Invitation to the 2009 Season

Hello All and Happy New Year!

You're receiving this email because you have at some point in time expressed interest in the Red Springs Family Farm and our fresh vegetable delivery service. We're excited to be planning the 2009 Season, and happy to invite you on board. Please read this email carefully (we will also post it on the blog), especially if you have not been a part of our gardens before, and consider carefully to what extent you would like to be involved in the season with us.

To give a broad over-view of what we're about...
We are a small family with a homestead in Macon County , just outside of Red Boiling Springs , TN. On our clear and flat land, we cultivate large gardens. We use time tested organic and Biodynamic principles, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We save as many of our own seeds as possible, and primarily grow heirloom varieties. We live near to the land ourselves, and grow about 85% of our own food. What we offer is for you to eat somewhat like us.

Once a week, we make a large harvest, divide it into shares, and bring it to Cookeville for you, our shareholders. The harvest varies according to the season and the weather. We do our best to grow a diversity of foods, and have confidence in the quality and freshness of what we offer. On the average, our baskets contain 8-10 different items each week.

The main season is 20 weeks long. First delivery of the season will be mid to late May, the last of the main season deliveries in early October. There will be a season extension of 6 to 8 weeks, taking us to around Thanksgiving. Our veggie drop off is at New Century Bookstore, each Thursday from 4-6 pm.

There are two share sizes available, according to one's taste for veggies. The smaller size ($20 each - a heaping peck basket) is suitable for a veggie-eating single or couple. The larger size ($30 each - a heaping half bushel) is appropriate for vegetable fanatics and families.

In the past two seasons we have not asked for much payment up front. This year, however, we are slightly expanding our operation, and having up front payment and commitment to picking up helps stream-line our communications. Previously, we have spent a great deal of time making sure that each share-holder will be attending each week and calculating our harvest divisions accordingly. Your commitment to the season will eliminate that last minute scramble and allow us to focus on what we really do best: grow food! Or season’s commitment to you has already begun. We are planning the rotation, purchasing seeds, and preparing soil. We commit a whole lot of our time and a tremendous amount of labor, to bringing you the best that we have each week, same time, same place. What we bring to town is not like anything that can be bought in any grocery store.

Early Bird Pre-Registration Special is on NOW –
If you pre-pay by the end of January, you receive a 10% discount on 20 weeks pre-paid, or a 5% discount on 10 weeks pre-payment.

20 weeks up-front --- Large share regular price: $600 early-bird discount: $540
(May-October) Smaller share regular price: $400 early-bird discount: $360

10 weeks up-front--- Larger share regular price: $300 early-bird discount: $285
(May-July) Smaller share regular price: $200 early-bird discount: $190

By pre-registering, you are agreeing to show up, or send a friend/family/neighbor, for your basket each week for the length of your paid period. If you are not able to make it to a pick up, give us ample notice (one week) and we will credit the value of that basket to the autumn extension, or your next payment period. Early-bird pre-registration is not required, but it is greatly appreciated.

As an alternative, you may pre-register by sending us payment for your first four (4) baskets - $80 for smaller share, and $120 for larger shares. If this is too much for your finances but you REALLY want to get veggies from us, please just speak to us and we’ll be happy to work something out with you. There will also still be stray baskets and extras in bulk from time to time, and if you want to keep yourself on the list for these, that’s fine as well. We want to make good local food available to as many people as possible.

If all this sounds great but you know you cannot handle the amount of food that we bring each week, don’t hesitate to contact us about finding a veggie-buddy. You and a friend, or fellow veggie-eater, can trade off weeks of picking up vegetables. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

To learn more about this model of farming, eating and commerce, you might like to visit one or more of these sites which provide more detailed information:

http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/csa.html

http://www.localtable.net/csa.php

If you have questions, please contact us – email or phone. We’re happy to clarify questions and work with people as needed. We love what we do, and want it to work for you, too!

We hope to hear from you soon, and see you in May!

All the best,

Paul, Coree and Lulah Entwistle

PO Box 351
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150

PS – If you have friends who might be interested in this service, please feel free to pass this letter on.