Newsletter and blog

        Happy New Year, and it is past time to think about the coming season of fresh veggies!

 

                This is a year of many changes for the farm, especially to the CSA program. This year’s CSA will be an on farm pickup, as there has been a good response to that alternative offered in my earlier announcement of the end (at least for this year) of our delivery routes.

 

                So, briefly, the new plan is as follows: Small shares will be $360, large shares $540, similar to our delivered shares, as requested. The shares will be boxed, but there will a swap table where you can trade or add to your shares as produce is available. You will need to bring bags or a cooler to transfer your share into.

 

                Based on responses, I’ve come up with two distribution times that work best for the farm schedule as well cover the windows of time requested by people who expressed an interest in a share. If these absolutely don’t work for enough people, I will try to accommodate a change.

 The plan: Sundays 2-6pm and Thursday 3:30-6pm, you need to sign up for a specific day, and with 48hrs notice you could switch for that week.

 

                I will attempt to maintain a weekly newsletter, but it will be briefer and with less recipes (unless someone wants to contribute!), mostly with information on what is expected that week.

 

                There are 20 shares available for this season (we delivered over 70 last year), so if you are interested please respond quickly. The deadline is February 15^th. Even If you previously let me know you wanted a share, you still need to get your form in, which is available here in pdf form.

 

                Thank you for your past participation and interest in Gypsy Meadows Farm CSA program, and I look forward to seeing those of you who join this season and I hope that we can serve the rest of you in the future.  I do plan to have a fall share plan for the coming season, letting me know soon that you’re interested will help me judge the planting I need to do.

Remember, if you don’t want to hear from us anymore, there is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the page and you will be removed automatically (but I hope you will stay for news of future adventures in farming!).      

Enjoy, Michael                                                                                                                                                                                

Seasons Greetings from Gypsy Meadows Farm!

 

            I hope everyone enjoyed their vegetables this season, and that those of you who took advantage of the end of season bulk buy still had few things left for holiday meals.

 

            As you know, the farm had heavy losses from Irene. The coming season was to be one of expansion and infrastructure improvements, but because of the financial loss I will have to put that off until another time. Meanwhile I have to make plans for this coming season!

           

            Without the planned increase in production space and infrastructure, I will not be able to increase the number of shares, and without more shares, the delivery routes are not viable, despite our loyal and growing customer base. I humbly thank you for the support and enjoyment you have given me these past years.

 

            I’m considering a very limited number of larger shares for on farm pickup as an option to replace the deliveries for the coming season. I realize this may not be a good choice for many of you because you travel long distances to work and it isn’t economical for you to make the additional trip to the farm, but I hope this will be a good change for some.

 

            If you are interested in an on farm share please contact me soon so that I will be able to gauge the interest.

 

            I will continue to supply the COOP with many of the crops we have had in the past, as well as the greens and tomatoes we supply to local restaurants.

 

            I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone know that Jan has traded the joys of creating your shares for the even greater joy of grandmother duty, and has  made a long planned return to Massachusetts to be closer to her daughters. I will miss her sure touch with vegetables, but even more I miss her companionship.

 

Thank you, and enjoy…

Michael

 

   We will be having the pickup for fall vegetables this Saturday and Sunday, the 15th and 16th, from 9:00AM until 4:00PM each day. I've had a fair number of people saying they will be coming, so to make sure you get your choices, come early, and bring a friend...If we sell out on Saturday I will send out an email.

   We have acorn and butternut squash, potatoes, and onions for $1.25 a pound, and garlic for $8.00 a pound. We would like a minimum of $50 per order, so get together with a friend if that is too much for you...

    Again, thank you to all for participating this and past years. Keep an eye on the website for news about future plans for the farm. I will be sending out a survey in November, and responding to that is very important because I will be using the results to help determine the future of the farm and the CSA program.

Enjoy,

Michael Smith
Gypsy Meadows Farm

   When you receive this everyone but the Monday groups (Olympus, Slayton Hill and Plainfield) will have received their last share. So Monday people need to remember to pick up their share today, and if you have a make up share bring extra bags.

   We will be having the fall "bulk" sale of potatoes, squash, onions and garlic next weekend, the 15th and 16th. Please email if you plan to come, and pre order if you know what you want. $50 minimum order, but mix however you want. A reminder, as well as times will go out the 12th.

   Again, thank you for joining us this year, and I will keep you posted with farm news and plans through the fall and winter, and here is this weeks newsletter.

Enjoy,
Michael

Hello Shareholders,

 

            Your final shares and make-up shares will be coming in the next few days as follows:

 

Claremont route: Wednesday, Sept 28

Eastman route: Saturday, October 1

Lebanon route: Monday, October 3

 

            People who cancelled a single share this summer by calling the farm 2 days ahead will receive the equivalent of two shares.

 

            Most likely: eggplant, peppers, potatoes, squash, onions, garlic, possibly corn.

 

            We thank you for being with us this summer and for supporting local, organic agriculture…through all its ups and downs.

 

Jan

 

Fall shares:

 

            We have several thousand pounds of potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, and onions that were to be part of a four week fall share. Instead, we will have a single “share” pickup at the farm on October 15^th and 16^th.  We will be selling everything at wholesale prices, with a minimum purchase of $50.

 

            You can make your own mix of crops with a price of $1.25 a pound for everything. We will give a half pound of garlic with every $50 you buy. We also have garlic to sell for $8 a pound. There is the possibility of cauliflower and storage kohlrabi.

 

            You can load up your friends and coworkers and make a day of it. Please let me know if you plan on coming and what day. If you email us we can weigh out your choices ahead of time. First come, first served, and it all goes!

 

            We will be sending you a reminder a few days before pickup.

 

            I thank you for your participation this and past years, and your encouragement and patience, and also would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that actually planted, hoed, picked and packed your shares: India, Ben, Natalie, Michele, Hank, Zach, Kaylyn, and of course Jan, who made everything run.

 

Enjoy,

Michael Smith

Gypsy Meadows Farm

   There will be Monday deliveries on the 12th and 19th of September, with a final delivery on the 3rd of October. I'm sorry there isn't much variety, and hopefully there will be corn on the 19th. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Michael

Dear Shareholders and Friends,

 

            Shareholders please read this carefully as it contains information about changes to your share.

 

            As many of you know, the farm suffered major crop losses from flooding during Irene. Infrastructure losses were limited to substantial soil loss and debris deposited on the fields. Some crops that were left standing but having been covered with flood waters are deemed unsalable by the FDA; others such as peppers, the fruit above water is okay (there is a very visible water line). All of the greens, herbs, radishes and summer squash that we supply to the COOP and restaurants (as well as to the CSA) that provide cash flow and income for the remainder of the season are gone.

 

            This is a substantial financial loss for the farm, 10 to 20% of our gross sales, but more importantly the last six weeks or so of the season, the period after most expenses are paid and payroll is reduced, is the time we actually receive an income and accumulate cash to purchase next years seeds and supplies, so our actual net income loss is closer to 50%.

 

            While it would be acceptable by most CSA standards to end the season at this point on the principle of shared loss, we still have lots of the crops we grew for the CSA still available that were in other fields, as well as tomatoes from the greenhouse. We also have some of the crops that were to go in the fall shares.

 

            The plan at this point is to make deliveries of what we have on our regular schedule for three of the four remaining weeks (that is after all groups receive their 12^th week). There will be no deliveries on the 20^th, 24^th and 26^th of September. We will do our best to provide a variety, as well as value (currently slightly over your cost, down from 20% over cost last year), of produce but there will be a lot of corn, tomatoes and potatoes! There should be some winter squash as well as the possibility of Brassicas, we have not had a ruling on those yet. If you have a make up share coming, we will be sending you information soon.

 

            We still plan to do an abbreviated fall share, as some of the crops planted for that will not mature before the summer season ends. We are also waiting for a ruling on beets and turnips, so the price and other details are not yet worked out.

 

            I look forward to seeing you at deliveries, and if we are able to continue with our CSA program next year, I hope that this setback will not keep you from joining us again.

 

Sincerely and with thanks for your joining this season,

 

Michael and Jan

    There will be a delivery this week to all locations. We are able to get to the tomato house by walking around through the hayfield, and the corn is in a different field, undamaged, but surrounded by water. So the share will be tomaoes and corn, which in my part of the south would be a meal by itself that said summer, loud and clear.   

     We hope everyone stayed dry and didn't lose their power. We stayed in except for a couple of trips around the block to check water levels.
    
     The water rose rapidly this afternoon and flowed across the field. I had sand bagged the field road, which prevented the main force of the water washing out the North side of the field and filling the tomato house with mud. The water came across the west side along the brook in a broad strip a foot or more deep (over my boots!), and flowed the length of the field and back into the brook.

 




    There are more photos on the website. We won't be able to determine the condition of the crops in the field until probably Wednesday, and will let everyone know more then.
   
    The newsletter will not go out this week.

Everyone enjoy,
Michael 

     With the forecast as of 5:00 this morning, I expect at least partial flooding of our fields, with soil too saturated to get on for some time afterward. Unless there is a change (having lived most of my life in the hurricane zones of the deep south, I am aware how fast storm tracks can change), Monday delivery shareholders should not expect to receive a share this week. The newsletter may also be delayed, we tend to lose our utilities at any opportunity the wind gets.
    
      I'm off to finish sand bagging the green house, getting the last of the machinery from the field and finding places for all the little things that normally spend the summer outside. We spent the day yesterday removing all the irrigation pipe and pumps from the fields, amazing how fast a watering plan can change!

      Everyone stay safe, and I will give an update on deliveries as soon as we know when we can get back in the field (and cable service has returned).

Michael

   Well, it was supposed to be the 21st, but I forgot to send it! I asked for views on formats last week, and as there were no objections, this week is pdf only, which can be found here.
  
   There will be tomatoes this week, as well as some corn. We have a bear as well as raccoons in the corn, which together have destroyed a third of the field. Hopefully the state can get the bear trapped tonight, if not I will have to fence the field, which is fairly effective on bears, but not for the coons, as well as being a lot of extra work.

   The response has been good for fall shares, but there are some still available.

Enjoy,
Michael