Backyard CSA update from Eric

If you are new to our idea: we are planning to use backyards and other unused spaces in Salida to create a Community Supported Agriculture multi-site farm.

Our first meeting was a great success. Thanks to Tia, Dave Bowers, Matthew Clark and Lawton for your help, and to everyone who came and shared your ideas, reactions and singing voices. (Yes, this is a singing movement, refer to the inspiring 2007 documentary Pete Seeger: the Power of Song for what this means. Happy 90th birthday May 3rd Pete!)

The next step is to tour the properties we have on our short list so we can choose the first two demonstration gardens we are going to do this summer. We are deliberately starting small to get our feet on the ground, and because we are starting late in terms of the real farming season. The properties not chosen will be first in line for consideration next season.

I will collate all the sites and map them this week, and then I would like to ask anyone who is interested to join a tour of them this Saturday, May 9th at 9:00 am. It would be nice to do this tour by bike; the distances on the map will determine if this is feasible. I would like to be done with this tour by 11:30-12:00 at the latest. Please let me know if you're planning to come.

In selecting sites, it's important that the homeowner or landlord envisions being there for at least three, preferably five years to make our energy and money investment in infrastructure pay off. Of course, life is unpredictable and things change, but most people should be able to guess if they're about to move or if they're settled for a while.

In the inspiration category, here's the website for the similar Boulder effort, Community Roots Farm. They've been at it 3 1/2 years and now have 13 sites. I'm trying to arrange a consulting meeting with their lead organizer Kipp Nash to shorten our learning curve. Also, there is a term for what we're planning, it's called SPIN farming.

Please be in touch,
thanks,
Eric
207-0069