In books, many things trigger flashbacks that are so strong they momentarily consume the character.  There are only a few things that trigger such passionate memories in me that I completely immerse myself in them.  Most often, scent is the trigger. The scent of sawdust brings me right back into my grandfather’s garage, which also served as his wood shop.  He was a carpenter and a careful wood worker and made some of the most beautiful things, none of which I was able to fully appreciate until my adult life.  But I could recognize in some part of my child’s half developed brain the passion and care and love that went into such work. 

Just now I caught the scent of bacon wafting from the kitchen and wandered down a scent-laden reverie of Jason in the kitchen.  The man loves to cook (praise God!).  Like my grandfather’s precise wooden creations, Jason throws all sorts of passion and care into his nightly creations in the kitchen.  Said creations made Lacey cry with joy last week (I’m not exaggerating!).  He can take our raw product out of the field and weaves it into a grand multi-course, melt-in-your-mouth tapestry as if the house elves of Harry Potter magically made it all appear (come to think of it….).  I can appreciate that sort of passion.  My taste buds especially.

Watauga County Farmers' Market

Saturdays 8am-ish to noon, May through October

Downtown Hickory Farmers' Market

Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May through October

Saturdays, 7am to 1pm, May through October

The list we made was too long.  “Unless you’ve got ‘brush your teeth and pet the dog on that list, it’s too long,” Lacey said.  Today’s list was impossibly long.  When there are only two things on my list, it’s impossible to get any of them done.   “Oh, I’ve still got plenty of time,” I say, and do something else. There’s just not enough in it for me to be motivated.  But when my list is impossibly long like today, the glory that comes with crossing everything off that list is poignant.  You are suddenly queen of the mountain, standing on top of everything flexing your muscle Rosie the Riveter style.  Momentous, paramount, powerful, a thing you’ll tell your grandchildren about one day-all because the list was impossibly long. That’s what it feels like to have conquered a too long list.  Was it worth it?  Well, I hate to speak for the rest of the farmily, but yeah, it feels good.  Now to bed…

Our lives here on the farm are dictated by the weather.  The thing about our lives being dictated by the weather is that when it rains it pours.  And then rains again.  And when it rains, we slow our paces, seek shelter or greenhouse jobs, and add to the “as soon as it’s dry enough list.”  It sort of reminds me of a slinky.  Remember those?  By the end of a very soggy last week, our slinky lives had just descended the step, and were slowly, easily, leaning toward the next but rain kept our momentum at bay.  Then, with that startling sudden slinky acceleration like some kid thought it would be funny to give us a push, we got just enough dry sunny days to attack our “as soon as it’s dry enough list” and found ourselves in quite a frenetic whirlwind today.  But I hear thunder again, which means we might find ourselves again in that slow easy lean toward the next acceleration.

The incessant staccato “tut-tut-tut” of the rain as it falls from the long-cluttered gutter above my office window is, today, comforting.  I feel a bit like the desert soil upon a sudden storm, opening my pores to the moisture and releasing a long held breath.  Like the plants in that arid soil-somehow alive but dormant- the rain washes away the poverty of parchedness I was unaware of but that had been holding me back from the normal spring renewal and re-growth.  We drink deep and reawaken ourselves to purpose.  By this time next week, we’ll have grown a foot.  I can already taste the fresh greens of spring, and feel their chlorophyll coursing through my rejuvenated veins.  It’s finally harvest time and the rain has arrived just in time for that burst of growth that accompanies spring.

“No one to blame but myself” always seemed like a nice concept to me.  It’s one of the reasons I cite for wanting to work for myself.  As it turns out though, sometimes it would be nice to have someone else to blame.  At least in theory, that is.  Take this year’s first planting of carrots, for example.  Everyone keeps asking me how this exceptionally warm spring is affecting us.  I keep saying “not too much.”  Other than things in our passive solar greenhouse growing more quickly than planned, we’re pretty much a “plant according to schedule” farm.  So, failing to translate “exceptional warm spring where plants are growing at an exceptionally fast rate” to seed germination in the field, we expected our flame weeding timing was perfect!  Except carrots that normally germinate in 21 days in the spring and 4 days in the summer, didn’t get the memo that it is, indeed, still spring!  And so we, diligent weed control freaks that we are, busted out the flame weeder at the first flush of weeds and, unwittingly, killed our first planting of carrots.  Oops!  Here’s where it might be nice to say something along the lines of “mistakes were made” and forgive the offending parties.  Luckily, though, it is an exceptionally warm spring and carrots are germinating in much less time than normal so it’s not too late to re-seed them for a slightly later crop.  That is the beauty of mistakes being made in the spring—there’s generally lots of room for forgiveness and recovery.

2012 Shares are sold out! Contact us to get on the waiting list for 2013.

A share in the harvest of Tumbling Shoals Farm is a box of the absolute freshest, quality, certified organic fruits and vegetables delivered each week to locations in Hickory or Wilkes County or for pick up here at the farm in Millers Creek.  Shares cost $500 and are delivered from May into September.  That's about $25 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables for 20 weeks! Think it's too much food?  Can't find a neighbor to split it with?  We are offering a very limited number of half shares this year for $300 (get your deposit in early!).

Your weekly share of the farm's produce will contain a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables grown on our farm without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides using only the most sustainable growing practices. An example of a mid to late July full share might be:

•    2 pound tomatoes •    1 pint sungold cherry tomatoes •    8 ears sweet corn •    1 pound potatoes •    1 pound green peppers •    1 pound onions •    1 pint okra •    1 pound green beans •    1 pound cucumbers

Our produce is harvested at the peak of ripeness, flavor and nutritional content. Not only does the food taste better than what you find in the grocery store,  it is better for you and your family.

Each week, we'll also provide you with our favorite seasonal recipes and an email newsletter so you can keep up with the happenings at the farm.  Check out our seasonal availability calendar to get an idea of what to expect.

Low income share support: your can help subsidize a low income share by kicking in an extra $15 with your registration!  That's $15, just once, and it can go a long way toward helping someone less fortunate eat great too.

2012 shares are sold out.  Contact us to get on the waiting list for 2012.

How to sign up:

Download and print our registration form here. 

Complete the form and mail with payment to:

Tumbling Shoals Farm

841 Sand Ridge Road

Millers Creek, NC 28651

If you are unable to download the registration form, contact us and we'll mail you a printed brochure.

Tumbling Shoals Farm

841 Sand Ridge Road

Millers Creek, NC 28651

directions

Dowtown Hickory Farmers' Market

Union Square

Hickory, NC

directions

Wilkesboro

Habitat Re-Store

320 Cothren Street, Wilkesboro

directions

Thurmond

McRitchie Winery and Ciderworks

315 Thurmond PO Drive

Thurmond, NC 28683

directions

Moravian Falls Area

Western Carolina Electric

1203 Woodfield Way

Wilkesboro, NC 28697-9449

directions

Elkin

Twenty One & Main

102 East Main Street

Elkin, NC

2012 shares are sold out, contact us to get on the waiting list for 2013.

What does a share cost?

Harvest Shares are $500 for the entire 20 week season.  That’s $25 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables each week. The share must be paid in full by April 2nd, 2012. A $100 deposit is required to hold your share before that date. We are offering a very limited amount of half shares this year: the total cost for the season for a half share is $300.

What happens if I don't pick up my box?

If you'll be away and can't pick up your box, let us know in advance and we'll issue you a $25 credit ($12.50 for 1/2 shares) which may be used at any time here at the farm, to add to another week's share, or to be spent at farmers market at any time.  If we don't know in advance that you'll be away and you don't pick up your box, we'll donate it to the local food bank.

How much produce will I get each week?
 
$25 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables is based on our market prices. Plus you share in any bumper crop abundance.  This generally includes 6 to 10 items.  If you are a large family eating a primarily vegetarian diet, you might consider ordering more than one full share, and if you are a small family, you may want to consider splitting the share with a friend or neighbor. An example of a mid to late July full share might be:

•    2 pound tomatoes •    1 pint sungold cherry tomatoes •    8 ears sweet corn •    1 pound potatoes •    1 pound green peppers •    1 pound onions •    1 pint okra •    1 pound green beans •    1 pound cucumbers

How many people does this feed?

The Harvest Share will feed two adults with a healthy appetite for vegetables (this does not include vegan adults—vegans might consider purchasing 1 ½ or 2 shares). It will accommodate two adults with a moderate vegetable appetite along with two or so kids.  If you are uncertain about being able to use all the produce, you might find friends to split the share with, either by divvying up the box each week or taking alternate weeks for the entire share, or you can purchase a half share.

Are there half shares available?

Sorry, half shares have been sold out for the 2012 season.

What types of vegetables can I expect to find in my box?

It depends on the season. Check out the harvest calendar to get an idea of what to expect.  The harvest calendar includes our core crops; we also grow many new crops that we’ll throw in for a taste bud tease!

When can I pick up my box?

To find out when your box will be available for pick-up, please see our Locations page.

How can I find directions to my pick-up location?

Please see our Locations page for addresses and directions.

Can I give a gift of membership?

Giving the gift of a CSA Membership to a friend or family member is a wonderful idea. We can provide a custom gift certificate and a packet of information for the recipient. Sign them up!

How does the low income share support work?

By giving an extra $15 (one time) with your registration, you help to subsidize a share for a less fortunate family.  The more members who help, the more low income share we can offer!