Hello Friends!

It’s the end of our third CSA season. Thank you again for participating and supporting our farm! Doug and I appreciate the investment you make into our farm every year and the trust you have placed with us as a supplier of your fresh produce. By paying up front for a share of this year’s harvest, you once again gave us resources and motivation to farm in harmony with our experience and our commitment to organic principles and long-term sustainability.  Supporting our community and taking care of our land so that we can grow and provide healthy food is our primary focus. We’ve enjoyed being your farmer and we look forward to serving you again.

The last pickups for this season will be Friday October 28 at Oak Street Natural Market and here on the farm. And Saturday October 29 at Webb City Farmers Market. Please return all of your empty boxes at your last pickup. We will use alternative boxes to package and deliver your last box.

Market farming for a CSA is challenging and interesting! We feel an enormous commitment to filling your box with a variety of produce that you enjoy. Again this year, we planted some crops that didn’t make it into the box (like mushrooms) and didn’t plant nearly enough of some vegetables.

Every season teaches us something…

• We tested a new beetle lure/trap from our friends at Lincoln University. That, in combination with row cover was very successful at keeping the bugs under control. We were actually able to produce more cucumbers and winter squash this year!
• Our beekeeper Dan Sellers placed two hives here on the farm in the springtime. We saw a noticeable increase in the pollination of the plants and Dan collected quite a bit of honey. Yum! We learned a great deal about apiaries. Thank you Dan!
• Doug inoculated logs with Shiitake mushroom spore in the spring. This is our first experience growing mushrooms. They are just now starting to “button” so we won’t get them into the boxes this year but are hopeful we will have a few to share at winter market. Come and see us.
• We grew turmeric this year!
• Yet again… Japanese beetles ate-every-single-peach. We are going to try insect netting next year. I think the chickens are even afraid of the beetles!
• We enjoyed seeing you at the Springtime Open House and hope to do it again next year.

For CSA to work for us, it has to work for you. Your feedback is invaluable, good or bad. Please share your thoughts and help us improve. It’s your CSA!

Thanks to our friends Tiffany and Bob Samuels at Oak Street Natural Market, for allowing members to pick up at the store, and… for encouraging us to start a CSA in the first place. Thanks to Bethany Kiele and Savithri and Jared Grant for help with the Spring Open House. Volunteers: Stephen Bramwell, Mark Baca, Emily Larson and Kym Baran.  We appreciate your help and fellowship in this market farming adventure!

With gratitude,

Doug & Karen