Consolidated Summary

Main Themes

1. Harvesting & Crop Management: Carrot and bean harvesting, deer damage to crops, and weather impacts (cold, muddy fields).
2. Animal Care: Watering livestock, feeding, and managing pigs, chickens, and meat birds.
3. Farm Infrastructure: Fence maintenance, deer bypassing the fence, and soil compaction issues.
4. Marketing & Sales: Preparing fall shares, holiday bundles (cranberries, parsnips, turkey), and supplier coordination.
5. Weather & Seasonal Challenges: Cold temperatures, deer behavior shifts, and soil conditions affecting field access.

Key Activities

• Harvested carrots and beans in a cold field (40°F).
• Addressed deer damage to beet and carrot tops, noting a shift in deer feeding habits.
• Packaged fall shares and holiday bundles (including refrigerated turkey).
• Watered animals, loaded feed, and maintained the fence to deter deer.
• Monitored soil compaction due to heavy rain and cold weather.

New Observations

• Deer Behavior: Shift from grazing to foliage feeding, risking crop damage.
• Holiday Bundle: Success in scaling production but challenges in inventory management.
• Turkey Storage: Refrigeration capacity is critical during peak demand.
• Soil Issues: Muddy, compacted soil reduces field access and may affect crop recovery.

Future Research Questions

1. How to mitigate deer damage to beet and carrot crops?
2. What fence designs prevent deer from bypassing the fence?
3. How do crops recover from foliage damage?
4. How to optimize holiday bundle production without over/understocking?
5. How to manage refrigerated turkey storage during high demand?

Suggested Actions

1. Improve Fence: Install electrified or reinforced fencing.
2. Monitor Deer: Track feeding patterns to adjust crop protection.
3. Test Soil: Implement aeration or drainage solutions for compaction.
4. Scale Holiday Bundles: Coordinate with suppliers and staff for efficient production.
5. Plan Turkey Storage: Secure refrigeration and contingency plans.

Part 1

Main Themes

1. Shift in Workload: Transition from fall CSA harvesting to supporting the general store, with reduced volume but higher precision.
2. Quality Standards for Produce: Increased attention to detail in scrubbing, polishing, and sorting produce for retail sale.
3. Inventory Management: Systematic tracking of frozen meats, frozen products, and produce for the general store.
4. Certification and Food Safety: Importance of proper certification for food preservation (e.g., pepper jelly) and licensed operations.

Activities the Intern Performed

1. Preparation of Produce:
   • Polished 40 pounds of butternut squash to ensure no smudges.
   • Scrubbed carrots, onions, and beets to remove dirt, ensuring they were spotless for the general store.
   • Sorted onions and garlic by size, selecting the largest and prettiest for the store.
   • Washed and arranged beets into neat bunches.
2. Logistics and Organization:
   • Moved pepper jellies from storage to the van.
   • Weighed and consolidated produce (e.g., 30 pounds of potatoes, 50 heads of garlic) for the store.
3. Inventory Work:
   • Documented USDA-certified meat labels for chickens, noting weight variations.
   • Tallying frozen meats (chickens, pork, sausages, beef) and other frozen items.
   • Collaborated with another person to streamline inventory tasks.

New Things Not Yet Encountered

1. Pepper Jelly Production Process:
   • The intern was unaware of the certification requirements for making jams and jellies, which the person delivering peppers had.
   • The intern had not previously handled or learned about the specifics of food preservation (e.g., sterilization, licensing).
2. Inventory System with Teamwork:
   • The intern noted that working with another person (e.g., Jamie) made inventory tasks faster, a process they hadn’t previously optimized.

Questions and Future Research

1. Certification and Licensing:
   • How does the certification process for food preservation (e.g., jams, jellies) work?
   • What are the long-term implications of relying on certified individuals for food production?
2. Workload and Efficiency:
   • How can the inventory process be further streamlined for larger volumes?
   • What is the impact of shifting from CSA to the general store on the farm’s workflow and labor distribution?
3. Quality Control:
   • What are the exact standards for “retail-ready” produce (e.g., visual appeal, moisture, size)?
   • How does the general store’s demand compare to CSA requirements over time?

Suggested Actions

1. Training on Food Safety:
   • Develop a training module on food preservation, certification, and licensing for farm staff.
2. Optimize Inventory Procedures:
   • Create a standardized inventory checklist for frozen and perishable items to reduce time and errors.
3. Document the Pepper Jelly Process:
   • Record the steps and certifications required for the pepper jelly production to ensure consistency and compliance.
4. Monitor General Store Demand:
   • Track the general store’s seasonal needs to adjust harvesting and processing priorities.
5. Collaborate with the Store Manager:
   • Establish a communication system to align the farm’s output with the store’s expectations.

Part 2

Main Themes

1. Harvesting and Crop Management: Carrot and bean harvesting, deer damage to crops, and the impact of cold weather on field conditions.
2. Animal Care: Watering pigs and chickens, feeding meat birds, and managing livestock growth.
3. Farm Infrastructure: Fence maintenance, dealing with deer bypassing the fence, and soil compaction issues.
4. Marketing and Sales: Preparing fall shares, holiday bundles, and coordinating with external suppliers (e.g., cranberries from a contracted farm).
5. Weather and Seasonal Challenges: Cold temperatures, muddy fields, and seasonal shifts in deer behavior.

Activities Performed by the Intern

1. Harvested 20 bunches of carrots and 30 bunches of beans in a cold (40°F) field.
2. Dealt with deer damage to beet and carrot tops, noting that deer are now targeting these crops instead of lettuces.
3. Packaged a fall share for someone who missed it and a holiday bundle (including cranberries, parsnips, beets, broccoli, squash, eggs, and optionally turkey).
4. Watered pigs and chickens and loaded feed for the next day.
5. Washed harvested beets and carrots, then took a lunch break.
6. Maintained the fence to prevent deer from bypassing it.

New Things Encountered

1. Deer Behavior Shift: Deer are now eating beet tops and carrot tops (instead of lettuces) due to late-season changes.
2. Holiday Bundle Details: The bundle includes cranberries, parsnips, beets, broccoli, squash, eggs, and optionally turkey (to be delivered before Thanksgiving).
3. Turkey Storage: Turkeys are refrigerated (not frozen) and will be stored in the general store’s walk-in, not in chest freezers.
4. Soil Compaction: Cold, muddy ground from precipitation makes it difficult to move water and causes water to stay in the soil.

Questions and Future Research Areas

1. Long-Term Deer Impact: How will deer damage to beet and carrot crops affect future yields?
2. Fence Improvement: What design or materials can prevent deer from bypassing the fence?
3. Cold Weather Crop Resilience: How do crops like beets and carrots recover from foliage damage?
4. Holiday Bundle Logistics: How to scale holiday bundle production without overstocking or understocking?
5. Turkey Storage Planning: How to manage refrigerated turkey storage in the general store during peak holiday demand?

Suggested Actions

1. Improve Fence Design: Install additional barriers or electrified fencing to deter deer from bypassing the fence.
2. Monitor Deer Behavior: Track seasonal shifts in deer feeding habits to adjust crop protection strategies.
3. Test Soil Conditions: Investigate soil compaction solutions (e.g., aeration, drainage) to improve field accessibility.
4. Optimize Holiday Bundle Production: Coordinate with suppliers and staff to ensure timely delivery and proper inventory management.
5. Plan for Turkey Storage: Secure refrigeration capacity in the general store and plan for potential delays during peak holiday periods.