The New Community Living Amenity: FRESH FOOD

Dry Creek Ranch already has plenty to offer to current and upcoming residents, including walking trails, beautiful views of the foothills and hundreds of acres of open space. Soon, Dry Creek Ranch will provide residents something more nourishing:

fresh vegetables grown onsite, delivered to their doors.

The CSA is a critical leg in Dry Creek Ranch’s embrace of the

"Farm to Table” lifestyle that encourages healthy eating, promotes community

and enables residents to bike and walk close to home instead of driving to Boise.

To launch the CSA, Boise Hunter Homes hired Dan Meyer, an experienced local farmer, to operate the community farm.

Dan’s work is already underway growing chard, kale, arugula, beets, radishes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, flowers and more. He said CSA members can expect five 12 different veggies each week, depending on the season, with six or eight being most typical.

Farmer Dan has been interested in rethinking a community’s relationship to its food ever since he started market-style farming in 2010.

“Food is a great way to bring people together in a very earthy way,” he said. “I thought it sounded like a good, innovative project to feature fresh food as an amenity for the neighborhood.”

Many of Dry Creek Ranch’s homeowners enjoy living away from the din of a city. However, the quieter, more rural lifestyle can mean longer trips to the grocery store. CSA members will make fewer grocery runs thanks to the ample vegetables that can either be delivered or picked up at the farm.

The CSA makes perfect sense as part of a living local philosophy, said Farmer Dan.

“I’ve always thought of returning to a structure almost like hamlets, where most of the stuff you need is within a few miles,” he said.

“I’d like to return to more bikeable and walkable communities that have all that stuff so you aren’t constantly driving back and forth into town. That really interests me.”

Dry Creek Ranch development will credit CSA membership for its residents in the program’s first year, which means that Boise Hunter Homes homeowners will pay only $50 for the 2019 season. Folks living in other communities will have the opportunity to join at regular cost, but they will have to swing by the farm to pick up their weekly produce.

Dan said CSA members will receive their first vegetable delivery in late May or early June. The Dry Creek Ranch Community Farm will soon have a greenhouse, enabling Dan to harvest and deliver year-round.

Plenty of work still has to be done, but Farmer Dan said he’s ready to roll.

“I hope to see you soon!” he said.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

in signing up for the CSA or learning more, check out dcrfarm.com. Visit the website and sign up for the Dry Creek Ranch Community Farm email list to stay up-todate on CSA news and membership opportunities.