Stones Throw CSA’s Weblog

We are now taking registrations from those of you who have been on our waiting list. Thanks for your interest in Stone’s Throw CSA. For 2009 large shares will be $525 and small shares will be $315. That price includes a $25 large share and $15 small share administration charge. The value of produce planted for our shareholders will be based on $500 per large share (small shares will contain approximately half of a large share) using 2008 prices. For 2009, we will be holding two different distribution days, Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2 – 7 PM. Please indicate which day you would prefer on your registration form. We currently require shareholders to materially participate in Stone’s Throw CSA, 10 hours per season for large shareholders and 6 hours per season for small shareholders. We will also offer a program where shareholders unable to meet that obligation will be able to make a donation to have someone else hired to fulfill that obligation. Please see this letter for more information about our 2009 program, and check out our FAQ page.

Those currently on the waiting list, as well as current members who have not yet re-resistered, can reserve a place in Stone’s Throw CSA for the 2009, 20 week growing season, by sending a $50 deposit check to Stone’s Throw CSA, 96 Eight Lots Road, Sutton, MA 01590 along with the attached registration form as soon as possible.  Of course, you may also pay for your share in full at this time.

Because of the power outage from the double storms weekend before last, this info is a week late, and we will not be opening up shares to the general public until after January 5th.

The Steering Committee met a few weeks ago and laid out the framework for next season. The cost of the shares will increase by 5%, large shares will be $525 and small shares will be $315. This increase will allow for the administrative costs of running Stone’s Throw which are currently being paid out of the growers’ pockets.

Current Stone’s Throw shareholders are being offered the 2009 shares before anyone else. If you would like to reserve a place in Stone’s Throw CSA for the 2009, 20 week growing season, please send a check for the $50 deposit to Stone’s Throw CSA, 96 Eight Lots Road, Sutton, MA 01590 along with the attached registration form by December 15th.

As of December 16th we will be sending emails to everyone who asked to be placed on Stone’s Throw waiting list this past season and asking that they submit their deposits by December 31st, on a first come, first served basis. After that point in time we will open up any additional shares available to the general public.

The number of shares will increase from 35 to 50 for 2009. To accommodate this, we will be holding two different distribution days, Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2 – 7 PM. Please indicate which day you would prefer on your registration form. We will try and accommodate everyone that is currently enrolled as to their first choice of pick up dates as long as we have that information in a timely manner, by December 15th.

Thanks for a great first year.
Stone’s Throw Steering Committee

Our first year has ended and we have read the surveys that you filled out and have begun planning crops and programs for the next growing season.

Before we move from this year, however, we wanted to cover a few areas that we felt were important. First, our growers supplied produce to Stone’s Throw valued at $20,480 this past summer, based on the average retail prices of produce in our area during 2007. As the total amount of revenue produced by share sales was $19,200 we are confident that our shareholders received appropriate value for the money they invested.

Of course, CSAs are about much more than a return on your share investment since so much of belonging to a CSA has no monetary value: helping to preserve open land by making agriculture a viable means of support, providing income for small family farms in your local community, and assuring your family of fresh, nutrient-dense local food that you help to produce.

Thank you for a great first season, and be sure to look for more details about the 2009 program.

Sincerely,
Stone’s Throw Steering Committee