Hi everyone,
Whew! So much is happening on-farm this week. Crew is here, seeds are sown, tulips are getting harvested and the COVID hustle is ON. We’re grateful for all the love and support flowing through our community, and we are determined as ever to show up to this work.
Just a couple nights ago, we planted our first direct sown beds – carrots, radish, choi, hakurei, cilantro and dill! As we were finishing up, the full moon was coming up from behind the ridge and we heard coyotes howling. It was a pretty magical moment.
To quote Mika Shibuya, one of our vegetable farmers, “The future of small farms is precarious, but there isn’t anything more radical than planting a seed. A seed is an investment in a future in which we imagine surviving - and maybe even thriving.”
Today, we’re sharing some of our top celebrations and challenges in this unprecedented time.
#1: Welcome, Rock Steady Crew, 2020!
One of the very exciting updates is that most of our crew arrived for their first day last week, on April 2nd! This marks the official season kick-off, as we transition into a fuller team and increased production demands.
This week, we’ve been gathering on video for our orientation sessions each afternoon. It’s definitely a different vibe than our typical cozy huddle in the yurt, but we’re glad to still connect and stay safe.
Below, a picture of D. (and Vinnie), Amanda, Kyle, Hannah & Rica – 6 feet apart, of course. Not in the pic is Kat, who has been supporting on flower harvest and Mika and Amara, who are on their way soon! Stay tuned for a more in-depth introduction to each of these phenomenal humans. We’re honored to have them here!
#2: Will we “see” you next week? Bring Friends!
If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for our upcoming Meet Your Farmers event, happening online Tuesday, April 14th at 6pm. Get the details & register HERE.
Most importantly - please help us spread the word to your neighbors and friends! Without in-person events and flyer-ing, we are relying on digital word-of-mouth this season.
#3: COntinuing COVID Impacts & Response
As you know, our region is approaching the peak of this virus, and experiencing so much devastating loss.
We feel incredibly grateful to be able to work as an essential business, to spend most of our time outside, and to be at the center of many organizing and food access initiatives in response to the pandemic.
Yet, the COVID hustle is real, and the curve balls keep coming. We’ve already shared about some of the revenue and fundraising losses we’ve seen. In addition, here are some of the less visible costs of responding to COVID on-farm:
$500 COVID sanitation supplies (extra hand-washing stations all over the farm, gloves, cleaning supplies, etc.)
$3000+ for a shift to individually boxing all CSA shares. Usually, our two largest CSA pick-up sites have bulk produce bins, where members collect their share. To avoid contact, this season we will be boxing every individual’s share. The boxes themselves are extremely pricey, and we’ll also see significant increased labor costs required to pack shares individually.
$1000/month of time spent sanitizing! Our whole crew spends an additional 30 minutes every day, sanitizing every single surface and tool we use. Additionally, we’ve implemented protocols for hand-washing at every task transition, and upon entering or exiting the greenhouse.
$3000 in added admin costs, so far. The investment of time and energy has been huge, in order to re-do our 2020 budget (due to loss of flower and wholesale outlets), research and update our sanitation protocols, apply for loans and grants, and more.
As expected, we are also seeing a marked increase in CSA members selecting the “lower income” price point on our sliding scale, which significantly lowers the average amount we are receiving for our produce.
As a small-scale, sustainable farm, our profit margin is tight in the best of times. We don’t want to reduce the quantity of produce or limit the number of low-income spots on our sliding scale.
If you’re a current CSA member or supporter who is feeling more financially secure right now:
Could you chip in an extra $20 or more to cover our internal COVID costs?
Your contribution is tax-deductible. Thank you in advance for your support! And thank you so much to all of you who have already donated, it means so much.
That’s it for today! We hope to “see” many of you on Tuesday. As always, don’t hesitate to hit us up with questions, comments, or feedback.
Your farmers,
Maggie, D., Kyle, Amanda, Rica, Hannah, Mika & Amara
Rock Steady Farm & Flowers
