CSA News - February
2/2/2010 3:20pm by Gregg Keckler
Dear Folks,
It is snowing right now. I am sitting at me desk, relieved because I just finished our taxes using Turbo Tax. We survived 2009; we paid our taxes and we still have some left to live on until markets start in May! Yippee!
This month is when I usually remind folks of the efforts we make to conserve resources in our home and on the farm. We use biodegradable plastic for ground cover. We always recycle all rubber bands, glass jars, plastic cider containers, and cardboard berry and egg cartons.
We freeze all fruits that are not worthy of sale and make jam. We eat or can all beans, tomatoes, and others for ourselves if they cannot be sold.
We also have 33 solar panels on our utility shed. These create electricity for our coolers, freezers, electric fencing, water pumps, and our home. This has been a great saving on electricity consumed. We also feel more energy-conscious knowing that we are doning our part to "save" electricity for urban areas that need it most.
We are also careful about conserving soil nutrients. We always rotate crops, plant winter rye grass, use manure, and use little to no herbicide. We use insecticides sparingly. Gregg sprays fruit trees consciously during the three bloom stages in April and May. After bloom is past he sprays as needed. He inspects trees regularly looking for signs fo blight, wilt, etc. The whole family turns out in June to thin fruit trees by hand. We do not spray to thin.
So all of this considered, we try to conserve, save, and recycle as much as possible so our money can go as far as possible. We plan to keep our soil and environment working well for the next generation.
This month Gregg and Oliver will be pruning the rest of the trees. They will be mowing portions of the 70 acres that we rent. We are getting a tractor repaired and replacing a few tires.
Gregg will be starting some seeds this month in the greenhouse. We grow almost everything from our own purchased seeds and then transplant plugs from the greenhouse to the ourdoors when the weather gets warmer.
Thanks to all who have signed up in January. We had a record number of folks for this month which means we may be closing off subscriptions before April 30. Folks have asked if they can sign up for only the first session and then if they like it sign up for the second or third. The answer is Yes. You can do that. We usually always have plenty of room for folks once the summer and fall sessions come. We are always more hesitant about the spring session because we want to make sure that we have enough things for everyone since our spring comes a little later then Maryland.
Attention: Gaithersburg - there will be a Gaithersburg delivery on Saturday mornings. I will drop of coolers to 128 Goucher Terrace by 7;30AM. You can pick up at your leisure. I will return about 3:30 to pick up empty coolers. So if this fits your schedule - you can now sign up for Gaithersburg pick up. Do not mind that the subscription form does not have Gaithersburg on it. I cannot figure out how to change the form since it is a PDF file. I must wait for Sarah to come home for winter break to figure it out.
NGS: Thanks to those who have singed up already. I plan to make a trip to NGS in March and hopefully meet many of you outside the cafeteria. We will bring our great apples again this year! We are looking forward to meeting all. Please stop by and say "Hi!"
If you have any questions don't hesitate to email us. Check out our staff profiles on the website.
Just a reminder: Last year - Week 2 - Session 1 - June 8 - shares included strawberries, lettuce heads, snow peas, spring onions, radishes, sugar snap peas, and a bunch of red beets. CAN'T WAIT!
Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce
It is snowing right now. I am sitting at me desk, relieved because I just finished our taxes using Turbo Tax. We survived 2009; we paid our taxes and we still have some left to live on until markets start in May! Yippee!
This month is when I usually remind folks of the efforts we make to conserve resources in our home and on the farm. We use biodegradable plastic for ground cover. We always recycle all rubber bands, glass jars, plastic cider containers, and cardboard berry and egg cartons.
We freeze all fruits that are not worthy of sale and make jam. We eat or can all beans, tomatoes, and others for ourselves if they cannot be sold.
We also have 33 solar panels on our utility shed. These create electricity for our coolers, freezers, electric fencing, water pumps, and our home. This has been a great saving on electricity consumed. We also feel more energy-conscious knowing that we are doning our part to "save" electricity for urban areas that need it most.
We are also careful about conserving soil nutrients. We always rotate crops, plant winter rye grass, use manure, and use little to no herbicide. We use insecticides sparingly. Gregg sprays fruit trees consciously during the three bloom stages in April and May. After bloom is past he sprays as needed. He inspects trees regularly looking for signs fo blight, wilt, etc. The whole family turns out in June to thin fruit trees by hand. We do not spray to thin.
So all of this considered, we try to conserve, save, and recycle as much as possible so our money can go as far as possible. We plan to keep our soil and environment working well for the next generation.
This month Gregg and Oliver will be pruning the rest of the trees. They will be mowing portions of the 70 acres that we rent. We are getting a tractor repaired and replacing a few tires.
Gregg will be starting some seeds this month in the greenhouse. We grow almost everything from our own purchased seeds and then transplant plugs from the greenhouse to the ourdoors when the weather gets warmer.
Thanks to all who have signed up in January. We had a record number of folks for this month which means we may be closing off subscriptions before April 30. Folks have asked if they can sign up for only the first session and then if they like it sign up for the second or third. The answer is Yes. You can do that. We usually always have plenty of room for folks once the summer and fall sessions come. We are always more hesitant about the spring session because we want to make sure that we have enough things for everyone since our spring comes a little later then Maryland.
Attention: Gaithersburg - there will be a Gaithersburg delivery on Saturday mornings. I will drop of coolers to 128 Goucher Terrace by 7;30AM. You can pick up at your leisure. I will return about 3:30 to pick up empty coolers. So if this fits your schedule - you can now sign up for Gaithersburg pick up. Do not mind that the subscription form does not have Gaithersburg on it. I cannot figure out how to change the form since it is a PDF file. I must wait for Sarah to come home for winter break to figure it out.
NGS: Thanks to those who have singed up already. I plan to make a trip to NGS in March and hopefully meet many of you outside the cafeteria. We will bring our great apples again this year! We are looking forward to meeting all. Please stop by and say "Hi!"
If you have any questions don't hesitate to email us. Check out our staff profiles on the website.
Just a reminder: Last year - Week 2 - Session 1 - June 8 - shares included strawberries, lettuce heads, snow peas, spring onions, radishes, sugar snap peas, and a bunch of red beets. CAN'T WAIT!
Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce
0 Comments »