Dear members,
It is with giddy anticipation that we write to you today, just five weeks before we come into a nice harvest spread and cut the ribbon on what is shaping up to be a multitudinously beautiful and abundant 2020 harvest season!
Kayta, Anna, Kate and I have been hard at work in the soft (growing harder) Spring light, mowing cover crop, shaping beds, setting up irrigation, seeding, planting, building, and dreaming up what we expect — with a little help from the Farm Gods — will be our most glorious harvest season yet!
Despite all the challenges 2020 has thrown at us all, we have been so uplifted by the outpouring of support for the farm and local agriculture this year. You’ll have 119 other households joining you in sharing the abundance that our 3.5 acres of gardens and fields shower upon us. We are honored to be farming for you!
Below are important updates on the CSA start date, member orientations, and what our COVID-19 policies we will be this year to keep everyone safe.
Please read thoroughly and share with others in your share!
Cover crop and invasive French Broom bouquet!
OPENING DAY ~ JUNE 13th
The first pick-up this year will be Saturday, June 13th. The first Tuesday pick-up is June 16th.
Saturday pick-up runs from 9:00am - 2:00pm
Tuesday pick-up runs from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
You can come to either day, whichever works better for your schedule that week to attend an orientation (see below).
You will receive a Newsletter in your email inbox every Friday evening, outlining that week’s harvest and u-pick options.
FARM ORIENTATIONS
This year, we’d like everyone (old and new members) to attend a short orientation when they come to pick-up their first harvest share of the year.
The purpose of the orientation is to go over farm safety and COVID-19 policies, give you new harvest totes, and do a quick refresher of how the farm works. After that, old members can break away and we’ll give new members a tour of the farm and answer common questions.
We will run orientations for the first two weeks of pick-up. In order to need to keep orientation groups small this to maintain physical distance, please sign-up now for an orientation time slot.
We ask that all members of your share who will be consistently pick-up produce attend an orientation. Please allow about 15 minutes (old members) and 30 minutes (new members.)
BRAMBLE TAIL HOMESTEAD & FARM STORE
Do you drink milk? Lucky for you, we share this land with the freshest, friendliest dairy and creamery in Sonoma County. Bramble Tail Homestead, whose creamery is a stones throw from our pick-up barn, offers a herdshare program (similar to our CSA) where members receive a weekly share of creamy Jersey cow milk and other added-value dairy. With their beautiful cows they manage the grasslands here to improve soil and regenerate grassland habitat.
They sell 100% grass-fed beef from their steers, herbal remedies, yogurt and cheeses, and their creamery is also stocked with goodies from local producers like eggs, duck, rabbit, and honey.
To become a member of the Bramble Tail Herdshare, email Aubrie at brambletailhomestead@gmail.com
FARM STORE
There’ll be many more add-ons this year thanks to a new farm store in the works. We’ll give a detailed list of all the add-ons available in the weekly Newsletters, but think mushrooms, bread, even Fro-Yo!
FARM COVID-19 POLICIES
We farmers will be following strict food safety guidelines around harvest and processing to make sure your food is as safe as can be.
The following policies will also be in place for members to ensure the farm is as safe an environment as possible. It will be the responsibility of all members to ensure that they, their children, and their guests are following these policies at all times while here on the farm.
These policies are not optional. No matter your personal beliefs or confidence level surrounding COVID-19, remember, there are many among us at high risk. (If, for any reason, you feel you will not be able to follow these policies or are uncomfortable with them — this may not be the right venue for you this year. Please contact us immediately.)
GENERAL COVID-19 POLICIES
All members, children, and their guests will be required to follow all current County and State orders governing face coverings and social distancing while on the farm. Please treat Green Valley Community Farm, and our neighboring businesses, like you would a grocery store and mind your behavior accordingly.
Sick or potentially exposed members are asked to NOT visit the farm. Sick or exposed folks can have someone pick-up their harvest share for them for the duration of their quarantine. Please contact us so we can make a box for your pick-up person if that is preferable.
We strongly recommend washing all produce before consuming.
BARN ZONE COVID-19 POLICIES
Members will be required to wear a face covering and to wash their hands immediately prior to picking out produce and add-ons in the barn. We will have a hand washing station at the entrance.
A limited number of people will be allowed in the pick-up area at any one time. Please check how many people are inside and wait until someone leaves if at full quota. Please be intentional while picking out your produce and add-ons so as to make room for those behind you.
Only one member of each party will be allowed to be in the barn picking out produce — exceptions for small children who cannot wait outside. Children are not to pick out produce or touch the bins.
Members must maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves and other members in the pick-up zone.
Touch only the produce you take and take the produce you touch. No sorting through produce this year please.
COVID-19 U-PICKING POLICIES
Children are not allowed to u-pick unless they follow all of the guidelines below.
Members will be required to wear a face covering and have just watched their hands (or wear gloves) prior to u-picking. (If you want to remove your face covering to walk around the farm that is OK, but your face must be covered while picking.)
No hand to mouth. Unfortunately, we all must forgo the traditional “pick a strawberry and eat it!” this year. Only start tasting u-pick and pre-harvested crops after you have left the farm.
Touch only the produce you pick and pick only the produce you touch.
Members must maintain social distance of 6 feet between themselves and other members while u-picking
Formerly, we offered a public stash of pint baskets and clippers for cutting flowers. This year we are asking members to provide their own personal flower and herb clippers and to re-use their own set of baskets. We will provide you with a set of baskets to start the season.
FOR PARENTS
We forsee this may be a confusing year for farm kiddos, especially children who have grown used to frolicking freely here the last 3 years. Parents will have the added responsibility of making sure their children are behaving as they would in a grocery store during this time. Please make sure your children are not encroaching on the personal space of other members and their children and following all the above guidelines while interacting with the u-pick crops. If you feel your child will be unable to follow these guidelines, please set expectations that they will not be allowed to u-pick this year.
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Finally, please be patient and kind with one another. If you see anyone forgetting the rules, please gently remind them and remember — everyone is trying their best and dealing with a lot of stress.
By following these policies, together we can ensure that Green Valley Community Farm produce is among the safest available and that the farm itself remains a place of connection, solace, and nourishment —body, mind, and spirit — for all.
