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market-farming - RE: [Market-farming] Advice/nothing to harvest

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  • From: "David Inglis" <mhcsa AT bcn.net>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Market-farming] Advice/nothing to harvest
  • Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 13:04:22 -0400

> -----Original Message-----
> I need some brilliant ideas to keep CSA members happy till
> the sun comes out here in cloudy wet Massachusetts, even
> lettuce in growing in microscopic increments. Next week is
> first pickup, I don't even have Swiss Chard (the seeds have
> barely sprouted ). I have got enough small Pak Choy one for
> each membership (damn the sharers but I warned them ha ha), I
> suppose I have two but I'll need them for the following week
> :). I have plenty of Thyme (ha ha), chives and sage. A
> taste of volunteer dill and cilantro. I might by next week
> have a few wild daisies fingers crossed for this weed :).

I have been in your situation several times so I sympathize, but your
sharers are your friends and will be there for you at exactly these
times, if they understand. They will treat you the way you treat them so
it worries me to hear you 'damn them'.

You can no longer effect any change in the clarity with which your
'sharers' enter into a relationship with you so my approach at this
point would be:

Treat the sharers with the respect they deserve. Have faith in them and
they will not disappoint you.
Consider delaying the opening week even for two weeks. If you think this
might be hard you should know our CSA [ the oldest in the country ] has
shut down for the entire season not just two weeks. Then again we don't
know how many will rejoin us in the Spring of '04.
Remember they will not stress out about it as much as you.
Craft a brilliant newsletter explaining the exact circumstances without
whining and emphasize what you are doing about it . This is the way it
is folks.
Row cover everything.
Keep planting, even greens, after all this could keep up all season.
Buy in if you absolutely have to, especially to avoid cutting greens too
early and extending the crisis into what we call 'the gap' [ before the
heavy stuff comes in and after they don't want to see another green
thing. ]
Plant 'three week salad mix' like crazy, you will need it. Quantities of
$8/# mix can substitute for a lot of variety.
Best of luck.
David A. Inglis
Mahaiwe Harvest C.S.A.
W.Mass.







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