Happy March 28^h, 2013.

I have been wanting to write to you all for sometime now. Wanting to articulate my Kenya experience. Wanting to articulate how things have changed here at TapRoot since the summer of 2012. Wanting to articulate how I am feeling about where we are now and where we are going. This week is the end of our 4^th year of our CSA, I am celebrating and grieving at the same time. It is time to dive in and articulate.

Let me start with celebrating and grieving. The grieving comes from a place where things aren't the same any more. The celebrating come from this same place. TapRoot has evolved from being Patricia's farm, starting with 50 shareholders with the shares being put together by Izaak, Lily and Grandma and Frank totting around (1 year old). Josh was running his farm and I was mine. (Josh did A LOT to support me). I guess I didn't ever really think about the CSA growing in terms of the implications of staff, land, time, energy, money, etc. I wanted CSA's in general to grow, as I still do because with more people joining CSA's (I figure) there would be more change toward what I thought of and think of as a systemic shift in how we (economy/culturally) do things. As it turned out, through some sort of hard work and maybe divine intervention our CSA membership increased. With the CSA membership increase, more and more of my time was taken away from direct hands-on management and activity with people-- something I really love-- to managing the office related tasks and the overall farm business realities. This is an area that I have learnt so much about and realize now that I have had and still do have deficiencies in business management. Anyway, my point is that things change, I have changed, and the farm has changed. I really miss my teenage woman working crew and I really miss meeting members at their deliveries, but I also stopped doing those activities because other life activities were calling me.

So for me, this 4^th year end is a time of major shift. The members moving forward will not know me like you may have known me over the years, and in some ways that feels sad.

HOWEVER, I am really excited about where TapRoot is right now. We have evolved to the place where we are able to offer young farmers meaningful work and experience before they launch into their own farm ownership. On the farm right now we have four farmers. Justine has started her farming career on a small farm in Ross Creek. Two years ago Justine and I spent many hours discussing her future. She felt she needed to join into the world of post-secondary-something training because her peers were and she felt sort of alone. The thing is that she has always known that she loves the farm, and but struggled because she didn't see or feel there was value in her choosing being a farmer or working with a farm as a career choice. This time for me was very emotional because I understood. I know how the general public perceives farmers and people who work on farms and I know that many families think it would be good for their kids to get a job on a farm while in-between career options. The farm ends up being the default first and last place to go for a job. Justine decided to stay at TapRoot and we committed to support her in every way we could toward her farming career. She works a modified week so that she can do the chores on her farm as it grows while still having income. These days now she comes in to share the discussions she is having with her partner in building their farm, and I can see that the learnings we have had here at TapRoot are useful in her experience on her own farm. Teri and Jon, a young couple who want to have a farm of their own are here to gain experience, save money and build connections, all that will be helpful in launching their own farm. Tim has always wanted to grow flowers and this year because of TapRoot CSA members, he is doing just that. Josh always knew that he would be a farmer. I am touched to tears really at how special these people are and how grateful I am that we have a CSA membership (you) that entrusts all of us to bring food and this year flowers to them each week in-exchange for the dollars that make having people like Teri, Jon, Justine, Tim, and everyone with us each day possible. So this week for me is a time for celebration. Celebrating the wonderful years that have allowed us to evolved into who are are now and celebrating the exciting times ahead as we begin a new season on the farm.

As we look at where we are and where we are going I think of a conversation Josh and I have regularly with each other. Basically we both just say, 'things are busy, yep, things are busy'. It is spring 2013. We both feel that TapRoot now has an energy all of its own. There are two interns arriving in mid April to begin a 7-month formal training to be farmers. Yikes is sort of an understatement. We are once again increasing our land base to transition to organic so that eventually the whole farm will be certified organic. This coming year we are also starting work with growing flax for fibre. I am very interested in having my own clothes come from the farm. There is a lot of potential in flax as food, fibre and energy. Having fibre that we can make clothes, dish clothes, blankets, etc and possibly create a micro industry here in the region with the by-products, I just think it is really exciting. This year I am growing one acre of flax to test. In terms of membership for this year we are about 50 veggie shares short of last years membership. We will continue to work with Alison at Southfield to bring certified organic veggies to market mostly in metro. So far it is an exciting time prepping for spring and summer and also, for me, observing how things are evolving at the farm without me here day in day out.

Upon reflection, this past CSA year is likely the year with the most significant changes: a switch to full year membership only, my (Patricia's) departure from the day to day of the farm, Josh writing the newsletters (for a lot of last year), change in accountant, & expanding the TapRoot team with the addition of Tim in the fall and Teri and Jon in December. With all the ups and downs considered, it has been an amazing year.

And finally, my trip to Kenya. Let me start by saying that I will come speak to any group who would like to see my slides and hear about my work with Farmers Helping Farmers. In October I applied for a position with Farmers Helping Farmers, a small NGO out of PEI. I was accepted for the position and went about getting myself prepared to travel – which I didn't think too much of and maybe should have because I ended up having Josh give me my Hepatitis shot:). I loved the work in Kenya. I loved the people and I loved the energy. I worked with two womans groups helping to establish a plan of action for them to reach their goals for 2016. Also, I worked on marketing ideas and business planning. They led all of the work and I just jumped in with what I have experience on to provide ideas, support, and facilitation. I would like to go back and continue to work with the same womans groups. They have many needs the greatest I think is education/information. The members of the womans group are a diverse group with diverse needs. Some of the woman are very poor while others are doing better financially. All of the woman work extremely hard to bring food to their tables – I mean really, really hard. During my time there and since I've been home I haven't felt too many emotions that I didn't expect. Lately however, after many weeks upon returning home I often will find I just feel so struck by what appears to be greed, senseless spending, and lack of awareness of what is really happening with regards to the earth, our food, our water, and the people.

During my run for municipal councillor in 2008 I ran on a campaign slogan,' We Can Do Better'. Now I feel like saying, 'We Have To Do Better'. We must to take action if we want to see change. It just won't happen otherwise.

Thank you all so much for this past year!

With great respect and appreciation for you,

Patricia

Attachment For Your Interest

As you all likely know, in November 2007 we purchased the small farm where our house is, that we called TapRoot farms. It is, was, still is, 23 acres and it is where my dream of having an organic farm began. In around November of 2008 I redid my business plan because I lost so much money in my first year, we needed to do something different immediately or move. I created a business plan for our farm that focused on what my dreams were and it was all around building a CSA – a community of people to share the journey of the farm, our families, and our food together.

Since November 2008 we have not revised the business plan (a serious faux pas). It has been on my to do list and I wanted to inform the new plan with a TapRoot advisory board, to build in more community in the farm. (we met once and I just keep dropping the ball on getting it rolling)

In 2008 I outlined what my critical success factors were, I have included them at the end if you wish to review them. When I review the factors, I realize that we are doing a lot of what we set out to do and we are doing it in a way to meets our ideas of success. This feels really good.

Critical Success Factors (taken from TapRoot Business Plan November 2008)

·         Money:

o    improved profit efficiency for a goal of 40%

o    positive cash flow

o    continual revenue growth through CSA shares, market sales and roadside stand sales

o    ability to pay retail value to associated farmers (ie. pay retail value to farmer for cabbage or other products we purchase for the weekly share)

o    adequate household income to save for retirement  and education saving plans for the children

·         Your future:

o    increasing CSA shares and other sales each year

o    sourcing locally

o    continually investing in our land and our farm for less dependency and increased sustainability

·         Customer satisfaction:

o    customers are happy and share their positive experiences with others

o    open communication with customers

·         Quality:

o    Product is beautiful, delicious, healthy and ethically produced

·         Product or service development:

o    Providing increased opportunities to purchase local food year round

§  Frozen and canned product

o    Communicating to customers

§  Providing recipes

§  Nutritional information

§  On farm activities for families

·         Intellectual capital:

o    Keeping good records

o    Taking part in professional development

o    Researching food trends in other areas especially Europe

·         Strategic relationships:

o    Positive relationships and networks with local farmers and businesses

o    Create experiences for people on the farm in partnership with others in the community (ie. restaurants, hotels, towns)

o    Identify new sources of business, products and outside revenue.

·         Employee attraction and retention:

o    Improve and/or provide benefits to employees (ie. health insurance, housing, transport)

o    Provide training opportunities to employees (ie. attend ACORN conference)

o    Increased employment opportunities on our farm

·         Sustainability:

o    Improved microorganism population in soil

o    Improved organic matter in soil

o    Balanced time and task management

o    Reduced dependency on power and gas

o    Reduced water usage

o    Personal ability to keep it all going.

o    Increased acreage transitioned to organic production

o    Increased number of people accessing local, healthy food

What are you waiting for, when our members have such great things to say?? :)

Is our program a good value?

"Absolutely. No question of the value. It goes beyond the price comparison at the Supermarket. Garden fresh food, eating within the seasons, trying new things (hello garlic scapes! Holla!)"

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are now SOLD OUT of a number of shares in the CSA, which begins delivery next Monday, April 1st. Here's the shares that are sold out, as well as an explanation of why we are limiting the numbers that are available of each type of share.

We still have veggie shares, fruit shares, and staple shares for purchase for the 2013-2014 CSA season!   

EGG SHARES: The egg shares sold out first this year, within 2 weeks of opening registration.  This is because there's only a limited number to sell: on our farm we can only have 99 birds laying at  time.  This makes for about 50 dozen eggs per week that we can sell.  We have talked a number of times about increasing our egg production, which seems like a no-brainer with the high demand we have for eggs, but is actually a bit more complicated that you would think.  In order to have more laying hens (and therefore, more eggs available), we would need to become part of the quota system (egg production is one of those farm products that are highly regulated the larger you get).  In doing that, not only to we pay for quota, but our eggs would also have to go to a grading station, the closest of which is in Amherst.  To us, this just adds another step away from the customer and is not ideal.  We also talked about buying eggs in from another farm (either organic or non), but decided that it starts to get really complicated making sure the folks who paid for TapRoot organic eggs get TapRoot organic eggs, and ensuring that  we have adequate supply to commit to more eggs shares for the full year as well.  There's a few other ideas that we are thinking about, and we would like to be able to supply everyone who wants eggs with a farm fresh dozen every week, but we just haven't worked it all out yet.  Just so you're aware of the process and the explanation behind what's going on with the egg shares!

I am compiling a list for those who would like egg shares in the future.  Email teri@taprootfarms.ca to be added to the list!

MEAT SHARES: The meat shares just sold out today and I am still drowning in the barrage of emails in my inbox!  Because of the planning involved with raising enough animals for the meat shares, we decided that 150 is our limit for this year.  We've ordered the following for birds this year, most of which will be for the CSA meat shares:

We also want to do some work this year on finessing the meat shares: making sure that we have clear standards for the way the animals are raised, that we produce as much as possible from our own farm, and improving on how we do the shares and how we communicate with customers.  Also, space-wise, we are at maximum capacity for freezers on meat weeks, as well as van space and cooler space.  The meat shares are relatively new to the farm and we have lots of ideas for the future, and want to make sure we are able to manage it well and thoroughly impress each meat share customer this year, and keep them (and more folks) in the future!

FLOWER SHARES: The flower shares are sold out, and we would like to cap it at the current number of 30.  However: we are doing this as insurance, as we would like to make sure we are able to deliver what we promised to those 30 people.  Tim and Valarie have planned to grow enough flowers to be able to offer an additional 10 flower bunches each week as add-ons.  Therefore, though I unfortunately have to tell you that the flower shares are firmly sold out, I will say that I do have a list that you can be added on to as someone who is interested in being notified when flowers are available as add-ons.

This is our first year offering a flower "share": In the past, Valarie has made gorgeous bunches of flowers and sold them through add-ons, but with a second flower-lover in our midst, Tim C., we have decided to go for it and make it into a share this year.

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about: add-ons are additional items that can be ordered online to come with your regular share delivery.  You will need to log in to your current TapRoot account to do this (if you are .  If you don't know how, I can help!)

Right now, Tim and Valarie have forced some forsythia and pussy willows, which are available as add-ons.  They are also hoping and planning to have something available for the week of Mother's Day.

I have a list of email addresses called the "First Dibs Flower List" that you can email me to be added on to: once the new season starts, these folks will be the first ones to know when I add flowers to the add-ons section!

So, in summary: Bad news is, we are sold out of meat, egg, and flower shares.  Good news is you still have a bit of time to sign up for veggie shares, fruit shares, and staple shares!

If you have any questions about all this, please don't hesitate to call us (902-542-3277) or email teri@taprootfarms.ca.

Jem here, hopefully we have seen the last snow day of this winter. I deliver shares to HRM on Monday Wednesday and Thursday, however Wed and Thurs were combined last week and the van was as full as I have seen it. Also on my first call at Petes of Bedford when I opened the back door three 50lb sacks of potatoes wanted to fall out on top of me. Somehow I held them in and managed to take them out one at a time. But I wouldn’t want to repeat that. So here we are on week 52 and for some people it will be their last week of CSA, so thank you for coming out every week and collecting your box(es), we have very much appreciated it. For others it will be as before continuing on, which is great so I look forward to seeing you again each week. Then there will also be lots of new people to meet which is so exciting for me; sometimes I only have time to say” Hello, Enjoy, Bye” other times I have time to chat a bit about life or the weather. Either way is fine with me, I’m certainly looking forward to warmer days, lighter boxes with more greens and less roots( though I do love my carrots and parsnips) and new and continuing friends among our members. Taproot is a great place to work and I am very blessed to have been here for almost 3 years and hopefully a few more to come. Thanks Jem.