Posts tagged “Portland CSA”

CSA Week 11

Posted on 22 Aug 2012

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Hello friends!

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Boy, we can’t get over how different the weather has been this week.  A little mix of sun and clouds, cooler and much more enjoyable weather to work in!  It’s almost starting to feel like the halfway mark of the season is here.  Sometimes the slight change in weather helps process just how fast time really does go by.

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Thank you to everyone that made it out to the farm on Saturday.  It was nice for both of us to take a step back, show members the farm, talk about what we do and share in some homemade food!  We know that time is precious this time of the year and we hope to have another gathering over the weekend of the fall solstice which is a month from now.

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TOMATOES!  The season for canning is here!  We have been harvesting an unbelievable amount of tomatoes this week… 470lbs to be exact and there are more ripening on the vine every day!  We’ve had a few members buy our “day old tomatoes,” at a steal of a price, in bulk for canning purposes.  If anyone is interested in purchasing 10, 20, 40, 60 + lbs of tomatoes please let us know.  They make great sauce, sundried tomatoes, ketchup, jam and more for filling up your pantry or giving as Christmas gifts!  Last fall we put together a little tomato canning how-to and you can check it out here.

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We’re pleased to announce that the first film in our succession of outdoor Movie Nights on the farm will begin THIS Friday!  Who can resist Paul Newman & Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?  Come an hour early (at 7pm), pack a picnic dinner, bring a chair and watch the most amazing sunset from the farm! Movie starts at dusk (a little after 8pm). $5 donation suggested.

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Happy week to you all!

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Faithfully yours,

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your farmers

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dirty hands, clean hearts

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CSA Week 9 & 10

Posted on 14 Aug 2012

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Hello friends,

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Hope everyone has been fairing well in this extra hot heat we’ve been experiencing recently!  It looks like Thursday might reach a high of 100 degrees so please do take care of yourselves and we’ll be sure to do the same (looks like 4:30 am farmer wake up calls for us)!  It’s both amazing and crazy that we are officially half way through the season!  We’d love to hear what you guys enjoy about the CSA so far.  If you want to send us a little email this week we’d greatly appreciate it as the midseason is definitely the time for some farmer encouragement!

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We’re still on the hunt for a projector in hopes of doing a few movie nights on the farm this season.  So, if anyone can send the good word out we’d love to make it happen!  But until then we’re still planning for an Open House day on the farm this Saturday (August 18th) from 11 – 3pm.  This is also an open invitation so feel free to bring some friends!  It will be a very laid back afternoon where we invite everyone to bring a potluck dish, a blanket, sun hats & your smiles to meet your farmers and share in the beauty of your farm.  If you feel like getting your hands dirty and helping out, by all means you are welcome, but it’s meant more for a time to relax and enjoy.  If you aren’t able to make it this weekend, we’re hoping to do something again in the early fall around the solstice.   Either way we’d love to have you out again in the coming weeks and months.  Just drop us an email and we can make it happen.

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In other exciting news, with the real start of tomato season, our farmstand is finally up and running and we couldn’t be happier as it’s crucial to our survival as a small farm.  The farmstand is currently open, Friday – Monday, 10am – 7pm.  If you have any friends who commute down SW River Rd. or are in the area please feel free to send them our way as everything (as you know) is picked fresh that morning and is as good as growing it in your own backyard!  We’re also selling extra produce on Tuesdays at SE 13th & Ankeny from 3 – 6 pm, if anyone in town is looking for some sun ripened goodies, you can find us there!

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Everyday it’s incredible to both of us that just two people can make this work.  That we can feed 50+ families for 5 months, produce 1,500lbs of vegetables a week on 2 1/2 acres and have the energy to do it all for 9 months straight.  It’s amazing, inspiring and so fulfilling.  Our dear friends (Jess & Gage) have been visiting from Austin, Texas for the past 12 days and have been incredibly helpful with their thoughtfulness, creativity & encouragement.  As farmers, it’s easy to get into the day to day world of the lifestyle that we live but it’s nice to have someone there to slow you down, allow you to stop, to look around you and really appreciate what is there.  The farmstand signs would definitely not be as cute nor, would our spirits be as lifted if they hadn’t graced us with their presence when they did.  We are feeling revitalized and hopeful that we can continue to make this work as we move past the mid season mark.

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Speaking of the mid season mark, we wanted to gage interest about a Winter CSA share (granted it won’t be tomato season) as we want to be farmers year round and we believe we can be.  If anyone is interested let us know either in person or by email and we can start planning the steps to make it happen.  You have been so great this season, it’s inspiring to us to see what the coming seasons will bring… so thank you for your endless encouragement!

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Last, but certainly not least, Ellie has not yet calved!  I know, I know…  I guess we should just stop talking about it and maybe it’ll just happen…I guess we’re just too excited!   She is doing very well though, trying her best to keep cool in the heat and stay healthy and strong as she nears closer and closer.  We haven’t noticed the major signs but when we do you know you’ll be inundated with adorable doe eyed Jersey calf photos.  Lately it’s been hard to say good night to her as we wonder what might appear in the morning… like children awaiting Christmas we’re excited to take on this new endeavor and grow in ways we didn’t know were possible…

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We look forward to seeing you all this week.  Get your favorite tomato recipes ready because the most delicious heirloom tomatoes are coming your way!  Also, just a heads up, we’ve been running low on crates this past week, if everyone could make double sure that you bring your crates back this week we would greatly appreciate it!

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Faithfully yours,

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Your farmers

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dirty hands, clean hearts

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CSA Week 7 & 8

Posted on 31 Jul 2012

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Hello farm friends!

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Boy, have we had a busy past few weeks on the farm!  We’ve been prepping, planting, seeding, digging, weeding, tilling, raking, trellising, you name it!  We’ve been harvesting the last bits of our spring crops and replacing them with our new fall crops.  It’s been a lot of long days but we’re feeling strong and happy that the two of us are able to get it all done (and to feed 50+ families a week ain’t so bad either).

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We hope that you’ve been enjoying the first tastes that summer has to offer.  The garden is so lush and bountiful, as we see many peppers, eggplants and tomatoes growing and ripening every day.  It’s such a wonderful time of year with those warm days and cooler nights – which make for perfect evenings to harvest potatoes!

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A word on our beloved ladies of Chateau Poulet… we have new layers everyday it seems.  We’re still waiting on that 4 dozen a day thing but we’re happy that we have healthy chickens that are full of personality (despite those little pea sized brains..).  We know by next Spring we’ll have so many eggs that we won’t know what to do with them.  Until then, you can bet your bottom dollar that Farmer Brian will be in that hen house prompting and encouraging the gals to lay just a few more eggs.  Also wanted to mention the wonderful feed that we purchase from Scratch and Peck.  They are located in Bellingham, Washington and are the first feed company in North America to have all of their products be Non-GMO Verified!   Go Scratch and Peck!  The gals are free range in the pasture but it’s nice to know that their supplement feed has only the most wholesome ingredients (so wholesome that you would eat it too!).

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And now for Miss Ellie Bean… she is loving her new home at Working Hands.  She had a visit last weekend with Farmer Britt and her family and it was nice to get the chance to show them the farm and Ellie’s new place in Scholls.  She is nearing the projected due date and we are all open ears and eyes until that day comes.  We are “milking her” (going through the motions) twice a day and she’s adapted so well to her routine already.  We should be, or should I say, she should be very comfortable with it once the calf arrives.  Us, on the other hand, know we’ve barely just begun.  We’ve been getting well acquainted with her (i.e. taking naps together) and we feel pretty confident that we can keep charging ahead, together, like three peas in a pod.

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In other news, we’d love to have outdoor movie nights on the big screen this month and are looking for your guidance.  If anyone knows of a good place to rent a projector & speakers or potentially has one that we can borrow that would be fantastic!  We have such beautiful sunsets out here on the farm it really seems a shame not to share it!

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Also, you should tentatively mark your calendars for a Meet Your Farmers day out on the farm on August 18th.  We’re hoping to do a potluck/picnic style day where everyone brings a dish, a blanket & their sun hats to spend an afternoon with their farmers and other members of their CSA community.  We’ll fill you in on more details as we get closer….

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Hope everyone has a wonderful week!  It’s the first of August tomorrow (we can hardly believe it) and we feel so blessed and appreciative for our bounty, our farm & our wonderful CSA members.

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Faithfully yours,

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your farmers

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dirty hands, clean hearts

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CSA Week 5

Posted on 11 Jul 2012

Taking a siesta in the hammock with one of our nearest and dearest… 

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Hello Everybody!

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We hope your week has been going well and that you’re staying cool!  We are still getting used to the stream of hot weather and sunshine that has graced Portland but the plants are loving it (well, everyone except the lettuce)!  As of right now our little farm is growing and is planted to almost max capacity!  We’ll be harvesting our big crop of potatoes (we’re growing All Blue, Mountain Rose & Yukon Gold) in the next few weeks and our first round of brassica crops which will free up some space for all of our “winter crops.”  (Yes, we’re already thinking about winter…and yes, we’re silly farmers..)

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We thought you guys might be interested to know that beyond the CSA we’re also working in conjunction with a local Headstart agency  in their newly funded child and adult food program to provide fresh, local produce to 67 families in the metro area.  The ability for our small farm to feed an extra 67 families a month is beyond measure and we couldn’t feel happier about it.  So far it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Headstart and we look forward to seeing what the future brings and meeting some of the families that are participating in the program.

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Even the smallest hands can make a big difference here on the farm…

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Speaking of which, our volunteer day was a success, thanks to all the members, families & new friends who braved the heat and could join us!  The flower bed has never looked better and is currently the best looking block on the farm.  We hope that we get to see all of you out here as the season moves forward.  Whether it’s helping out or stopping by to enjoy a peaceful walk around the garden and a good book in the shade the farm is here for you to enjoy.  Feel free to email or call us anytime with questions about visits and lending a hand.  That’s what we’re here for.

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Also, the farm has some news to share but we’re waiting until next week to do so.  We know it’s not fair to mention something like this in this fashion but we want you to be just as excited as we are as, we too, wait in anticipation!  All we can say is keep an eye on the blog this weekend for a hint.  We’ll follow up at the beginning of next week as we let the secret unfold.  Until then, we hope everyone is staying cool.  It looks like summer is here to stay – with more sunshine and 80 degree weather for the next week and you know what that means… tomatoes aren’t too far away!  We’ve been waiting a very long time for salsa fresca, so much so that we can almost taste it and are counting down the days…

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Be well and take care and we’ll see you all again next week!

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Faithfully yours,

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your farmers

dirty hands, clean hearts

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It’s a tough life here on the farm but somebody’s got to do it…

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A bird’s eye view..

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It’s been a most impressive year for lady bugs in the garden…

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Our hearts (& even our bellies) just can’t get enough of these sun ripened goodies… gosh, we love summer!


Volunteer Day 7.7.12

Posted on 6 Jul 2012

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Hello All!

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Looks like tomorrow is going to be a hot one!  Our volunteer day tomorrow, Saturday, July 7th,  still stands, but, we also know that it’s pretty oppressive weather to work in.  So, if you’re feeling up to it, we encourage you to come anytime from 8 am – noon before things really start to heat up!  If you haven’t had a chance to come out to farm this will be a great opportunity to get your hands dirty and to get to know your farmers, Jess and Brian but, if it’s too hot or you can’t make it, we promise that there will be more days in the future for helping!

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We’ll be weeding, planting, prepping, seeding – you name it!  Our to-do list is getting pretty long so if you’re planning on coming by drop us an email.  If you’re unable to make it tomorrow and would still like to come out some time during the week let us know and we can work something out!  Either way, enjoy your weekend and we look forward to seeing you soon!

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Thanks for your support!

dirty hands, clean hearts–

CSA Week 4

Posted on 3 Jul 2012

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Happy 4th of July!

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Hello farm friends,
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And another month begins!  How quickly the season is already whirling by and at 4 weeks we have so many special surprises for you!  We hope you’ve been inspired in the kitchen by all the fresh produce and are also feeling a bit lighter and more energetic.  We know we wouldn’t be able to keep up mentally, physically and spiritually as farmers if it wasn’t for all the nutrient rich food we eat all day long.  Even now at 9:30 pm we’ve just finished a harvest of raspberries and are winding down a long day of planting and mowing in the sun.  This life is pretty good I tell you what.
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But it’s getting to be that time of the season where we could definitely use some extra hands.  Try as we might we can’t get everything done and we feel confident in asking for the help of our loved members and friends.  So, we invite you out this Saturday, July 7th, (10am-5pm) for some fun in the sun and hang out time with your farmers and community.  If you haven’t had a chance to come out to farm this will be a great opportunity to get your hands dirty and to get to know your farmers, Jess and Brian.  We’ll be weeding, planting, prepping, seeding – you name it!  Our to-do list is getting pretty long so if you’re planning on coming by drop us an email.  If you’re unable to make it on Saturday and would still like to come out some time during the week let us know and we can work something out!  Either way we look forward to seeing you at the drop this week!

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Thanks to everyone who brought their old mason jars last week.  It was incredibly thoughtful and it easily gets us into the harvesting spirit seeing all the empty jars sitting on the shelves just waiting to be filled with delicious goods!  Also, the berry cartons can definitely be reused so feel free to save yours and bring them back to us at the pick-ups.  Reduce, reuse, recycle – every little bit counts!
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And if anyone wants to talk animal husbandry this week we have open ears as we’re looking to purchase a few grazing animals for our 3 acres of open pasture.  We’re thinking a dairy cow and a couple of heritage hogs.  So, if you have any advice to give or experience to share we’d love to hear it.

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Until then,

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Your faithful farmers

dirty hands, clean hearts

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New Beginnings

Posted on 6 Jun 2012

many hands, make light work

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Hello dear friends,

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We are just a week away from our first CSA drop off and we are gearing up for a great season!  We are still reeling from this past weekend, which was spent alongside some of our amazing CSA members and their families.   We can’t believe the turn out on Saturday and look forward to sharing many more moments with you all as the season continues.   For those of you who spent time with us on Saturday, you worked so hard weeding those beds and transplanting those tomatoes and basil – you made your farmers proud and you should be too!  Our hearts, minds and bodies are filled to the brim with good energy and we look forward to meeting the rest of our members next week!

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We’re in need of a final push to fill up the last 10 shares  in the CSA, so any help by spreading the good word is helpful to the success of our little farm.  Here’s the link for our pick up share and home delivery share (both are currently available).  It’s thanks to you that we can fully live this dream and feed the people and families in our community.  It means the most to us, so, thank you again for all that you do!  

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enjoying lunch at the community table

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Before we part, until next week, here’s a quick reminder of the drop off locations and times:

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Tues. 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm at SE Ankeny St. & SE 13th (near Old Wives Tales)

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Wed. 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm at 12101 SW River Road Hillsboro OR 97123

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Thurs.  4:00 pm – 6:00pm at Blue Moon Coffee & Bakery 3975 Mercantile Drive Lake Oswego, OR 97035

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Thurs. Home Delivery CSA

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And as always we could use some helping hands hilling potatoes, transplanting peppers and tomatoes and weeding!  Send us a message or give us a call if you’d like to get your hands dirty with us this week.  We love spending time and getting to know each and every one of you.  

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Our best to you and yours.

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dirty hands, clean hearts

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p.s. Stay tuned for more pictures from Volunteer Day at the farm! 

Volunteer

Posted on 18 Feb 2012

Volunteers are the community that is Working Hands Farm.  Without friends, family, the occasional stranger that willingly reaches out, the passerby that pulls in, and the thoughtful friend of a friend who knows this one person who loves pulling thistle bare handed, Working Hands could not exist.  So come out and spend a day, week, month or life on the farm getting your hands dirty.  Shoot me an email at workinghandsfarm@gmail.com and get inspired.

Summer CSA, Portland Style

Posted on 17 Feb 2012

Reason #2 to join our CSA. Know your farmer and spend time on your farm.  A home aways from the city at Working Hands Farm.  Juliet Zulu spent a day with us last summer while we toured around Portland giving away mini CSAs to the businesses we admire in the city we love.

About Us.

Posted on 15 Feb 2012

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Working Hands Farm

is a small organic CSA farm located 17.4 miles outside of Portland, Oregon.  We utilize a variety of different environmentally friendly farming methods such as, cover cropping, integrated pest management, inter-planting, composting, etc…  We believe that it is essential to feed our community safe and nutritious fruits & vegetables. Our farm specializes in growing European varietals that should inspire new gastronomic adventures in all of the households we feed.  Working Hands Farm was started in 2010 by Brian D. Martin, a Portland native, with the goal of bringing a new perspective to our urban farming community.  We invite you all out to the farm to come see and experience how we are doing things differently.  Bring a nice bottle of wine, a blanket and something to snack on and enjoy the beauty of our garden.

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“When the community is connected to its soil the plants are not the only things to grow roots.” -Brian D. Martin

Brian was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and will forever call it his home.  He attended the University of Oregon for his formal education and received B.A. in English Literature in 2007.  He has since spent the majority of his time abroad on a variety of humanitarian projects: starting as a volunteer in Argentina while studying spanish, then working professionally in Uganda (where he had his very first garden) and most recently working in Haiti.  These experiences have served as a catalyst in his life and in many ways are what lead to the birth of the farm, moving from chaos and contradictions to the peace of meditative labour, one giving strength to the other and back again.  Brian started Working Hands Farm in 2010 and with the support from his friends, his family and his CSA members he hopes to farm for the rest of his life.

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From Oregon to Louisiana, Uganda and India, I recall meals at wooden tables, in multi-family living rooms, under thatched huts, and on concrete rooftops. Every day of work on the farm is a remembrance of these gatherings and of the associations I have with people, places and things. I see each task as an opportunity to appreciate the tales our lives tell. Beets, kale and bacon are among my favorite things to eat.

Our CSA and why you should join it.

Posted on 5 Feb 2012

$625 = 20 weeks of delicious organic fruits, veggies, cut flowers, tea, locally roasted coffee and more… Welcome to Working Hands Farm.  Our farm prides itself on offering to you a weekly CSA crate full of the freshest, most nutrient dense produce you can bring into your own home.  Produce that is harvested just hours before you pick it up –  the closest thing to growing it in your own back yard. What is a CSA (community supported Agriculture)? 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”…

To Our Lovely CSA Members

Posted on 1 Feb 2012


Warm winter greetings to my all favorite CSA members,

Although some time has passed since we last met, a lot has been going with us at Working Hands Farm.  We spent the last 3 months working in central Uganda, balancing our time between designing sustainable firewood stoves for vanilla farmers and starting an organic sister farm.  With winter nearly over (we’re only a month and half away from the Spring Equinox) we’re excited to begin the 2012 farming season.  

At the heart of the farm are our CSA members and we couldn’t do what we love to do without your support and helping hands.  This year we’re looking into utilizing our amazing outdoor space for our community by providing workshops, farm to table dinners, movie nights, cooking classes and more.  We’re also determined to spend more time with our members and community by offering farm volunteer parties and children’s programs.  We want to share more with you by connecting, week by week, through our farm newsletter.  We’ll post recipes, give you weekly updates about what’s going on on the farm, what you can expect to eat in the coming weeks etc, so you can stay connected and really feel a part of what we’re doing day by day.

So you can learn and grow right along side with us.

With the start of the season well on it’s way we’re opening up membership this month.  As you know, your support goes a long way this time of the year to purchase seed, compost, potting soil, organic amendments, tractor rentals etc.  So, we encourage you to check out our 2012 CSA program and you can purchase your share by clicking here.  We’ve been making a few changes here and there to the website and encourage you to pass along the good word to all your friends.  The success of the farm depends on it’s amazing community and because of your support we feel more inspired every year.

For other updates – visit the farm blog & our farm facebook page (click “like” for automatic updates in your feed).  If you have any questions or comments about this year’s farm season feel free to contact us anytime.  We look forward to hearing from you all and seeing you all again in the coming months. 

Best wishes,

Farmer Brian

dirty hands, clean hearts.

Gettin’ Saucy..

Posted on 28 Oct 2011

October.  The beginnings of quiet stillness and a time of wondrous change.  When the trees sing out amongst the palette of moodier, gray autumnal days., their leaves changing from living green to the most vibrant of reds, burgundies, oranges & yellows.  The morning is dark and the air is crisp.  A long sleeve shirt, sweater, wellies and wool socks are the shells that are most comfortable for our nest-ready farmer bodies.  They have been patiently awaiting this moment all season. On a crispy fall Sunday afternoon, there’s nothing better than harvesting, washing and canning.  To take the whole day and spend it in the warmth of the kitchen is the epitome of the change of seasons.  After months of getting our hands dirty this…