There is such a thing as too much rain. The water in my basement last week is one reason I know this to be true. But my veggies, flowers and grass don’t seem to mind.
Farmers have been far less fortunate, especially in flooded southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. This AP story in the La Crosse Tribune had the CSA “client” perspective.
This graph is a harsh reality that many learned this month:
The flooding provided a stark reminder that the customers share the risks of farming. Their weekly boxes of produce swell with the farm’s fortunes — or get washed away.
But it’s good to know that these CSA members feel truly invested in their host farms. Love this quote from Jon Olsen:
“I actually said, ‘My farm!“’…”And I don’t live on a farm. I live in north Minneapolis.”
The floods hit at a peak vegetable harvest for the region, destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars in crops.
I’ll be curious to know how forgiving these member/clients are and whether they’ll continue to take risks.
If they are clients, as they are referred in the article, I’m thinking they will be less inclined to sign up again. If they are members, and feel a sense of ownership in the farming operating, my bet is they’ll sign up next season.
Virtual Farmgirl 