I listen to a lot of podcasts – while doing the dishes, when I walk on my own, in bed in the early morning while Hannah sleeps. Generally, during these crazy times, they are sports-related or solution-oriented for dealing with COVID -19 (CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease in 2019).
I don’t remember which podcast it was, but the point of one was the importance of supporting small businesses during these tumultuous times. One suggestion was long distance tipping of waitstaff at restaurants that your frequent. Another was supporting local farmers. Immediately, that spoke to me since my three keys to boost my immune system are get enough sleep, exercise, and eat well, which means lots of fruits and vegetables.
Thanks to our crunchy (and that’s a good thing!) friends, Scott and Tree, we know about the Orange Circle Farm, a CSA, here in southern Maine. Know what CSA stands for? I didn’t. It’s at the bottom of the blog. I digress as I am wont to do.
You see, when Tree and Scott were away, they had us pick up their weekly bin of veggies from Farmer Jeff and Farmer Erin. Now that I think about it, it makes sense that females who farm go buy the name Farmer This or That. My childhood stories had no women or womyn farmers. Geez, another digression.

Jeff and Erin
We just signed on to get a full bin of veggies each week throughout the late spring, summer and early fall. We hit the quinella with our decision.
One, we are supporting a local small business.
Two, we are getting farm fresh food… let the OCF farmers tell you about their produce.
All vegetables are grown without using any herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. We focus on pest and disease prevention through holistic practices that include careful attention to soil health, cover crops, composting, crop rotations, row covers, mindful irrigation, and crop diversity. They hope to be officially organic-certified in 2020. My kind of folks.
Three, though initially it may be more expensive than the grocery store, though I am not sure that is actually true, we are now a part of a long-term solution to create sustainable agriculture without the use of crazy chemicals. Paying $550 for a full share for the season, Hannah and I are not expected to work at the farm, which, if you know me, would have been a deal breaker. Anyway, why would they want me screwing up their operation?
Four, we are providing the seed money (see what I just did. Seed money for their seeds. Oh, you writers think you are so clever.) for the Orange Circle Farm to buy supplies for the upcoming growing season.
Five, we are modeling what we believe, not just talking about it. Giving voice to intentions is good, but it’s the action that completes the package.
I know not everyone could lay out that kind of cash for their veggies, but since we can, we did; as we try to be a small part of the solution.
CSA – Community Supported Agriculture.