Thursday, May 20, 2010

New Protocol for Produce Stand

Hi Team,

I just wanted to update you on a few things regarding Produce Stand paperwork.

1) We no longer need to weigh or count ALBA produce before the stand opens. However, Farm and Garden produce still needs to weighed and counted beforehand and recorded on their respective invoices.

2) All produce still needs to weighed at the end of the day and recorded on the disposition sheet.

3) Please write out the amount in weight or count of each item on the receipts in addition to the prices.

4)Please continue to write up transfer sheets for all "transferable produce." The produce we "carryover" from the Friday stand to the Tuesday stand and vice versa is technically being transferred from one account to another. We need to have paperwork recording these "transactions."

5) Things that can be carried over (aka not transferred to catering) include all citrus, avocados, broccoli, green cabbage, and green garlic. Strawberries and salad mix may be carried over if they look very fresh. Otherwise go ahead and transfer those items to catering (for Fridays).Please use your best judgement. Everything else should be transferred to catering.

6) Please try to stack all our equipment neatly on back on the wheel push cart. All bags leftover bags should go back into the open-top box. The extension outlet should go inside the scale box along with the TI-83 calculator. All flyers should go back into the blue envelope folder which goes into the open-top box with the leftover bags.

7) Greet every customer that comes to the Stand. Ask them if they have any questions, and if they've been the stand before (if you don't recognized them of course). If its their first time or don't seem to know much about the stand, tell them its a mostly student-run organization that sells food grown on campus by students and also fruit from ALBA organics. Encourage them to visit our blog for recipes (stanfordproduce.wordpress.com) and news links about sustainable agricultural issues. Show them the binder of recipes so they can get a sense for what we have on our blog. Provide more information as they ask questions.

8) Please try to increase sales whenever possible. For example, if someone is spending $4, ask them if they'd like to spend over $5 to get 5% off. Similarly, if they're spending around $8 or more, ask them if they'd like to spend over $10 to get 5% off plus the 10% off coupon. It also doesn't hurt to ask a customer when they first come to the stand if they know about our special promotions and explain the 10-10-10 deal to them if they say no. Also, if we're almost out of an item, say turnips, and a customer is planning on buying most of what we have left, ask them if they would be interested in purchasing all of it. If they're hesitant offer them 2% off for buying the rest of it (and off course mark this extra discount on their receipt).

9) Promote both stands on both days. On Fridays tell people we're also open on Tuesdays at Munger from 11am-2pm and accept credit cards and stanford cards there. On Tuesday tell people we're open on Fridays at Tresidder from 11am-3pm.

Thanks and keep up the great work!
Nicole

Stats from Tuesday's Munger Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): $110.63
Last Week: $32.18

Receipt Revenue: $ 110.63

Receipt Difference from Actual: $ 0.00

Net Margin: $(63.95)

Amount Transferred: $108.93
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $158.76

Total Number of Sales: 14
Last Week: 9

Number of Sales >$10: 1
Last Week: 0

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 7
Last Week: 2

Number of Sales <$5:6
Last Week: 7

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $4.94
Last Week: $3.57


Nicole

Monday, May 17, 2010

Stats from last week's Tresidder Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): 236.38
Last Week: $295.33

Receipt Revenue: $225.26
Theoretical Revenue: $301.29

Receipt Difference from Actual: $11.13
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $(64.91)

Net Margin: $13.66

Amount Transferred: $131.12*
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $185.19*

Total Number of Sales:43
Last Week: 59

Number of Sales >$10: 4
Last Week: 8

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 15
Last Week: 13

Number of Sales <$5: 24
Last Week: 38

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $5.24
Last Week: $4.98

*These numbers are higher than normal due to extra purchasing for the student wellness fair event

Nicole

Stats from last week's Munger Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): 32.18
Last Week: $100.00

Receipt Revenue: $ 32.13
Theoretical Revenue: $ 63.39

Receipt Difference from Actual: $ 0.05
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $ (31.21)

Net Margin: $(102.43)*

Amount Transferred: $271.05*
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $504.12*

Total Number of Sales: 9
Last Week: 20

Number of Sales >$10: 0
Last Week: 3

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 2
Last Week: 5

Number of Sales <$5: 7
Last Week: 12

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $3.57
Last Week: $4.88

*These numbers are higher than normal due to extra purchasing for the student wellness fair event

Nicole

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Stats from last week's Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): 295.33
Last Week: $208.72

Receipt Revenue: 293.67
Theoretical Revenue: 282.15

Receipt Difference from Actual: 1.63
Theoretical Difference from Actual: 13.15

Net Margin: $78.78

Amount Transferred: $106.38
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $119.29

Total Number of Sales:59
Last Week: 44

Number of Sales >$10: 8
Last Week: 7

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 13
Last Week: 7

Number of Sales <$5: 38
Last Week: 30

Avg. Sale per Transaction: 4.98
Last Week: $4.75

Superb job this week, and continue to spread the word about our lovely produce and tasty ALBA strawberries.

Nicole

Stats from Tresidder Produce Stand 4/30/10

Actual Revenue (from register): $208.72
Last Week: $256.46

Receipt Revenue: $208.89
Theoretical Revenue: $215.40

Receipt Difference from Actual: $0.17
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $6.68

Net Margin: $(69.62)

Amount Transferred: $41.02
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $57.97

Total Number of Sales: 44
Last Week: 44

Number of Sales >$10: 7
Last Week: 7

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 7
Last Week: 12

Number of Sales <$5: 30
Last Week: 25

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $4.75
Last Week: $5.84

Superb job this week, and continue to spread the word about our lovely produce and tasty ALBA strawberries.

Nicole

Stats from last week's Munger Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): $100.00
Last Week:

Receipt Revenue: $97.55
Theoretical Revenue: $114.47

Receipt Difference from Actual: $2.45
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $14.47

Net Margin: $(44.45)

Amount Transferred: $106.38
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $185.00
Carryover Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $0.00

Total Number of Sales: 20
Last Week:

Number of Sales >$10: 3
Last Week:

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 5
Last Week:

Number of Sales <$5: 12
Last Week:

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $4.88
Last Week: $

Nicole

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Stats from last week's Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): $256.46
Last Week: $179.79

Receipt Revenue: $256.79
Theoretical Revenue: $269.44

Receipt Difference from Actual: $0.33
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $12.98

Net Margin: $21.26

Amount Transferred: $0.00
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $0.00
Carryover Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $0.00

Total Number of Sales: 44
Last Week: 40

Number of Sales >$10: 7
Last Week: 6

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 12
Last Week: 6

Number of Sales <$5: 25
Last Week: 28

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $5.84
Last Week: $4.42

For next week:
Remember there will several coupon holders. Only three people cashed in their coupon from last week so there should be double the number of customers out there with coupons. All deductions from the coupons will need to be documented on the guest checks. The promotion is as follows: with the coupon if one spends $10 they get 10% off their total purchase; bring a friend who additionally spends $10 and the coupon holder gets 15% off their total purchase (i.e. both the coupon holder and the friend have to spend $10 each). Coupons are only redeemable the week after they've received them. Anyone who spends over $10 gets a coupon.

There will also be customers with half-sheet flyers. They automatically get 10% off.

Receipts:
In general,the receipt-revenue difference from our actual revenue total was ~$0.30. This is an ideal margin of error. Please keep this up and continue making writing up a receipt for each customer a habitual practice

Actual-Theoretical Revenue Difference:
This difference was ~$12, which is a little high. I'm not sure what caused this. It's been pretty reasonable the last few weeks. Just remember to be cautious when weighing/counting produce.

Superb job this week, and continue to spread the word about our lovely produce and tasty ALBA strawberries.

Nicole

Note on Coupons

Hi all,

Just a quick note on coupons. Matt, Phillip and I handed out several half-sheet flyers to staff and faculty at the Wellness Fair yesterday. If anyone presents this flyer at the stand give them 10% off their purchase. I will leave a copy of the flyer next to the register so you know what it looks like.

For anyone without a coupon the old rules apply: sales over $5 get 5% off; sales over $10 with 10% off coupon get 10% off unless they also bring a friend who also spends $10, then they get 15% off, their friend gets 5% and they both get 10% off coupons to use another week.

Sales have certainly improved since we began using these discount deals. Last week we practically sold out of everything!!! Keep up the good work!

Nicole

Thursday, April 22, 2010

New Sale Offer for Tomorrow's Produce Stand

Starting tomorrow anyone who spends $5 gets 5% off. If they spend $10 then they get the coupon for 10% the following week and 5% off their purchase that day. This new 5% off discount will not have a coupon, but I'll try to print out a reminder to leave near the register for all of you. This new sales offer will be in lieu of the bulk discounts we've been giving for strawberries and other fruit items. The bag discount, however, still holds because we want to promote that sustainable practice.

As always remember to note this on the guest checks.

Thanks,
Nicole

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Stats from last week's Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): $179.79
Receipt Revenue: $176.99
Theoretical Revenue: $177.38

Receipt Difference from Actual: $2.80
Theoretical Difference from Actual: $2.41

Net Margin: $(47.03)

Amount Transferred: $12.30
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $23.15
Carryover Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $46.17

Total Number of Sales: 40
Last Week: 38

Number of Sales >$10: 6
Last Week: 5

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 6
Last Week: 7

Number of Sales <$5: 28
Last Week: 26

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $4.42
Last Week: $4.41

For next week:
Remember there will several coupon holders. Only one person cashed in their coupon from last week so there should be double the number of customers out there with coupons. All deductions from the coupons will need to be documented on the guest checks. The promotion is as follows: with the coupon if one spends $10 they get 10% off their total purchase; bring a friend who additionally spends $10 and the coupon holder gets 15% off their total purchase (i.e. both the coupon holder and the friend have to spend $10 each). Coupons are only redeemable the week after they've received them. Anyone who spends over $10 gets a coupon.

Receipts:

In general,the receipt-revenue difference from our actual revenue total was ~$2. Much improved from last week's discrepancy of $15! Please keep this up and continue making writing up a receipt for each customer a habitual practice

Great job this week, and continue to spread the word about our lovely produce and tasty ALBA strawberries.

Nicole

Friday, April 16, 2010

Today's work party cancelled; Sunday's work party TBA

Hi Team,

Today's work party in Ricker will be cancelled. I have unfortunately caught the cold going around campus.

However, if you're feeling up to it, you may feel free to start digging under the new bed frames that are placed on the west-most side of the garden. I would suggest working one bed at a time and moving over the frame in the area you being working. I believe we're aiming to dig at least 2ft below the surface. There should be some spades at Ricker to work with.

Sunday's work party is still tentative at this point, but if you are planning on making it email me a time frame that would work best for you.

Nicole

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

About Weekly Individual Tasks

Thank you all for giving me your estimated hours of working availability. Based on this information I will be giving each of you weekly assignments in our various gardens + farm plot. However, I just wanted to add and clarify to all of you that you are not required to finish the tasks I email out to each of you. It's more of a guideline and to ensure that you're fulfilling the hours you've requested or would like to work per week. On that note, completing these tasks to the best of your ability would be a big help in keeping the gardens maintained, healthy and weed-free. In any given week, do let me know via email what you were able to get done in the gardens and also if you're unable to complete part or all of tasks I've assigned due to school or other commitments, that way I can it along to someone looking for more hours that week.

Also, if you are seeking work and do not feel that I have given you enough to do please email or text me right away.

Thanks,
Nicole

Work Parties on Friday and possibly Sunday

Hi Team,

As most of you know we built four new bed frames for Ricker back in Winter quarter. Since summer planting is going to start happening in a couple of weeks from now, it's in our best interest to gets these beds up and running (i.e. filled with soil and ready for planting) as soon as possible.

This is going to require quite a lot of man-labor so I really need your help in getting this done soon. For those of you not involved in the produce stand I will be out at Ricker on Friday from 2:30 to 6:30ish digging to get these beds in the ground. If you can make it out to Ricker on Friday and plan on coming please email me so I know how many tools to bring with me.

Depending on how much we get done we'll probably need a second day to finish up. I'm leaning towards Sunday myself, just given my own homework load. For those of you who plan to come out on Sunday please email me as well, again so I know how many tools to bring out.

Remember, the more people helping out the faster we can get these beds prepped and ready!

Nicole

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Stats from Yesterday's Produce Stand

Actual Revenue (from register): $182.73
Receipt Revenue: $167.82
Difference from Actual: $15.21
Theoretical Revenue: $182.48
Difference from Actual: $0.25

Net Margin: $52.71

Amount Transferred: $31.22
Transferable Amount in Produce Stand Revenue: $53.16

Total Number of Sales: 38
Last Week: 30

Number of Sales >$10: 5
Last Week: 3

Number of Sales <$10 and >$5: 7
Last Week: 14

Number of Sales <$5: 26
Last Week: 13

Avg. Sale per Transaction: $4.41
Last Week: $5.31

Good News: We made a profit this week. However, while this is very exciting news, keep in mind that our supply from ALBA was low this week (due to the rain), and we could have earned another $53.16 out of the produce we transferred to catering for $31.22. I included a spread of the number of sales we made under $5, between $5 and $10, and over $10. Notice our overall sales was up by 8, and the number of sales over $10 is up by 2, which considering our profit of ~$50 is rather significant. In other words, even getting two or three more people to the stand each week makes a large impact on our sales!!!

For next week:
There could be at least 5 people returning to the stand with coupons. All deductions from the coupons will need to be documented on the guest checks. Remember the promotion is as follows: with the coupon if one spends $10 they get 10% off their total purchase; bring a friend who additionally spends $10 and the coupon holder gets 15% off their total purchase (i.e. both the coupon holder and the friend have to spend $10 each). Coupons are only redeemable the week after they've received them. Anyone who spends over $10 gets a coupon.

Receipts:

In general,the receipt-revenue difference from our actual revenue total was ~$15. This is a little high. Please do the best you can to write a receipt for every person. I know it's a new thing and most likely a few transactions just did not get recorded. Just do your best to make writing up a receipt for each customer a habit from now on.

Great job this week, and continue to spread the word about our lovely produce and tasty ALBA strawberries.

Nicole

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Doodles!

Please fill out the doodles, at least the Part I availability doodle, if you haven't already done so.

Here are the links:

Part One: http://www.doodle.com/yvkffydqq5k3nc39

Part Two: http://doodle.com/ar36yim6iuaar4t6

Work Party This Saturday!!!

Hi all,

If anyone wants to join me I'm going to be out on the farm this Saturday at 11am to turn our active compost piles, pick up some loads of manure to drop off at Sarah's area, and do some weeding around our farm plot. Email or text me if you plan on attending!

Garden Updates(with pictures) for this week will be up by Thursday....

Happy Hump Day!
Nicole

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Produce Stand Sales Summary

Averages from last quarter:

Revenue: ~%106.28
Amount Transferred to Catering (roughly 30% below sales prices): ~$76.99
Net Margin (Total Daily Profit): ~$(50.81)

Last Week:

Actual Revenue (from register): $152.52
Receipt Revenue: $159.26; Difference from Actual: $(6.74)
Theoretical Revenue: $157.07; Difference from Actual: $(4.55)

Amount Transferred: $29.19
Net Margin: $(18.13)

For next week: Let's try to stay on top of the receipts. Ideally, the difference from the receipt revenue and the actual revenue should be $0.00. I did find a couple of errors in prices, but nothing totaling up to more than $0.50. I know it's a new thing and most likely one or more transactions just did not get recorded. Just do your best to make writing up a receipt for each customer a habit from now on.

I included the amount in dollars that we transfer to catering in this report so you can get a sense of how much more we could be selling. This number would actually be much higher using sales prices, which are about 30% more than wholesale prices, meaning if we sold everything we had our profit would be more than simply adding the amount transferred to the total revenue.

In order to reach our lofty goal of $1000 in revenue we would need to start out with a lot more produce. But until we start selling off everything we have I can't increase the amount I harvest and order from ALBA organics. So try to get the word out as best you can, especially about our tasty strawberries!

Nicole

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Welcome Back!

Hi all,

I hope you had nice, relaxing spring breaks. Check out the 3-29-10 Update link under "Important Links" to see how the gardens are doing and what needs to be done in each one.

Now that the spring quarter has officially commenced, I would like to start getting an idea of everyone's gardening availability. There are two doodles I would like you to fill out as you finalize your schedules for this quarter, labeled Part I and Part II. If you're still shopping classes, hold off on filling out Part II. However, I would like everyone to fill out Part I as soon as you can.

In Part I of the availability doodles, all I'm asking for is how many hours per week each of you would like to work this quarter. This will give me a better idea of whether or not each of you are getting enough work.

For this quarter, I'd like to try assigning tasks to each of you, depending on how many hours of work you're all looking for, rather than leave things open for anyone. Instead of using the project spreadsheet, I will be releasing weekly updates similar to the current one linked to the blog so that we're all on the same page. I believe this will be a more effective way to ensure the gardens are being properly maintained. All the doodle links are on the blog under "Important Links."

Also, I am tentatively planning a composting work part this Saturday for those who want to join, pending the weather conditions. I will be turning at least one of the four active compost piles we have out on the farm and building a new one with all the nice weeds we have in the adding bin. I will probably be out there from 11am-3pm.

Nicole

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Reminder: Work Party This Saturday

Where: Community Farm
When: Saturday 1-4pm

What will we be doing?
A brief workshop in planning a garden before putting shovels into the ground in an abandoned half-plot we're subletting from a community farm member. Over the rest of this and next quarter this place will serve as a workshop center for various aspects of gardening from soil development to irrigation.

Please RSVP the list if you can make it.

-N

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Project Worksheet Has Been Updated!!!

check it out: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ai4Q46-pSoYddHIxbTNNZDR4WWRGcmVSY1dyLTdLelE&hl=en

Golf Cart Training

Hi all,

Please sign up for a 1-hour time slot for golf cart training. I'd really like to get most if not all of you up to speed on how to drive through bollards, and also show you where to pick up coffee grounds, horse manure, and campus compost. Especially as we start to speed up our compost development out on the community farm it will become important to have regular loads of manure, coffee grounds, and green waste (weeds, food scraps from catering) delivered to the farm.

Here's the doodle link, which is also posted under "important links" on the student gardener website : http://www.doodle.com/vyw9um978pyixqdm


-N

Upcoming Work Parties

Hi all,

Great job, for those of you who came out to the bed building and composting workshops. We'll be getting those four new beds up and running in Ricker and Wilbur within the next couple of weeks.

This week there will be two work parties:

Wednesday 2/17/10: planting, seeding, weeding and (potentially digging) at Ricker from 2-4pm.

Thursday: 2/18/10: building trellises at Stern; mulching stern beds A & B.

Please remember to RSVP if you're coming so I know how many tools to bring.

Also, on your own time, there is plenty of weeding to be done around the Wilbur beds. This really needs to get done ASAP before the weeds go to seed.

Happy V-day & early President's day,
-N

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Notes for Produce Stand Sales and Inventory

Good News!!! For the past two weeks the discrepancy between our theoretical and actual revenue has substantially decreased! Last week (2/5/10) the difference was $3.08 and this week (2/12/10) our difference was ...$0.30! So lets keep this up by continuing to carefully weigh or count all our items' beginning and ending amounts, and referring to the new price list.

Our total revenue for the past two weeks was around $108. Our quarterly average revenue is roughly $117. This unfortunately still puts us in the red (last week:47.15; this week:58.10) So try to get a friend to come to the stand and purchase something. With just $50-60 more dollars of revenue we would be breaking even. That roughly translates to around 4-7 more shopping customers.

Items that were transferred were all within resonable quantities and weights.

Items that sold well last week include the following: apples, tangelos, kale, lettuce, broccoli, and beets.

However, I would not recommend harvesting the beets out on the farm for the next few weeks in order to let them grow to a larger and more desirable, selling size (at least the size of a closed fist).

For detailed information on the quantities sold for each item visit the Produce Stand Sales Summary link located in the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Also, please remember to write in your working hours on the ending disposition and labor summary sheet.

-N

Work Party Tomorrow @ NOON!

Hi all,

This is just a reminder that we're having a work party TOMORROW (Sunday) at NOON. We'll be working out on the community farm so let's meet over by the three-bin composting system near the farm's front entrance (from the service road). Once you enter the community farm area just walk straight ahead and the composting bins will be on your left (next to the chicken coop).

After the training session on composting we'll be building beds for the gardens and having a power tool workshop.

See you tomorrow!

Nicole

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Notes for Produce Stand Sales and Inventory

Overall we lost $62.02 this week. In addition, there is $38.51 missing from our ending balance. This can most likely be attributed to error in our accounting of beginning and ending amounts of each produce item, though it's unclear if other variables are at play.

In the future I would suggest weighing and counting the amounts of the ALBA produce in addition to the farm produce. Also, please try to be as accurate as possible when weighing, counting and writing in the staritng and ending balances for each item.

Items that were transferred were all within resonable quantities and weights.

Items that sold well last week include the following: apples, mandarins, green cabbage, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, and fingerling potatoes.

Items that did NOT sell well include: chinese cabbage, red cabbage, baby bok choi, radishes, and butterhead lettuce.

For detailed information on the quantities sold for each item visit the Produce Stand Sales Summary link located in the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Work Party Cancelled

Hi all,

The key for the golf cart has gone missing. Since a good portion of our work at Stern involves using the cart for transportation we'll have to postpone having a work party until we get a replacement key.

In the meantime, there's plenty of weeding to be done around the Wilbur beds, in Stern bed A, and both in and around all the Ricker beds. You can also go to the farm from 1:30-5pm today and ask April or Daniel to put you to work.

Nicole

Thursday, January 28, 2010

A few things

Hi all,

1) I got the sense from our meeting today that Tuesday from 2-5pm was not a good time for a lot of you. I imagine that since I sent out the original doodles everyone's schedule has changed, so I created a new doodle that I'd like you all to fill out ASAP. The link is called "Doodle for Availability" and is located in the upper right hand corner of this blog under "Important Links."

2) If you ever harvest anything from the gardens for the dining halls please record the estimated amounts of each item harvested in the "Gardens Invoice" spreadsheet. The link for the invoice spreadsheet is also located under "Important Links." Caroline and Joanna, please do this for the parsley and cilantro you harvested last week.

3) If you haven't done so already, please write in all your contact info in the "Gardening Project Spreadsheet." To do so click on the tab called "contact info" in the lower left hand corner of the spreadsheet window.

4) To view the video I tried to show during dinner go to the "Produce Stand Blog" link.

Thanks,
Nicole

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Change in Dinner Location

Hi all,

Please remember that our team dinner is THIS THURSDAY at 6pm. However, we'll be meeting in a private dining room at Manzanita instead of Ricker. Please let me know ASAP if you will not be able to attend.

Thanks,
Nicole

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Notes for Produce Stand Sales and Inventory

Overall we lost $91.86 on 1/15/2010 and $72.80 on 1/22/2010. In addition, there was $20.80 missing from our ending balance on 1/15 and $13.29 missing on 1/22. Most likely, this could be attributed to error in our accounting of beginning and ending amounts of each produce item.

In the future I would suggest weighing and counting the ALBA produce as well as the farm produce. Also, try to be as accurate as possible when weighing, counting and writing in the starting and ending balances for each item.

In regards to transferred items, some of the ending amounts were too small to be transferred to catering. For instance, the carrots (1.5#) and radishes (2.62#) on 1/15, and the red cabbage(1.75#) and radishes (.82#) on 1/22 should have been considered obsolete rather than transferable.

For detailed information on the quantities sold for each item visit the Produce Stand Sales Summary link located in the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Team Dinner Thursday, January 28th

Hi all,

Mark your calendars! This coming Thursday, January 28th, we'll be having our team dinner. We'll be dining in a private room at Ricker Dining at 6pm.

Nicole

Friday, January 22, 2010

Trellising Work Party Jan. 26th

On Tuesday, January 26th, if it is NOT raining, we will be having a work party, starting at 2pm, to trellis the peas at Wilbur and Stern. We'll begin trellising at Wilbur and then move over to Stern. Please plan to attend this work party if you're available at that time.

Weeding Work Party Tomorrow

Hi all,

I was planning on doing some work in the gardens tomorrow since we will finally be having some sun. I'll be over at Ricker at 11am if anyone wants to join me. I'll mostly be doing some weeding around the beds since the soil is still too wet to do any planting.

Hope to see you there,
Nicole

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Watering Instructions for Farm

Mondays: Joanna
Tuesdays: April and Daniel
Wednesdays: Lucia
Fridays: Caroline and Matt
Sundays: Briana, Kathy, Phil, Matt

In this weather, the plants are growing slowly and not losing a whole lot of water. Therefore, watering needs to happens only every other or every three days. We don't want to under or over water. so when you are out there, you might decide that you don't need to water, and that is fine. the surface of the soil is NOT a good indicator of whether the plants need water or not. The best thing to do is to gently lift a couple of plants from their containers and see how dry the soil is inside the root zone. The trays with very small cells will need dry out more quickly than the larger containers, but they will need less water overall. Water gently, you don't want to disturb the soil or roots too much if possible.

A big mistake that people make is underwatering. I spend about 15 minutes watering; going over and over again..... as we head into spring and the days are longer and sunny we need to water more frequently (every day) but for now every other day will be totally sufficient, and maybe even more than necessary.
check the plants for how dry they are, and also take notes of how wet they- if they are sopping wet already don't water- too wet causes rot of the roots and can kill the plants.

Make sure to equally water the plants on the main bench, the lower bench and the plants on the ground, and under the benches. It is sometimes hard to water equally, and the plants along the edge of the main bench often get neglected, so holding the watering wand directly over them is necessary.

Weather Update

Due to the heavy rainfall we've received over the past few days, it's advisable not to work in the gardens this week. Working the soil in any capacity (even weeding) when it is this wet is really bad for the soil. I'm looking into other opportunities to put you all to work this week. I'll keep you posted.

Work Parties

If you're looking for work prior to our first work party please stick to weeding in any of the gardens for the time being. There's plenty to be done so that you should keep you busy. I will be scheduling a work party as soon as I receive everyone's doodle results. During work parties we will be going over how to transplant seedlings and getting you familiar with what the different seedlings look like. For those of you who haven't worked with many seedlings before, in some cases they can look quite different than their matured counterpart.

About Google Docs

Hi Team,

I just wanted to reiterate that the project spreadsheet will be used as a way to organize and coordinate tasks amongst our gardening team. This google doc will be the primary tool for signing up for available work so that we do not duplicate efforts or miss opportunities. The link for this spreadsheet is located in the green box to the right named "Gardening Project Spreadsheet."

In order to effectively communicate what needs to be done in each garden, every bed in each garden will be labeled with a letter and henceforth be referred to as Ricker bed A or Wilbur bed C, etc. A link named "Garden Maps" for the PDF, which includes maps of all the gardens and indicates the letters assigned to each bed, is also located in the green box to the right. Let me know if you have any questions or if anything is unclear.