Click on a link below for answers
to common questions about Artisan Organics.
Question: Who is the Artisan Organics
Farmer?
Answer: Your farmer is Florence
Jessup.
| Before
farming, I had successful careers in health
care administration, disability rights advocacy,
and not-for-profit management. During those
years, I grew much of my family’s
food on our small, suburban lot in Sonoma
County CA… and dreamed of growing
for a larger community.
After successful treatment for breast cancer….
and after my youngest child graduated and
moved out of the house!....., I decided
it was time to pursue my dream. So in 2005,
I left the security of hmyong term job and
took the plunge. I enrolled in the Sustainable
Agriculture Certificate Program at Santa
Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, CA. |
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In addition
to my course work, I had the opportunity
to work at the college’s 365 acre
Shone Farm. My duties included everything
from developing a financial record keeping
system to completing the organic certification
documentation, to sowing, transplanting,
weeding, pruning and harvesting. This was
an invaluable experience in learning the
difference between a family garden and a
production oriented farm.
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While at Shone
Farm, Florence also took advantage of
the availability of land and equipment for
student led projects. During the summer
of 2006 my classmate, Lydia, and I ran a
10 household CSA with delivery sites at
the college’s main campus and at the
offices of a local internet service provider.
The members of the Shone Grown CSA loved
their shares! Carol commented “Every
week I open my share box and see the bounty
of vegetables and feel like I’ve just
been given a present!"
|
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In late 2006, my spouse
and I were lured to the Willamette Valley
by the quality and affordability of farm
land, and by our grandchildren in Portland!
Since that time, I have spent many, many
hours establishing Artisan Organics in order
to bring you quality, fresh, wholesome food. |
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Question: Where is the Artisan Organics
farm? May I visit?
Answer: I am leasing six acres
of a 26 acre parcel on the eastern edge of Hillsboro,
OR., just a block off of Tualatin Valley Highway.
Over the years, the portion I am renting has been
leased to various farmers, many of who have gone
on to be successful CSA farmers who own their
own land.
The soil is primarily Aloha Silt loam. This is
a class II soil which means that it is considered
prime farm land.
However, this area is within the Hillsboro urban
growth boundary and is experiencing heavy development
pressure. I am grateful to the owners of the land,
Witch Hazel Farms, LLC for choosing to keep this
land in agricultural production. Without this
type of commitment, the capital costs necessary
to purchase land would keep small, beginning entrepreneurs
like me from realizing our passion for farming.
You are welcome to visit the farm. You can be
sure that you will learn something new each time
you visit. And, there is an absolute guarantee
that you will be put to work!
For safety reasons, some areas of the farm are
off limits to children, particularly areas where
tractors or other heavy equipment are in operation.
Please remember that farms can be hazardous places;
children must be closely supervised at all times.
Please contact me in advance to schedule a date
and time. Don’t forget to ask me for directions
when you call.
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Question: It’s almost summer. Why
is my share so small?
Answer: Your share reflects
the crops available during the season. During
the spring and early summer, nature is busy producing
roots, stems and leaves. Look around you; the
grass is growing like mad and trees and shrubs
are leafing out. Likewise, the vegetables you
will find in your share are the quick- growing
root crops and tender young greens.
Don’t worry; as the season progresses, the
volume of produce in your share will increase
markedly.
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Question: It’s summer. My share
is huge! What do I do with all this food?
Answer: Enjoy! Now is a great
time to re-commit to your New Year’s pledge
to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Did you
know that the USDA recommends at least five to
seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day?
How close are you to reaching that goal?
Your weekly newsletter includes links to great
recipes to help you find new and interesting ways
to cook your vegetables. And, if all else fails,
freeze them! During the winter when there is no
CSA delivery, you’ll look forward to those
green beans you froze during the peak of the season.
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Question: I am a hospital staff member.
Are there any infection control issues I should
be aware of?
Answer: As always, you must
wash your hands when you return to patient care
areas. Bacteria that are normal and healthy in
the agriculture environment may become an infectious
agent in the hospital setting, particularly in
patients with compromised immune systems. Consequently,
it is important that you wash your hands after
handling your vegetables and before returning
to patient care areas.
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Question: What shall I do if I am unable
to pick up my CSA share?
Answer: If you are unable to
pick up your shares ask a friend or neighbor to
pick them up for you. Please contact me to let
me know who will be picking up your shares so
that I can give them a brief run down of what
to expect when they arrive. My contact information
can be found on the Contact
page.
If you have trouble making arrangements, please
contact me. I may be able to suggest a CSA Shareholder
that lives near you. You may then contact them
directly to make pick up arrangements. This is
a great way to meet your fellow Artisan Organics
community members so don’t be shy about
asking.
Please be aware that our agreement with the delivery
site host does not allow us to leave anything
at the site after closing. Your shares must be
picked up by closing time at 6:00pm. Sorry, but
I can make no exceptions to this rule.
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Question: I didn’t pick up my share!
May I have a refund?
Answer: In short, No. The work
to grow your vegetables begins the moment we receive
your deposit at the beginning of the season. We
spend many hours over a long period of time planning,
planting, weeding, watering and harvesting in
order to have your vegetables fresh and ready
at the pick up site. Consequently, you will not
receive a refund if you do not pick up your share.
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Question: Can Artisan Organics recycle
my kitchen scraps?
Answer: Absolutely. We’d
be delighted to! We’ll even provide instructions
and a compost-able bag to put them in. Just ask
when you pick up your shares.
Each week bring your full scrap bag to the pick
up site, drop it in the barrel provided, and pick
up a new bag. We’ll add your kitchen waste
to our compost pile, bag and all. This allows
us to return the nutrients to the earth, completing
an essential circle in the farming cycle.
Please remember not to put fats, oils or meats
in your scrap bag as they will draw unwanted critters
to our compost pile. However, coffee grounds,
tea leaves etc. are welcome.
In the future, as Artisan Organics is able to
convert its tractors to vegetable oil for fuel,
we will set up a system for you to cycle those
to us as well.
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Recall
that whatever lofty things you might accomplish
today, you will do them only because you first
ate something that grew out of dirt.”
Barbara Kingsolver
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