EMERGENCY Wednesday (today) Picking!

A message from Jacquie....
 For those of you who get this message in time (we realize it's late) and are gracious enough to come help, we are on a picking tyraid! Jerry got word that there will be a FREEZE this Thursday, so we are rallying all members to drive on up to the farm, and anytime between 7am and 12pm, we will be picking what is left on the entire farm to prevent from freezing.

For some of you, you may be reading these words on the morning OF, but yes it is on. We are not cancelling. Wednesday distribution will be going on as usual, so come on up and start picking! Tomatoes, strawberries, and there is an entire laundry list of veggies that well need picking.

There is no need to call or email, just drive on out to the farm. You're help will be greatly appreciated and any extra produced that is collected (as opposed to destroyed by frost) will just mean more produce for you members! :)

Supplimental Produce for the Fall

At the beginning of the summer, Jacquie sent out tips for what to plant in your home garden to supplement/compliment what we members receive from the farm. Included in her list were lettuces, since they like the cooler temperatures we get down here in town.

As fall is coming, I thought I'd send a little reminder about this, since lettuces, spinach, and many other greens can be planted as fall crops in Colorado. The farmer's almanac is predicting that Colorado's first frost will be October 8th (or there abouts). And many sources recommend planting your fall crops three to four weeks before that date. This works out to be early to mid-September, and some crops could have already been planted in August.

I toured Rocky Mountain Seed Company in Denver last week, and learned about some of the best crops for Colorado in the fall. If you've saved seed from the springtime, or are making a trip to the garden center, be sure to add some of these varieties to your planting list:

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Collard Greens 
• Kale 
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard

We put in some extra beets, spinach, radishes and lettuce this weekend. Also, we've been growing Swiss chard and kale through out the summer. These greens make great additions to our farm share.

What about you?  Are you gardening?  Have you ever planted crops for the fall?  What do you plant?

The Risky Business of Organic Farming

Ever wonder why you buy a "share" of produce from the farm?  A CSA farm sells “shares” of produce to the community. These shares provide the farm with capital for operating expenses before the produce is harvested. It saves the farmer from having to rely solely on the farmers market, assures them their produce will be sold, and guarantees an income rain or shine for the farm. In other words, a CSA gives small, family owned farms a chance to make it.  

The USDA defines CSA as: “… a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing. “

Sounds amazing, right? What could be better? Buying locally; eating organic, super-fresh food; supporting a small farm; helping the local economy.

Many of you voted in that poll a few months ago that you were so grateful to be a part of the Monroe's CSA that you'd be happy to help with some volunteering.  A great way to help out would be to volunteer to help at the Harvest Festival on September 20th (watch for details in the newsletters), and while at the festival, remind each other to take only the U-Pick crops on the list the Monroe's give us.  The other crops will be for our shares in the coming weeks, and for the Monroe's to take to market (since they still need to sell that produce too)! 

Farming is a risky business.  So much depends on the weather and good timing!  Added to that, organic farming means there are no pesticides, so there's a risk of insects as well.  I'm so glad Jerry knows what he's doing and he is masterfully making sure we get the very best every year!  We have made wise investments buying a share with the Monroe's!