The end of another season…

I am treating this like the last newsletter because for most of the CSA, this will be your last pickup of the season.  The primary 2011 season will begin the day after Memorial Day, May 31, 2011.  As usual, we will start on Tuesday before resuming our Monday pickup schedule.  All 2010 members will get the chance to claim their share for 2011 before any new members are invited to join.
Every year, events unfold in an unpredictable manner, and make some crops a success, while others suffer at the hands of floods, droughts, and other challenges that are simply out of our hands.  This year made up for last year’s tomato shortage, but we got relatively few green beans.  Plenty of corn, but very little lettuce.  It is this unpredictability which challenges the supporters of local agriculture to be flexible, and roll with farm’s ups and downs.
For your support, your patience, your understanding, your interest in local food and farms, and your willingness to roll with the changes, the whole Long Hungry Crew- Jeff, Mark, Fil, myself, and all the interns and volunteers whose efforts made this season possible- wish to say a big THANKS to all of you.  I would like to say thanks to my crew- Gabrielle, Leah, Sara, and Mark, for helping me run the pick-up each week.  I couldn’t do this without you. Another big thanks goes out to those members who have helped occasionally throughout the season, just because you saw that we needed an extra hand. It is that kind of attitude that makes this a community instead of just a random group.
Thanks to Mark Manz for letting us overrun his parking lot each week.  Thanks to the vendors whose products and presence further enhances our CSA, Jeff Belli- The Flameless Chef, Kathleen Cotter- The Bloomy Rind cheeses, our egg farms, Pete Roe (Pete’s Shiitakes), Wedge Oak Farm (turkeys and chickens), Ashlee for the bread deliveries, and Lindsay and Taylor (Love and Olive Oil) for redesigning our website. A special thanks to Becky Fox Matthews, who has been kind enough to take food to a family who was unable to come for health reasons every week.
An email with a link to a survey will be sent out in the next week or two.  The survey gives you the opportunity to tell us what you liked and disliked about the CSA this year.  Each year we try to add functions and features to further meet your needs and improve overall.  The more we know about your experience this season, and your food preferences, the better we can meet that goal.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Holidays, happy new year- whatever it is you celebrate, I hope you have a great one!

This Week’s Harvest:
Kale, Mustard Greens, Turnips, Radishes, Arugula, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Butternuts, Garlic, Parsley