CSA Operations at Nubanusit Cohousing
In the twenty or so years Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) has been in existence, it has gone through many changes. Here at NNF our format is closest to the roots. Originally a group of people got together to purchase a farm, hire a farmer and share the financial risk, and that’s what we have done. Currently we distribute according to the traditional model as we make up preset baskets to expose members to the full range of the farm’s offerings while allowing members to add from an overflowing extras table.
In our two years running the CSA, we have experienced excellent growing seasons and the happy problems of overabundance. This year members have been able to freeze, brine, can, ferment and dehydrate while eating fresh vegetables to their hearts’ content. While one or two crops have not worked out, the overall yield has been phenomenal.
Pumpkin harvest - fun for all ages.
At peak season, our harvest schedule involves pre-picking of beans the two afternoons before distribution morning. Bean plants are readily attacked by fungus, so it’s best to keep hands off until plants are dry; harvesting the morning of distribution isn’t feasible. As quantities of all crops have skyrocketed, we also do some harvesting the day before because we don’t have the manpower to bring everything in, trim, wash, weigh and distribute before 9 AM pick up.
Saturday AM community work sessions –the prime time for farm participation for those who choose to be working members – lately have been dominated by harvest, but we all seem to love it, especially our weekly potato harvest which thrills kids and adults alike with the in ground treasure hunt.
On Wednesday and Sunday mornings, Nancy usually beats me to the CSA “store” to dole out potatoes, shallots, red and yellow onions, and garlic. We don’t wash potatoes so they’ll store better and these soil covered items go in a separate box.
At 7 AM, Noel, Richard and Bridges straggle out with garden carts to join me in the field. We’ll harvest leeks, carrots, beets, chard, kale, lettuce, mesclun and herbs. We’ll double check squash and zucchini to make sure nothing has grown to picking size overnight. We’ll collect all the Kirby cukes in the morning, so that if anyone feels like pickling, the results will be super crisp.
We head back to the shed to trim tops and scrub. With most greens we just spray to remove the heat of the field, but mesclun gets triple washed and put through a salad spinner. Trimmings get sorted according to the enthusiasms of pigs, chickens, horses, and the pet bunny. Dregs like leek tops go to the compost.
While this work goes on, Sage, Elsbeth and Catherine join Nancy to weigh and tally the amounts we’ve harvested. They’ll spend about an hour filling boxes for member pick ups and the local charities we help supply.
Sometimes it rains on the harvesters, and the wash buckets can feel awfully cold in spring and fall. For the most part, we enjoy each other’s company and are amazed by the fact these gorgeous vegetables come from our land.
Learn more and sign up for shares at our CSA website.
