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  • From: "Hook Family" <guldann AT ix.netcom.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: dogs and CSA
  • Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 08:26:30 -0500


Great threads. We will be in need of a new farm dog in the next 6 months to
a year. A year ago we had two dogs one middle age and one old. The middle
age one was as another poster said "a gift from God" He was running down
the street I stopped my car but he would not get in. I forgot all about him
and later in afternoon who do I find dh has brought home? ha ha. DH said he
was very close to busy road thought I better bring him home. We made all
the right calls put a sign on a tree Found brown dog. Nothing. Its makes
you think he was dumped in that no one reported him missing to area dog
officers. He seemed to be good at keeping unwanteds from garden just by
being here and running everywhere. He was good with CSA members and kids.
He was funny. But alas his running all around farm may have cost him in
that a year ago he simply disappeared (we called dog officer who knew him
from a previous escape). We think coyotes of which we have a ton. The old
dog is well old. She was a dog from the pound and English Spainel I think.
She has always been afraid of being left alone. She got good enough to
leave when we went out but never leave anything edible in reach :). Now if
alone she pees. Her hips are going its sad. She love visitors and is great
with kids. We have found that the dogs and cats are what CSA kids enjoy the
most so my next dogs job is to be a good welcomer of visitors :). I am
thinking lab types.
DH family had a border collie when I first met him. Didn't like the dog.
Was not friendly with outsiders. And didn't have a job. He should have
they had cows but they never trained him He liked to chase rocks and bark
at trees.

To Judi CSA, I really must caution you on being too generous with your CSA
package. Underpricing was our first mistakes, we are catching up. You
could have two membership choices. Plant products only and Plant and meat
products. Make the price fair to you (and members as well).
You will find a need for a regular size membership and a small membership.
I hate it. I want everyone the same. I say in brochre that we have one
size. I have let some folks I like have a small but I ask that they come to
the farm everyother week (making them get 1/2 as much sort of, upicks bump
that up).
Some folks share also hate but allow. I am charging $10 a person extra. I
really do find it more work when they share. Two newsletters, two emails
for notification etc. I request they each come everyother week I don't
demand. Partially to regulate the upicks two people picking exceed their
extra $10.

That said the upicks really don't get abused. As a group the membership
doens't have the energy to strip the plants :).

Humorously being at peace with the care of the upick plants was about a 3-4
year learning curve for both DH and I. DH would say some bean plants are
pulled up (kids) or trampled (everyone). Same with herbs and flowers I feel
yikes all my hard work be careful people. Than I realized its their
inventory they are stepping on. They won't have anything to pick if they
don't take care. And as I said above we supply so much surplus there has
never been a crop destruction :). But I did loose a few flowers this year
to overharvesting too early but alas there were others ha ha.

Tended or Untended. I have 3 pickup choices (I recommend 2). Sun
afternoon, Wed late afternoon evening and Friday am. The everyother day
gives crops a chance to regrow. I have tended pickups I am there and chat
and chat....... Some CSA harvest and simply leave instructions. If your
memberships is used to it and food is tasty I see it working. But the
tended way I think goes some in member retention. Plus supplying recipes
and cooking instructions.

When you tell folks about joining you must include the truthful details ie
30 different products, if they only like carrots and onion powder they'll
hate the bounty.
If they are prissy and hate dirt and bugs they will hate upick and will hate
the fresh from garden bit of dirt occasional bug thing.

Some hate reduced not grocery store 24 hours thing. Some hate never knowing
what they'll get. Some hate that they get so much (yes you loose members
for being generous).

The folks who are the opposite of above love it. And know they are getting
a good value moneywise and health wise.

Well ask away. Beth






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