Its all about Community

Beginning our 7^th year with our Fiber CSA in 2014

We have realized our Fiber CSA is all about the people.  Sally, one of our funding members, says she and many of our CSA members believe what we are doing is important and want to help us be sustainable.  We appreciate each individual involved, each in their own way…with different desires and different skills and abilities.   We value flexibility and appreciate people’s desire to support the sustainability of A Wrinkle in Thyme Farm.

In the book, Small Farms are Real Farms, by John Ikerd a chapter is devoted to perceptions vs realities.  The author says, “Successful small farmers pursue a fundamentally different approach to farming than do big farmers.  They reduce their reliance on purchased inputs …They focus on creating value, as well as reducing costs. “  They build relationships with their customers.  As a result they can achieve sustainability. Sustainable farming is about stewardship.  It is about the pursuit of happiness, family, neighbors, and belonging…having a sense of purpose and meaning.  

In the beginning we thought our Fiber CSA  http://www.awrinkleinthymefarm.com/education/fibercsa.html was about the animals and the wool. (Everyone seems to enjoy petting the sheep and meeting Bubba, the gentle draft horse.) We appreciate a nucleus of strong supporters who love coming to the farm, nurturing our animals and knitting farm yarns.   Each has something important to offer: time, creative energy, color awareness, and more. People love seeing the sheep in the barn or the pasture, and the lambs in the spring.  Each and every lamb is named, cuddled, and nurtured to be a friendly part of the farm.

We began our CSA by offering 10 shares, and exceeded the goal in the first year.  Fiber availability is limited by the sheep we have and we always want  to be sure that everyone got a full share of fiber from our own animals.  Since then we have grown to over 40  members.  It is a little hard to count as some members purchase more than one CSA in a year, and others may take than a year to choose their entire share.

When you become a member of our CSA your  share is available to you as you choose. We encourage you to visit the farm to see and feel the choices available if you can. When you visit you may even choose the animal in the field that you want your fiber to come from. If you can not visit we will work with you by sending pictures of the sheep and samples of the fiber according to how you would like to use it to spin, crochet,  knit, or weave.  We also can include a bottle of maple syrup or a pound of Maple Sausage in your share.

There is a core group of knitters that comes to knit each week. CSA members who who are part of this group often immediately renew their shares each time they are used up.  These same people pitch in when they see that help is needed offering to help as mentors, teaching, promoting, advertising and sharing.  

 I think there are as many ways to be involved as there are people.  We are trying to work out ways to incorporate everyone’s skills in a time frame that works for all of us.

Not everyone can come to the farm.  Some order a CSA Share through our Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/FiberThyme

One Michigan spinner chose a sheep from a picture.  We sent him a sample of the fiber for color and feel.  After he received the roving CSA share he sent a gracious letter of appreciation. One member who likes to felt lives in New York City, and once or twice a year sends words of  appreciation and orders hand dyed felting wool or gifts for friends.

You will literally feel warm and fuzzy when you knit A Wrinkle in Thyme  farm yarn into a scarf, mittens, socks or sweater.  (Farm yarn is created with fiber from our own animals.) The dollars you have invested in our diversified farm will help us provide the best possible care we can give to our  sheep, lambs, and draft horse.