We are nearing the end of our fourth season of the CSA program here on the farm.  It’s been a fantastic CSA year.  We’ve had fun growing the food, and we’ve had lots of good comments from our members, many of whom return year after year.  It’s hard to believe we only have two more CSA boxes left after today.  It’s already time to start thinking about next year!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with CSA, let me explain.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  CSA programs all over the world link people directly with a farm that grows vegetables especially for them.  CSA is sometimes called a “subscription farming” or a “box program.”  The way it works is you sign up as a member and then receive a “share” of vegetables every week throughout the season.  CSA members make one upfront payment in the spring, which helps us cover production costs for the year.

Some CSA programs include both fruits and vegetables in their share, but right now our CSA program is by and large vegetables (the exceptions being the strawberries and melons that we grow right alongside our veggies). A weekly share is generally enough food to feed a small family or two vegetable-loving adults.  Each week you get about ten different items and the produce easily fills a full grocery sack.  If a share is too big for you, you can consider splitting a share with someone else.  We can help you make arrangements!

All the vegetables in the CSA share are grown right here on our farm, in our certified organic market garden.  We have grown between two and four acre of vegetables each year, depending on circumstances (like whether or not we have a new baby!).  The CSA has ranged in size from 30 members its first year to 72 members in 2008.  In 2010, we plan on having 40 to 50 members.

Grandpa Toad picking up his CSA share. The board behind him lists what’s in each week’s share and the veggies are laid out for him to select. This happens on the east end of the market each Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30. You can also choose to have your share packed for you to pick up any time during the week that’s convenient for you.You can ask some of our current members, but joining a CSA will pretty much guarantee a small revolution in the way you cook.  Instead of going to the grocery store armed with a grocery list, you will start your menu planning based on whatever is in your share that week.  There is no better way to get more vegetables into your family’s diet and force you to learn about the whole range of vegetables that can be grown here in North Central Washington, from kohlrabi to celeriac.  (We do grow favorites like tomatoes and sweet corn of course too!)  To help you out as you’re learning to cook all these new foods, we give each new CSA member a great cookbook called From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce.  This cookbook, which is also available for sale in the market, is written specifically for members of CSAs.   It has a section of recipes for each different vegetable, listed in alphabetical order.  We’ve had many comments that this book is “just what was needed.”     
    The summer season CSA runs for 20 weeks from mid-June to mid-October.  The cost in 2009 was $500 for the season.  (We will finalize the season and cost for 2010 later this year.)  This year we’ve  also added a Winter Season CSA that will run for 6 weeks from the end of October to the beginning of December.  The winter share will be a mix of storage crops like potatoes, carrots, and onions, plus greens that we grow in our high tunnel.  We still have a few spots left in the winter CSA if you’d like to join!
    If you’d like to sign up for the summer season CSA for 2010, a $100 deposit will hold your spot.  Membership is limited and shares are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay!  For more info, you can visit our website or contact Rachel Evans at 509-670-8958 or Rachel@sunshinefarmmarket.com.  

Here we are over two-thirds of the way through the CSA season!  CSA members—Thank you so much for joining us this year.  I feel like we have a very cohesive, supportive CSA group—perhaps because so many of you are returning members.  Many of you have stuck with us since our first year in ’06.  I love having the new blood of our new members this year too!

You’ve heard a lot of talk about our new high tunnel this year.  Once we figure out soil and temperature dynamics, it’s going to be a great source for early tomatoes.  (And in fact, our blossom-end rot seems to have decreased once we amended the soil.)  Once we take the tomatoes out, the plan is to use the high tunnel to supply fresh greens during the winter.  We’ll be able to grow lots and lots of salad mix and spinach, and we’re also going to trial crops from broccoli to chard to turnips.  Combine that with storage vegetables like onions, potatoes, and winter squash and you’re set for a yummy early winter!

We’ve decided the best way to get these crops into people’s kitchens is through a wintertime CSA.  The Winter CSA will be a mix of greens from the high tunnel and storage crops such as onions, potatoes, and winter squash.  (See below for details).  We will only be accepting a limited number of members, so don’t delay in signing up!

Since the winter CSA is a bit experimental, we want it to be a no risk proposition from both sides.  If we cannot fill up 6 boxes for you, we will refund you in credit toward a 2010 summer CSA share.

Thanks for supporting our farm this year!  Thanks for all your good efforts toward eating well, learning about new veggies, trying new recipes, and spreading the word to friends and family!

WINTER CSA DETAILS

SEASON: 6 weeks, October 27 to December 1

COST: $150

PICK-UP: Tuesdays starting at 3:30 at the Sunshine Farm Market, pre-packed boxes

WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN YOUR BOX:  8-10 different items from the following:  salad mix, lettuce, chard, kale, collards,bspinach, arugula, radishes, turnips,bbeets, carrots, potatoes, onions, leeks, garlic, parsnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Jerusalem artichokes, winter squash

TO SIGN UP:  Contact Rachel by email or phone to check on availability.  Bring your check payable to The Sunshine Farm by the market or mail it to 37 Highway 97A Chelan, WA 98816.