New Letter from Farmer Rick to his CSA

Farmer Rick runs Summer Creek Farm. He sends emails out to his Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members every week. Here's his most recent one. Many farmers are taking signups for this coming spring's CSA now. You get a box or bag of farm-fresh goodies every week at a pickup location. You can learn more about CSAs in your region at Local Harvest and can learn more about Frederick County Farms at the Virtual Farmer's Market from the Frederick County Office of Economic Development.

Hi All, Today we delivered the last of the fall CSA. The boxes were so full we could not close them! We had a hard frost two nights ago. Today we spent the day picking for a hard freeze tonight. If we get it that will mean the end of the summer crops. As I picked tomatoes tonight I could not help but think about how these plants were started 10 months ago. We started in late January to get plants ready for summer. We plant, cultivate and care for these plants 10 months a year to get fresh tomatoes for 4 months. We no sooner finished with these and are thinking about changes to make next year even better. We are working on changes to the farm for next year already. We will be planting wheat tomorrow and garlic soon to be harvested next year. If you want peppers or tomatoes along with other summer crops we will have the end of the season at this Saturdays farmers market in Frederick and Sunday in Clarksburg.

Our fall crops are in, our famous broccoli is now in. All members of the fall CSA got the extra broccoli we had promised in this weeks box. We have a lb of broccoli for all other members of our summer CSA too. Just please let me know what farmers market and date you would like to pick it up at so I have enough.

We will soon be forwarding information on next years CSA. All current members will have an early notice to sign up before new members. Also this winter we will be working with Mt.St. Marys University on there environmental studies program, the green building institute on environmental matters and have workshops at the Common Market in Frederick. Stay tune for details.

Thanks so much for your support this year. Many things have gone on at the farm as well as personal issues. Our season was our best ever and we look forward to making it even better next year.

Thanks
Farmer Rick