Organic Produce, Hood River, Oregon
2010 Season Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm
We are a certified organic, family farm located in Hood River, Oregon, and our Community Farm Shares (CSA) are at the heart of what we do and why we do it. Our 2010 season is our fifth year serving Hood River and the Gorge the tastiest varieties of organic fruits and vegetables. Every Monday, CSA members will receive a box of fresh, organic food, beginning on June 14th and ending on October 4th. We have several convenient delivery locations in Hood River and throughout the Gorge.
Our farm membership is a community of like-minded people interested in high quality organic food, healthy eating habits, and who want a personal connection to where their food comes from. We host regular farm potlucks, a book discussion group and other classes. Our family, and our farm members, have discovered the joy of eating, cooking, and preserving our food seasonally. We give recipes and suggestions, along with farm updates weekly. Many of our members enjoy bringing their children to the farm. 
The CSA share price is a good value at $430 for the whole 17 week season.
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What is a Community Farm?
During the growing season, Dancing Moon Farm will provide members with freshly-harvested healthy vegetables and fruit weekly. Members sign up for a "SHARE" in the spring, and beginning in mid-June members will receive a weekly "BOX" of produce for the length of the season, approximately 17 weeks. Originally designed to allow farmers to plan for production and to provide farmers with seed money (literally) to plant their crop, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Community Farms have continually evolved to meet the needs of their communities.
Traditionally, members buy into the fresh harvest, but also into the risk when and/if a crop fails. At Dancing Moon Farm we are very interested in the quality and taste of our product. We will work to ensure a healthy crop by extensive planning, various growing techniques and by planting a wide diversity of vegetables. We take a holistic approach to care for the soil and to create the proper environment for plants to thrive. However, it is important for members to realize that they are invested in a real farm, and there will be successes and failures. There will also be natural fluctuations in the amount and type of food every week.
How will it work?
We are accepting up to 65 family shares. The cost for a share is $430, the first payment of $215 is due when you sign up and the remaining $215 will be collected during the first week of deliveries in June. The season will begin the week of June 14th, and will run for 17 weeks until the week of October 4th. Later in October we host our fall gleaning party, an opportunity for our farm members to pick our fields clean--it's one of our most popular events.
What are we growing?
Too much to list! We grow a wide array of vegetables and we choose varieties for their outstanding taste. Many of our vegetables are not those grown commercially (which are often chosen for their high yield and ability to ship well). Our salad mix contains unique varieties like; Valamaine, Red Sails, Speckles and Buttercrunch. Green Zebra and Arkansas Traveler tomatoes and Scarlet Nantes carrots are heirloom and non-hybrid varieties selected for their distinct and true taste.
This year we are planting the following vegetables, fruits and herbs: basil, pole beans, soy-edamame beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, garlic, greens,Pac choi, kale, leeks, lettuce, melons, radish, onions, snap peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, summer and winter squash, swiss chard, shallots, heirloom slicing and cherry tomatoes, watermelon, and strawberries.
What is in a share?
A share is planned to provide the produce for a small family, (vegetarians will need to supplement), although each week reflects the reality of that weeks' harvest. In the early weeks, boxes will tend to be lighter than in the middle of the season. We will try to vary the kinds of vegetables and fruits in your box so that you get a variety of produce, although you should expect a lot of some things when they are in high season and be ready to can. We will provide weekly newsletters with suggestions on recipes that feature that week's produce.
Sample Early Season Boxes ( June, early July) will be lighter and could include: |
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Mid Season Boxes (July, August, September) could include: |
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Late Season Boxes and our October Member Gleaning Day (late September/ early October) could include: |
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Why join a community farm?
Members enjoy these benefits and reflect these values:
- weekly delivery of freshly-harvested food
- healthy diet of a wide range of vegetables along with new recipes
- reducing environmental impacts of shipping and packaging costs of traditional stores
- supporting their local economy
- supporting sustainable local farming
- being connected with their food, the farm, the seasons, and other community members
- participating in the growing of their food by visiting the farm on open house or work days
- learning more about farming, children are encouraged to visit as well
Why are you certified organic?
We believe the old adage, "You are what you eat." For us then, it's common sense that we do not want to eat food that has pesticide residue. We believe that food has "energy" beyond its caloric count and that there is nutritional difference between food grown using organic methods and conventional ones. We also live and work on our farm with our small children and we worry that spraying pesticides on our property would compromise our health, as well as the health of visiting wildlife, our ponds and potentially pollute our greater community. But most importantly, it is the way we know how to grow quality food and flowers.
We are certified organic by Oregon Tilth as a way for our growing methods to be transparent to our members and to our customers. In addition to being a certified organic farm, we also practice biodynamic methods, an agricultural philosophy which seeks to actively work with the health-giving forces of nature. It is the oldest non-chemical agricultural movement, predating the organic agriculture movement by some 20 years and has now spread throughout the world. We are happy to answer any questions. Also for more information: www.tilth.org and www.biodynamics.com.
Will you provide anything besides produce?
We may offer weekly add-ons of our farm-fresh eggs and flower bouquets as well as additional fruits from our neighboring farms. Once you are a member you will be able to order them as they are available.
Will you provide half shares?
We do not provide half shares, but we encourage you to find another interested person and split your share with them. This can be a fun way to participate with a neighbor. We are also happy to match you with a like-minded member.
Also, we will be selling produce at the Hood River Saturday Market and the Gorge Grown Farmers' Market; you can buy directly from us there.
What if I go on vacation?
We can't put a "hold" on your share when you are out of town. It's best if you can find a friend or neighbor who would appreciate your share that week. Otherwise, you can let us know and we will donate it to the local food bank.
How do I sign up?
We are currently accepting CSA orders.
1) Fill out the order form, and return it to us via email or snail mail.
2) Send payment with your order. Our standard payment plan is half your share price now and the remaining half in June when deliveries begin. We also accept payments in full, or other monthly plans, just check with us if you'd like to make alternative arrangements.
We now have three payment options:
1) send us a check in the mail for $215 (first half payment)
2) use your paypal account, select payment to nicholas@dancingmoonfarm.com. If using paypal, please add a total $10 charge, making each of your payments $220.
3) we can accept EBT (food stamps) with a slight modification to our service
Kristin & Nick Walrod 541-386-6930 / eatwell@dancingmoonfarm.com
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We have been a founding member of the Gorge Grown Farmers' Market in Hood River which runs on Thursdays, 4:00-7:00 pm at the Hood River Middle School. The 2010 Season will start June 3rd and end on October 7th. We sell a wide range of our veggies there, and ocassionally some of our beautiful bouquets. More information about the Gorge Grown Farmers' Market is at www.gorgegrown.com.
Several local restaurants serve our fresh, organic food. You can help encourage businesses to buy and serve local by asking where the food on the menu comes from. For a list of local restaurants who buy from us, visit our resources page.
If you work at a restaurant and are interested in our availablity and our prices, we are happy to send you a weekly message, just contact us at eatwell@dancingmoonfarm.com.