A cold March wind blows into Palisade directly from the snowy slopes of Grand Mesa, chilling the dormant orchards and fields.
But inside a cozy greenhouse east of Palisade, broccoli seeds are sprouting in 80-degree soil, getting a head start on this year’s growing season. In April, the broccoli will be transplanted outdoors. In May, it will be ready for harvest by people who have signed up for a share of the crop grown at the Cameron Place CSA, a farm on the cutting edge of a trend in which some consumers are going back to the land to get much of their food.
“CSA” – the letters that are part of the Cameron Place name – stand for “Community Supported Agriculture.” To Thomas Cameron, a longtime peach grower who started the CSA farm seven years ago, CSA is more than a marketing tactic.
“It’s not just another way to sell farm produce. It’s about a community,” Cameron says. Consumers who buy a share of produce from the farm also pledge to contribute a couple of hours of sweat equity during the season, helping out with the farm chores or administrative tasks of running the operation. As a result, they feel some kinship with one another, a sense of community produced by their involvement with the farm. In addition, they begin to understand the connection between the food they consume and the land where it grows.
Cameron learned about CSA farms while on a trip to Europe, where such operations are scattered throughout the countryside. He came home and tried to find a similar operation in the area – one that grew a variety of herbs, fruit, and vegetables and sold crop shares to people who live nearby – but there were none. So he started his own.
Since then, the Cameron Place has developed a loyal following in the Grand Valley. Its patrons understand the vital connection between food and the land.
“A big reason people become part of our farm is they want to be attached to the land where their food comes from,” says Ben Wilke, the CSA’s garden manager who is in his third year of working at the Cameron Place.
Crops at the Cameron Place are sustainably grown using natural pest control and other low-impact methods of farming. Shares include a variety of crops grown on the farm’s four and one-half acres, including herbs, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and melons. The shares are distributed at the farm’s Palisade location and in Grand Junction as the crops mature.
The Cameron Place CSA is seeking share buyers for this year’s season. Spring is in the air. It's time to start thinking about your garden again - and maybe, this year, you'll have someone else to help you raise those fresh vegetables. Various sizes of shares are available at various prices and this is the time of year to get started. For more information, visit http://www.cameronplacecsa.com/ or call 402-8364.
But inside a cozy greenhouse east of Palisade, broccoli seeds are sprouting in 80-degree soil, getting a head start on this year’s growing season. In April, the broccoli will be transplanted outdoors. In May, it will be ready for harvest by people who have signed up for a share of the crop grown at the Cameron Place CSA, a farm on the cutting edge of a trend in which some consumers are going back to the land to get much of their food.
“CSA” – the letters that are part of the Cameron Place name – stand for “Community Supported Agriculture.” To Thomas Cameron, a longtime peach grower who started the CSA farm seven years ago, CSA is more than a marketing tactic.
“It’s not just another way to sell farm produce. It’s about a community,” Cameron says. Consumers who buy a share of produce from the farm also pledge to contribute a couple of hours of sweat equity during the season, helping out with the farm chores or administrative tasks of running the operation. As a result, they feel some kinship with one another, a sense of community produced by their involvement with the farm. In addition, they begin to understand the connection between the food they consume and the land where it grows.
Cameron learned about CSA farms while on a trip to Europe, where such operations are scattered throughout the countryside. He came home and tried to find a similar operation in the area – one that grew a variety of herbs, fruit, and vegetables and sold crop shares to people who live nearby – but there were none. So he started his own.
Since then, the Cameron Place has developed a loyal following in the Grand Valley. Its patrons understand the vital connection between food and the land.
“A big reason people become part of our farm is they want to be attached to the land where their food comes from,” says Ben Wilke, the CSA’s garden manager who is in his third year of working at the Cameron Place.
Crops at the Cameron Place are sustainably grown using natural pest control and other low-impact methods of farming. Shares include a variety of crops grown on the farm’s four and one-half acres, including herbs, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and melons. The shares are distributed at the farm’s Palisade location and in Grand Junction as the crops mature.
The Cameron Place CSA is seeking share buyers for this year’s season. Spring is in the air. It's time to start thinking about your garden again - and maybe, this year, you'll have someone else to help you raise those fresh vegetables. Various sizes of shares are available at various prices and this is the time of year to get started. For more information, visit http://www.cameronplacecsa.com/ or call 402-8364.
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