A recent article on Richmond.com listed our CSA as one of the many community supported agriculture options in town. They posted details from this year’s CSA, and we are changing a few things next year. We just wanted to let our followers know.
Next year our CSA will, for the most part, be closed to new members. Members from the first two years will be eligible to join. Depending on demand, we may make a few exceptions, so if you were not a member in the past two years, but are particularly interested in Edible Old Dominion, please contact Farmer Russell directly.
Instead of our past style of giving all members an equal amount of what’s in season each week, next year we will operate on a debit system, meaning you’ll be able to get as little or as much as you want each week.
Don’t like greens? Skip ‘em. Love blackberries? Stock up on some extra pints. Going on vacation? Don’t worry about it. You can use your shares later in the season. Want to come to one market one week and another the next? That’s fine. You can use your shares anywhere we are.
It will work like this. You’ll get your investment plus 20 percent to spend on veggies throughout the season. So, if you buy a full share for $500, you’ll get $600 to spend, and if you get a half share for $275 you’ll get $330 to spend. Each week you can pick what you want, and we’ll deduct the cost from your total amount. If you use up your shares, you’ll receive 20 percent off your produce for the rest of the season.
Because we are moving to a debit system, we will no longer offer office deliveries. Members will need to be present at the market to choose their produce.
The CSA will run for 29 weeks again, from the first of May through the third week of November, making this one of the longest running CSAs around.
We’ll share more information as we get farther into next year.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
We love our members!
Check out this post from CSA member Green Shutter's blog. She took a way cool canning class at Lavender Fields Farm, whipped up some tomato sauce with our fresh tomatoes, and canned some delicious sauce. What a cool use for our produce!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
It's been a rough year.
Over the past few weeks a few CSA members have expressed discontent with the size and contents of their shares. We just wanted to take a moment to address these concerns.
As we've said throughout the season, we are sorry about the limited sizes and varieties in the CSA this year. Unfortunately, there has been extreme weather, both in terms of heat and lack of rain, and no expert farming can control the elements. In addition, by choosing to be a member of Edible Old Dominion, you made the decision to support a new farm in the area. It takes years of work and a lot of money to create dependable soil that always gives perfect, plentiful crops. We appreciate every member who chooses to support us as we grow, but it won't happen overnight.
In addition, we at Edible Old Dominion strive to create completely organic produce for your eating pleasure. We don't use any additives that are even slightly questionable in their pure organic nature. Sure, we could spray our fields with pesticides and create tons of beautiful, perfect vegetables, but that's not what we're about.
Again, we truly appreciate the members who have supported us during this tough season, and we are working hard to get more produce ready for you in late summer and fall. And to those who have expressed their dissatisfaction, we apologize. We're doing the best we can.
As we've said throughout the season, we are sorry about the limited sizes and varieties in the CSA this year. Unfortunately, there has been extreme weather, both in terms of heat and lack of rain, and no expert farming can control the elements. In addition, by choosing to be a member of Edible Old Dominion, you made the decision to support a new farm in the area. It takes years of work and a lot of money to create dependable soil that always gives perfect, plentiful crops. We appreciate every member who chooses to support us as we grow, but it won't happen overnight.
In addition, we at Edible Old Dominion strive to create completely organic produce for your eating pleasure. We don't use any additives that are even slightly questionable in their pure organic nature. Sure, we could spray our fields with pesticides and create tons of beautiful, perfect vegetables, but that's not what we're about.
Again, we truly appreciate the members who have supported us during this tough season, and we are working hard to get more produce ready for you in late summer and fall. And to those who have expressed their dissatisfaction, we apologize. We're doing the best we can.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Fresh Pears
This week CSA members are getting plenty of freshly picked pears and there are even more pears for sale at market. Yes, these juicy tree fruits taste wonderful eaten alone, but you can also add them to meals and desserts.
Like apples, thinly sliced pears make a wonderful addition to a cheese plate. You can also pair them with Manchego in a salad like this one from epicurious.com. Try following the recipe to a tee, or simplify it by putting diced pear and grated Manchego over baby arugula and drizzling it with the dressing in the recipe. Or, if you don’t even feel like whipping up a homemade dressing, just use your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and some freshly ground pepper.
Looking to finish a meal, rather than start one? Caramelize some pears and serve them over ice cream. Chow.com has a pretty foolproof method for transforming simple fruit into sweet, desserty goodness.
If you want to get creative, try McCormick’s recipe for Crunchy Asian Slaw that incorporates diced pears into the mix. This side salad is a wonderful accompaniment to teriyaki chicken made on the grill.
Like apples, thinly sliced pears make a wonderful addition to a cheese plate. You can also pair them with Manchego in a salad like this one from epicurious.com. Try following the recipe to a tee, or simplify it by putting diced pear and grated Manchego over baby arugula and drizzling it with the dressing in the recipe. Or, if you don’t even feel like whipping up a homemade dressing, just use your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and some freshly ground pepper.
Looking to finish a meal, rather than start one? Caramelize some pears and serve them over ice cream. Chow.com has a pretty foolproof method for transforming simple fruit into sweet, desserty goodness.
If you want to get creative, try McCormick’s recipe for Crunchy Asian Slaw that incorporates diced pears into the mix. This side salad is a wonderful accompaniment to teriyaki chicken made on the grill.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Keep those tomatoes tasty
Our tomatoes have begun to arrive. Hurray! CSA members are now receiving big, hearty Beefsteak tomatoes, as well as some great heirloom varieties like flavor-filled Great Whites. Make sure you get the most out of our juicy tomatoes by storing them appropriately.
Edible Old Dominion tomatoes come to you perfectly ripe, so if you bring them home in a paper bag, make sure to remove them immediately. Store them in a dry, cool place, but don’t put them in the refrigerator. This will dull the tomato’s fresh flavor.
We’ll have some delicious tomato recipes for you coming soon, but in the meantime, try simply slicing your tomatoes, drizzling them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling them with a little sea salt. If you want a bit more flavor, try adding some chopped fresh basil or dried Italian herbs and light sprinkle of garlic powder or even a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This is the perfect summer appetizer.
Edible Old Dominion tomatoes come to you perfectly ripe, so if you bring them home in a paper bag, make sure to remove them immediately. Store them in a dry, cool place, but don’t put them in the refrigerator. This will dull the tomato’s fresh flavor.
We’ll have some delicious tomato recipes for you coming soon, but in the meantime, try simply slicing your tomatoes, drizzling them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling them with a little sea salt. If you want a bit more flavor, try adding some chopped fresh basil or dried Italian herbs and light sprinkle of garlic powder or even a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This is the perfect summer appetizer.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
It takes a sharp shovel ...
I heard, or read, a great quote from an old Italian farmer early this season: "It takes a hard heart and a sharp shovel to be a farmer."
When my flock of laying hens was slaughtered down to less then two dozen and I dug their graves, I thought of that quote. When the much-needed rain came down all at once, instead of in a slow drizzle, and washed away rows of freshly planted greens, I thought of it again. When I passed out from the heat earlier this week and had no choice but to get up and keep going, I couldn't help but repeat what had become my new mantra.
The well was drilled this week and, with a little luck, regular irrigation will be functioning by Tuesday or Wednesday at latest. Celebrating that major victory and the much-needed rain, I was making dinner with my daughter Saturday night when I got a call from Eli Green. Eli has a greenhouse business in the Farmville area and started the majority of the tomato plants for the farm this year. Almost two months ago, I gave Eli seeds for our sweet peppers and eggplants.
With irrigation ready and rows open, I was looking forward to planting about 1,200 Peppers and as many eggplants this coming week. I was expecting harvest to begin in late July or early August. Sadly, Eli informed me that on this past Wednesday when the temperature reached 105 degrees, his greenhouse overheated and all of the eggplant and pepper plants died. The death of these plants insures there will be no sweet peppers or eggplants this year. This interruption in our crop rotation is irreparable. The new well will greatly increase production, but nothing will totally fill the window this most recent loss will cause.
Tomato production looks good and there are more than 300 pounds of tomatoes on vine at the moment. A massive restructuring of the 2010 Farm Plan is happening on Sunday morning. This will most likely include numerous extra plantings of beans and winter squash. It is still too early to start planting Fall greens in earnest. We'll push up additional root-crop plantings and, hopefully with the new irrigation system, we will see good results.
As discouraging as this most recent news is, I am happy and thankful to still be producing at all. I have heard about more than one local farmer who has been totally wiped out by the heat and drought.
Special thanks to all of the CSA members and their patience as we recover from this major setback. That said, I'm grabbing my sharp shovel, and heading back out into the fields.
- Farmer Russell
When my flock of laying hens was slaughtered down to less then two dozen and I dug their graves, I thought of that quote. When the much-needed rain came down all at once, instead of in a slow drizzle, and washed away rows of freshly planted greens, I thought of it again. When I passed out from the heat earlier this week and had no choice but to get up and keep going, I couldn't help but repeat what had become my new mantra.
The well was drilled this week and, with a little luck, regular irrigation will be functioning by Tuesday or Wednesday at latest. Celebrating that major victory and the much-needed rain, I was making dinner with my daughter Saturday night when I got a call from Eli Green. Eli has a greenhouse business in the Farmville area and started the majority of the tomato plants for the farm this year. Almost two months ago, I gave Eli seeds for our sweet peppers and eggplants.
With irrigation ready and rows open, I was looking forward to planting about 1,200 Peppers and as many eggplants this coming week. I was expecting harvest to begin in late July or early August. Sadly, Eli informed me that on this past Wednesday when the temperature reached 105 degrees, his greenhouse overheated and all of the eggplant and pepper plants died. The death of these plants insures there will be no sweet peppers or eggplants this year. This interruption in our crop rotation is irreparable. The new well will greatly increase production, but nothing will totally fill the window this most recent loss will cause.
Tomato production looks good and there are more than 300 pounds of tomatoes on vine at the moment. A massive restructuring of the 2010 Farm Plan is happening on Sunday morning. This will most likely include numerous extra plantings of beans and winter squash. It is still too early to start planting Fall greens in earnest. We'll push up additional root-crop plantings and, hopefully with the new irrigation system, we will see good results.
As discouraging as this most recent news is, I am happy and thankful to still be producing at all. I have heard about more than one local farmer who has been totally wiped out by the heat and drought.
Special thanks to all of the CSA members and their patience as we recover from this major setback. That said, I'm grabbing my sharp shovel, and heading back out into the fields.
- Farmer Russell
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