Community Supported Agriculture CSA

CSA Open House - Saturday, 2/18 10 am to 2 pm Bad Seed Farmers Market 1909 McGee KC
Come on by and check out the local farmers offering CSAs.


What the heck is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture. They’ve been around a long time and in today’s climate of savvy consumers they are making a resurgence. Basically a farmer offers a specific number of shares to the public. A share usually consists of a combination of produce/fruit/berries/flowers/eggs/meat depending on what the farm produces.
The consumer shares in the rewards and risks of farming: there are bumper crop years and lean years. Often the consumer will also get to share in the labor a few hours a month. This allows families to be a part of where their food comes from and provides valuable teaching opportunities to their children.
Fresh, local food on your table is beneficial to you, your health and your environment.


This is our first year to offer CSA’s to the public. We are keeping our subscriptions low so we can give our families the best service possible.

We do not use HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES OR CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS. We practice sustainable, responsible gardening. We use many heirloom seeds and practice “seed saving”.

Our chickens are “true” free range—they have the run of the farm. Our eggs are rich, colorful and full of nutrients. Our happy hens run with an assortment of roosters

Subscriptions: May 1—Oct 31, 2012.
Full Share w/work shift: $350+ tax 7-9 veg & 1 doz eggs per week This should feed a family of 4.
Half Share w/work shift: $175+tax 4-6 veg & 1/2 doz eggs per week
Most folks like to have a hands-on approach to their food. If you would like to be involved we will schedule you a work shift in the gardens. Work Shifts: Full share: 12 hrs Half share: 8 hrs per season. Work shifts are optional; subscriptions are a little more if you choose not to work on the farm.

Pick up stations are Farmers Market-Liberty Square, Farmers Market-KC-Bad Seed, Mother Nature Health Market-Liberty, Heritage Home Place-Cameron and at the Farm. Your pick up site will be determined when you sign up.

Fences and Roots

I hate, hate, hate to see animals penned up, cooped up or otherwise crammed into small spaces. I like them to be able to free range as much as possible. In the wild west, I would have been one of those fighting for no fences!

When we brought our goats home we separated and isolated them for a while until we managed the parasite situation. Then I moved them into the new barn and holding pen along with their guard, Rocky, and kept them there for a day. Then, I tested the new electric fence, held my breath and opened the gate. They love it. LOVE IT. There is lush pasture, thick brush, hanging limbs still filled with leaves. Goat heaven. I was afraid they might head for the hills, literally, as there is a LOT of land on the OTHER side of the fence. But, they graze and browse for awhile, then they always come back to the barn and holding pen to relax and hang out. The "browsing" ...eating tree leaves and brush adds so much to their natural diet and contributes to their over-all health.

In the evening, when they hear me calling the chickens in, they come flying into their pen for supper, Belle's bell clanging in the cold air. I lock them in the holding pen at night for safety. We have coyotes running out our ears and a couple of bobcats for good measure. Cougars, too. They nestle in their straw bed in the barn. I couldn't be happier with the fence. It only took a couple of little zaps for the goats and Rocky to learn to keep away from it. I test it every morning before I let them out to make sure it's working. One day a sycamore branch had blown across it but that was an easy fix. Now my beauties can roam to their little goat-hearts content.

Rocky (Anatolian puppy) is learning not to chase and nip at the goats hind legs. He has a log and chain attached to his collar for an anchor. It sounds awful, but it slows him down just enough that he tires easily and gives up the chase. We are on day four. The man where we bought him suggested this treatment. Rocky's mother also had the idea to chase and bite the goats and this remedy worked like a charm.

Tomorrow is HERB CLASS. The Herbalist is in....the field. Come on out and we'll DIG herbs! Increase your knowledge of herbalism. You can take the herbs you dig home and we will also make a remedy in class. FIRST FROST HERB CLASS. Tuesday 11-1 10 am to noon. $20

Injured Chicken

After chores I sit outside just to soak up the farm. It's so peaceful, sipping my yerba mate tea, cuddling Cassie (Miniature Australian Shepherd), watching the chickens and trying to make room on my lap for various cats and either my computer or a book. Of late the mornings have been so chilly I need to wrap up a bit. Then when the chickens finish feeding they stop by my chair for a visit on their way to free-ranging. Even now they are all around me. Randy, our young Araucana rooster is practicing the art of being a gentleman by calling hens to him so he can share some tidbit found in the grass. All of my young roosters are beginning to behave like men instead of adolescent boys. The hens are grateful.

My main rooster, Jack (half Cochin) no longer has his beautiful long tail and is crippled from the dog attack. I kept waiting for him to get better but he has gotten worse. Upon examination I cannot see anything wrong, no open wounds, no apparent dislocations. It breaks my heart to see him try to keep up. But, he still crows, eats well and mates, so his spirit is strong. I decided to isolate him in the brooder house/pen. I put his three remaining Mables (Red Sex Link/Red Star) in with him to ease the pain of confinement. I'm giving him comfrey/nettle tea--he actually loves it--and soaking the offending leg/foot in comfrey. I put herb salve all over his leg and foot but he promptly removed it. I'm hoping he gets better before the weather turns cold. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.