February 2012

February 6, 2012

Greetings from the farm!

Can you smell spring in the air?  Although there's a lot of winter left, this is the month when the new season kicks into gear.  We start sowing the first seeds next week to prepare for the first plantings in March. 

The 'planning' and 'organizing' season is almost complete.  Our seeds have been ordered & received; most tools & supplies are in; our sowing & field plans are complete; and many management decisions have been made.  Winter is always busier (and shorter) than you'd think, but winter is the only time when we can focus all our attention on solving problems & making key changes with the farm, so we try to make the most of it.  Once the planting (& weeding) seasons kick in, come April & May, most of our time is allotted to field work.

In the meantime, here are some updates from the farm:

First Harvest

        The first harvest is projected for the week of May 15!  Of course, as always the weather in the spring will determine the actual first harvest, but the field plans are oriented towards harvests by mid-May.  (To new members: we will send all the information you need for picking up produce in the weeks before the first harvest.)

More Apprentices

        We are excited to announce that we are invitng more apprentices to the farm this year than in years past.  So far three folks have accepted positions with us:  John Finch of University City; Bailey Morris from Minnesota; and Oscar Mendez from Chicago.  The apprenticeship program is a key feature of the farm, giving beginning farmers the opportunity to learn all about how to manage a farm while providing us lots of help in the fields.  So far, most of our former apprentices are pursuing opportunities in sustainable, local agriculture, which will go a long ways towards rebuilding local food economies everywhere.  We can't wait to host our new apprentices this year!

New Volunteer Opportunities

        In the coming weeks we plan to announce new volunteer roles that should help the farm develop while offering more opportunities for others to become involved in the farm.    Riverbend Roots, like a lot of small, local farms, has a LOT of community roles & opportunities.  

Shares Still Remaining

        Shares of the 2012 Harvest have been selling well, but there are still shares available, so be sure to let us know soon that you want a share this year before they sell out, if you haven't renewed already.  You can either mail in an initial payment with a sign-up form OR let us know that you'd like us to HOLD your spot.  Also, if you know someone who might be interested, let them know soon! 

Do You Have Recipes You'd Like to Share?

        We love your recipes & ideas on using the vegetables in your share, so if you have any recipes or ideas that you'd to share with other members, send them in!  In the next couple months we'll compile dozens of recipes for distribution throughout the season. 

Any Questions?

        We'll send more newsletters between now and the start of the season, but please don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have between now & then.  You can always reach us at one of our e-mails (kris@riverbendroots.com; stacey@riverbendroots.com), or at 618-444-0567.  You can also find us on Facebook.  In addition, we try to keep our website (www.riverbendroots.com) updated. 

In the meantime, we wish you the best, and look forward to serving you with all the fresh foods from the field soon!

Your farmers,

Kris, Stacey, Anna & Jacob