Date: November 22nd 2008

Smith Family Farm Newsletter
November 2008

Hi all:

We want to thank you folks for being so patient with us this year regarding fall turkeys. I wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be at a couple locations this next week to deliver turkeys, along with the usual beef cuts, pork cuts, etc.

This next Tuesday, November 25, from 11AM to 12 Noon (1 hour only), I'll be at the Palisades' farmers market:

Palisades' Farmers Market
48th Place NW @ MacArthur Blvd
Washington, DC 20007
palisadesfarmersmarket.com

Then, this next Wednesday, November 26, from 11AM to 12 Noon (1 hour only), I'll be at the Vienna farmer's market:

Vienna Farmers Market
131 Church St NE
Vienna, VA 22180
viennafarmersmarket.com
The Vienna Farmers Market takes place in the Caboose Parking Lot (corner of Church Street and Dominion Road, NE).

If you can't make it to any of these markets to pick up your turkey(s), you can come to the farm (see address below) this next Monday (11/24), Tuesday (11/25), or Wednesday (11/26) between 2PM and 4PM. If these times aren't good, please call and we'll set something up.

Again, we'd like to apologize for the short notice, and the delay in getting back with you guys. This being our first year raising turkeys--we've just been so overwhelmed with the demand. Remember to bring your cooler/ice packs.

Our desire at Smith Family Farm is to make our all-natural, grass-fed meats easily available to our neighbors here in Northern Virginia and beyond. Keeping this principle in mind, we're exploring new possibilities for 2009.

In lieu of an eventual on-farm store, still slated for 2009, we want to remind everyone that you are very welcome to visit the farm anytime. We have no trade secrets, we have nothing to hide. All we ask is that you call beforehand to make sure someone is there to assist you.

Another project we're working on is the concept of regional buying clubs. The goal of these buying clubs is to consolidate orders from a number of customers and deliver them to a central location, typically a customer’s home. Each buying club is organized by a club leader who will host each drop-off, and will be awarded a bonus for organizing the club, etc. The club leader enlists members of their community to join them in the buying club. Depending upon the size of each club deliveries can be made monthly, bi-monthly, or whatever the club leader deems appropriate. Initially we're wanting to start out small and limit our drops to within 40 miles of the farm until we get the hang of things.

In this newsletter we wanted to put out feelers and see what you guys think. If anyone is interested in creating or participating in these prospective buying clubs, or if you want to weigh in and give any general advice, please contact Jason Caldwell, who will be managing this project, at beefandhayproducer ( at ) gmail ( dot ) com.

As always, we're very appreciative of all the support you folks give us.

My best,

Leigh Smith
Smith Family Farm
5770 Artemus Road
Gainesville, VA 20155
Cell: 571-220-0017
beefandhayproducer.com

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