Hello everyone,
With the first couple of months gone by in the CSA now, we're a couple of payments in for most of you, and many of you have had some questions about this process. Things have changed a bit this year from other years, in that we have started to use Harvest Hand (the software that runs our website) to keep track of payments. We're doing this so that you will be able to self-serve on a lot of questions, such as how much is owing on your account, and what your monthly payment amount is.
*This will not affect you if you have paid in full, so you can skip it if you are one of those people (thanks!). Otherwise, it's helpful if everyone can read it so we're all on the same page*
In the past we have used only our accounting software (Quickbooks) to keep track of payments. Right now we are doing a blend of both, just to ensure everything is correct for now.
What this means for you as a member:
Being able to log in to your TapRoot account is very important, so that you can check balances and know when payments are due. Your username and password were created when you signed up. Your username is not your email address. If you have forgotten your username, I can retrieve it for you (teri@taprootfarms.ca). If you know your username but have forgotten your password, there is a password retrieval function that you can use on the website.
We will NOT be sending you a monthly statement, as this will all be accessible online.
Online Payments:
If you have signed up for Monthly or Quarterly online payments, you need to log in to your account when your payment is due and make the payment. We will not send individual reminders about making payments.
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Monthly payments are due on the first of every month, from April 1, 2013 - March 1, 2014 (if you signed on mid season your payment schedule will be adjusted).
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Quarterly payments are due: March 1, May 1, July 1, and September 1.
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The best resource for your payment schedule is the email you received when you signed on, telling you the payment schedule and any amount that was "Due Now". OR, you can check your account each month and it will give you an updated balance.
About Cheques:
Post-dated cheques work great for us. How things work here is that Falicia waits until the Friday of the first full week of the month to deposit them. We get charged by the bank to do deposits, which means we try not to do them every time we have a few cheques, but like to wait until after the first week of the month has passed, as some folks do mail cheques each month or give them to the delivery drivers. I can't stress enough how much easier post-dated cheques are for us, so if it's possible for you to send them, that's great.
*Very important: If you have provided us with post dated cheques, when you log in to your account each month you will still see your balance for the month until shortly after the cheque has been deposited. If you are seeing multiple invoices showing as due on your account, do email us and we can sort it out.
If you would like a copy of your statement, or if you have questions about payment, please email Falicia at info@taprootfarms.ca
We will periodically do a check of the system and email folks who have payments outstanding. If you are struggling to keep up with the payment schedule, or need any sort of accommodation, we're happy to help. If something comes up in your life, we can put a hold on depositing your cheque so long as we have AT LEAST 1 week's notice from the date that the cheque is for.
Thanks so much!!
This week, our meat shareholders are receiving ground mutton in the shares, and here's a recipe!
Lamb/Mutton Kebabs
Ingredients:
-1 lb ground lamb or mutton
-1 small grated onion
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp cumin powder
-1 tsp coriander powder
-1/4 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
-chili powder to taste
-1 egg
-1 tsp minced garlic
-1/4 tsp minced ginger
-2 slices of bread soaked in milk or water
Directions:
After soaking the bread, squeeze out any excess liquid. Put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well with your hands. Now you can shape the mixture into golf ball shapes or small footballs (like a kebab). Really you can shape them into whatever you want :) Preheat your oven to 375 deg. Place the kebabs on a rack over a pan and cook for 10-15 mins then flip the kebabs. This way they'll be crispy all the way around. Bake until the internal temp is 160 deg (cook time will depend on your oven and the shape you make the mixture into). At home we serve these with raita, flat bread and a salad!
Variation: You could also BBQ these kebabs. I find shaping them over a flat skewer (as opposed to a thin rounded one) is helpful so that they don't fall off.
Quick Raita
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup plain yogurt
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-pinch of salt
-1/3 of a cucumber
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Take your cucumber and cut it into rounds, then cut the rounds into quarters (if you want you can peel it beforehand...I'm a little lazy, I don't :). Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
(from Monique)
With our fruit share we've been getting sooo many apples, love it! just had to find a way to use them all before they got bad. Well my daughter went to a "Betty Crocker" Camp with her girl guides a few months ago and brought home this recipe for Apple Butter Jelly
It's SO good.
Ingredients:
Roughly 2 1/4 lbs of apples
1 Lemon
7 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 tsp ground allspice berry
1tsp cinnamon
1 pouch Liquid pectin
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many jars you have
1: Remove blossom and stem ends from about 2 and 1/4 lbs of apples. And cut into quarters, do not peel or core. This should make about 10 cups of fruit before cooking
add 1 1/2 cups of water and juice of 1 medium sized lemon. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes, then put through a coarse sieve. (this will leave the peels behind and the coarser pulp/core/seeds..)
Measure 5 cups of fruit pulp into a very large saucepan
add sugar and spices to pulp in saucepan and mix well
Place over high heat, bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat
IMMEDIATELY stir in pectin. Skim off foam with metal spoon.
Pour quickly into warm, sterilized jars filling up to 1/4 inch from rim
Seal while hot with sterilized 2 piece lids with new centers.
As I said, this recipe can easily double, or triple depending on how many apples you have. It's REALLY good.