My dear Community, As we approach the final box of the year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve shared over the seasons. This year has been a testament to the power of gratitude, the beauty of hard work and the strength of community. First and foremost, I express my deepest gratitude for each and …
Yearly Archives: 2023
Week of December 6th
My dear Community, We are in the home stretch of the year. Just two more weeks of CSA boxes and we’ll be closed the last two weeks of December. We’ll be back in action the first week of January. This break is for the farm too, as chickens are barely laying any eggs, crop harvest has slowed to a crawl and so it …
Week of November 29th
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 …
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 …