Snowstorm in March!
Happy Snow Day!
Quite the storm for early March! I'll be honest, I probably could have done without it, but it is still pretty to see, plus it will extend cross country skiing for at least a week. I'm not looking forward to plowing our gravel driveway. It makes a mess when the ground isn't completely frozen and out tractor mounted plow is not the easiest to control depth wise. One benefit of the snow is that it helps insulate our greenhouses, particularly down low on the sides where there are usually gaps for the cold air to enter.
The greenhouses are feeling alive! Above is a picture of some newly germinated onions! The variety is Sierra Blanca. It is an early, white onion that is sizes up reliably for us and is what we use for summer shares. Other varieties we grow are "Patterson", a yellow storage onion, "Monastrell", a larger red onion, and "Matador" shallots. On days like today I love walking in to the greenhouse and seeing all the seedlings poking up out of the soil in their trays.
Lots of people answered the call when I let y'all know that we are getting close to selling out of CSA shares! We only have around 30 shares left available! I'm still pegging early to mid April to sell out of shares, so I recommend signing up ASAP if you want a share this year. I'll be at the Monadnock Food Coop tomorrow from 2-5 if you want to swing by and ask questions about changes being made to shares this year. More on the below:
Spring CSA Shares!
Spring shares start in less that TWO WEEKS!!! WOOHOO!!!
I'm getting pretty siked about spring shares this year. We've got some really nice looking beds of new greens growing in our bigger greenhouse, and our mid sized greenhouse is full of greens and roots over wintered from last fall. Members should expect an email from me at some point in the next week going over pickup details. Expected in the first week of shares are: microgreens, spinach, kale, chard, super sweet carrots, and potentially arugula and scallions, depending on if they size up in time. Looking forward to seeing our spring members after a long (and getting longer!) winter!
Spring CSA shares are sold out.
2023 CSA Fair at the Monadnock Food Coop!
The annual CSA fair is TOMORROW from 2pm to 5pm! I'll be there to sign members up for shares and answer any questions. We'll also be joined by other six other farms in case what they offer is a better fit for your household. Even if you are just curious about CSA, it is a great way to meet some of the local farmers in our area! I look forward to the fair every year just to get to spend the afternoon with friends! Hope to see you there!
Monadnock Farm Share Program Now Accepting Applications!
The Monadnock Farm Share program makes farm shares more accessible to limited-income community members who otherwise would not be able to participate in a local community supported agriculture (CSA) program.
CSA programs are an opportunity for community members to enjoy farm fresh produce, while supporting local agriculture!
Through the program, community members pay 50% of the total farm share cost. View
program eligibility here!
This year's applications are due by March 30, 2023, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis (first come, first served).
Community members choose from a listing of participating farms throughout the region!
Access this year's program information, eligibility, application, and participating farm list below!
Program Information and Eligibility
What is a CSA?
Farmers face many costs in the operation of their farms. Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSA's are designed to alleviate the financial burdens of farmers before the season begins. CSA customers provide an upfront cost to reserve a share of the season's harvest.
The cost of the CSA can be viewed as a deposit for the season! This upfront cost allows farmers to purchase needed seeds, materials, or equipment for the upcoming season, while customers are able to reap this investment by taking home delicious produce once
the farm season begins!
Many farms offer half share or full share CSA options. These options vary from farm to farm, but half shares are smaller to feed smaller households, while full shares are designed to feed larger household or households that eat a lot of vegetables.
Some farm's offer on-farm pick up days, while others offer delivery! Some farm's pre-package their CSA shares for a quick pick up, while others allow customers to pick your own (PYO!). Pick up days provide a unique experience to see where your food is grown, and interact with other community members! While delivery offers a convenient way to
bring produce to your household!
Through purchasing a CSA, you are supporting local agriculture, while also eating delicious, nutritious, and locally grown produce!
For additional information, questions, or for assistance in completing your application, contact
Benée Hershon: info@cheshireconservation.org or
603-756-2988 x3011
Changes To On Farm Pickup
There are going to be a few extra options for our on farm pickup shares this year. If you usually get your share delivered, shares will remain the same setup as last year.
MARKET STYLE PICKUP
The new standard share for picking up from the farm will be a market style pickup in our barn. Members come to the barn on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 - 7:00pm to pick which vegetables are right for you! Market style pickup is new on our farm this year, but has proven success among CSA farms in our area. With this model, members can come pick out which vegetables they want in their kitchen that week. Produce is setup around the barn on a point system for members to select from. Members receive an allotted amount of points each week to select their produce, so if you want to make tomato sauce one week, you can use more points to get more tomatoes for processing! Or if you prefer a more balanced share on a weekly basis, you can spread out your points amongst your favorite veggies for using in the kitchen!
FLOATING HALF SHARE
HALF SHARE members can pick which weeks during the season they want to pick up their shares! Instead of getting a share every other week, half share members can pick which weeks they want to come to the farm for pickup. Maybe you're craving greens in the spring, or want to wait for tomatoes in the summer, or stock up on root veggies in the fall. The floating CSA share gives you flexibility to pick your favorite growing season! You are also welcome to come every other week if you want a taste of all seasons. The choice is yours!
PRE-PACK FULL AND HALF SHARES
This option is similar to the Tracie's share setup for members that aren't always able to make it to the farm Wednesday afternoons, but with an added benefit for those members! If you prefer to come to the farm outside of market style hours, shares will be pre-packed and held in our walk-in refrigerator until Friday for you to pickup at your leisure. Now if you have to come the next day, shares will be kept fresh until you get here! Shares become available on Wednesday afternoon. Full CSA Shares will still be sixteen weeks. Half CSA shares will remain on the every other week schedule for 8 weeks like in years past.
