MU Student Gardens CSA

I am going to be keeping a blog on this project so comments can be posted as way to facilitate with communication. If people would post comments on the blog instead of email it would help all to see exactly where we are. It is Chasing-Sustainable-Farming at blogspot.

I will be meeting with Dr. Spain on Friday to help us with getting some more students involved. Mary, are we still on for the pizza party tonight? Or do we need to reschedule?

We are still working on our paper for Entrepreneurship class, didn’t quite make our goal, but we are trying. I will be getting some demographic data from Dr. Martz tomorrow (Wednesday). Hopefully that will help, or at least give us a place to start. He has given me some names of people that I need to contact. I will get that done hopefully before this Friday. Sally is working on the production potential capability problem so I can focus on the rest of the feasibility study.

On a different track, I read an article from Ron Macher in Baker Creek Seeds about how he was growing corn with green manure of winter rye and vetch and achieving spectacular results. 2 pounds of seed per ear and two full ears per stalk, if I recall correctly. I would like an introduction to meet him, can anyone help facilitate this introduction? If so, I think his personal research would make a great addition to this project on a sweet corn patch, if we are allowed a patch. A way to grow corn without the chemical N input.

I have bought 4 books and they are filled with so much information that they are truly great books. They are:

Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture, Revised and Expanded

Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses

The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)

Rebirth of the Small Family Farm: A Handbook for Starting a Successful Organic Farm Based on the Community Supported Agriculture Concept

The last two are going to be particularly helpful to Sally, and Tim Reinbott. They are more on management of the plant capability, etc. I am speeding my way through the third one which is by Eliot Coleman. It is amazing the amount of useful information he has put in one book.

We also want to fill out the application for MU's 4th Annual New Venture Idea Competition and that needs to be turned in on Friday by 5 p.m. Lots of work not much time.

I need to keep moving,

Andrew Van Engelenhoven

University of Missouri Student Gardens CSA

I just thought I would drop a line on what is going on in regards to the Student Gardens/CSA. We are working on the CSA in my Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship class. We have finished our one pager on our proposed venture model (grade still pending). Our group is planning to have our progress report on our venture plan development – the 'company description' of this CSA in this Friday before Homecoming. That will be one week early before the deadline!

I am hoping to talk with individuals this week and get some specifics on feasibility study issues that need to be worked out.

Does anyone who receives this email, know of anyone else that should be added? If so, please let me know.

My goal is to try to give a once a week update, just to keep the emails to a minimum.