First and foremost we hope this finds you and yours well and healthy during these challenging times we are facing.
One of the aspects of the farm that has always been so important and meaningful to us is the community that it nurtures through our connection to the land, to our seasonal food and to each other. Over 32 years as a CSA we have seen the land rejuvenate through our practices, apprentices become farmers, and a third generation of farm children being nourished by these magnificent fields. There is nothing that touches me more than seeing the children running around the farm, with that deep knowing/understanding that this is a normal way to be, to eat, and a normal way to interact with the land that feeds us and the people that grow our food. With that being said, these times are asking us to find other ways of being community. The Distribution Center that was a hub of people meeting people, friendly caring conversations, recipe exchanges etc. must now foster community in a different way.
~ For now we will portion out full individual shares into black baskets, so all you need to do is take a basket outside, transfer the contents into your own bags and place the empty basket in the designated spot outside where it will be left untouched for days. Looking forward to the days when we can go back to our market style system, more beautiful and with more choices, but for now this seems the safest way to go. We ask that you only touch the basket you take.
~ We disinfect the distribution center before you come, and use gloves and masks when we harvest/handle the vegetables.
~ Our sign-out sheet will be under the board as usual, but we ask that you bring your own pen/pencil to cross your name off when you come. If you forget to bring one, let me know and I’ll cross you off, or email me and let me know you came.
~ For Local Food Source purchases please bring exact change or pay by check written to CSG At Genesis Farm.
~ Please wear a mask and gloves when in the distribution center.
~ Keeping physical spacing in mind, we would like to keep a maximum of four people at a time in the distribution center. Please wait until someone comes out to take your turn if it’s a busy time. Enjoy the outdoors and open space the farm offers, it’s one of the perks of joining 🙂 I will be around to help and answer questions.
One of the difficulties for us humans during these times is the uncertainty and unpredictability that we are faced with. So much that we took for granted in our daily lives has shifted, morphed, or disappeared altogether. As farmers we are always reminded that working with Mother Nature is a dance that has its ups and downs, and requires much flexibility and ‘humbility’. We learn to be resilient in the face of the unpredictable nature of nature. These cold record breaking spring days and nights have affected our vegetable transplants in the fields, and slowed the growth of what we planned/hoped, for the early distributions. Thankfully, we are “Community” Supported Agriculture, and thanks to you we are not alone. We appreciate your understanding and sharing in this dance with us and Mother Nature. There are silver linings that brighten up these times. More and more people are cooking, baking and eating together, local food and local farms are in high demand. Our membership is sold out for the first time in years. The environment is cleaner, the birds are abundant and a family of foxes has made its home at Chan’s (our apprentice house). Even though we can’t hug our neighbors, we are reaching out and reconnecting with loved ones across the planet.
I hope there is a true shift in our culture, and that small local farms can thrive because it truly is the best way to eat and relate to our world, our environment, our bio-region, and not just a panic reaction to a pandemic. If we want access to clean local food during turbulent times, we must value it as a way of life at all times. Community Supported Agriculture is community supporting itself through agriculture. Thank you so much for being a part of it!
See you at the farm,
Smadar (for the CSG team)
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