We are NOT complaining about this, because our team has always been great – if it wasn’t for them, the veggies and the CSA could not come together! In this crazy year of 2020, it was a relief to know that our employees are covered not just by workers compensation insurance, but by disability, family medical leave, mandated sick leave, and unemployment insurance. Yet all of those are programs that NY small farms like us were only required to include starting this year (right before Covid, coincidentally).In many places in the US (California and Florida, I’m looking at you), there are fewer wage and labor laws for food producers, which is a major reason why food imported from outside the NY/New England region can seem so cheap compared with our local food (which is largely produced by workers that earn much closer to a living wage, with mandated benefits to protect them in case something goes wrong). It’s been hard for us to grow as a vegetable farm amid this environment where it’s essentially impossible to compete on store prices, though we know our veggies are better than the store (plus we have the UPick garden, and like you all, are striving to be part of the fabric of delicious eating and keeping our money in the community). I’m also thankful though, to have much of the moral hazard of risking those who work hard for us mandated away. There is a relief to know that if someone gets hurt on our farm, or sick with Covid, we are able to take care of them. And we are thankful as well for you, our CSA members and customers, who help support us all in this adventure.Thank you again for your support and for being part of this delicious eating experiment!We have a wide range of payment options this year, and can set up automated payment plans of any duration (monthly, bi-monthly, weekly – whatever works for you!). And as in past years, you don’t have to pay at sign up (we do anticipate selling out early this winter, so we recommend signing up soon and paying later so you can guarantee a share).2020 was a crazy year for us, even if being farmers meant it looked on the surface more like “normal.” As we look ahead to our future growth and changes, what’s rising to the top is asking ourselves what we can do here and now to help better provide food for our community across the greater Onondaga/Madison county region? How can we help folks start growing and eating more veggies? And what can we be doing to help make sure this beautiful part of the world stays vibrant long term – adding solar power? Trapping more carbon by our production? Working collaboratively more? As we plan and grow for this next season and CSA and explore options on all these fronts, we’ll keep in touch.Thank you so much for your support, and we look forward to seeing you this growing season!Peace, Maryellen and Matt (and don’t let the squirrels win, adds Beulah)
Looking Back, Looking Forward… CSA Year End Review and 2021 Sign Ups Coming Soon! — Hartwood Farm
