Your Opportunity for Community Supported Agriculture

This article has been written by both Julie and Lisa.

Julie writes: Yesterday we explained about CSAs and tempted you with the mention of an opportunity to join one. Eddie Stuckey of Kellogg Valley Farms is an extremely hard worker. He grows vegetables chemical free. {Read: organic for all intents and purposes, only the government won't let him label it that way because he doesn't want the paperwork hassle. No chemicals are used on his farm.} My husband and I have bought produce from him for 3 seasons and have enjoyed getting to know him and his family.

This season he provided 10 shares of his farm through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

I've talked with most of the shareholders (because we're all friends) and everyone has been more than happy with their baskets.

Lisa writes: My husband, Mike, and I visited Eddie’s farm last fall and talked with him about his vision for the future of the farm. You can see pictures and read about our visit here. For his first year CSA program Eddie wisely decided to keep it small. His goal was to have a manageable, quality program. He made relationships with 10 individuals and families and did his very best to provide a variety of farm products for them in weekly boxes throughout the growing season.

These are the reasons Mike and I decided to be one of Eddie’s shareholders:

• We really want farmers like Eddie to succeed, so we are not left at the complete mercy of Big Ag.
• We like investing in other people’s dreams, especially when we get a return in Real Food.
• We like Eddie.
• We like the “small community” aspect of a small CSA program. We’d like to know the other shareholders.
• Eddie won’t be getting any government subsidies to help with the projects that need to be done for expansion on his farm, because he’s growing “specialty crops” on a few acres rather than GMO corn and soybeans on 100s of acres. (Believe it or not, 'specialty crops' is a USDA designation for any fruit, vegetable, herb or plant grown in the U.S. that is not one of the five “program crops” directly subsidized by the federal government. Running a traditional, diversified small farm means you are a specialty crop producer.)
• We want first dibs on our limited supply of chemical-free local produce.
• I am more motivated to prepare produce that I already have then to make a meal plan in advance and go purchase the food at the market (I like fewer decisions in my life).
• I am especially bad at standing in front of a farmer’s stand and figuring out what I will use during the next week (and remembering if I already have some or not at home.)
• I like “having my farmer’s ear” so I can make suggestions about what crops might be nice.
• I like the idea of getting a good deal on chemical-free local produce without being unfair to the farmer who has worked so hard to grow it.

Eddie would like to sell these this month so he can proceed with the farm plans, like ordering lime and compost to enrich his soil.

Julie writes: Would you want to invest in a local farmer? Would you be willing to invest now and reap the harvest next year?

I see heads nodding YES!

Here are some FAQ:

1. How much is the investment? $500

2. What's in it for me? 12 bountiful baskets of seasonal organic produce, one a week from June-August. Eddie will be networking with other farmers who can provide produce that he does not grow (like corn, melons, rice, etc.) In all likelihood, these farmers will not be chemical free but they will be local. I, Julie, am going to provide kombucha for the baskets. :)

3. When and where's the pick-up? It will be on Tuesdays from 4-5pm. Where: mid-town Little Rock, near Whole Foods.

4. We have a small family, I'm not sure we could use that much produce. Can I buy half a share? YES! Just find a friend to buy the other half with you. Eddie asks for simplicity's sake that one person sign the contract and be the contact person. If you can't find someone to go half with you, contact Kim Meldrum [email: lcalumni AT comcast DOT net] and she will connect you with another person to go half.

5. What happens if I'm out of town a week? You can either pick up produce earlier in the season at the Argenta Market (in April or May) or ask a friend to pick up your basket for you.

Let Eddie know ASAP that you want to support him, his family and his farm by printing this contract and taking it and a check to him on Saturday mornings at the Argenta Farmers Market. To contact him otherwise, call him 501-773-3905, e-mail Kelloggfarms AT yahoo DOT com or check out his Facebook page.

Excited about fresh and local food,
Lisa and Julie