CSA Orientation

Sophie and I went to our CSA "Orientation" on the morning of May 19th.

We're obviously already "oriented" but Sophie hadn't been to the farm yet (Will went last year) and it's more of a welcome party to meet-your-farmers-and-see-the-farm anyway.  So it was fun to go again.  :)  This year, they included a skillet breakfast to go along with the tour. 

Riehm Farm is in Tiffin so it's about a 45 minute drive from our house.  Sophie passed the time with a couple favorite library books.  This one is definitely her fave:

Diane greeted us at the entrance and invited us to take a self-guided tour of the greenhouses.  There were a LOT more people in attendance this year compared to last, so that first part of the tour was on our own.  But we still got a hay ride with farmer John later (in staggered groups) to view the rest of the vegetable-planted acreage.

Many of the greenhouse items will remain in the greenhouse throughout the whole season.  This allows us to get tomatoes in June and lettuces in September in our weekly bags.  But some of the greenhouse plants will be transplanted to the fields later on. And, as always, it's all organic and chemical-free.

Tasting a strawberry from the patch.

"Johnny" the tractor is the farm mascot of sorts.  In our weekly newsletter, we get blog updates that are written as from the perspective of Johnny the tractor.  :)

Hay ride through the fields with farmer John.

At first, Sophie was a little unsure of the jumpy movements of the wagon.

But she was quickly over it and on her feet to peer over the edge.

Everything is nicely irrigated so that lack of rain is almost never a problem.

Explanation from the awesome Farmer John.

Checking out the goats.

Love this one.  :)

A couple months ago, Diane asked me for some ideas on what sort of activities they could do at orientation this year.  I suggested they let the kids go into the chicken coop and collect an egg.  They went ahead with that idea and it was a big hit!  I didn't get any pictures of Sophie collecting because she needed me to "be the leader" as we entered so that she could hide behind my legs... and then hold her up to select an egg from the shelf they were sitting on.  She was very proud of it immediately upon exiting though.  ;)

Sophie was afraid the goats would try to take her egg, so she made sure to hold it behind her back when she went back to visit them again.

Our invitation asked us to bring our own folding chairs for the casual, camping-style, skillet breakfast they were serving on the lawn.

Guests waited in line for skillet fried eggs and potatoes along with some juice and I think fruit?

Sophie and I ate before we came and the line was very long, so we opted to sit in the shade and play with our mini-etch-a-sketch toy for awhile instead of eating.  She had me draw cows, chickens, goats, Will, daddy, etc.  And she was so pleased no matter how terrible they looked.  Haha!

Thanks to some outreach we did with Toledo Hospital staff during lunch time in the cafeteria one day a couple months ago (I went over to the hospital to help John & Diane and a couple others spread the word about this awesome opportunity), we have acquired enough members to merit a pick-up location right there at the hospital in one of the new side entrances.  Last years pick up spot was not far at all, but this is even closer to me for pick up after my work day!  So excited about that!

I just picked up my first bag this past Tuesday, so I'll elaborate on that in an upcoming Dinner post.

Thrilled to begin another season with Riehm Farm CSA!!!