Our Next Chapter

Posted Oct. 7, 2013

 

For the past year, the Chef and the Farmer of your CSA have been gradually implementing improvements.
We are pleased to report them here, beginning with the announcement of our new name and identity:
Friendship Farms & Fare...or 3F for short.

 

You will continue to enjoy the same fine produce and prepared foods, now with greater variety. 3F also offers expanded opportunities for participation and meaningful contributions to healthy living and sustainable culture.  

For example, the New Port Richey farm (First Farm) now partners with three other organic farms: Cadle's Cove Farm (in north Florida), Seeds of Love Organic Farm (in Lithia), and Freedom House Farm (in New Port Richey). Produce from these Friends will be included in your shares.  You've been enoying a taste of since since last December. 

 

The Tasting Station at Tarry Lane continues to share wholesome fare. They focus on teaching members the joy and art of creating organic, vegan dishes with non-gmo ingredients sourced locally and/or fair-trade. Tarry Lane provides samples for your enjoyment, offers instructional sessions and provides information on making healthy tasty choices. 

 

You will soon be able to order organic, heirloom seeds via the website - watch the "3F Share" page for future listings. These seeds are those we save from our own crops; they are uniquely suited to growing conditions of Florida's Central West Coast, especially the Springs Coast Watershed. Our modest seed project is the start of a local seed bank, and 3F is committed to developing, expanding and enriching local seed stocks while supporting the extremely limited Florida seed banks. Please remember to always use only USDA organic seeds, preferably heirloom varieties, and ideally seeds produced by plants grown locally. 

In addition, 3F has begun an experimental literary web-journal. Bloom is dedicated to contemporary agrarian literature – poetry, first-hand field reports, reviews, and short narratives. 

 

Friendship Farms & Fare is also in the process of expading the site's education and information publications. These will include news reports, instructional videos and texts, and links to other helpful sites.  We'll also occasionally offer editorial positions on contemporary food and cultural issues.  

 

We are pleased to offer our first editorial position,advocating for the resistance of all GMO products (plant or animal) and for the labeling of products containing these ingredients. 3F recommends seeking out items that contain the offical non-GMO seal, and we discourage the consumption of any GMO product. 

 

Finally, our first farm (the old Gardens & Groves) will pursue USDA organic certification and non-GMO certification. This is an expensive process, but a necessary and responsible action. We have made initial inquiries and will proceed as resources allow. Going forward, we will only use OMRI certified soils, mulches and amenities, or those from local sources that follow USDA organic standards.  

 

 

Future Reports

Weekly newsletters will continue to be archived for you to read at leisure. Additionally, you will find condensed bi-monthly reports here to keep you updated on what we're planting and harvesting and on the progress of crops. We'll still include seasonal images, our popular wildlife segment, notes on climate and weather, reflections on urban farming, and our seasonal market reports.