A couple of weekends ago, the Messy Blessings family visited Aunt Sue’s Barn, a pick-your-own Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm that uses organic farming practices. (You can read more about CSA here or here.)

Aunt Sue was kind enough to give us a tour so that we could get a feel for the farm and whether or not membership was for us. The kids loved exploring the farm, and Mike and I found the farm’s projects, plans, and practices quite interesting.

We decided to join for the following reasons:

• The opportunity to spend time on the farm harvesting crops will connect us to nature, our food, and the farm’s community of members.

• Participating in the community agriculture experience, by harvesting crops and observing or helping out at the farm, will provide learning opportunities for our family.

• Members have first access to what is produced (at various scheduled times), and the membership fee includes the produce we’ll receive.

• Aunt Sue’s Barn will be growing several varieties of blackberries and raspberries, as well as some peaches and nectarines. Also growing will be seasonal vegetables like garlic, asparagus, onions, multiple types of squash, watermelons, and hyacinth bean vines. Maybe even some apricots and pears. In the fall, there might be pumpkins! Rosemary and lavender are also on site.

• We believe that our membership at Aunt Sue’s Barn will be a nice complement to our own gardening efforts here at home.

• The farm is conveniently located.

Note: For whatever reason, the apostrophe in the post’s title isn’t showing up. 🙁