Maysie's FarmMaysie's Farm Newsletter: Fresh from the Fields
May 2008

May 29, 2008
Greetings!

Our first FRIDAY pick-up is TOMORROW — May 30 (noon-6pm) Our First MONDAY pick-up is June 2 (1-7pm). Our first Jenkins pick-up is TUESDAY, June 3. The first day for the Anselma Mill Farmers' Market is WEDNESDAY, June 4 (2-7pm).

Before I forget (again)...there are a few events coming up at the farm that you may be interested in. On Thursday, June 19 from 8:30am-2pm we will be having a Down To Earth Gardening Workshop for kids ages 6 and up. This is a fun day where kids go through the whole farming process — seeding, transplanting, and harvesting — and make a delicious salad for lunch. We also play some games and do some outdo artwork. The cost is $30/child ($25 for members) which includes lunch and plants to take home.

Then on Friday, June 20, Maysie's Farm will host a Summer Solstice Potluck Dinner beginning at 6pm. Bring friends, family, and a potluck dish to share and come out and get to know other CSA members! There will be a sign up sheet in the barn.

As we begin the CSA season, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

— Try to remember to bring your own bags or containers to bring your food home in. If you forget, we have some in the barn. You can add to this stockpile, but please only add grocery store-style plastic or paper bags.

— For those people who are splitting their membership with another family...we expect only one family coming to the farm each week. Remember to always SIGN IN under the name of the "main" family (this also applies if you have someone else picking up for you on a given week).

— If you are splitting your membership with another family you can still order off of the website using your OWN name provided we have it on record! When you go online, you may see "no share-sharing" under your name but don't panic! That's only for our use when we generate the pick-up lists.

— PLEASE use the website for making schedule changes. I PROMISE: IT'S EASY TO DO! Let's say you want to change your pick-up day one week from a Friday to the next Monday. Log onto www.maysiesfarm.org, click on the red button on the home page which says something like "CSA Members order here." Initially you will have to set up an account by clicking that button, then typing in your email address (the one that we have), and choosing a username. The first time you're on, a password will be assigned to you. A page will come up with your name, email address, and calendar showing your pick-up days (you may have to scroll down to see the calendar). Just click on the day you want to change from and the day you want to change to (if any). Make sure you hit the button that says "Make changes" at the end.

— Ordering online from Ben (Pleasant Pastures Organic Acres) or (eventually) our other vendors is just as easy. After you initially set up your account, it's just a matter of typing in your username and password from our website. Deadline for ordering is 5pm Wednesday for FRIDAY pick-up and noon Friday for MONDAY pick-up. All checks should be made out to Ben Stoltzfus for products from Pleasant Pastures. As of this week, the website ordering system ALSO calculates the 20% delivery fee for Ben's products.

— There are products available in our new "store" that do NOT have to be pre-ordered:Ê soaps (prices marked), salmon while it lasts (prices marked), and cookbooks ($20 for the CSA cookbook, $30 for Farmer John's Cookbook). For these products we accept cash or checks made out to Maysie's Farm.

— We always need volunteers, especially on pick-up days. We like to have someone in the barn helping to answer questions, directing people to the pick-your-own beds, and restocking the vegetable boxes during pick-up times. It's easy, fun, and no experience is necessary! Even if you can spend an extra hour or two during your pick-up it would help us greatly! Respond to this email if you'd like to learn more about it. We also could use help in the garden with tending the herbs, re-establishing the Children's Garden, and weeding, weeding, weeding!

— Most of all, we truly want you to enjoy the CSA experience. We hope you not only enjoy the fresh, nutritious food, but that you're inspired to be more creative in the kitchen, and that you diversify your diet! Don't be afraid of the vegetables you're unfamiliar with (they may become your favorites!)! I will be including recipes in these CSA Updates beginning next week.

As always, we thank you for supporting local, sustainable farms! We could not do this without YOU!

See you (soon) at the farm!

~ Colleen

 
May 24, 2008
Greetings!

WOW! The CSA season is finally upon us! For our 2007 members who have NOT signed up again this year, this will be your LAST update. We thank you for your support of Maysie's Farm, and hope to see you at the Farmers' Market at Anselma Mill on Wednesdays from 2-7pm beginning June 4. (We do still have a few memberships available if you just haven't gotten around to it!)

NEW MEMBERS — don't forget about the Orientation Meeting at the farm this Tuesday evening, May 27 at 7pm. You'll learn more about the farm and how the weekly pick-ups run.

FRIDAY pick-ups begin next Friday, May 30 from noon-6pm. MONDAY pick-ups begin on Monday, June 2 from 1-7pm. Jenkins Arboretum pick-ups begin on Tuesday, June 3.

Our interactive website is up and running for all 2008 members. Go to the website (www.maysiesfarm.org), click the yellow button on the home page, and follow the directions to set up an account. YOU MUST USE THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU GAVE US ON YOUR MEMBERSHIP FORM (that's the one you're receiving this email on). You will initially be assigned a password, which you can later change. From the website you can cancel your pick up for a week, change your pick up day, and order from our cooperative marketing partners (right now, just Ben Stoltzfus's organic meats, eggs, and raw milk dairy products).

We have some new and exciting cooperative marketing ventures in the works for this year! Final details are still being worked out; keep watching these CSA Updates for more information. Ben's product and price list has been updated online, but please keep in mind that an additional 20% delivery fee will be added onto your bill for his products. Also, people buying his raw milk products will need to sign a C.A.R.E. contract (we will have copies in the barn).

In other exciting news...we are moving all of our cooperative farm products into the small "office" that is attached to the barn on the driveway side of the building. This new "store" should make it easy and efficient to buy other local, sustainable products, as well as free up some space in the vegetable distribution area. Come visit the new store, and make it part of your weekly CSA pick-up!

We are very much looking forward to a great season!

See you (soon) at the farm!

~ Colleen

 
CSA memberships for the 2007 season are going fast! Spread the word about Maysie's Farm to anyone you think may be interested in joining, and register BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Wish List
Looking to get rid of any of the following items? Maysie's Farm will put them to good use! The first three needs are for our new "office," which is (still) under construction in the old "staff room":

• Wooden file cabinets
• Small electric range/oven
• Sink base, under-counter cabinets, wall cabinets and a short length of countertop material
• Picnic table(s)
• Large outdoor canopy
• Solar powered walkway lights (ideally to match the two donated by Martha Thomae)
• Straw bale chopper (for mulching large areas)
• Assistance building a bio-diesel production system or a compost tea brewing system
• Diesel station wagon or delivery vehicle for use as our produce hauler (for the Farmers Market and our Farm and School partnership) that we could run on bio-diesel or vegetable oil
• Housing for potential Farm Manager
Please contact Sam at (610) 458-8129 if you can donate any of these items.

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