Community Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) offers its members vegetables, fruit and other food products produced in an environmentally sound and friendly manner.   Shareholders are provided with seasonably available food throughout a growing season.  Because the products are locally grown, the quality and freshness is improved and the cost of the food is fixed.  Shareholders also will experience a farm’s challenges of growing food using natural (no pesticides or herbicides) methods.  When production is bountiful, shares are plentiful, when production suffers from hail, winds and drought, shares are more limited. 

Colorado Wise Acre Farm has the good fortune to have space and water enough to provide naturally produced fruits and vegetables for farm use and others.   The farm is able to offer shares to those who would like to know where and how their food is grown.   Shareholders are welcome to visit the farm at any time.

Colorado Wise Acre Farm is pleased to offer a variety of vegetables, and fruit for a reasonable fee.  A partial list of food provided is included below.   Product will be provided over a 20 week season beginning May 29th.   The quantity of food varies with the growing season.  In the first several weeks, quantities are in the neighborhood of 20 pounds of food.   The later weeks harvest can be as much as 45 pounds of food.  It is a good idea to look into ways to store and preserve food when it is most bountiful.  Weekly deliveries will be made at specific drop locations.  Those locations will be determined when available shares have been sold in a manner that is as convenient as possible for shareholders.   Deliveries will be made at weeks end from May 29^th until October 10th.  Weather permitting, the final delivery can be picked up at a harvest fest to celebrate and share the end of the seasons bounty.

Shares are available for $30 per week or $450 for the season.  Payments may be made with a deposit (non refundable) and three payments: $50 deposit due April15th,  a payment of $100 due May 1.   The second payment of $150 is due June 1, and final payment due August 1.  There are several work/half shares available for $250.  Payments for half shares may also be made with a $50.00 deposit (non refundable) April 15th, first payment $50.00 on May 1, second payment of  $100.00 and the final $50 due August 1st.  The work portion of this share is 4 hours of work every other week on a consistent schedule.   Because of the need for training and reliable assistance,  a missed work assignment may result in cancellation of agreement and forfeiture of funds paid.  

 Product list:   salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, beets, carrots, corn, cabbage, eggplant, herbs,  melons, onions, okra, peppers, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, squash.   Free range eggs available;  1 doz. for $3.00.  Payment for eggs may be made monthly if ordered weekly for $12 per month, or paid weekly as produce is picked up.  Seasonal fruit can be purchased as available and upon request and at additional cost.

Colorado Wise Acre Farm CSA  Share Agreement:

This agreement between the undersigned and Colorado Wise Acre Farm CSA program is for the 2010 season.  It is understood that any growing season can be varied and unpredictable resulting in selection and quantity of product equally unpredictable.  In joining this program, shareholders participate in the fluctuations and variations.  At the same time, all produce will be grown with sound sustainable gardening practices in order to provide the best possible production and quality.  The twenty week season begins May 29^th and ends October 10^th.

Signature of shareholder_____________________________________Date______________________

Name (Print)_________________________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________City_____________________________Zip_______

Phone (       )_____________________Email________________________________________________

Pickup Location(TBD)______________________________Pickup day(TBD)____________

Pricing:

                 Vegetable share – (for 4-5 people)  – $450.00

                 Work Share – (plus 4 hrs.  labor twice per month; every other week on specific day)  $250.00

                  Eggs – $3.00 / dozen           Due weekly or $12.00 per month – paid at produce pick-up

Payment Structure:

                  Full Share:

                  Deposit-                 $  50.00            due April 15  -   non refundable

                  First  payment –     $100.00            due  May 1.

                  Second payment-  $150.00            due June 1

                  Final payment -      $150.00           due August 1 

                  Work Share

                   Deposit -                 $ 50.00           due  April 15    -  non refundable                  

                   First payment         $  50.00           due  May 1

                   Second paymen    $100.00            due June 1

                   Final payment       $  50.00            due August 1

 Soay Sheep at Colorado Wise Acres Farm
 
Soay sheep are a primitive breed of sheep whose origin  can be traced to a population of feral sheep on a 250 acre island called Soay, in the St. Kilda Archipelago off the coast of Scotland.  It is unclear how they got to the island, but some suggest they arrived during the Bronze age or were brought by Vikings in the ninth or tenth centuries.  In 1932,  the island of Soay was evacuated and 107 Soay sheep were brought from the island and released.  

Their history in the U.S. is traced to sheep that were brought to Canada and purchased by breeders in the northwestern part of the country.  Breeders in Washington state and Oregon were among the earliest to develop the breed in America.  The sheep on CWA farm were purchased from one of the founding breeders in Camas, Washington.

The Soay sheep are small framed animals with good legs, short tails, and they naturally shed their wool.  Wool can be pulled (rooing) from their hides in the spring and early summer.  The fleece is extremely fine with the inner fleece and outer coat being very similar.  The fleece is used for hand knitting.  The wool quality is 44’s to 50’s with a weight between 3 and 5 pounds and a staple length between 5 and 15 cm.  It is said that the wool is so fine it was used to knit islander’s under garments.  To that, my brother, the grandson of a Scottish immigrant said, “Remember what stoic and hardy folks the Scots are….”  

The fleece colors range from light to dark brown, tan with a white belly and rump with a white patch under the chin called Mouflon or wild pattern.  They are rarely  solid color black or tan.

These animals are not like most sheep in that they lack the flocking instinct of other breeds.  They are exceptionally agile, frighten rather easily and take refuge in the area most familiar to them.  As feral animals their flight instincts took them to high cliffs and crevices.  With effort and care, they can become less anxious and more approachable.  Many breeders find them to be friendly and easy to manage.  The females are good mothers with adequate milk for single or twin lambs.

The rams have well developed horns, heavy shoulders and chests.  The females are polled or scurred.  Some females have well formed horns though smaller than the rams.
They are hardy, healthy and easy keepers in terms of adapting to varying climates and environments.  

Soays are used for their wool, meat and ability to graze weeds and brush. Their carcasses are said to be lean and their meat is considered a delicacy by some.  (We do not eat the animals raised on our farm.)  Their size makes them excellent animals for small acreages and homesteads.