9/28/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Well, we have a trying week ahead of us. Alaina found out last Friday afternoon that her eye is misbehaving and she will need emergency surgery this Tuesday. I will be out of commission along with my daughter for the rest of the week. Please keep her in your prayers!

Winter Share Sign-up is coming along nicely. We have approximately 100 members signed up and can accept another 50. You will find a Winter Sign-up form in your vegetable bag this week, just in case you need one! Please send that in just as soon as you can. We are looking for a new location in the Boulder area. I need someone that can help us unload the truck when we arrive during the day as well as help members with Distribution in the evening. You are considered a working member and will get $100 discount for volunteering. Or if someone would be willing to meet me at Kim Haines home to help me unload, that is an option too (with a smaller discount)! Please call me at the number above for more information!

Here is a list of confirmed Winter Distribution Centers:

Aurora - I-225 & Mississippi - Judy and Wally Soderquist
Centennial - County Line Rd & University - Peggy Walling
Lakewood - Union & Alameda - Sam Majeres
Central Denver - 38th & Tennyson - Barb Granica
Central Denver - 6th Avenue & Colfax - Brenda & Jeff Wright
Boulder - TBD
Ft. Collins - Drake & Lemay - Gayle Hemenway
Greeley - At The Farm - Jacquie Monroe

It has been a very interesting year raising animals. We have had problems with the weather and the predators this summer. The hog breeder also had problems with fertility too. Each customer who ordered either pork or lamb will be getting a letter within the next couple of weeks explaining the situation and your options. Both pork and lamb processing will begin the week of the 12th of Oct. and will continue well into December. Your specific processing date will be included in your confirmation letter.

This week the Fruit Share is getting a beautiful 10# bag of Honey Crisp apples. To reiterate; you have received three 5# bags of Bing cherries, 5# of Rainier cherries, two 20# boxes of peaches and one 10# bag of pears. After this week you will have received a total of 80# of fruit. There will be one more delivery of either 10# of apples or a combination of apples and pears. We hope this will be delivered Oct. 13th, 14th & 15th. This will give you your total of 90# for the summer!

Have a good week!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

9/14/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

The countdown has begun for the Harvest Festival! It is a really fun day for you to get to know other members, eat great food, tour the farm, take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, watch the stick horse races, check out the apple press & taste fresh cider, shell your own popcorn, pick extra produce or just sit back and watch it all happen. No matter what you like to do, you can see it happen at the Farm this Sunday. We will start at 11 a.m. and start tearing down between 3 & 4 p.m. Guests will pay $10 per person ages 3 and up. Don't forget to bring apples for the apple press! The picnic is a potluck. Please bring a dish at least twice the amount you would serve your family. We provide the hot dogs and hamburgers; we need side dishes and desserts! When you arrive at the farm, please check in at the Check-in Station. They will give you a name tag. This helps us to know exactly how many folks came to experience the fun at the Harvest Festival!

This next week will be a busy one! Besides our daily activities, we will be sprucing up the farm for the festival. If you haven't RSVP your reservation for the Harvest Festival, this is the last week you can do so. Please call by the end of day on the 17th. Shopping will need to be done this weekend. The person, who first volunteered to do the shopping for me, unexpectedly had to cancel. Is there someone else out there that would be willing to do the shopping? You will need a Costco or Sam's Club membership because of the large amount of paper products we purchase for the event.

We will be having a workday for members on Sat. the 19th at 9 am. We still have a small field of winter squash to get into the barn and there will be other odd jobs to do around the farm for the festival. If you have even a couple of hours, we could sure use the help! Contact Lorna at 303-593-1754. You will get a confirmation email by Friday evening either saying the workday is still scheduled or it is cancelled. Thank you very much for helping us out like this!

Unfortunately, there will not be any extra tomatoes to pick. Everything we have is going to the membership! We do have peppers and we will have the chili roaster going! Be aware! There can be a long line for this service. The cost will be $5 per tray roasted (we will provide the trays, but you cannot take them home!). You do not have to have your chilis roasted here. You can take them home and roast them on your grill.

The chili roaster will be going all day. It is suggested that some of you attend the pot luck right away and some of you head out to the u-pick fields or go on a self tour of the farm. Either way, you will be standing in lines waiting for something! The popcorn sheller will also be going most of the day. We ask that each household only take one bag of popcorn. The apple press belongs to Paul Schwarzeweller and Linda Hellow. They have been members of the farm since 1996. It is such a privilege to have them set up and show us how an old fashioned apples press works. You can find them on the east side of the house from 12 to 2 or until we run out of apples!

Here are some dos and don’ts to follow with the u-pick crops. It is very important to bring your own boxes, bags or any other rigid containers. You cannot use ours, we need them for distribution! If you do not bring containers, you will not be allowed to pick produce and throw it into your trunk. Please be respectful of other members and of your farmers. There is a limit to what you can pick! Do not go into fields that are not designated as u-pick crops. You will find a list of crops at the Check-in Station along with directions to get there. Please do not drive off without directions. Everyone drives the same direction so we do not have cars nose to nose. (We don’t have two lane roads out here!)

Directions to the Farm
From Denver, the Western Slope or Pueblo:
I-25 North to I-76 East. As you continue east, don't panic, you will be driving for a while! Last town you will go through is Hudson. Very next exit is #34 or the Kersey Rd. Take this exit, turn left. Continue north for approximately 16 miles. Turn right at Co Rd 48. You are now on a dirt road. Travel 1 ½ miles. We are on the left or north side of road. Find house number on front of mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.
From Boulder, Longmont or Lyons:
I-25 North to highway 66. Take highway 66 east to highway 85. Highway 85 north through the towns of Platteville, then Gilcrest. At next grain elevator, Co Rd 44, turn right heading east. At Co Rd 49, turn left heading north. Travel 2 miles to Co Rd 48, turn right heading east. Another 1 ½ miles to the farm on left or north side of road. House number on the front of the mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.
From Loveland or Ft. Collins:
Take highway 34 east through the city of Greeley. Must take Fort Morgan exit to continue east on highway 34. Approximately 4 miles from this exit to Co Rd 49, turn right heading south. Travel 4 miles to Co Rd 48, turn left. 1 ½ miles to farm on the left or north side of road. House number is on the front of the mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.

There was a typo error on the Winter Sign-up form. It indicated that Distribution would start November 5th when in actuality we always deliver on Wednesdays, making the date November 4th. We need volunteers for the Central Denver Distribution points. We actually need two because this area is in high demand! I know the payment schedule for the Winter Share is Oct. 1st, Dec. 1st and Feb. 1st. Paying that Feb. payment may be difficult since renewals for current members are due for 2010 by Feb. 19th. You are welcome to make monthly payments in Oct. & Nov. of $135 making the Dec. payment $130 and paying your Winter Share in full. This way you have paid for everything you purchased in 2009; clearing the way to renew your Membership Fees in 2010!

Crops you will be getting this week are Yukon Gold potatoes, red onions, carrots, Chioggia beets, summer squash, green cabbage, lemon cucumbers, Daikon radish, bell peppers, Banana peppers, Pablano peppers, Jalapeño peppers, green beans and tomatoes.

We look forward to the Harvest Festival and welcoming all of you to your farm. Please take time to look around and get to know the place where your food is grown!

Thank you and we will see you there!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle Monroe

September 7 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

New crops this week are French Fingerling potatoes, a long red radish, orange bell peppers and yellow tomatoes. The radish is from China and is both spicy and sweet. I have eaten them raw or in stir-frys. They store well placed directly in the crisper drawer.

In addition to this you are also getting yellow cooking onions, carrots, lemon cucumbers, patty pan squash, , green bell peppers, anaheim peppers, globe eggplant, broccoli, fennel, celery, red tomatoes and one melon of any kind.

It is time to sign up for the Winter Share. I will need your deposit by October 1st. If you decide to split your Winter Share with another household, all payments must be made by the member signing up for the share. Please do not send me two checks in two different names. It is very difficult for us to keep track of who is sharing with whom! You are welcome to add the second person's name on the form, but everything will be set up under the current Member's name or the first name on the form if two members are signing up together. Also keep in mind, when there is a household with two last names, we will be using the last name of the person who is listed first on the check. We usually sell out on these shares pretty fast, so get your sign up form in soon!

I need to keep this letter short this week. I have hurt my upper back and cannot be in any position for very long! Here is a recipe I think you will like!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

Basil & Summer Squash

1 med. to large summer squash of any kind, cubed
1 clove garlic
1/4 onion, chopped
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp fresh basil (if using dried, 1 Tbsp)
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute squash, onion and garlic with salt and pepper until squash and onion are soft. Reduce heat to low and add cheese & basil. Keep stirring until cheese has melted and has combined with squash. Allow to sit for a minute or two before serving.

Winter Storage Share

Produce should be distributed every two weeks, November through February. Crops you could expect to see: potatoes, onions, carrots, winter squash, cabbage, celery root, red beets, garlic, leeks, pumpkins, popcorn and possibly sweet potatoes. There will also be some lettuce that will come from cold frames until a very hard freeze occurs. Plus any produce that can still be harvested from the previous summer will also be included.

If you just can't stand the thought of going back to grocery store produce, this is a great way to extend the summer season into winter! Distribution will start November 5th and produce should be delivered every other week through February.

The total cost of the Winter Share is $400. $150 of that is non-refundable and due at sign-up. The remainder can be paid in two equal installments on December 1st and February 1st. Deadline for sign-up is October 1st.


Tear off bottom portion and return with your check to:

MONROE ORGANIC FARMS
25525 WCR 48
Kersey, CO 80644



Name

Phone Number
_________________________________
Address
____________________________________



Eggs

Free-Ranged organic eggs can be delivered every other week along with the Winter Share. By filling out this form, you understand that the distribution center will keep track of how many eggs you have received over the winter and will charge you for those eggs at the end of the season. A check will need to be made out to Monroe Organic Farms and given to the distribution center the last day of distribution. I will need a phone call by 7 p.m. on Monday to cancel your egg order. If we deliver eggs and you do not pick them up, you will still be charged for them. They will then be donated to a place of need.


Beef

Not available at this time.


Honey

Not available at this time.


____dozen eggs a month
($5.00 a dozen)
____Winter Storage Share:
$400
($150 is non-refundable and due at sign up.)


Distribution Center Circle one:

Aurora Boulder Centennial Central Denver
Ft. Collins Lakewood
Greeley, at the farm

8/11/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

Well here it is, the second week of August and it is supposed to be very hot. What have we been getting? Rain…again! Last night we even received a little hail with it. That was lovely. Something every farmer looks forward too. It doesn’t appear to have caused any damage really. But you will see the marks on everything. Is it monsoon season yet? It looks to us as if it started a long time ago and never really went away! Enough with this crazy weather!

There is a really nice blog put together by a member who is a food writer in Denver. Gretchen has a passion for food, but more importantly, food from sustainable sources. Check out her blog at www.seedtospoon.com. If you are looking for more recipes for all the goodies you receive each week, you may want to try out www.cooks.com. I like this site quite a bit. A few years ago, a couple of members took the initiative to create and monitor a Yahoo Group Page. This group discussion page will have a calendar to mark off special events, when extra pickings are available and freeze warnings. It is designed for members to keep in touch via email. It is a great place to get to know each other as well as exchange recipes, cooking and preservation tips. You send email to a common address and yahoo distributes it to whoever has chosen to receive emails about Monroe Organic Farms. Your email address is kept safely within the group and traffic is low. You can be removed at any time. To join, either go to: www.yahoogroups.com/group/MonroeOrganicFarms/join, or send an email to MonroeOrganicFarms-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and we’ll get you signed up.

Once melons, corn and tomatoes are on, you will need extra cloth bags or a box to take all your loose produce home. It will also keep it from rolling around in your car! We do not provide the bags you will need for this, so plan ahead! You are welcome to bring your extra plastic bags to share with other members for this task.

Distribution Centers are asking me to remind you that they have set hours for you to pick up produce. Please do not come early unless you have called them ahead of time and made arrangements to do so. Never take produce from a Distribution Center without checking in with them first. They keep track of who have come and who have not, who have turned in their bags and picked up honey &Western Slope fruit. So you can see if you arrive and take produce without checking in, Distribution Centers are at a loss as to where that produce has gone and who has taken it!

Produce Fees are due and payable in full by September 1st. Statements will be sent out by the end of this week showing what has been paid and what has not. A $25 late payment fee will be assessed by the 15th of each month the accounts are not paid in full.

For those of you interested in the Winter Share, I will be sending out information about that in September. Watch for it! If you are one of those members who has already signed up for the Winter Share, do not worry about sending another form. We will take care of you!


The Harvest Festival will be Sunday, September 20th from 11am to 3pm. This is our ‘thank you’ for being members. We are asking you not to invite non-members. But if you do, they will be charged $10 per person, adults and children. We will be taking reservations starting this week. We need to know how many people are coming from your household. If non-members are coming, we need to know that too and how many.

I need volunteers to help set up tables and tents and chop produce. We get started at 8am. I will also need 3 volunteers to clear the table during the day, keep up with filling the drink containers and chopping extra produce if necessary. There is a need for 8 people (two every hour) to run the Check In Station from 11 to 2 pm. A couple of people will need to empty the trash in the bathrooms, make sure there are extra T.P. and paper towels available. The canning booth was a big hit last year and I would love to have volunteers sit and talk to people about canning. The most important job yet, the Master Grillers! We need two people every hour over a four hour period. Grilling will need to start at 10am. and continue until 2 pm. Tear down and clean up will start around 3:30pm. and we need as many hands as possible to make it easy and light work.

We hope to have the apple cider press back this year. We need everyone to bring a big bag of apples to the Festival to share. This way everyone will get a small sample of fresh apple cider. The more variety of apples, the better the cider! I haven’t checked with Jerry to find out if there was any popcorn left over from last fall. If there is, we will set up the popcorn sheller and everyone can try their hand at removing popcorn from the cob and take a small bag home for popping. We will of course have the hayrides to the pumpkin patch throughout the day. Each child should be able to take home a pumpkin!

We will also have our list of u-pick crops & directions available at the check in table for those who want to pick. We ask that you bring your own containers. If you do not, you will not be able to pick this year. We need all of our containers for distribution. We also ask members to only pick crops on the list. For the last couple of years, we are noticing more and more people taking crops out that were not listed. If this continues, we will stop the u-pick part of the party. We do not grow extras of every crop. And every year that list changes according to what Mother Nature has decided to give as bumper crops.

Would anyone like to do the shopping for me? Once we have a tally as to how many people are coming to the Festival, we will need the supplies for it. A shopping list will be compiled and passed on to you. You will need to bring those supplies to me on the day of the Festival. And I will reimburse you for those costs.

The Harvest Festival is something we all look forward to every year. But it does take several volunteers to make it happen. We noticed the same volunteers show up every year. It would be nice to see some new faces. The chores are not difficult and you get to know other members at the same time. To be successful, this festival needs you!

The Festival is a potluck. We ask you to bring the side dishes & desserts and we will supply the fresh veggies, fruit, hot dogs, burgers, utensils and drinks. The Festival is a great way to get to know other members and see the farm where all your veggies come from. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us for a fun filled day!

This week you are getting red potatoes, red onions, red beets, yellow carrots, celery, eggplant, ivory & green peppers, slicing cucumbers, summer squash, beans, muskmelon and corn! Normally you would not see celery this time of year. We assume it is due to the cold wet spring. Muskmelon is in the same plant family as cantaloupe, however, it is stronger tasting and sweeter than cantaloupe. Try not to fall head over heels in love with this. Oh yes! I do believe summer has arrived!

The Monroes