Hello farm friends!

We are welcoming the New Year with many upcoming events and plans for the 2026 season. The winter months are a time of rest as well as a time to begin placing seed orders, organizing our CSA, and recruiting new interns and volunteers.

Upcoming Events
View all our upcoming events on our calendar.

January 17 from 10-2 PM: Ames Repair Cafe at the Library
January 24: Wheatsfield CSA Fair (11-1 PM) AND Community Volunteer Fair at the Library (1:30-3:30 PM) AND Iowa Prairie Network Winter Seminar
January 30-31: Brigid's Flame in Dubuque, IA (put on by our Catholic Worker friends!)
February 13-15: Catholic Worker Farm Gathering in Luck, Wisconsin
February 22 from 2-5 PM: Farm Team Retreat
March 3 from 5-8 PM: Sustainapalooza at ISU
March 12 at 6:30 PM : Growing Food in Iowa Class at Wheatsfield (Sign up required!)
March 23 from 5:30-7:00 PM: Seed Starting Class at Nevada Library (Alice teaching)
May 16 from 10-12 PM: Annual Seed and Plant Share at the Romero House

All New and Returning Workshares & Volunteers - PLEASE SIGN UP!
Workshares join us on Tuesdays or Fridays from 7-10 AM for our harvest mornings, which begin in mid-May. In exchange for your work, you will receive a bountiful box of vegetables! No experience is necessary. We are looking for folks who are adaptable, patient, and comfortable working outside. Please visit the Workshare page on our website to learn more. There are also lots of year-round opportunities to volunteer with us, which are listed on this form as well.

We would like all new and returning workshares and volunteers to complete the sign up form! This form is not a formal commitment; please fill it out if you are interested or committed so we can get you on our mailing lists to send you more information. Thank you!

Flower CSA Shares
We still have 7 Flower CSA shares for sale! A flower share includes six deluxe bouquets: 2 per month in June, July, and August (specific dates TBD). Flower shares will be available for pick up at Wheatsfield Co-Op on Fridays. Cost: $150. These shares will be sold, first-come first-serve. Please email Jen at jenmcclung@yahoo.com to request a share. She will send you the sign up form if there are still shares available or put you on the waiting list.

Our 2026 paid Vegetable CSA is full. These shares have been filled by our returning members and folks from our waiting list. If you'd like to be on the waiting list for next season, please email mustardseedbee@gmail.com. However, we are always welcoming workshares to join us for harvest mornings! Workshares receive the same size box of vegetables that our paid shares receive. Please see above for more information.

2026 Agroecology Internships - Apply by March 15 or Help Us Spread the Word!
We are seeking interns with a passion for food sovereignty-based agriculture and social justice to work with us this growing season. Our internships take place between mid-May and mid-October and can range from 2-5 months, depending on the intern’s interest and our availability. The full internship description can be found on our website. (Click on the link at the top of the webpage to download a PDF version.)

Mustard Seed Zine Coming Soon!
Thank you to everyone who shared artwork and reflections for our zine (if you're not familiar with that term, a zine is a small, short publication like a magazine or a newsletter). We decided to print a ton of copies of the zine and we are getting them mailed out in the next couple of weeks. Please send your name and address to outreach.mustardseed@gmail.com if you would like a print copy mailed to you and you aren't sure if you're on our mailing list or not.

Join the Farm Team
The farm team is made up of folks who shape the vision and direction of our farm and contribute to special projects and big picture dreaming and decision-making. Our Farm Team operates through a consensus model where we make decisions unanimously. This model stems from the Catholic Worker value of Personalism where the dignity of each person is recognized and celebrated. The farm team meets year-round, one Sunday afternoon per month. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings, but we hope that farm team members will commit to attending them regularly. In addition to a monthly meeting, farm team members are encouraged to join at least 1 "squad" (a much more fun term than "committee"). These smaller groups of farm team members work on tasks like fundraising, event planning, outreach, and intern recruitment.

Our upcoming meetings are scheduled for Sundays February 8, March 8, April 12, and May 17. We also have a Farm Team Retreat on February 22 from 2-5 PM. Anyone is welcome to join us.

Thanks for reading this long email! We appreciate you!

With care,

The Mustard Seed Farm Crew

P.S. Iowa Field Guides Vol. 1: Prairies
Our farm team member Amie has been working on a literary journal of creative writing and artwork about Iowa's prairies. This project includes work from a few of our farm friends, including a poem about the Mustard Seed prairie! Copies of the Field Guide are available for preorder now at www.amieadams.space/iowa-field-guides-volume-1-prairies