Dear Valued Harmony Valley Farm CSA Members and Customers—
We want to take a moment to reach out to you regarding COVID-19 as it continues to impact everyone in our communities. We have been and will continue to monitor the public health advisories and recommendations as they are put forth by our local, state and federal health agencies. At this time we are continuing to move forward with work activities on our farm with the intention that we will produce vegetables as originally planned for the 2020 growing season. We realize we have a responsibility to supply healthy, nutritious certified organic vegetables to nourish those in our community who rely on us to supply their families with this basic human need. Now, more than ever, we believe it is important to fuel our bodies with vital foods that will support our immune systems and our minds so we can stay healthy, keep perspective and make wise decisions as we navigate an uncertain future.
One of the top priorities we have at present is maintaining the health and well-being of our employees so we may continue our farming operations. At this time we are encouraging our employees to limit their movement within the community to minimize their risk of exposure to COVID-19 or any other illnesses. We will continue to uphold our company policy that any individual who comes in contact with vegetables is healthy and well and any individual showing signs and symptoms of illness is advised to stay home until they are well and it is appropriate for them to return to work. We will continue to support our employees to make sure they have the resources they need to care of themselves and their families. While we typically welcome visitors to our farm, at this time we feel it is in the best interest of our employees to restrict outside visitors on our farm in an effort to limit the potential that COVID-19 or any other communicable disease be introduced to our farm and workers.
Given the nature of our business, we have been developing and implementing food safety practices on our farm for over twenty years, including voluntary food safety audits. We value the guidance and knowledge we have received from our food safety inspectors and advisors over the years. We are also required to follow the regulations laid out by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and in August 2019 we were inspected by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. We have worked very hard to develop a “Culture of Cleanliness” and every year we invest time and resources in annual food safety trainings with all of our employees so we can review basic food safety guidelines as well as help them understand how their day-to-day practices at work impact the safety of our food and the well-being of our customers. This “Culture of Cleanliness” does not only mean we like to have a neat and organized farm, it also means we develop a set of eyes that help us evaluate every situation to see any potential food safety and human health risks that may exist so we can then take action to minimize and eliminate those risks. One of the most important and basic trainings we provide every single year is how to properly wash our hands. Our hands are one of the most important tools we use every day and our employees understand not only the importance of when to wash their hands, but also the proper method for effective handwashing. We will continue to implement and provide accountability for proper handwashing on our farm, both for employees working within our facilities as well as in the field. We will continue to clean and sanitize our facilities and equipment following the standard operating procedures we have in place and follow every day. We are also taking additional precautions to clean and sanitize common surfaces more frequently including door handles, light switches, door openers, etc. As this situation continues to unfold we will continue to assess our role in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and will take additional measures as needed to ensure the safety of our products, employees and customers.
At this time we plan to execute the 2020 CSA delivery season as originally scheduled. We are actively growing transplants in our greenhouses and hope to plant them in the field, weather willing, starting in early April. We still have plenty of shares available for this season and encourage you to
sign up as soon as possible
to help us plan and plant accordingly. We believe we are in a good position to supply nutritious food to our CSA families while minimizing contact with others and without any need for exchange of money at the delivery locations. We will continue to offer a variety of payment plans and options. If you have a financial need beyond our regular offerings, please contact us directly. We are willing to work with you to make arrangements that will work for both sides and still allow you to have access to healthy vegetables. We do realize we may need to make changes to some of our usual procedures in an effort to add additional precautionary measures in response to public health concerns related to COVID-19. We have already started reviewing our systems, procedures, etc and will keep you informed of any updates or changes that may impact CSA deliveries.
We value the opportunity to grow food for our community and appreciate your continued support of our farm. Please remember the value of being part of a CSA community goes well beyond the food contained within a CSA box. We are here to support each other and enjoy the benefits of a direct, transparent relationship. Please reach out to us with any additional questions or concerns you may have.
In closing, we hope you are able to remain healthy and well. While it may be frustrating to have the rhythms of your normal life interrupted, this may also be a time to slow down and spend more time with those closest to you. Take the time to prepare and eat meals together and if you are able, don’t forget to spend some time in nature. Open a few windows so you can feel the breeze. Step outside from time to time and enjoy the sunshine on your face. Breathe some fresh air and remember spring is a time of renewal.
