You would think anyone with an ounce of sense would be grateful for a long winter’s rest after a full season of often back-breaking work…..but no…….not your farmers! My job today was to update the contract information so that we’re ready to accept memberships for the 2012 season, and to update the brochure. In the process of doing so, I sorted through some files of photos from this past year, and when I saw one in particular of the two of us planting tiny tomato plants in just-turned fertile soil, I was overwhelmed with longing for the feel and scent of good soil, and the feeling you get when you’re holding that little miracle in your hands just before tucking it into the earth.
Forgotten are the floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes of 2011, the disappointments (remember the entire crop of carrot seed being washed down into the Chesapeake Bay?), the heat, the bugs, the sore muscles, the struggles to repair equipment that picks the most inopportune time to break down. I miss picking peas and popping open the fresh pods. I miss inhaling the fragrant, vibrant scent of the greenhouse. I miss sitting on the tailgate of my pickup truck watching the faces of the little kids, and big ones too, as you look into your bags to see what goodies are there. I miss falling into bed at night with every muscle aching and then realizing oh wait….my boots are still on.
There’s only one conclusion to draw from this: your Cool Beans farmers are crazy women. Many of you may have suspected this for sometime now, and frankly it’s not news to us either. To be honest, we’re happy to be so. To paraphrase Don Quixote: when the whole world seems crazy, who knows where madness lies? To us, driving to a grocery store to buy processed food that may or may not be labeled accurately and completely, that may or may not be fresh, that may or may not have been grown safely, that may or may not have been grown by fairly treated workers who might live thousands of miles away…..well, that doesn’t make sense to us.
Your Cool Beans food is grown organically and sustainably, with respect for the earth and our helpers, and love for our customers.
And we’re ready to accept 2012 memberships! The tabs at the top of the page are updated now, and you can read information there about the CSA, read and print the contact, or contact us if you need more information. Quick version for ‘old’ Beans: same cost, same delivery times. Quite a lot of improvements behind the scenes, with additional greenhouse spaces and some new fields, and we’ll be expanding from 55 to 75 shares, with the help of some interns and part time help. And two quixotic farmers who truly believe that this year will be the best year ever!
What is your % of fruits to vegetables that you offer throughout the year? We eat our share of veggies but I’m personally a fruitaholic!
Is this adjustable or how does it work? We are CSA virgins.
Thanks!
Kelly
Well. We’d be happy to be your first, so to speak. It’s a good question, Kelly, but we can’t answer it. Up until last year’s crazy weather, we actually thought we could plan and have a good sense of what’s going in the basket each week. Last summer was sort of the cure for farmer hubris, and we’re forever humbled. That being said, we provided strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, pears, and peaches last year. Oh, and melons. Judi will remind me if I’ve forgotten anything. Nothing’s adjustable; if you’re looking for something you can adjust each week, I’d recommend you contact Amy at Shared Earth (you can google it and find it) because I think they do a farmstand kind of set-up. Or, consider making a weekly trip to the Farmers on the Square market in Carlisle, which is all locally produced and nearly all organic. With a CSA, you’re kind of a shareholder, and you get a percentage of the week’s harvest. ~katie
Hey Katie,
I am sending out our contract Monday morning for a 1/2 share. We are new to the CSA thing, but I’m really excited to try something new. We heard of you from Seppi and Lori Garrett who love your work. Can’t wait for spring!
Susan
Welcome, Susan!