Sunday, November 6, 2011

CSA 2011

There's nothing left to pick.
There's almost nothing left to sell. (anybody interested in some really big squash?)
Markets ended just over a week ago.
Our CSA program finished about 3 weeks ago.

We really have not said much about our CSA - check out an earlier post "Marketing at Thiessen Farms" from March 16, 2011 and the CSA 2011 page at the top of this blog for more information.

The CSA went well this season.

65 people or families purchased shares - either a full share or a half - and came to the farm each week (half on Tuesday & half on Friday) to pick up a box of our fruit & vegetables. First pick up of the season was not until the 14th of June (remember the wet & late start to our spring) and we concluded on the 14th of October.
Pick up days were always busy with lots of picking & prepping of the produce and then preparing the boxes.


Lorie enjoyed meeting & getting to know our shareholders.
The families with children often stayed longer to look around & visit the chickens, rabbits & cats.
Everyone was invited over one Saturday in July for a tour of the farm, and some raspberries & ice cream. We enjoyed the opportunity to show our members where & how their food is grown, and they enjoyed seeing it!
Each week we sent a newsletter out by email with a listing of produce that would be in the box that week. We also tried to include an explanation of any uncommon or less known fruit or vegetable along with a recipe or at least a suggestion on how to eat it.
This was also our opportunity to inform how the crops were growing & explain why there were shortages, or an abundance, or quality issues, etc...

Here are some pictures of our fruit & vegetables ready for CSA pick up .






To complete the 2011 season we sent out an online survey & questionnaire this past week to all our members. Response has been good, and the answers helpful. Most comments were positive & favourable.

And so we begin the planning process for 2012, affirmed & encouraged.

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