Don´t forget to Renew before the New Year!

Greetings from Spain!  I am visiting with my wife´s family for the holidays and taking my first vacation in the last couple of years.  When people talk about their European vacations you generally hear about the historic landmarks, the culture and customs or the food.  While there is plenty to say about all of these topics, I am, as always, fixated on the agriculture here.  I visited Peñafiel castle yesterday: a thousand year old fortress perched atop the narrow ridge of a tall and rocky hill.  From the very top tower of this medieval keep I was able to look out on a landscape completely dominated by agriculture not only in the geographic sense but also dominating the  culture and economy.  I beheld a patchwork of fields in various stages of grain production.  Vineyards and wineries were spread throughout the landscape.  In each villages almost every house had its own garden for growing fruit and vegetables; a habit that is too wide spread and too practical to be called a hobby.  Although I´m sure that a thousand years ago the view from the top of Peñafiel castle didn´t include the wine museum, tractor trailers zipping down modern highways or electric street lights, still the agrarian vista filled me with a sense of timelessness.  Agriculture is still relevant in every household here and even the most hardened urbanites are aware of its significance in their daily lives.  In addition to absorbing chorizo at an alarming rate, I also intend to absorb a little bit of the local farming knowledge while I´m here.

Many of you have all ready renewed your CSA membership for the 2016 season.  For those of you who have not yet renewed but are planning on it, please be aware of the approaching renewal deadline!  We will be wrapping up Appleton CSA renewals by the New Year.  We will make an effort to contact our lapsing members after Jan. 1st as a final reminder but we will begin offering CSA membership to our wait list by Jan. 15th!  If you have not received renewal information via email at this point please contact Susan Ferreira in the office at 978.356.1655 or email her at Appletonfarms@thetrustees.org.  Please also contact us if you have any questions, concerns or special needs regarding your renewal.  Thank you for your support and we hope to see you in the New Year.
Ryan