Farm News
IT’S CSA WEEK
Know Your Farmer - JOIN OUR CSA!
Get a great deal on our farm-grown vegetables, sign up by March 1.
WHAT IS CSA WEEK? It’s a week where farmers from across the country are promoting their CSA’s and encouraging customers to signup. Why? As farmers, just before spring emerges (and it’s around the corner!), it’s a good time for us to share our story and connect the general public with family farms like ours.
ABOUT US. We are a family farm, and woman owned and operated. Female farmers increasingly are making the majority of managerial decisions, working in the fields, driving tractors and running the bulk of daily operations. On our farm, I am proud to be a part of this growing trend in farming. Along with my husband Ryan, we live and work on this farm for a living. It is as physically demanding as it is rewarding. Our intent is to grow nurturing food and promote our local food system. Know Your Farmer! And that’s where our CSA comes in…
HOW DOES IT WORK? Join our CSA and get your eMarket card. The card (we use egift cards) is a buy down membership. *** Use it to shop with us in our Farm Store. *** In return for your upfront payment, enjoy discounts all season on our farm fresh produce AND earn loyalty points, redeemable on farm goods throughout the season. No weekly commitment or boxed shares. Shop at your convenience. Our CSA is flexible and you choose what you want. Not so sure? While we are open to the public, membership has its benefits.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS. This is our best deal of the season, and it ends March 1! Applied at checkout on the farm EVERY TIME you shop ALL SEASON! Discounts will be applied ONLY to crops grown exclusively at WBF (other farms' products we sell are not eligible for the discount).
THE MINI $350… includes 10% VEGGIE DISCOUNT
THE BASIC $450… includes 15% VEGGIE DISCOUNT
THE CORE $550… includes 20% VEGGIE DISCOUNT
THE BULK $650… includes 25% VEGGIE DISCOUNT
*** E MARKET CARDS - can be use to: purchase veggies, flowers, pick your own, meats, cheese and other designated items; can not be used to: event tickets or items from other pop up vendors (such as artists or food trucks). ***
WHY JOIN OUR FARM? Our commitment to our ongoing education and due diligence. We are practical and hardworking, both in the field and in the books, farming is our livelihood. The decisions we make on our seed purchases and crop plans over the winter months are well thought out and contribute to the overall success of our farm all season long. Put your faith in our farm, over 15 years growing food for our community. Join our CSA and connect to likeminded consumers and participate in a more localized food system. Thank you for your support!
2024 CSA MEMBERSHIPS – ON SALE NOW!
With the success of our Market Card in 2023, we are making it our standard CSA membership in 2024 and offering a digital version, the eMarket Card.
CSA MEMBERSHIPS
HOW DOES IT WORK?
- eMarket Cards (“eGift Cards”) are a “Buy Down” plan – we find it easier to track our harvest & inventory while offering our customers a more customizable, flexible shopping experience.
- Choose an eMarket Card Level ($350, $450, $550 and $650) – just as you would sign up for a traditional CSA Share. Early Bird Signup includes 10-25% savings on your veggies, all season, based on your membership level.
- Good for EVERYTHING in our farm store – use your eMarket Card for veggies, eggs, local meats, cheeses, jams, sauces and more.
- No weekly commitment and valid for our ENTIRE farm season – shop for what you want, when you want.
- Share your digital account with family or friends – this is handled by Square, our POS (point of sale) system, no need to have a physical card.
WHY JOIN NOW?
- SUPPORT FARMS – running a farm is a year-round business for us. Your upfront purchase helps us greatly now… to buy seeds, plants and supplies, pay for fuel for the greenhouses and tractors, hire staff to work in the greenhouses and get our fields prepped and planted and so much more.
- QUALITY – access to the best, farm fresh produce every week throughout the growing season. Wholesome, healthy food – harvested daily, from our fields, for you and your family. Grocery store produce can be on the shelves for weeks before it reaches your plate; ours is direct from the fields, picked at peak ripeness. This makes a HUGE difference in quality, taste and nutritional value.
- FIRST PICK – members get priority on all crops we grow – at times, certain crops may ONLY be available to our members. Don’t miss out when it comes to our best beefsteak “Jersey” tomatoes – become a member!
- DISCOUNTS – ALL SEASON LONG – the larger the Market Card investment, the better the discount on your vegetables!
- NEW... LOYALTY REWARDS – earn points for becoming a member! Earn rewards throughout the season, EVERY TIME YOU SHOP. Redeem your rewards in our farm shop for a free item or dollar discounts.
- PRE SALES – ticket notifications for limited space events, like concerts and workshops.
We thank you for supporting our farm and helping to fortify this important building block of our community. We look forward to growing your food again in 2024.
*** Please click on the link below to Learn More and to Signup!***
Last Week! Bulk Sales.
End of Season Sales. OPEN Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm.
BULK SALES:
Stock up on the Spuds... if there is ever a time of year to buy potatoes in bulk, it is now! 20 lbs for $20. Also, bulk deals on Beets, Cabbage and Garlic. Don't need that much? We are selling loose too.
LIMITED QUANTITIES (first come first serve):
Brussel Sprouts, Buttercup Squash, Kale, Leeks, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Lettuce, Radish and Turnip.
From our Farm Friends...
LIMITED QUANTITIES (first come first serve):
Chicken Sausages, Eggs, Tomato Jam (amazing with cheese and crackers!), Pork Chops and a few others.
Thank you for a GREAT season!
And cheers to making it a farm fresh Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner.
Shop our farm this weekend.
Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm.
Love spinach and baby lettuce? Are you in the habit of buying those big tubs of greens at the grocery store? Treat yourself to our ultra local, farm-raised greens! Taste the difference... our spinach and lettuce mix is crisp, rich in flavor AND freshly harvested by yours truly right here on this farm:) We appreciate your business!
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Get ahead of the curve and stock up on the essentials this weekend like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and more. Consider shopping local with us and our farm friends for your holiday. Reminder: our last Farm Shop will be next week, Sat Nov 18. Thanks again for your support! See you on the farm.
Shop Our Farm this Fri and Sat.
New Crops, New Products!
Fresh cut spinach and lettuce mix. See this week's harvest below.
New Product...Gnocchi. Raviolis too. Pair with our WalkingBird Farm Tomato Sauce - limited quantities, when it's gone it won't be back until next summer! More from our Farm Friends... see below.
Shop our Farm this Weekend:
Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm
The Harvest... Arugula, Apples (Nichols Orchard), Beets, Cabbage (green, red), Garlic, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peppers (greens/colorful bells and assorted hots), Potatoes (golds, white baking and baby purple skins/gold insides), Radish, Buttercup squash, Salad Turnips (delicate flavor!), Spinach, Sweet Potatoes (Pastore Orchards) and Fresh Herbs.
From our Farm Friends... 100% Local
New Products and Farm Fav's Back In Stock!
Gnocchi, Ravioli, Ground Turkey, Chicken Sausages and Pot Pies - Griggstown Farm.
Chicken - breast, wings and tenders - Piney Pastures Ranch.
Pork - lots of hams and chops! Pasture 13.
Eggs - Cycle Farm and Working Dog Farm.
Mushrooms - Faith Flower Farm.
Honey - Mill Creek Apiary, and Handmade natural products - Pine Barrens Post.
Jams - Savory Tomato (our tomatoes!), Peach and Blueberry.
Support our Farm Friends!
3rd Annual Farm to Fork Fundraiser
We are proud to help sponsor this event, along with other farmers and local businesses. Please consider joining us Monday night at Cardinal in Atlantic City, Nov 6 at 6pm.
Wreath Making Workshops
Create your own seasonal luxury wreath with our design team. Hands on workshop on the farm. Make memories with friends and family!
Breathe in the Air on the Farm!
Our Farm Shop is Open Friday's 10-5 and Saturday's 10-2. Come out to the farm, breathe in the fresh air. Pack a picnic and BYOB, grab a haybale under the pines or sit and sip on the porch. Gorgeous weather! Bring cheese and crackers and pair with a farm jam -Tomato is outstanding! Peach and Blueberry too.
The Harvest
Arugula, Beets, Cabbage (green and purple), Cauliflower (orange), Kale, Leeks, Potatoes (golds and whites), Onion, Garlic, Peppers (Bells and long Hots), Radish, Sweet Potatoes, Buttercup and Butternut squash, Fresh Herbs. More from our farm friends, like apples, meats, eggs and more, see below.
Recipe Ideas...Get inspired!
Beets with honey walnuts and blue cheese.
Stuffed cabbage - my grandmother's specialty.
Vegetable lasagna - throw it all in there! From caramelized peppers and onions to kale and buttercup squash.
Stuffed long hots with sausage and crème cheese.
Radish, Garlic and Fresh Herbs dip.
Apple Cake - my favorite - for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Buttercup squash makes an excellent "pumpkin" pie.
From our Farm Friends...
MEATS:
PORK (chops, ham steaks and half hams, sausages, scrapple, Boston butt, soup bones) - Pasture 13.
CHICKEN (breast, wings, tenders, half chickens) - Piney Pastures Ranch.
POT PIES and Chicken Sausages (assorted varieties) - Griggstown Farm
RAVIOLI AND SAUCE - Raviolis (assorted varieties) and our own WalkingBird Farm Tomato Sauce.
LOCAL EGGS, MUSHROOMS, FARM JAMS
APPLES - Nichols Orchard.
Members Discount. Summer CSA members and Cardholders - discounts on ALL produce, applied at checkout. Thank you for supporting us this season and welcome back! PLEASE NOTE: Market Cards can not be used to purchase pork. All sales are direct to Pasture 13.
Upcoming Wreath Workshops, The Barn Workshop
Tickets selling out fast!
See you on the farm this weekend.
Fall Re-opening this Weekend
Re-opening our Farm Shop this Friday and Saturday... and the weather is going to be "perfect"! Farmer says, put on your rainy day gear and stop by the farm for your comfort food essentials. Great weekend for making soup, a savory casserole or an apple pie. Not in the mood for cooking? Grab a Griggstown famous chicken pot pie! All the feels of a homemade meal, just pop in the oven and enjoy. We are stocked up with your farm favorites from local pork, chicken, eggs, apples, our farm grown veggies and more.
Hours.
Fall Market begins Friday, Oct 20th - Nov 18th. Open 2 days a week:
Fridays 10am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm.
The Harvest
Beets, Cabbage, Kale, Leeks, Potatoes, Onion, Garlic, Peppers, Sweet Potatoes, Buttercup squash and Fresh Herbs. More to come this fall over the next few weeks, like arugula, spinach, lettuce and others.
Members Discount. Summer CSA members and Cardholders - discounts on ALL produce, applied at checkout. Thank you for supporting us this season and welcome back! PLEASE NOTE: Market Cards can not be used to purchase pork. All sales are direct to farmer Riley.
From our Farm Friends...
MEATS:
- Pork (bacon, sausage, ribs, chops and more) - Pasture 13.
- Chicken (breast, wings, tenders) - Piney Pastures Ranch.
- Potpies (chicken, beef, veggie), Chicken Sausages (assorted varieties), and Ground Turkey - Griggstown Farm
APPLES - The Best! Nichols Orchard.
PASTA AND SAUCE - Raviolis (assorted varieties) and our own WalkingBird Farm Tomato Sauce. Also, savory tomato jam, pairs perfect with cheese or serve with potato wedges.
LOCAL EGGS
Upcoming Wreath Workshops, The Barn Workshop
See you on the farm this weekend.
Summer's End, Annual Arts Festival and Pork Sale
Final Week for the Summer Season, CSA Week 14
THE HARVEST: Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Watermelon, Potatoes - new golds this week! Leeks, Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Radish, Salad Turnip, Kale, Buttercup squash, Cucumber, Zucchini and Herbs. NEW PRODUCT! WalkingBirdFarm Tomato Sauce - 100% our red and orange tomatoes, onions and garlic. Available for purchase.
FROM OUR FARM FRIENDS: Baked Goods and more, Hammerbacher - until sold out; Jams - made with our farm ingredients; Meats, Sicklers Farm - beef cubes, ground, burgers and dogs; Cheeses, Misty Meadow, Fulper Farm; Corn and Peaches, Pastore Orchard; Mushrooms, Faith Flower Farm; Eggs, Cycle Farms and Honey, Mill Creek Apiary.
FALL SCHEDULE: After our Annual Art Festival and Pork Sale next Saturday (see details below), our Farm Shop will be closed for several weeks. We will reopen in October, date to be determined based on crop availability. Market Cards will be honored in our Farm Shop through the end of the year. Market cards can not be used to purchase items at events from other vendors.
PORK SALE - SATURDAY, 9/16
Pasture 13, forest-raised, non GMO fed pork will be available for purchase during the Arts and Crafts Festival, Saturday Sept 16th. Pigs were free range on 2 acres of oak forest and fed a diet of non-GMO grain, veggies from WBF and bakery goods from Hammerbacher. Sells out fast! Meet your farmer, Riley Blankenship and former WBF manager. Support the next generation! All sales are direct to Pasture 13 - market cards can not be used to purchase items at events from other vendors. If you miss this sale, pork will be restocked in the fall.
ANNUAL ARTS FESTIVAL - SATURDAY, 9/16
Join us for our 6th annual Arts and Crafts Festival, featuring a collection of talented local artists offering a range of unique gifts like hand made pottery, wood carvings, hand-woven baskets and more. Plus farm grown produce, face painting for the kids, live demos, music, food and drink. Event is free and to the public.
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT SUMMER!
Thank you for your business and supporting family farms. Come out to the farm next Saturday for our event and welcome fall!
Tomato Bounty, New Crops, Concert Saturday
Farm Shop OPEN to Members and the Public. Thu and Fri 10am-5pm and Sat 10am-2pm.
Member exclusives this week - Tomato and Watermelon discounts. New crop - Arugula. For members, this is Week 12 of 14.
THE HARVEST
100% GROWN ON OUR FARM: Arugula, Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers (slicers, picklers), Eggplant (classic, round Italian heirloom), Garlic, Herbs, Leeks, Onions (yellow, red), Peppers (colorful bells and hots), Potatoes (baby purple), Spaghetti Squash, Tomatoes (big reds, orange heirloom, colorful cherry and grape types) Watermelon (red), Zucchini (gold). U-Pick Flowers and Cherry/grape Tomatoes.
FROM OUR FARM FRIENDS:
Peaches, Corn, Cantaloupe, Mushrooms.
HAMMERBACHER ON-FARM... sells out quick! Typically arrives an hour or so after 10am.
In The Fridge and Freezers... fridges and freezers for local meats, cheeses (like fresh ricotta!). AND our pickled veg, salsa and farm juices from Hammerbacher.
LIVE MUSIC! ON-FARM SATURDAY NIGHT.
*** Tickets must be purchased in advance, no walk in's, limited seating.
*** Featuring The Rough and Tumble. Bring your own food and drink and enjoy a casual, open-air experience. Doors open at 6pm, concert starts at 7pm.
Tomato and Watermelon Special
FROM OUR FIELDS...
TOMATOES - big red Jersey's, meaty orange slicers and super sweet cherry types. WATERMELON - red and yellow. PEPPERS - bells and hots. ONIONS - red and yellow. EGGPLANT - classic and round heirlooms. CUCUMBERS - crunchy pickle type and the standard - pickles are a farm fav! ZUCCHINI - green and yellow. SPAGHETTI SQUASH. Loose Roots - CARROTS, BEETS AND TURNIPS. And for your summer slaws - CABBAGE.
All items available for purchase - visit us in our Farm Shop. ***CSA and Market Card member discounts - TOMATO AND WATERMELON SPECIALS!***
FLOWERS - Add a bouquet or Pick-Your-Own.
More from our farm friends.
Cheese is Back! Fulper Farm and Misty Meadow Farm. Arriving sometime Thu, based on the farms' delivery schedule.
Meats and Ravioli. The inventory is running low, get them while you can! We are making room for a farm raised pork sale. Coming soon.
Thank you for shopping with us. Have a great weekend.
Tomatoes are here!
From our fields, 100%
JERSEY TOMATOES 🍅 are here! From our fields - big reds and orange heirloom types. Limited quantities, just coming in. *** CSA members and market cardholders have priority. ***
CHERRY TOMATOES… Pre-Picked in Shop (by the pint) OR U-Pick (as available). Super sweet orange 🍊 SUNGOLDS, red and yellow grape varieties.
GARLIC - for that amazing tomato platter you will be making this weekend:) Fresh Herbs for sale too - BASIL, OREGANO, PARSLEY.
EGGPLANTS, beauties! (classic AND round Italian heirlooms); PEPPERS (green and lime bells, hot bananas, jalapeño and long hots 🥵!)
CUCUMBERS (crunchy pickles and classic slicers), and ZUCCHINI (golden yellow, great flavor! Green zucchini too).
ONIONS (reds, yellows) - soooo fresh, full of flavor and sweet!
BEETS, CARROTS, CABBAGE, RADISH, SALAD TURNIP, KOHLRABI.
FLOWERS 🌺, U-Pick. Sunflowers, Zinnia and More. Picture perfect:) Pre-picked bouquets for sale, as available.
Fresh Baked from Hammerbacher… on-farm until sold out! Delivered fresh by 11’ish. Good things take time.
BAKED GOODS 🥧 🥤 Thu, Fri, Sat - knish, pies, cornbread, beverages and more.
BREADS 🍞 - Fri and Sat only.
*** FRIDAY “POP-UP” - check back in for daily specials! ***
More From our Farm Friends…
CORN, PEACHES, BLACKBERRIES - Pastore Orchards 🌽 🍑
MEATS - chicken sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers, beef cubes (skewer up some Jersey fresh!), ground beef and turkey. RAVIOLIS TOO!
MUSHROOMS, EGGS, HONEY, JAMS.
It’s a hot one! Show your farmers (and bakers) some love ❤️! See you on the farm. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
Peaches, Beautiful Blooms, New Crops
From our Fields...
NEW CROPS - Eggplant, Peppers (green bells and jalapenos), Onions (reds and yellows - not your grocery store onion!). AND more Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrots, Cucumbers (farmer says go for the pickles, they have the best crunch!), Zucchini (greens and yellows - and this is why you shop with us!), Rainbow Chard, Scallions, Radish, Salad Turnip, Beets, Kohlrabi, Garlic scapes. U-Cut Flowers and Herbs - premade bunches sold in Farm Shop also.
TOMATO FORCAST: the harvest will begin next week - finally! Rain was a big boost for this crop; thank you Mother Nature.
From our Farm Friends...
PEACHES CORN AND BLACKBERRIES.
For Sale in our Farm Shop, grown by Pastore Orchards, Hammonton. *** Please note, peaches, corn and blackberries are not CSA items, they are available for purchase in our Farm Shop.***
BAKED GOODS, RAVIOLI, MEATS and More...
Hammerbacher kitchen - baked goods and breads. Farm Shop opens at 10 and baked goods usually arrive around 11.
Griggstown Farms - ravioli, chicken sausages, ground turkey.
Sicklers Farms - hot dogs, beef cubes (your skewers will thank you!), ground beef.
Misty Meadow - sheepsicles. Please note, no cheese this week, fridge broke down:( We will restock ASAP.
HOMEMADE JAMS - Peppers County Kitchen - NEW! Peach, Peach Jalapeno and Blueberry Lime.
Mushrooms - Faith Flower Farm.
Pick-Your-Own Flowers
Here it is, your moment of zen.
Upcoming Events
U-cut Flowers, Corn, and More
U-Pick Flowers and Blueberries
FLOWERS... are abundant and gorgeous! See Farm Shop for details, stem counts and pricing (subject to change based on availability and quality). Pre-made bouquets available for purchase also.
BLUEBERRIES... could be the last week, don't miss your chance to get some in the freezer.
FROM OUR FIELDS.
Broccoli, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Carrots, Cucumbers (slicers and picklers), Zucchini (golden and greens), Rainbow Chard, Fennel, Garlic scapes, Lettuce, Scallion, Loose Roots - Beets, Radish, Turnip. A look ahead... onions, eggplant, peppers and melons. Tomatoes? They are ripening! Another week or so. Worth the wait.
From our Farm Friends…
CORN AND BLACKBERRIES.
For Sale in our Farm Shop, grown by Pastore Orchards, Hammonton. We love corn this time of year but we do not grow it ourselves... lucky for us our farm friends at Pastore do! (please note, corn is not a CSA item, it is available for purchase in our Farm Shop).
BAKED GOODS, RAVIOLI, MEATS AND MORE.
This week's highlights...
Hammerbacher - baked goods, breads, provisions - please see our social media for real time updates on daily deliveries, and we thank you for your patience as good things take time!
Griggstown Farms - ravioli and chicken sausage is back in stock! And ground turkey.
Sicklers Farms - best hot dogs in town baby, get some. Ground beef and cubes too.
From our fields to your family, what you see is what you get! When you visit us, you can find us in the fields and in the Farm shop - we are your farmers. This farm is us. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Broccoli, Beets and the Blues
Fresh from our Fields this week… Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Rainbow Chard, Scallion, Salad Turnip, Radish and Zucchini (amazing flavor on the yellows, you have to try them!). Also, still have a few kohlrabi and garlic scapes - don’t pass up these early season gems, so many great uses! And from our farm friends at Rancocas Creek, Fennel, big and beautiful. Extra produce and More for sale - stop in and say hi to your local farmers!
PICK YOUR OWN. Blueberries and Flowers.
HOURS. Thu and Fri 10AM-5PM, Sat 10AM-2PM.
Farm Updates… Tomatoes on the vine ripening! So worth the wait for the real deal. I know we are not loving this heat, but tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and melons are!
Rain anyone? It keeps missing us and our irrigation pump broke! No worries, we are on it, day in the life of a farmer:) Stay hydrated out there, it’s a hot one.
Stock up for the 4th on the farm!
HARVEST OF THE WEEK! ON THE TABLE IN OUR FARM SHOP…
Beets, Carrots, Cabbage, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rainbow Chard, Garlic Scapes, Fennel, Lettuce, Radish, Scallions, Salad Turnip, Spinach and Zucchini (green and yellow). Extras for sale to non-CSA members, please see us in Farm Shop for details - based on availability, as we harvest daily!
*** Bring your own bags - crops are fresh picked from our fields and sold loose in crates.***
STOCK UP FOR YOUR 4TH… with a big salad, make a slaw (get fancy with kohlrabi!), roast your veggies (carrots, fennel and more), grill that zucchini, make blueberry pie, grab a bouquet of flowers for the table or bring for a sweet hostess gift:). FROM OUR FARM FRIENDS... Hammerbacher BBQ - ribs and chickens AND of course those baked goods! Meats for the grill - burgers, dogs, beef cubes (for the best skewers!) from Sicklers farm, and chicken sausages from Griggstown farm. Pickup a homemade jam or try a specialty honey, like orange crème or lavender from Mill Creek Apiary.
PICK-YOUR-OWN
HOURS: OPEN Thu and Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm. CLOSED Sun-Wed. *** Please check our social media and website farm news page for daily picking updates. ***
BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES AND FLOWERS.
A picture perfect way to spend a warm afternoon!
FLOWERS. *** Bring your own scissors*** (or $5 deposit to use ours), and bring a container for your blooms. Fill up at the water station/sink to keep your blooms fresh.
BLUEBERRIES. Grab a blue can from us, wear it around your neck and pick into it. Bring it back to weigh and pay - we have containers for you to take your berries home.
RASPBERRIES. Grab a small plastic container or 2 - do not use the blue cans for raspberries - they are very delicate, the cans are too big and berries will get crushed. Pick into our clam shell containers, you can take them home.
Thank you for your business and supporting our family farm. Have a happy 4th of July weekend!
Carrots, Greens, U-Pick Berries
HARVEST OF THE WEEK. ON THE TABLE IN OUR FARM SHOP...
NEW THIS WEEK - Beets, Carrots and Scallions. GREENS - Arugula, Kale, Lettuce, Spinach. MORE FARM FRESH! Kohlrabi (makes a great slaw), Garlic Scapes, Radish, Salad Turnips (Hakurei). Extras for sale to non-CSA members, please see us in Farm Shop for details - based on availability, as we harvest daily! Started the season cold and dry, now it's cold and wet - summer where are you?! The zucchinis are asking.
FARMER TIPS:
SHOPPING WITH US. ***Bring your own bags*** - a larger bag/basket for carrying your orders AND several smaller bags (mesh bags, plastic/Ziplocs) for loose greens, like spinach. Our crops are bunched or portioned out in baskets (pre weighed) for you to transfer into your own bags. *** We do not provide bags - greens are fresh cut from the fields and sold loose in crates.***
FROM THE FARM CREW... Sarah's Recipes of the Week.
PICK-YOUR-OWN.
Blueberries and Raspberries. Open to CSA/market members AND the Public - member discounts applied at checkout. Please check our social media and website farm news page for daily picking updates. Weather dependent!
HOURS: OPEN Thu and Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm. *** Weather dependent!*** CLOSED Sun-Wed.
Strawberries are closed for the season (late May-early June). Thank you for helping to make this one of the best yet!
FRESH BAKED (and more from our farm friends)!
Hammerbacher on hand - Thu, Fri and Sat - until sold out! Thursday sweets - Muffins, Knishes, Cookies; Fri / Sat - Breads and More:)
Meats, Raviolis, Eggs, Cheeses, Jams - get some!
The Harvest, U-Pick Berries and More
THE HARVEST. Arugula, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (red leaf heads and salad mix), Radish, Garlic Scapes, Spinach, Salad Turnips (Hakurei). Extras for sale to non-CSA members, please see us in Farm Shop for details - based on availability, as we harvest daily!
SHOPPING WITH US. Bring your own bags - a larger bag/basket for carrying your orders AND several smaller bags (mesh bags, plastic/Ziplocs) for weighing loose greens, like lettuce mix. Some crops will be bunched or portioned out in baskets (pre weighed) for you to transfer into your own bags, and other crops we ask you to weigh yourself. *** We do not provide bags - greens are fresh cut from the fields and sold loose in crates.***
CARING FOR YOUR GREENS. Your salad greens will look and taste better when they're washed and dried as soon as possible. Drying salad greens after washing helps to keep them crisp and prevents wilting in storage. A salad spinner is a useful tool!
MARKET CARDS. Grab at checkout. This is your membership card - please keep it in a safe place! If you made purchases on this account prior to receiving the physical card, those purchases have been deducted from the card.
PICK-YOUR-OWN. Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries. OPEN to CSA members and the Public, member discounts applied at checkout.
CSA begins on 6/8
CSA and Market OPEN Thu-Sat. Members and Market Cardholders can pickup shares and shop on Thu, Fri 10am-5pm and Sat 10am-2pm. U-Pick fields OPEN - strawberries (open to the public) AND raspberries (picking limited, members have priority until fields fill in more to allow us to open to the public).
The Harvest, available in our Market, 100% grown on our farm: Spinach; Lettuce mix; Arugula; Kale (tuscan and curly types); Radish; Salad Turnip (hakurei type); Garlic Scapes; Herbs. Also U-Pick strawberries and raspberries as listed above.
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BAGS FOR YOUR PRODUCE AND CONTAINERS FOR U-PICK. We will have all produce labeled with what it is and how much you can take. Some items may be limited based on the weekly harvest, some crops are just coming in - please check the signs on the bins so that all members have the opportunity to choose from all crops and we do not run low on any.
Questions about how it works? Please refer to our FAQ’s listed on our CSA page. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Still have questions? Friendly farm staff will be on hand to help out and answer your questions in person.
MARKET CARD MEMBERS. Shop as usual for your produce and other items. Checkout at the main register; we will debit your account and issue you a receipt for keeping track of your balance. Physical cards are back ordered and will be issued the following week.
EXTRAS FOR SALE: Hammerbacher - assorted pickled vegetables (from our farm), pastry and breads, as available; Cheeses - Misty Meadow; Beef - Sicklers Farm; Chicken sausages, ground turkey and ravioli - Griggstown Farm; Pork - Pasture 13; Mushrooms - Faith Flower Farm; Eggs and Jams - local sources.
We appreciate everyone who signed up to be a member of our farm in advance of the growing season. Thank you for trusting us to grow your food. 100% of your CSA shares are grown (with love!) on this farm. We value your commitment to us and we thank you for your business. Looking forward to seeing our returning members and meeting new ones. See you on the farm!
CSA and Market Opens Next Week
CSA & Market Opens June 8th
Summer is almost here! But, it's been a cold spring, and very dry. As a result, we had to wait a bit longer to plant some crops and it pushes the harvest back a week or 2 for some things. A little rain would go a long way right now! While I do enjoy the cooler weather and the windows open, our "hot crops" like tomatoes, zucchini, melons and more would like 85 degree days and warmer nights (versus the 65 degree days and 40's at night!). For the moment, strawberries are glowing in the fields - come and pick! And the greens are coming in nicely; get those salad spinners ready for fresh cut heads of lettuce and big bunches of dark green spinach.
CSA Week 1 and U-Pick Options
The Harvest... on the table in Farm Shop, and 100% grown on our farm: Lettuce, Arugula, Spinach, Kale, Radish, Salad Turnip (hakurei), Garlic scapes and fresh Herbs. Kohlrabi? Still a bit small, and Carrots and Beets are getting close too. This list will be updated next week, please check back soon.
U-Pick Fruit... Strawberries - could be the last week; demand is high and it's a very short season! Raspberries - looking good this year, maybe next week? Blueberries - mid June. Please check our social media and website farm news BEFORE driving to the farm to pick as field conditions change daily.
Farm Shop - How Does It Work?
Starting on June 8th, our Farm Shop will be open. CSA members and customers with Market Share Cards can pickup your shares and shop on Thu 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-5pm and Sat 10am-2pm every week throughout the season. Extended days/hours for u-pick crops as available. Please check your emails weekly for farm updates... not getting our emails? Check our social media and website farm news.
CSA Members... please read our FAQ's, at bottom of the CSA and Market page on our website.
Market Cards... check in with us next week and grab your pre-paid card. Please read our FAQ's, at bottom of the CSA and Market page on our website.
Not a member... we have a few spots remaining, membership sign up closes this week - learn more here. We are open to the public, however not all crops will be available for purchase to non-members. CSA members and Market Cardholders have priority on crops we grow. U-Pick berries are open to the public, they are not part of the membership.
Upcoming Events
Enjoy LIVE music on the farm. Featuring talented musicians from around the country. Next week featuring the Honey Badgers. Bring your own food and drink and enjoy a casual, open-air experience.
U-pick update
Strawberries will be open this week Thursday 10am-2pm, and Friday 3pm-7pm. After that, we will make a decision about Saturday. Strawberry season is very short! First come first serve.
Field conditions as of today… we checked nearly every plant and here is our assessment and advice:
Smaller berries, bigger flavor! Why? Generally, the first flush of fruit is the largest, prettiest and easiest to pick. The second flush is usually smaller, AND typically sweeter as the plants near the end of their production. That’s just what strawberries do. Grocery stores can not duplicate the flavor of a second flush, they just want to sell you the big, glamour berries. Our little jewels are fleeting! Although It may take a bit longer and more effort to fill your containers, you will be rewarded with handfuls of farm fresh, candy sweet berries that only come around 3 weeks out of the year.
Walk a whole row, AND start at the end. The best berries are at the end of the row. Pick in 1 row versus skipping around. Stay focused! You will fill your containers faster this way. Not all rows will be open as some varieties are finished sooner than others. Please stay in a row marked with a flag
Get down on eye level - it is more a crawl and pick versus a stand/stroll and pick. Bring something to kneel on and be more comfortable! You will see plenty of good, ripe berries the closer you are to the ground and the plants. Brush the plant back and forth and look inside.
BEFORE DRIVING TO THE FARM TO PICK… PLEASE CHECK OUR SOCIAL MEDIA @WALKINGBIRDFARM AND WEBSITE FARM NEWS PAGE FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. Field conditions change daily based on demand and weather. We do our best to give everyone 24 hours notice of changes to the schedule.
Thank you for visiting us! We are blessed. And we look forward to seeing you on the farm for more picking.