Contributed photo
MERRILL — While snow may still cover the ground, it is not too soon to start dreaming about the upcoming spring planting season for locally-grown vegetables.
That is precisely what the folks at Akin Bak Farmstead in Merrill are thinking about as they gear up for a new season. Operated by the mother and son team of Bette and Seth Rousseau, Akin Bak Farmstead is a introducing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to the area.
Bette is a third generation vegetable farmer originally from Franklin, Mass. who moved to Merrill with her son in the late fall of 2015, after purchasing a much larger farm than the one she owned in Massachusetts. The farm is located on U.S. Route 212.
“We have decades of farming experience and years of CSA experience,” Bette Rousseau said. “New to Aroostook County, we are eager to meet people, get the farm up and moving and provide excellent quality product to the Houlton area community.
For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a local farmer, according to Seth Rousseau.
Essentially, a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” in their farm to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer.
Advantages for the farmer includes:
— Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16-hour days in the field begin.
— Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow.
— Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow.
Advantages for consumers include:
— Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits.
— Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking.
— Usually get to visit the farm at least once a week.
— Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm — even veggies they’ve never been known to eat.
— Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown.
“Our program is 16 weeks long beginning in June,” Seth explained. “Farmers will determine the kick-off week. Each week we will be delivering beautiful pre-packaged boxes (or shares) into Houlton that will be available for pick up by the CSA members on Saturdays — specific location will be announced in the springtime.”
Early season shares will have greens, radishes and other short day crops. Peak season will include most traditional New England staple crops. Fall will wrap up with apples, hearty field crops like winter squash and root crops.
Each share box will have $30-35 dollars of fresh picked produce right from their farm. The cost for the 16 weeks is $300, or $18.75 a week. Shares must be paid for by April 30.
The target audiences for this program are small families (4-5 persons) or a 1-2 person vegetarian family in the Houlton area. Each membership will also include a weekly email (Thursday evenings) with information about the weekly harvest so people can prepare for their meals before they pick up their share.
For more information, contact the Rousseaus at 538-0439 or visit their website akinbakfarmstead.wix.com/farm. Information can also be found at the County Co-Op and Farm Store in Houlton and on their Facebook page
