Dear CSA Members and Prospective Members,

We are full this season, 2008,for vegetable and egg shares.

Welcome to the 2008 growing season! We are very excited to embark on our 5 th year and all of the new experiences it has to offer. We are and continue to be a locally owned, family run farm that practices sustainable and organic farming methods. We are proud to announce that this year we are embarking on the 1 st year in a 3 year process to become Certified Organic.

Thank you so much to our past and future members for making this CSA possible. Your dedication keeps us energized and it is uplifting to know that so many of you are committed to keeping your food dollars local and providing fair wages for farmers and workers. Together we are contributing to a healthier environment by having your food grown just miles away rather than hundreds of miles away and we are reducing the amounts chemicals in the ground and in our environment.

Thank you to everyone who completed the end of the season survey. We find them extremely helpful in guiding our production. Each year we hope to improve our CSA and this would not be possible without your input. We will also continue to provide the weekly newsletter that we started last year, as well as our website.

In addition, we wanted to remind everyone that we are a member of the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC). Beyond the support that MACSAC provides to farmers, it is also teamed up with Insurance companies to provide annual rebates from $50 or $200 to its insurance members for eating fresh, local produce from MACSAC farmers. Last year, Physicians Plus was the only participating insurance company, but there are 4 companies participating this year. Please take advantage of this rebate. To do so, go to http://www.macsac.org/rebates.html and follow the instructions for your specific insurance. If you do not see your insurance company, please ask your health care provider if they offer similar rebates or special offers for CSA memberships.

Sprouting Acres will be accepting approximately 40 members this year. Shares are on a “first come, first served” basis with your 1 st payment holding your spot. We also keep a waiting list when we become full. Those on the waiting list receive the beginning of the season letter and sign up at the same time as past members. Each year we have a handful of amazing work shares, but we would really love to have more and need more work shares. Work shares receive a weekly box of produce in exchange for 3 hours a week for getting your hands dirty on the farm. Work hours can be split up into 2 times slots if necessary.

Here are the details for this year's share:

• Vegetable Share: $455.00 for 22 weeks (May 29th-Oct. 30 th )

• Flower Share: $110 for 12 weeks (mid June to late Sept.), 10 shares available only

• Chicken Egg Share: $27.50 for 22 weeks, ½ dozen per week, more if available

• Duck Egg Share: $44.00 for 22 weeks. ½ dozen per week

• Roaster Chickens: for details, please contact Jessie at jjstevens@hughes.net

• There will be 2 main residential pick-up locations every Thursday and our business drop-offs from last year will remain the same. CSA shares can also be picked up at the farm after 2:00 pm on Thursdays. The East side pick-up is located at 18 South First Street anytime after 3:45 pm. The West side drop off is located at 3414 Dorchester Way anytime after 3:00 pm. This pick-up system has been created to increase efficiency and reduce fuel costs. Please remember to pick up your produce the day of delivery.

• CSA payments can be made in 3 installments. Checks should be made out to SPROUTING ACRES for Vegetable and Flower Shares. For Egg Shares, please make check out to Jessie Stevens . Checks can be mailed together.

• March 13 th : 1/3 of payment to hold your share

• April 10 th : 1/3 of payment due

• May 8 th : final 1/3 of payment due

• Any early payments would be greatly appreciated. The beginning of the season can often be tight, mostly due to seed orders and season extending equipment.

Each year we host a farm visit and party and we will be having one again this year. It is a great opportunity to have our members experience the farm, taste wonderful farm fresh food and take some extra vegetables home. We look forward to this event every year because we enjoy getting to know all of you. We'd also like invite the members to come help out and visit the farm a few times this summer. Transplanting, mulching, and harvesting would be a wonderful way for you to experience the farm and get to know other members. As the season progresses, we'll keep you posted on farm visit dates.

We will continue to be at the Eastside Market on Ingersoll St. just off the bike path on Tuesdays from 4:00pm-7:00 pm. In addition, we will be at the Downtown Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 7:00am- 2:00pm. Since it is our second year there, we do not have a black out period so you should be able to find us there weekly. We love to see our members at the markets, so stop by to check out the market and chat. New members don't get permanent spots for several years so you'll just have to look for us, usually between Martin Luther King Blvd. and East Washington Avenue .

We hope that you are all as excited as we are about this growing season. We're looking forward to growing and providing you beautiful, healthy produce and flowers.

Thank you so much for your interest and support!

The Sprouting Acres Crew

2008 Sprouting Acres CSA Membership Form

• Please fill out the form below and mail in with your 1 st payment by March 13 th .

• Please make checks for Vegetable and Flower Share Payments payable to Sprouting Acres and Egg Share checks payable to Jessie Stevens .

• Return this form to: 116 N. Morris St .

Stoughton , WI 53589

• Payment Dates: 1/3 payment installments due March 13 h , April 10 th , and May 8 th

• Please contact us with any other questions: 608-469-2319 or andy@macwatson.net

Andy Watson 116 N.Morris St. Stoughton , Wisconsin 53589 (608) 469-2319 www.sproutingacres.com