Is it Spring yet?!

As time ”springs ahead,” so does our workload. Many of you at home are starting to think about your home gardens and flower beds. At Wayward Seed, we’re thinking about the first time our tractor will hit the field for the 2011 season. But until then, we’re thankful for our last few days of rest.

We’ve worked hard on the 2011 farm plan this winter, and it’s hard to believe we’ve been farming for six weeks. Since early February, we’ve started onions, leeks, herbs, and lettuce (to name a few) in the greenhouse. Our goal for mid-June is to start CSA and market season with a colorful selection including a few new varieties.

It’s official–we have completed our application for USDA organic certification. Thirty-one pages later and we’re prepared for our inspection by Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association. While we’ve debated the process for years (and with lots of you, our CSA members), a good friend recently told us, “It made me a better farmer.” Is there a better testament to organic certification than that?!

Although it’s our first year to be certified organic, our fertility program for the past few years has been paying off. The results of this year’s soil test show that the organic content in our soil is even higher than we thought. We expect good moisture retention and soil nutrition for our plants this season.

We’ll take a break from all our work on Monday March 21st for the first Central Ohio Food Forum. We hope you’ll join us at Wild Goose Creative from 5:30pm to 8:00pm for a candid discussion with farmers, gardeners, grocers, and cooks of all kinds about the future of food in our region. We’re counting on your participation–more perspectives improve our view of the landscape.

Until next time…

We've Moved

We've moved! For updates and the latest news on Wayward Seed Farm, visit our new website (http://www.waywardseed.com/) and sign up for our blog.

Thanksgiving CSA

Many of you have asked about our infamous Thanksgiving CSA Share for this year. We are sorry to say we are not able to offer a share similar to years' past, as we don't have quite the fall harvest we'd hoped we would. That being said, we had already made arrangements to offer locally raised, pastured broad breast turkeys available through a cooperative relationship with another farmer. So get your turkeys here, folks! There will be a range of sizes available at the rate of $3.00 per pound. (From 12-22 lbs.)

If you are interested, please email farm@waywardseed.com and mention Thanksgiving turkeys in the subject line.

Turkeys will be available for pickup on Saturday, November 20th at the North Market, from 8AM to 12 noon.

2011 CSA Announcement

Dear CSA Member,

With the blink of an eye October has arrived. There's a crispness to the air, the days are getting shorter and the end of the growing season is upon us. In a continued attempt to finish the season with a bang, we're happy to report a successful planting just last Sunday. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips--with our fingers crossed, we've planted even more for fall. With just a little bit of rain, a few sunny days, and evenings not below 40 degrees, these items should be ready in the next 30 days. But while there are still many weeks left of the 2010 CSA, it's time to think about 2011.

We have enjoyed feeding you, your friends, and your family for the last 20 weeks. We appreciate your continued patience with the ebb and flow of the weather and your share. In the countless words of support and encouragement we've received, some of our long-time members commented that they learned more about the source of their food in this season than any other. We like to think we are better for it as well.

With that said, we've spent a lot of time working through our intentions for the CSA program, both next season and beyond. We are making two major changes to our CSA program: We are combining the vegetable and fruit share and we are offering one share size. The share will include our current two-person fruit share and a vegetable share that is slightly larger than our current two-person option, but smaller than the four-person share. We estimate that it will feed a family of four for four meals each week (depending on how often you cook), or it would provide two vegetarians with meals for 5-6 nights each week. As you know, we like to bulk up our shares--and this model will only further encourage that tendency.

Each week you will receive 9-11 items in your share, with roughly 7-8 vegetables and 2-3 fruits. The share will last 25 weeks, from mid-June until early December, costing $36 per week. (For reference, our current 2-person vegetable and 2-person fruit shares have a combined cost of $40 per week. The 2011 share will be larger and slightly less in cost.) Additionally, there will be a limited number of shares available, so we would encourage you to sign up sooner than later if you believe the share is a good fit for your needs. Lastly, we will continue to offer Snowville Creamery and Cafe Brioso coffee as supplements to your share.

Some of you are likely asking, "What about my fruit share?" or, "What about my bi-weekly share?" We encourage those of you affected by the changeover to consider splitting a share by alternating pick-up weeks with another member. We have many bi-weekly members who will be looking for partners as we transition to this new model. We are happy to help make those connections by encouraging you to post your request on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/waywardseed. And of course, we will do whatever we can to assist you as well.

Also in 2011, we will be pursuing organic certification. By all accounts we expect to be certified at some point during the season. We are also offering an online system for our customers that will not only allow you to manage your own share, but will also make our own record keeping and communications far more
timely and efficient. And despite all that is changing, you can trust that the quality you've come to expect from us will not simply continue, but will increase. This new model will allow us to become more focused, efficient and successful farmers--which creates stability for all of us in the years ahead.

We thank you in advance for your understanding. We have toiled for weeks deciding how to best move Wayward Seed forward in the next year and the many years to come. We've made these changes with our customers in mind, as well as the vitality and health of both the farm and our own quality of life. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be in touch as quickly as we can.

One last note: Payment will be due in full no later than March 1, 2011. Our online ordering system will be up and running the first week of November, and for those members who have committed to 2011, we will notify you by email when your order can be placed. We are giving current members first priority for the 2011 season and will open orders to the public on October 16.

Thanks again.

Jaime Moore & Adam Welly

S.O.S. Update

Things are finally starting to dry up. With your help, and some help from Mother Nature, we’ve weeded more than 20 beds, saved more than 10,000 plants, and will finally be able to plant seeds for future harvest. In addition to those who generously donated your time in the past weeks, we’ve received countless emails of kindness, support and understanding. Those of you who know us well know that this decision did not come easily, nor did we take it lightly. A million thanks would not be enough.

And now for the best news we could possibly bring you: We will resume all deliveries this week, under the normal schedule. For bi-weekly members that may have missed their first week due to the farm conditions, we’ll make it up–we promise. We have beets, swiss chard and rat tail radish pods that are ready to be harvested, and summer squash and beans are close behind.

And finally, for those of you who are new to Wayward Seed and new to CSA in general, we especially appreciate your patience. Please know that nothing about the last few weeks is typical of any harvest season. We, too, are adjusting to the unexpected nature of it all. The majority of our members have been with us for several seasons, and as we’re sure they can confirm, the volume of food increases as the weeks go by. Just wait until fall arrives!

If you are still interested in volunteering, please watch the blog (Emmy Says), A Well Fed Seed, Twitter or Facebook for our current needs. For the time being, we’ll post our needs for volunteers in the morning hours, on a needed basis. For those who are unavailable at the present moment and want to volunteer, don’t worry, we plan to implement a regular volunteer schedule within a few weeks.

Again, we thank you! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email.

S.O.S. Update

We can not thank you enough for the outpouring of support and encouragement over the last few days. It's remarkable the difference just a day or two can make. Whether you've joined us on the farm, or simply called or emailed, it means a lot to know that you understand and support our decision to suspend your vegetable shares.

As of today, with the help of more than thirty volunteers, the sun, the wind, and finally the cooperation of Mother Nature, our fields are turning around. While we're not out of the woods yet, we've made a significant impact on the weeds, and therefore, your vegetables. There are portions of the field that remain under water and will therefore be tilled under and replanted. Once the portions of the field are tilled, we will replant for a full fall harvest.

Because of each of you, the tide has turned and our fields are recovering. Thank you again for making the difference.

For the weekend, we will welcome volunteers on Saturday from 9AM to 3PM. Please stay tuned for more updates and details of the situation. We will plan another update at the end of day on Sunday, or Monday morning.

We'll be working on the farm at Oakvale Farmstead. The address is:

1285 State Route 29
London, Ohio 43140

If you're coming from the city, the easiest route is Interstate 70 West, towards Dayton. Exit Route 29. Turn RIGHT off exit, onto Route 29, towards Mechanicsburg. Pass through the stop light at US 42 and travel about two miles. Just past Lafayette Plain City Road, the driveway will be on the LEFT, before the barns. Turn LEFT into driveway and drive around to park in front of the barn (you should see plenty of cars). If you see the Oakvale Farmstead Cheese sign turn around you've gone too far.

Wear boots, hats, gloves, sunscreen... Be prepared for the elements. To keep you hydrated, we'll have plenty of water on hand.

If you have any questions before arriving or need help with directions, please call Adam at (614) 226-8548. If you need anything else, not pertaining to volunteering, please call me at either number listed below.

With gratitude,

Jaime Moore
Wayward Seed Farm
14950 Fladt Road
Marysville, Ohio 43040

Office: 937.644.0786
Cell: 614.327.0102

If you're hoping to volunteer....

Dear Members,

Your support is overwhelming and encouraging. We could not possibly thank you enough.

Here’s the plan…

We’ll be working on the farm at Oakvale Farmstead. The address is:

1285 State Route 29
London, Ohio 43140

If you’re coming from the city, the easiest route is Interstate 70 West, towards Dayton. Exit Route 29. Turn RIGHT off exit, onto Route 29, towards Mechanicsburg. Pass through the stop light at US 42 and travel about two miles. Just past Lafayette Plain City Road, the driveway will be on the LEFT, before the barns. Turn LEFT into driveway and drive around to park in front of the barn (you should see plenty of cars). If you see the Oakvale Farmhouse Cheese sign, turn around you’ve gone too far.

Our staff will be in the fields from 9AM to 8PM on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Any help you can provide is appreciated and you’re welcome to join us at any time during the day, for as long, or as little, as you’d like.

Wear boots, hats, sunscreen…be prepared for the elements. To keep you hydrated, we’ll have plenty of water on hand.

If you have any questions before arriving or need help with directions, please call Adam at (614) 327-0102. Otherwise just come on out!

With gratitude,

Jaime Moore
Wayward Seed Farm
14950 Fladt Road
Marysville, Ohio 43040

Office: 937.644.0786
Cell: 614.327.0102

S.O.S. (Save Our Shares)

We are so sorry to come to you with such unfortunate news. As members of a CSA program, you share in both the risk and the reward of a local farm. Fortunately for both our farm and our members, we've been blessed with abundance and reward, and experienced very little risk. This season, however, has not been as kind as seasons' past. For the first time in the history of our CSA program, we need to suspend the delivery of vegetable shares.

As you all know, we have been dealing with wet fields and small floods for the past several weeks. The rain we've received over the last few days--especially last night--has taken the fields from muck to flood. Over the last two weeks, in total, the farm has received more than 20 inches of rain. We are now in a standing water situation that is, at the very least, delaying the crops and at the worst, threatening their existence.

Not only is the water a source of concern, but also the sudden invasion of vast amounts of weeds. Because we are a farm that refuses to use pesticides, we often harvest the vegetables through the weeds. While the pervasiveness of weeds is often a joke among those of us in the fields, the continuous rain has given the weeds the upper hand and they are now a second major threat to the crops. We are furiously hand weeding the fields in every hour of light we have--and we need your help. If you are able to offer any amount of your time, at any time this week, to help us clear the fields we would be so grateful. Please call Jaime at (937) 644-0786 or (614) 327-0102 if you are ready and willing to help.

So what does this mean to our shareholders? These fields are yours as much as they are ours, and it's our promise to you that we will do everything possible to get vegetable shares up and running as quickly as we can. Quality and service are of the utmost importance to us, and we will work tirelessly until we are able to once again resume delivery of vegetables to our members. We would rather suspend shares in the short term than give you anything that does not meet our standards of cleanliness and quality. We will still be delivering fruit, milk and coffee shares this week, so please continue to pick up those shares as usual. We are taking this situation day by day, but for the week of June 15th (today) through Monday, June 21st, we will not be able to deliver vegetable shares. If you are a vegetable-only member, there is no need to pick up this week at your location, unless you'd like to speak with us personally. If so, we'll be there.

This current situation in no way means that the entire season's harvest is at risk. At worst, we are hoping this is simply a very short term scenario that will turn around with the sun and dryness we so desperately need. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this difficult situation, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. We will be sharing this information and updates online as well as via email. We will always email you, and we will also offer updates via our blog A Well Fed Seed, Twitter and Facebook. Stay tuned--we will share some pictures of the farm as well as a volunteer schedule very soon.

With gratitude,

Jaime Moore & Adam Welly

2010 Delivery Schedule

Excitement is in the air. With the first of many markets getting their start last weekend, we're renewed with optimism for the new growing season.

And with that, it's time to announce our 2010 CSA delivery schedule.

Bexley:
Parkview Avenue, Wednesdays, 1:00-2:30pm

Campus:
Market at 15th & High, Thursdays, 4:00-7:00pm

Clintonville:
Clintonville Farmers' Market, Saturdays, 9:00am-12:00pm
Glen Echo, Wednesdays, 6:00-7:30pm

Columbus:
Diamond Innovations, Tuesdays, 1:30-2:30pm

Delaware:
St. Mary Church, Thursdays, 4:00-6:00pm

Downtown:
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Wednesdays, 3:00-5:30pm
North Market Farmers' Market, Saturdays, 8:00am-12:00pm
Ohio Department of Health, Wednesdays, 11:00am-12:30pm
Resource Interactive, Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30pm

Dublin:
Dublin Farmers' Market, Wednesdays, 4:00-7:00pm
Dublin Recreation Center, Thursdays, 4:00-6:00pm

Grove City:
City Hall, Thursdays, 4:30-6:30pm

Hilliard:
Hilliard Farm Market, Tuesdays, 4:00-7:00pm
Scioto Run, Thursdays, 6:30-8:00pm

Lewis Center:
The Rite Bite, Thursdays, 6:30-8:00pm

Marysville:
Mill Valley, Thursdays, 2:00-3:30pm

Westerville:
Little Turtle, Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30pm

Worthington:
Colonial Hills, Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00pm
Olde Worthington Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9:00am-12:00pm
Riley Avenue, Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30pm
The Hills Market, Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30pm

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us via phone at (937) 644-0786 or email at farm@waywardseed.com.

2010 CSA Shares

It's a sign that the 2010 CSA season is near... All fruit and one person vegetable shares are sold out for the season. We have a few two and four person shares left, but don't delay, they'll go quickly.

For more information, please email us at farm@waywardseed.com or call us at (937) 644-0786.