Food Fight - Community Supported Agriculture 2013

Turkey poults

"Beekeeper sing of your frustration
In this litigious breeze,
Of accidental pollination
In this era without bees.
We keep breeding desperation
In this era of thieves
Who keep stealing respiration
From the tenderest of trees.
This peculiar incantation
Sure you heard it before,
Instead of breeding desperation
Make me a pallet on your floor."--Andrew Bird

2012 CSA Share Week 10

     Thanks for finding us here and reading about our CSA program.  What follows is a detailed description of the program and share options that we are offering this year.  We hope it will also help you understand our philosophy a bit, but if you want more details your questions are always welcome by email here.

     If you are new to CSA there are some things you need to think about upfront. We have found that this allows you to make an educated choice without allowing the joys of supporting a CSA operation to create too rosy a view of what it is. Creating a wholesome and interdependent ecosystem within the modern world of synthetic chemicals and engineered genomes is a challenge, to put it mildly. Years of attention and dedication to learning about soil building, crop rotation, succession planting, inter-cropping, irrigation/water conservation, integrated pest management, harvesting, processing, and transporting are part of the value of what you are paying for.

Mobile Cornish pen for protection from predators

     CSA is not a wholesale buying club. While we will in fact give you more than the retail value of your produce share each week that we can do so, buying local is not going to save you any money over mass- produced food at big box stores. But it will ensure that your money is buying something you can be proud to consume. You will notice the health benefits, for sure, but we hope it will also transform you in other facets of your life as sustainable farming and art have transformed us; to inspire and re-enforce ideas like reduced consumption, up-cycling, and waste reduction out of respect for those who work in and live next to the factories that manufacture the things that pass through your hands every day; to constantly be aware that every dollar you spend in a locally owned and operated restaurant/store/market will come back around to the other local entities you love and support; and to take back the power from all-consuming for-profit monstrosities that pretend to do for the nation and your community what only small local businesses can. In order for the cycle to be broken, someone must break it. This, like farming itself, is not a part time job. It is a lifestyle. This is what you are supporting and embracing through CSA.

Tucking everybody in for a cold winter sleep

      CSA allows a direct, long-term link. That is the idea at the root of the movement. Community Supported Agriculture “shareholders” purchase part of the season’s produce before it is even raised. This shifts some of the farm’s annual income to the winter and early spring, when the farm incurs most of its costs. The start-up money allows for investments, from seed and tool purchases to equipment repairs and upgrades. These components, and others, are as critical to the survival of the farm as the soil itself. By providing some income during this important time of the year, you help to balance the expenses and workload, which ultimately increases the farm's productivity and sustainability.

     We are offering more share options than ever before to try to meet your diverse needs, and have also implemented add-on options detailed below to allow you to further customize.  Carbondale delivery will be on Saturday morning.  Maplewood delivery will be on Wednesday evening. We are considering a drop near Belleville, also on Wednesday, if there is interest. We will deliver for a total of 30 weeks between March and December, including at least one drop each in November and December. If you wish to order poultry for holiday meals, please let us know ASAP.  In order to reserve a turkey, a $10 deposit is required. 

2012 CSA Share Week 1

     We are respectful of ALL faiths and religions and have a genuine desire to learn about and understand any traditions that you honor and celebrate.  We find great value in sharing these traditions with loved ones, in a celebration of family, community, harvest, and renewal.  If there are any ways that we can address your needs, whether it have to do with methods of preparation, timing of delivery, or some other factor, we would love to do so when possible.



Garden Share Garden Shares are the traditional shares we have offered in years past, with the option this season of adding mushrooms to your weekly bag. Half shares ($15/wk) are suitable for individuals and some couples, while those who eat larger amounts of produce and families should consider the full share ($25/wk). The variety of produce included between the half and full shares MAY VARY slightly from week to week. Each delivery will include a share of the produce available for the week and 1 dozen eggs. You can add a half pound of cultivated and foraged mushrooms to either size share for $5/week.  

Protein Share Protein shares ($30/wk) are new to the farm this year and are being offered in response to those who raise large home gardens, or who don't eat much produce (FOR SHAME!). Each week you will receive 5 lbs. of whole chicken, 1 lb. mushrooms, and 1 dozen eggs. In addition, you will get a turkey in November and 4 Cornish hens or a turkey in December.

Farm Share Farm shares ($48/wk) combine the first two share types. Each week you will receive a full produce share, including one dozen eggs, a half pound of mushrooms, and 5 lbs. of whole chicken; plus a turkey in November and 4 Cornish hens or a turkey in December.

2012 CSA Share Week 16

     Any shareholder can add individual items to their shares as frequently as desired (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).  Although we are happy to bring you whatever you like each week as long as you let us know prior to delivery, we ask that you reserve and pay for these items in advance (15 days) if you plan to receive them at a regular interval.  Not only does this help keep cash flow moving so it can be committed to our ongoing projects throughout the season; it will also ensure that we have what you want when you need it.  Virtually everything we raise takes at least 8 full weeks from sowing/hatching to delivery, so you can imagine how helpful it is to stay ahead of the curve.  To illustrate how we hope this process will go, let's say you desire a lb. of fresh roasted coffee weekly for the month of June.  The additional cost for the month would be $60 (4 weeks @ $15/per) and we ask that you reserve and pay for it by May 15.  These payments do not need to be mailed, but can be dealt with when you pick up your share on or about May 15. 

     The fact is that the value of many of these items are subject to changes in the commodities market.  This would be the one disadvantage to adding-on as opposed to locking in the seasonal price through a share, which is guaranteed not to change.  For example, last season we saw the price of our chicken feed increase by 30% in one month. Luckily we do not rely entirely on feed for our poultry's nutrition, so we were not affected as much as we could have been and were able to absorb it by increasing our market egg prices by only .50/dozen. CSA shareholders were not affected by this.  In contrast, if the price of chicken feed triples, then the result will be a significant price increase in the cost of eggs and poultry. The prices posted here will continue to be honored by us despite market fluctuations, until the point when we lose money. At that time increases will implemented.  If prices change, you will be notified of the details and you will not be held to your add-on arrangement unless you choose to continue under the new parameters.

2012 CSA Share Week 36

     You can add:
     1 extra dozen eggs ($4.00)
     1 whole chicken-5 lb. ($15.00)
     1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms ($5.00)
     1/2 lb fresh roasted fair trade coffee ($8.00)
     1 lb. fresh roasted fair trade coffee ($15.00)

     The coffee that we offer is purchased as green beans and roasted by Barry and Sean at Art House Coffees in Maplewood, MO.  All profits from the sales of their coffee support the Turner Center for the Arts.  This coffee will also be available in our farm store.  We are always looking for additional locally roasted, fair trade coffees to share in southern Illinois.   
     With the exception of the coffee, all products are raised/produced entirely on the farm using sustainable techniques without administration of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, or growth hormones.  As you can learn by browsing previous blog posts, we constantly test old and new ideas to maximize time, space, and production. We adapt bio-intensive strategies, encourage microbial and mycorrhizal relationships, and employ water and nutrient conservation practices. We acknowledge the sprawling and all-encompassing web of life around us and strive to better understand and interact with it. 

     If you would like to become a Frontwards Farm Shareholder for the 2013 season, please fill out this form. We will be notified of your submission and will contact you by email with details.  

     Thank you for supporting local, sustainable agriculture!  

Revival

"At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind."
--Michael Pollan

We are once again offering produce shares for the 2011 season through Frontwards Farm CSA project. Last year, we met met our goal of 10 shares and plan to double our available memberships this year. We learned a lot about ourselves and about knowing some of the faces we were growing for, and have a more focused anticipation of the upcoming season.

There have been some changes regarding our season length (from 22 to 30 weeks), we lowered the weekly cost of a share (from $30 to $25), and changed the payment options to allow for more flexibility. We will send weekly newsletters via email that will include info on what you should expect for the week and other about happenings at the farm. We are in the process of installing a 2,2oo sq. ft. high tunnel, giving us five times the growing space we had last year for season extension. We have fine tuned seed orders based on last year so that we were able to order larger quantities of the varieties that did well for us, and eliminate some that were disappointing. We have also increased the variety and amount of perennial crops available. Finally, we doubled the number of laying hens and Cornish Roasters we are raising, and added a limited number of turkeys to the farm. These will be 100% free range this year, as we have purchased portable electric net fencing that will be used in conjunction with mobile housing structures. While these are not part of the weekly CSA deliveries, we will be taking partial deposits so that you can reserve them in advance, and help us with part of the expenses.

Our first year as a CSA reinforced that there is no better approach than one that puts the producer and the buyer in direct contact. That is the idea at the root of the CSA movement. Community Supported Agriculture “shareholders” purchase part of the season’s produce before it is even grown. This shifts some of the farm’s annual income to the winter and early spring, when the farm incurs most of its costs. The start-up money allows for investments, from seed and tool purchases to equipment repairs and upgrades. These components, and others, are as critical to the survival of the farm as the soil itself. By providing some income during this important time of the year, you help to balance the expenses and workload, which ultimately increases the productivity and sustainability of the farm.

What follows here is the detailed outline of our CSA. My hope is that we have addressed the main issues, with some details to be decided on with the members. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact us.

Frontwards Farm 2011 CSA

The weekly cost of a Regular Share for the 2011 season is $25.00. The season will run for 30 weeks, totaling $750.00. If you prefer a half share, the seasonal cost is $400.00. In return for this early commitment to the farm, you will receive 1/2 bushel of 6-12 different veggies, fruits, & herbs per week. We encourage you to find someone to split a full share with if you feel it will be more than you want.

Everything is grown using bio-intensive methods, without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, with the long term sustainability of our land in mind. We refine the varieties we grow and experiment with new techniques every year. A list of varieties will be available shortly, as our seed orders have been made,and filled for the most part. Questions and comments regarding specific produce and practices are encouraged, as are farm visits.

Furthermore, you will always have the first opportunity to take advantage of other offerings as new products become available. This is a life-long venture for us, and our hope is for you to stay with us as the farm grows. One of the most exciting parts of this growth is sure to be our focus on season extension structures, as we strive to offer produce year-round. As a result of our involvement in an NRCS (The National Resources Conservation Service) research project, we received a grant to install a new high tunnel that will help move us towards this goal, increasing our season by two months this year.

What is expected of members?
Be Vocal--Feedback is always encouraged, as it is vital to the development of the farm. We want to know if you want more or less of a certain item, or a different variety or type of produce all together. We can’t improve if you don’t tell us how.

Be Flexible--Growing food is unpredictable. Every year brings variations in pest and climate pressures. A bad year for tomatoes may mean a bumper crop of peppers. Our search for the best method for growing the best varieties is met with success and failure.

Be Reliable- Timely payment is critical. Pick up your box as scheduled or arrange for a friend or neighbor to pick up your share if you will be unable to. Shares that are not picked up will be donated to a local family.

There are some things to think about when considering participation in CSA.
Among those:
--How do you like surprises? Each week the contents of your box will vary based on
the season. This not only allows us to enjoy the true bounty of our region, but keeps the menu interesting.
--Do you like to cook? There are many items that are best eaten raw, but we would not suggest eating butternut squash this way. Preparing meals presents a great opportunity for family time, and is the final step in bringing the food to your plate.
--Are you a creative cook? Some items may be new to your kitchen. This could lead to variations in favorite recipes or new ones all together. With the internet, a world of ideas and experiences is at your disposal, and if you are like us, experimenting a little will bring out the artist in you.
--Do you support local, sustainable agriculture? Your membership in our farm makes this a reality, and will hopefully be as rewarding for you as it is for us.

What still needs to be determined?
--Delivery location-Deliveries will be made to a central location, most likely one in Carbondale (the Co-op?)and one near Marion. This will be determined as membership fills up, based on convenience for all involved. Farm pick-up is certainly welcome, but this will increase overall fuel consumption, which is always a factor to consider when striving for minimal environmental impact.
--Delivery day/time-The preferred time would be mid-late afternoon. This would allow same day harvest of all produce, which could be done during the coolest part of the day. With regard to the day of the week, we plan to harvest and deliver on Tuesday or Wednesday this year. Members should plan delivery prior to the main shopping day of the week to allow for meal planning based around available produce.

If you would like to become a member of Frontwards Farm C.S.A. for the 2011 season, please follow the link to our Sign-Up Form.

Any items of concern can be addressed in the comment section at the bottom of the sign-up form, or via email.

Thank you.

We End Up Together

"Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round."
-Wayne Coyne


There are many things that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my lovely wife, Sarah. This year, we celebrated our 11th year of marriage, and our 14th year together. She is my favorite artist, and she adds the color to my life.

While we may have differing opinions on many things, including how much stuff should hang on our walls, I am glad that her taste in decor is second only to her taste in men.

She loves me despite my faults and is the best thing that ever happened to me. I feel blessed to share my dreams with her.

I am thankful for the two beautiful, unique girls we get to spend our days with, Dagan and Talia. I can't believe that they are (nearly) 12 and 9.

Their energy is infectious, and they help keep things fresh. I hope that their love for themselves, each other, and the world around them continues to blossom as they do.

I am thankful for our parents. We were both lucky enough to grow up in homes where love and respect came before everything else. We would obviously not be where we are without their love and support. They were the first members of our farm.

I am also thankful for our siblings and their
families. Sarahs's sister Emily is a horticulturalist who has worked at some of the best botanical gardens in the country, including in Omaha where she met her boyfriend, Neil. She is currently teaching kids gardening at UT-Knoxville. Emily has always had a special relationship with our girls.

My brother owned a painting biz near St. Louis for more than a decade, before giving it up last year to start a new business with his father-in-law. Luckily for us (and our house), he kept some of the equipment and all of the knowledge. He married Karen the same year that Sarah and I were married, and they have two wonderful daughters.

I am equally thankful to our friends and neighbors whose emotional and physical support helps this farm function. Bob and Sharron down the road have lent us equipment for nearly every project over the last year. Gale has helped keep the critters fed (one in particular).

I am thankful for the home that we share together. We bought the farm, so to speak, five years ago next week.

When Sarah saw it for the first time, she called me at work and told me she found our home. We put a contract on it that night.

I am happy to say that it was one of the best decisions we've made.

I am thankful for our CSA members. When we moved here, we knew we wanted to grow food, but were intimidated by the prospect of trying to sell it.

We didn't even know what CSA stood for, let alone how vital it would be to our livelihood in such a short time. Without our members, transitioning to full-time farming would be impossible, but thanks to them, it may be a reality within a few years.

Our members this year endured all of the trials and tribs of belonging to a new CSA, in addition to what some locals say was the worst drought in memory. It is nearly impossible to meet all of your own expectations for the coming year as a farmer, but with the encouragement of our members, we all persisted and have many positive experiences to look back on and another season to look forward to.



Last, but not least, I am thankful for the animals in our lives.

Yes, even Pee-Wee, though he decided he would move to his "retirement home" down the road instead of staying with us.







I will keep telling myself that there were 6 reasons for this, and that the humans weren't one of them.








We got three shipments of chicks this year. We now have two hen houses, with 21 & 28 hens each.

We also raised two rounds of broilers this year. One of them will be dinner today. Perhaps next year will bring turkeys to the farm.



With all of the growing going on at the farm, it is not without some sadness.

A few days after I thought I heard crying coming from the treeline, I went out to feed the broilers, who were still living in a mini "coop", at the time. I was startled by a gray blur, which darted from the box into the woods.

After a couple of days of coaxing with some chicken, she came close enough for the girls to see her. They caught her while she was playing on the woodpile.



Though Pepper had a contusion on her lower lip and was quite thin, she was happy to take up residence on the porch. She was determined to be about ten weeks, and grew to be a wonderful addition to the family. It was as if she found us.

Sadly, during the painting of our house, she ran off to avoid the commotion, and probably the dogs. While she had really gained her legs, she was still small and naive. I didn't think much about moving her usual perch into the yard to clean the porch for painting since it was daytime, but it was truly a fatal mistake.




After a long night and morning, we found her. We are unsure whether it was the Great Horned Owl that had claimed some of our broilers earlier in the year, or one of the pair of Red-Tailed Hawks that live near here.

Her life was short, but we like to think she found a little happiness at the farm before she left us.

She taught me that I am not just a dog person. I am very thankful for that.

Don't Fence Me In

"A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes."
--Mark Twain

If there is one thing you can say about expectations, it is that they are always, without fail, met. With what they are met, now that is what makes the story interesting, or perplexing, and sometimes even frustrating.

This can certainly, perhaps even especially, be said of expectations relating to co-habitation with animals.

Let me preface all of this by saying that I realize, of course, that a chicken is a chicken....

and a human is a human.

You can read all of the books you want, then want all the things you want based on what you have read, but at the end of the day there is nothing like experience.

We really didn't know for sure what our 17 hens would want with respect to space. I built a reasonably sized coop (about twice the advised minimum for them at maturity) on the edge of the drive last fall, with bumped out nesting boxes (more for us than them).

There is room for at least ten more on the pine branch roosts, though floor space would get tight during feeding time in the winter.

I built the coop on 4x4 "sleds" so that I could move it to its permanent location. The info I read & based the coop design on, I must say, was spot on.

In the summer they would free range all day, and only use the coop for eating/drinking, afternoon naps, and nighttime.

With a ratio of 3.4 hens/acre, there would be plenty of room for them to explore.

Our extensive landscape plantings, and more importantly, 1.5 acres of vegetable ground, were always a concern, but I thought we could work it out.

Unfortunately, chickens prefer the same light, fertile soil as plants, only for their dirt baths, and its inhabitants (earthworms and grubs) for their snacks.



It was not a worst case scenario...yet. The annual mulching has not been done, and hardly a thing has been planted outside our first spring plot, which is protected with chicken wire. It has been effective, for the most part, so far.





It has become increasingly apparent that our optimistic expectations about free range hens were not spot on. Even though it may not always be obvious to the eye, depending on what project we are in the middle of, I do like to have things in their place, from tools and materials (like mulch) to plants, desirable and less desirable, and it now appears, hens.



So...




with all this in mind, and knowing that good fences may very well make good neighbors,








our ladies now have slightly less range.


I did try to give them a mountain range, made of composted mulch and dead grass plumes, for climbing, dirt bathing, and digging for bugs.





Further testing is sure to come, but at this point, the plan (expectation?) is to add two more runs, so we can rotate them around, as I assume (expect?) that this grass will soon be gone.






We just saw a video where a woman let her birds free range for just an hour or two before dusk. Maybe this solution will work for us.

I will try and keep my expectations to a minimum.

It's Easy Being Green

"Being is the great explainer."
--Henry David Thoreau

There are many good things about St. Patrick's Day. Unfortunately, since getting into landscaping about 12 years ago, I have more often than not found myself raking leaves, pruning shrubs, or even spreading mulch. I have endured blustery winds, unending rain showers, and even a flurry or two. Sometimes, my efforts to get home and enjoy a celebratory brew are further delayed, like last year when I had a blow out on my water trailer.

This year even started on a rough note, as I discovered that the hoophouse had had it's first overnight guest, a field mouse I'm sure. The damage was minor (though I am a little on edge tonight as I write this) as he or she only devoured some early experimental cukes and the casings from the okra and sage, both of which seem to have survived after an emergency operation.

But I refused to give up on this year. I had planned to stay home and work and enjoy a celebratory brew (or two), and it was going to be a good one.
I spent the next few hours tending to starts and transplants, and then moved out into the 65 degree sunshine to work on a much needed construction project with Sarah. I'll get to that later, or tomorrow.

Now is the time for life on the farm to shine.

Mustard Greens


Swiss Chard


















Early Mizuna


Carrots


















Beets




















Arugula


















Red Leaf Lettuce


















Forellenschuss














Bronze Arrowhead














Sanguine Ameliore














Red Stars...

























and Wrigley...













and Rosie and Pee Wee

















It was a good day.

Plasticities

"Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way."
--Edward de Bono

Sometimes we find solutions to our problems in unexpected places. My love for growing food has evolved alongside my disdain for plastic. Plastic, along with one of its primary components, oil, are at the forefront when considering our impact on the environment on which we depend. The list of problems that are exasperated, if not caused, by our dependence on oil is long. Its not exactly rocket science.

But is that really the fault of oil or plastic? I think not. The problem is with management. When cars became affordable, everyone got one, regardless of actual need. As long as gas prices stay below $3.00, there is little talk of downsizing, regardless of actual need. I suppose it is human nature on some level, but it is far from the human nature of two generations ago (or two generations from now) when conservation was (will be) necessary for survival.

I have often found myself perplexed when confronted with images and stories of organic farming operations that use a product referred to as plastic mulch. It is not exactly mulch in the wood/straw sense, although it does control weeds and conserve moisture. It is really just a sheet of black plastic that is stretched over a raised bed, then buried along the sides so that it doesn't blow away.

Besides the plastic (about 4 sq.ft./linear ft. of bed), there is the diesel fuel that transported it and was used in the 30ish HP tractor that is required to lay it. Oh, and then at the end of the season you have a huge pile of plastic that many farmers choose to burn. Sounds organic to me. And all to save the work that a team of well-trained ten year-olds can pull off in a good twelve hour day.


Growing (and eating) food in Illinois, and many other parts of the world, presents a peculiar issue with regards to oil consumption. We can only grow certain crops for a limited duration, unlike California, for example. Until recently, I didn't think there were any real benefits to be gained by using plastic to grow food, with respect to the ecosystem as a whole.

My discovery of four season growing has changed that. Plastic film is stretched over a metal structure to create a micro-climate that can be used to extend seasons. Hoop-houses, or high tunnels, are not a new idea, but with the increasing focus on fuel conservation, I think it makes sense to take advantage of this technology in our area. I also use a secondary layer of mini-hoops inside for the really cold nights (see the top picture). Operating on a purely experimental basis, we were able to grow lettuce, carrots, beets, onions, spinach, and assorted chois, throughout the winter without any supplemental heat.
On sunny days in January, with six inches of snow on the ground and daytime highs hovering in the mid-twenties, it reached a balmy 55 degrees inside. This heat is trapped by the soil and slowly released overnight, so that the ground never freezes inside.

When considering impact, the amount of fuel saved by not transporting these vegetables across the country is surely more than what it took to manufacture and transport this plastic. As of last month, I can say that I will soon have actual data to back up this assumption. We, along with eight other farmers in Union County, and many more across the country, have been pre-approved to take part in a 3 year USDA study on the benefits of using these systems for season extension, erosion control, and pesticide reduction (synthetic or organic). This program has created a variety of possibilities for farmers interested in producing food to be consumed locally.

The plastic on this year's hoop-house can be used for the mini-hoops inside next year
if it is weakened too much to be the primary protection. It can also be used on small hoops throughout the property to warm the ground and for shorter periods of season extension, though they alone generally won't hold the weight of snow.

In my mind, all of life is an experiment. Slight variations in materials and techniques can lead to wonderful realizations. Sometimes we use things that we once considered useless. The results achieved thus far have given me a whole new outlook on farming, year-round.