2013 Welcome Letter
Greetings,
Welcome to the 12th season of the Clinton Hill CSA! We look forward to sharing the next 22 weeks with you. For new and returning members, here are some helpful reminders and answers to frequently asked questions for this year's CSA season.
HOW DO I PICK UP MY SHARE?
This year's pick ups begin this coming Thursday, June 13th. The pick up site is open from 5 – 7:30 pm each Thursday. You can collect your share in the cafeteria of PS 56, by entering on Downing St, between Gates and Putnam. You'll see our banner outside. Come in and sign in for your vegetable share at the front table.
You'll collect each vegetable from a labeled bin, taking them in your own bags and containers. If you have signed up for an additional share (flowers, fruit, or eggs), you'll need to sign in at the table where that share is located. If you have any questions about the vegetables, ask one of your fellow CSA members, who'll be volunteering behind the tables. You can also ask a Core Member, as many of us will be there on the first night to help.
Please be prompt. A local church food pantry picks up the leftovers, and our volunteers go home promptly at 7:30. The staff of P.S. 56, who generously allow us to use the school's cafeteria for our pick ups, requests that we finish our distribution at that time, and so, we cannot hold shares for anyone beyond 7:30. Please be sure to give yourself enough time to collect your share or send someone to pick up for you.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?
- Bags for collecting your share.
- Your checkbook if you still owe us money. If you have any questions regarding payment, our treasurer will be available at the first pick up. They will be there to answer any invoicing or payment questions you have.
WHAT OTHER SHARES ARE AVAILABLE?
In addition to the vegetable, fruit, flower, and egg shares you signed up for via Wufoo with your initial registration, there are a few more shares now available. Please check out our website for additional information on each one!
- Coffee Share : Brooklyn Roasting Company
We are partnering with the Brooklyn Roasting Company to bring you incredible java this season in weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries featuring an exciting rotation of blends! Click here for more information and to sign up for a coffee share.
- Dairy Share : Milk Not Jails
We are now able to offer a great dairy share through Milk Not Jails featuring milk, half-and-half, yogurt, and butter! Click here for more information and to sign up for a dairy share.
- Lewis Waite Farm Share
Through our partnership with Lewis Waite Farm, our members have the opportunity to order from a consortium of over twenty independent farmers upstate. Products available through LWF include meat, poultry, cheese, grains, honey, bread, and so much more! You are not locked into a share, but can order as much or as little as you’d like through their website. Order by Sunday, June 9th for pick up on Thursday, June 13th. Click here for more information and to order from Lewis Waite Farm.
WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR?
This year, we're excited to share a few new things with our members:
Volunteering Just Got Easier!
Our CSA works because we all pitch in and lend a hand. With your sign up, you've committed to 4 hours (per household) of volunteer work for the season. With our new online system through Sign Up Genius, filling those hours has never been more simple. Just click here and follow the on screen instructions: Sign Up Genius for Clinton Hill CSA.
We encourage you to come to the first pick-up with an idea of when you might like to fulfill your volunteer hours this season. There are many opportunities, including helping at the pick ups, working to plan parties and other community activities, and taking photographs. If you are unable to volunteer between 4 – 7:45 pm on Thursday nights, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator to discuss other options.
The Beet Goes Digital!
The Beet, our weekly newsletter, will be available online every Thursday, beginning Week 2. This change to an online format keeps up with the times, and also allows us to reduce our organization's paper use by a significant amount.
HOW CAN I GET THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NEWS FROM THE CSA?
Connect with us online! Visit us at ClintonHillCSA.org or on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/ClintonHillCSA. We'll be posting updates to our Facebook page as well as our website, in addition to sending emails with important information throughout the season, so you won't miss a thing. Please feel free to ask questions, share photographs of your share, links to recipes, or anything else you want to share with our community on our Facebook page.
Looking forward to a great season,
Clinton Hill CSA Core