We’re poised to start our 2009 CSA season on Tuesday, July 7th. For those keeping track, this is a week later than last year, which makes sense since some of our early transplants got set out a little later than last year and … and … oh yeah, let’s not forget that it’s been raining for three weeks straight with no end in sight! I’ll be contacting all you shareholders to give you the low down, but for reference, the details are inside in the full post…

The following info should break down how you’ll get your share. There are four sections: one for all shareholders and then one each for shareholders picking up in Belfast, Waterville and here at the farm. Please read this information carefully.

Share Types
Note that next week will mark the start of bread and veggie shares only. Egg shares will commence as soon as the hens start laying; probably late-July or early-August.

All Pickup Locations
All shares will be clearly labeled as full shares or half shares and there will be a clipboard with all of your names on it and the share size for which you signed up. Shares will be packed into tote bags. Please check off your name from the clipboard and take the appropriate bag. In subsequent weeks, please return the previous week’s bag.

A note about tote bags. Last year we distributed the weekly shares in ratty old wax boxes and this year we’re classin’ it up a bit with custom printed farm tote bags. It’s very important that you return the tote bags the following week so that we’ll have enough to give out the subsequent week. If everyone plays nice, we should have enough to avoid printing more. Occasional mishaps are unavoidable, so don’t sweat it if you forget to return your bag one week; just try to get it back to us the next week. Remember too that, at the end of the season, you’re free to keep a tote bag.

About our pickup locations. Please remember that our pickup location hosts are being very generous in letting us use their space, but they have nothing else to do with the CSA. All questions, special arrangements and problems should be directed to us either by email or by phone at 342-2770.

Missing a week. If you will be unable to pick up your share, please make arrangements for someone else to pick it up for you. If that won’t work, please let us know by the day before so that we don’t pick your share and waste any food.

Belfast Pickup
We’re very happy to announce that Åarhus Gallery, at 50 Main St right in downtown Belfast, will serve as our Belfast pickup location. We know several of the artists at the gallery, and they were very excited to help support local agriculture in this way. I stopped by today to finalize plans and was delighted to enter such an open and airy space filled with such interesting and beautiful artwork; we hope that you’ll enjoy it too. Shares will be available in Belfast on Tuesdays from 3pm until 6pm at Åarhus Gallery. The gallery closes at 6 and any shares not picked up by then will be taken home by the gallery staff.

The shares will be in the back room of the gallery, tucked under a bench, somewhere conspicuous.

Waterville Pickup
Railroad Square Cinema will serve as our Waterville pickup location again this year. For a second year, this brings new meaning to the phrase “dinner and a movie”. Shares will be available on Tuesdays from 3 pm until 9 pm at Railroad Square Cinema. The theater closes at 9 and any shares not picked up by then will be given to the cinema staff and will either be taken home by them or donated to local causes.

The shares will be tucked under a table, to the left of the door, just as you enter.

Pickup at the Farm
Shares will be available at the farm on Tuesdays from 3 pm until 7 pm. On the rare occasion you can’t make it during those hours, please have someone else pickup for you or call to make arrangements.

The bags will be in our walk-in cooler, which is in our barn. (Please do not drive up the barn.) Signs will indicate full and half shares and there will be a clipboard on the outside of the cooler which will have all of your names on it and the share size for which you signed up. Please check off your name and take the appropriate bag. In subsequent weeks, please return the previous week’s bag.

Directions to the Farm
Google Maps does a very good job finding us. You can easily ask them for directions. Once you follow those directions to Rt 220, though, here’s a couple more details:

From the North: Keep your eyes peeled for a conspicuous white sign reading “Montville Gravel Pit” on the right side of the road. When you see that sign, our driveway (Berry Rd) is dead ahead. 220 will veer to the right and our driveway continues straight (off the left side of the road).
From the South: When you pass (or turn off of) Center Rd, we will be the second right, although we’re about a mile down the road. If you see a big, white, square sign reading “Montville Gravel Pit”, you’ve gone just a bit too far.

Note that there are two mailboxes at the end of our driveway and that the driveway eventually forks, at which point you should take the right fork to get to our house and to the barn.


Weekly Newsletters and Share Info…
… will be posted right here. Tune in for share box manifests, recipes and farm news.

I hope that this covers all of the details. If anything is still hazy for you, please do contact us.