Cameron Place CSA

A fascinating look at "going back to the farm."

Do you ever long to watch your food grow?   Would you like to dig in the dirt and pick your own ripe vegetables you have nurtured from seeds?  This May, the Lifelong Learning Series @ The Radio Room presents Melanie Ettenger from Community Supported Agriculture speaking about “going back to the farm.”

The Cameron Place Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) provides over 150 families with organically grown fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers across the Grand Valley in Mesa County, Colorado.  They also provide their produce to many local businesses including restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts.

Their  7+ acre garden in Palisade is truly a spectacular setting.  The fields are surrounded by the famous Book Cliffs to the north, the Grand Mesa and Horse Mountain to the east and south respectively, and to the west, the Grand Valley and Grand Junction, one of the fastest growing cities on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.  Traditionally prime peach country, Community Supported Agriculture is the first here in Palisade to supply not only locally-grown organic fruit but also an ever-expanding array of produce to the people of this great valley. They utilize sustainable techniques emphasizing long-term productivity and health of the land and for those who work it and are nourished by its bounty. Their crops are also nourished with compost, flowering cover crops, intense Colorado sunshine and water from the nearby Colorado River.

The farm at the Cameron Place is just a small part of a bigger issue and initiative. The Community Supported Agriculture concept is an international and progressive movement seeking to reduce our carbon footprint, prioritize a healthy lifestyle, and re-establish a locally based sustainable agricultural system.  Their farm offers a space where the community can reconnect with the source of their food and can learn about the processes in which it grows.  Perhaps most importantly, they strive to provide a bridge between the community "at large" and those who grow their food and love doing so "on the farm."

Don’t miss Melanie Ettenger from Community Supported Agriculture at the Lifelong Learning presentation, Wednesday, May 26 in the Radio Room at 7pm.

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