This past December, our Pilot winter CSA program was launched. The four month, 8 pick up program provided produce and products from the farm garden, root cellar, pantry, attic and kitchen as folks experienced the different varieties and learned about old-time storage and preservation methods. Over the course of this 8-week program, participants sampled a variety of baked goods and preserved (fresh, canned, and dried) foods. The last pick up for the winter CSA program is next weekend (5/21, 5/22, and 5/23). This has been a wildly successful endeavor we plan to repeat and increase, which was enjoyed by all who participated.
As the spring approaches, lots of interesting things are happening here at the farm.
- The 2014 CSA begins the first weekend in May (5/2, 5/3, and 5/4). Yes, you read that right. This year, we are open on Sunday afternoons from 1-5. CSA share availability is limited, so submit applications soon.
- Our native Food Forest is now in its third year. This is a special garden that has been created to re-establish native perennial foods, indigenous to this area that the Native American Indians hunted and gathered. Beginning this year, we should start seeing viable food production. For those of you who are not familiar with sunchokes, paw paws, muscadine grapes, Northern pecans, chinquapins, persimmons, and lastly wild asparagus, you will be educated here at the farm.
Speaking of bees, we only lost one hive of honeybees during the "Polar Vortex" that we have all dealt with this winter. The severe winter weather was predicted by some to affect up to 50% of colonies, so we consider ourselves very lucky.