The sunshine makes it nice and warm in the greenhouse these days which makes for happy plants. Don't forget we start EVERYTHING on the farm from seed so our greenhouse is the hub of activity this time of season. The photo for this happening is Jeff, Becky and Mr Winks potting up peppers while socially distancing.
With the current pandemic situation we are spending a lot of time at the farm talking about "what if" plans. What if an employee gets sick? What if we can't sell at farmers market? What if a pick up site is limited in member accessibility? We continue to take part in national webinars and video conference calls every week to provide us with the information needed to best adjust our practices on the farm.
As we all navigate this uncertain time, please rest assure that you food will be safe! We have a zero tolerance policy for sick workers and have implemented a pre-shift temperature taking policy. A daily surface disinfection of common touch points is in place and as always, we are following our Food Safety Plan (implemented in 2014).
Now for some sunnier news:
Our PLANT SALE is ONLINE and ready for your order! For those members who ordered plants last year and we delivered them with your first veggie share...that is not the case for this year. Sorry. Since we are going to be trying to minimize confusion and member time spent at pick up sites come June, we don't want to clog up the system with plants and veggies. So for this season, the plant sale is online and we have 2 pick up options: at the farm (Fond du Lac) or at The Free With a few more snow storms likely to blanket the soil before middle of May, it's best to let us care for them until you should plant them.
Will plants be included in shares? The answer is no. We used to include a few plants in shares (circa 2017) but found that many people don't have a green thumb and have no interest in growing their own food. They prefer to leave that to us :) BUT there are some of you who do like to grow some food at home to supplement your veggie shares. Like a cherry tomato plant in a pot right outside your door...easy snacking!
Members Count Your Lucky Stars: Shares are ALMOST Sold Out. It is not too late (well almost) to refer-a-friend to our share program. Did you know that if you refer someone who signs up, YOU get a $25 credit for extras and THEY get a $25 credit for extras. With only about 10 share spots left, you better act soon. Go to your Member Profile page and at the top of the page, click on REFER A FRIEND to get a unique link to share with those who you think might be interested in signing up.
Stay healthy and safe out there everyone!
Your farmers at Park Ridge Organics
