2013 Holcomb Farm CSA Member Orientation
How many of you are new CSA members - new to Holcomb Farm or CSA members
for the first time?
Even if you have been a member of a CSA before, PLEASE READ below, specifically the section
'Distribution Logistics'.
Holcomb Farm
 Town-owned land, non-profit organization - mission to preserve, promote and utilize
the farm for food production, education and community use.
 Grounds are open to the public: 11 miles of hiking trails, riding ring, etc.
 Friends of Holcomb Farm and the town of Granby host community events on the
farm and offer programs for students, families and adults. You may sign up to
receive info on these events via email. Many of the events may complement your
share and provide useful information, as well as build community spirit.
 Our CSA farm is our main business. About 80-85% of our produce goes to our CSA
members in the Summer and Winter. We do a very small amount of marketing to
restaurants and local stores to keep ourselves visible. In general we do not sell our
produce through farm stands or farmers markets, but we will offer a small selection
of produce for sale at our on-site Farm Store, as well as goods from other local
farmers. The Farm Store is only open during On-Farm CSA distribution hours.
 The rest of our produce goes to food-insecure populations through our charitable
Fresh Access program. We raise funds, separate from the price you pay for your share,
to grow and distribute our fresh produce through senior centers, food pantries and
emergency food outlets in Hartford and Granby. Your support of this program
would be greatly appreciated.
Spirit of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
 The CSA model is a membership-based relationship between farms and consumers
where consumers support the farm in the spring by paying for a share up front, and
in return the farm provides an ample supply of healthy local, safe, and fresh-picked
produce to its members. The model gives farms the stability necessary to survive the
many challenges of a growing season, and the difficulties of farm economy. The CSA
model also encourages members to enjoy access to the farm, learn about local foods,
build community, and to fully utilize farm products.
 We grow a wide variety of crops (over 40 different types of crops, with over 100
different varieties), aiming to provide a steady diversity over the course of the season.
What crops grow well in a particular season will be the crops you will see most of as a
CSA member that year. This changes every year!
 The Seasons: Crop availability varies with the seasons, and the share will be very
different in the spring, summer and fall.
- Spring: In the spring it is mostly greens and some root crops such as
radishes, salad turnips and scallions.
- Summer: In the summer the share will still include salad greens and cooking
greens but it will be heaviest in fruiting crops such as squash, peppers, tomatoes,
eggplant etc, and roots such as carrots and beets.
- Fall: In the fall we will have a lot of delicious roots, greens and fruiting
crops. The fall is the big harvest season here in New England, so get ready to store
some produce for the winter!
 Risk: While we work to minimize production risk in many ways, the exact
performance of each crop may vary from year to year and over the course of each
season. In other words, there are no guarantees, but with over 100 varieties and 300+
plantings we have a pretty good track record of being able to deliver an ample supply
of fresh produce to our members.
Our Growing Practices
 No chemicals. We use only pest-control methods and fertilizers approved for use in
organic production.
 Our methods meet standards of certified organic production except for seed
purchasing. Our seeds are either raised organically or conventionally grown - we do
not use any GMO seeds!
 We work to maintain and build soil health through mineral balancing, cultivation of
soil microbial life, and protecting the soil from erosion and compaction as much as
possible. Healthier soil means tastier and more nutritious produce.
 Minimal handling and transport of produce. Crops go from field, to wash station, to
cooler, to the distribution tables usually all within hours of when they are picked.
Storage crops like potatoes and winter crops are harvested in bulk and stored in the
barn until they are given out.
Distribution Logistics for On-Farm CSA Members
 Come once per week, any time during distribution hours.
 Distribution hours are: Tuesdays 2-6, Thursdays 3-7, Saturdays 9-1.
 Please don't park in church lot. Use overflow lot if necessary. Handicapped members
may park next to the barn.
 At the first week's pickup check in with the CSA Distribution Staff Person or the
Farm Manager and we will provide you with your CSA share bag(s).
 After that, at each pickup bring your Holcomb Farm CSA bag(s) and check off your
name on the sign-in sheet. Look at chalk boards and other signage in barn for
information on what is in your share that week.
 If you forget your share bags, you must use the plastic bags that we provide. The
share bags and the provided plastic bags represent the overall volume of the amount
of produce you can take each week. You cannot use other reusable bags of a different
size.
 Harvest list board describes how much of each item you can take. The share bags
represent the overall volume limit of your share each week. Most items will be
individually limited i.e. two peppers etc. Sometimes we will have items listed as
'unlimited' which means you can take as much as you would like within the limits of
your bag, and sometimes we will list items as 'unlimited outside your bag!', which
means you can take as many as you like!
 You have choice! You don't have to take anything. Go ahead and stuff your bag if
you like but don't take more than you will use!
 Exact availability varies over the course of the week. There is no "best time" to come.
We aim to have a good diversity of items for all the distribution hours. We will run
out of some items from time to time during distribution. Feel free to ask about it. We
may be able to pick more or we may not.
 Use shelves outside the barn for storing your stuff.
 The Farm Store is open during distribution hours, where we sell a variety of items
from other local farms and producers (goat cheese and yogurt, maple, honey, beef,
blueberries, pickles, tea, sweet corn, apples, peaches, jams, soap, cookbooks,
Holcomb Farm clothing, etc). This year we will be selling a small selection of
Holcomb Farm produce as well, so members and the public can purchase items that
may or may not already be in the share. We will only sell items in the Farm Store
when there is already enough for us to include in the share in ample quantity, or when
we have such a small quantity of something that we would not be able to divide it by
400 members! Remember to bring cash or check. Credit cards not accepted. The
Farm Store is open to the public.
Pick-Your-Own Crops
 Check signage in PYO kiosk for what, where, and how much.
 PYO crops have their own specified quantities over and above the share bag.
 PYO is based on an honor system. The limits mean something. We are trying to be
fair and make sure there are crops for all members. PLEASE RESPECT PYO
LIMITS!
 Please reuse and conserve quart boxes and bags. You can bring plastic bags from
home for the PYO crops.
 We supply scissors for harvesting flowers and herbs (Other PYO crops don't require
tools). Unfortunately, the scissors have a habit of walking away from the farm. Return
farm scissors to the kiosk! Better yet, bring your own scissors if you plan to cut herbs
or flowers.
 You may want to bring a container to fill with water to take your flowers home.
 Encourage your kids to pick with you but don't let them trample or mutilate crops.
 Signage in kiosk aims to help you understand how to pick. If you are not sure how to
tell when something is ripe or how to pick something, ask!
 PYO crops available anytime from 2pm on Tues to Sunday evening the same week,
only during daylight hours. Please hold off on Mondays when the new PYO list is
being generated! You are welcome to come for the PYO crops outside of distribution
hours. Please come only once per week.
Member Communications - Sign up for our Blog!
- www.holcombfarm.org/blog What's on the blog:
 Weekly Crop Lists, usually by 2pm on Tues. This will let you know generally
what is in the share that week, but sometimes things change from when we write
the list! Don't panic if we don't post a list, or if the list is late. We'll still have
distribution. If we ever have to cancel distribution, that will be announced loud
and clear. The crop list is approximate. Exact availability varies even within a
week.
 Weekly food column and recipes from Julie Wern
 Other farm news and articles as inspiration strikes
 Feel free to share recipe ideas in the comments section of the blog or email Julie.
Other Methods of Communication.
 Email - Farm business and important CSA member announcements sent directly by
email from Karen the Farm Manager or Jill Ford the administrator. You will receive
messages through Farmigo or through Constant Contact, including information on
other Holcomb Farm activities from www.holcombfarm.org.
 Signage in barn has tips and news as well.
 We welcome questions and suggestions via email or in person. Please email
info@holcombfarm.org with all questions and concerns. You can also ask our CSA
Distribution Manager or Farm Store Manager any questions while you are picking up
your share.
Farm Etiquette
 No pets in crop fields. Leashed dogs welcome outside of barn and crop fields.
 No smoking.
 Please be respectful of the peaceful nature of the farm and the experience of other
members when using your cell phone.
 You are welcome and encouraged to walk anywhere on the property. Children (or
adults) are not allowed to climb on fences or the farm equipment.
 Watch out for electric fences!
Workdays and Volunteering
 We discourage random or one time volunteering but we may be interested in
volunteers if you can come on a regular basis to help with field work or if you have
skills in building or mechanics. Talk to us.
 Workshares are available to exchange a CSA share for a 40-80 work commitment.
Workshare spaces are currently filled for the 2013 season.
Winter Share and Renewals
 We offer a smaller number of Winter Shares, consisting of storage roots crops and
winter squash along with greenhouse greens and field greens (when weather permits!).
Registration is in the fall once we have a clearer picture of the crops we'll have
available - so keep your eyes open for registration announcements in September!
 We offer Summer share renewals to current members in late September and October
for the following year. In November, we begin offering remaining shares to those on
the wait list - so sign up for your shares early or you might go back on the wait list.
 If you know someone who might be interested in joining the CSA, have them add
their name to the wait list.
THANK YOU! WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR SHARE THIS SEASON!!!