Hello Dear CSA Members! The following are all the details for the 2022 SPRING CSA PROGRAM - STARTING THURSDAY March 31st and Friday, April 1st. PAST MEMBERS: It is recommended that you join the pre-season meeting and read through this e-mail for any changes from previous seasons, last season had a lot going on and changes were made to time and locations for pickups. You are also encouraged to print this out for easy reference throughout the 12 week season.
Preseason Meeting
We will be having an informational pre-season meeting on Monday, March 21st 2022 @ 6pm If you have any questions, this would be a great time to ask. We will do our best to keep it short. 30 - 40 Minutes TOPS. It will stay posted for about a month after the meeting so you can go back and re-watch it. To tune in to the Facebook Live and to participate you must already be a member* of or join the Ahavah Community Facebook Group HERE before the meeting on Monday, March 21st 2022. ** The video will be posted to Youtube and sent out for all non-Facebook users.
What to expect:
Each season has it's own pros and cons, especially when it comes to farming. However, time and experience builds resiliency and knowledge. We believe we have been getting better and better as the years progress. We've learned ways to navigate bad weather and pests without using chemicals but occasionally it dampens our our variety, quality and abundance. This is part of CSA membership - during good times we load you up, and during down times, we still try our best to load you up... but if the crop's not growing, well, it's not growing and we can't help that, but with that said, we have been having amazing consistency over the years and we believe this year will be no exception.
VARIETY:
The season is 12 weeks long. One of the things that makes our CSA unique is our ability and philosophy to balance out the value of your shares throughout the entire season, every season. That means that you won't get a glut of veggies at the beginning of the season or really sparse shares at the end or vice versa. We do a lot of varieties that other farms don't grow, but we also try not to grow too many "odd" varieties and try to keep those to the fringes for a fun change-up. Instead we grow mostly the staples you're familiar with and expand from there. We also try our best to include just one, sometimes two, varieties of microgreens in each share. These are highly sought after, and truth be told, many members' ultimate reason for being a member - they are that good. The varieties and some of the "bulk" may change throughout the season, but we try our best to keep things balanced. To learn more about what we grow, CLICK HERE.
VALUE:
The goal, from our perspective, is to give you as much variety as we can, while providing you with at least 10% more than what you paid for (we have NEVER failed at this goal, even in the worst of times). Every Thursday we will send out a weekly packing list to our members so you will know what veggies will be in your share that week. This will include any important changes and information you may need. Above is a picture of the bag-packing list for traditional shares, we also include pictures of the market style and extras boards each week. You can click and expand the pictures. SUPPORTING LOCAL
Since this is a 100% local CSA, with 100% of everything being grown by our farm, there may be
fluctuations in your share sizes from week to week. There also may be items you have not tried before (actually probably many! - which is the fun!). We do our best to have as many protected crops as possible: against wind, hail, pests and more. However, nothing is 100% and this is FARMING. That means that it is not always up to us whether or not mother nature decides to give us a good season or a not-so-good season. Either way, we do a very good job of making sure we get you quality produce consistently week after week. Please remember that this is a share in the farm and that there is nothing guaranteed and please familiarize yourselves with the terms and conditions that you agreed to at registration.
PICKUP:
Traditional Share: The traditional style CSA is a pre-packed bag every week of the season. The bag contents will vary from week to week (you will receive a list of what is in your bag). It may include a live herb plant from time to time. Many people love traditional because they get to be creative and try a large variety of items that they normally wouldn't select themselves. We try our best to make it as varied as possible. The benefits of the traditional share really boils down to convenience because we know the fuss of selecting and packing your veggies may not be your "thing" and that's ok! **This is the only option for door-to-door delivery or pickup at Ranch Foods Direct (Central Colorado Springs) after 2:30PM.
Market Style: Ah, the market-style, the most beloved of all our programs and the most unique aspect to our CSA relative to so many others. With this option you show up and select your veggies from the coolers provided. Of course we provide tongs, signage, scales and bags for your convenience. Being a market-style member is a huge benefit to so many that are seeking community, choice and the feeling of being at a market. It's fun and lively, the like-mindedness of our community is really unique and to see the friendships being cultivated is heart-warming and special. The downsides to the market-style include the lack of convenience and if you are a late-comer, meaning you show up at the last minutes, there may be less choice available (since they have all been picked through). However, we try to balance it out so that we have plenty of variety throughout.
👀 MARKET STYLE 👀
Market Style gives you more choice over your veggies and it's also an opportunity to enjoy the community during our Market-Style CSA pickup.
Available at these times*:
North Colorado Springs/Monument: Thursdays 11:30 AM - 12:30 AM
Denver: Thursdays 3:00PM - 4:00PM
Peyton: Fridays 10:00 AM -11:00 AM
Central Colorado Springs: Fridays 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
*NOT available for door-to-door delivery or for those who pickup inside Ranch Foods Direct (Central Colorado Springs) after 2:30PM.
If you are not signed up for market-style, and you want to be, please e-mail Jessie at contact@ahavahfarm.com to let us know. Thanks.
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SWITCH?
That's right! You can switch at any time! Try the Traditional share and then try the Market-style, then switch back again. To do so, just follow the same timelines as the other requests: Send in your request no later than Sunday night at MIDNIGHT and we will happily switch you up!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
GENERAL
By signing up to be a member of the Ahavah Farm CSA program, I am taking on a temporary and limited voting ownership of Ahavah Farm, LLC as an active partner and risk-taker in the farm. I understand that there are no refunds for this program. However if there is a valid reason for cancelling the seasonal share, management will work with me to find a replacement for my share if needed. As a member of this Community Supported Agricultural program, I understand that I am requested to be actively involved (but not required). As a member of Ahavah Farm, LLC, I understand the importance of community, the value in local agriculture and creating, supporting and investing in local, sustainable food systems (Ahavah Farm believes that the most important aspect to this program is the ability for individuals to know and trust their farmer and where their food is coming from). As a member I am declaring that I agree that supporting local agriculture is important to me and that I will be an involved member in the community and will do my best to support Ahavah Farm's mission and the community at large ("involved in the community" is vague and can mean anything from volunteering, involvement with and being active in the Facebook community group, spreading the word, coming to classes and events etc.).
BENEFITS
As a member of the Ahavah Farm CSA program I am aware that I have discounted access to all of our classes, tours and events as part of my membership, however I am still required to register for classes. I understand that I will also have access to 100% of everything that Ahavah Farm sells. Finally, I understand that a CSA program is a partnership program, and an investment in my health. As such, there are risks to supporting a local CSA program in that the yield may be smaller than anticipated (Ahavah Farm has never had a loss). I am also aware that if there is a bumper crop, my shares may be bigger. I understand that Ahavah Farm aims to provide an approximate value of 10% more food than the cost of my share. I also understand that by being a member of Ahavah Farm CSA, I am supporting the ultimate in ecological and environmental agriculture along with the funding and partnership with Ahavah Community Initiative to feed families in need and to spread the education of environmental agricultural stewardship to the community. I also understand that I have the absolute right to know about 100% of all growing, harvesting, washing and packing methods and can ask any and all questions related to such subjects and I can request any and all documentation related to these subjects as well. As a CSA member I am also aware that I am allowed 1 personalized/private tour, as availability allows, and as scheduled in advance.
TIMES and RIGHTS to ADJUST
I understand that the CSA seasons are broken up into 4 seasons throughout the year and it is my responsibility to be aware of pickup dates, locations and program details as they have all been made available to me ahead of season start. I agree that Ahavah Farm has the right to adjust the delivery dates and schedules throughout the season with the full expectation that there be considerable notification ahead of time to allow for members to adjust their schedules as well (an example of this would be an emergency on the farm, weather interruptions or anything that could hinder the harvest and delivery of the crop).
COMMUNICATION
I understand that all OFFICIAL communication and notices must come through e-mail and that I will not use Facebook messenger, texting or voicemails as official communication (these are fine to use if not urgent, but they are not trackable and therefore we request that they not be used and will not be accepted as OFFICIAL communication). I understand that as a member, I am requested (not obligated) to join the Facebook Community Group: “Ahavah Farm Community Group.” I understand that all notifications, changes, updates, rules, exclusions, times, instructions and everything related to the program will be
thoroughly communicated to me through the use of: E-mail, Ahavah Farm Community Group on Facebook and in person (pre-season meetings). I am responsible for receiving these communications and for monitoring changes.
PAYMENT
I also agree that my CSA subscription must be paid in full prior to the first delivery (exceptions for SNAP, Donated shares, and Payment Plan members), is non-refundable and if the full amount is not paid prior to the first delivery my account may be suspended or cancelled. I also understand that if I use a Credit Card to process my order, or if I use another form of electronic payment (i.e Paypal or Square) there is a 3% fee included in the price of subscription. When paying with cash or check, please deduct this 3% when sending in your payment or we will utilize this extra 3% as a donation to Ahavah Community Initiative.
By Paying for my share I attest that I have read and understand the terms of the program and am excited to be a part of a community centered around the common purpose of community, sustainability and purity!
COMMUNICATION
All communication for changes, holds, requests etc. MUST come through offical E-MAIL and not through phone calls, Social Media, or even through Farm staff.
The following are the contact emails you may need:
AHAVAH FARM MAIN CONTACT: contact@ahavahfarm.com - this is the main contact for all CSA communication or general business inquiries.
AHAVAH COMMUNITY INITIATIVE MAIN CONTACT: aci@ahavahcommunity.org - this is the main contact for all Ahavah Community Initiative communication or general business inquiries, donations and volunteering.
AHAVAH FARM NURSERY MAIN CONTACT: nursery@ahavahfarm.com - this is the main contact for all nursery and seedling communication or general nursery-related business inquiries.
Follow updates, announcements, news and memes on our social media pages:
Ahavah Farm
https://www.facebook.com/ahavahfarm https://www.instagram.com/ahavahfarm/ Ahavah Community Initiative
https://www.facebook.com/AhavahCommunityInitiative https://www.instagram.com/ahavahcommunityinitiative/
Ahavah Farm Nursery https://www.facebook.com/ahavahfarmnursery
Our Hashtags
GET YOUR SHARE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!
Door to door deliveries are available for a fee ONLY between the Denver and Colorado Springs areas highlighted in grey on the map to the right. Sorry, but we are not able to deliver outside of that area.
Signing up is easy.
1. Log in to your dashboard at www.ahavahfarm.com
2. Next, click on "CSA- Delivery Signup" to see door to door delivery options.
3. All door to door delivery purchases must be made no later than Tuesday afternoon at 5pm, the week of delivery.
HOLDS, CREDITS and DOUBLE SHARES
One of the things that makes our CSA special is that we offer you to place a
"HOLD" and to receive a "CREDIT" for a "DOUBLE SHARE." Follow these steps if you are going on vacation or taking a week off from CSA.
1. Email your request to place a hold to contact@ahavahfarm.com NO LATER THAN MIDNIGHT ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE THE HOLD. This lets us know not to harvest as much that week.
2. Enjoy your vacation (or other reason for taking the week off).
3. When you are ready for your "DOUBLE SHARE" you must e-mail contact@ahavahfarm.com to place your request NO LATER THAN MIDNIGHT ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE YOU WANT TO RECIEVE THE DOUBLE. This lets us know we need to harvest a little more that week.
4. Enjoy your double share.
NOTES and RESTRICTIONS: If you request a double share, there is a possibility that we may request a different week due to one reason or another. Double-shares are USE-IT or LOSE-IT if you are not an auto renewal member. They ONLY roll over to a new season if you are signed up for our auto renewal program.
Please note that there is a maximum of 1 credit to be used per week (no triple shares).
CSA PICKUP LOCATIONS AND TIMES**
Times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
**Please be aware that it is your responsibility to check the weekly packing list for updated information and changes at www.ahavahfarm.com/blog
North Colorado Springs/Monument @ Colorado Mountain Brewery
- 1110 Interquest Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
- THURSDAYS
- 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Go to https://cmbrew.com to learn more about this location.
Denver @ Jewish Community Center
We are inside for most (if not all) of the winter season. From South Dahlia Street, turn left then go to the end to park and go inside. We will let you know if we move back outside.
- 350 S. Dahlia St, Denver CO 80246
- THURSDAYS
- 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Colorado Springs @ Ranch Foods Direct
We are inside for most (if not all) of the winter season. Please park and go inside the warehouse part of the building, it's the door to the right of the main one.
- 4635 Town Center Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916
- FRIDAYS
- 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM (All)
- 2:31 PM to 6:00 PM (Traditional style pickup inside main entry)
- Go to www.ranchfoodsdirect.com to learn more about this location.
Peyton @ Ahavah farm
We are inside for most (if not all) of the winter season. Please park and go inside the blue barn (watch for signs as we are working to create a place closer to the front parking area).
- 7545 N. Log Rd., Peyton, CO 80831
- FRIDAYS
- 1o:00 AM to 11:00 AM
🥕EXTRA VEGGIES and PLANTS FOR SALE🌻
Please be sure to check out the extras table, available for all members and even NON-MEMBERS!
Simply come to any of the CSA locations on Thursday and Friday and pick up some of our beyond-organic veggies for sale!
DON'T FORGET: SNAP PARTICIPANTS ALWAYS RECEIVE 50% OFF!!
Food bearing plants also qualify for SNAP !!!
For Payment: Cash or Check at the drops or the balance can be sent via PayPal to contact@ahavahfarm.com or via Venmo to 719-233-7828
CSA/Veggie Share OR Microgreen Share REFERAL PROGRAM!
Refer a friend to Ahavah Farm's CSA OR to Ahavah Farm Nursery's microgreen CSA and you BOTH will receive $35 in credit to use ANYTIME you want! Use to buy extra vegetables, or take $35 off your next CSA purchase - your credit will never expire!
New members simply send an e-mail to contact@ahavahfarm.com to let us know who referred you and you BOTH receive your $35 certificate! It's that easy!😁
ARE YOU PLANNING A GARDEN IN 2022!? Pre-order your seedlings and have them when YOU are ready (you can even have them delivered!)!!
Place your Ahavah Farm Nursery orders (up to April 15th of 2022) and CURRENT MEMBERS get 10% OFF when you order using code: NURSERY10 (All caps no spaces)
Browse our incredible selection of Organic, Heirloom varieties now at ahavahfarm.com/nursery
Questions? Email us directly at Nursery@ahavahfarm.com We can't wait to help you plan your 2022 Garden!!!!
#AhavahFarmNursery #nurserylife #garden2022 #seedlings #gardening #organic #heirloom #AhavahMeansLove
We've added 13 brand new items to our catalog this year! We now have two types of beans, sugar peas, different types of mint, calendula, echinacea, and we will even have some specific things available at the drops and at our Nursery store (when it opens) that aren't available on the website like Aloe, Golden toothed Aloe, Jade, Mother of Thousands, and Spider plants!
Yes, you read that correctly... we're working on opening a Nursery Garden Center store - OPEN IN MAY! More announcements to come!
✨AHAVAH FARM NURSERY & GARDEN CENTER GRAND OPENING IS MAY 2ND!✨
We are getting so excited about our opening of the Ahavah Farm Nusery & Garden Center! Inventory is starting to move in as we start to build out our space and prepare for May 2nd, our Grand Opening! We will have the purest, locally grown plant starts (the majority are heirloom crops and they are all successful to our area, started from seed - all Organic with no fertilizers or chemicals of any kind!). We will also have planter boxes, pots, soil and other items available. Come check us out and support us as we start small and aim for a bright future of supporting our Calhan, Peyton, Falcon communities!
Our May 2nd Grand Opening will be from 9am to 3pm and all items will be a whopping 20% off for the day only! Don't miss it!
Come to 7545 Log Rd, in Peyton CO 80831 and get your garden started and save 20%!
Microgreen CSA Shares Available!
Love our microgreens!? Receive 3 types of microgreens
every week of the year and save 17% every single week!
Sign up anytime, cancle anytime. You pay one week in advance of receiving them, so if you cancle you will still receive them for one more week.
Our microgreens are fresh and will last - unlike anything you can find in the store. We pride ourselves on our microgreen quality as being not only absolutely pure - grown without chemicals, fertilizers or inefficient energy (we grow with 100% solar, renewable energy!), but they are absolutely beautiful, long-lasting and delicious! We really can't rave enough, they are THAT good! (Packaged in a 100% plant-based, commercially compostable container)
WHAT'S IN A SHARE? You will receive a combination of 3 microgreens every week with the option to purchase extras when available. Every week we will be growing a mixture of microgreens and you will receive 3 selections of the following: Sunflower Shoots, Pea Shoots, Radish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Basil, Cilantro, Lettuce, Brocolli and more.
Pickup locations and times are the same as Ahavah Farm Veggie Share CSA but you do not have to be a veggie-share member to be a microgreen CSA member!
Already getting delivery? We can add your microgreen share to your CSA delivery without extra delivery charge!
Go to https://www.ahavahfarm.com/microgreen-csa to learn more and to sign up!
Whether it is tours, kids classes, major events, educational outreach, donations or adult classes, our goal is to SERVE.
Founded in April of 2018, our mission is to connect people who are facing food insecurity due to financial struggles to locally-farmed, regeneratively-grown produce, and to provide education centered around healthy living and environmental consciousness.
We do this by offering donated memberships to a local CSA program and more. Memberships include a weekly bag of produce along with discounted (often free) farm tours, classes, and events.
Ahavah Community Initiative is a one-of-a-kind, very special non-profit organization that serves our community in a unique and wholesome way. We believe in this mission so much that all board members (including the Camire family) donate personally to it. Do you believe in this organization too? Please, if you do, consider donating if you have the ability...
Interested in making a tax-deductible donation to ACI? Ahavah Community Initiative is registered as a 501c3 with the State of Colorado as a non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.
Since 2018 we have ...(updated as of 3/21/2022)...
A TOTAL OF OVER $226,000.00 OF FOOD DONATED TO OUR COMMUNITY!!!
Donated over 220 CSA memberships to families in need! - A value of over $100,000.00 of free food - OVER 3,300 weekly BAGS of veggies😮!
Facilitated the donation of 98 Double Up Food Buck Grants valued at over $26,000.00 of free food!
Donated 400 plants to families in need, so they can grow their own gardens!
Taught 49 full-length classes on regenerative and biological agriculture, fermentation, environmental classes, nursery classes and children's classes..
Attended 54 outreach events to spread regenerative agriculture education to our community including school events, speaking engagements and markets.
Have provided 35 educational tours.
Hosted 6 large public events.
Hosted 5 regenerative farming interns.
In addition, Ahavah Farm (aside from ACI) has donated an additional $100,000+ worth of free food to numerous outlets and families in our local community.
Want to get involved with either ACI or as a volunteer on the farm? E-mail us to let us know. We are always looking for volunteers and we would love for you to join the party!
NEW - Farmer's Market
Mark your calendars for Friday May 6th from 9am to 12pm and every Friday after that until the Fall! We will be hosting the Ahavah Farm Farmer's Market during our current CSA drop with lot's of local vendors, classes, tours and activities. Our current lineup of vendors include vegetables, eggs, meat, baked goods, cosmetics, wood working, crafts, children's activities and so much more!
We are so excited about our current line-up of vendors, but we are still seeking more!
If you are a local vendor and are interested in attending our FREE farmer's market, please reach out directly at contact@ahavahfarm.com and we will send you information and the vendor agreement.
Volunteering
How much is that heirloom, beyond-organic, no-till, regenerative, bio-dynamically grown tomato worth anyway? The truth is, that the real cost of growing a single 8oz tomato is approximately $8.00. What do we charge? We charge $2.75 for that same one. That's not all. The lettuce that we charge $4.00 for is really...wait for it...$10.15 per 4oz serving!!!
So, how do we keep our prices low? Well, for starters we barely pay ourselves...but that's a different matter. It's because of the volunteers! YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Look, we all want the purest, most nutritionally-dense food on the planet...and it should be free! However, we can't have a revolution without revolutionaries! That's where you come in! We need to vote with our dollar, we need to support local, organic, regenerative food - to do that we either need to pay OUT THE NOSE for it, or we can make a small impact and volunteer. The only way we can provide this amazing produce is by you, the community!
Not only that...but volunteering is FUN! Seriously, almost every employee we have was hired through volunteering first and it's because they loved it so much they wanted to stay forever!
Plus, we've written professional position descriptions for our volunteers to use to help with resumes, school applications, proof of civic engagement, and other purposes. Want to get your hands dirty and come for solace, peace, and quiet? You can do that! We need people to pull weeds (Position Title: Volunteer Gardeners). There are so many things to do to help out with, it doesn't matter your skill or your physical strength. Packing bags, weeding, planting, pickup setup and tear down, events, classes ...I could go on and on and on. This is a COMMUNITY SUPPORTED FARM - it's YOUR farm. Own it! 😁 - oh, and did I mention that all your mileage, clothing, tools and time are expenses for taxes? That's right - they even allow you to write off up to $18.00/hr for volunteering. Crazy-sauce! CLICK HERE to learn more.
BRING-A-BUCK!
Oh the amazing power of community and crowdfunding!
Every week, at all of the CSA locations, we have a bin or jar that looks similar to this. We ask all of our members to consider bringing just one dollar with them every week to help us provide a CSA membership to a families in need next season.
Don't say your dollar isn't important! The only way crowdfunding works is if we all participate. Your $1 is vitally important and it is directly through this program that we raise the majority of ACI's food donation funds than any other fundraising program, and yet it is the absolute easiest for all of our members to participate!
During the Fall season, your Bring-A-Buck dollars allowed us to donate Fall CSA shares to 9 families facing food insecurity and to offer subsidized shares to 6 struggling families. That means 15 families got farm fresh veggies every week for the 14 week Fall season thanks to you! Our goal for this season is even higher!
CLASSES & EVENTS
Brought to you by ACI (Ahavah Community Initiative)
OUR FIRST TOUR OF THE YEAR - MARCH 18TH
Want to see the farm, meet the team, learn how we grow? Come on March 18th for our first tour of the season and see it all!
The tour will last a good hour or more and you will meet the team and can ask any questions you'd like. We do this once per month, so if you can't come this week, the next one will be Friday, April 22nd.
Register at www.ahavahfarm.com/classes and be sure to checkout the rest of the classes - there's a ton going on!
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Ahavah Farm & Ahavah Community Initiative UPCOMING Schedule
👉March 18th @ 10am: Tour
👉March 21st @ 6pm: Preseason meeting.
👉March 27th @ 10am: KIDS CLASS! STORYTIME & Activity
👉April 1st @ 10am: Class #2 of 4 - Full Season Garden Class.
👉April 22nd @ 10am: KIDS CLASS! STORYTIME & Activity
👉May 2nd @ 10am: Ahavah Farm Nursery & Garden Center Grand Opening! (please note the correction in dates)
👉May 6th @ 10am: Class #3 of 4 - Full Season Garden Class.
👉May 6th @ 9am: Farmer's Market Begins (Through September)
Ahavah Means Love.
We aim to BE love to our community. We aren't perfect, but we strive, and we hope you will too!
DID YOU KNOW that "Ahavah" means "Love" in Hebrew?
As most of you know, the name of our farm, "Ahavah," means "Love," but that's the English translation. So what does "Ahavah" actually mean and why did we name our farm this?
For many of us, when we say, "Ahavah means love" (which we say a lot), the idea that some conjure up immediately is an emotional, lovey-dovey, warm and fuzzy feeling of affection - and we get this reaction all the time: "Oh, that's so nice," we often hear, and I can immediately see in their heads that they are "feeling" the word, as opposed to "visualizing" the word and it's intended meaning.
So what is the intended meaning? The HEBREW word "Ahavah" or 'love" means "to serve, to be kind and to give." This is the literal meaning of the word for love and it is broken up in the following manner: the word "ahav" literally means "to give" while the word "ahavah" literally means "I give." Imagine for a moment that when you kissed your children goodnight, or share a moment with your spouse, or tell a friend "I love you" that what you really meant was "I give of myself to you and will sacrifice my life for yours." This is the true meaning behind what the word Ahavah means and what Ahavah Farm stands for. When we say, "Ahavah Farm" what we really mean is "Giving of Ourselves Farm" but that just doesn't have the same ring to it 🙂 .
As Jews, our family is called first and foremost to "be ahavah": givers of ourselves. To be kind, to be generous, to be uplifting and encouraging, to serve others, to make a difference in people's lives, to be stewards of our earth and to our environment. If this is our family's mission, shouldn't it be the mission of everything in our lives as well ...even this farm?
We believe that nothing is ours, not even our own bodies, our time or our money...not even this farm 🙂! We believe that the earth was lent to us by an awesome Creator and it doesn't belong to us as individuals to do with it as we please. It is not my right to mine our land destructively for resources, litter our land, waste our resources or squander our health. It is not my right to treat animals without care, love and compassion. In fact, did you know that we (Jews) are required, in the Torah (the Bible) to feed our animals before we feed ourselves? This is the level of service and responsibility we are called to and it is a message that we try to drive home to our children on a daily basis: Kindness and sacrificial love, "Ahavah," is the most important thing in life!There is a concept in Judaism called "Tikkun Olam": Repairing the world.
It's a concept that shouldn't just be for us, but for all of humanity - whether you believe in a higher power or not. It's not just about the earth itself, though this is a huge part of it. It's about repairing our communities, our environment and our souls and relationships. To not just have a "feeling" towards these things, but to live them out in action, every single day and with every decision of our lives.
So if you say that you "love" something, then you have just called yourself to action: to DO something for and about it - for to love something is to give yourself to it.
THIS is what our farm is called to. THIS is what our family is called to. THIS is what every member of our amazing farm crew and team are called to. WE are called to bring kindness, sacrifice, service and giving to our world, to our communities, to our earth and to our own bodies and health - it's the meaning and purpose of life: to serve and to love in a real and tangible way. This is the real meaning of the name "Ahavah Farm" and we are very proud of that mission and we hope you are too!
⚠ We need your bags (PLEASE🙏) !!
Thank you everyone for recycling your LARGE bags with us (thank you, but we do not need the small ones, only the large ones)! When we receive your bags we immediately quarantine them for 2 weeks before reusing them to ensure they are safe of any yuckies. Thank you for bringing them and others you may have!
COMPOST
Be a part of our ZERO-WASTE mission here at Ahavah Farm and bring us your compost!
PLEASE REMEMBER - NO PLASTIC BAGS.
Want more information? CLICK HERE. Thank you to those who have been bringing their compost! We are excited to help you to become Waste Free!
Our Pledge to You
Ahavah Farm is a Values-Centered-Farm and This is Our Pledge to You!
Farming is so much more than just growing calories. For us, it's about growing absolutely pure. About repairing our earth and caring for our resources. It is about putting love into our food, our employees, our animals and our community. Take a few minutes to read our public pledge here:
✔ We pledge to never compromise on the purity of our food. This includes the use of any chemicals or anything synthetic (even if it is certified “Organic”). ✔ We pledge to use microbiology, composts, green manures (plant residue) and other organic matter to build and sustain healthy soils. ✔ We pledge to use beneficial insects to control pests and to increase the bio-diversity on our farm. ✔ We pledge to never use pesticides or fungicides. ✔ We pledge to never use GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms). ✔ We pledge to use only NOP “Organic” certified seeds, our own saved seeds or locally grown seeds from farms that we trust or seeds that we are 100% assured of their growing practices. ✔ We pledge to always be transparent in all of our growing practices. ✔ We pledge that we will utilize pure, regenerative practices and we agree with the phrase: “Just because it is ‘Certified Organic’ doesn’t mean that it is pure.” ✔ We pledge that we will never use antibiotics or hormones on our animals – unless the animal is sick and the only way to save the animal is through these measures (and then we pledge to never sell their eggs). ✔ We pledge that we will only raise heritage breed animals. ✔ We pledge that if we cannot make the fertilizer or other input (feed and more) ourselves, in a sustainable manner, then we will refuse to use it on our crops or give it to our animals. ✔ We pledge to give our animals adequate shelter, water and food and to feed them before we feed ourselves. ✔ We pledge to reduce emissions and to use as many alternative fuels and sources of energy that are renewable and that our financial capabilities will allow. ✔ We pledge to use water conservation methods and to completely avoid inefficient irrigation practices and systems such as flood irrigation. ✔ We pledge to allow our animals to live freely, according to their nature – this includes unethical castration practices, branding, debeaking, declawing etc. ✔ We pledge to strive to be as sustainable and regenerative as we can possibly be within the financial parameters and budget of the farm. ✔ We pledge that we are lovers of the environment and that we will do everything in our power to protect it. ✔ We pledge to raise our animals in a humane and loving manner that allows them to live as free, happy and loved animals. ✔ We Pledge to never till our soil unless there is an extenuating circumstance. ✔ We pledge to be transparent in all of our business practices and marketing. ✔ We pledge to give back to our community by means of education and to always share all that we know. ✔ We pledge that we, our family, will do everything within our ability, to eat local, and to only support local restaurants and stores when available. ✔ We pledge to give back to our community by being a voice for environmental stewardship and the importance of local, sustainable and pure food. ✔ We pledge to use local sources, when available, and when they meet sustainable and purity standards as set forth in this pledge, for all inputs and feed on our farm. ✔ We pledge to partner with other like-minded farmers and to support our farming community and to never judge them for where they are - as long as they are making active strides to improve toward similar goals. ✔ We pledge to continuously improve and to strive to be a greater steward of the earth, supporter of our local community and to never stop learning and increasing our awareness of growing practices that bring health to our community and our planet. ✔ We pledge to give back to the community a percentage of everything that we grow or raise. ✔ We pledge to allow customers to pay-what-they-can-afford and to never turn away a hungry person when within the financial parameters and reasonable ability of the farm and our family. ✔ We pledge to always pay our employees the best we can and to NEVER give ourselves a raise until we give them one first. ✔ We pledge that just because we are not “there” yet, and are not perfect, that we will not settle for the status-quo. ✔ We pledge to never compromise on these values. Ever.✔
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