It is my pleasure to announce open registration for Harmony Ridge Farms’ 2011 CSA program. We are looking forward to a season of many harvests, many smiles and some (but not too many) surprises. With a year’s experience under our belt, we feel better attuned to the needs and well-being of our crops, our clients and ourselves. This year we will have a tractor, walk-in cooler, an additional acre+ cultivated space and, perhaps our most exciting addition, an intern! He goes by Tyler, and I’m sure you’ll all be meeting him come Spring. It has been a joy scouring the colorful seed catalogs and seeing in my mind’s eye the many beautiful plants that will bring our fields and bodies back to life. We hope you’ll join us along our earthbound journey here in 2011.
With more tillable land, additional hands and a bit more experience we are able to offer additional shares this year to interested families, couples or individuals. We will limit the number of members, like last year, to ensure we can provide high quality product and service.
We are not offering half-shares this year, but we will carry over half shares from 2010. We encourage you to ask a friend or family member to purchase a joint membership if need be.
Your weekly produce shares will be customizable to the extent that you can request not to receive items you or your family will not eat. We do not want to waste food that may be enjoyed by others.
Here are the benefits a subscriber can expect to enjoy:
• Abundance. A season full of fresh, naturally-grown and nutrient-rich vegetables and herbs grown by us for you. The season will run from early to mid-May to mid-September. (We will start as early as Mother Nature will allow.)
• Variety and Tradition. Vegetable varieties selected for flavor and delivered at the peak of freshness. We grow many hard-to-find heirloom vegetables, and a full compliment of the traditional standbys. We time our harvests to allow for the utmost variety on any given week, but do not skimp on the old favorites.
• Unparalleled freshness. Much of the produce is picked within a day of delivery.
• Weekly recipes. With each produce delivery you’ll find a set of recipes selected for their tried and true flavor, ease and for their inclusion of our vegetables. Often the herb cuttings we provide are called for in the recipes.
• Family involvement. The opportunity to help out and learn basic skills on the farm (if so desired).
• Eco-Sound. A contribution to the local community and ecosystem by supporting a (near) carbon-neutral, low-waste and chemical-free food production system.
• Proximity. We are 3 miles Northwest of Winston-Salem, off Reynolda Rd. Scheduled visits are welcome.
• Social opportunities: A Spring farm tour/barbeque, a Summer farm to table dinner at Willows Bistro and perhaps another event or two depending on time available.
• Participation. Be a part of ever-evolving family enterprise. We want you to feel a part of the farm and we believe our personalized service reflects this warmth and gratitude. As we wish to evolve and continually enhance our CSA, we welcome your feedback and advice.
• Peace of mind. Know your family’s vegetables are au natural and grown just down the road.
We have valued the above benefits at $675, to be paid upfront. (This works out to less than $34 per week at 20 weeks.) Payment received prior to the harvest season ensures your place as a member and ensures we have the resources we need to provide you with the most vibrant and varied produce possible.
“Plus” Membership
Harmony Ridge will also offer a ‘Plus’ program. ‘Plus’ members will receive all of the above listed benefits in addition to the following:
• Locally sourced (really) free-range, vegetarian-fed eggs
• Locally sourced raw honey
• Locally sourced, seasonally available fruits and berries. All fruits will be as naturally grown as we can find.
• Potted herbs for trying on your greenthumbs at home.
We have priced the “CSA Plus” at $895. The added cost of the “Plus” program figures in the cost of sourcing, including the time we spend picking fruit and traveling to acquire these goodies.
To secure your place in our CSA please send a check payable to Harmony Ridge Farms, 3835 Bowens Rd., Tobaccoville, NC, 27050 ($675 for regular membership and $895 for a “plus” membership) by Tuesday, February 15th. Please include also your contact information for our records. You may direct any questions to me, Isaac, at 336.922.5611 or harmonyridgefarms@gmail.com.
A few notes on CSA deliveries. After much deliberation and consideration of your feedback, we’ve decided to stick to the schedule we followed last year. Members may choose between one of four options: 1.) Pick-up shares at the farm on Thursday evenings between 5 and 7:30, 2.) meet me at New Planet Yoga, Burke St.,West End Fridays between 10:30 and 11AM or 3.) meet me on the front porch of my parents’ house in the Greenbriar Farms Neighborhood at 3620 Rosebriar Circle, Winston-Salem, 27106 Fridays between 11:45 AM and 1:15PM or 4.) request home delivery at an additional charge of $165. We ask that you choose one option and continue your schedule every week. We can accommodate reschedules with sufficient notice. I should explain to the folks requesting deliveries earlier in the week that it is quite difficult to source highly perishable items for the “plus” program more than once a week. Also, bundling our deliveries around the same time of week ensures consistency in the quality, quantity and freshness of the produce as it is divvied out, as crop readiness can vary from day to day.
Thank you all for your time and consideration.
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