Greetings! Before the last Winter CSA pick-up this Friday, we wanted to let you know of some ways we are trying to bring the community and farm together. You can participate in three ways: three planned work bees/potlucks, a Solstice celebration, and a short-notice help list.

Listed below are three workbees. If you can sign up for one or more, please send an email to Christine Forand: christinelovespesto@gmail.com We’re not expecting a large number each time, maybe 8 – 10, but enough so many hands can make for light work. Cory will guide the work, give instructions, and explain best practices. Each event will be 3 hours or so, when we’ll stop and enjoy a potluck together. These are weather-dependent, so they might have to be adjusted.

Planting Workbee ~ Saturday June 1, 2-5pm: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatillos all go into the ground at the same time.  This will involve bending and crawling on your knees.  You may need gloves since soil can be dry and scratchy.  Bring a trowel if you have one (we have lots, but maybe not enough for everyone).

Weeding Workbee ~ Saturday July 20, 9-12pm:  We’ll likely be harvesting fall carrots since they are time-consuming and can use many hands. It is slow and meticulous crawling on your knees or stooping. It needs careful concentration but is conducive to conversation.

Harvest Workbee ~ Saturday October 19, 2-5pm:  These will be root crops for storage and will involve digging, pulling, hauling, topping, sorting, and bagging. Anyone can fit in wherever it seems right.

Saturday June 22 ~ Solstice Celebration: We are developing plans, but if anyone wants to join the planning committee, please contact Simon Mellor at sairising@yahoo.com  It is a rain-or-shine event, but it will be more indoor if it is raining. 

Short Notice Email List: Many tasks on the farm are decided week to week based on the weather and scheduling and are impossible to predict too far in advance.  If you are willing to be “on-call” to be sent an email a couple of days before, send your name to Cory saugeenrivercsa@gmail.com This is not a commitment to anything, just a willingness to come if you can.  Things that might come up include: April greenhouse seeding and potting; Planting in the field May through July; weeding/mulching anytime in the summer; sitting in the CSA store on Tuesday or Friday (this might be especially important in July and August hay season); fall harvesting (onions and squash in September, and roots in October).  Cory will send an email describing what the task calls for, and you can decide if you think you are up for it.

Sincerely, your CSA Core Group,
Beth, Christine, Marc, Mark, Simon

We are excited to announce the forming of a core group for the Saugeen River CSA. Some members felt the impulse to create a more formal structure to support some areas of the farm. We are in conversation with Cory to see how best this group can serve.

The core group is entirely voluntary and interested in the health of the farm and its connection with the community as a symbiotic relationship. Some areas we will support are communications and outreach, organizing community involvement, planning events, brainstorming possible new ventures (short and long-term), sharing responsibility and dreaming of the future. Here are the members of the Saugeen River CSA core group: Simon Mellor, Beth Hamilton, Mark Mariash, Christine Forand and Marc Fortin.

Managing a farm is a daily commitment, and it needs at least one person to be conscious of the whole process; it is no surprise that there are times when a group of willing hands is needed. A healthy farm is highly social at the level of the ground, and cooperation around the roots fosters a good crop.

Cory is a farmer and more; he is an earth-artist, for he truly loves creating with the ground, and Cory is a gifted teacher; he is happy sharing his knowledge and experience with anyone who inquires. Wisdom cultures would honour these gifts and roles with a title like “Elder.” Our CSA community is open to the possibilities of fostering up-and-coming keepers of wisdom who are quietly working amongst us. How this can be outwardly recognized is still in the initial dream phase, and it is happening as more of us begin to listen to our hearts and their connection with the earth.

The Saugeen River CSA has the potential to grow more than nutritious food to sustain our bodies. The fertile ground has been built up these past 26 years creating a strong foundation for cultivating art, stories, relationships, festivals, learning, and a love of nature. This culture has been happening on the farm, and now, a new growth ring has formed around the center.

We want to thank Cory, Tanya, Stefano and Georgia for opening the farmland in their care to nourish and foster community so graciously. The land is richer with Cory and the community is richer with Saugeen River CSA in its life. Thank you for your interest and continued support in whatever form it comes.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please watch for future communications as we carefully work to bring these various offerings into practice.

With gratitude,

Saugeen River CSA core group