Summer Shares Start June 5 & June 8

While Memorial Day is considered to be an official start to the summer, for ICF members summer doesn't start until the first CSA share pick-up.

We will be open for the summer on June 5 and June 8!

For both new folks and returning members, we will continue to have pick-ups from 3:00-6:30 on Mondays and Thursdays. You should have selected a pick-up day by now, but if you have not, or you have a change, please contact Kathie as soon as possible.

We move back to the west side of the road, to the pole barns and the pick-your-own fields. See the map here if you need a reminder of the location.

Please be sure to observe the marked spaces and posted signs in the parking lot: we have a large membership this season and we know it gets crowded.

Bring your bags and baskets, your smiles, and your questions!  Kathie will be on site if you have questions on your accounts or need to make payments. Note: your share is not confirmed without a deposit! But by the time we see you, June payments will be due as well.

The ICF staff is looking forward to a lush, colorful, and productive summer. See you soon!

Winter Shares Have Concluded

Oh, it sounds silly, doesn't it. Winter shares are over...after we had two days of 90 degree weather!

One of the most popular features of the ICF CSA is that we are a 12-month CSA...which means you can eat local vegetables through the deep, dark winter.  This winter our greens were a real bright spot, starting with baby bok choy and continuing with a steady supply of baby lettuce, arugula, spinach, and baby kale. What could be better?  Thank you for being such supportive winter members.

If you were a winter share member, please make sure to fill out the seasonal survey found here.  Your responses and comments help us to plan for future seasons.

Looking forward, we will be continuing to prepare for our very busy summer season (which extends into mid-fall) and welcoming over 630 families back to the farm. (While 630 is the number of shares for the summer, we know many families split shares...so we could have as many as 800 families participating this season.)

Watch this space, our Facebook page, and your email for announcements of the first pick-up days. And while you're waiting for June, why not order your bread, eggs, and cheese shares to accompany your luscious vegetables. The form is here.

We will see you all soon!

Annual Plant Sale

The ICF Annual Plant Sale will be held on May 6th, 13th, and 20th from 9:00 to 12 noon each day.

We will have veggie plant starts as well as plenty of herbs and veggies, single pots and multi-packs as well.

All plant starts are certified organic and are the same varieties as we grow for the CSA shares.

Many vegetable plants (chards, kales) make excellent bedding plants and small hedges. Change up your kitchen garden this year!

These plant starts are an excellent way to build a small home garden merely for the fun of having a garden or for the specific purpose of having fresh items in your back yard. Either way, gardening is fun!

Sales will be at the summer pick-up area under the pole barn. See you there!

Summer in February

We barely think of winter anymore at the farm!  While we are about half way through our winter share season, we have jumped right into planning for summer. We opened the summer share enrollment in mid-January. If you missed signing up, you can still receive an early bird discount by paying in full before February 17. We are roughly 30% full at this early stage and we have new members joining us for the first time. Go here to sign up and reserve your carrots!

Seeds are arriving right on schedule, equipment is being repaired in the slower months as usual, and by early March the greenhouse will be the focus of attention.

As always, monitor our web page for news, watch your email for announcements, and ask questions if you need more information from us. We are looking forward to another great season in the Intervale!

2017 Summer Shares: Sign-up Early

Despite the brown grass, cold ground, and some snow and ice, we are preparing for our 2017 summer shares! Running a large farm (58 acres) and managing over 600 CSA shares takes time and preplanning. We are always thinking months ahead to prepare plantings, harvests, and membership numbers.  Signing up early, now, ensures that you have a CSA share for the summer; we have about a 30% turnover/new members every year and our CSA program is very popular!

Sending in payment, in full or in part, allows us to manage cash flow efficiently as well. Seeds have been ordered and are arriving daily. We repair and replace equipment during the winter. We do have year round staff--a smaller crew than in summer, but farm activities do not cease.

As an incentive and a thank-you for paying in full by 2/17/17, we offer a small discount on the share price. See the sign-up form here.  You may also send in a deposit of $50 to reserve your share and pay the balance in three equal payments (due May 1, June 1, and July 1.) Alternatively, you may contact us to set up a monthly payment plan to fit your budget.  For budget plans, we encourage you to set up automatic payments using your bank's electronic "bill pay" system.

We hope to see you back for another bountiful summer of fresh, colorful, and organic produce. We love seeing both the old(er) faces as well as the new.  Feel free to refer your friends and family...word-of-mouth is our best form of advertising and is the highest compliment we can receive.

Welcome back!

Holiday Schedule

As you might expect with several holidays on the calendar, there is a slight change in the winter pick-up schedule. Thursday, December 22, is the final pick-up of 2016 for Group 2. If you have missed prior weeks you are welcome to come on Thursday to catch up.

There is no pick-up on Thursday, December 29.

The first pick-ups of 2017 will be January 5 (Group 1) and January 12 (Group 2.)

Happy New Year to our loyal members!

Enjoying the Intervale Year Round

The Intervale is the worst kept secret in Burlington! While the Intervale lands host several urban farms, the area is a hub of activity year round. Our CSA is the largest operation and creates the most traffic, but the Intervale is also a recreation area. Hiking and biking trails are numerous, runners are seen at all hours of the day, and bikers cruise through on their daily commutes.

The Intervale Center also is host to the very popular Summervale events which brings together local food producers, music, demonstrations, and community. Wintervale, while a victim of global warming some years, is another way to enjoy the Intervale land year round. Ski trails are groomed and the public is encouraged to use the area for snowshoeing, skiing, walking.

The Intervale Center is fundraising for a replacement snowmobile for grooming trails. You can participate in the effort by going here.  In addition, there will be a trail work day on November 19, 9 a.m. to 12:00. If you are able to help out, sign up here. Meet at the Intervale Center and the group will head out.

ICF assists in hosting Wintervale activities. Also, when asked, many of our new CSA share members tell us they learned about ICF because they attend Summervale/Wintervale or they run or bike through the Intervale and see activity.

In the end, all the programs in the Intervale are related in one way or another. And they all work because our members can't keep secrets!

Final Summer Pick-ups

The final summer pick-ups for the 2016 summer share are next week, October 24 and 27.  We've had a great season and are already starting to plan for 2017.  To help us, please fill our our summer survey here if you have not done so already. Paper copies are also available at pick-up.

In the meantime, we are gearing up for our 2016-17 winter share which starts on November 3!  We waste no time changing seasons and produce offerings. The winter greens have been planted and will be ready by the time we have to close up fields.

We are 96% subscribed for our winter share! You have time to sign up still, but don't delay.  You can use the electronic sign-up form here or you can download and print a form to mail in. Or at your final pick-up look for a paper form at the desk.

Don't forget to order your add-on products here. While we will have a few extras for sale on site, we can't guarantee availability.

Finally, we hope to see you at our Annual Meeting on November 5 at the Integrated Arts Academy. Our traditional pot luck dinner (5:00) will precede the business meeting at 6:00.

Thank you all for your continued support and sharing your enthusiasm with your friends and neighbors...our membership grows and is sustained by your good will.

Summer is Becoming Fall

Yesterday I happened to be in a hardware store and I overheard a customer asking for a snow shovel. Even I, an ant by nature...preparing ahead all the time...found it hard to believe that someone was thinking of a snow shovel on October 11. Nonetheless, I refuse to think of snow just yet. The leaves still are falling from trees, there is still plenty of leaf-peeping, and there are layers of sweaters to wear before the heavy coats come out. The farm crew has been busy harvesting cabbage, napa, kohrabi, sweet potatoes, and squash for winter storage. And how about those pumpkins?

But sadly, the 21 week summer share is coming to a close. I know, summer (for us) really extends into early fall and our winter share extends to spring, but for ease of reference we have two share periods: Summer and Winter. The final summer share pick-ups are October 24 and October 27 (after this week, two more pick-ups remain.) If you have missed weeks and need to catch up, now is the time to do so!

I'm pleased to share that we are 80% full for our winter shares!  The winter shares are slightly different from summer in that pick-ups are every other week. You receive the same great selection of vegetables and fresh greens at each pick-up.  We still offer add-ons of bread, eggs, and cheese for the winter. You can still sign up for a winter share, but don't delay too long. Winter share pick-ups begin on November 3 (Group 1) and November 10 (Group 2.)  Find our electronic sign-up forms here or grab a paper copy at the pick-up desk.

At the end of each season we ask for your feedback on your experiences. Our summer survey is available online or in paper at the pick-up desk. We use the responses to plan our crops and projects for the future, so please take a few minutes to share your thoughts.

Finally, the Annual Meeting of the ICF Co-op will be held on November 5. While all are welcome to attend (our pot luck dinner is highly anticipated), only co-op members in good standing are eligible to run for a board position or vote in board elections. If you are interested in running for the board, contact Farmer Andy Jones before October 22. If you are not a member of the Co-op, why not join today? And if you are already a member of the Co-op, please make sure your membership obligation is current.

Order Bread, Eggs, and Cheese to accompany your winter veggies

We are pleased to offer Gerard's Bread, Jericho Settlers' Eggs, and Does' Leap Goat Cheese to our winter share members. Shares of each item are available by pre-order here. We do have a few extra items of each for sale on site, but if you want to ensure availability, please pre-order.

Fall Activities in the Intervale

The months after Labor Day are very busy at the farm. We are on the last third of our summer pick-ups and we are planning for winter shares. We are plowing fields after crop production has finished and we are harvesting root vegetables to dry/cure and store in our coolers. We are part of the trail for the annual Harvest Fun Run, we have wagon rides to harvest pumpkins, and we plan for our annual meeting of the co-op. Fall is a hopping time for us!

• On Saturday, September 17 (rain date September 18), City Market Co-op will be hosting a Crop Mob for the benefit of the farm. Squashes and root vegetable harvesting is on tap! You can sign up on the City Market web site here.  City Market members can earn worker hours.
• On Saturday, October 1  ICF will be providing wagon rides to the fields so families can select their pumpkins. Families anticipate this event every year!  Watch for the exact times but mark your calendar. Rain date will be Sunday, October 2.
• On Sunday, October 9, City Market and the Sustainability Academy will host their 5th Annual Harvest Run/Walk for Sustainability at the Intervale. You can sign up for the event here.
• The annual meeting of the Intervale Community Farm Co-op will be Saturday, November 5. Details on the times, location, and our annual pot luck dinner will be forthcoming.

We hope you will participate in these activities and take advantage of fall days in Vermont in the Intervale.

Change in Pick-Up for Labor Day

Please remember the Monday pick-up scheduled for Labor Day is moved to Tuesday, September 6 at the usual time of 3:00-6:00. If you have a bread share and need to make a change in your scheduled day, please contact Kathie.

Pizza Night at ICF

Be sure to join us for our annual wood-fired pizza night on Friday, August 26. The NOFA pizza oven will be on site and we'll be making pies using ICF vegetables. The combination possibilities are endless! In addition, we'll have salad and fixings and melons.

We'll have dinnerware but feel free to bring your own picnic gear, including blankets and chairs!

We'll be cooking from 5:00-7:30 or until the dough runs out.

Suggested donation is $5 per person or $20 per family, but no one will be turned away.

See you soon!

August Issue of Bottom Land News

The August issue of Bottom Land News was emailed this week. If you missed your copy, you can find it on our web site. Mark your calendars for our annual Pizza Night (August 26 at the pick-up area, 5:00-7:30), change of pick-up due to Labor Day, and watch for early sign-up for winter share coming very soon!  There is also a request for feedback from members regarding their pick-up experience. We hope you'll all send us some thoughts!

Bottom Land News is Available

The July issue of Bottom Land News is now available in our newsletter archive. Read about harvest days, gleaning, raspberries, and more. Enjoy!

Changes in Pick-up Days

As is our usual practice, when federal holidays fall on our normal pick-up days, we change the pick-up. Monday, July 4th is a holiday so our normal pick-up day will be Tuesday, July 5th, 3:00-6:30.

There is no change in the Thursday schedule.

Summer Shares Start June 6 & 9

Usually when we announce the start of our summer shares we have had a long, cold winter and we are anxious for green things. Not so this year...The Winter that Wasn't. And due to the year round use of the Harnois hoop houses, we had baby lettuce, arugula, spinach and baby kale throughout the winter (at least one of these crops every week.) It was a very special winter share this year. We are both pleased and sad to tell you we are sold out for this summer! Pleased because it means our farm is robust and thriving, sad because we can't accept new members who are hearing good things about us. We know many of the new members this year heard about us via word-of-mouth, so thank you for sharing with your circles.

This year we are serving over 600 families!

Please be sure to sign up for alerts to our blog and watch our page weekly to find out which crops are ready each week.

We are excited to get going and see you all!

So Much Going On in May

May is a very busy time of the farming cycle at ICF. If you monitor our Facebook page, you’ll have seen onions being planted in the light snow cover, lettuce being planted in the light mud, and most recently the tomatoes have gone in the ground in the hoop houses. Other cold hardy crops have been planted (peas, collards, kale) as well. In addition, equipment is being repaired and tuned up, the last summer shares are being sold, bread orders are being taken, and lists are being made. To top off everything, our annual plant sale starts on May 7 and continues on May 14 and 21 (Saturdays.) We’ll have plants available for sale at the winter pick-ups May 12 and May 19. Just as many things are starting, our extended winter/spring shares are ending. It’s been a joy to see members throughout the entire year rather than just during summer months. The smiles on faces when the winter greens offerings were spotted were great! The very last pick-ups for the season are May 5 (group 2), May 12 (group 1), and May 19 (group 2.) If you’ve missed any pick-ups please plan to catch up on these dates! Then we’ll be tooling up for the summer pick-ups, hopefully starting in early June.

If you haven’t signed up for your share yet, it’s not too late. Go here. And if you forgot to order bread, eggs, or cheese shares, go here.

Watch this blog, our Facebook page, and your email for the announcement of exact summer share starting dates.

13th Annual Plant Sale

Our 13th Annual Plant Sale will be on May 7, 14, and 21 this year. From 9 a.m. to noon on each Saturday, you will have the opportunity to buy annual starts for your personal gardening pleasure. In addition, we will have a variety of vegetable plants (the same ones we grow for the CSA) for your home experiments!  Try growing a kale or a chard plant for fun. Have your own sungold cherry tomato plant on your porch! Despite enjoying the bounty of produce from the farm, I always have a few plants at home to enjoy for the greenery as well as the enjoyment of picking sungold "candy" whenever I want. I grew chard and kale last year for the first time. This year I'll be trying cold hardy options such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. We will also have plants available for sale at our final two winter pick-ups on May 12 and 19.

Join us for a pre-season event and adopt a plant or six.

New Issue of Bottom Land News

The latest issue of Bottom Land News landed in your email in-box this week. If you didn't see it, check spam folders! We report on greenhouse progress, new board member, our work with the Food Bank, and more! The issue is now posted on our web site also. See intervalecommunityfarm.com/newsletter.