Kudos to the 51 CSA members who filled out the littleGrasse survey last October. As growers for a community farm, we do not want to work in a vacuum – we want to work with and for our shareholders. Reviewing your comments and suggestions reminds us of the uniqueness of this endeavor and ignites our excitement for the coming season. Below are quotes drawn from the survey, then our responses to some suggestions made by shareholders. Of the folks who responded, 70% were year-round residents and 30% were college students.
Flavor, Community & Values
Q. As a returning member, why have you rejoined littleGrasse?
“I like the way LGF does business, is organized, provides community, and is close to my home! I want to support the values that LGF engenders.”
“Love the you- pick stuff. Systems for distributing are getting better and better.”
“I did a CBL (community based-learning) my freshman year and returned now that I am in a townhouse with a kitchen. Cooking with my housemates was such a bonding experience! littleGrasse is close to campus and offers great accommodations for students.”
“I really enjoy the community that littleGrasse connects me to. I like the opportunities to get involved on the farm and I love the variety of the produce throughout the season! I get more knowledge about where my food comes from and the work that goes in.”
“The produce tastes better when you are connected to the process.”
Q. As a new member, why did you decide to join littleGrasse?
“I love cooking for myself, especially because I don’t enjoy what’s offered on SLU’s campus, and was looking for an alternative to buying my vegetables at Price Chopper. I also wanted to be a part of something in the Canton community.”
“because I love fresh organic produce and I was intrigued by the community dimension of the project”
“Thank you, for a great experience as a first-time share holder! I really appreciate the way you communicate with your shareholders and make me feel like I have a place on the farm. Pick ups at littleGrasse were definitely a highlight of my week and reduced the stress I feel from having to make decisions about buying produce at the grocery store (is it organic? is it affordable? is it in season? where was it grown? etc.).”
“I recently moved into town and lost access to fresh, local food that was part of my former living arrangement. Since I value local/organic food, I researched the various CSA options in the area. I chose littleGrasse because of the price, the proximity to town & the community work days. The price for the shares I have are affordable & I like that the pick ups aren’t too far from where I work so it doesn’t feel like a hassle to get my share each week. I also love meeting people at the workdays and being held accountable for getting out to do farmwork once a month.”
“To support Bob and Flip, sustainable agriculture, the Canton community, and eat the best veggies in town!”
Suggestions for improving the farm website (with our responses in italics)
* Storage tips for produce
We’ve got tips for you! Check out the farm’s Vegetable pages (under the Crops tab on the homepage). This section of our website includes photos of every crop we cultivate, as well as variety, storage and general use information. Every time a recipe is added that uses a particular veggie, the recipe is linked to that crops veggie page!
* More recipes
We’d LOVE to provide more recipes to shareholders. This is mostly a time/human power issue. We have a modest recipe collection so far. There is not enough time for us to craft 1-2 high quality recipes every week. Instead of all the knowledge/ideas coming from us, we’d rather collect cooking inspiration from shareholders for shareholders. Did you know we have a “Share a recipe,” option? Submit your tastiest ideas to us and get them added to the site for everyone to enjoy. Please include a photo or two along with your recipe contributions.
* More information about how to participate, including students
Yup! We are going to offer more times to plug into the garden including weekday mornings and evenings as well as weekend mornings and afternoons. These times will vary by the week and by the weather. Visit our calendar of events regularly to find suitable times to participate in the fields. We will also add a page about hosting tours or class visits.
* Getting the weekly share information sooner
In past seasons, we have sent a list and a photo on Tuesday afternoon as to the contents of the share. Getting the information out before Tuesday distribution is a great idea (in theory). We understand it would allow shareholders to plan their meals for the week and perhaps stop in at the farmer’s market if they needed an item that was not being distributed through the CSA. This affects Tuesday pickups more than Friday in terms of member planning. We could send an email the day before, but the information would be less accurate. Adjustments to our intended list are sometimes made on harvest morning, due to quantity or quality of a specific crop. As such, we wait to send the list and photo until the distribution has been solidified. This minimizes misinformation or someone getting excited about a crop that they do not end up receiving.
That about sums it up!
Although we only send out a survey annually, we are open to comments, questions and suggestions every day of the year. Thank you.