My dear Community, We have three more weeks of boxes until we close for the winter holiday. We will be closed December 20/21 & 27/28th. It’s always amazing how quickly the year flies by. 2023 marks our 13th year of the CSA program! Over the years the CSA program has been highlighted more and more as a valuable resource for local food distribution. A lot …
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Week of Thanks Givens
My dear Community, I can’t help but let my thanks overflow this week for so many things, but especially for the community that helps keep this CSA program running. Our CSA van died a few weeks ago and our wonderful mechanic Tom took his own time to replace the water pump and get our 10+ year old van …
Week of November 15th
My dear Community, It’s cold enough in Buellton overnight now that all of our summer crops are put to winter’s rest. Luckily, we’re still cashing in on late tomatoes from our Goleta farm. It always feels like a tough transition when strawberries are no longer available for CSA boxes but it won’t be long before we get sweet tangerines to add some color and sweetness. We will be …
Week of November 8th
My dear Community, This is the first box in a while without fruit. John Givens Farm is mainly a vegetable farm, even though we planted an orchard and try to grow (and eat) as many strawberries as humanly possible in a calendar year. We still have some pears and apples for our fruit expansions but will be looking to Avila soon to get …
Week of November 1st
My dear Community, We are finally winding down on a lot of crops. This will be the last week for melons, cucumbers and strawberries, and zucchini and bell peppers are close behind. As temperatures plummet during the night in Buellton we’ll look to our Goleta farm for the bulk of our bounty. The land that never freezes and allows us to cultivate …
Week of October 25th
My dear Community, As we roll through these last weeks of what feels like summer, we continue to cash in on all the bounty it has to offer. Weekly cantaloupe seems eternal, but as everything is starting to cool down in Buellton, the end is on the horizon. We planted extra strawberries this year and they too are starting their dormant cycle. Head …
Week of October 18th
My dear Community, If you’ve had an egg subscription with us a full year you are probably aware that we have a major decline in egg production as we head into the cooler months- yes, eggs are seasonal too! I was so focused on the rainy season I had a lapse in getting new chicks so we are really feeling the seasonal swing. I like to give my chickens rest when they …
Week of October 11th
My dear Community, October heat waves seem to be the norm now. Even though it was quite hot for us, it was a great push for the crops on the farm. Summer crops get a chance to hold on a bit longer and our winter crops get a boost. As the days get shorter and the weather inevitably gets cooler, the winter …
Week of October 4th
My dear Community, It’s been a busy week on the farm. The weather is starting to cool down but we’re still harvesting summer and fall crops while planting for the winter. As the temperatures drop, Buellton will transform into mostly cover crops and our farm in Goleta will carry us through the winter time. If you’ve ever lived anywhere besides California you know how amazing it is that we …
Week of September 30th
My dear community, When I stepped outside this weekend I could feel a distinct shift in the air. There was a certain smell, a crispness. Can you feel fall in the air? We are nearing the end of summer crops, but not this week. We’ll continue to bask in all the glory that summer has to offer. We’re fortunate enough in this climate …