Kimberton ‘Garden Of Eden’
(Continued from Pag* A2O)
members can harvest as much as
they like.
Members can make suggestions
about what they want to see grown
but the farmers make all final deci
sions about production. A volun
teer ‘ ‘core group’ ’ of members and
farmers makes decisions about
share prices, farmer compensation,
and distribution policies and
organizes special events in the
garden.
Some of the philosophies of the
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“The Garden of Eden is our model," said Kerry Sullivan.
“Members can simply wandef in their garden—as much as
they want to take it as their garden.” Kerry inspects cucum*
bers inside the high tunnel.
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Kimberton CSA, like most CSAs,
can often go against the beliefs of
more conventional vegetable
production.
“The basic idea of the CSA,”
said Barbara, “is that we get away
from the idea that the consumer is
looking for the lowest price and the
fanner’s looking for the highest
price. We try to sit down together
and decide what’s fair and what’s
going to be sustainable in the long
run, because what members want
are fresh vegetables picked the day
\ ,
■7237
they get them. If we can’t arrange
ourselves so we can do this in the
long run, they just won’t have the
vegetables available. If we can’t
make a living, then, the vegetables
aren’t here.”
Growers, especially those look
ing to grow one type of vegetable
at high production levels and sell it
on the wholesale market, “tend to
focus on the specific nutrient needs
of each crop.” But biodynamic
farmers “try to look more at the
♦c*'.
Last year, the Kimberton CSA was host to a composting field day late In September
with the help of Cary Oshins, left, of the Rodale Institute. At right Is Kerry Sullivan.
• GLU-LAM ARCHES • ROOF TRUSSES
• GLU-LAM BEAMS • FLOOR TRUSSES
• GLU-LAM TREATED • TAG AND V-GROOyE
POSTS DECKING
“Tht Sign of Quality
In Englnoond Tlmbor "
TRUSS PLATE INSTITUTE
health of the whole system.**
As a result, CSAs are labor
intensive and demand a lot of time
and management. Additional labor
is provided by two or three full
time trainees plus any members
who want to volunteer their time.
CSAs continue to grow. Lancas
ter County already has several.
Bucks County and areas surround
ing Philadelphia, including Ches-
Stables
Ffm Stall Barn Interior
Lancaster Firming. Saturday, May 18. 1996-A2l
*> *s,
ter and Berks, continue to see
CSAs sprouting up usually in
areas where the modem way of
thinking in terms of high produc
tion agriculture has been pushed to
the wayside.
Last year, the Kimberton CSA
was host to a composting field day
late in September with the help of
Cary Oshins of the Rodale Insti-
(Tum to Pag* A 22)
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