Box Program
We are currently piloting a small Farm Box or Community Supported Agriculture program, offering a limited number of shares or subscriptions that entitle the holders to 25 weeks of produce from our farm.
**As of April 10th, 2010 our program is fully subscribed. We are currently taking names for additional participants for 2011.**
Information about our box program is provided via the Hope Bay Farm CSA FAQ sheet.
What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects local farmers with local consumers. These consumers help cover the farmer’s operating expenses in exchange for shares of produce grown or raised. Shares are usually purchased via varying types of memberships or subscriptions.
As with any business, being a member of a CSA farm involves a certain amount of risk. Bad weather and other extenuating circumstances may limit production for a particular season. The shared risk is what helps to develop the sense of community between members and their farmer or farmers. Members are able to speak directly with their farmer, receive the freshest produce, and learn how it’s made. Member relationships are also cultivated through the sharing of knowledge and experience.
With CSA, farmers and growers have an assured market. This guarantee allows more time to focus on production rather than marketing and provides a fair return on their labor. Ultimately, participation in CSA farming helps to build stable local farming operations as well as local economies.
Hello folks. We open this Labour Day week on a wet note. While we need the moisture – we were hoping (and praying!) for a long, warm, dry fall to help ripen our warm weather crops like tomatoes and melons, which are way behind in their development. Unless things change, these items likely won’t be showing up in the boxes. In fact, this year, for the first time since moving to Pender, we may not have enough tomatoes for ourselves:(.
That said, we have managed to put a few ‘maters in this week’s boxes along with aardappels (earth apples), which we were fortunate to get out of the ground before the big rain on Sunday night.
Enjoy!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Salad mix; beets; amethyst radish; red chieftain potatoes; long English cucumbers; rainbow chard; yellow zucchini; and tomato "taster."
Partial Share Box: Salad mix; amethyst radish; red chieftain potatoes; long English cucumbers; and tomato "taster."
Hope everyone is well and enjoying the respite from the dry weather.
Bit of new types of veg in the boxes this week. Notably cabbage, Florence fennel and beets. Please eat the cabbage asap as it seems inclined towards decomposition. Not sure why – possibly because it was growing on ground that was a tad too rich.
Just a heads up for those of you who would like to participate more directly in our farm – in the coming weeks will will be planning a work bee for folks interested in helping us put up a winter shelter for our sheep. It would be great to get a hand leveling the site and putting up the poles. We’ll be providing more details soon!
Take care,
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Carrots; multi-coloured beets; long English and mini cucumbers; bit'o cabbage; scallions; Florence fennel; and beans.
Partial Share Box: Carrots; long English cucumbers; scallions; Florence fennel; and beans.
Howdy folks! Your boxes are all ready and waiting for you in the root cellar. I’m hoping you are able to pick them up tomorrow. If you can’t, no worries as the cellar seems to be having the desired effect. I will be back from my trip Friday afternoon – just in time for our Fall Fair on Saturday.
Due to the Fair, we will not be selling produce at the market on Saturday.
Next week, boxes will be ready for pick up at their usually date and time.
Full Share Box: Radicchio; sweet peppers; basil; beans (fillet and purple peacock), amethyst radishes; cucumbers (tasty green and piccolo); and summer squash.
Partial Share Box: Full Share Box: Radicchio; sweet pepper; basil; beans (dragon tongue), amethyst radishes; and cucumbers (tasty green).
Howdy folks! Summer’s full on. Dealing with the heat. Trying to irrigate efficiently. Thank God for micro-drip systems!!
Lots of cucs and basil right now – oh, and beans. Spread the word. We will take custom orders.
This week’s full boxes contain no salad mix – which I think is a first. In its stead – basil – which, I think y’all will agree is a mighty fine substitution. Lots of fresh beans – best eaten raw. And of course cucumbers. Oh, and carrots – those sweet orange fingers of ground-probing goodness.
Again, thanks to the coolness provided by Mother Earth and captured by Sister Root-cellar, we have all the boxes ready for pickup on Tuesday morn.
NOTE TO SELF: Next week’s boxes will be ready for pickup Sunday afternoon. Don’t worry if you can’t pick them up right away as they will be stored in Sister Root-cellar (a.k.a The Cool Panic Room, a.k.a. The Frigid Fall-out Shelter).
Take care of yourselves. Eat your veggies!
Farmer D
Full Share: Basil, carrots, 4 cucumbers (2 varieties), 2 scallions, 1 lb. beans (dragon tongue, French fillet), rainbow chard, cilantro, and 1 garlic bulb.
Partial Share Box: Basil, carrots, 2 cucumbers, and 1 lb. dragon tongue beans.
Up squirrelly early this morn after a night of putting the final touches on a food system assessment report we’re doing for a community down south. Life these days is so full – but so rewarding and exciting. I’m learning tonnes – about myself, about farming, about, well.. everything. It’s I guess that’s all you can ask for in life.
This week we have full boxes with new ingreds that hopefully inspire and delight you. Folks are welcome to pick up their boxes early (i.e. Tuesday) as they have all been packed and placed in the root cellar a.k.a. “the panic room.”
Just a heads up that on the week of the August 22nd, boxes will likely be ready for pickup on Sunday morning as I have to be away from the farm during the regular harvest/pickup days. Let me know if that presents a problem so we can work something else out.
Take care and eat well!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Baby greens; rainbow chard; 2 long-English cucs; tasty carrots; fillet or dragon tongue beans; cilantro; and a Fish Lake garlic bulb
Partial Share Box: Baby greens; tasty carrots, 2 long-English cucs; cilantro; 1 bulb of Fish Lake garlic.
Another craaazy week! In addition to filling our 16 boxes, we provided veg to Poet’s Cove, 2 markets (Pender Island and Poet’s Cove), a wedding (Poet’s Cove), and a 50th anniversary (congrats Jim and Carolyn!). They say that rust never sleeps – well, I’m learning that the same holds true for farmers!
Hope you’re having a great summer. Enjoy the bounty!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Cut lettuce; 'eatible' flowers; cucumbers; summer squash; rainbow chard; radicchio; and basil.
Partial Share Box: Cut lettuce; 'eatible' flowers; cucumbers; summer squash; and rainbow chard.
Wow time flies! We’re close to 2/3s of the way through this year’s program. I hope folks are enjoying the produce. It would probably be good to have a meeting to give each other feedback and, well, just to get together – we haven’t done enough of that this year…
Anywho, the weather has been amazing and we’re finally seeing things start leaping ahead – as long as they get enough water. Berries have been a bust due to intense bird pressure. Next year we may have to invest in netting to keep the buggers out. Lots to improve on. It’s been a huge learning experience for me – which is all good.
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Baby greens, rainbow chard, lacinato kale, hakurei, cucumbers, and edible flowers.
Partial Share Box: Baby greens, rainbow chard, cucumbers, and edible flowers.
Another busy, busy week has passed. No more radishes (though I just planted a variety that is supposed to do well in the heat of summer), and no more turnips for a while due to an infestation of turnip maggot.
This week marks the transition (finally!) to more summer crops like zucchini, cucumbers, beans and (hopefully at some point) tomatoes.
Cheers!
Your farmer D
p.s. If you get a chance please take the time to wash out your boxes!
Full Share: Salad mix, eatible flowers, rainbow chard, Lacinato kale, 1 doz. eggs, cilantro, and baby summer squash (zucchini and scallopini.
Partial Share: Salad mix, eatible flowers, rainbow chard, 1/2 doz. eggs, and baby summer squash (zucchini and scallopini.
We’ve passed the half-way mark! My excitement has nothing to do with being on the downward slope of the program – rather, we’ve made it this far providing you with full and hopefully satisfactory box contents. I won’t lie to you, it’s been challenging, very tiring but incredibly rewarding and satisfying. I hope you are satisfied too!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Salad mix, eatable flowers, Japanese turnips, rainbow chard, lacinato cale, French breakfast radishes and garlic scapes.
Partial Share Box: Salad mix, Japanese turnips, rainbow chard, French breakfast radishes, and garlic scapes.
Hello! We are emerging from a very, very crazy month. Things are still crazy busy but we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Apologies for going quiet for the past few weeks but it’s been intense – still is… With lots still to plant and replant, and of course, lots of weeding thanks to a wet spring/early summer. It’s been tough going – mainly due to the poor weather. All of our farming friends are behind and dealing with poor germination and pest issues. All we can due now is hope for a warm dry summer and fall.
This week the boxes are a bit fuller in anticipation of a few potential ‘lean weeks ahead as we move from our spring plantings to summer ones. We finally have the polyhouses emptied of the carrots and planted (oh so late!) with tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. The basil will be planted tomorrow.
I hope folks are enjoying the produce and are happy with the weekly offerings. Because this is all s new to us we are riding by the seats of our pants and as a result haven’t been able to coordinate work bees, farm outings, etc. We still interested in having this happen. Let us know if you would be able to help make this idea a reality.
Cheers!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Summer salad mix, Japanese turnips, baby beets, arugula, rainbow chard, radishes, garlic scapes, and edible flowers.
Partial Share Box: Japanese turnips, baby beets, rainbow chard, arugula, radishes, and garlic scapes.
Full Share Box: Summer salad mix, Japanese turnips, radishes, baby carrots, rainbow chard, garlic scapes, and edible flowers.
Partial Share Box: Japanese turnips, radishes, baby carrots, kale, garlic scapes, and edible flowers.
Full Share Box: Salad mix, spinach, baby carrots, hakurei turnips, radishes, cilantro, and 10 garlic scapes.
Partial Share Box: Salad mix, baby carrots, hakurei turnips, radishes, and 5 garlic scapes.
Here’s this week’s boxes – pardon the blurriness of the photos – it was a bit dark and early this morn.
Things are generally going well but we are a bit behind in our plantings – especially in the greenhouse. We’re hoping that the drier weather we’ve enjoyed this week (apart from today) continues and gives our plantings the much need energy boost they need to move from our soil into your kitchen.
Other news: We’re hoping to get a listing of the coming week’s contents out to you sooner accompanied by a listing of available ‘extras.’ This will give you an opportunity to purchase additional items for your box prior to your pickup date. We’ve been wanting to do this for a while but haven’t been able to coordinate it as yet. With any luck we’ll be able to provide this service starting early next week. So keep your eyes on your email accounts!
Again, we encourage you to use the farm website to share recipes, thoughts and other information.
Cheers!
Farmer D
Full Share Box: Salad greens, spinach, carrots, hakurei turnips, altaglobe radishes, cilantro, and garlic scapes.
Partial Share Box: Salad greens, carrots, hakurei turnips, altaglobe radishes, and garlic scapes.
Greetings. Re-freashed from a whirlwind tour of San Diego (incredible growing climate – just add water!) I’m back in the saddle.
Boxes are full of fresh produce this week that is holding its own in the wet weather we’ve been enjoying. Pardon the holes – the slugs have also been enjoying the wet…
The wet weather (and slugs) has also delayed/”impacted” our planting. We’re hoping to catch up this week but shares may be affected over the next few weeks. – Farmer D
Full Share Box: Salad mix, spinach, baby carrots, hakurei turnips, cilantro, golden marjoram, chives, and a sprig of mint.
Partial Share Box: Salad mix, baby carrots, hakurei turnips, cilantro, and a sprig of mint.
Big D is away from the Farm from Monday to Thursday. I’ve harvested and packed these boxes to be ready bright and early for their usual time on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Please ensure that you leave your replacement box for us. Thank-you. -Ange
Full Share Box: Salad mix, spinach, hakurei turnips, carrots, cilantro, chives, and Asian greens.
Partial Share Box: Salad mix, spinach, hakurei turnips, carrots, and Asian greens.
Wow time travels fast when you’re having fun! The boxes are starting to get a bit more diverse. Pretty soon eggs will disappear as they are replaced by more and more produce.
just a heads up for next week: I will be away from the Farm from Monday to Thursday. Angela Conley will be harvesting and packing the boxes which will be ready bright and early at their usual time on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Please ensure that you leave your replacement box for us.
Thank you! Big D
Full Share Box: 1 doz. eggs, spinach, salad greens, 1 lb. bolero carrots, baby hakurei turnips, French breakfast radishes, Asian greens (komatsuna), and garlic greens (last of the season).
Partial Share Box: 1/2 doz. eggs, spinach, salad greens, French breakfast radishes, Asian greens (komatsuna), and garlic greens.
Full Share Box: 1 doz. eggs, salad mix, hakurei turnip 'thinnings', mokum carrots, French breakfast radishes, varna leeks, and chives.
Partial Share Box: 1/2 doz. eggs, salad mix, mokum carrots, French breakfast radishes, and chives.
Hi folks! Apologies for having gone ‘quiet’ over the past week and a half. We’ve ben very, very busy planting, cultivating, installing irrigation, harvesting – you know, farming. It’s been a bit overwhelming but completely satisfying. I also having been feel a bit parental – ensuring that I have enough food to feed my ‘extended’ family (you!). Strangely, this works for me – possibly because I’m an eldest and kind of naturally gravitate to positions of responsibility or because I’ve (finally) found my true calling – farming… which calls to mind a beautiful poem by Wendell Berry:
The Grower of Trees, the gardener, the man born to farming,
Full Share Box: 1 doz. eggs, salad greens, French breakfast radishes, garlic greens, green onions, cilantro, and a leek.
Partial Share Box: 1/2 doz. eggs, salad greens, French breakfast radishes, garlic greens, and green onions.
Hi Folks! Yours boxes are ready for pick up. Wednesdays orders will be read first thing tomorrow morning.
Sorry for having gone quiet for the past week – it was crazy busy with political responsibilities and a sore throat from hell didn’t help matters. We persevered with much needed help from Anna, Tim and Ange. Thx guys!
Apologies for the slug nibbles on the lettuce, radishes and komatsuna – due to a mild winter and our four-season cropping regime, we’re dealing with insane numbers of slugs. I wouldn’t mind them so much if they were subscribers :).
That’s it for now. Take care and be well!
Full Share: 1.5 lbs rhubarb, 1 doz. eggs, salad greens, garlic greens, cilantro, komatsuna, and French breakfast radishes.
Partial Share: 1 lb. rhubarb, 1/2 doz. eggs, salad greens, garlic greens, cilantro, and komatsuna.
Full Share Box: Salad greens, 1 doz. eggs, onion greens, rhubarb, French breakfast radishes, leeks, cilantro.
Partial Share Box: Salad greens, 1/2 doz. eggs, rhubarb, French breakfast radishes, onion greens.
Full Share Box: Salad mix, 1 doz. eggs, rhubarb, garlic greens, baby varna leeks, and 3 french breakfast radishes.
Partial Share Box: Salad greens, 1/2 doz. eggs, rhubarb, baby varna leeks, and 3 french breakfast radishes.
Hello folks! We’re a few sleeps away from the first CSA box. Due to the number of subscribers we’ve decided to have two pickup days -Tuesday and Wednesday. A few folks have already indicated that they would prefer one day over the next.
Please let me know via email which day you would prefer? If it doesn’t matter, please indicate that as well.
Unless folks object, we are intending to have the boxes ready by 12 noon Tuesday and Wednesday. However, we could have them ready early in the morning. It’s up to you.
Expected offerings for next week:
Regular Box: salad mix, rhubarb, eggs*, herbs
Partial Box: salad mix, rhubarb, 1/2 doz. eggs*
* NB: We’re including eggs this week both to celebrate the launch of the Box Program and to ‘flesh’ out the boxes.
Spent the afternoon, preparing the ground for this year’s potatoes. It’s been years since I have planted potatoes. For the past 12 years all of the land I’ve had access too has been home to large resident populations of wireworms (the larvae of the click beetle) not only do they love potatoes but they also have incredibly long larval periods (7-11 years!). Well the land we have access to on Karl Hamson’s place looks to be relatively wireworm free. So we’ve got a wide range of potato types that well be planting over the next few days. With any luck in 2-3 months we should have a crop of delicious tubers!
This afternoon we hosted a small meeting at our community hall with folks who have expressed an interest in our proposed farm box program or CSA. It was really heartening to be with people who really get it and want to demonstrate their love of local food by more directly supporting our farm.
Even though we (and particularly I) love farming and growing food, it can be lonely, unforgiving work. I’m excited to be sharing more of our farm and our farming more directly with part of our community. It may seem like such a small first step – 10 shareholders that we keep supplied with veg. and fruits for 25 weeks (the length of our main growing season) – but it’s huge for us; for our family and our farm. We hope this is just one more important step in the agrarian reawakening that seems to be gripping our wee island community. I’m certainly looking forward to this season.