Thursday, March 8, 2012

Fernbank Farm to School Spring CSA

This Spring we are going to once again offer a Fernbank CSA.  This time we have partnered with Oakleaf Mennonite Farm, who is excited to grow great veggies for us!  People had commented that they would like to see more diversity in the CSA box from week to week.  Oakleaf met with us, listened to our feedback, and is planting a nice diversity for Spring!

Cost: $25 per week (One dollar goes back to Fernbank Farm To School.) for 10 weeks = $250  (This also represents a discount from their $300 subscription fee.)
Session: May 4 - July 6 
New: Each week the boxes will include a loaf of Holeman & Finch bread! The farm is partnering with other local farms to bring us fruit in addition to the vegetables they are growing.  This CSA subscription should include strawberries, apples, blueberries, watermelon and peaches.

Planting: Fennel, Chard, Speckled Lettuce, Red Leaf Lettuce, Arugula, Butter Crunch Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Endive, Broccoli, Napa Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Turnips, Radishes, Kohlrabi, Garlic, Starwberries, Cilantro, Spinach    June - Carrots, Squash, Cucumbers 

Can you split a subscription? Yes, we will take two checks from you and a friend. However, we expect these boxes to have more variety and includes a loaf of amazing bread, which could be a little more challenging to split. 

E-mail your RSVP to beckyrhall@comcast.net

What is a CSA?

In basic terms, CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.

What is Oakleaf Mennonite Farm?

An urban farm in East Atlanta, that is a ministry of the Berrea Mennonite Church.  They sell at East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, East Lake Farmers Market, and Peidmont Park Farmers Market.  The church is lead by a Fernbank dad, and the farmers used to be at Farmer D.  They installed our garden boxes and gave us a training session last year.  This year they are growing lettuce plugs for our late winter planting.  We hope this partnership is beneficial to both Oakleaf and Fernbank!

Science Fair Project: The Hygiene Hypothesis

The Hygiene Hypothesis suggests that kids that are not exposed to microbes during early childhood are more likely to get diseases because these kids have suppressed the natural development of their immune systems.  Do Organic food have more microbes on them than non-organic food?