The Weblog

The Weblog is your source for weekly info from the market. It also serves as a backlog of email announcements we send out to you. Check your inbox or check here for this week’s update . . .



 
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NEW CSA - Collective Harvest Athens


Happy New Year, everyone!

If you’ve missed our weekly box of vegetables, we are excited to announce that we are joining forces with Collective Harvest, a CSA based in Athens.

Spring 2016 CSA Sign-up is now open! http://www.collectiveharvestathens.com/

Also check out the FAQs on the website.

Spring Season is 16 weeks:
April 12 – July 28

Pickup Locations:
Tuesdays: The Healthy Gourmet at 1087 Baxter Street
Wednesdays: Full Moon Farm at 46 Beaver Trail in Winterville
Thursdays: 1000 Faces Coffee at 585 Barber Street

Collective Harvest offers discounted CSA shares through our ‘Fresh Food Fund’ for low-income individuals and families. Email for more information.

End of year greetings


Dear Friends of Cedar Grove Farm,

Several weeks ago you received a notice that the Cedar Grove Farm CSA would be closing down this year with the opportunity to spend remaining balances at the final Saturday morning Athens Farmers Markets. Yesterday was the end of the 2014 Athens Farmers Market season; and, we are, as promised, prepared to refund all monies left in your accounts.

As an alternative, since we are returning to the Saturday morning Market next season, we would like to offer you the option of leaving your accounts open and spending the balance at the Cedar Grove Farm booth at the 2015 Athens Farmers Market. We regret not being able to offer the CSA service next year, but we still would like very much to continue sharing our harvest.

Please, if you have not already done so, let us know if you wish to receive your refund or prefer to keep your accounts active for the Athens Farmers Market beginning again in April 2015. If you have already requested a refund, your check will be mailed tomorrow, Monday, Dec. 22, 2014.

Whatever is your decision, we want to give our sincerest thanks for your support and to wish you a wonderful Christmas holiday and Happy New Year.

Best regards from all of us at Cedar Grove Farm.

Important info: official ending of CSA


Hello everyone,

Despite the recent update in early November to continue the CSA through the winter, we have chosen to end the CSA for the year. An explanation of how we came to this decision follows along with details about how we are moving forward with remaining balances.

We started our CSA several years ago with the intention of reaching people beyond the farmer’s market and generating more income for the farm. The CSA offers an investment from members early in the year that help support the farm before the growing season begins. Members invest in the farm knowing the risks and benefits involved and the many factors that can affect the harvest. Our program is set up differently than most in that members have the choice of choosing the produce they want on a weekly basis, increasing flexibility and customization. During the spring and summer seasons, this method is successful because of the amount of food we can grow. Once the colder weather sets in and the season begins to slow, this method is less advantageous. The vegetable production slows to a snails pace and our harvests for market get slimmer and slimmer.

The CSA ends officially at the end of October and we hope that our members use their remaining balance by this point. The share size options have a recommended weekly spending average that helps to keep things on track. Unfortunately this does not always happen and we continue the CSA into winter offering what we can. Since our yields are so low at this time of year, it becomes more difficult for people to use up their balance. This leaves us with the hard choice of continuing the CSA even longer or offering a refund to any member who has a remaining balance. Many members have $100-200 left in their accounts and knowing what our yields will be throughout the winter it will be hard to offer enough to affect those numbers. On the other hand, this is the time of year when the farm is generating little income and we have to survive the next three months on what we’ve made thus far. As i’m sure many of you know, farming is not a money maker. The investments we receive from the CSA in the beginning of the year help us greatly in running the farm and there is not much left at the end.

After much consideration, we have decided to end the CSA. Since a large portion of our earnings would go to refunds, we are offering another option for those who have a remaining balance. We will issue a credit for our booth at the farmer’s market for anyone with a balance that can be used until the market ends this year as well as next year’s market season. The market ends December 20th this year and begins again next April. The credit will allow you to continue eating fresh, seasonal produce and help us to successfully further our farming business. We realize this is not as convenient as a CSA and if you would prefer a check at the end of the year for your remaining balance, please contact us and let us know.

We fully appreciate all of your support now and in the past. Small, organic farms like ours couldn’t exist without you. Hope to see all of you at the Athens Farmer’s Market.

CSA Availability for 11/14


Hi everyone,

The market is open for the week. We will not be at the farmer’s market on Saturday morning, so all the boxes will be dropped off at Lindsey’s on Friday afternoon. Since Lindsey often closes early on Fridays, we are leaving the boxes on a table in the small shed (smokehouse) behind the building. They can be picked up anytime after 4pm.

Thank you

Cedar Grove Farm

CSA Availability for 11/7


Forgot to send the list out last night. Market is open. Enjoy this week’s offerings!

Changes in Cedar Grove Farm CSA for remainder of 2014


Dear friends and neighbors,

The official 2014 Cedar Grove Farm CSA season has ended. As you know, in past years we have continued the service throughout the late fall and winter months depending on the weather and on the production from our hoop houses. This year the CSA service will end on December 20. For the next 7 weeks, ordering will start after the availability list is sent on Monday evenings and will end on Thursday night. Pickups will be left on a table in the smoke house behind Lindsey’s Culinary Market on Fridays, after 4:00PM, or alternatively at the market on Saturday mornings at Bishop Park. Please send a message indicating a preference for your pickup. At the end of the year, if there is any balance left in your CSA account, you will receive a full refund.

Unfortunately, in 2015, we will have to discontinue our CSA. We are joining a second Saturday morning market next year – Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center in Atlanta. Due to the logistics and increased demands from the additional market we will be harvesting only for the Saturday mornings.

We are extremely grateful for your support and for the opportunity to share our harvest with you these past three years. We absolutely will continue to sell at the Athens Farmers Markets on Saturdays for the rest of this year and in the future.

Thank you so much for your patronage.

Best regards, Jay Payne

CSA Availability for 10/29 news about day & pickup change for boxes


Hi everyone,

This Wednesday is our last market at the downtown location and we will be changing the pickup days to Friday afternoon or Saturday morning at the market. Since we will no longer be harvesting on Wednesdays, it made the most sense for us to do the CSA boxes on Friday when we are harvesting for Saturday morning. We are still figuring out the best time for pick-ups on Friday and will let you know before next week.

The market is open for business. Enjoy the offerings!

Cedar Grove Farm

CSA Availability for 10/22


What’s new this week? Cabbages, spinach, dill and cilantro. Enjoy the offerings!

Cedar Grove Farm

CSA Availability for 10/22


What’s new this week? Cabbages, spinach, dill and cilantro. Enjoy the offerings!

Cedar Grove Farm

CSA Availability for 10/15


What’s new this week? Turnips, arugula, stringless pole beans, and rainbow cayenne peppers. The summer squash patch looks like a wasteland, but it’s still cranking out a few squash here and there so we’ve got a few mixes available with whatever we can find this week. Our strawberry plants came in last week and we’ve been preparing beds to plant them along with our garlic for next spring. It’s also time to order our onions for next year, so we’ve got some work ahead of us as usual. Hope you enjoy the vegetables this week!

Cedar Grove Farm