Friday, February 3, 2012

Hi CSA Members--- First I want to welcome all of our new members of which there are many and welcome back all returning members, we are looking forward to the coming season and even now we are busy getting ready for the season. We are well on our way to reaching our goal for membership this year but can still take some more, so if you have anyone you know that would like to get on board encourage them to do so soon, so they don’t get left out.

We are getting some of the field prep going but with the cold nights we are having to wait until later in the day to get started but still have lots to do outside the fields as well. We have all of our seed ordered (I think) although some of it will not come until later when the time for planting comes around, seed potatoes, straw berries and that kind of thing. However, we have to get them ordered early or they likely would not be available. Also have ordered most of the irrigation supplies so we can get all we need there as well. We have some things going in the greenhouse and will start more this week. Seems a little hard to think it is time already but to get things early that is what it takes.

We have increased our acreage this year from 10 to about 14 so that is a pretty big jump. Of course this will also mean we will need increase our work force. We expect to get the two men we had last year back and add a third one who worked a few weeks for us last year. All of them were good, hard working men and I didn’t have to be concerned whether they would slack off if I wasn’t around. So we are glad for that.

We will be attending a couple of conferences this month regarding farming that applies to our operation as we need to continue to learn and get new ideas to be better at what we do. We’ll be in Spokane for a two day conference that keys in on growing stronger healthier plants by building the soils. Then a one day conference in Corvallis that keys in on the needs of small farms, thus called the “Small Farms Conference”. These are two that we go to each year and each year come back with new ideas, some that get tried and others that may be yet in the future to try.

Just to let those who are new know, you will receive an update from me once in awhile until the season starts and then you will receive one of these weekly when the season starts. In between you can check our progress on Facebook as Chris updates that frequently about what is going on with the farm. Have a Happy Valentines Day, President's Day and all the days in between.

Thanks again to all our 2012 members.

John