4th CSA harvest and travel report

June 20th, 2006

Green and Purple Kohlrabi
This week we will be harvesting:

Salad Mix
Arugula
Kale
Chard
Kohlrabi (see photo above)
Turnips
Garlic Scapes
Spring Onions
and Blueberries (from Butlers Orchard)

The Horticulture Therapy conference in Portland OR was highly informative. In short, there is clear documented evidence that access to plants and interacting with the natural world through gardening is beneficial to our health. This research informs how we at Red Wiggler run our farm. We hope that each of our CSA participants will venture forth into the Pick Your Own (PYO) garden to harvest your own flowers and herbs. Take your time, enjoy the experience and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

I also traveled up to Olympia WA where I visited Left Foot Organics. Ann Vandeman, Left Foots Director volunteered at Red Wiggler back in 1998 for an entire year. She then moved to Olympia and duplicated Red Wiggler’s farm program- she employees adults with developmental disabilities runs a CSA and attends local farmers markets.

Finally, everywhere I went out there was by public transportation. The people who live throughout the Pacific Northwest take their public transportation seriously and are proud of the fact that they make time to use the busses, light rail, and ferries. I hope that we here in Montgomery County will take the time to participate in our RideOn bus transportation system. It will only become as good as we want it to. So, for any CSA member who rides the bus to pick up your vegetables we at Red Wiggler will throw in a little something extra for your share. (for a limited time) Please be sure to let us know you came to the farm by bus. Here is the link for the number 90 bus route. -Woody