Spring 2009 CSA

Newsletter January 15, 2009

How Much in a Share?

I recently received a few emails inquiring how much produce a farm share member can expect each week when our spring harvest begins. I wish I could rattle off some precise quantities, but this being our first CSA season, it is difficult to provide tangible numbers on just how many tomatoes or squash one should expect. This having been said, I decided that I needed to go on a fact-finding mission to determine how much produce $22 or $33 will purchase. With my pen and paper in hand, I entered a Conroe Kroger store and proceeded directly to the produce section. There I was, writing down prices and then trying to determine "how many of these tomatoes makes 2#s?" Okay the answer is five. How about these potatoes and broccoli? Carrots and beets; how many in a bunch? Well after a few minutes, the produce manager comes up and asks me what I was up too. I replied that I was on "a fact-finding mission" and his facial expression revealed that he thought I might be too strange to question further so he left me alone. Based on what I have found, I estimated that $22 purchases a vegetable dish for two people over 3 or 4 dinners and maybe a few salads.

Although not scientific, I used some of the Kroger values to determine how much of our locally grown produce might be included in our "$22 weekly partial share" for the early April timeframe.

  • 2 broccoli, crowns
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 cabbage, napa
  • 1 bag salad mix
  • 3 medium red beets
  • 9 baby radishes
  • I bunch parsley
  • 4 large portabella mushrooms
  • 9 baby carrots

A $33 weekly full share in late May, June may include something like the following:

  • 1 pt. grape tomatoes
  • 4 tomatoes, heirloom
  • 6 tomatoes, hybrid
  • 1 bag salad mix
  • 4 cucumbers
  • lg. Bunch basil
  • 1 bunch baby radish
  • 7 yellow squash
  • 2 pts. strawberries
  • 8 zucchini
  • 10 red potatoes

We'll have these at the Bayou City Farmer's Mkt this Saturday a.m. (rain or shine)

  • Spring Mix
  • Baby Arugula
  • Micro Green Blend
  • Micro Arugula
  • Micro Cilantro
  • Pulled Pork
  • Smoked Whole Chickens
  • No Mayo Chix Salad

Reserve with an email & ph #

Farming Activities This Week

Some of our tomato seedlings, planted last week, are finally waking up. We’ve got 1500 strawberry plants headed our way with the prospect of having them planted by early February. Given good weather, we'll hopefully have berries by early May.

Shameless Marketing

We are still accepting applications for our spring CSA program, so consider forwarding this email to friend.

Until next time,

Van
Cell 713 876 8645
csa@woodduckfarm.com