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This year I made a decision, at the prompting of a good friend, to take a share in the Bare Foot Garden,  a CAS in Macomb, Illinois.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  The attraction initially was the time I could spend with friends and having fresh, organic produce which is sometimes difficult to find in the area.  But as the season went on, I realize what I was participating in was something bigger.

After a few weeks, I realized what was motivating me to go out to the garden each week was the magic to watching things grow, thing that were beautiful, delicious and nutritious.  Each week John Curtis takes the time to show us what is ready to harvest and I can see the pride he takes in what he is growing.  Disappointments that come with weather, animals, pest all weigh on him.  His responsibility to us as share holders and friends is what is key to why he has such a loyal following.

The food that I bring home each week took on an unexpected meaning. Thinking that food could have “meaning” was a strange thing.  The food that John grew “for me” held greater important in my mind.  His care and efforts made me want to use the food well.  His responsible approach instilled a sense of responsibility on my part, too.  I explored new recipes, tried new vegetables, and tried not to waste any of this food that was what seemed like a labor of love.

The CAS concept originated in Germany, Switzerland and Japan in the 1960s and founds its way to the United States in 1984.  Today there are over 2,000 gardens operating in the our country.  Barefoot Garden use the typical model of paying for a share per growing season.  John has been able to extend the growing season using hoop houses  ad provides fresh produce from May until the end of December.  After getting accustom to having fresh produce, the winter months seem very uneventful in my kitchen.

In a time of concern about obesity, I wonder if having a closer relationship to those who grows our food and knowing how it is grown could be part of a remedy.  There is no doubt that belonging to a CSA is a time commitment.  Limited time is often the argument for eating pre-packaged or fast foods.  But doesn’t slowing down, cooking and enjoying your food shift the emphasis from being obsessed with food and to creating a positive, relationship with food. This, I think, is a learned habit and I am pleased to see John make the garden so family friendly.  It is not uncommon to see a child at the garden picking and eating sugar snap peas or strawberries.  Learning to enjoy fresh food is an essential practice to learn.

 

 

 

Having a car again after eight years of public transportation has provided all kinds of new experiences.  Recently, I needed to have the oil changed.  I returned to the shop where the work was done three months ago because that first visit was uneventful: quick, polite service, with competitive price.

My second visit was met with the attendant finding the information about my last visit and asking me if I wanted the same service. I was happy to not have to go over all the options again.  After the oil change was complete the manager informed me of a few maintenance issue for the car I should know about.  They were potential safety issues and he recommend a few other garages in the area that could help with those problems. I was glad to know about these issues and I thought they were sincerely concerned about me and the proper care of my vehicle. This little detail built a connection between me and the shop.

The manager than asked if I’d like to receive an email with these details and the information about the work they just did on my car.  He explained it is nice to have a digital record of the car’s maintenance.  He also explained that they email coupons for discounts on service and reminders for my next scheduled oil change.  I agreed because I thought I could use a reminder!

The next day I received an email with the details of the work the shop did on my car and the notes about the issues they identified and should have looked at by another mechanic.  This was very useful information that I was glad to have.  I was concerned about getting a too many emails promoting their services, but I have not been bothered with useless promotions.This oil change service is part of a national chain and I am sure this electronic system is set up by a corporate office that has the means to develop a system for each shop to use.  Small business owner often do not have access to sophisticated developer to create a system like this, but there is something to be learned from how these chains are operating.

Customers, like myself, are appreciating and learning to expect these services.  All business need to look at what competitors are doing well and think about how these ideas can work for them.  Each owner knows their business better than anyone else and how they want to serve their customers, but the business climate is evolving.  To remain competitive all business need to find ways to reach out to customers and provide useful information and content they want.  Even small business can use the internet to connect with their customers and to make their services and products known to potential customers.

Start simple, but start.  And remain competitive!