Sharing Bounty From the Good Earth
By Renee Wahlen TillemaSweet raspberries, red tomatoes, colorful peppers and juicy watermelon. The bounties of summer create a rich, eye-pleasing and taste-tempting array in the fields and on the table. Sharing that bounty with over 100 families is Nicole Schauer of Good Earth Farm. Nicole, her husband, Joe, and their three children, focus on producing local, seasonal and sustainable produce to local communities through their Community Supported Agriculture or CSA program. Their beautiful farm is tucked near the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area in rural Oakfield.
"My husband and I moved to the farm here about ten years ago," Nicole said. "When we first moved out here we started growing our own food. We knew that it was important to eat healthy food and we wanted the food to be as fresh as possible, so we decided to do it ourselves and have a garden."
After a few years that garden expanded as other people would inquire what they were growing and as they tried different heirloom varieties. The Schauer's started to realize that they could provide food not only for their family, but many other families.
"Our whole lifestyle was starting to change and become more alternative," she said. "We started to home school, we were growing our own food and canning. Becoming more sustainable, I guess."
After some research on CSA's and finding out that farming could be done on a smaller scale, they pursued the CSA model. Good Earth Farm is comprised of 20 acres, but only five of those are used for the CSA crops. That acreage is feeding the Schauer family and 100 others.
"It's very intensive, a lot in a small area," Nicole said. "The main purpose is to get people to buy locally and eat seasonally, which I think is important. And, support their local farmers."
This is their third season offering CSA shares and the numbers have grown steadily every year. They offer pick-up points at the farm, in Fond du Lac and the Fox Valley area. They are also supplying fresh produce to local restaurants.
"We did not have a background in farming, which is pretty typical for CSA farms," she said. "The average CSA farmer has a college degree and has tried the corporate world. Something has flipped and they decide they can do this. It's demanding, but very rewarding."
The Schauers have spent time researching information, especially on growing different crops. Nicole said they offer over 50 different types of crops and finding all that information was a process. Some of their research has tied in with their homeschool lessons. They have also visited other CSA farms, attended a farm to market course at the UW-Madison and attend the Organic Farmers Conference each year.
"A CSA is really molded by hearing from their members or shareholders," Nicole said. "That's really how you make your CSA. We send out a survey at the end of the year for the members to let us know what they really liked and what they didn't. We put out a newsletter every week with the boxes with tips on how to cook some of the produce and what's happening on the farm. But, we definitely welcome feedback, that's what makes a CSA work."
Nicole's husband, Joe, works off the farm at Mercury Racing in Fond du Lac. When he is not at work, Joe helps with building the greenhouse, tractor work and other jobs around the farm. Nicole heads up Good Earth Farm and as a small business owner, she is responsible for the marketing, accounting, field work and supervising employees.
"We do offer worker shares, where people can work for their food," Nicole explained. "It gets them involved with the farm and they feel connected to their food and the land. That's great because it makes people care about their food, care about the land and the earth and want to take care of it."
Nicole said the biggest reward is what comes at the end of the season. She enjoys working with the members toward a common goal, seeing the crops grow and thrive, working alongside her family and knowing that her food is safe and healthy.
"This isn't something where you get rich quick, it's a lifestyle choice," she said. "It's living off the land and sustainability. It's being able to eat healthy and getting great food." For more information on Good Earth Farm visit www.goodearthfarm.net.
What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) started in Europe and spread to the US in the mid-1980s -- there are now more than 1,000 CSA farms in the US and Canada, serving more than 100,000 families. A CSA is a partnership between a farm and a community of supporters. These CSA members commit to the support of a local farm through purchasing a share of the farms harvest. Members sign up and pay for their shares either in one payment before the planting begins or in payments spread throughout the season. In return for their investment the members receive weekly produce share boxes filled with whatever produce is being harvested on the farm that particular week.
With many CSA farms, members are encouraged to support the farm through work shares. They schedule times to visit the farm and work right alongside the farm owners, helping plant, harvest, weed and wash produce. Not only does this often provide a reduction in the share costs, but it connects the members with the farm, the owners, their food and the land.
Some of the benefits of a CSA include: supporting the local economy, natural farming practices, keeping food local, connecting to the seasons through food, partnering with the farmers who grow your food, respecting the environment, knowing where your food comes from and eating healthier meals.
For more information on Community Supported Agriculture and a listing of CSA farms in your area visit www.localharvest.org or Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition at www.macsac.org.
