Farm News
Farm Dinner; CSA Pickup changes
Annual Farm Dinner… Our theme this year is “Meat and Greet; Sit and Veg”. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. In collaboration with our farm friends at Hammerbacher, along with The Seed: A Living Beer Project, we gather and celebrate with farm food, drinks, fire and music.
“Meat and Greet”: Mingle on the farm, and sip a drink; BYOB and Beer offerings (1 beer ticket included, then cash beer bar). Grab your meal from the wood-fired grills (meat-eater and veggie options) and a box of farm sides.
“Sit and Veg”: Cozy up to a hay bale and warm blanket. Pallet table picnic style (limited seating for those who need other accommodations, as per request, in advance). Indoor-outdoor seating, dress warm! Gather around the farm and enjoy food and drink grown on this farm and other NJ farms.
PURCHASE TICKETS. Preview sale to our customers. This event sells out fast, limited seating. Must be 21 or older to attend.
CSA PICKUPS, PLEASE NOTE CHANGES: NO CSA PICKUPS IN OCT. The remaining 2 CSA pickups will be Nov 11-13, and Nov 18-20. Just in time for your Thanksgiving plans. Crops… spinach making a BIG comeback, lettuce, arugula, cabbage, sweet potatoes and more. Greens taste amazingly better after a frost! As a farmer, I am a planner and constantly evaluating my farming system. Given the pandemic-related shortages and bottlenecks, and changing weather patterns, this year taught us to pause and rethink how we do things. Disruptions in our crop production have opened up new possibilities for us. As your farmers, we look forward to extending our CSA season into the fall and continuing to grow your food. The potatoes will be sweeter and brussel sprouts fresh picked for your holiday! Thank you for all your love and support of NJ agriculture.
CSA Week 18; CSA pickup changes; Annual Farm Dinner
THE HARVEST. Green Beans (U-Pick, VERY nice quality!), Eggplant (last of summer, Pastore Orchards), Cabbage and Cauliflower (more coming in this week!), Winter squashes (Butternut and Buttercup), Garlic, Leeks, Beets, Peppers, Kale, Swiss Chard, Fennel, Radish.
CSA PICKUPS, PLEASE NOTE CHANGES: After this week, the remaining 2 CSA pickups will resume in mid-Nov. Just in time for your Thanksgiving plans. Crops… spinach making a BIG comeback, lettuce, arugula, cabbage, sweet potatoes and more. Greens taste amazingly better after a frost! As a farmer, I am a planner and constantly evaluating my farming system. Given the pandemic-related shortages and bottlenecks, and changing weather patterns, this year taught us to pause and rethink how we do things. Disruptions in our crop production have opened up new possibilities for us. As your farmers, we look forward to extending our CSA season into the fall and continuing to grow your food. The potatoes will be sweeter and brussel sprouts fresh picked for your holiday! Thank you for all your love and support of NJ agriculture.
ANNUAL FARM DINNER: SAVE THE DATE, SATURDAY NOV 6! Tickets go on sale exclusive to CSA members at first. Then sales open to the public, if available. “Meat and Greet; Sit and Veg”. Strolling cocktail hour (BYOB). Your choice of a grilled item (including a vegetarian option); 3 Farm Sides; Dessert. Farm chic:) Haybales and warm blankets, bonfires and live music under the stars (weather permitting). More details AND ticket sales to follow soon.
CSA Week 17
Welcome Back CSA Members!
THE HARVEST. Peppers, Kale, Leeks, Beets (ours and local source), Potatoes: mix of sweets and whites (ours and local source), Butternut and Buttercup winter squashes; Garlic; Green Beans (nice U-Pick!) Cauliflower OR Cabbage (limited quantities); Radish, and Herbs (U-Pick).
EXTRAS FOR SALE. Apples (Nichols Orchard). Eggs (Cycle Farms and local source), Potpies, chicken sausages and ground turkey (Griggstown Farm), Sheapsicles and Ice crème (new flavors, Misty Meadow), Breads and baked goods (Hammerbacher, as available).
FARM UPDATES. Crop losses due to extreme summer weather events, and reduced crop production due to supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are issues for many farmers this fall. It became quickly obvious that these issues were nothing like we have ever experienced. On the positive, smart policies and innovations are helping farmers deal with adverse weather conditions and hopefully signals a more bountiful harvest for the coming years. And while some aspects of pandemic disruptions are temporary, some appear to be longer lasting.
FALL CROPS… aiming for 3 more weeks. As your farmers, we can navigate around the challenges. Thus far, despite the usual ups and downs, our CSA is a relatively predictable model and has been for 12 years. So, it is frustrating to have any gap in our production. Although based on conversations and market research, many CSA’s had to switch up their pickup models this year too. In good faith, we are collaborating with other farms to source a variety of fall crops based on availability as best as we all can. For us, our resilience is rooted in our connections to the community. We do feel confident our CSA base and partnerships are strong and eager to stand behind us. Things have come a long way for us in the last few years, and we look forward to seeing the future unfold.
CSA pickup changes and barn concert
Hi all.
PLEASE NOTE CSA PICKUP CHANGES FOR SEPTEMBER:
CSA pickups will be ON HOLD for the next 2 weeks; CSA pickups will resume Oct 7-9, continuing through Oct 30 (final pickup for season).
Pest and disease issues, weeds and staff shortages, paired with high heat and humidity have affected the usually predictable harvest schedule. Farms in NJ and throughout the region have felt the impacts of climate change, some worse than others this season. But good farms and farmers help each other out. We’ve made arrangements to supplement our crops and procure additional vegetables in the form of trade and for purchase from our local farmer friends. Also, we recently transplanted new crops that will need a few weeks to mature. All of this will just take some time as other farms are dealing with similar situations.
After this year, we are making changes to how we manage our crops and CSA. As the weather continues to be hotter, wetter and more humid, farmers must adapt to extreme weather events. Climate change is playing out every season. In my 12 years farming, a short period, I have experienced changes in rainfall that are more intensive, rising summer temperatures and altered patterns of pests, diseases and weeds. In this environment, we continue to strategize and learn new practices such as changing our crop selections and timing of plantings.
Another curveball this season has been the staff shortages. Our farm crew made the best of it, yet we had no control over other services we rely on to pull it all together. Plants and other supplies needed were unavailable due to others’ staff shortages therefore disrupting our systems. It’s been a crazy year.
We appreciate your support and understanding as we navigate these realities.
OTHER FARM HAPPENINGS…
BARN CONCERT THIS SATURDAY, SAT 9/25… READ MORE HERE.
PURCHASE CONCERT TICKETS – must be purchased in advance, no walk up sales.
ANNUAL FARM DINNER… details forthcoming in Oct as we develop our plans!
CSA week 16
EVENTS ON THE FARM THIS WEEKEND… Arts & Crafts Festival, Sat 10 AM-3 PM. CSA Pickup as usual: Thu, Fri 10 AM-5 PM, AND Sat pickup 10 AM-2 PM, concurrent with Arts & Crafts Festival.
THE HARVEST. From our Fields… the Squashes - Butternut, Buttercup and Spaghetti; Sweet Peppers (colorful bells and “Italian” reds); Hot Peppers (jalapenos, cherry bombs and long hots); Cucumbers; Leeks; Onions (on the smaller side now, still great flavor for your culinary needs); Garlic; Tomatoes (reds and heirlooms); Greens - Arugula and Kale; Radish; Broccoli - just coming in, offerings will be light at first. We will likely supplement from other farms as needed in coming weeks. From our Friends Fields… more Tomatoes to supplement our fields (Pastore, Hammonton); more Kale to supplement our fields (Vineland, NJ), Eggplant (Pastore, Hammonton).
EXTRAS FOR SALE - ALL LOCAL. APPLES! Nichols Orchard, Franklinville; MUSHROOMS (lots available this week! Beautiful product.) - Faith Flower Farm; POT PIES (chicken , Sheppard’s), SAUSAGES (chicken, new varieties!), GROUND TURKEY - Griggstown Farm; CHEESE (Mozzarella, Feta) - Fulper Farm; EGGS - local; BAKED GOODS (as available), back from a break, Hammerbacher; FRESH PRODUCE - from our fields (based on availability) and local farms.
FARMER UPDATES. Thus far, we are happy with the season, summer was plentiful - cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes and lots of good eats on the table. With limited staff, it has not been easy; we managed, and farm crew did a pretty awesome job! However, due to things beyond our control, we are trailing a few weeks behind on the fall crops. Farmers prevail though, our CSA is resilient AND creative! For example, our sweet potato supplier was unable to deliver us plants… no worries, will be trading/harvesting from a friends field! Greens, like spinach and lettuce are slow to the table as our seedlings supplier has been behind several weeks, therefore pushing our transplanting schedule several weeks. SOLUTION: BREAK/HOLD ON CSA PICKUPS… first time ever in 12 years of running this farm. BUT, on the bright side, this will allow for other crops to mature, and us time to offer a wider selection of crops to top off another great (and always challenging!) season. We plan for 20 weeks and you pay for 20 weeks! We will send another email next week with details. As always, thank you for your support!
CSA Week 14
THE HARVEST. Tomatoes - still coming in - mostly reds this week. Winter squashes - Butternut, Spaghetti and Buttercup. Watermelons - last week? Arugula - cutting new field, more tender, less spicy. Cucumber, Zucchini, Peppers, Carrots (loose), Beets (loose), Garlic, Leeks, Onions. Looking ahead a few weeks… more lettuce, spinach and kale. Fingers crossed rain is not too hard on broccoli and cauliflower! And U-Pick Flowers? Depends on rain this week.
THE RAIN! BEFORE YOU DRIVE TO THE FARM THURSDAY… CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES ON POSSIBLE FARM CLOSURE. We will make the call Thursday AM whether we can open or not. Heavy rain is projected, as of now; the driveway and farm shop may be too flooded to enter. IF WE NEED TO CLOSE THURSDAY DUE TO HEAVY RAIN, WE WILL BE OPEN FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
FARMER HIGHLIGHTS. Thanks to farmer friends at Rancocas Creek Farm for supplementing our tomatoes this week. We traded our pepper abundance for extra tomatoes (grown organically, not certified). Prior, we worked with Stockton U Farm to supplement our eggplant; a portion of proceeds from upcoming event sales being donated back to Stockton U Farm. Despite weather issues and being short staffed, we are getting creative and making it work!
EXTRAS FOR SALE.
Corn and Peaches (maybe Blackberries?) - Pastore Orchards.
Chicken Sausages, Ground Turkey and Pot Pies (chicken, beef shepherd’s, veggie) - Griggstown Farm.
Mushrooms - Faith Flower Farm; and Microgreens - Jersey Joe’s.
Dairy: Eggs - Cycle farms and local sources; Cheeses and Yogurt/Sheapsicles - Misty Meadow.
Walking Bird’s farm-grown produce AND Raspberries (limited quantities, see Shop for details).
No Hammerbacher/baked goods this week - our hardworking friends are on vacation.
EVENTS
CSA Week 13
THE HARVEST. Buttercup squash - if you like sweet potatoes, you will love this! Leeks, Potatoes (baby), Carrots (loose), Beets (loose), Watermelon (red/yellow), Cucumber, Zucchini, Lettuce mix, Arugula, Tomatoes (mix and match), Peppers (bells/hots), Spaghetti squash, Garlic. Also, U-Pick Flowers, Herbs. A few eggplants on sale from the Stockton Farm harvest… all proceeds go back to the Farm.
EXTRAS FOR SALE. Potpies (chicken, Sheppard’s and veggie), Cheeses (new products), Yogurt, Eggs, Mushrooms, Baked goods (as available), Chicken sausages and ground turkey, Farm-grown produce, Peaches, Corn, Blackberries.
FIELD UPDATES/ HIGHLIGHTS. Sept. is on our doorstep, hoping for cooler weather! Tomatoes are winding down; we will have some for another week or 2. U-Pick fields are getting light; still flowers to pick though. As flowers fade, the green beans will be ready to pick again. Beautiful butternut coming up, just began harvesting. Broccoli and Cauliflower fields look nice for mid-late Sept. Lots of spinach and kale for fall too. Potatoes are light this season, but we are working on a trade with another farm to bring in more.
Eat well and be happy! See you on the farm.
UPCOMING EVENTS.
Portion of the proceeds to benefit Stockton U scholarships, including the Stockton Farm.
CSA Week 12
THE HARVEST. Greens! Lettuce mix AND Arugula. PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR REUSABLE BAGS! Tomatoes (red/heirloom/cherry types), Watermelon (red/yellow), Peppers, bells and hots – lots of color! Eggplant (Stockton U Farm to the rescue!), Cucumbers, Zucchini, Spaghetti squash, Onions (red/yellow), Garlic. Maybe potatoes, will be a last-minute decision. U-Pick Cherry Tomatoes, Flowers and Herbs… Basil making a comeback!
EXTRAS FOR SALE.
Peaches, Corn, Blackberries – Pastore Orchard; Potpies are back! AND Chicken sausage and ground turkey – Griggstown Farm; Eggs and whole chickens – Cycle Farms and Local eggs. Baked goods - Hammerbacher, as available. Cheese – Fulper Farms; Microgreens – Jersey Joes; Mushrooms – Faith Flower Farm; AND Walking Bird farm-grown produce. Keep Loyal to Local!
The farmer and her eggplant… a BIG thanks to Stockton U Farm for the save this week!
Our eggplant had serious issues with a pest that we were unable to manage successfully, which ultimately took down this crop (Colorado potato beetle). At times, we lose crops beyond our control. If feasible, we do our best to replace it. Fortunately, we arranged with the Stockton U Farm to supplement our eggplant and in turn, offered to raise funds for their farm program. OUR GOAL: to match a portion of the proceeds from upcoming events, like our barn concert, Art show and Farm Dinner to help Stockton U Farm purchase plants, supplies and hire staff, upwards of $1000 or greater – help us get there by purchasing tickets to our barn concert (with Goodnight Moonshine) - ON SALE NOW! For years, our farm is primarily staffed with Stockton students – we are thankful for the Stockton Farms’ initiatives and hard work growing future farmers. Happy to say this eggplant story has a “fairytale” ending!
CSA Week 11
THE HARVEST. On the table in Farm Shop… Arugula – beautiful! Watermelons (red/yellow), Tomatoes (reds/heirlooms), Cucumber, Zucchini, Spaghetti squash, Peppers (bells and hots), Onions (red/yellow), Eggplant and Garlic. In the U-Pick fields… Flowers, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes. Hot one out there! Stay hydrated and take care of yourselves. Farmers going strong!
EXTRAS FOR SALE.
Peaches, Blackberries… AND Corn is back! Pastore Orchards, Hammonton.
Baked goods (as available), Hammerbacher. If you miss them, check out the bakery in EHC, it’s worth it!
Mushrooms: shitake, lions mane, oysters, pioppino – not going to find these gems in the grocery store!
Cheeses/Yogurt/Eggs: Fulper Farms, Misty Meadow, Cycle Farms/Local farms.
Meats: Chicken sausages/ground turkey, Griggstown Farm; Whole Chickens – this is what REAL farm-raised chicken tastes like! Priced accordingly. Cycle Farms.
Support Beginner Farmers! Our own Walking Bird Farmers are branching out and furthering their careers in agriculture. Help get them started! Available for purchase:
MICROGREENS. Versatile in any dish! In the fridge on the farm, or contact Joe Kalksma, aka Jersey Joe.
PORK SHARES. Half and Whole shares (priced accordingly). Customize your cut sheets. Payment and cut sheets required BEFORE 8/27 (off to the butcher 8/31). Pigs are forest raised, fed non-GMO grain (7th Heaven Farm), non-GMO sheep’s milk whey and cheese/yogurt (Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy), organic produce (not certified organic, Walking Bird Farm), and baked goods (Hammerbacher). Know your farmer, know your food! TO PLACE AN ORDER OR HAVE QUESTIONS… Contact Riley Blankenship, rileybship222@gmail.com, or call/text 609-705-2654.
UPCOMING EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER:
CSA Week 10
THE HARVEST. Watermelon (red AND yellow seedless) – “icebox” sized, perfect for the refrigerator; Tomatoes (red, heirloom, cherry types and tomatillos); Zucchini (green/yellow); Cucumbers; Peppers – bell and hots (jalapeno, cherry bombs, long hots); Eggplant; Garlic; Onion (red/yellow); Spaghetti squash; Carrots and Beets (topped); Cabbage; Flowers and Herbs. Eat what’s in season! Greens? Back next week with Arugula. Others, like lettuce, spinach and kale are a few weeks away, as they prefer cooler weather.
U-PICK CROPS. Open to the Public
TOMATOES. Mix and Match quarts – super sweet oranges and deep purple/red types. AND tomatillos – look for green ones just breaking the husk.
FLOWERS. Mix and Match bouquets – mini Sunflowers! AND lots of color in the fields.
HERBS. Looking for basil? We accidently mowed it! You might find some out there though. Basil will regrow – in the meantime, try oregano, thyme or parsley.
EXTRAS FOR SALE. Open to the Public.
PEACHES! Pastore Orchard, Hammonton, AND blackberries; Walking Bird farm-grown produce; Local Eggs. Hammerbacher baked goods (as available) – If you miss them Thursday, please stop by their bakery in Egg Harbor City for more! Mushrooms, Faith Flower Farm; Misty Meadow’s sheep cheese/yogurt/sheepsicles; chicken sausage/ground turkey, Griggstown Farm; Honey, Bee Cool. Corn? Light this week, please check back.
FARMER TIPS: spaghetti squash caramelized, topped with cheese; zucchini/onion pie with fresh tomatoes; watermelon/cucumber/mint salad; stuffed hot peppers; fresh salsa; bell peppers – slice and freeze for winter use, no need to blanch first. And I can never get enough eggplant in the freezer either! Bread and bake it, then freeze it for eggplant parms all winter. Time to start saucing – I use many different types, from red “slicers” to heirlooms and cherry types. Add paste to thicken; the flavor is outstanding and farm fresh.
Thank you for your business and supporting local farmers.
CSA Week 9
THE HARVEST. Tomatoes - so many! Big reds, heirlooms and cherry types. Spaghetti squash, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Onions, Peppers - bells and hots (jalapenos, cherry bombs and long hots), Potatoes, Beets and Carrots. U-Pick fields FULL of color! From Cherry tomatoes to Flowers and Herbs. Green beans too. Next week, sneak peak… watermelons?!
U-PICK CROPS. ALL Open to the Public. CSA Members discounts.
Cherry Tomatoes: This field is loaded with flavor and color! Orange and black types. Farmer tip… bake/caramelize in oven on cookie tray with fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and sea salt. Many uses! Spread on crackers and add to sauces. And I freeze for later use during the winter. Enjoy.
Flowers: Mix bouquets (15 stems) and Sunflowers (8 stems). Additional sunflowers $1 each. Pair with herbs. Dill is going to seed; dill flower heads are gorgeous.
Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Rosemary, Oregano, Mint and more. Herbs mix and match, or choose your favorite.
Green Beans: still some out there. Might need to look a bit harder; we are seeding more for the next few weeks.
EXTRAS FOR SALE. Walking Bird farm-grown produce (Jersey Fresh, 100% grown on our farm!). Honey (new flavors), Whole Chickens, Sausages, Cheeses, Sheepsicles, Baked goods (as available). We are taking a week off from corn, but it will be back next week, along with new items. Peaches?!
CSA MEMBERS NOTE… not sure if the weekly share email was sent out for you to customize. It seems fine on my end, but some customers did not get it. Computer/software glitches? No worries! We should have the tags in Farm shop for you; and you can customize in person. OR, log into your account. Regardless of the email, every week, your farmers are out working the fields and growing your food! See you on the farm.
CSA Week 8
THE HARVEST… Tomatoes! Nice reds, perfect sandwich size; Heirlooms, delicate and VERY flavorful, cracks and splits are normal and expected; U-Pick cherry tomatoes – orange and black types. Tomato harvest getting bigger each week! Spaghetti squash; Potatoes (red, gold, white mix); Cucumbers – heavy harvest – make pickles! Zucchini, Eggplant, Peppers (bells and hots), Carrots, Beets, Onions (red, yellow). Also, Garlic – so fresh – pair with extra tomatoes and basil. More Cabbage, Radish and Scallions. U-Pick Green Beans. U-Pick Herbs… lots of Basil! And parsley. Dill and Cilantro going to seed, still great for cooking. U-Pick Flowers full of color – pair with an herb bouquet and give your table that farmhouse feel. Take a pic, along with your veggies and tag us @walkingbirdfarm to win a Walking Bird Farm t-shirt/tank or canvas tote bag!
U-Pick Crops. Open to the Public.
CSA… include as an item, OR purchase as an extra item in Farm Shop.
FLOWERS: Mixed Bouquets 15 stems OR 8 Sunflowers. CSA $4, Public $6. Extra Sunflowers $1 each.
HERBS: Mixed bunches or Single Herbs – see sample display for estimate. CSA $2, Public $4.
CHERRY TOMATOES – Mix colors and flavors! Orange sun golds (smaller oranges, super sweet!); tropical sunset (larger oranges, mild flavor), black cherry types (rich flavor, pick very dark). CSA $3/lb, Public $3.50/lb.
GREEN BEANS.
BLUEBERRIES – likely last week. Get what you can, then wander into our other U-Pick fields!
HOURS: Thu, Fri 10 AM-5 PM and Sat 10 AM-2 PM.
ALL U-PICK MUST BE COMPLETED BY CLOSING.
Extras for Sale.
Corn, Blackberries, Cheeses, Meats, Mushrooms, Sheepsicles, Baked goods (as available, please check Hammerbacher Bakery direct for more options), AND Walking Bird farm-grown produce (extras for sale to CSA and Public). Please note, not all produce available to public, only bumper crops that we have tons of. For example, we do have smaller red tomatoes and u-pick options for public sales, limited quantities. Large red “beefsteak” tomatoes are CSA only currently. ALL CROPS LABELED, PLEASE FOLLOW SIGNS FOR OPTIONS AND PRICING.
Thanks for supporting our farm!
CSA Week 7
Hot and Heavy Harvest! Eggplant, Tomatoes (reds, heirlooms, u-pick cherry types), Peppers (bells and hots), Cucumbers, Zucchini, Onions, Carrots, Beets, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Scallions, Garlic scapes. U-Pick Flowers, Herbs AND cherry tomatoes.
U-Pick this week… Blueberries - 1 or 2 weeks left. Get um in the freezer! Flowers - Mix & Match bouquets AND sunflowers. Herbs - Mix & Match basil, dill, cilantro and parsley; others too. Cherry Tomatoes - just coming in. Count a pint as a “tomato unit” in your share. Orange AND Black tomato types! Green Beans? New field need another week before we open it.
Extra “Jersey Fresh” For Sale. Corn AND Blackberries, Pastore Orchard; Cheeses - NEW selections, Fulper Farms and Misty Meadow; Fresh Chickens AND Eggs, Cycle Farms, Sheepsicles and Yogurt, Misty Meadow; Mushrooms, Faith Flower Farm; Baked goods (as available, OR visit Hammerbacher direct for more!); AND WB farm-grown produce, see Shop for details and pricing (tomatoes for CSA only this week, please check back soon for public sales).
Thank you for your support. See you on the farm!
CSA Week 6
THE HARVEST. NEW! Eggplant and Peppers… just coming in and limited. Also, Broccoli and Cauliflower (choose 1, last week, until the fall harvest). Radish and Scallions back on the table. Along with Cabbage, Carrots, Cucumbers, Garlic scapes, Kohlrabi and Zucchini.
TOMATO TEASER! Grab a tomato sample, as they are just coming in. Could be a red “beefsteak”, an heirloom or a handful of cherry tomatoes.
EXTRA JERSEY FRESH FOR SALE.
NEW… CORN AND BLACKBERRIES! Pastore Orchard.
More to Love in Farm Shop… Fresh Chickens and Eggs (chickens free range/organic, priced accordingly at $5/lb.), Cycle Farms; Yogurt/Cheeses/”Sheep”sicles, Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy; Chicken sausages/ground turkey, Griggstown Farms; Mushrooms, Faith Flower Farm; Microgreens, Jersey Joe’s (Walking Bird farmer Joe’s up and coming business!); AND our own farm-grown produce. Need to cool off… we have Joe’s tea! In the fridge. Baked goods, Hammerbacher… sells out fast! If you miss them on Thursday, please visit their bakery in Egg Harbor City. It is worth it:)
U-PICK CROPS. Blueberries, Green Beans, Flowers and Herbs.
ALL abundant and easy to pick. Herbs – try drying or freezing for later use. Basil, Parsley, Dill, Cilantro. Also, Rosemary, Oregano, Mint and more. Raspberries? Depends on field conditions this week.
See you on the farm. And thank you for your support!
CSA Week 5
The Harvest… Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Beets, Carrots, Cucumber, Zucchini, Garlic Scapes, Kohlrabi. Other crops and game day decisions - Scallions, Kale and Radish? NEW U-Pick Crop… Green Beans! AND Sunflowers and Herbs are abundant! Too hot for most greens right now; will take a break from the lettuce for a few weeks. Looking forward to peppers, eggplant and tomatoes! 2 weeks? For now, time to make pickles - try a batch with zucchini and garlic scapes.
U-Pick Berries… Blueberries - LOTS of blueberries! Raspberries are on lighter side but still worth picking. They will continue to come in. This is a new crop for us, so still learning about its habits.
HOT WEEK! Farm Crew is doing great, bangin out the harvest and other work. Epic Garlic harvest, which you will see in about 3 weeks, as it needs to cure. So much good food in the fields - call us crazy, but we love what we do! Stay cool out there:)
CSA Week 4
The Harvest…
Cucumber, Zucchini, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Beets, Carrots, Scallion, Radish, Garlic scapes, Lettuce, Kale, Cabbage, Kohlrabi. Also U-Pick Flowers and Herbs - include as an item in your CSA share, or purchase extras. CSA Member discount on U-Pick crops. Extras for Sale - see Farm Shop for details.
FLOWERS… Sunflowers and Calendula are abundant! Zinnia, Cosmos, Snapdragon and other flowers starting to fill in. Farmer tip: add a bunch of herbs to your bouquets; they will look AND smell amazing.
Sunflowers - field next to blueberries.
Flowers, Mix and Match - field in front of barn.
HERBS… Choose a single herb, or a mix.
Parsley, Basil, Dill, Cilantro - field in front of barn.
Mint, Lavender, Sage, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary - field next to blueberries.
U-Pick Flowers and Herbs:
What you need to know, and get the most from your experience.
What is a bunch? See U-Pick sample display for details, in Farm Shop. Every week it will change depending on abundance.
Bring Your Own Scissors. We do have a few pairs on hand, in a pinch, but they do disappear quickly!
Bring Your Own Containers. Something that will fit in your vehicle cup holder works. Fill up at the water coolers to help get your bouquets home without wilting.
Strip leaves from the stems in the field - helps keep bouquets from wilting and fresh for longer. You can do this in the field, just drop on the ground in the walkways.
Use a rubber band. Keep bouquets neat and tidy - grab a few from the U-Pick sample display.
Can I add Flowers and Herbs to my share? Include as an item in your CSA share, swap out something, or purchase as an “extra”. CSA Member discount on ALL U-Pick crops.
Open to the Public? Yes, with limitations. CSA Members have priority. Please see Farm Shop for details.
U-pick Berries:
Blueberries (OPEN to Public). Price $2.90/lb ($2.75 for CSA). NO entry fee.
Raspberries (OPEN to Public). Price $6/pint ($5/pint for CSA). Entry fee $1/person for anyone entering field.
HOURS (U-Pick and CSA)
U-Pick: Mon-Fri 10 AM-5 PM, Sat 10 AM-2 PM, Sun Closed (U-Pick hours AND availability weather dependent, please check social media for real time updates).
Farm Shop/CSA Pick up: Thu, Fri 10 AM-5 PM, Sat 10 AM-2 PM.
CSA Week 3
The Harvest… Carrots, Cauliflower (white AND orange!), Zucchini (green AND yellow), Cabbage, Lettuce, Kale, Scallions, Radish, Kohlrabi, Garlic Scapes. Also U-pick Herbs and Flowers (CSA Only). Lots coming in now! Extras for sale, see Farm Shop for details.
U-Pick Berries… Blueberries (OPEN to Public) AND Raspberries (OPEN to Public).
Blueberries… Price $2.90/lb ($2.75 for CSA). NO entry fee.
Raspberries… Price $6/pint ($5/pint for CSA). Entry fee $1/person for everyone. After 3 years of intensive, organic management, labor and infrastructure costs, crop losses and re-plantings, we can FINALLY open this crop for u-pick. Raspberries are expensive to grow; berries are priced accordingly.
HOURS (U-Pick AND CSA pickup): Thu AND Fri 10 AM-5 PM; Sat 10 AM-2 PM; CLOSED Sun.
Other farm happenings… Broccoli and cucumbers next week? Green beans… 2 weeks? Beets back next week. More greens? The early heat and no rain took a toll on some of these crops, combined with a labor shortage to help maintain and harvest. We expect arugula and spinach for a few weeks, but not this season, a first for us in over 10 years. I am considering buying in local though, if available. I will keep you posted. Every year is different, and what we are pulling from the fields is coming in strong. Thank you for being a part of the farm season with us… lots to grow, pick and eat! Enjoy.
CSA Week 2
The Harvest…
Lettuce heads (buttercrunch, summer crisp and frilly loose leaf types); Beets; Kohlrabi; Kale; Arugula; Garlic Scapes; Radish; Turnips; U-Pick Herbs; U-Pick Flowers. REMINDER… BRING YOUR OWN BAGS! Mother Earth thanks you. EXTRAS… you can purchase in Farm Shop (as available); posted weekly.
U-Pick Flowers and Herbs… How Does It Work?
Bring Your Own Scissors.
Bring Your Own Containers. I recommend something that will fit in your vehicle cup holder. We have water to fill up… don’t let your flowers and herbs wilt in the car ride home! Keep bunches tidy with a rubber band; we have these too, next to water coolers.
Flowers and Herbs: count as an item in your share. If you do not have it selected, then you can swap it out OR purchase as an “extra”. For example, if you have a small share (choose 4 items), it might look like this… beets, lettuce, kale and flowers. If you want more items, you can purchase extras (as available).
How much can I pick? Please refer to the U-Pick SAMPLE display in Farm Shop. Each week, the varieties and stem count will change (as available). This week… flowers and herbs just coming in. They will be smaller bunches. As you pick, they will get bigger and fuller in a few weeks.
U-Pick Berries… Strawberries. ALL U-Pick Berries EXTRA, not part of CSA share.
CSA PICKUP HOURS:
Thursday AND Friday 10 AM-5 PM
Saturday 10 AM-2 PM
U-Pick Twilight Hours
U-Pick Strawberries CLOSED today, Sunday, for field maintenance and farm chores. OPEN during the week for twilight picking, 4-7 PM, as available. We will announce twilight picking after field maintenance. Please check back soon!