Brassicas in a field at Holcomb Farm
A number of years back, we were members of the Holcomb Farm CSA in West Granby. It was a wonderful experience, and new to the area at the time. After a few years we ended our membership and I can’t for the life of me remember why. I guess sometimes life happens. I looked into rejoining this past winter, and found it had become quite popular with the locals and that it sells out it’s shares out each year, rightfully so! It also has risen in cost to over $600.00 for a full share. This is really not that expensive when you consider the quantity of fresh organic produce you receive. In fact, a full share can be very overwhelming and actually too much for a small family, so they also offer half shares. If your are interested in joining a CSA, Holcomb Farm is a real gem, but get in line early next year!
Needless to say, there were no shares available when I looked into it. Not a problem actually, as I had in the back of my mind already decided to plant a vegetable garden this spring and most likely wouldn’t need to join a CSA. Now that our not being members is official, I have decided to take our garden up a notch!
Inspiration comes in many forms, and so is the case for the Hokunson vegetable garden. The usual suspects, freshness, taste and organic are there, but over the past few years a few books have added their nudging as well. The most notable of these is “The Onivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan. An eye opening, and stomach turning foray into the world of modern food production. If you haven’t read it, I urge you do so now, it will change the way you think about food. I give the following as evidence; Our 19 year old son and his friends refused to eat at Taco Bell after hearing details of beef production in this book… Booyah!
Recently, two excellent reads on growing edibles also have inspired me. They are “Front Yard Food” by Ivette Soler, and “Grow the Good Life” by Michele Owens. Both very inspiring works. You can find my reviews of them here:
Front Yard Food Review on Blue Heron Landscapes
Grow the good life Review on Blue Heron Landscapes
So anyway, you get the idea, I am inspired! So here is the experiment: Over the course of this season, I am going to track the Hokunson veggie garden in words and pictures here on the blog. I’ll report back to you on a regular basis (as regular as I can) with our results. I’ll record costs, inputs, methods, problems, and most of all harvests. What’s the point, you ask? To compare what we spend here against the cost of produce in the store and also vs. the $600.00 we would have spent at the CSA. Plus, I really feel like sharing.
How will it end? If I could answer that now, I wouldn’t need the experiment.
Expected results? I know we will have fresh delicious produce (I have gardened before), but I have never quantified the results. Accountants take note! let’s see just how the back yard garden looks on the P&L statment.
I am looking forward to getting out in garden this year, I missed it immensely last year. I am centered and find peace when I am in the garden, it recharges me.
So what are you doing this year in your garden? Growing food? Annuals? Adding new landscape beds? We would love to hear form you, please leave a comment!
Until next time,
See you in the garden!
