In the Share: Week 18

GARLIC F/P

SWEET PEPPERS F/P

DESIREE POTATOES F/P

CUCUMBERS F

SUMMER SQUASH P

TOMATOES F/P

CHOICE:  CARROTS, LEEKS OR OKRA F

HERBS F/P  thyme/rosemary or thyme/parsley bunches

NEXT WEEK:  lettuce, onions, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes

FARM REPORT:
Okay, hold on tight!  We have an announcement:  Fair Share Farm, as it is currently configured, will be taking a rest in 2017.  Call it a farmer sabbatical.  And if you can believe wiki, the sabbatical year for farmers should be every seventh year.  Tom and I started farming here in 2003, making this year our 14th growing season, so we are long overdue.

Honestly, 2015 and 2016 exposed the limits of our land to recover from big rain events.  The problem is drainage.  There are things that can be done including longer fallow periods, chisel plowing and/or more mulching.  Thing is we need some time to rest the land, rest ourselves, research the options and do the work.  None of this is likely to happen with the weekly schedule of providing 7-9 produce items for 130 families.

Also on the list in 2017 is to work in our (soon-to-be-newly-certified) commercial kitchen fermenting krauts and pickles. We also plan to remodel the pack/wash area which includes replacing a load-bearing wall and roof.  And we also need to rebuild our perimeter fencing to exclude the cattle who will soon be our neighbors on my family's acreage.

As we look past 2017, we are hoping that a year off will make us better farmers and growers of produce for the CSA.  We hope that the CSA can continue during the sabbatical with some produce from us.  The strawberry patch is well-weeded and mulched.  We will have u-pick for sure, and maybe we can pick for everyone too.  We may grow some staple crops and keep a bulk list going.

What we don't want to do is lose the network of farmers and eaters that has grown up around us.  The Partner Vendors:  Parker Farms, Goatsbeard Farm, Skyview Farm and Creamery, Companionship Breads, Tiny Whole Farm, and Urbavore make up our most fantastic food hub.  We are so well-fed by these amazing food artisans and farmers.  We are equally grateful for their dedication to organic, natural foods that are good for their animals and the planet.

How this will all work is still to be figured out.  Right now Tom and I have more questions than answers and are open to suggestions.  Our one suggestion is that at our next Core Group meeting which is scheduled for November 13 at 1 pm we open the meeting up to all members who want to dream and plan for 2017 and beyond.

And surely this will be a conversation-starter at the CSA picnic on Sunday.

Here's the details in case you missed them:

Harvest Dinner at Fair Share Farm 

Come join the fun with great food, hayrides, music and fun activities!

We’re looking forward to seeing YOU at our annual Harvest Dinner!

Date: Sunday, September 11th

(rain date: September 18th)

Time: 2:00 pm to evening

Location: Fair Share Farm

18613 Downing Road

Kearney, MO 64060

Directions: http://fairsharefarm.com/info/contact.html

Please RSVP as soon as possible to let us know if you will be able to attend 

and the number of people in your party.

What to bring:

 Your own dining set
Picnic chairs or blanket
Potluck dish (see details below)
Frisbees, kites, badminton, croquet, bocce . . .
anything else to enjoy with family and friends

Musical instruments

We are happy to serve up the main dish (burgers, brats, soup and chili) plus various drinks.
Please bring a dish to serve 12 people according to your last name:
A-G: salad or appetizer
H-O: side dish
P-Z: dessert
The event starts at 2:00 and we won't eat until 5:00, so please keep this in mind for perishable foods.  We have space for dishes in our walk-in.

See you there!