This year some of our members braved the unusually cool and damp weather to come out to the farm and look around at our third annual beginning of the season members gathering. They got a first hand look at what is growing in the fields and greenhouse and how the unusual weather, this spring, has affected the growth.We have many new members, and so we imparted some information about this season. We will, most likely begin our distribution on June first as usual. However, because of the wet and cool weather we will probably be working on a bell curve this season and begin with a lighter share bag for the first few distributions and increase the size as the crops respond to what we hope will be better conditions.
We do not use boxes to distribute our shares. We use reusable bags and our members rotate bags each week. We reminded the members who attended the gathering that in order for this system to work they must bring their empty bag with them, beginning with the second delivery, in order for them to pick up their full bag. Distribution will be at the Neighborhood Co-op in Carbondale in the Murdale shopping center, this season, every Wednesday between 4pm and 6pm. We thank Francis Murphy and the Neighborhood Co-op for graciou
sly letting us use their space and cooler.
sly letting us use their space and cooler.The beginning of the season members gathering is a casual gathering that allows the members to see the farm, if they have not done so already, meet some of their fellow members, ask questions and share a dish of food with everyone. Good food was certainly what we had and we would like to thank everyone who attended for making such yummy dishes. We also like to invite the folks who have helped on the farm so that our members can meet the people who are responsible for helping us get the farm/C.S.A. up and running each season. This year Phil Mendenhall showed up with his wife Vikki. They run a farm down the road from us and yet Phil has been out to the farm a number of times to help with the green house. Now that is community at it's best!
We also invited Mike Hatfield, his wife, Jessica , Orlan Mays and his wife Chastity to come out as well. Mike and Orlan are part of the Food Works Network and they are new farmers. Mike has a farm called Flyway Farm in Makanda, Illinois and Orlan is running and tending a community garden in Attucks Park in Carbon
dale Illinois. Farmer Steve has taken on a mentoring position in order to assist with Mike and Orlan's growth as farmers. We are constantly impressed with the skill and talent that both Mike and Orlan already bring with them.
dale Illinois. Farmer Steve has taken on a mentoring position in order to assist with Mike and Orlan's growth as farmers. We are constantly impressed with the skill and talent that both Mike and Orlan already bring with them. During the coarse of the gathering a good question came up which was: "What will we do if the price of gas goes up above five or six dollars per gallon?" My first response was to say that we will cry. On a more serious note, one of the reasons for having a centralized distribution point is to use less gas. The other fear, I'm sure, of members in our C.S.A. is will we have to raise prices. Hollow Pumpkin Farm is trying to keep our prices as low as possible. We know that food prices have gone up all over the country and in our regular grocery stores. If you figure it out, Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A.'s produce is being brought to it's members for less than grocery store prices at this time. We will try to continue to do so for as long as we can.
One of the purposes o
f a C.S.A. is to have that community of members who may be interested in helping to keep the costs down. (example: Donating some time in the field with the farmer so that the farmer does not have the payroll expense.)
f a C.S.A. is to have that community of members who may be interested in helping to keep the costs down. (example: Donating some time in the field with the farmer so that the farmer does not have the payroll expense.)On a less serious note - I had a small window of opportunity to snap some photos of some of our new members and some who have been with us from the start. Thank You, everyone, who came out to the farm yesterday. It was such a pleasure to meet some of our new members and, of course, see our continuing members. We also encouraged our members to bring family and friends and a few did. I hope their experience was pleasant and please, one and all, feel free to come back to the farm and see the progress this season.
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