AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO OUR MEMBERS

From Arthur:

Hello Everyone,

After much discussion and soul searching I (Arthur) have come to the decision to suspend the CSA portion of my farming operation.  The week of September 25th will be our last week of deliveries.  I will, however, continue to grow fruits and veggies for you in the future, but I am going to be focusing my attention on the farmers markets and my own farm stand here in the Matanuska Valley.

Alison and I started the CSA three years ago and many of you have been with us from that time; some of you we’ve known even longer. Over that time I have gotten to know many of you on a first name basis and many more of you on a face to face basis. It has been a privilege to serve you these past three years; I and the GVF team (Alison, Dan, Ken, Todd, Chuck, and Joe) have learned a great deal and we are all very thankful for the support you’ve shown us!

In the past three years Glacier Valley Farm has grown, the market opportunities have grown and my children have grown. This is a very exciting time for me and my family; my oldest son is now nine and is a regular fixture at the numerous farmers markets that I attend. It is truly a milestone to have the opportunity to spend time with my kids, working together. Time with my family is one of the biggest factors in the decision-making process to take a break from the CSA.

There have been numerous challenges that we have dealt with over the years. We have struggled to source the produce we brought up in the winter from organic farms in America.  We have seen the cost of shipping increase dramatically with the cost of oil, and the price of wholesale veggies triple in a week’s time.  Sometimes our entire order of produce arrived frozen, or was of poor quality.  We had to figure out how to best deliver our boxes in sub-zero weather. We have dealt with mechanical problems and computer malfunctions, and many other things. Something I learned is that when produce is at its best quality it will also be at its cheapest, yet when it is poor quality it will be the most expensive and difficult to get. But regardless of the challenges, we have persevered and learned from the adversity, and we have always tried to put together the best possible box we could, and we are better for it.  Thank you for sticking with us through all of this. It would not have been possible without the great customers that we have. Thank you!

I appreciate your understanding and continued support in my effort to spend more time with my family and I look forward to continue growing safe, healthy, and local food for you and your family.

We will be continuing the CSA through the end of September and of course I intend to continue my involvement with all of the various markets that I am currently participating in, including the South Anchorage Farmers Market (May thru October, 9am-2pm at O’Malley and Old Seward), the Eagle River Farmers Market (July-September, 10am-3pm, in front of Mike’s Meats) and my new farm stand at my barn (May-October, 10am-4pm, Inner Springer Loop and the Glen Hwy). I do have a supply of storage veggies that some of you have expressed an interest in purchasing on a regular basis. I will be exploring all of the options to make these available to you. If you want to stay informed you can join my Facebook page “glacier valley farm.” Also, we will be sending out emails with relevant information.

In the coming years I hope to see you all at the markets!

Cheers,
Arthur Keyes and Team
Glacier Valley Farm

From Alison:

Dear Glacier Valley Farm CSA Subscribers and Members,

It is with regret that I (Alison) write to tell you that we are closing Glacier Valley CSA at the end of September.  We will continue to supply you great boxes, with 100% Alaskan ingredients, through the week of September 25th.

We have greatly appreciated your support—some of you have been with us for the whole three years we have been in operation. THANK YOU!!  Unfortunately, though, we have found that there are just too many things beyond our control that affect the quality of our boxes. First and foremost, we have struggled with the incredible volatility of produce prices and quality from Outside.  More than once we have paid high prices for certified organic produce from the Lower 48 that was not up to our standards. Second, we have found that we run out of most Alaskan storage produce after several months of the wintertime, so that we’re importing Outside produce for much of our boxes’ contents in February, March, April and May (except for potatoes and carrots). That wasn’t the original point of the CSA.

However, we do have some good news.

One of the reasons we started the CSA was to increase awareness of and demand for locally-grown produce.  We think we’ve helped to do that! Since that time, attendance at farmers markets is growing, and new farmers markets are sprouting up all over town and across the state.  Arthur’s farm, Glacier Valley Farm, is thriving, and he will continue to bring great produce to the South Anchorage Farmers Market, and other markets too. (refer to Arthur’s letter for times and locations)

We’ve provided jobs for our crew: the great folks who pick our veggies, pack the boxes, and deliver them, as well as the writers for the Glacier Grist.

And we’ve bought a LOT of local produce, from different farms all over the area. Some of our produce has come from growers who you might not otherwise get a chance to know about—like Northern Lights Mushrooms, or Green Winter Farms’ basil, or Alaska Sprouts.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO NOW, since you won’t be getting CSA box all winter?

Here’s some more good news. There will still be ways you can eat Alaskan produce all year long.

Visit our farmers markets as much as you can through the summer. Some Anchorage markets are even open on Wednesdays, so you can go during the week if you’re going to be out of town or out playing on Saturday. If you’d like to look at a complete list of farmers markets in Alaska, to find the ones closest to you, please visit our Alaska Farmers Market Association website, at http://www.alaskafarmersmarkets.org, and click on “market directory.”

In late August and through September, start thinking about what kinds of produce you’d like to buy at the farmers market to preserve for the winter. Set aside some time to stock up. Think of your vegetables like Alaskan salmon or halibut—stock up when the getting is good, and then enjoy it, ready to eat, all winter long. When the boatloads of broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale and peas start coming in, buy a couple of cases and process them for your freezer. Farmers will often give you a good deal on produce if you buy whole cases. The great thing about freezing veggies for later is that they are already ready to eat as soon as you thaw them out—you’ve already chopped and cooked them, so they are fast food! Here is the link to my YouTube videos and recipes on how to process vegetables for the winter.

http://southanchoragefarmersmarket.com/index.php/site/processing-vegetables/

We’ll keep you posted on opportunities to purchase winter storage vegetables from Arthur’s farm through the winter—watch your email for his ideas.

And there are lots of vegetables that you don’t have to process in order to save through the winter!  You just have to keep them cool.  Potatoes, beets, winter squash, carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions, celery root, and cabbages are great examples. I’ve listed the ways I keep them for the winter at the following link:

http://southanchoragefarmersmarket.com/index.php/site/storage-vegetables/

You will find lots of recipes on the farmers market website as well—some contributed by me, and some by Nancy Lampman, who used to write our Glacier Grist weekly newsletters. You’ll also find loads of recipes for your local produce, as well as stories, on my website, http://www.AlisonsLunch.com.  Now that I’ll only be working on the bakery, I’ll hopefully have time to add more posts through the fall and winter!

It’s been a real adventure, and a great learning experience, for me and my husband Dan, as we have learned from Arthur about farming and the produce business through owning the CSA with him. We have greatly enjoyed working with our crew over the last three years, including Ken, Nancy, Nelli, and Josie. Thank you, again, for your support over the last three years. We hope to see you at the farmers market! Look for Dan and me at the South Anchorage Market selling our Rise & Shine Bakery sourdough bread, and you’ll find Arthur at his Glacier Valley Farm stand, behind a mountain of zucchini.

All our best,
Alison & Dan