Dear friends,
(sorry no cool pictures, the camera is broken)
In this email/blog:

- Potluck schedule for the rest of the winter (including Jan 4)
- Buying the farm info
- plea for help with funding our land purchase.
- a short Christmas wishlist of things you might be getting rid of anyway

This fall's issue of the Catholic Worker Farmer is all about our mission, our past 5 years, the land purchase, and our dreams for the future. If you haven't received this and would like to, please send me your mailing address (the post office kind).

We are fundraising to help us purchase our land. We are very fortunate to have a matching challenge for the first $4,000 donated in 2012. This challenge expires on December 31, 2012! So far, we have received $475! Maybe I'm crazy to think that we will complete this challenge. I realize that this is such a busy time of year and there are many demands on your attention, generosity, and patience. Please take a moment to think of us – hopefully we can be a thought of joy and hope, and not irritation.

Winter potlucks: In Ames, the first friday of each month 6pm dinner, 7pm topic.

jan 4th we will be watching a movie - nicholas will send a very short email telling you what the movie is. It's at nicholas' house, the pink house at the northeast corner of 7th and duff, i think 704 duff.

as you know, We are buying the farm.

We are very excited about this! We have spent five years here, improving the buildings, planting trees and berries, caring for the soil. We have been hoping and praying that we would be able to expand and have more autonomy and we are so grateful that our landlords are willing to part with a portion of their land. We are going from 3 rented acres to 11 owned acres. We have a lot of plans and dreams for this land, including increased food production, better land stewardship and wildlife habitat, prairie buffers to protect us from conventional farm chemicals, many perennial crops, and much more. There's a lot to do, and we are going to take it slow and do a bit at a time.

We are paying more than we hoped, yet our landlords are giving us a considerate and reasonable deal. Land prices in Iowa are high. We have been hoping, praying, and waiting for land prices to go down these past 5 (or more) years, but they continue to rise and most predict they will continue to do so. We realize we could purchase more land more cheaply in another location, but this is where our community is, our support and those we serve. Also, for many of the same reasons that land prices are high, Iowa habitat is very endangered, our waterways are polluted and are flooding and polluting downstream. This in turn threatens the most fragile - the creatures and the poor downstream.

Iowa land is in great need of good stewardship.

We are renewing our commitment to the wellbeing of this place and all the creatures that dwell here. We are renewing our commitment to the wellbeing of each other, our neighbors and to the poor here.
We need your help. We are hoping to raise $60,000 in donations and interest free loans. The remainder (and loan) we plan to pay for from the savings of our farm team and with vegetable sales over the next 10 years.

Ways you can help:

Donations: Even the smallest donations add up and make a big difference. Send us a Christmas present! If you are interested in making a larger donation and would like it to be tax deductible, please contact us – there is a possibility of a local church temporarily sponsoring our project under their 501c3 status.

Interest free loans: 10 year interest free loans (or low interest if necessary)

Buy a CSA vegetable share for 2014 or beyond: $400 will buy a vegetable share for 20 weeks of fantastic, diverse vegetables delivered to your home. Buy in advance to help us finance our land purchase!

Come join our work: Come live with us for a season, a week, a day – join our team!

A Christmas wish list:

- old candles, stubs, and beeswax for making new candles,

- a card table

- a used digital camera

Merry Christmas! Happy new year!

peace and joy,

alice mcgary

if you have more questions, please call us at 515-460-1467.

Mustard Seed Community Farm

366 W Ave

Ames, IA 50014