Dear Kimberton CSA community,
In our last COVID-19 update, we discussed a few ideas on how we can lower the risk of spreading coronavirus between members and staff when the season starts on Tuesday 5/26 and Friday 5/29. Although still 6 weeks away, we are erring on the side of caution, and therefore, have made some concrete plans on how to keep us all a little bit safer during pick up.
Please remember, we hope these are only temporary measures! Obviously, when schools go back and travel restrictions are curbed, we’ll be readdressing the situation. This is the plan for the worst…we are hoping for the best.
The following bullet points are the key changes all members need to read, understand fully, and adhere to at the start of the season and then until further notice:
· All shares will be prepackaged for members prior to pick up at the farm.
· Only one member, per share, is allowed out of their vehicle to pick up and u-pick their share.
· Members need to bring their own harvest tools and containers for u-pick.
· Members will need to sign up in advance for a 3-hour window on their pick up day during which they can pick up their share and do u-pick.
Prepackaged Box Shares
We are abandoning our market-style CSA pick up for the time being. Our full, partial and box shares will all be prepacked for a quick and easy pick up. Members (one member per share) will come to the front of the pick-up shed and sign in with either Frank or I as soon as they park their car. No idling please!
At this point, box share members or full and partial share members who opt not to u-pick that week will be given their share and vacate the premises. Members who do opt to do their u-pick that week can do so but will be limited to 30-minutes.
U-pick maps, signs, availability and quantities will be visually accessible to all our members at the sign in table. Any questions should be directed to myself or Frank. Please do not approach or engage with any other members of staff and be courteous as you enter and exit the parking lot in your vehicles, as we only have one entrance gate.
Only one member per share can pick up and u-pick.
This is by far the most important new protocol. The easiest way to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 is minimizing the amount of people on the farm. Members should also keep the recommended social distancing of 6ft (2m) from each other when signing in and u-picking.
Those members designated by their household to pick up and u-pick are highly encouraged to take their temperature twice a day. If you have a fever, cough, or trouble breathing, please do not come onto the farm. You should self-isolate for at least 7 days and consult a doctor. If you are ill, you can designate a healthy friend or alternate family member to come pick up, as those nutrient packed veggies will be beneficial!
Please, please, please: we are an essential business! We have essential workers. Only one member per share is essential for households to get their veggies.
Members need to bring their own harvest tools and containers for u-pick
Members will need to bring their own harvesting tools and harvest containers for u-pick to reduce potential cross contamination. Most u-pick items can be harvested by hand but if you forget your containers or scissors (for herbs and flowers) you will not have access to any here on the farm.
Access beyond the front of the pick-up shed and open u-pick areas will also be unavailable to members for the time being, this includes our water spickets. Members will have access to a porta potty and a hand washing station adjacent to the car park but sanitizer will not be available. An area will also be designated out the front of the shed for members to bring back the previous week’s wax cardboard box, broken down, for us to sanitize and reuse. Wax boxes only please, no bags, rubber bands or pint/quart containers.
Allocated pick up and u-pick times into 3-hour windows
We are going to breakdown pick up and u-pick times into the following five 3-hour windows.
Tuesday 1pm-4pm
Tuesday 4pm-7pm
Friday 1pm-4pm
Friday 4pm-7pm
Saturday 9am-12pm
Members will receive an introduction package in two weeks’ time via email and will need to allocate themselves into one of the above time slots for their designated one member per share to complete their (bi)weekly pick up and u-pick. In this introduction package partial shares will also be allocated into either Group A or B. Once members are signed up for their 3-hour window pick up and u-pick window, any changes need to be approved by me via email. Other essential workers, vulnerable populations, and partial shares will have preference. The farm will be closed at all other times to our members. No exceptions. Please plan accordingly.
We believe these temporary changes will not really affect the vast majority of our members. In fact, shorter pick up and u-pick times, box shares, and bringing your own u-pick scissors is pretty standard for most other CSA’s!
We understand that the hardest part of these restrictions for some members will be not spending quality time with your family and friends here on the farm. Especially as Spring fever hits during those first few weeks of pick up! We sincerely hope that these are just temporary measures as we, too, get a kick out of members having fun together and enjoying their family time on the farm.
However, please let me be quite clear—ours and your enjoyment does not outweigh potentially contracting COVID-19, or worse, unwittingly infecting others. Please, think about this season as all about the veggies, not the experience! These new pick-up protocols are the best way we can ensure a healthy productive workplace whilst trying to maintain the traditional culture and operations of KCSA as much as we can during the 2020 season.
I hope this finds you well,
Andrew
