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March 2, 2012 Volume 18, Issue 1 |
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Greetings!
Letter from the Director
 Common Grounders,
The days have shortened and lengthened again, but the warm winter leaves many of us seasonally dependent folks a little disoriented, unsure whether it's time to plant seeds or plan for five more months of winter. Our weather is different every year (that's one thing we count on), but usually we get a little more rhyme and reason to the differences between winter and summer. Who knows what to make of this, except that we're going to try gardening for another year and see if we can anchor ourselves a little deeper in the stability of the garden plot we opened up last year, to the west of St. Benedict's Monastery's grand old barn.
We're fortunate this year to have Kate Ritger returning as our production manager, a real blessing with her considerate governing style and her experience in the big vision of small scale agriculture. The conventional carrot eater may not know just how complicated managing a CSA can be, but many of our subscribers have commented on the difficulty of orchestrating a season's worth of produce for more than 75 families. Whatever the weather, Kate's experience and thoughtful way will serve us well this year.
As you consider a Common Ground subscription this year, or a subscription to our bread, egg and meat CSA partners, please continue to let us know what you're looking for in local food. On one hand food is simply a necessary part of our lives, perhaps at our busiest times something we'd just like to work around to get on to our next responsibility. Fundamentally, though, food remains one of the most significant ways in which we relate to the environment, our cash economy, and to our family and friends. As our staff anchors ourselves deeper into the soil here at Common Ground, we're interested in helping others create stability and joy in their food lives. Whether you're just able to read our newsletters or can find time to participate in one of our summer food events, we're interested in your thoughts.
Looking forward to another season in this wonderful community.
Ryan Kutter
Director - Common Ground Garden
Note from Kate
Hello Friends!
I spent a sizable chunk of the winter in southeastern Wisconsin and there too the season was confusing. The late January day I spread out the seed catalogs and dreamt of our garden together this year happened to be the snowiest day of the year. As I salivated imagining a few new varieties of beets, carrots, and peppers recommended to me by a gardener friend, the chickadees, mourning doves and cedar waxwings flew eagerly back and forth from the feeder to the big pines that shield my parents' home from the snowy wind.
By way of other updates... As many of you know I was in Wisconsin assisting my Mom as she rehabilitated from double knee replacement surgery. Surgery went well, as did the rehabilitation process. Of course we had tense moments -- I tried to be helpful and Mom resisted being mothered -- but the vulnerability of physical healing also facilitated closeness and sharing that just doesn't happen on brief weekend visits.
I also traveled to Peru and Bolivia for two weeks to visit a Maryknoll seminarian friend of mine. It was an amazing adventure! Stay tuned to this summer's newsletters. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences, specifically connected to the 3,000 varieties of potatoes native to the Andes and the wisdom of Incan agricultural practices.
And most recently I returned from the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) conference held annually in La Crosse, WI. Over 3,300 organic farmers from around the country gathered for two and half days of workshops, speakers and excellent food. While I don't often enjoy crowds of that size, I'm back feeling inspired and energized, and pondering thoughts on the relationships we have to this piece of earth, each other, those who don't have easy access to fresh, local food, and our economy and local food systems.
As Ryan noted, we look forward to anchoring ourselves more deeply in the soil of Common Ground, and creating space for you to anchor in the stability and joy of shared food.
I also look forward to hearing updates from your winters! See you soon.
Blessings,
Kate Ritger
Production Manager - Common Ground Garden
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Reflections from S. Phyllis Plantenberg
 A New World is Waiting
It is Feb. 29th. It is LEAP Year 2012. It is the season of Lent. We are just winding up the first real snowstorm of the year. Brown has changed to white. And now I am already on the lookout for Easter, new green and new flowers. In general I am on the lookout for new life and renewed life, meeting old friends and new who enjoy seeing, hearing and even smelling new life just straining to emerge from the earth, the tree hollow, the nested egg.
And what holds more promise than our collection of seeds, some old favorites, some startling new, unusual and loaded with promise. Imagine a ten foot tomato tree!! (I can hear Kate saying, "Not in my garden, it's sure to be a fake.") Well maybe, but we'll dream first and deal with reality later.
One thing I am sure of, I am ready to meet all of you for a new season and to share our dreams of good living, good ideas and great friendship. A new world is waiting.
S. Phyllis |
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Subscribing
Click here for subscription forms.
See below for more information about our partner subscriptions.
And contact Ryan or Kate with questions.
Contact information
commonground@csbsju.edu
Ryan Kutter, Garden Director, cell: 320-219-3389
Kate Ritger, Production Manager, cell: 262-339-7737
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Partner Subscriptions
Partnerships and Add-On Subscriptions: Bread, egg and meet shares are offered as separate, add-on subscription options to your garden subscription.
Common Ground Garden is continuing to partner with Collegeville Artisan Bakery (CAB) to offer a bread share option for garden subscribers. CAB is a locally owned bakery that offers a variety of high-quality artisanal breads.
A bread share for the season will include 1 loaf of bread each week of the garden season (17-18 weeks) for $90. Each week, members will receive a different type of bread at the discretion of the bakery. See below for alist of bread possibilities for the summer.
Please Note: All breads contain wheat ingredients; some contain seeds or nuts, and are prepared on shared equipment.
Breads (in no particular order)
+ Ciabatta + Rustic White + Baguette + Sourdough + Multigrain + Rye
+ Onion Rye + Jalapeno Cheddar + Hazelnut + Currant + Craisin-Orange Zest
+ Wild Rice Baguette + Onion Dill Ciabatta + Green Olive-Thyme Sourdough
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Common Ground Garden is continuing to partner with Rainbows Eggs to offer an egg share option for garden subscribers. Rainbows Eggs is a local farm owned by Tim Kuebelbeck in Avon, Minn.,. Tim is raising free-range, naturally-grown chickens just a few miles from the garden.
An egg share for the season will include ½ dozen eggs each week of the garden season (17-18 weeks) for $27.00. If you would like more eggs each week, please sign up for multiple shares.
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Common Ground Garden is continuing to partner with Rolling Hills Traeger Ranch to offer a beef/pork option for garden subscribers. Christina Traeger and her daughters of Avon, Minn., take pride in the livestock and quality meat they offer. They raise all-natural, hormone-free, drug-free, grass-fed beef and pork.
See the attached form for specifics on beef/pork share options.
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 Common Ground Garden is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, where members purchase a share of vegetables and each week during the farm season receive a bountiful box of fresh produce. We pride ourselves on producing fresh, clean, healthful food picked at the peak of flavor and nutrition. As much as we are able, we grow our vegetables without the use of any chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. We use cover crops, rotations, compost and ingenuity to produce your food in a way that's healthy for you and for the community. When necessary for pest control or to combat disease, we use only products approved for organic gardening. |
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Common Ground Garden is the ministry of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Bneeidct
104 Chapel Lane
St. Joseph, Minnesota 56374 |
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