Produce

Heavens Harvest Farm

Newsletter

September 22, 2008

Volume 14

Hello All!

This week is our next to last share delivery which includes some wonderful late season produce.  For those of you who have never eaten Dandelions you are missing a wonderful “bitter” green.  This green is a major ingredient in all herbal products that help to detoxify the liver and clean out the digestive system. 

We hope that you enjoy the organic crimson sweet watermelon! As well as the incredible Macintosh apples and Bosch pears!  We are fortunate to have many fine orchards around us, including one called Honey Bee Orchards in West Brookfield MA.  They have 200 acres of Macintosh apple trees as well as 180 acres of various kinds of pears.  They also grow some of the more exotic apples, peaches, and plums.  These are not available in larger amounts or for a price that is feasible for 600 share holders.  We have been pleased to offer so many fruit options this year, far more that last year.  Our CSA does not charge extra for fruit as  most of the other CSA’s who have it available.

Please recycle your box this week by taking it with you.

It is clear that our model of providing organic produce and some IPM fruit and hard to grow produce, and delivering it direct to the consumer is working.   We have seen phenomenal growth from 55 share-holders 3 years ago to 600 members this year.  Please check out last week’s newsletter to see how you can help to grow “our” business.  By including other farms in the mix who grow organically, we help to continue productive use of even more farm land than we own ourselves.  We have used Full Bloom Farm in South Deerfield as well as Enterprise Farm in South Deerfield who together comprise Happy Valley Organics, a major supplier for Whole Foods as well as all the major retail super markets.  Plainville Farm and Czajkowski Farm are run by two brothers, Wally and Joe who are moving into larger organic growing than what they have done in their previous years of farming.  Finally, Warner Farms as well as Riverland Farm have both provided us and you with outstanding organic produce.  As our vision increases we find it both advantageous and necessary to act in a more cooperative manner with other organic producers.  This affords the opportunity to have more variety and to do so in a more cost efficient way.  We are very grateful for the help and enthusiasm of these other businesses who recognize the positive responses from our share-holders.  In closing, many of you have said that you were sad that the end of the season was approaching…We are working with Enterprise Farm on a potential future opportunity to purchase a winter share.  They have made connections for the last two years with organic growers from Florida to North Carolina who are able to provide citrus fruit and cabbage, greens, squashes, onions, etc.  We are seriously investigating this added model and wish to have you give us feedback as to your interest.  More to come.  Please stay in touch and we wish you a Happy Fall!

-Ashley & Ethel