CSA Information for 2008

JANUARY 20, 2008

Hello to all and Happy New Year. 2008 looks to be an exciting year full of changes both for me personally and for Manic Organic. After evaluating our current state of affairs over the last couple of months I have made the very difficult decision to take a year off from farming full-time in order to recoup both operationally and financially. As all of you are aware from my CSA letters of the past two years, the decision to move Manic Organic from our base in Portsmouth to Tiverton was a necessary but costly decision. Unfortunately, we were never able to invest enough time or capital into infrastructure at the new location which led to certain inefficiencies. The challenges of setting up new systems and training new help coupled with two seasons of extreme weather have made our financial situation rather perilous. I have always been on a ten year plan to chart the growth of Manic Organic. Unfortunately, in our current economic climate I find myself worse off after year nine than I was in year five. Now some of this is the result of the change but I cannot responsibly continue to slide down a slippery slope into disproportionate debt and risk my personal credit without any plan for retirement or health care. The crux of the matter is that at this economic moment in this geographic area with the business in this current incantation, I do not feel that I am making progress. I need to evaluate other avenues in which Manic Organic can continue down a more solid path. In order to do that however, I need to take this season off to regroup. The pressures of growing on the current fields for CSA, farmers market and restaurant production leave little time for investment or long term planning. Planning for better soil fertility, field management, efficient infrastructure and a pared down production plan should allow more opportunities to better chart the possibilities for true land tenure and the next long term plan for Manic Organic.

We will exist in some form this year but for now are only committing to the new Saturday morning Sakonnet Growers Market to be held in July, August and September at Pardon Gray on Main Road in Tiverton directly across the street from our current growing fields. With the cooperative help of three other women who have worked with me in Tiverton for the past two seasons, we plan to produce on at most one acre to keep some version of Manic Organic alive and keep at least some of our passionate lettuce and tomato fans happy. I am sorry to quash the momentum and enthusiasm of our CSA program. Our Barrington chapter has been such a success due to everyone’s hard work and dedication. Please know that this is a very difficult decision for me. I have racked my brain for other solutions to our problem but feel it is more responsible to admit our situation and be honest than take your share money on a wing and a prayer not being able to forecast positive growth in 2008.

On a more personal level, I have been offered a great job opportunity with a healthy salary and a full benefit package working for a socially conscious company engaged in fair trade economics with farmers in developing countries around the world. The company is Equal Exchange, a fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate company based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. They have a twenty year successful track record of equitable business practices which has positively affected the lives of farmers in over 20 countries allowing them to set their own agenda for development by organizing into grower coops to receive a fair and consistent price for their bulk agricultural goods. On the global commodities market the price for these goods fluctuates so radically that it can mean the difference between development and abject poverty for farmers in these countries. Equal Exchange acts as a buffer, guaranteeing the farmers a set price despite these fluctuations so that they can invest in their present and plan for their future. By working within this progressive business model, I hope to hone my own business skills, learn more about the global market and put my degree in international development and experience working with farmers both internationally and domestically to good use. It is an exciting opportunity to look at the bigger picture and affect some larger positive changes while I figure out what to do in my own backyard. For now that will have to be allowing local farmers another venue to reach the public through this new Sakonnet Growers Market which I have helped organize with other committed people in the Tiverton/Little Compton area. I look forward to discussing any of these plans further with any of you and welcome any feedback. Manic Organic could not have come to fruition without your support and encouragement. I will miss the camaraderie.
 

Here is a summary list of other CSA options in the area:

Check out www.farmfreshri.org for more information.

Thank you for all your support and I will keep you posted on any further developments.
 

Sincerely, Nicole