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Re: needing numbers (fwd)
Michelle Crawford, Pacific Potager, organic farm and nursery,
27918 Vashon Hwy SW Vashon, WA 98070
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 23:57:49 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Michelle Y. Crawford" <michelle@animal.blarg.net>
To: Sarah Milstein <milstein@pipeline.com>
Cc: csa-l@prairienet.org
Subject: Re: needing numbers
I don't know if this is an appropriate question, or if anyone will
help me out here, but I need to know generally what the possible net is
per person per farm. I am a newly single (but always an only farmer)
homeschooling 5 year farmer with mixed markets. Every year I learn more
and get a little better at this but I am still shy of the net I need of
12,000 a year. I might make it this year but I just don't have a sense of
what is reasonable to aim for, and the stakes are high as I may lose this
place/occupation/life. I talk money with interns and a Wannabe Farm group
in Seattle (they are 100 strong...a great hope, and more creative than I
feel at this point in my life, which is TIRED!), but I don't know anyone
else who does as a practice. Actually Bob and Bonnie Gregson talk money in
their CSA handbook, Rebirth of the Small Family Farm, but I can't work as
much as they do. They are on this island also, and the book is a great
resource for new CSA'ers. If you will post to me, I would appreciate the
info. and can hopefully make some more informed decisions.
I would like to pass on the best thing that happened in my spring.
A group of 20 homeschool kids from a nearby city came out once a week for
6 weeks, ages 4-14, and it was a blast. I didn't always feel I had the
time to plan for their helping but the amount of work we got done was
phenomenal, and they were so excited...One 8 year old boy told my son as
they planted the winter squash, unsupervised, "You know before I came here
I had never planted ANYTHING". I am planning a party in Aug. so they can
all come back and eat corn and see how it looks. The opportunity to do
real work was so satisfying for the kids, and it was good for my kids to
see others being amazed at their knowledge, and that they were happy to
work! Michelle
Michelle Crawford, Pacific Potager, organic farm and nursery,
27918 Vashon Hwy SW Vashon, WA 98070