Tonopah Rob's Vegetable Farm

These firecracker cosmos were taken a few days before the first hard freeze of the fall season.  These beauties bordered the watermelon radish plot.

Over the past month I have had several phone calls and emails asking questions about Tonopah Rob’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  You can go to archives and click on to the June 2011 or type in June 27, 2011 new CSA information to give you a run down on the program.  Another way is to click on to the above tabs CSA information and CSA contract.

Here are the FAQ’s

Is it too late to join the CSA program?  Absolutely not. There are 6 months to go before the end of the seasonal contract.  Plus, Tonopah Rob always throw in a few extra weeks into the month of July to help make up for any famine times the farm may experience.

What is the advantage of a Farm Stand Only Membership Share?  There are several advantages for shopping  ONLY at the Farm Stand. There is one hundred dollar bonus added onto your account. If you purchase a five hundred dollar share, your account begins with six hundred dollars.  The Farm Stand is fed first, meaning there will always be varieties of veggies that are only sold at the farm.  Asparagus, first of the season fruit and a few other unique veggies remain at the farm.  And prices are cheaper at the Farm Stand than at any market location. Once the trucks leave the property, there are added expenses like gas, market fees and a few other things that require a price increase.  Green beans at the Farm Stand will be between 3/4 dollars a pound and at market locations beans are 4/5 dollars a pound.

How long does the CSA program last?  Some families that have purchased a full share in November have nearly used up their money in December.  They eat only from the farm and purchase a large quantity of veggies for juicing.  Some families stretch it out and wait for different veggies and fruit to ripen and then indulge in the feast. The available season runs November through July. It’s up to each individual member how they spend their account dollars.

What is the weight limit per share?  If a member wants to purchase 10 lbs. or more of a certain vegetable or fruit then it’s recommended to call ahead of time and place your special order with Tonopah Rob.  This way it better helps TR to plan for each weekly harvest.  Last season there were 30 special orders for 10 lbs. or more of strawberries and 29 were filled.  The last order was placed way too late in the season, so place your orders prior to the fruiting season to guarantee your order.

How does a member pay for the vegetables?  Each member comes to the market, shops off the tables taking the wanted amount, then it’s weighed and added up.  Each member signs a receipt and keeps one copy and TR takes the other copy.  Every four to five weeks TR sends out an email stating the remaining balance per account.  It’s like having a bar tab, so to speak.

What happens if the money is used up before the end of the season?  If you spend all of your account dollars before the season is up, you may purchase another share and receive all the bonus money; for example:  You receive a 10.00 bonus for renewing, a five or ten percent kick back depending on the share size you purchase or if buying a Farm Stand Only Membership then another 100.00 dollar bonus is awarded.

May more than one share be purchased at a time?  Yes.  Some members have purchased two shares at once, some have purchased one in a half shares.

The above picture is of the land I would like to purchase that sits directly north of my farm. 

I’m trying to purchase another piece of property to farm. I’m asking for you to invest in my farm through a super duper CSA membership program. I can no longer be proud.  I wish I had the money to buy it all myself without asking, but I can’t.  This is a great opportunity to expand the goodness and the riches that this land can provide for many a person. This is the right thing to do, but I can’t do it alone.  I need help, a lot of help.  I’m asking for contributions in one thousand dollar increments.  The farm needs 20 families or individuals to make this transaction a reality.  Please, from the bottom of your heart, help the farm grow. Help the farm become more sustainable by growing more food for you and your family. The farm needs more land to produce more volume at the same time.  Right now, I can only designate a certain amount of space for broccoli and cauliflower.  If I go over the allotted space then other vegetables cannot be grown until the broccoli crop is done.  So, to have a little more land would solve that predicament.

Here’s what I can do for your contribution. For each person or family that donates 1000.00 dollars, I will give them a year of veggies.  It’s considered a double CSA share, a revolving account until your donation is returned in full with produce, seasonal raw honey and flowers and fresh eggs. If your account has money left over, I will roll it over to the following season.  After that money is used up, I will offer each donating party a free half or full share….meaning your 1000.00 dollar contribution will turn into either 1250.00 or 1500.00 dollars.  It’s a great investment.

About the property.  It’s about one and a third acres. There is a capped well.  The well is shared by the connecting property to the west of the interested property I want to farm.  I don’t want to share the well, so in order for me to be the sole owner of that well, the owner wants me to pay extra money to dissolve the well agreement and easement to that well.

I will have to hire a trencher to dig water lines and install two irrigation holding tanks, booster pump and electrical.  Then there are other items needed to operate the land like hoses, sprinklers, and planting equipment.  The property must have a fence. A new walk in cooler, storage sheds and miscellaneous items will be required to purchase.  Later on I would like to purchase the west side of the split property so I can have a buffer zone to protect the land from any neighbor that could contaminate the well water.

I’m asking for your support.  It’s so important to grow healthy food. It’s important to defend our food sources.  It’s important to know where our food comes from and how it’s grown.  For those of you that know me, you know I grow with integrity.  Again, I really need support as does the farm. I’ll do a cartwheel, maybe with one hand for your support!

By incorporating this land into my farm, it will enable me to grow more all natural veggies at one time, host more bee hives and harvest more raw honey and raise more poultry.  Put your support where it is really needed.  In January when the farm opens for business, come to the farm and take a farm tour.  Let me show you the land the farm so desperately needs.

Here are some ideas about donating.  Partner up and split the cost of the donation. Businessmen and women, restaurant owners, schools, supervisors, your boss, your sister-in-law or brother come together and unite. Instead of donating to your favorite charity, give a contribution to your favorite farm.  It’s not a tax write off. It’s an investment towards your health care plan and to the conservation of land management.  This is an opportunity for our surrounding community to come together and support one GREAT cause for the betterment of all to enjoy.  Around the middle to the end of January, I hope to have enough support to move forward with this endeavor.

I just can’t financially swing all the money needed for ownership and start up operating costs.  I’ve called the bank and they want more than 50% down.  I couldn’t believe it!  They wouldn’t take my veggies as collateral.  Put your money back into America….me!  Please call me at 623 386 3033 or email me at tonopahrob@gmail.com for more information.  From my beet bottom to your turnip top thank you in advance, Tonopah Rob.