Farmer Luca at our Socially Distanced Farmshare Distribution. Homemade cloth mask by Rose Boyan!
The US Virgin Islands territorial government will be lifting its Stay-at-Home order on Monday, May 4th. Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis said on Wednesday, April 29th, that the territory is likely only at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. We have at-risk family members, but anyone can succumb to this, and numbers are rising in the territory.
We are informing our customers, family and friends that ARTfarm’s retail operations will continue to remain closed to the public until the coronavirus pandemic is controlled. Isolation measures are still in force for our house and family and business: SOCIAL, PHYSICAL, VOLUNTARY AND RESPONSIBLE stay-at-home isolation, extra sanitation of hands and surfaces, wearing of masks while working around people and food (or running essential errands), and practicing proactive health measures.
So please continue to show us how great you look in your mask, know that we miss your smile, and be patient with this adventure we are all on together. Because we care… ❤️ STAY HOME! (and please repost! Thank you to Yvette Browne and Beverly Joseph for starting this campaign.)
Hey farm supporters. We have a reduced offering today because of reduced production: the hotter weather at this time of year causes crops (especially lettuce) to grow more slowly.
Those of you who have expressed interest already, or do so on today’s form submission, will be sent a link to attend an online Small Space Container Gardening for Beginners class hosted by UVI’s Cooperative Extension Service on Monday, April 27th at 10am. Hopefully there will be a replay available if you can’t attend at the scheduled time. Sign up!!
Once again we will NOT BE OPEN for retail shopping on Saturday. For the rest of this season we are going to run socially distanced online ‘box sales’ like we did the last six weeks, with pre-reserved pick up shifts of 10 people max, to slow the spread of novel coronavirus in our island community. We want to avoid long waits, traffic issues and crowds forming. We encourage everyone picking up a box to wear a mask, and we will do the same.
‘Maters and cukes!
Getting a farm share box is as easy as S-A-N, as in SAN-ford and Son!! Here’s what to do:
S is for : Sign up with our sign-up form (a link at the bottom of the weekly signup page is posted on Fridays, usually by 10am).
Choose one pre-selected, pre-priced box of ARTfarm produce (contents listed below)
Choose any add-on items (limited supplies)
Commit to a pick-up time slot
A is for : Arrive on Saturday at (or wait in your car until) your appointed time in the ARTfarm parking lot on Saturday. Too many people showing up at the same time could risk exposure. Please maintain plenty of space between customers, and between us and you when you approach the pickup table. We’ll be wearing masks as an extra precaution and ask that you do the same.
Bring exact change or a check to drop in the bucket – we are not handling any money.
There may be extra items available to add to your box at pickup time, so you may wish to bring some extra small bills or wait to fill in your check amount. Please bring your own pen.
Bring your own bags or box to put your produce into. We’ll place your items on the sanitized table, some things will be pre-bagged, you’ll pack your own bags or box for the rest. Wait to bag until we do a final count of your items to make sure we don’t forget anything.
N is for : No substitutions or price adjustments. To maintain sanitation and keep things moving, we are not swapping items, handling payments or making change.
We’ll do our best to give you options at pickup if we can, to meet or exceed the value.
If desired, you can leave any unwanted items from your share on the table and we will pass them on to another lucky customer!
We will have 15 large and 22 small ‘farmshares’ of produce available. You can also order and specify a neighbor, friend or family member to pick up your order. And if you are a small family and it works for you, consider alternating between large and small from week to week to give others a shot at ordering a large box.
Please contact us immediately by text and phone at (340)514-4873 if you have reserved a farmshare and cannot pick it up. Supply is limited, demand is extremely high and someone else will gladly purchase your share, if given enough time to respond. We have limited time for distributions and they are scheduled. We will hold your box for you and we expect to hear from you. We understand life happens, but please do not leave us hanging, waiting for you, with your food! Our produce is harvested fresh and needs to go home with you same day. This is an honor system since we are not collecting payment until pickup.
Box choices for Saturday, April 25th:
Small farm share, $14, will include:
1 bag of sweet salad mix
1 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes
1 bunch garlic chives
Large farm share, $53, will include:
1 bag of sweet salad mix
1 bag of teen spicy salad mix
1 bag of baby arugula
2 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes
1 onion bunch
1 radish bunch with edible green tops for cooking
2 herb bunches (random selection)
1 bag of mixed ginger and turmeric (regular and mango-flavored)
4 seasoning peppers
Additional Limited Quantity items*
(please add to your total)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes: $6
1 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes: $5
1 lb. cucumbers: $3
1 bunch mixed cooking greens (kale, collards type): $3
1 bag ginger: $3.50
1 bag turmeric: $3.50
1 bag (mango-flavored) turmeric: $3.50
1 Mediterranean fig tree (potted) $28
*(we are not offering pre-reserve on watermelon chunks this week, they will be first-come first-serve, one per customer, priced between $5-8.) There may be other additional items available, as usual…
large share Herb bunch options
(Large share = 2 herb selections. Choose from what’s available at pickup, or we’ll pick some for you, but these are the basic options we should have, you can start mulling it over 🙂
Garlic chives
Italian basil
Lemon basil
Thai basil
Mint
Dill / Dill Seed
Parsley
Rosemary
Lemongrass
This signup form will show you a Thank You page and send you a confirmation email if submitted successfully. One order per customer, please.
Three people reported havingproblems with the online signup formtelling them incorrectly that they had already placed an order. It’s an overzealous security feature to prevent multiple orders from the same customer. Workarounds our customers figured out (thank you!!) were to
just try again
use a cellular device (smartphone or tablet) that isn’t using WiFi internet
clear your cache and cookies in your browser/device
reboot your router (unplug it for a minute and plug in again)
We are asking that people ration, by not allowing any one customer to purchase all of one extra. Sharing is caring. If we have extra, we’ll do our best to let you know.
This signup form does NOT sign you up for a farm email subscription.
Hey farm supporters. We are seeing some production reduction with the weather getting hotter, so the boxes are a little smaller this week, but the tomatoes keep on coming! We have fig trees on the add-ons list, and we’ll have an article coming out soon on planting a garden at home.
Thanks to everyone’s careful participation, the pickups are smooth, and we appreciate everyone who has been consistently maintaining at least 10-15 feet of distance, wearing masks to keep each other safe, and being patient with us and each other. We thank you for maintaining physical distance, as do all the medical professionals in the territory. Stay the course, folks!
Once again we will NOT BE OPEN for retail shopping on Saturday. For the rest of this season we are going to run socially distanced online ‘box sales’ like we did the last five weeks, with pre-reserved pick up shifts of 10 people max, to slow the spread of novel coronavirus in our island community. We want to avoid long waits, traffic issues and crowds forming. We encourage everyone picking up a box to wear a mask, and we will do the same.
Sweet juicy watermelon. We pre-cut to make sure you don’t get a dud, and to share the harvest.
Getting a farm share box is as easy as S-A-N, as in parm-e-SAN-!! Here’s what to do:
S is for : Sign up with our sign-up form (a link at the bottom of the weekly signup page is posted on Fridays, usually by 10am).
Choose one pre-selected, pre-priced box of ARTfarm produce (contents listed below)
Choose any add-on items (limited supplies)
Commit to a pick-up time slot
A is for : Arrive on Saturday at (or wait in your car until) your appointed time in the ARTfarm parking lot on Saturday. Too many people showing up at the same time could risk exposure. Please maintain plenty of space between customers, and between us and you when you approach the pickup table. We’ll be wearing masks as an extra precaution and ask that you do the same.
Bring exact change or a check to drop in the bucket – we are not handling any money.
There may be unadvertised extra items available to add to your box at pickup time, so you may wish to bring some extra small bills or wait to fill in your check amount. Please bring your own pen.
Bring your own bags or box to put your produce into. We’ll place your items on the sanitized table, some things will be pre-bagged, you’ll pack your own bags or box for the rest. Wait to bag until we do a final count of your items to make sure we don’t forget anything.
N is for : No substitutions or price adjustments. To maintain sanitation and keep things moving, we are not swapping items, handling payments or making change.
We’ll do our best to give you options at pickup if we can, to meet or exceed the value.
If desired, you can leave any unwanted items from your share on the table and we will pass them on to another lucky customer!
We will have 15 large and 30 small ‘farmshares’ of produce available (a few of those available as “double small” orders). You can also order and specify a neighbor, friend or family member to pick up your order. And if you are a small family and it works for you, consider alternating between large and small from week to week to give others a shot at ordering a large box.
Please contact us immediately by text and phone at (340)514-4873 if you have reserved a farmshare and cannot pick it up. Supply is limited, demand is extremely high and someone else will gladly purchase your share, if given enough time to respond. We have limited time for distributions and they are scheduled. We will hold your box for you and we expect to hear from you. We understand life happens, but please do not leave us hanging, waiting for you, with your food! Our produce is harvested fresh and needs to go home with you same day. This is an honor system since we are not collecting payment until pickup.
Box choices for Saturday, April 18th:
Small farm share, $13, will include:
1 bag of sweet salad mix
1 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes
1 herb bunch (random selection)
Double Small farm share, $28, will include:
As listed above, but double: one for you and one for a friend. Take distribution into your own (recently washed) hands, deliver to a neighbor or loved one!
Large farm share, $51, will include:
1 bag of sweet salad mix
1 bag of teen spicy salad mix
1 bag of teen arugula
1 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes
2 lb. watermelon quarter
1 turnip bunch with edible green tops for cooking
1 bunch mixed cooking greens (kale, collards type)
2 herb bunches (random selection)
1 bag of mixed ginger and turmeric (regular and mango-flavored)
4 seasoning peppers
Additional Limited Quantity Add-Ons*
(please add to your total)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes: $6
1 lb. bag of slicer tomatoes: $5
1 lb. cucumbers: $3
2 lb. watermelon quarter: $5
2 lb. pumpkin quarter: $6
1 bag (mango-flavored) turmeric: $3.50
1 bunch extra garlic chives: $2
1 Mediterranean fig tree (potted) $28
*(there are often additional extras available at the time of pick-up, so if you can’t reserve, bring some extra cash or wait to write your check total. Bring a pen.)
Herb bunch options
(Large share = 2 herb selections, Small share = 1 herb selection. Choose from what’s available at pickup, or we’ll pick some for you, but these are the basic options we should have, you can start mulling it over 🙂
Garlic chives
Italian basil
Lemon basil
Thai basil
Mint
Dill / Dill Seed
Parsley
Rosemary
Lemongrass
This signup form will show you a Thank You page and send you a confirmation email if submitted successfully. One order per customer, please.
Three people reported havingproblems with the online signup formtelling them incorrectly that they had already placed an order. It’s an overzealous security feature to prevent multiple orders from the same customer. Workarounds our customers figured out (thank you!!) were to
just try again
use a cellular device (smartphone or tablet) that isn’t using WiFi internet
clear your cache and cookies in your browser/device
reboot your router (unplug it for a minute and plug in again)
We are asking that people ration, by not allowing any one customer to purchase all of one extra. Sharing is caring. If we have extra, we’ll do our best to let you know.
This signup form does NOT sign you up for a farm email subscription.
The farm share signup post will be up at 10am! Just wanted to share some extra health inspiration this morning…
The COVID-19 pandemic is a terrible crisis, but the silver lining might be an opportunity to slow down, reprioritize and focus on health. Already the shutdown has slowed pollution in some major cities. We feel lucky that we have so many holistic (big picture) health practitioners on St. Croix to help us be proactive about health. We wanted to share a couple of simple ginger and turmeric drink ideas, and some timely health reminders from one of our longtime customers, Rhonda Pessin, who happens to be a Certified Nutritional Consultant, Board Certified Massage Therapist, yoga instructor, and sprouts farmer at Alive and Well in Five Corners, St. Croix USVI.
Ginger Tea
This is the simplest recipe. Ginger tea is warming and refreshing at the same time. Ginger is being studied for its anti-viral qualities. A ginger tea is great for the beginning of a sore throat, for the start of a cold, and for treating and soothing congestion. Simply boil fresh water and pour over thinly sliced ‘coins’ of ginger root. Add a little local honey for a cough. Breathe in the gingery steam and then enjoy it as hot as you can stand. Crunch up and eat the ginger coins at the bottom of your cup when you’re done. For a bad cold, alternate making this sweet spicy tea with a savory version: add minced onion, rub the inside of your cup with a cut clove of garlic, and add a spoon of miso for a healing, soothing, quick broth.
Turmeric Golden Milk
This is an ancient recipe with many variations. Turmeric, when consumed with black pepper, has anti-inflammatory compounds and may inhibit viruses. It is one of those roots that changes its flavor profile when cooked, so don’t be deterred by its earthy profile when raw. We like to take fresh or frozen turmeric and grate it with a microplane into a small saucepan, about an inch of root per 8 oz. serving or to taste. Add either fresh, canned or powdered coconut milk. Add water (if using powdered milk), a dollop of honey or molasses if desired, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and heat through until just steaming. For an extra anti-inflammatory kick, add a few thin slices of cayenne or chili pepper as a garnish on top.
COVID–19: Rhonda’s Ten Tips for Staying Well
Rhonda Pessin, Certified Nutrition Consultant and ARTfarm customer!
Reduce your stress. Chronic stress weakens your immune system. Take a break from news, phone, internet etc. and unplug for a little while every day.
Exercise. Boosts immune system – 30 minutes a day of walking, swimming, yoga etc., is enough to make a difference.
Sleep. Get 7-9 hours a night.
Eat the rainbow. Colorful fruits and veggies are full of antioxidants. These guard against free radicals that can harm your cells. Try eating a wide range of leafy greens, berries, oranges, carrots, peppers, red grapes, beets etc.
Minimize sugar and junk food, which can greatly lower the function of your immune system.
Laugh. Find ways to laugh and stay positive. Having a positive outlook will do more for your immune system than stress or worry.
Reach out. Stay connected to support. Use care providers, family and friends to get support if you need it. Staying well is a group effort.
Take good quality supplements. (Many of these are out of stock but will be replenished soon hopefully.)
Supplements may possibly reduce symptoms of coronavirus.
No supplements at this time are known to prevent it.
Read all labels and do your research to make sure supplements are compatible with any medications you are taking.
Vitamins and minerals can help especially if you are not getting enough. High stress increases requirements for B, C and others.
Multi-Vitamin & Mineral- choose good quality. The most absorbable by the human body are whole food organic fermented vitamins (made wholly from food), like Organixx or New Chapter. “Food-based” vitamins may have a “base” of food ingredients, but contain primarily synthetic vitamins.
Vitamin C – 500 mg twice a day or more to tolerance – may upset stomach in large doses.
Vitamin D – may help respiratory infections – 2000 IU.
Zinc – 20 mcg – up to 50mcg if symptomatic.
Probiotics – 25 billion. I like Garden of Life. Do not waste $ on cheap options.
Reishi or medicinal mushrooms. Follow label instructions.
Colloidal silver – follow product label.
Quercetin – found to inhibit wide variety of viruses including SARS – there are current clinical trials in China to see if it affects COVID-19 (according to consumerlab.com) – dose 50-1000 mg. Headaches and nausea can occur over 500 mg.
Use healing herbs.
Elderberry extract – has been known to shorten the flu. No evidence yet on COVID-19. Follow label.
Virgin and extra virgin coconut oil – 3 Tbspn daily. Known to have anti-viral effects, being tested.
Curcumin and Turmeric – can inhibit viruses. Protects lung tissue with anti-inflammatory effects. I recommend Root 2 or Garden of life. Follow label for dosage.
Echinacea – has been shown to inhibit other viruses but not yet tested.
Garlic – has been shown to inhibit other viruses but not yet tested.
Astragulus, licorice root, olive leaf, oregano oil, ginger, green tea, ginseng and dandelion- all have anti-viral qualities.
Eat well. Prepare delicious, healthy meals with love and RELAX when eating them. Take a few breaths, take in aromas and say a prayer of gratitude. This will help your nervous system switch from sympathetic (fight or flight, work!!) to parasympathetic (relaxation, digestion).
You can reach Rhonda for additional recommendations. Reach out for an appointment or consultation by phone: (340) 277-4006 or via e-mail.
ARTfarm on St. Croix, USVI 