It turns out that floral timing (when during the year flowers-especially flowering trees-bloom) has a lot to do with degree-days, and correlates well with insect emergence and activity. Just as you may have noticed a delay in those flowering trees, we see a delay in bees getting ready for spring nectar flows. So much so that our pickup of two new bee hives has been pushed back a week. We’ll get those hives this weekend from Carolina Honey Bees in Travelers Rest and install them in our boxes down on the farm. Including the hives at my house, that will bring us to 5 in all. I checked on our three established hives this week to find thriving colonies that are each working on their first honey supers. With any luck that means a good crop of the sweet stuff for our CSA members!

So far we have one acre planted with ¼ acre left to plant in spring crops—more than ever before. There is broccoli, cabbage, napa cabbage, bok choi, beets, carrots, kale, collards, fennel, and more already planted. There are a dozen or so varieties of lettuce planted and more to go in the ground soon. Some of the beds are covered with remae row cover, a light fabric that lets in air, moisture, and sunshine while keeping the plants and soil warmer at night. Plants under covers are about twice as big as plants out in the weather at this point. Pretty soon the covers will come off as temperatures reach the 70s.

We can plant spring crops like arugula and salad turnips as late as May for harvest as late as early June, and we start planting summer crops by mid-April. Assuming the soil-warming trend continues, we are poised to transplant tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash by the frost-free date as well as direct-seeding beans. By early June, almost all the summer crops will be in the ground and we get to focus on harvest.

Now is the time to sign up for CSA if you haven’t already. Our CSA is like a subscription to the farm. You get a selection of everything we can pick that week delivered to a convenient pickup location. Members get the best of the farm on a consistent basis, including some exclusives like honey and pick-your-own sugar snap peas. Call or email Daniel if you have any questions, or go to www.parsonproduce.com to sign up!

Is signup different this year? Yes, we have switched to online signup for everyone except work shares--you need to contact me to sign up for a workshare. Go to www.parsonproduce.com and click on CSA signup and follow the online instructions.

The website doesn't recognize me as a returning member, what's up? It only recognizes you as a returning customer if you signed up online last fall. I know lots of you have been members for years, but the website doesn't know that--don't worry because you aren't missing out on anything by signing up as a new member.

Do I have to pay online? Not at all. You can sign up online and follow up by mailing a check. If you want to take advantage of the 5% discount, you can send a check for the full share cost minus 5%. You can still do the payment plan, but you won't get the discount.

What if I have problems with online signup? Call daniel at 404.452.4321 or email parsonproduce@me.com and we'll get you signed up.

Isn't it more expensive this year? If you take advantage of the 5% discount, the price has gone up a very small amount. We set prices each year according to the cost of production and delivery.

Is there a reason to sign up for all three seasons now? Yes, we are starting to get information around town and online, and planning to sell out our limited number of shares this year. If you sign up for all three before April 17, you'll get two out-of-season pickups this year for a total of 30 weeks!

What's new this year? Each year we try to grow more of the crops that people love, and provide them over a longer period of time. More greens, carrots, beets, squash, and beans--yes. Longer season of broccoli and lettuce--yes. Of course, all this depends on the weather, and we will do our best!

Thanks for your support and hope to see you in April!

May Sample

June Sample

August Sample

October

Just a few of the crop varieties grown at the farm:

This year crops are looking good and we are even offering a one-time CSA share on December 5 for $35. If you are interested, you can sign up at http://www.parsonproduce.com/2012-csa.  Thank you to those that have already signed up for this one-time drop.

Greetings Friends and CSA'ers,

Hope you all enjoyed the veggies yesterday. Remember that there will be no pickup next week, August 15, and again no pickup on September 5.

I did want to tell you about an opportunity to stock up by going to the Slow Food Upstate Earth Market in Greenville on August 16. Chelsi will be there representing Parson Produce, and you'll find other vendors like Bioway and Earth Perks produce farms, Gibson and Walker beef, Carolina Honeybees, and more!

This is a special market featuring producers who do things the right way--no chemicals or genetically modified organisms (gmo). Also, Slow Food promotes traditional varieties and biodiversity through their Arc of Taste program showcasing endangered foods that are worth saving. Several of the producers will be presenting varieties and breeds that are on the 'Arc'.

The market is at the corner of Rutherford Road and North Main Street in Greenville, on the lawn of the Michael McDunn Gallery. It is every third Thursday from 3-7pm.

Parson Produce
3111 Hwy 56 North
Clinton, SC 29325

It is about 50 minutes from Greenville, 40 minutes from Spartanburg, 25 minutes from Greenwood, and about a hour from Columbia. If you would like to visit the farm give Daniel a call at 404.452.4321 or email him at parsonorganics@me.com.

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For directions click here.

The Parson Produce farm occupies two acres of pasture at The Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, just south of Clinton on SC Highway 56. Two acres of pasture have been converted into an intensive vegetable production garden using organic methods. The gardens support a diversity of crops, including almost every vegetable except corn.  If you visit the farm (which we strongly encourage), you’ll see a patchwork of vibrant colors due to the crop rotations of vegetables, lush legumes, and blooming annuals.  The farm is also home to a horse, a llama, and some alpaca, all of whom enjoy visitors.  Depending on what’s in season, you might even have a chance to pick something.

Customers can now sign up for the 2012 CSA program!