Stoney Lonsome

With the coming of autumn, another wonderful season at Stoney Lonesome Farm has come to a close.

SLF grows organic vegetables under the Community Supported Agriculture model. Families pay a set amount of $$ to the farmer in return for 22 weeks of veggies and share both in the rewards and the potential hardships of farming. If the weather is wonderful, the crops are big and abundant. If the deer decide to have bush beans for dinner, the yields and therefor weekly baskets of veggies are a bit slimmer!

I have been a 'Harvest Helper' at the farm for several years now. I signed up with the intention of learning how to grow good food so that when I have land of my own, I will be able to have a large garden providing enough goodies to can and preserve for my family to enjoy all year round. 

Yet even if that dream becomes reality, I am not quite sure I will leave my scheduled Wednesday mornings at Stoney Lonesome.  While the vegetables are as lovely as can be, it is the growing of friendships that I have loved the most. The 6- 10 harvest helpers and interns that work each week are a diverse group of folks. We come from different continents, cultural and religious back rounds, have a 40 year age span and vary widely  in our economic footing. Yet the conversation flows freely as we work the rows picking the produce at just the right moment and cleaning and packing them for the rest of the CSA community. It is that sense of Community that will keep me coming back. I simply love being part of it!

                                                                 

My friend and fellow Harvest Helper Mary describes the experience so well in her FarmGirl Blog. And her pictures are the best! All I could add to it is that I believe the greatest product of Stoney Lonesome farm is the farmer herself and her babe.