Rock & Roll Farm

Wednesday! Jun 01 2005 // 9:42 pm //

We’ve only just begun

CSA, Day 2; Market, Day 1

Market was awesome today. Now I just have to do it 39 more times. Most of my favorite regulars showed up and some new faces that I look forward to seeing again. Things were a little slow for my taste, but it’s still early in the season. I’m sure by September I’ll be singing a different tune. I can’t wait to go for the first Saturday of the season in only two more days!

The first distribution went well. The share boxes were beautiful. Four heads of lettuce, and bunches of asparagus, radishes, green onions, arugula, mixed spicy greens, and spinach. On the side (what we say when things won’t fit in the box) were parsnips and two quarts of potatoes. While packing boxes a few of us were saying that we were jealous of the members. Even though we’re around the food all the time and have the luxury of eating it right from the field, the members get a goodie box full of surprises.

We distribute shares at the farm, at the Chelsea Farmers’ Market, and the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. Around a third of the people pick up at the farm over four days, two people pick up at the Chelsea market on Saturday, and the rest are split between Wednesday and Saturday at the Ann Arbor market. We split each week’s distribution into two packing days (so nothing is sitting around for days waiting to be distributed). As the Farmers’ Markets go, Ann Arbor is much busier, so we have to harvest more to sell at the table. Also we distribute most of our wholesale orders from the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

One of the biggest improvements we’ve made to the system is having separate coolers. One for Chelsea/Farm and the other, much larger cooler, for Ann Arbor and for recently harvested or unpacked produce. Packing in the new packing shed is a delight. The new gigantic cooler right there makes things much easier, as is having tables on which to pack the boxes. Up till now the boxes were packed on the ground under a big tree in the front yard, far from the cooler. And loading the van for market is a breeze. No more sorting everything on the lawn (at 4:30 a.m., with headlamps) and we can pull the van right into the well-lit shed (out of the rain).

Other updates (quickly, because it’s so past my bedtime): Tomorrow we will be planting some eggplant, cucumbers, and melons. Today we planted a few more rows of corn. The cow is in heat. I got my snake, and he is the coolest snake there ever was, and he still needs a name if anyone wants to make some suggestions. This past weekend JPB visited and we had a great time. If anyone else ever wants to visit, we have lots of extra room and really good food. If anyone knows anyone who needs a summer job, send them our way. We could use the help!