As we approach the end of the 2023 main CSA season, we are reflecting on how things went for everyone. Each of you have been the best sports about the expected ups and downs of farming. While we were pleased with the fact that having hoop houses allowed us to start the season strong, we are also extremely disappointed that the strawberries didn’t survive the Arctic temperatures in December and the hurricane force winds in late winter. It’s the first year since we have been raising strawberries that it was a complete bust. Not to be discouraged, the 2024 strawberry patch is off to a great start.
We also have grappled with the challenge of growing organic sweet corn. Sweet corn is what started us on this path to grow local produce; our compromise for the 2024 season is to work with a trusted regional farmer who grows non-GMO corn in Rockcastle County. This corn passed our taste test, and we trust it will pass yours, too.
We could go a bit deeper into the weeds about all the things we kind of beat ourselves up about but suffice it to say that we are always trying to figure out ways to ensure you have a better experience going forward. Speaking of having a better experience, we share the opinion with several of you who have contacted us about our current CSA platform Harvie that it can be confusing to navigate. To address this, we are exploring and requesting demos from a handful of other providers recommended by farmers in our CSA network.
As the dust settles and we finalize our decision about the best platform to use, we will have a better handle about what we can offer this fall. Right now, we are thinking we might offer a one-time delivery in October and again in November.
Rooting strawberry tips for fall plannting
Rooted strawberry plant cutting
Strawberry plants going into the field for 2024 harvest.
