tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28381286580087578132024-03-05T02:58:07.168-06:00Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256040249777940602noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-90816640163961318292013-01-18T18:51:00.002-06:002013-01-18T18:51:20.422-06:002013 Spring CSA!!!Spring season is upcoming! There is plenty of room for people who are interested in taking part in the C.S.A. this year. Once it starts in May we will be providing vegetables and produce weekly. A half-share is $360 and a full share is $660. This will go until November. Happy Spring season to you!<br />
<br />
Please e-mail Steve Smith @<br />
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Steve.hollowpumpkin@gmail.com<br />
<br />
Or call at 618-614-2233.<br />
<br />
P.S. Anyone interested in volunteering please contact the same addresses above or if you know where to go just come on by!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256040249777940602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-90600001395180464872012-04-22T07:19:00.003-05:002012-04-22T07:42:21.629-05:00Time Flies When You're In the Garden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xNeXOlxC_F0wYeXd4wcnJb8yvLqDYTescefD4TQsqMsKmF8ckfYco8Tkqsvt4I93uf_qt6YmFz-AhDTBwH5ib7ykatHaSyELpV53JQ95gZ-ZF-5ZYQDRRfO3EGvgo-cfGbrQ05bWiLY/s1600/winter+csa+5a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xNeXOlxC_F0wYeXd4wcnJb8yvLqDYTescefD4TQsqMsKmF8ckfYco8Tkqsvt4I93uf_qt6YmFz-AhDTBwH5ib7ykatHaSyELpV53JQ95gZ-ZF-5ZYQDRRfO3EGvgo-cfGbrQ05bWiLY/s320/winter+csa+5a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734199323976331154" /></a>It is amazing how time flies when you are working in the garden, or fields. Steve has been so busy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ramping</span> up for Hollow Pumpkin's 2012 Summer/Fall C.S.A. that there has not been much time for anything else. All the work pays off and the kick off of our Summer/Fall section is just around the corner. Assuming all goes well and as planned our members will begin receiving newsletters and important information and updates within the next four weeks.<div><br /></div><div>The weather, of course, has been unusually helpful in early growth. Now that it has cooled down some we are seeing a tad slower growth. Steve has been walking around shaking his head a lot these days. Though the warm winter and spring has made it possible for many farmers to plant early, it also is confusing as to what to do in the coming years. We are scratching our heads and asking ourselves is this warm weather going to be a pattern or a passing cycle? Will Ma Nature play a prank on us just when we get used to warmer climates and throw a frost at us? Many if not all farmers who have been farming for a long time depend on weather patterns to plan their planting throughout the year. Steve is such a farmer and so he has been amused and a bit confused about the weather. I just tell him that Ma Nature is keeping you on your toes and dusting off some of those cob webs you've grown over the past 35 years. We all must have a sense of humor when it comes to farming, weather and, as sad as it is, possible global warming. Zones are changing and we all must adjust to it while we change our behaviors to more sustainable ones for the earth.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are excited about the start of Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A. 2012 Summer/Fall harvest and we are looking forward to meeting all of our new members and seeing all of our loyal veterans. Please stay tuned for more updates coming soon and thank you for your support! </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Eating to All - Hollow Pumpkin Farm</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-70566628116744070872012-02-16T07:20:00.004-06:002012-02-16T08:00:06.766-06:00The Final Winter Distribution and Beyond<span style="font-weight: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSC7Oo_1KEcq2urnvCVXsVIm5AGuwdfWV6b1PUGjzbbpJNwgDKsQij1LuN8esZel_cthC3cB8XENERm4VCCLPjCtuNzxIF5lUxUJeUxl9ADO3-i75aymxQ0k9AeuxRAs9VFJYnK_zASgA/s1600/winter+csa+5a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSC7Oo_1KEcq2urnvCVXsVIm5AGuwdfWV6b1PUGjzbbpJNwgDKsQij1LuN8esZel_cthC3cB8XENERm4VCCLPjCtuNzxIF5lUxUJeUxl9ADO3-i75aymxQ0k9AeuxRAs9VFJYnK_zASgA/s320/winter+csa+5a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709723160388154658" /></a>On Wed. Feb. 15th 2012 Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A. made it's final distribution of shares in the first of what we hope will be many years of our experimental season extension harvest here in Southern Illinois. </span> <b>We would like to take this opportunity to thank the great folks who joined</b> <b>up to participate in this experience</b>. For us, it is all about feeding the community in the most nutritious, organic, healthy, environmentally friendly and cost effective way. It is all about our members and keeping the farm alive to serve the community.<div><br /></div><div>Southern Illinois is unique in many ways. It is not California, where the weather is perfect for growing almost year round and, it is not the east coast where the Community Supported Agricultural movement in America began. The mid-west has been slow in hopping aboard this endeavor, though, we are the most bountiful region of America in many ways. And Southern Illinois sits in a slightly precarious position in the region where it comes to weather and soil and mentality. It is fun watching this area grow and spread it's agricultural wings beyond the conventional practices of our predecessors which has been so deeply ingrained into this region's psyche. It is a slow yet necessary process. This process cannot be achieved by any one entity alone. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hollow Pumpkin farm would like to thank the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery in Carbondale Illinois for allowing us to use their wonderful healthy environment to distribute our C.S.A. shares during this winter harvest as well as our summer and fall harvests. All of the employees at the C0-0p have been extremely helpful and friendly and the folks in the produce department are the best! Hats off to Francis Murphy and Kristin Pass for having a great vision for this regions local and healthy food movement. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Steve and I will now turn our attention to the spring, summer and fall. We are looking, once again, to increase our membership, this year to 35-40 members. Steve has been busy planting seeds and cleaning up the fields, mending fences and planning, when possible, for improvements as we go forward into Hollow Pumpkin's 35th year as a farm and 4th year as a C.S.A.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-7951076379539814062012-01-17T07:51:00.020-06:002012-01-17T11:05:02.782-06:00Hollow Pumpkin Farm: 35 Year Retrospective<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQMMwckskYLSc53G_z5ZuC_jtNc4EqIZBMJ9lDkZU3PsOZzlUfDQUqKHjxAAfXG254tKrJtucV_Gqdg4sqtqe9ArZtVvlyra4IlD7iJ4eTQEBLJu32GrhYnR-M18pcPDMlG_GlDnVW08/s320/Steve+ashraf+and+kids.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698604621772955458" /><br /><div>How did this happen? We have been so busy working on the experimental winter harvest that when we finally took a little breather we remembered that Hollow Pumpkin Farm has now entered it's 35<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></span> year of existence. Steve has been specializing in healthy organically grown produce for 35 years!</div><div><br /></div><div>Running a farm is a bit like being married. There are joys and disappointments, a lot of hard work coupled with laughter and fun, plenty of responsibility and you must be in it for the long haul. </div><div> </div><div>Steve came to Southern Illinois from New York in 1977. He was an elementary school teacher in the Bronx for a brief moment when he decided he wanted to go back to the land. Prior to his arrival in Illinois, he gained experience working on a farm on the east cost. After a while, he looked in the papers and found this plot of land was available to buy. When he arrived here on the farm there was a condemned house on the 16 acre property. He and his family lived in that house with no plumbing for the first six months. They took showers outside and used an out-house for their bathroom. That out- house is still in existence and is still used on occasion. Steve wasted no time and began planting the first year. He planted just enough for he and his </div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRzBaCBNCLvK45MNAHZCg5C9Aqd0_J1qlqxx6zABQkR23O7jEGLMOfruQJ9tuVSoxRVIwNY4LtMSG1E3eLtbWXKurJriCDj5tcjIBeUOWkbrLI56BYzPBaVYpDChnTjWH4A30fQrznKg/s320/stacy+and+asher.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698604613160649522" /><div>family to eat that year as he gained more knowledge about organic farming and Southern Illinois. He began to sell his produce in 1978.</div><div><br /></div><div>To give you a perspective of the time period: There was no Internet as we know it in 1977. The world wide web was not in existence until 1992-1993. In 1977 the type of computers that were available were the Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Translator), and the Apple II (If you remember those you are old indeed!) There was no real organic movement in this part of Southern Illinois at that time. Steve was, indeed, a pioneer in the field. There was no such thing as a C.S.A. (Com<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">munity</span></span> Supported Agriculture) in America until 1984. A lot has changed in 35 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 1980, Steve put his first hoop house up. In 1996 the old condemned house was torn down and the new house was erected. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 2009 Steve and I started Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A.. We are now beginning our fourth year of the C.S.A.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyt9fNmNl3aJCsPj00dhNQbwupxU_FxnVEmBKDQPehrqVRlo5-2Q5S6CGxR7A0BE6-S6YsK7E0VCr7Z5QkZz9mZnZkQAK7ajUt0x09-Wm7_YvcHHJlNvuk7H0WzPtQm33eG6xzjGR7fI/s320/jesse+and+asher.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698604611961997234" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /><div><br /></div><div>Toward the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 we put up the second hoop house thanks to a grant for season extension. We have begun to open up all of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">farmable</span> fields on the 16 acre farm. (There are 9 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">farmable</span> acres.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Steve has lived through many changes in this region. He has seen agriculture in this region dwindle in comparison to when he arrived - and now is seeing a renewed interest with the push towards a healthier more local food supply. He has seen the weather patterns change dramatically. He has seen exponential increases in deer populations and insects some of which are not so friendly to the farmer. He has seen lady bugs go away only to be replaced with the lady beetles which bite and smell when they die in your house. He has also seen his children Jesse and Samantha, grow up and get married to lovely people, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ashraf</span></span> and Stacy. Now Steve is a proud grandpa t</div><div>o three grandchildren, Sammy, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Eman</span></span> and Asher. Sammy is the oldest of the three grandchildren and he seems to have taken an interest in what grandpa Steve does. </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ6fHhrCyTKlfpJYuIUOdsdRvtaH6KbKil1mlkbQEFWNxbXpBIvz5g2xRo-NATKPd4zHIhoztexaPoQRaYhlUzgsLQFuF0yfq3D7wlnlhePI-4TUwT2BI4AJz-eu5BeobgMp0AYLfrjE/s320/samantha+and+kids.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698604605141410322" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 288px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Through the years Steve has continued to gain knowledge of what works and what does not work in this region in regard to growing produce organically. He is continuing to learn and experiment as</div><div>new information about organic agricultural practices grow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Steve could not have done this alone. In the beginning, his family was an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">integral</span> part of the farm. Much credit for the early formation of this farm goes to, not only Steve, but Rosalie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Fulia</span></span> who supported Steve's addiction to farming. His two children helped on the farm too. Like most farm families, children are responsible for doing farm chores. Neither of Steve's children became farmers, but both of them have a deep understanding of the importance of a clean food supply and what it takes to achieve that. They still come out to the farm on occasion and help their father. Since that time, </div><div>many a friend and volunteer has come</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxjQb4Jhb9UfP5AguTUHUnBH6Fq5sgeuUAkW0Q22scxw5b9oL6tW4OWiLLJmZDpYswfKVx40S-oS3XIBt5EXfpeSwegKKkB7bSw0guHV87O7SBj4CRV2QrzaoZKlQlVcrH-Xo8v2wxFQ/s320/farm+and+eman+016.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698605880451213986" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /><div>to help and support the farm. Steve also has taught many of the volunteers about organic farming and some of them have carried on the tradition. Rachel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pfaff</span> is one such volunteer. She now lives near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Batavia</span>, IL. and is growing her own and then some, raising chickens, goats and keeping bees! She is a great example of what keeps Steve motivated. It truly takes a village.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBTK3jqDgkr1JJC5QB7LOYtVh-xiy1dSHI6WWAtMZMcyeipmHlPttmyy68kKSbvo4miO062p5V_vRlraQthFOJ-VENwkfIVWyoDw5v7c3_SkrjajsZ1buO7f1Bmn05t0bQQdJmSqYpso/s320/field+and+barn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698603515522464338" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>Today, we have grown from a 12 member C.S.A. to a 29 member C.S.A. and we are looking to add a few more(6-10) for this 2012 Summer/Fall section. We are beginning to add season extension to our vocabulary and action packed schedule. We will continue to grow our winter C.S.A. season extension each year and we are very thankful to our C.S.A. members who are taking this experimental ride with us.</div><div><br />We have always included a small percentage of work for share C.S.A. membership and we will continue to do so in the future. </div><div><br /></div><div>Steve has been a member of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Carbondale</span> Farmers Market since 1978 and has been selling his produce to the Neighborhood Co-op, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Arnolds</span> Market and many local shops for, what Steve says </div><div>is close to 30 years.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkJPc9WtJrtQ5OeYNVUxqqnFP-5SZwY-EtT2fKPKZhD2YJ4HwiqPLcrzym7ypoq-X1_LrbrBJVvj0OxmJZtEox1dXYCUVtKGlhcnaB5wWRCG9x-vXgn0bpVdjtnrGLodpMdKO1P3X5Nk/s320/gather+in+the+green+house.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698603505488631778" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Steve has been donating produce to Good Samaritan for as long as he can remember. He has donated to the food pa<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ntry</span> and continues to be dedicated to getting healthy produce to the under served populations of this region.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Wow, it is amazing when you look at where you have come from. I have only been here, but for a</div><div>small portion of this ongoing journey. I arrived here 4 1/2 years ago. I fell in love with Steve very early after we met. I must admit, I fell in love with the farm as well. I decided that I wanted to assist Steve the </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbVuRLBSkYmsc-bIFGSgs2u36qgy_k8yfH5I67mM4UEbuZ9TDBvkkeR1295C14ug8CnOHRwKFo1EXTx_hs5Wrt53zchmnWoGLyCz-1tbvGzMEc2jUnDYa885hvRjJnZKJKn4wJ21ULss/s320/Ryan+Hoing+in+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698602628780404754" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></div><div><br />best way that I could. Since I am just a city kid from Chicago, I </div><div>decided that my skills were needed for the business end of the farm and that Steve should dedicate his time to what he does so superbly, and that is growing the best darn produce in these here parts!</div><div>There are more photos for you to take a look at in this post. I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of the history of Hollow Pumpkin Farm. Here's to making more history now and in the future! Happy and healthy eating to all. -Fran </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiF25xlqzXGsUuK5E17s_fjCZQqPzfB4-Mh8LC1hfoGVKia5KqfxNlFQuD6xHsuInyhZ0WOCtdJRH2uJADAD3QqkQKRO2mHp4_7i-6i5pZSUQG_xoBOztRmOg-IWkc4_irJZ24yNmfpc/s320/tractor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698602623806847810" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div><div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rKlNHVnmLD1nEKu9adN8-Mag4SdCoBcgeSn13fMKNnsvucSb9uaBAq-PDGrJKcg-8Pch8HC3GTinKUyoO8-xlt13aHLCUu-IYMS4YpiYxvYBsOSovrVmh0_d_3q9h_yNGQsmKpTZ80A/s320/sarah+Lewison+003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698605408544677522" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURcGrkMWIADmBjEePfMbPQKd4f4OLr2iq1B7qLQ-kaBPzELrst4pt1DDOisySzcc9dYuOkav8rK9RN9crC0nZjCGdgWT1jbUHYFCTcqyPVqAoyY0wHbL9DVGuDeFP-ajDMbvSJtS2FUw/s320/new+hoop+house.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698603518876271762" /><br /></div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkJPc9WtJrtQ5OeYNVUxqqnFP-5SZwY-EtT2fKPKZhD2YJ4HwiqPLcrzym7ypoq-X1_LrbrBJVvj0OxmJZtEox1dXYCUVtKGlhcnaB5wWRCG9x-vXgn0bpVdjtnrGLodpMdKO1P3X5Nk/s1600/gather+in+the+green+house.jpg"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></div></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkJPc9WtJrtQ5OeYNVUxqqnFP-5SZwY-EtT2fKPKZhD2YJ4HwiqPLcrzym7ypoq-X1_LrbrBJVvj0OxmJZtEox1dXYCUVtKGlhcnaB5wWRCG9x-vXgn0bpVdjtnrGLodpMdKO1P3X5Nk/s1600/gather+in+the+green+house.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOR8oPvPZGvZPIBhT5NboDtSZDhrgKDqxfw1n7aML5VRidyhesD0CmjS1Gp4yk6hh11OtrN-4z4r0Ksh0HD3NHrp06nWjwSl3Q1o3sRIz0IDZICqj4tjln6mWO3Wsm1PDPy5YVdJrl-k/s320/jordan+noah+and+new+hoop+house.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698603506096136370" /><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoZSk19M3wXeN48PNFQ3iWxkfD-ENyrBic8ikMQRskwOhF1daDxLKj_ExKPGluKcJQP2bcpBT8iR-Z72DkEFIOvP7j_tHJCK8S4KjTIMBTPk31ZRJpHXwyKFjbcbDxfqrutZpBi_pZf0/s320/crops.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698602635102587826" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><br /></div><div><br /></div></a><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0w8nalDBZCdvQ4LrgsdQOjhwJoDH9MooIc-5XR8jMAwWNTEJvFRjDLlauSjrdb3UiOCDm_2jtdK23PtberbO4kp2OVtXMPSm2jDovcpifPcDEhetBHF13B-xQeEQqnoAiP-iSjP8fdE/s320/In+The+Farmhouse+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698602631999420898" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVITr3y8ToKoXFidQDyTcL-G471LzpurzpUT28gVCsasCr_B8UILqubl49_LOGpIoHT0CgYqC8SVbt3KPTXgM211L_LVQ0V21B1H2jI8bjjQyX-K1FQ2RRkWjv_P0ZXEJDGp_Gf6DzwU/s320/Farmer+steve.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698602617232518354" /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-36483473687275108812012-01-14T08:29:00.000-06:002012-01-14T08:29:43.302-06:00Hollow Pumpkin Farm - LocalHarvest<a href="http://www.localharvest.org/hollow-pumpkin-farm-M41599#.TxGRIhw6H50.blogger">Hollow Pumpkin Farm - LocalHarvest</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-85062834063843775482012-01-11T08:13:00.006-06:002012-01-11T08:50:00.793-06:00Update on Hollow Pumpkin's winter experiment.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIQczxtBf6L6Ktr7sqJIG5vX7uuLDAqYdDRgHzCx9EvBwmYRMA65BvFHifqQuPqWBgVW6omXytjge6AOxQcuoy0jcouHFhbt2NeuCpIyHWyXtvjURJyh13dUXToRkxotHNRAyZkbj3CA/s1600/sarah+Lewison+and+steve+newsletter.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIQczxtBf6L6Ktr7sqJIG5vX7uuLDAqYdDRgHzCx9EvBwmYRMA65BvFHifqQuPqWBgVW6omXytjge6AOxQcuoy0jcouHFhbt2NeuCpIyHWyXtvjURJyh13dUXToRkxotHNRAyZkbj3CA/s320/sarah+Lewison+and+steve+newsletter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696377562201629330" /></a>We originally scheduled our experiment with season extension to begin on January 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> 2012. However, Steve had to rethink that start date due to the amount of rain we had toward the last half of 2012, the timing of planting and the slow growth of the vegetables in the hoop house. So, we did two things, we cut back on the amount of membership we would take in for this particular experiment and we began in December of 2011. Our goal was to see if it was possible to provide a fair variety of high quality produce in the Southern Illinois region in January and February when this area is lacking in local organically grown produce. The weather is the determining factor in this experiment. Hoop houses help, but they still cannot prevent frost damage from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">occurring</span> unless, of course, a farmer wants to keep a wood burning stove going 24/7 which is near to impossible if that farmer wants to get anything else done. The other issue, that is of importance to winter vegetable growth, is the amount of sunlight or lack there of. As the days are shorter in the winter months so is the amount of sunshine the plants are exposed to. The lack of longer hours of sunshine is a huge contributing factor to the very slow growth of the plants. We are certainly learning, and we have been able to provide some very good produce to our members. The variety is, of course, lower than it would be in the spring and summer and it is also trickier as we move into January and February. So we are not quite done with the experiment yet. We have three more distributions.<div><br /></div><div>The reason for writing this post is to let everyone know that we will be reassessing how we will be achieving season extension for this year. Because of this reassessment our information about the 2012-2013 Winter/Spring section of the C.S.A. is yet to be determined and we will be working on getting everyone more current information soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>We felt that it was necessary to conduct this experiment to learn what the possibilities were. One of the things we pride ourselves on is being able to provide what we say we are going to provide. We never want to overextend ourselves and find that we are letting our membership down. We are very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">grateful</span> to the folks who are participating in this experiment and we are thankful for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">every one's</span> patience and understanding as we go through these experiments to learn more about this regions possibilities for continuous sustainability. Ultimately, that is our goal! </div><div><br /></div><div> <b>In the mean time,</b> <b>we are taking memberships for the 2012 24 week Summer/Fall section of the C.S.A. If anyone has any questions or would like to come and visit the farm, please feel free to contact us at: fran.hollowpumpkin@gmail.com </b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-54105496553070073272012-01-06T09:22:00.004-06:002012-01-06T09:44:00.406-06:00Half Way Through the Experiment<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrgz45xzJeaEEJrtx7_LcyNeOyYz_ZRu1pyx-4OA1MDHdXIq6B2z-NgNMzg_w5dz7W3t3TlLl9o0X3N6tvJHY5TWrJoJw-VUVvI-jsER_wOf9Eqk-io0TdXVKeWIkvaMCq3g6O3-FcC0/s1600/winter+greens+2012blog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrgz45xzJeaEEJrtx7_LcyNeOyYz_ZRu1pyx-4OA1MDHdXIq6B2z-NgNMzg_w5dz7W3t3TlLl9o0X3N6tvJHY5TWrJoJw-VUVvI-jsER_wOf9Eqk-io0TdXVKeWIkvaMCq3g6O3-FcC0/s320/winter+greens+2012blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694539964050176034" /></a>Happy new year to everyone. We are at our half way point in our season extension experiment. So far so good. The weather has been unusually warm for January in good old Southern Illinois - at least during the day time. Most of the produce we have been distributing in our Winter/Spring share bags has been produce from the Fall such as oriental greens: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bok</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">choy</span> tat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">soi</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">senposai</span>. There has been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">napa</span> cabbage, chard, broccoli, turnips, fennel, parsley and, of course, sweet potatoes. Most of these items can be stored for a while. Sweet potatoes need to be stored at 50 degree temperature or higher and should be stored in a crate or a paper bag, never plastic. The greens, broccoli, cabbage and turnips will keep in the refrigerator.<div><br /></div><div>For the next three distributions we may be adding kale, and we hope carrots. If the warmth holds out the carrots may size enough. It is a wait and see moment folks. there are veggies Steve planted but have refused to size like beets, and there are things we planted that just did not work out, like parsnips and items we usually plant but did not have time to this past year like leeks. We will try for next fall, winter an spring to bring some of those things back.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are learning, bit by bit, what to do and what not to do so we are pleased that the experiment is working so far. We encourage feed back from our brave Winter/Spring section participants! We also want to thank them for allowing us the opportunity to learn and grow and hopefully serve the Southern Illinois community all year round in the future! Well, at least most of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is to a very prosperous and healthy new year to everyone! Happy eating.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-58877159988384936202011-12-28T13:53:00.003-06:002011-12-28T14:22:21.722-06:00The Farmer Who Dreams of Eggplants<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenlgmgWe5QWRW0v5iHb7soOcOpu8Jm_Ni3Vf0spp8ybLffMGqPpowwpb29zhsqpA-eeruu8qG9IXN1Ibfr8NdZ5hwamWCvCqWPuz4pYsh0HbuyUsGIzDZVoWgKOxiIqQ5wTw9pe624Sg/s1600/oriental+greens+2011+winterblog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenlgmgWe5QWRW0v5iHb7soOcOpu8Jm_Ni3Vf0spp8ybLffMGqPpowwpb29zhsqpA-eeruu8qG9IXN1Ibfr8NdZ5hwamWCvCqWPuz4pYsh0HbuyUsGIzDZVoWgKOxiIqQ5wTw9pe624Sg/s320/oriental+greens+2011+winterblog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691270079839516866" /></a>2011 is almost over. We have had record rains this year and yet, Steve has been very pleased with how the 2011 Summer/Fall harvest went. There were a few disappointments in 2011 such as the loss of our corn crop and apples to the raccoons. For the most part we have had a very successful year. Our membership in our C.S.A. increased in a manageable manner and we hope we will continue to grow in 2012. We try to take it slowly and we try not to over extend ourselves so we may learn and improve each year. This year also brought an experiment to our door step. We have begun to experiment with season extension, specifically here in Southern Illinois. Southern Illinois brings some challenges with it and right now we are all trying to learn what will grow inside our new high tunnel during our winter months and what will winter over in the fields and retain a high quality for our C.S.A. members. We have taken on a few Winter/Spring members to test the waters. If all goes well we will continue to grow this section of our C.S.A. like we have been doing with the Summer/Fall section. We will make any adjustments that are necessary to have a productive season extension in the future. <div><br /></div><div>When I met Steve, I had no idea the extent of his passion for farming and supplying the community with healthy organically grown produce. I found out, quite rapidly I might add, one evening when Steve began to mumble in his sleep. What was he mumbling about, you might ask? Well, it was not about me, I can assure you. Most men dream of warm places with beautiful women - Steve was mumbling about eggplants, yes, EGGPLANTS! That is when I realized that Steve has just about the largest passion for farming than anyone I know and his talent for it meets his passion. It was then that I decided to hop on board to help Steve to realize some of the goals for the farm that he had not been able to in the past. Now, we are about to enter our fourth year with the C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture), we received a grant to put up our second high tunnel green house, and we are considering goats, chickens and ducks for the future! <b>It all happens because of our dedicated members and supporters! We can all be proud that we are a part of the growth a of sustainable, healthy food supply for our community and we can be proud that we are examples for others to join in on cleaning up our worlds food supplies. </b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-73688477058298957382011-11-07T09:06:00.000-06:002011-11-07T09:07:42.408-06:00Here They Are: The 2011 Hollow Pumpkin Farm Volunteers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_8yI2PPHtROXzkHQ1XZs217PcCI6tbn42UwtZ3mtPURcGJf-DgTVV8oziZutbZ466mFNi8tqlHuIms-wzsZ3KIZhYeDzwPiuOspWrb7Bpm-j0Ak3mNDI10pflMvLDNvOADb-KVMA5ZQ/s1600/volunteers+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_8yI2PPHtROXzkHQ1XZs217PcCI6tbn42UwtZ3mtPURcGJf-DgTVV8oziZutbZ466mFNi8tqlHuIms-wzsZ3KIZhYeDzwPiuOspWrb7Bpm-j0Ak3mNDI10pflMvLDNvOADb-KVMA5ZQ/s1600/volunteers+blog.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2011 Hollow Pumpkin Farm Volunteers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last evening Steve and I held a <b>Thank You</b> dinner for all of the 2011 farm volunteers. We were tickled pink to have most of our 2011 volunteers come out to the farm last evening to share a meal with us. We love bringing folks together and many of our volunteers got to meet each other last evening. Not all of our volunteers could make it so the photo is not complete. We would like to give a shout out to: Chris and Caroll Long, Mike Long and his lovely wife Julia who recently gave birth to their second child. Betsy Herman and her son Noah, Orlan Mays, Patty Weyhrich and Jordan McCoy, who did come out to the dinner but did not make it into the group photo. Lisa Barnes and Talia Cruz, If we have forgotten anyone we hope you will forgive us. We cannot do what we do without you! Each volunteer brings their own skills and knowledge with them and each and everyone of them worked their butts off when they were out here.<br />
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If anyone is interested in volunteering to work on the farm and learn about organic farming and bring home some great veggies - please contact Steve and Fran at: fran.hollowpumpkin@gmail.com or call: (618) 697-6154 or (618) 614-2233. Remember - We can make our community and region sustainable, our food banks and the most needy of us fed if we help each other!<br />
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Steve Smith and Fran JaffeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-74561702850323131332011-11-06T13:36:00.002-06:002011-11-07T08:46:31.612-06:00Food: Local Sustainability and Helping Each Other and the Community<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidE9L9p6XlVyfKpM2-bnE_Kghn-43tpBRSW93lk5H8FdlZ35U_8K8Eh2BuSCaWX6D229odklO91jYT6cs0HRxmRv0x_-k92CNK6wdzZ13xJayQQHjFMEtRNBb1wLR8oDPimhUC_GglK9o/s1600/green+beans+newsletter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidE9L9p6XlVyfKpM2-bnE_Kghn-43tpBRSW93lk5H8FdlZ35U_8K8Eh2BuSCaWX6D229odklO91jYT6cs0HRxmRv0x_-k92CNK6wdzZ13xJayQQHjFMEtRNBb1wLR8oDPimhUC_GglK9o/s1600/green+beans+newsletter.jpg" /></a></div>
Finally, a new post. We are coming to the end of the 2011 Summer/Fall section. There are three more distributions. We are gearing up for the new Winter/Fall section which begins on January 11th 2012. We are only taking 12 members for the first year of this section. There are 6 more slots left. If anyone is interested in receiving a detailed sheet about our various packages please email: fran.hollowpumpkin@gmail.com and we will send you all of the information. Deadline for payment for the Winter/Spring section alone is December 1st of 2011.<br />
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As some of you may know, Fran has been involved with the "Occupy" movement. Since the beginning of Hollow Pumpkin's history, Steve has always been a contributor to the Food Pantry and to Good Samaritan as well as truly sharing with his neighbors in the Anna region and beyond. One of the things the Carbondale section of the Occupy movement has been focusing on is how to improve our communities sustainability, work on local issues and to create an inclusive atmosphere. One of the focuses is about the depletion of our regional food banks and how to feed our community in need. To that end there is a section of "Occupy" that is called Occupy Hunger Southern Illinois. We would like to pass some information onto our readers about this local collective of farms, organizations and individuals. There are roles to play by farms and organizations but we will focus on the role of the individual today.<br />
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Here are some suggestions, from Occupy Hunger, as to how individuals can contribute to this effort:<br />
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1. Grow your own food - plant more than you need and donate the excess.<br />
2. Help your neighbors do the same<br />
3. Try new crops and give the excess away<br />
4. What you don't grow, buy from local producers when possible<br />
5. Purchase extra items, even if it is a small amount or a few extra cans or packages of something, at the farmers market or when you shop, at the Co-op for instance, and donate to your local charity/food bank or get in touch with Occupy Hunger at<a href="http://www.occupyhungersoil.blogspot.com/"> <b>www.occupyhungersoil.blogspot.com</b></a> and find out if they are collecting to do a mass distribution and bring your extra items to their drop point.<br />
6. Don't buy GMO food or seed<br />
7. Volunteer to transport food to the local food banks and other items needed. (contact Occupy Hunger)<br />
8. Volunteer to work for one of the producers (Farms) in the region!<br />
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These are just some of the ways we, as a community can become self sustaining and sustainable for the benefit of the environment, community and each of ourselves individually. (Not to mention the health benefits.) If we help each other we help ourselves!<br />
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<b>To address the 8th item on the above list </b>- Steve and I have been very blessed here on Hollow Pumpkin Farm this 2011 season. We have had many, many volunteers come out to help all of whom showed an interest in learning about organic farming and helping Steve in the process. Steve has had a lot of fun sharing his knowledge and friendship with this marvelous group of individuals. We will have photo's of most of them in our next posting after this evenings Volunteer Thank You Dinner. Stay tuned.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-33430957709480426152011-09-15T11:59:00.000-05:002011-09-15T12:33:04.431-05:00What is a C.S.A.? Reflections and History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32jL6aiPGRoVuIjfVeTxcmSSMeLoyJRAhGz-ZMV00G5zVZNiIvA0Hz_TqpWy21LM-RgNqxFsvdYQUjs4M5_D-KPDuCPefZZDH-vQWFwtOg5GgHgdBLCf-Ylm-Vfj6IQOwZ3hEMgNAKaA/s1600/pumpkins+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32jL6aiPGRoVuIjfVeTxcmSSMeLoyJRAhGz-ZMV00G5zVZNiIvA0Hz_TqpWy21LM-RgNqxFsvdYQUjs4M5_D-KPDuCPefZZDH-vQWFwtOg5GgHgdBLCf-Ylm-Vfj6IQOwZ3hEMgNAKaA/s1600/pumpkins+newsandblog.jpg" /></a></div>
The winter squash, pumpkins and salad mix are a sign that fall is coming on. Hollow pumpkin C.S.A. has nine more distributions for the Summer/Fall season and we are constantly hatching ideas for our new experimental Winter/Spring season. <b> The deadline for payment for this shorter season is December 1st 2011</b>. We will have 6 distributions over a 12 week period beginning Wednesday January 11th 2012 and the cost is $180.00. We will only be taking 12 members for our trial spin. We will increase membership each year. We also have membership packages which includes both the Winter/Spring 6 week section and the 24 week Summer/Fall section combined to make a full 30 weeks of C.S.A. distribution for the year. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Early turnip discounts apply prior to December 1st 2011 for the full 30 weeks, and prior to January 1st 2012 for the 24 week Summer/Fall section For more detailed information please contact us at: fran.hollowpumpkin@gmail.com</span></b><br />
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This seems like a good time to reflect on what a Community Supported Agricultural endeavor is all about. I found a great web page on the history of C.S.A's and how they came to America and what is in store for the future of C.S.A.'s. Below is part one of this informative series. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 525px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="bodyCopy" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span class="breakHead" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #006600;">The History of Community Supported Agriculture, Part I</span></span><br />
<span class="articleTitle" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">Community Farms in the 21st Century:<br />Poised for Another Wave of Growth?</span><br />
<span class="subTitle" style="color: #669900; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #669900;">This is the first in a two-part series exploring the birth of the CSA movement in the United States as well as the potentials for this</span></span><br />
<span class="subTitle" style="color: #669900; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #669900;"> growing and successful model of community agriculture.</span></span><br />
By Steven McFadden</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Then and now, harvest is a family affair at Indian Line Farm*</span></div>
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Over the last 18 years Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)<br />
has taken root in North America with moderate speed and has<br />
gradually grown to include as many as 1,700 farms spread over<br />
every region. Against a surging tide of decline for small<br />
farms in general, CSA has set roots deep and wide.<br />
CSA is providing direct support for hundreds of small farms<br />
and clean local food for thousands of families.<br />
As side benefits, CSA is also establishing a matrix of<br />
environmental oases, building networks of families<br />
who are cultivating new and healthy aspects of community life,<br />
and helping to shape a new vision of agriculture.<br />
As CSA approaches its 20th anniversary, the possibility<br />
of a substantial third wave of development looms large.<br />
The workable paths are well known by now; meanwhile,<br />
a host of food- and farm-related issues is steadily building<br />
a groundswell underneath this grass-roots movement.<br />
Oddly, the origins of CSA in the United States have remained i<br />
ndistinct and are routinely reported incorrectly.<br />
<div class="breakHead" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">
PART I: The Origins of CSA in America—Dispelling an<br />
“Agrarian Myth</div>
For years, one standard albeit erroneous telling of CSA’s history has<br />
been echoed<br />
in hundreds of articles and web sites.<br />
That version was recently repeated by<br />
Time magazine: "The CSA movement began in<br />
Japan some 30 years ago with<br />
a group of women alarmed by<br />
pesticides...Their teikei<br />
[partnerships with local farmers through annual subscriptions]<br />
spread to Europe and the U.S. From a single<br />
Massachusetts CSA in 1986,<br />
subscription farms in the U.S. have boomed..."(1)<br />
I can fault no reporters for repeating this false history.<br />
While I did know all<br />
along that CSA sprang forth from not one U.S. farm,<br />
but from two, for most<br />
of the past 18 years I also labored under the<br />
misimpression that some of<br />
CSA’s inspiration had come from Japan,<br />
for that is what I read everywhere.<br />
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<tr><td class="footer" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">Robyn Van En (facing forward at right), her son, David, and other founding members hammer out the early details of the Indian Line Farm CSA. David was later instrumental in seeing the property transferred successfully from the Van En estate to the CSA farmers and shareholders. Photo by Clemens Kalischer</td></tr>
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But that’s not how it happened.<br />
An email discussion on the CSA-L list<br />
(<a href="http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/CSA-L/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/CSA-L/index.html</a>)<br />
piqued my curiosity. Correspondents such as<br />
Wolfgang Stranz of Germany,<br />
Allan Balliett of West Virginia, and Connie Falk<br />
of New Mexico uncovered<br />
many of the details of how CSA unfolded here<br />
in the United States.<br />
I’ve been reporting on CSA since 1987,<br />
so when I read their postings,<br />
I was prompted to research the movement’s<br />
beginnings to unearth<br />
a clearer sense of what really happened and why.<br />
I also wanted to<br />
see how the beginnings might bear upon the<br />
present and the future.<br />
I learned that while community farm initiatives<br />
got under way in both<br />
Japan and Chile in the early 1970s, those efforts<br />
did not directly influence<br />
the 1986 start of the CSA movement in the states.<br />
The U.S. impulse came<br />
from Europe, and specifically from the biodynamic<br />
agricultural tradition.<br />
The ideas that informed the first two American CSAs<br />
were articulated<br />
in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher<br />
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925),<br />
and then actively cultivated in post- WW II Europe<br />
in the 1950s, 1960s,<br />
and 1970s. The ideas crossed the Atlantic and<br />
came to life in a new form,<br />
CSA, simultaneously but independently in 1986 at<br />
both Indian Line Farm<br />
in Massachusetts and Temple-Wilton Community Farm<br />
in New Hampshire.<br />
The two original CSA farms are still thriving as of 2004.<br />
Both have established enduring legacies, even though<br />
they have confronted many challenges over the years.<br />
The stories of these two farms illustrate many of the challenges<br />
the entire<br />
CSA movement faces. Their stories also demonstrate many<br />
of the potentials.<br />
<span class="breakHead" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">Indian Line Farm</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Robin Van En (center) and other Indian Line members divide shares following a harvest*</span></div>
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Susan Witt was there at the beginning. She is director of the<br />
E.F. Schumacher Society, headquartered about a mile down<br />
the road from Indian Line Farm in<br />
South Egremont, Mass.<br />
Susan recalls that articles in Rodale’s Organic Gardening<br />
magazine<br />
(2) attracted a young gardener named Jan Vander Tuin to South<br />
Egremont in 1985,<br />
where he met with her, Robyn Van En and other members<br />
of the community.<br />
According to a 1992 article that Vander Tuin wrote for RAIN<br />
magazine (3), he had been working on a biodynamic farm named<br />
Topinambur near Zurich, Switzerland. He also traveled to explore<br />
other farms—Birsmatterhof in Germany (close to Basel, Switzerland)<br />
and Les Jardins de Cocagne in Geneva,<br />
Switzerland. Vander Tuin noted that the producer-consumer<br />
food alliance in<br />
Geneva had been founded by a man inspired by the co-op<br />
movement in Chile<br />
during Salvador Allende’s administration (1970-73).These<br />
experiences shaped<br />
Vander Tuin’s thinking as he returned to the United States<br />
and began talking with<br />
Witt, Van En, John Root, Jr., Andrew Lorand, and others. Each individual<br />
was generally knowledgeable about anthroposophy and biodynamic farming<br />
(two pillars of Steiner’s legacy).<br />
Witt recalls that their discussions were informed by Steiner’s concept of<br />
world economy, and she felt the work of the Schumacher Society best put<br />
those ideas into practice. "One of Steiner’s major concepts was the<br />
producer-consumer association, where consumer and producer are<br />
linked by their mutual interests," she explained. "And one of Schumaker’s<br />
major concepts was ‘to develop an economy where you produce locally<br />
what is consumed locally.’ We began to see CSA as a way to bring these<br />
key ideas together."<br />
<br />
In those early days there was much talk of biodynamics and<br />
anthroposophy and the "Small is beautiful" philosophy of<br />
E.F. Schumacher, as Witt recalls, but definitely no talk of Japan.<br />
"None of us had heard yet of what was happening in Japan."<br />
On this point, Anthony Graham and Trauger Groh of the<br />
Temple-Wilton Community farm agree. None of the CSA<br />
pioneers in the United States had heard a word about teikei in Japan.<br />
As Anthony recalls, "We (Anthony, Trauger, Lincoln Geiger) all went to<br />
a conference in Kimberton, Pennsylvania, as well as a group from<br />
South Egremont including I believe Robyn Van En. This was after both<br />
of our farms had started, maybe a year later. A speaker at the conference<br />
mentioned what was going on in Japan, and that was the first any of us<br />
learned about it."<br />
In autumn 1985, with Vander Tuin’s enthusiasm added to the wherewithal<br />
of the rest of the community, the Massachusetts group undertook a project<br />
with an apple orchard. Root and a community of developmentally disabled<br />
people<br />
from nearby Berkshire Village sold 30 shares in the orchard,<br />
then picked, sorted,<br />
and distributed 360 bushels of apples, as well as cider,<br />
hard cider, and vinegar.<br />
While that project was under way, the core group made plans.<br />
They began as the<br />
CSA Garden at Great Barrington (not Indian Line Farm) an unincorporated<br />
association<br />
managed on behalf of all shareholders, with Witt, Root, Van En and<br />
Jan Vander Tuin acting as principals. The association entered into a<br />
three-year lease with Van En to use land at Indian Line Farm for a garden<br />
starting in 1986, the same year the Temple-Wilton Community Farm started<br />
about 80 miles to the northeast in New Hampshire.<br />
The association that leased Indian Line Farm held onto the name CSA Gardens<br />
at Great Barrington until 1990, when there was a difficult split. Robyn stayed on<br />
her land; the farmers and many members departed to form the Mahaiwe Harvest<br />
CSA at nearby Sunways Farm.<br />
Robyn went on to write the pamphlet "Basic Formula to Create Community Supported Agriculture," to produce a video "It’s not just About Vegetables," and in 1992 to<br />
found CSA North America (CSANA), a nonprofit clearinghouse to support CSA<br />
development.<br />
In 1997 at age 49, Robyn died of an asthma attack. Her contributions were later<br />
recognized in the naming of a national clearinghouse of information,<br />
the Robyn Van En Center for CSA Resources.<br />
After Van En’s death, her son was forced to sell the farm. The farmers who<br />
had been working the land could not afford to buy it. But with the help of the<br />
Schumacher Society, they partnered with a community land trust and<br />
The Nature Conservancy to buy Indian Line Farm in 1999. This partnership<br />
serves as a model for other CSAs.<br />
According to Susan Witt, the key idea of the Indian Line Farm<br />
transaction is this: The consumers actively took responsibility to<br />
hold farmland open and to make that land available and affordable<br />
for farmers over a long term. Other CSAs, she said, should give serious<br />
consideration to this basic idea.<br />
<div class="breakHead" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">
The Temple-Wilton Community Farm</div>
Anthony Graham was among the founders of the Temple-Wilton<br />
(TW) Community Farm, along with Trauger Groh and dairyman<br />
Lincoln Geiger. Anthony remembers that they were all talking with<br />
one another back in 1985. "Trauger had just moved to New Hampshire<br />
from Germany. He and I and Lincoln and others in this community<br />
were talking intensively, making plans. One day in the autumn we<br />
drove out to South Egremont to meet with the people there and share ideas.<br />
There was a lot of excitement.<br />
"The folks in Western Massachusetts had their approach and we had ours,<br />
" Anthony recalled. "A lot of our inspiration for the Temple-Wilton farm came<br />
out of discussing with Trauger what he knew from Germany, and from the<br />
Camphill Village in Copake, New York, in 1961.”<br />
Through the 1970s and early 1980s, Trauger, Carl-August Loss, and<br />
other farmers at Buschberghof in Northern Germany had been<br />
experimenting with ideas from the work of Rudolf Steiner.<br />
Then Trauger met Alice Bennett of New Hampshire.<br />
They were wed and he moved to be with her.<br />
"Back in 1985, out of our discussions with Trauger,<br />
we decided on our approach,” remembers Anthony.<br />
“We asked members of the farm community for a pledge<br />
rather than asking them to pay a fixed price for a share of the harvest.<br />
We realized that the members of our community had a wide range of needs<br />
and incomes and that one set price was not necessarily fair for every family.<br />
What we do each year is to present a budget showing the true costs of the<br />
farm over the coming year and then ask the members of the farm to make<br />
pledges to meet the budget.<br />
"Our approach works. It requires honesty and good will, but it works,” Anthony says.<br />
The last four or five years, our annual budget meeting with the farm<br />
members has only taken about 45 minutes. It’s fast, up front, and<br />
everyone understands it by now."<br />
The overall philosophy of the TW Farm evolved from some of Steiner's<br />
ideas spelled out in his anthroposophical writings. Some of the farm’s<br />
key ideas are:<br />
<strong>New forms of property ownership</strong>—The land is held in a common<br />
by a community through a legal trust. The trust then leases its property<br />
long-term to farmers who use the land to grow food for the community.<br />
<strong>New forms of cooperation</strong>—A network of human relations replaces old systems<br />
of employers and employees as well as replacing the practice of<br />
pledging material security (land, buildings, etc.) to banks.<br />
<strong>New forms of economy</strong> – (associative economy). The guiding question is not<br />
"how do we increase profits?" but rather "what are the actual needs of the land<br />
and of the people involved in this enterprise?"<br />
Trauger Groh is retired from active farming but stays close to the TW Farm.<br />
As he looks back over the years, he said he feels satisfaction.<br />
The farm has found a permanent home on good land and has also<br />
secured an orchard. In 2003, he said, the farm had a record harvest,<br />
and it received funding support from state, federal and local sources.<br />
"The farm will easily raise the rest of the money," Trauger said. "There is<br />
enormous public interest. Wilton has voted at town meeting two years in a<br />
row to spend $40,000 of taxpayer money to support the farm and its programs.<br />
Now remember, this is in skinflint New Hampshire, where a request for money<br />
for a new light bulb can cause a knockdown, drag-out debate. Not one person<br />
has ever stood to speak against the funding request for the farm.<br />
"Now is when all our work is paying off," Trauger observed.<br />
"We have a track record of 18 years. People know us and trust us.<br />
They can see what we are doing for the land and for the community."<br />
Reflecting on the start of CSA in America 18 years ago, Trauger said "As<br />
with all great ideas, the idea of CSA had arrived. It just needed to emerge.<br />
The time was ripe. Who started at what hour is totally unimportant. What is<br />
important is that the CSA initiative has emerged and developed, and there is<br />
now a base for people to carry forward."</td></tr>
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<br />
If you are interested in reading part two of this series please click on this link: <a href="http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/features/0204/csa2/part2.shtml">http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/features/0204/csa2/part2.shtml</a><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The faces below are of Hollow Pumpkin Farm's most recent "Farm Angels," which is what community is all about. Many other folks in the community have come out from time to time to also lend a hand. We are forever thankful for these folks and they remind us of what the C.S.A. is really all about!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATkwGU67g8pffbFHIU1Dy1MwE71fXnpX4JabOlF-zwVRFqmzYwIiATjZo4nBcrFpdv8jiG-YgH4CQZcZqukFEBH1TxV2-2PwqAXk5iQjGh2chH5TizdSphq7jN9loTCbZSRVDqHGDIJA/s1600/Jessica+Allee+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATkwGU67g8pffbFHIU1Dy1MwE71fXnpX4JabOlF-zwVRFqmzYwIiATjZo4nBcrFpdv8jiG-YgH4CQZcZqukFEBH1TxV2-2PwqAXk5iQjGh2chH5TizdSphq7jN9loTCbZSRVDqHGDIJA/s1600/Jessica+Allee+newsandblog.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica Allee</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuPvJjWU7yK9D81cZur7J_90j1f1d8L4cFKlW6EJVuyAvXSMqcUnEHa7RQv6qyfQ858xn_qoXkQFJq7BEgjBd3heDOyuu7MUprrnERJLn50ZgyZw3p58ys2edkliysypEO7xLiCEheME/s1600/Tod+Kington+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuPvJjWU7yK9D81cZur7J_90j1f1d8L4cFKlW6EJVuyAvXSMqcUnEHa7RQv6qyfQ858xn_qoXkQFJq7BEgjBd3heDOyuu7MUprrnERJLn50ZgyZw3p58ys2edkliysypEO7xLiCEheME/s1600/Tod+Kington+newsandblog.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tod Kington</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMU1oa57Ao7jsljIPdmpHnEC5I8JjkjpzEnCvOkceeSkhvBOi2P5POOOm57oxotT1xWtb-m93id-JIS8i4d5PJYc7G5yYWRwrMgBRHfGZxDg7YsCYr9wVz11JIR2YHO8QwLmqWaBwBQY/s1600/sarah+news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMU1oa57Ao7jsljIPdmpHnEC5I8JjkjpzEnCvOkceeSkhvBOi2P5POOOm57oxotT1xWtb-m93id-JIS8i4d5PJYc7G5yYWRwrMgBRHfGZxDg7YsCYr9wVz11JIR2YHO8QwLmqWaBwBQY/s1600/sarah+news.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah Tezak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONULSvQFEMwoGqKZBZGJmtg-wF7dlz3C9rb8bmSUnKm7_glcvAxvyB7Bq1NxeTctjm9TcK7PYISY-vpd57I4USFy1o5cRknBTm-Yycd1oygMzb-2PoRLCvgAwb7TxvhiMwTIZV_C0uPI/s1600/Talia+C+news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONULSvQFEMwoGqKZBZGJmtg-wF7dlz3C9rb8bmSUnKm7_glcvAxvyB7Bq1NxeTctjm9TcK7PYISY-vpd57I4USFy1o5cRknBTm-Yycd1oygMzb-2PoRLCvgAwb7TxvhiMwTIZV_C0uPI/s1600/Talia+C+news.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talia Cruz</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-81012066287125252002011-09-01T16:39:00.000-05:002011-09-01T16:44:00.867-05:00Hollow Pumpkin C.S.A.: Past The Halfway Point<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5k7lpJgvXzwTsgOEdgFUjahdneFKzpULHjH20KA4qRG1ZZUjm3KxU5WrdRG_AxZyKIKG84Tg0prub-7ScRHBQWLUgcBVONau-MotwbfEqPZEzW4KH0RiB8_hStxYaMto014K2WTTLAk/s1600/pumpkins+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5k7lpJgvXzwTsgOEdgFUjahdneFKzpULHjH20KA4qRG1ZZUjm3KxU5WrdRG_AxZyKIKG84Tg0prub-7ScRHBQWLUgcBVONau-MotwbfEqPZEzW4KH0RiB8_hStxYaMto014K2WTTLAk/s1600/pumpkins+newsandblog.jpg" /></a>It's been a while since the last posting and now Hollow Pumpkin's 2011 season is past the halfway point. The season has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. The weather began a bit bumpy and got much better so the crops came in fairly well. The pests, such as raccoon, rabbits and deer, have been on the increase so we lost our corn and unfortunately it looks like the coons have taken to most of our apples and pears. So the fruit crop this season has been a bit sad. The musk melons have been fabulous this season and we do have pumpkins this season. The harvest is going to be small so we will probably not have pumpkins for the farmers market but we are going to do our best to supply our C.S.A. members with some pretty pumpkins. The photo you see does have a yellow pumpkin in it. We like the yellow tone of this pumpkin. The rain has not been abundant lately and it has taken a toll on our tomatoes as well as our summer squash. Usually we have too much summer squash but this year the field played out early. Steve is planting another large round of fall crops and we believe that this will be a good fall season. I, for one, am looking forward to green leafy veggies and a bounty of winter squash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8ZrhUpe22RaN0__aTtoW4GavK2IkJAPebUkAfc9QuXJ5MWSiWgIs3Enc8nCFmL1HmONw6e_Ac-x8Y25oxCZdL_7tOol06PD0uIQm9ebxIWhUUrXUV7bSnv0rAjBoMw0BCYePXiA6ViA/s1600/Jessica+Allee+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8ZrhUpe22RaN0__aTtoW4GavK2IkJAPebUkAfc9QuXJ5MWSiWgIs3Enc8nCFmL1HmONw6e_Ac-x8Y25oxCZdL_7tOol06PD0uIQm9ebxIWhUUrXUV7bSnv0rAjBoMw0BCYePXiA6ViA/s1600/Jessica+Allee+newsandblog.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Lw_QUmklaIbEDciOvILPgrPqLGavgXCpD_OMEoc3grrxR8jNcv3oh3VwIy-V1Giby6wLBXq6kxxqsrDx7EGf62BZGNNhfgoBKvvK7mqA09OnZb7PyEXbEHSxCV5ItMneKLUIkcyixTQ/s1600/Tod+Kington+newsandblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Lw_QUmklaIbEDciOvILPgrPqLGavgXCpD_OMEoc3grrxR8jNcv3oh3VwIy-V1Giby6wLBXq6kxxqsrDx7EGf62BZGNNhfgoBKvvK7mqA09OnZb7PyEXbEHSxCV5ItMneKLUIkcyixTQ/s1600/Tod+Kington+newsandblog.jpg" /></a>we'd like to give thanks to Jessica Allee and Tod Kington for coming out to the farm and putting in some long hot hours. Jessica comes on Mondays and Wednesdays. She helps with the C.S.A. Processing on Wednesdays. Tod comes out when he is needed. He gives us the extra man power that we need to do the heavy lifting and shoveling etc... Sarah Tezak has begun to come out on Fridays to help Steve get ready for the Farmers Market. She is a huge help to Steve. Finally, we had a surprise visitor the other day and that was Charlie Howe who is one of our beloved members. Not only did Charlie work very hard but he brought us a slice of elderberry pie that he made from the elderberries we gave out in a prior distribution. The pie was fabulous. We thank Charlie for coming out and lending a hand and encourage him to continue making pies, he does a great job. We hope the C.S.A. members are enjoying their C.S.A. experience and playing in the kitchen with all of the fresh organically grown veggies. Happy and Healthy eating to you all!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-23125825925586817742011-07-24T10:08:00.038-05:002011-07-24T11:05:25.802-05:00News from the Farm and Beyond<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJRM1SLLumhRUOmwezNgiIODBLh3UTZ5TcGynrxXuHHBFyQD_YzeEd5hlBO1OeZi4GfgC5C6ezjU3VjdQbCTWGzmR6VeomsLmpWd4ZQ8xm9FEUZ0XKqkfw6ipIGY3PFViW3-v7P2Mj-0/s1600/Rocky+Raccoon+II+news.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJRM1SLLumhRUOmwezNgiIODBLh3UTZ5TcGynrxXuHHBFyQD_YzeEd5hlBO1OeZi4GfgC5C6ezjU3VjdQbCTWGzmR6VeomsLmpWd4ZQ8xm9FEUZ0XKqkfw6ipIGY3PFViW3-v7P2Mj-0/s320/Rocky+Raccoon+II+news.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632939673470683794" /></a>Where to start? Well, we trapped our second raccoon "Rocky II" the sequel. We are continuing to be vigilant about setting the traps in the second corn field. We suspect that the Rocky series will be just as prolific as the movies.<div><br /></div><div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tomatillos</span> have arrived as well as our red potatoes. For week #8 of the 2011 C.S.A. we will have both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tomatillos</span> and red potatoes to offer as well as - cucumbers, garlic, bell peppers, some tomatoes, basil, dill and hot peppers and summer squash will be there as well.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wril8TCn6wdl2F5BH_APZ-6S_OPC9LhoQQ2nFkDl4E-k_GzqXy1Zzf7b2VJ3-rH9VeJmCJC9sH-QXqLYG1F-qxwkoFFXM4wxtV2evkM2AFW3D3FfhauLwc5mZnW2jsdBOyZPnLolRKo/s1600/Tomatillos+blog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wril8TCn6wdl2F5BH_APZ-6S_OPC9LhoQQ2nFkDl4E-k_GzqXy1Zzf7b2VJ3-rH9VeJmCJC9sH-QXqLYG1F-qxwkoFFXM4wxtV2evkM2AFW3D3FfhauLwc5mZnW2jsdBOyZPnLolRKo/s320/Tomatillos+blog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632939663215801378" /></a>We hope everyone is staying cool in this extended heat wave. The vegetables are a bit cranky and so we have continued our "Grab Bag" for the C.S.A. week #8 distribution. We all may have to rethink what to plant for the next season if the climate is indeed changing around these parts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Big thanks to all of our volunteer help: Lisa Barnes, Talia Cruz, Betsy Herman and Jessica. Also big thanks to Glen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Etzkorn</span> for helping with the harvest.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>My sister, who lives in Colorado, caught a blurb on NPR the other day about King Neptune the world war II Navy pig who came from, of all places, Mt. Pleasant in Union county which is very near to Anna and his resting place is in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cobden</span>. Here is a link to an article about the 700 lb World War II pig and his contributions. <a href="http://weku.fm/post/paying-attention-forgotten-navy-pigs-plaque">http://weku.fm/post/paying-attention-forgotten-navy-pigs-plaque</a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqIf7nCof0GtIqJhgD5CWGAyC9YV_qLpvpVO3f2Nz4xJR4zkTDnclImcX5BILU4k88yXQs7CkKvITirUYO1NtNmWFMRsKCB5YDrHRTfw0qeYt2Kr0QBEwnunBHJLtWFI-iOLBlxC-N60/s1600/king+neptune+the+pig.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqIf7nCof0GtIqJhgD5CWGAyC9YV_qLpvpVO3f2Nz4xJR4zkTDnclImcX5BILU4k88yXQs7CkKvITirUYO1NtNmWFMRsKCB5YDrHRTfw0qeYt2Kr0QBEwnunBHJLtWFI-iOLBlxC-N60/s320/king+neptune+the+pig.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632939657067326978" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The final photo is of some of the produce our members received last week on the 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> week of the C.S.A. distribution. There was arugula, some parsley, a mixture of white yellow and red onions, cherry tomatoes and slicers, basil, some cucumbers. We hope everyone enjoyed and we will be back for week #8 at the Co-op in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Carbondale</span> IL between 4pm and 6pm July 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">th</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Celebrate ripe, local, organically grown produce and happy eating one and all!</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3evyk7TeqRlgctLFmqjnLkVA-Kio9kBgVybYyIa7e0VK3DNewKu4g6PAOjq7Bwh1U66TBzT0aK1VxuyHcvtHVEwcLSTNBY1qEKbWCxX4rE5oAW-5CaWR4Kt44ItTdL2Ch2kSkjwQXzc/s1600/smallermixedbag7.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3evyk7TeqRlgctLFmqjnLkVA-Kio9kBgVybYyIa7e0VK3DNewKu4g6PAOjq7Bwh1U66TBzT0aK1VxuyHcvtHVEwcLSTNBY1qEKbWCxX4rE5oAW-5CaWR4Kt44ItTdL2Ch2kSkjwQXzc/s320/smallermixedbag7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632939653003603970" /></a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-91821319176432960722011-07-24T10:08:00.029-05:002011-07-24T10:08:29.522-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-66459140451407956042011-07-24T10:08:00.027-05:002011-07-24T10:08:29.215-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-39455216629722047772011-07-24T10:08:00.025-05:002011-07-24T10:08:28.792-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-90923414846391930182011-07-24T10:08:00.023-05:002011-07-24T10:08:28.652-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-25788526876347457082011-07-24T10:08:00.021-05:002011-07-24T10:08:28.483-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-17707041707769513742011-07-24T10:08:00.019-05:002011-07-24T10:08:28.266-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-2800342247847759692011-07-24T10:08:00.017-05:002011-07-24T10:08:27.419-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-72873845536160956622011-07-24T10:08:00.015-05:002011-07-24T10:08:27.234-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-59682003342877815582011-07-24T10:08:00.013-05:002011-07-24T10:08:26.986-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-26433137811055547132011-07-24T10:08:00.011-05:002011-07-24T10:08:26.136-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-80285002174167588532011-07-24T10:08:00.009-05:002011-07-24T10:08:25.985-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838128658008757813.post-16811896464718509562011-07-24T10:08:00.007-05:002011-07-24T10:08:25.826-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0