Natures Bio-organic farm

 

 

The membership subscription concept was born out of the Bio-Dynamic farming Association; it was a response to the impact of the Agri-business movement that forced extreme limitations on the American small farmer. It created mandatory policies in order to participate, while at the same time restructured the market on how business was transacted.

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After the NAFTA agreement farming took a drastic turn for the worse; buyers of the big conglomerate wholesale food chains saw it most beneficial to purchase from central American and Mexican farms where no restrictive guidelines to agro-chemical use was prohibited. So with the main markets that the small to large scale farmers now deferred to central America and Mexico, the farmer had no recourse but to parish. The compensation and the working conditions for the workers are exploitative and inhumane.

 

The CSA movement now gave farmers a whole new market; one without competition, restriction and compulsive guidelines; they could now innovate, explore and demonstrate the whole farm experience. A customer-member base that is guaranteed, on a weekly continual bases, the most ideal concept for a farmer; a market that has more potential customers than a diverse organic and bio-dynamic farmer has land to produce food for. The conventional farming practice required the farmer to acquire loans for the budget of the present year; and when they asked for financial assistance at lending institutions they were denied time and time again; and of course this brought about farm aid, protesting on capital hill and the last encounter, the civil law suit (the largest class action suit in the history of the judicial system).

 

The CSA had the remedy for this problem as well; with the subscription membership fees due prior to the start of the farming season; this allowed the farmer to have even more functionality than the conventional farmer that had been granted a loan. She/He can acquire everything they need to facilitate the operation and not be obligated to meet the stringent guidelines of loan repayment, actions which have caused many farmers to have their farm and equipment repossessed and auctioned off.

 

The conventional farming practice requires the farmer to grow the genetic engineered varieties for which they can’t save seed for; and if they attempt to do so will result in them being fined and ostracized. These same Frankenstein seeds cost 400% more, ranging up to $500 a pound; the same open pollinated varieties normally cost about $7 to $14 a pound.

The CSF has the remedy for this problem as well; offering the customer a diverse selection of open pollinated, pre-heirloom, indigenous varieties, with the ability to preserve our seed each year, giving the farmer the true freedom he or she is entitled to. The farmer engages in planting diverse varieties of crops on a continuous bases, and in an event there was a weather-based crop failure or two there are other varieties to take their place.

 

The advent of a deep rooted crop system will off set drought-like conditions and the need for irrigation. When purchasing food from a produce stand or from the large scale health food stores (whole foods), the food is at least 3 to 5 days old upon arrival; when u finally purchase it, another 2 days have elapsed; now were looking at food that’s 1 week old.

 

The CSF has the remedy for this problem as well; same day freshness, no more than 10 to 12 hours will have passed before you have picked up your food. The conscious activity on your part as a CSF member is the parameter that initiates this concept; the name (community supported farm) speaks for itself. The objective is to provide you with the highest of quality, a reward for your conscious acknowledgment of the close relationship and support of the farm.

 

This concept empowers the farmer like no other; giving him/her the ability to give back to the community by offering collective partnership, not employment, to those that aspire to cultivate the land as interns (those who aspire to become farmers). The cost of the produce in comparison to organic health food prices is as inexpensive as conventional food prices. We will ask for a $125 membership fee, giving you a discount (11%) off the unit value on a weekly basis, each time you pick up.

 

The expected first harvest date is around August 21st and continues until December 10th,, weather permitting. The next year (2012) and each subsequent year harvest will begin April 1st and continues until December 10th, weather permitting.

 

The season will consist of a summer and fall crop distribution that make up 1 unit (3/4, 1 ¼ or 2 shopping bags)

 

The unit(s) consists of

 

Leafy crops: greens, lettuce, Bok choy spinach, cabbage, culinary herbs  

 

Fruit crops: cucumber, okra, squash, snap beans, melons, peppers, tomatoes, corn,  

                          watermelons

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 Spring  (April 1 – June 21)

               (May 1 – Aug 20) *

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Lacinato, kale                          Vates blue curled, kale

Forellenshus lettuce                Speckeled lettuce

Egyptian, lettuce                     Arugula                                 

Wild Arugula                           tatsoi            

Pak choi                                   Portuguese, Cabbage

Komatsuma, Mustard             Chard, Perpetual spinach    

yakina savoy                            Oakleaf, lettuce

Rouge D'hiver, lettuce            Osaka purple, mustard

Sea beets                                  Bloomsdale, spinach

Sorrel                                                    

 

Basil *                                    Chives *                    Cilantro* Oregano *                        

Rosemary *                            Sage*                         Egyptian walking onion* 

 

 

Leafy crops:

2 bunches of kale                    2 bunch of wild greens          

1 bunch of chard                     1 bunch of mustards                          

2 bunches of lettuce               2 bunches of spinach  

1 bunch of Arugula    

 

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Culinary herbs – rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, basil, cilantro, cumin, chives

 

Summer  (June 10 – Nov 10)

                 (June 10 – June 21) * 

                 (June 10 – Sept 20) **

                 (June 20 – Oct 10) ***

 

 

Lacinato, kale *                       Vates blue curled, kale*

Forellenshus lettuce*              Speckeled lettuce*

Egyptian, lettuce*                    Arugula*                                 

Wild Arugula*                          tatsoi*            

Pak choi*                                  Portuguese, Cabbage*

Komatsuma, Mustard*            Chard, Perpetual spinach*    

yakina savoy*                           Oakleaf, lettuce*

Rouge D'hiver, lettuce*           Osaka purple, mustard*

Sea beets*                                 Bloomsdale, spinach*

Sorrel*

 

Basil * *                                  Chives **                    Cilantro **

Oregano **                              Rosemary**               Sage**           

 **

 

Snap beans**                               Eggplant**         

Okra**                                         Cassabanana**      

Cucumbers**                              Ground cheeries**

Squash**                                      Peruvian gooseberrues**                      

Tomato**                                     Cherry, Tomato**                     

Pepper, sweet**                           Orach**            

Tomatillo**                                 Aztec spinach**                 

Purslane, Wild greens**             Watercress**

Calaloo, Greens**                       Sorrel**

Egyptian, Spinach**                    Malabar, Spinach**                          

Garden cress**                            Chickweed**

Stevia**                                        Pepper, hot**                                         

Melon ***                                    Watermelon ***

 

 

 

Leafy crops –  1 cooking green, 2  lettuces, 1 salad green,

                              1 spinach, 1 bunch onions

 

Fruit crops –  2 cucumber varieties (2 each)                                                 

                              1 lb of snap beans                              

                              2 squash varieties (4 yellow, 2 white bush)                                       

                              1 lb of okra                                         

                              2 tomato varieties (1 pint cherry or 2lbs of vine, roma, calabash)     

                              4 sweet peppers  
 

 

 

Flower crops – 2 bunches broccoli

 

Culinary herbs – rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, basil, cilantro, cumin

 

 

 

 

Fall   (Oct 10 – Dec 30)

          (Oct 10 – Nov 1 ) *

          (Oct 10 – Nov10) **

 

Lacinato, kale                          Vates blue curled, kale

Forellenshus lettuce                Speckeled lettuce

Egyptian, lettuce                     Arugula                                 

Wild Arugula                           tatsoi            

Pak choi                                   Portuguese, Cabbage

Komatsuma, Mustard             Chard, Perpetual spinach    

yakina savoy                            Oakleaf, lettuce

Rouge D'hiver, lettuce            Osaka purple, mustard

Sea beets                                  Bloomsdale, spinach

Sorrel**                                   Mache

Wintercress                              Winter purslane

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Basil *                                          Chives *                     

Cilantro *                                    Oregano *                 

Rosemary *                                  Sage *            

*

 

Tendercrop Snap beans **      Ping Tung  Eggplant**         

Spineless Clemson Okra**        Hmong red Cucumber **     

Burr gherkins Cucumbers**  Lemon, Cucumbers**

Yellow Crookneck Squash**    White bush, Squash**                      

       

Wild Arugula**                        Tequila sunrise, Pepper**

Malabar, Spinach**                  Egyptian, Spinach**

Calaloo, Greens**                      Orach **       

Egyptian, Spinach**                Sorrel  **                   

Watercress, Wild greens **   Purslane, Wild greens**

           

 

Leafy crops:

2 bunches of kale                     2 bunch of wild greens          

1 bunch of mustards               1 bunch of collards

1 bunch of chard                      2 bunches of spinach

2 bunches of lettuce                1 bunch of Arugula

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Flower crops

2 heads of broccoli                             

 

Fruit crops

2 cucumber varieties (2 each)                                                 

1 lb of snap beans                              

2 squash varieties (4 yellow, 2 white bush)                                       

1 lb of okra                                         

2 tomato varieties (1 pint cherry or 2lbs of vine, roma, wild striped or wild pear)     

4 sweet peppers             

                                                         

Culinary herbs – rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, basil, cilantro,  

 

 

Special requests:   

 

A special request is the option of decreasing or removing certain varieties and replacing them with an increase of other varieties, for those who are willing to either pay an extra $5. If one is volunteering making the bags, they can freely fill their own request. We have created a master list identical to this one that serves as a guide when one chooses to put together their own unit of food, they are to refer to the categories of the master list or either substitute for equal value of the same. Culinary herbs will be open for request, since people are particular as to which ones they prefer.

 

The pre-bagged format is used because it’s most appropriate to eat foods in season; one exception is that some people just never have liked certain foods. For those who need a special request in addition to or in place of the basic unit, them please feel free to ask for a special request form.

 

Food Pick-up:

 

There will be two (2) days for food  distribution / pickup at the  on-site farm location; half of the membership will be slotted for Wednesday and the other half for Sunday.

 

The hours for pickup are from 10am until 7pm, both days