Sunday, December 26, 2010

2011 CSA (first year of the debit system)

Howdy all!



Enrollment in the 2011 CSA has begun! Membership is very limited, so hurry if you're interested.

We will only be offering 20 memberships this year. Fresh, local food introduced me to some amazing people last year. Bringing real food to other people's tables has been a wonderful experience. I wish we could expand every year, but the "C" in CSA (community supported agriculture) is important. And in order to keep our community happy, we are reducing the size of the CSA while we move into a debit system. After two-and-a-half years of providing pre-selected bags of produce, next year we will be offering members the choice of picking what they want, when they want. I will be vending at the following markets:




North of the James Market at Bryan Park, Tuesdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
South of the James Market at Forest Hill Park, Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.


Community Supported Agriculture allows me to provide families with fresh, local food. I've greatly enjoyed filling people's tables with quality produce in the height of its growing season. I'm hoping this new debit system will allow my members to get more of their favorites in a more convenient way.



Costs and Deadlines:


The season runs from the first week in May through the third week of November.


whole shares: $500.00
half shares: $275.00
50% due february 18
50% due march 18
No refunds after april 1, and no refunds will be offered on unspent credits.
There is a 10% discount for returning members (you wonderful, patient souls!)


Members receive their initial investment plus 10% as credits to use as they choose at either market.

Examples of this year's produce:


*These items aren't guaranteed at market. Produce varies by what grows each week and by farmers' choice.

Early Spring:
arugula mix
spicy greens mix
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
peas
onions
herbs

Early Summer:


tomatoes (possibly by late june)
peppers
eggplant
beans
salad mix
herbs

Mid Summer:


squash
cucumbers
melons
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
salad mix
herbs
beans

Late Summer:
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
salad mix
herbs
beans

Fall:
squash
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
herbs
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
beans

The Tomato Question:


Tomatoes have taught me that one cannot live on heirlooms alone. Almost a third of the farm is dedicated at one point or another to my prized ripe, juicy love apples.

Cherry Tomatoes:
There will be pints of cherries made up of the classics: sungolds, green zebras, oregon springs, and either brown or black cherries.

Beefsteaks:
We grow a variety.
- Great White is a low-acid white beefsteak that is soft, delicate, meaty, and juicy.
- Red Pear is a large heirloom old north italian pear-shaped beefsteak.
- Hybrid beefsteak varieties will be grown and labeled as non heirloom.

Paste Tomatoes:


We grow several types.
Black Plum is my all time favorite sauce tomato – perfect in my eggplant parmesan recipe.
San Marzano Redorta are large roma paste tomatoes great for canning and sauces.




If you have any questions about the CSA, feel free to contact me or leave them in the comments below.


CSA FAQ:

FarmerRussell@gmail.com is my email.

Please make all checks payable to Edible Old Dominion LLC
and mail to:
Edible Old Dominion
2105 Davenport Ave.
Richmond Va. 23228

Though we are happy to hear from everyone who is interested, we start counting the members when the checks start showing up. Shares will be limited to 20 members this year.

How does the debit system work?


You will receive your initial investment plus 10% as credits for use at market. So, if you purchase a whole share for $500, you will receive $550 in credits to use on produce. The credits can be used at either market on any items you want. We'll keep track of them for you. We're hoping this new system will allow our members to get what they want when they want it.
*No refunds will be offered on unspent credits.

Are you organic?
No. Organic is a government certification that takes three years to obtain and can cost several hundred, to several thousand dollars, to maintain. We do use organic methods. We never use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. My daughter runs through the fields on the farm. I want to be able to keep it that way.

Do you grow only Heirloom vegetables?
I wish. We are huge fans of biodiversity and use heirlooms whenever possible. The split this year will probably be 50 /50. Losing half of a tomato plants production can be hard when you are growing a couple in your backyard, when you have 800 plants of that variety it can bring you to your muddy knees.

1 comment:

  1. The question of how much to expect from a share is coming up often. A full share equals a credit of $550.00. The average item/ bag is $3. You will have two markets a week for 28weeks to spend those credits as you like.

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