And we have lots of great news!
Quarry Farm is now certified organic. We have passed through the transitional stages of bringing a new farm into compliance with organic standards. Our certifier, Islands Organic Producer Association, will continue to inspect the farm annually. Our certification number is IOPA #07-1995. Hooray!
Our application to the Small Farm Business Acceleration Program has been approved. We will use these funds to purchase two caterpillar tunnels, to build a composting shed, and to buy some needed farm tools. Hooray! February is going to be a busy month at the farm. The tunnels will help us extend the growing season and maintain our crop rotation. The composting shed will make it easier to create fertility since most of the original soil was removed during the time this land was a quarry.
We have revamped the website. We now have a Registration Page under the Veggie Box header. Please go there to see all the programs (summer box, bread, jarred product, and winter box) and complete the registration for the 2020 season. https://thequarryfarm.ca/veggie-boxes-1 .
Our plan for this year. Our internal planning has centred on how to make the veggie box program sustainable financially. Our plan is to welcome forty box members and to add two additional weeks to the program, likely one in the spring and one in the fall. The per box price will increase to $35.00, bringing the 2021 summer box program price to $770. The base price for the bread program and the jar program will remain the same. Bread or jars every week for 22 weeks will cost $176.
We have added one additional week to the winter program, and we will increase the number of shares from fifteen to twenty. The cost of the winter program is $245.
We are also adding some new vegetables including bulb fennel, a new salad green, and a surprise bean.
As part of our farmer/member relationship with you, we will reserve your spots in the programs until March 1st, but the sooner we hear from you the better. There are only a few new spots available, and they seem to be in demand. This is part of the CSA (community supported agriculture) relationship between farmer and shareholder. You commit to us by paying in advance for the season’s program so that we can buy seeds, build the systems, and support ourselves. We commit to you by providing you with abundant, tasty, seasonal food throughout the program. We take care of one another.
We are looking forward to a great year. Please let us know your plans, and we will keep you up to date about ours.
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
All the Best,
The Quarry Team