Farm Time

Below is an entry from last week's newsletter for the CSA (Week #3; May 7, 2012). Read on if you'd like to know more about what Ben and I have been up to out here. 

Farm Time

The habit of looking to the future and thinking that the whole meaning of the present lies in what it will bring forth is a pernicious one. There can be no value in the whole unless there is value in the parts.

BERTRAND RUSSELL, Conquest of Happiness

Whew! It feels great to have received some good, drenching (and cooling!) rains! Last week was quite the hot and humid time. Tuesday and Wednesday in particular, I had to give up working outside much past 10am. Instead I chose to do paperwork inside and run errands with the car (which, unlike the truck, has air conditioning).

This week we broke down and transported the high tunnels we originally built in October last year for use for the fall and winter crops to the spring and summer fields. We’ll re-build the tunnels to use for some of our summer crops – especially tomatoes. Monday, CSA member, Charlotte, came out and helped us transplant tomatoes and peppers. Ben direct seeded green beans, dill, and radishes and cultivated the spring garden. In the process of prepping a bed for tomatoes, he managed to get some row fabric (which he used to cover the closest crops to the tractor to keep them protected from thrown soil) caught in the tractor implement (the rotovator). Not only did we lose about 250 feet of row cover, we spent quite a lot of time working to get that stuff out of the rotovator so Ben could finish prepping beds. After quite a lot of frustration, we triumphed over the mangled row cover and high-fived each other for getting through it! 

Last week, we also managed to keep ourselves pretty busy with our daily chores and weekly harvest, wash, and CSA drop/market days. If you came out to the farm today, you’d see that our “lawn” is in desperate need of being mowed and we have every intention of getting to that task someday – it’s just such a low level item on our already lengthy regular daily and weekly chores list. Our spare time is spent working on the tasks on our weekly to-do quadrant. This week we have a TON of transplanting to do. Also, the weeds are catching up on us and we need to get out there and hand weed and cultivate (with the wheel hoe and the tractor, depending on the crop). We also need to go ahead and thin the green beans and stake the tomatoes. I don’t know about y’all, but we can see July just over the horizon! We’re also going to finish the transport of the high tunnels and re-construct them this week. And Ben needs to get on that tractor and put in the cover crop on our fall/winter field as well as the new, big field we added on this year. It’s going to be another whirlwind of a week! See you soon!

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

DOUGLAS ADAMS, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Announcing Summer 2011 CSA!

Ben's Produce offers vegetables, strawberries & flowers of the highest quality and taste in the Triangle. Our mission is to strive for healthier people, community, agriculture and planet by growing and sharing the best tasting food we can. Our farming practices may surpass organic guidelines but we choose not to be certified because we are confident the quality and taste of our produce, as well as our direct relationship with you, speak to our commitment to healthy food and holistic agriculture. 2011 will be our second year farming as Ben's Produce, though we have been farming with family and friends for many years.

Community Supported Agriculture

CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between us. By making a seasonal investment in our farm with a CSA share, you become a seasonal farm member who shares the rewards and risks of the harvest season with us, your farmers. Your investment allows us to afford annual start-up costs, to pay ourselves fair wages, and to share the many risks in growing food. In return, we provide you and your family with abundant, fresh, healthy and local food. Our food not only tastes better and lasts longer, it's also helps us all nourish local agriculture, economy and environment.  Taste the difference!

Is CSA right for your family?

It is good to be aware of the rewards and challenges involved in CSA. If you and your family want to explore the wonderful tastes of our farm-fresh food by eating it straight from your CSA pickup bag or transformed in a wonder dish you cooked, CSA is for you! If you want to expand your taste-bud horizons and strengthen your skills at cooking and preparing fresh food, CSA is for you! If you want to be surprised with new vegetables, CSA is for you! If you want to eat healthily and enjoy eating, CSA is for you!

Please understand that nature's abundance varies. What you receive is based on our harvest schedule which is subject to the weather, pests, disease and a large myriad of influences. Some weeks your CSA share may be less than the retail farmers market value we try to maintain. However, we usually provide more bounty than you could buy at market value. If you find yourself with too many items, do not despair, share the bounty with others! .

How It Works

Join Ben’s Produce CSA by purchasing a CSA share at the beginning of the season. You then visit the weekly pickup site to pack your own vegetables from the harvest table. We will post a guide at the stand explaining what each share contains that week. The CSA harvest season runs for 20 weeks from late-April through September.

We shortened the length of our Summer 2011 CSA to 20 weeks because we found 23 weeks too long and fatiguing, for both you and us. We are also experiencing higher fuel prices as well as the need for livable salaries. Last year, we worked for minimal wages (in the case of Ben) to no wages (in the case of Patricia). Shortening the length of our CSA is our best solution to these challenges we faced in 2010.

Pickup Sites & Times: We have two weekly CSA pickup sites. Our main pickup is Tuesday evenings from 4pm to 7pm at the Raleigh Five Points CSA site, 1911 Bernard St., Raleigh 27608.  We also offer limited pickup every Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm at the Western Wake Farmers Market, 1225 Morrisville Carpenter Rd, Cary 27519. Please consider signing up with the Raleigh Five Points CSA Yahoo Group through the link above, to access information regarding the pickup site and opportunities to support the other farmers who attend as well as local food events and information.

Sharing with others: Some members find it enjoyable to split CSA shares with other families and friends. We also like to share food and enjoy such arrangements. If you choose to split a share, please let us know on your registration so we may avoid confusion.  

Flexibility: We know you may miss pickup for many reasons. We prefer 24 hours notice, if possible. You may send friends or family in your place to pickup if you wish. Missed pickup is forfeit of that weeks share but we will try to make other accommodations if possible.

Communication: Our main mode of communication is email. We will send all members weekly emails usually a day or two before pickup. Our emails are meant as pickup reminders and usually include farm updates, a list of that weeks veggies, a link to our latest blog entry and any notifications regarding pickup. Our blog functions as our farm newsletter that includes farm news, anecdotes, reflections, recipes, photographs and more.

Feedback: Your satisfaction is very important to us and our business. Please give us your feedback! Please give us your suggestions and tell us your concerns. We want our CSA to be fulfilling and pleasing for everybody!

Refunds: We will make no refunds after shares are paid in full. Shareholders are welcome to sell or give away their shares to others. We can provide assistance in transferring shares to others.

Weekly Share Contents

The available produce will change as the season progresses. Regular Shares will contain about 5 to 8 items each week and Full Shares will contain about 8 to 12 items each week.  Ben’s Produce determines the contents of each weeks share. We will try to include all the veggies listed to the best of our abilities.

Vegetable Availability

April:  Arugula, Asian Greens, Green Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Peas, Radish, Rutabaga, Salad Greens, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss chard, Turnips.

May/June: Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Flowers, Green Onions, Herbs, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Radish, Rutabaga, Salad Greens, Spinach, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Swiss Chard, Turnips.

July/August: Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Flowers, Herbs, Okra, Onions, Potatoes,  Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Tomatillo, Assorted Melons, Hot Peppers, Sweet Peppers, Special Hot Weather Greens.

September: Arugula, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Flowers, Green Onions, Herbs, Lettuce, Okra, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Tomatillo, Assorted Melons, Hot Peppers, Sweet Peppers, Radish, Salad Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash.

  

Pricing

Regular Share - $400

 Our Regular Share is a suitable amount of produce for a small household of 1 to 3 people, or one well eating vegetarian to eat for one week. 

Large Share - $600

Our Large Share is a suitable amount of produce for a large household of 4+ people, or a couple of well-eating vegetarians to eat for one week.

Payment Options

Our CSA is first come, first serve. You must send payment to secure a share. We prefer you send us Full Payment but our Payment Plan of a deposit and consecutive payments are accepted for your flexibility.

Full Payment - Enclose a check for the total due.

Payment Plan - Enclose a deposit to secure your share. Please send the amounts listed below 30 days and 60 days after the date of your deposit.

 

Due Date	Regular Share	Large Share
Deposit	$160	$240
30 days	$160	$240
60 days	$80	$120

You can find our Summer 2011 CSA Brochure here. Please use the brochure to sign up with us. Please enclose a copy with your information and payment. We hope you will afford us the honor of being your farmers in 2011 and we are looking forward to a great year. We wouldn’t be able to be farmers without you and your support!

Sincerely,

Benjamin Shields & Patricia Parker

Announcing Summer 2010 CSA

We are proud to announce Ben’s Produce Summer 2010 CSA! We are excited to be in business and look forward to a great season. Our CSA runs from early April through late September for 25 weeks.

Our online store is still operating and will do so until the end of March.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA): What is CSA? CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between a farm and you. By making a pre-season investment in our farm, you become an annual "shareholder" who shares the risks & rewards of the growing season. Your investment allows us to afford the annual start up costs, pay ourselves fair wages and to share the risks inherent in growing food. You will receive weekly returns on your investment in fresh, healthy, local vegetables and fruits at very competitive prices, resulting in saving 10% or more on the cost of produce. You will know that your produce dollars stay in the local economy and supports local agriculture. Sharing the risk is very important because nature always provides challenges in growing food. We begin to reduce our risk by growing a diverse set of crops over a long growing season and depending on low-cost technologies and methods and then bring our risk to an acceptably low level with your investment. It is possible that we may lose a crop but the loss is offset by the bounty of the other crops not subject to the same pressures and stress factors. Sharing the bounty is just as important as sharing the risk. The food you will receive is not only the return on your investment with us but supports local farming which is the base upon which culture and society are built. Healthier farms translate into healthier culture, society and environment. Did we mention reducing your carbon footprint yet? Food is a primary connection to each other and the earth. We want to feed you and your family the best food we can grow. It tastes good, it's good for you, good for us, good for the local economy, good for the future of agriculture and good for the environment.

SHARE OPTIONS: We offer a standard Full Share for $600 which averages $26 per week and is a suitable amount of produce for 3-6 people. We also offer a standard Half Share for $400 which averages about $17 per week and is a suitable amount of produce for 2-4 people. The weekly content of these standard shares will be determined by Ben’s Produce.

SHARE PICK UP: The location of the weekly produce pick up site has yet to be determined. However, the pick up location will be located in either the Mordecai/Oakwood or 5 Points neighborhoods of Raleigh. Pick ups will occur on Tuesday evenings between 4pm and 7pm.

SHARE CONTENTS: The available produce will change as the season progresses. Full Shares will contain about 8 to 12 items each week and Half Shares will contain about 5 to 8 items each week. Please see the attached Produce Availability Calendar for when produce will be available.

The table below provides an example of typical share contents in the spring:

Full Share	Half Share
2 heads Lettuce 1 bunch Spinach 1 head Bok Choy 2 bunch Radish 1 bunch Turnips 1 bunch Carrots 1 bunch Green Onions 1 head Cabbage	1 head Lettuce 1 bunch Spinach 1 head Bok Choy 1 bunch Radish 1 bunch Turnips 1 bunch Carrots

FLEXIBILITY: Each shareholder will receive 23 weeks of produce over the 25 week CSA period. This scheme allows you the flexibility to miss 2 pick ups without penalty. At any point you may send friends or family to pick up produce in your place. If you do so, please let us know ahead of time so we can accommodate you and your friends. We will donate unclaimed produce to Interfaith Food Shuttle of Raleigh.

Some families find it convenient to split shares with other families. We also like to share food and enjoy such arrangements. If you choose to split a share, please let us know at the beginning of the season so we may avoid confusion.

COMMUNICATION: We will communicate with you via email and our blog on a weekly basis. Our emails will include important but brief updates, a link to our blog and any notifications of postponed pick-ups. Our blog will function as our CSA newsletter and will include farm news, lists of upcoming produce, reflections, recipes, etc.

FEEDBACK: Your satisfaction is very important to us and our business. Please give us your feedback, suggestions and concerns via email or in person. We will do our best to respond in a timely manner.

REFUNDS: We will make no refunds after shares are paid in full. Shareholders are welcome to sell or give away their shares to others. We can provide assistance in transferring shares to others.

OUR PRACTICES: Ben's Produce follows USDA National Organic Program guidelines but is un-certified for various reasons. Please ask us about our agricultural philosophies and practices as we love to talk about them. We are confident the noticeable quality of our produce as well as our direct relationship with customers and shareholders speaks to our commitment to healthy food and agricultural practices.

PAYMENTS: We have a limited number of shares available this year and shares will be given on a first come, first serve basis. By sending us your information and a deposit, you may secure a share. We will let you know when your share has been secured. You may pay for your shares in full or you may utilize our extended payment plan. Please send the amounts listed below 30 days and 60 days after the date of your deposit.

Due Date	Full Share $600	Half Share $400
Deposit	$240	$160
30 days	$240	$160
60 days	$120	$80

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Click to find our 2010 Summer CSA Brochure and our CSA Sign Up Form. Please enclose a copy of either with your information and your payment. We look forward to getting to know you, entering this cooperative partnership and providing the best vegetables in the Triangle. We wouldn’t be able to do this without you and your support!