Chrozicle Issue #603

I’m writing to you as one of this year’s farm apprentices. My journey to Oz started with a simple question inspired by the movie, Office Space – “If I had millions of dollars and the freedom to be whoever I wanted to be, what would I do with my time?” The answer was to become a farmer. Up until that point I had done all of the things I thought I was supposed to do. I earned my Masters, landed a good job, had great friends, and bought a cute house. Yet at the end of the day I was missing the fulfillment that comes with following your true passions that give life purpose and meaning. So I gave it all up and started from scratch to do something I had absolutely no knowledge in whatsoever. And it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. Being a farmer means being able to observe how the world works and how each piece fits and works together. I’m able to serve and connect with my community in a way I wasn’t able to before. And I’ve learned all kinds of things about the world I didn’t know before (sweet potatoes and potatoes are totally different???). The apprentice program at Oz has given me such a special opportunity to explore my interests and learn in an environment that is always learning and growing. I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of this season and to learn from the incredible geniuses who make Oz the special place it is. Thank you for supporting Oz in a way the makes the apprentice program possible. Your box was filled with lots of love and gratitude.

-Caroline

Our whole apprentice crew up early with smiles to start today's CSA harvest!
From left: Ellen, Cody, Katie, Natalie, Caroline

Chrozicle Issue #602 - Farmer Gratitude from Abby

I’m writing to you as the current Oz Farm Retreat Manager, a role I’ve evolved into after my years of being a farmer here at Oz. I do miss the field work (occasionally, haha) but mostly I feel an immense gratitude for the hands of the farmers here at Oz. Since they aren’t likely to brag about themselves I’m here to do it for them. Farming is hard work. Growing fruits and vegetables doesn’t fit neatly into an 8-5 schedule and there’s almost constant curveballs and lessons. Each day I see this crew come together in the field to accomplish the admirable task of growing mine and your sustenance. Through a thoughtfully planned weekly schedule they manage to plant, weed, observe, tend, harvest, and deliver an incredible amount of food and I kid you not, they do it with a smile on their face! I have watched this year's apprentices help each other investigate and solve problems- like making sure the sprinklers are working even though it’s almost bed time. I have watched them harvest and eat new foods they’ve never had the pleasure to enjoy- you can cook a radish and it actually tastes delicious?! And I have watched them bond over their time in the field and on the porch, sharing beers after work. When you support the farm through the purchase of produce you support the growth, health, and experience of everyone who gets to participate in the process of farming. So with that, I thank you, and them for making it all work.

Abby Stoner

Apprentices Caroline and Katie hard at work tending their personal plots where they learn crop planning and help grow for donation

Chrozicle Issue #601 - Seasons Greetings from Farmer James

Hello and welcome to the 2021 Oz Farm CSA. We're so happy to have you all onboard for another bountiful year of harvests. Looking ahead into 2021, we're not exactly sure what the future holds, as currents of social, economic and political change course through our communities and throughout the world. The confusion and difficulties we've seen, especially in the last year, are like a lens, bringing into focus what really matters to us, what our hearts really need. We need to take good care of ourselves, feed ourselves with healthy food, healthy thoughts and attitudes, and make our best effort to care for those around us. We need to care for the earth, the Mother of us all, the ground on which all our lives depend. As humans we seem equally capable of creating paradise, where earth and plants and animals function harmoniously to support each other, and of creating something like hell. Part of our mission here is to offer a glimpse of what paradise could look like. We are a small group of people committed to caring for the land, caring for eachother, and providing something valuable to our community. For us the path to paradise is neither easy nor straightforward; there is so much negative energy to overcome, so much suffering to counter, so much ecological destruction to reverse. But nothing worthwhile was ever accomplished without serious effort, so we don't give up. And, having the support of folks like you, folks who are willing to contribute to our mission, support us financially and involve yourselves in the rhythms of our farm life, makes all the difference. I sincerely hope that this CSA box brings you and your family joy, this weekly dose of the healthiest, freshest, cleanest ingredients on earth. Perhaps the pleasure of sharing good food with people we love can remind us of the immense goodness of the human heart.

-James

Our 2021 Oz Farm Apprentices! From left to right: Ellen, Caroline, Katie, & Cody

The “Pay It Forward” Apprentice plots are underway

We just finished putting up the fence around this new field so the vegetables our apprentices will grow can go to their intended place - local families, rather than local deer! 

This new field is at the top of the hill, near the entrance of Oz, and it has never been used for vegetable production until now. 

We are lucky that our neighbors and friends, Jesse Hanna & Katrina Coffman, have rotationally grazed their Belted Galloway cattle on this land for the past couple of years, contributing to soil fertility and reducing soil compaction. 

Our apprentices will manage these plots with low-till practices, but we used the tractor to plant spring cover crop - a mix of alfalfa, hairy vetch and buckwheat. This cover crop will help further improve soil fertility and texture, so that our apprentices can plant into healthy, receptive soil come May 2021.