Lloyd Craft Farms Fresh Produce, Locally Grown

Every so often I type, proof, and post…and things just disappear. Where they go, I do not know. The Second paragraph should have read:
“The Farmer planted bunching onions, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, and baby carrots last Friday. These are for the Summer Shares. Still time to sign up, if you haven’t yet.”

While I’ve got you on the line–how many are interested in a Saturday morning Pick Up at Farmer’s Market. Instead of coming out to The Farm in the late afternoon during the week day, you would come once a week to the Farmer’s Market. I’m sure if there is one Saturday you are going to be gone we can reschedule that week for a different day.

Let me know by posting a comment or sending me an email. craftterri@rtconnect.net

THANKS!
The Farmer’s Wife

This wind and cold weather has put a damper on the potato planting.  AND too windy to set out plants–besides…the low for tonight is not good on baby plants trying to get their roots growing in the ground.  The small hoop house continues to hold those babies–cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprout seedlings.  The large hoop house continues to hold the Spring Share greens, but the WIND is winning–It has managed to rip two holes in the greenhouse sheathing.  🙁 

these will be for the Summer Shares.  Still time to sign up, if you haven’t yet. 

We have 55 openings–truck going to Thermopolis, and northward on Fridays.  Hoping to hire a young strapping Ten Sleep guy who will do the Ten Sleep delivery on Thursdays, and provide the energy and back-labor that The Farmer and The Farmer’s Wife sometimes lack.  (The Farmer keeps asking me where his hot tub is–I keep reminding him we don’t have one, yet…have to keep his spirits up–)

Hope to start the Spring Shares next week.  Though the spinach looks green and luscious, the radishes are not ready and the totsoi was late germinating.  We need more than just spinach!  We’ll assess the growth this week-end and let you know if we can start May 7th. Delivery and pick up information to follow– 

We hope to have a surprise goodie for you, too.  (It’s green and tall and grows along our ditch banks…great creamed on toast–)  I chickened out picking it in the cold wind today–at least I know its not going to grow much with the weather this chilly.  Wednesday is supposed to be clear and warmer.  5 good sunny days can make things really grow! 

Stay tuned!  Tell your friends and neighbors about the great produce and the different sizes to fit your needs. Mention to them it is organically grown and picked close to the day you get it.  Tell them you can add a Fruit Share, too!  And when the season is over, you can have potatoes, carrots, onions, and squash with the ADD 4 WEEKS option! 

95 down and 55 to go!  YAY TEAM!!!  

The Farmer’s Wife

We now have a new FACEBOOK page thanks to Brittany Craft!  She set it up this afternoon and then invited all her friends and then we went to my neglected Facebook page and invited my friends!  Oh MY–a place to put the photos of the hoop that I’ve been taking…BUT, first I have to finish the planting and harvesting schedule for the summer–More on that tomorrow!  BYE~~  The Farmer’s Wife

Spring in Wyoming is here and reminds us daily with its erratic weather.  We, as Farmers, should be used to this, but still–after years of farming–are caught off-guard.  Maybe because there is nothing consistent from spring to spring except that sometime it will rain enough to shut you down, and that the summer will come–suddenly.  Whatever the reason we are seldom totally prepared–but is anyone in life?   More realistically than the challenges of the spring weather is probably the fact that there is TOO MUCH to do in the Spring with a very short window.  So…What I can definitely tell you is this–

Potatoes have arrived and are ready to be put into the ground.  The potato spot is sandier this year and almost ready–just needs to be bedded up–The Farmer hopes to bury the spuds this week.  (The debate last  night was black plastic or white??  I voted for black to heat the ground quicker, The Farmer was on the side of white to keep the ground cooler in the heat of the summer…)

Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbages were picked up last week from Enchanted Gardens and are in the small hoophouse hardening off, ready for transplanted this week.  (This puts the broccoli and early cabbage on schedule to be harvested for your first Share!) 

The Farmer, along with the field work on 106 acres of bean ground and 30 acres of new hay, will be starting new broccoli plants in the small hoophouse for later in the season.  The Farmer’s Son helps where he is needed, along with coaching his traveling soccer team of 14 year olds, and making music with Rattlesnake Ridge!  The Farmer’s Wife is trying to get the rest of the planting and harvesting schedules done, work on her insurance accounts, and sell-sell-sell shares.  (Our goal is 70 more!)  The Farmer’s daughter-in-law, who is a social media guru, will be setting up the Lloyd Craft Farms facebook page soon!  Trying to reach more people with our good food!  (Hope you will ‘like’ us–  🙂

AND the last item–The large hoophouse is growing and growing.  Spring Shares for those that signed up should start the first week in May.  The days are warmer and the nights are tempering off in the hoop–I think just perfect for the things we have planted.

Enjoy the spring as it roars in like a lion and gentles to that Lamb that we all love so much!  The Farmer’s Wife–

Several questions have come up about the Fruit Share–so here is some more information.

This year it will be on the same day as your Veggie Pick Up, once a week.  THIS IS THE PLAN–

Since the truck delivers on Wednesday evenings, it may be best to put the Fruit Share people on Thursday and Friday.  Thermopolis members–We may purchase your fruit from a different outlet that delivers on Friday so it’s not sitting in our cooler for a week. (Still working this through)

We only sell 30 Fruit Shares–all we have room for in the cooler; all that we can comfortably handle with the Veggies.

Email me any questions you may have !  The Farmer’s Wife 

Reminder that today is TAX DAY…

AND the LAST DAY TO SAVE $25-$50 with the EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!  (envelopes postmarked the 15th qualify)

SHARES STILL AVAILABLE–Mini, HALF, and FULLs–too much veggies?  Consider the LEAP SHARE OPTION!

Costs are $14 to $40 a week depending on SIZE– Extend the season with ADD 4 WEEKS.

Add FRUIT SHARE to your Veggie Share for $16.50 more a week.

Spread the word!–The Farmer’s Wife

Yay!! We have sold enough memberships to pay for the seed and supplies, insurance, and our monthly operating expenses…still need to sell 25 shares to pay for one full-time employee–we could use the help of 3 more employees, in addition to our steadfast Volunteers. Help us to spread the word–Good food, Fresh Produce, Locally Grown!

REMEMBER–this is a CSA…COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AG–
The pillars of a CSA are building a membership base (COMMUNITY), willing to weather the years with you (SUPPORTED), and committed to the value of fresh food, locally grown on the farm (AGRICULTURE).

Come JOIN us–if you haven’t already. And if you have JOINED, help us build the important foundation of our COMMUNITY by spreading the word.

The Farmer’s Wife

Good Morning!

Time to add your FRUIT SHARE to your Veggie Share.  We are signed up direct with 2 fruit outlets–One is a USDA Organic certified outlet in Washington state, the other Market Day Foods out of Bozeman.  The Fruit Share will be weekly–guaranteed better (or so we think) than what you can buy in the store.  Through Market Day we will have access to the Rainier and Flathead Cherries, and other regional items.  SHARE will include the Riverton raspberries and our regular fall fruit truck coming from a large orchard in Utah–peaches and pears, some apples if we want…32# to 40# boxes for sale for the Canners, too.   

Cost is $265 Half, $480 Full, added to your CSA Agreement by Addendum.  I need 30 shares to complete a weekly order and make the program work–GIVE ME A SHOUT BACK, PLEASE!  (6 Fruit Shares right now–Sign up this month and Pay before JUNE 1st–up to a 5 month pay plan also available.)

The Farmer’s Wife–in eager anticipation!

The Farmer and The Farmer’s Wife were out in the hoophouse today.  The seeds planted over the past two weeks have all sprouted and are up!  Spinach, Vit (Corn Mache-Brassica family-greens), Swiss Chard, Blue Kale, and the Gourmet Baby Leaf Salad…The Farmer transplanted the broccoli, cauliflower, and Salanova lettuce heads yesterday.  The baby carrot seed has been lightly planted and covered with a thin blanket of soil and should peek through some time this week.  Into the ground this week is the last of the Spring crops for the hoophouse:  Red Russian baby kale, totsoi & bok choi (brassicas), beets (both greens and BabyBeats), and Japanese salad turnips.  We have around 32 days till we hope the first Spring Share will be ready–warm days and mild nights will speed the process along.

So there is your update from Lloyd Craft Farms CSA. 

Happy MONDAY!  HAPPY APRIL FIRST!  MEMBERSHIP DRIVE STILL GOING!

Reminder:  Pay before April 15th and save $25- $50 with the EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT– We accept credit cards through our PayPal link.  Personal checks always good–

We have enrolled a THIRD of available shares for 2014.  Help us to spread the word!  Three SHARE sizes:  MINI, HALF, and FULL.  MINI too big?…Consider a LEAP FROG SHARE:  sign up with another person and rather than split the share each week, take turns picking it up…Leap Frog for 16 weeks.  This way–you get a bi-weekly share–$100 each for 8 weeks worth of fresh food! (Early Bird Discount applied)  Not limited to the MINI–consider it for a HALF or FULL, too.

The Farmer and I are innovating ways to get fresh, local, organically raised food into your hands, into your fridge, and into your BODIES!  We are on a mission to get you healthier!  

 The Farmer’s Wife