May 2, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Teresa Hendrix
(805) 756-7266

Eat Your Vegetables: Cal Poly's Organic Farm Summer Program Opens

Cal Poly's Organic Farm is about to open its third
season of fresh summer vegetable subscriptions.

Beginning May 20, the Organic Farm will offer subscribers fresh-picked
produce weekly for a 22-week season. For roughly $16.60 a week, produce
fans will receive a boxed assortment of fresh organic vegetables -
"whatever is in season that week," explained Crop Science Professor John
Phillips.

This summer, that will include several varieties of tomatoes and peppers
as well as tomatillos, sweet corn, broccoli, cauliflower, onions,
cucumber, watermelon, lettuce, carrots, scallions, zucchini, eggplant,
beans, beets, summer squash, winter squash, radish, and spinach. Herbs
and cut flowers can also be added to the assortment, at no extra cost,
when available.

Some new vegetables will show up as well. "This year we will be growing
both new and old varieties, ranging from Indy Gold, a yellow wax bean
that was new last year, to heirloom varieties such as Bull's Blood beets
and Pruden's Purple tomatoes and Brandywine tomatoes. We'll also have
unusual specialty items like lemon cucumber and Maxibel beans.  The
latter are in a class of green beans, called French or filet beans,
intended to be picked when very slender," Phillips explained.

Crop science students will box the weekly assortment for subscribers to
pick up at Cal Poly's Student Experimental Farm. Subscriptions are $365
this year; those who sign up can choose whether to pick up their produce
boxes on Mondays or Thursdays. To receive an informational brochure or
get more details, call the Organic Farm Office at 756-6139.  The
brochure includes a membership application form

The three-year-old program has proved popular with local cooking
enthusiasts. In 2000, the Organic Farm program had 25 subscribers for a
short season. In 2001 the program was expanded to 18 weeks and 40
subscribers. This year the program has expanded to 22 weeks and has
slots for 50 subscribers.

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