August is just about the busiest time of the year here on the farm. We are picking all the summer crops and planting and preparing for fall. We also have 1,000 baby chicks which are growing by the day. I have desperately been trying to find another mobile home trailer chassis on which to build a hose for them. This has proved much more difficult than expected. I have now found one, on Craigs list. The last week has been spent trying to find a way to move it from downtown Sacramento to the farm. Our friend at the CHP will not allow me to pull it on the road as it is 10 feet wide. So I have found a company that moves mobile homes who will do it for me and has all the permits. It will be quite a sight entering the farm with the pilot card and all the flags and warning signs.
We have had some complaints that the fruit has not been arriving in a good condition. I have written about this in the newsletter earlier in the summer. I have always said that we dare to pick our fruit ripe so that it tastes great. There is always the danger that it may get damaged on the way or that we miss some damage as we are packing your box. I have thought about this for a while now and i do not want to pick under ripe fruit. So many of you have said how great it tastes. I would like to suggest the following so that we can all make sure that you get the most enjoyment out of the box.
1. We will redouble our efforts to remove any damaged fruit as we pack your box.
2. Some varieties of tomatoes are more delicate and we will not put them in the box. For example lemon Boy.
3. Please can you make sure that you pick up you box on time.
4. When you get home check through the produce and store the contents appropriately.
5. If there are any damaged fruit remove and consume as soon as possible. One bad peach or tomato left with the rest can destroy them all if you leave you box on the counter until Saturday to check through it.
6. please let us know how we are doing. it is important that you are happy with your box, our livelihood depends on it. Being part of a farm like ours is a partnership.

Produce you buy from the store must be picked under ripe as it may not even make it to the store shelves for 3 days. Some organic produce is also waxed to 'retain freshness'. I want you to eat vital food, at the peak of its maturity. I know it is better for us all. many years ago I realized that our CSA could not cater to everyones needs, the flavor of our box represents all our work on the farm. Different farms produce different boxes and you can even have 'store quality produce delivered to your home by companies like Organic Express. I encourage you to look at what you want from the farm and make your own decisions about where your produce dollar goes.
Thank you for all your feed back. I do take notice but do not have enough time to reply to you all. Nigel