Last Veggie CSA Newsletter, Week #21 (Delivery was 9/4/08)

Full Share:
Eggplant - 1.5#
Peppers - 2#
Mizuna Greens - 1/2#
Cucumbers - 1#
Basil - 1 bunch
Turnips - 1 bunch
Radishes - 1 bunch

Half Share:
Eggplant - 1#
Peppers 1.5#
Mizuna Greens - 1/4#
Turnips - 1 bunch
Radishes - 1 bunch
Basil - 1 bunch

WOW. 21 weeks later, here we are, with the final delivery of the season. Sorry I'm a few days late getting this newsletter up. The tropical storm that blew through this weekend really had us scrambling to get things tied up/tied down, secured and picked up. Basically, we had to tidy up the place for Hanna. Between Hanna and Tropical storm Fay the week before, we got just about 11" of much-needed rain.

Thanks to all of you for another great CSA season!! We had a great time seeing you every week, and its always fun to meet the kids too!

We already are planning for next season, and all these rains are really helping us along getting the fields ready for their winter blanket of cover crops. We're also getting beds ready for the fall planting of strawberries, garlic, and overwintered flowers, all of which are planted by the first of October. We have 1,000 strawberry plants on order (300 more than this year) so we should have more strawberries for the boxes next year (along with me learning a great deal on how to grow them as this was my first year growing strawberries). We're hoping to also plant blueberries in the spring, but they'll take a few years before they have harvestable fruit.

We are also trying to figure out ways to make the CSA work better for both us, the farmers, and you, the co-producers. We started the CSA deliveries 2 weeks earlier this year, and ended much earlier. I'm not sure if this was such a good idea. I do like the idea of finishing up by mid-september because the fall garden can be so unpredictable. Maybe we'll start May 1st next year, and finish the week of September 15th. Then maybe we'll get a better balance. As this is only the second full year we've done the veggie CSA (first for the chicken CSA), theres still many things for all of us to learn.

Thanks again, we appreciate your support.