Sacred Paths Farm

Posts Tagged ‘Community Supported Agriculture’

Following the roots of Santa’s Acres, our family history, we started by expanding our personal garden and planted nearly ½ acre of pumpkins. We opened our pumpkin patch to the public 5 years ago with enthusiasm and the support from Grandma Dorthea.

Our second season, we expanded our personal garden and created a medicine wheel garden for medicinal herbs and flowers. We surprised our family and friends with the size and abundance of our produce. Realizing that we had enough surplus to feed many families, we opened a small road side stand.

We began to research the idea of creating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program to offer our community the following year. In return our community supported us by purchasing shares in our 3rd year of production. We were all very excited for there was not a CSA program close in our area. We were then able to expand our gardens into the pumpkin field, focusing strictly on edible produce and pie pumpkins. The shares paid for seeds, farm equipment and tools, compost and the supplies for hoop houses. During this 3rd season we realized we were growing more lettuce and heirloom tomatoes than we could manage. We decided to bring our produce to the local farmers markets. We were so thrilled to be accepted into the Saturday Placerville Market and the Tuesday South Lake Tahoe Market. Both communities were especially happy about our year round lettuce supply. We would sell out by 10am! We couldn’t keep up with the demand, and dreamed of the possibility to expand our gardens again.

In our 4th season, we diced to grow into a full time farming business. We were pleased with the relationships we were developing with our CSA subscribers and our community members that are loyal to the Farmer’s Markets. We doubled our farm space and with the growing support, we were able to purchase adequate fencing, get the old farm tractor running and a beautiful supply of mushroom compost. With the economic crisis, we were so blessed to be supporting our family, mainly by supplying organic food to our family, neighbors and community members. We’ve made amazing friends who share our beliefs and values and whom have helped us grow and professionalize our farm an herbal business.

Now in our 5th season, we have grown confident in our skills and knowledge and continue to strive for growing quality organic produce and goods. We have leased 8 acres of organic apples and are pleased to expand our menu. Our herb and flower gardens have grown as well. We will continue to offer our CSA program and feed families at the farmer’s markets, as well as our road side stand. We are so appreciative of the support; for without YOU believing in us we would be unable to bring the organic produce & goods to you! Our relationship is dependent on one another and unites us in a common thread of gratitude.

Thank you!

Consumers and farmers work together on behalf of the Earth and each other. While the farmer is tending the Earth on behalf of others, consumers share the costs of supporting the farm and share the risk of variable harvests (also share the over-abundance of particularly fruitful seasons). Read the rest of this entry »