cost will simply be pro-rated at the same weekly rate.
You can read about the CSA here and here. See what’s been in recent boxes by clicking on the “Weekly Share” on the right sidebar.
Sign up by filling in the form HERE. We’ll be in touch with you by email as soon as we get your form.
Questions? Recommendations? Favorite veggies you’d like to see us grow?
We hope you’ll leave a comment here or send email to gopherknoll@gmail.com.
I have been thrilled with everything in our boxes each week. Sometimes there is a little less of something than I would wish and other times there is a whole lot more, so I can’t complain. It all balances out. Normal gardening at its best. Everything is always in top shape quality wise. I wish we could have a box where we can leave things we don’t want and share with the others but come to think of it, there hasn’t been a thing I have been willing to give up so far. LOL I have no complaints. I am a very happy member.
Thanks, Faith! Glad to know it balances out. A share box would be fun – just have to find space for it. If the CSA grows a bit larger, we might be able to make that happen.