Our CSA season ended with November, and since then I have been sleeping in and lounging all day with a cup of coffee and a crossword puzzle book. Wait, that isn’t right…As a good friend said, winter is when you really get things done on the farm. There is a lot of planning to get ourselves ready for next year, from seed orders to marketing decisions to field maps and fertility plans – this is the season for getting it all on paper.
To be fair, the pace has been slower, and for me it has resulted in a lack of motivation. Nothing gets a fire under your bottom like the panic of weeds growing while you sleep, bugs expanding their territory, and the imminent death of vegetables screaming for water. Winter can’t compete. Fixing the leaky toilet and re-digging the French drain just doesn’t inspire terror. Neither does it sound like fun.
In addition to planning and tackling those pesky projects that get put on the back-burner during the growing season, we have been prepping our orchard. In the coming months, we will be planting 140 feet of blueberries, 280 feet of blackberries, and 220 feet of muscadines. Mostly, we are just really crazy excited about the coming year and the opportunity to capitalize on all the painful lessons of 2012, with more painful lessons to come.
2013 Community Supported Agriculture Shares now available
Click here for a 2013 Tubby Creek Farm CSA Application Form (PDF)
Our 2012 CSA was a great experience for us. From a business perspective, it buffered the volatility of farmers market sales and helped with cash flow. From a personal perspective, it was immensely satisfying to share a connection with our members, to provide a valued service, and to be supported in our efforts to build a sustainable family farm.
As in 2012, our 2013 CSA will include a weekly box of the freshest seasonal produce, grown on our farm in Ashland, Mississippi. We only use applications that are allowed in organic agriculture – that means no synthetic chemical herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or fertilizers. We welcome questions from anyone who would like to know more about our growing practices.
In any given week, your share will feature 6-8 different vegetables. We specialize in open-pollinated varieties, and strive to strike a balance between familiar favorites and less common heirlooms. Weekly e-newsletters include farm updates (often humorous), recipes, and information about your vegetables. Members can sign up for the whole 35 week season, or just a Spring (April-May), Summer (June-August) or Fall (September-November) share. Visit tubbycreekfarm.com for more information about what you can expect in each season.
We have several new features for our 2013 CSA.
• New Share Sizes! For Full-Size shares, the price and volume of produce will stay the same, though we are also adding a Small Share for smaller families, and a Large Share for larger households and veggie maniacs.
• New Start Date. The season will start in April, rather than March. If it looks like we have enough produce to start the season earlier, members will be able to “opt-in” to an earlier start date.
• Additional Pick-Up day and location: In addition to picking up at the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market in Midtown on Saturdays, members can choose to pick up their share at the GrowMemphis office on Southern on Wednesdays.
• Eggs and Chicken Add-On. Members have the option of receiving our pasture raised, heritage breed eggs on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, as well as receiving one whole pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free broiler chicken on a monthly basis. Egg shares are limited, so sign up early!
A $100 deposit is required to secure your spot in our 2013 CSA. Members signing up for the full 35 week season will receive a discount by paying in full by March 15th (see Application for details). Do you want to eat like a farmer?
