CSA Thoughts and the Market Starts Tomorrow

I'm such a cheater! It's good that I admit this upfront, lest anyone think I have original ideas. I'm always looking and researching other farms, CSAs, growers to see what they're doing (and not doing) and then trying my best to copy it here. My CSA deliveries are no exception. Last year there was just one CSA (that I know of) operating in Bismarck. I had numerous requests to start a CSA there this winter, but with the new baby...Jamestown was all we could handle. This year there are two serving Bismarck. Both of them started delivery after we did: one of them a week later and the other started today, 3 weeks after we started! And here I was, worried that we had a late start! In more interesting information, both of the Bismarck CSAs only offer 14 weeks of produce, we offer 15. And they both charge more than we do, one of them 150% more!! My goodness, I almost fell off my chair when I read that! John and I have discussed this "research" and we feel that we are offering a fair price, both for us and for our members.

The Gackle Farmers Market starts tomorrow! I'm always excited for market day, it's fun to be in the park among friends! While I won't have quite the volume and variety I had last year (because my CSA members come first), I will have some great produce and homemade egg noodles. I made 9 pounds of noodles yesterday and boy, are they good! Hopefully, the market-goers will think so too!

I did a close inspection of the gardens the past two days to gauge what was near harvest, ahead of schedule or behind schedule. CSA members, you will be happy to know that this next week there should be kohlrabi, turnips and beets in your boxes! The turnips were a surprise. Never having grown them before, I wasn't sure of their habit or maturity rate. But we weeded them two nights ago and there are definitely eaters out there!