Farmer Jim Kinsel sent the following letter to CSA customers last week:
Hello CSA members:
Sherry and I are saddened to announce that this is the last season for Honey Brook Organic Farm’s CSA program that I started along with a farm partner in 1991.We have reluctantly decided to discontinue the CSA after a failed 5-year effort to restore financial sustainability to the farm.Many of the changes we made to the farm over this time period had this aim in mind while attempting to retain the spirit of Community Supported Agriculture.We are looking forward to continuing to farm, offering organic asparagus, chestnuts,dried heirloom beans as well as pick-your-own organic fruits to the public., including PYO strawberries at both our Pennington and Chesterfield farms.We also are eager to expand the farm’s carbon sequestration efforts.Our decision to discontinue our CSA program does not mean we no longer believe that CSA has value.To the contrary, we believe it is now more important than ever, with climate change increasing risks to our food supply and with COVID highlighting weaknesses in our industrial food distribution system.We just don’t think that we can carry it forward.Luckily there are other excellent farmers both younger and at a smaller, more flexible scale who are in a better position to continue this social experiment. We hope that you will continue to support a CSA farm and for your convenience we are providing a list of CSA farms in the area.This list is not ordered in any way nor is it exhaustive.These farmers are all accomplished at their craft and are exceptional human beings to boot!I hope that you will support them and keep the CSA movement alive.We wish to thank you one last time for your support over the years.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the help the farm received over the years from the Stony Brook–Millstone Watershed Association (now The Watershed Association), Gloria and Irwin Merker, Betty and Bob Fleming, Bill Bridgers who has since moved to his home state of New Mexico for his support over the years, our accountant Vince Englemann at Farm Credit East who did his best to keep me out of jail, the farm’s “official” lawyer Carl Mayer who did his best to keep me out of jail, and Jennifer Morgan who was executive director at NOFA-NJ, at the time, for recommending me for the farming opportunity at the Watershed back in 1990.A special thanks also goes to all of our group boxed share hosts. And lastly, a warm and heartfelt thanks to our employees over all these years, and especially to David Camacho, our dedicated Field Manager for over 25 years!
Love Grows CSA,www.lovegrowscsa.com, Ailsa Coughlan and Brad Berry, serving the Bucks County PA area
Blooming Glen Farm,www.bloomingglenfarm.com,Tom Murtha and Tricia Borneman, serving the Bucks County PA area
Ramblin’ Sol Farm,www.ramblinsolfarm.com, Joe Soto & Hannah Conner, serving the Allentown, NJ area
Chickadee Creek Farm,www.chickadeecreekfarm.com, Jess Niederer, serving the Pennington/Princeton area as well as well as farmers’ markets throughout NJ
Dogwood Farms,www.dogwoodfarms.com, Jon Knox, serving central NJ as well as at farmer’s markets throughout NJ (not a CSA, but an established, regenerative farm with a retail farm market)
Jeff’s Organic Produce,www.jeffsorganicproduce.com, Jeff and Karley Lidzbarski.Serving the Cream Ridge, NJ area as well as at farmer’s markets throughout NJ.Special note:Jeff has been around organic farming from the day he was born.He is the son of Ed and Rose Lidzbarski who pioneered organic farming in NJ in the late 1970’s.I learned to farm from Ed while working for him in 1990.
Cabbage Throw Farm,www.cabbagethrowfarm.com,Dean Buttacavoli & Emily Stocker, serving the Hunterdon County area as well as at Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market (Flemington), Easton PA Farmers’ Market and the Juniper Hill Farmers’ Market (Annandale, NJ). Special note:Cabbage Throw Farm is operating in cooperation with Comeback Farm (Asbury, NJ), which is owned by Mark and Amy Canright.I learned to farm from Mark and his parents John and Betty back in 1988.
Rolling Hills Farm,www.rollinghillsfarm.com, Stephanie Spock & John Squiccianrino, serving the Lambertville area as well as at the Asbury Fresh Farmer’s Market (Asbury Park) and the Wrightstown (PA) Farmer’s Market
Fernbrook Farms,www.fernbrookfarms.com, a non-profit farm established by the Kuser family, serving the Bordentown area.Special note:some of our field staff will be working atFernbrook Farms next year.
Cherry Grove Organic Farm,www.cherrygroveorganic.com, Matt Conver, serving the Princeton area.Special note:some of our field staff will be working at Cherry Grove next year.
Circle Brook Farm,https://www.facebook.com/circlebrookfarm/,John Krueger, serving north Jersey with group sites as well as at farmers’ markets in northern NJ
Rancocas Creek Farm CSA,https://pinelandsalliance.org/join-the-csa/, Jeff Tober, serving the Vincentown, NJ area.
Flocktown Far,www.flocktownfarm.com, Noah Thomases, home delivery throughout NJ.
Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm,www.csgatgenesisfarm.com,Judy von Handorf & Mike Baki, serving the Blairstown area as well as group sites throughout North Jersey.Special note:Genesis Farm is the oldest operating CSA in NJ.They started 3 years before we did.
Best regards: Farmer Jim Kinsel
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