Farm News
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.
Strawberries
Due to heavy picking over the last several days, our strawberries will be closed to the public for the duration of Memorial Day weekend. We had an amazing turnout! After walking the fields this morning, we determined we don’t have enough berries for the large volume of customers that have been coming through. We plan to reopen the fields next week as soon as the next flush of berries ripen. We thank you for your business, and supporting our family farm. We look forward to seeing you again soon for more fun on the farm! Have a great weekend.
2023 Farm Events
Emerging this spring – check out our Events page – get tickets for concerts and workshops here. More events forthcoming! Celebrating Earth Day with LIVE music by The Clements Brothers, and Mothers Day with a floral design workshop (courtesy of TheBarnWorkshop). Get Tickets! Limiting seating. Rustic, casual. BYO food & drink for you and your guests to enjoy on the farm.
ABOUT THE MUSIC -
The Clements Brothers, George and Charles, identical twins from New England. They’ve been playing and writing music together for as long as they can remember. Roots, rock, bluegrass, jazz, and classical influences, George (on guitar) and Charles (on bass) aim to capture their singer-songwriter sensibilities in a unique blended voice, at once enthralling and intimate, groovy and serene.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP -
Let's empower all the ladies this Mother's day. Whether you are a mother, have one to celebrate, or honoring one you lost. Together we will show our love to create a gorgeous floral arrangement for that special Mama. This workshop will be held by our floral expert. She will provide you with all the instruction, skill and placement required to make the most exquisite centerpiece.
CSA Week
Hello farm friends!
Let’s get personal about farming - it's CSA Week - get to know your farmer better. This is the week that farmers and support organizations come together to promote the CSA model. This relationship transcends the typical food shopping transaction by allowing customers to be vested in a farm’s success and gain a deeper connection to their food and the people who grow it.
Did you know this farm is female owned and operated? I am the majority owner and I run the farms day-day operations from managing crop plans, greenhouses, field work and driving tractors, harvest schedules, employees, financial plans and communications with customers and partners, and the list goes on. This is women’s work.
I would be remiss to ignore that along-side this successful woman stands great men... In what has traditionally been a male-centric environment (and still is!), the face of farming is increasingly female. Throughout the farm industry (some better than others!), men AND women are working together to not only grow healthy food and feed our communities, we are building a sustainable and resilient future for women farmers. For CSA Week, please consider supporting a family farm AND women in agriculture by joining a local CSA. Farming is not just a job for us, it’s a way of life.
Team work makes the dream work. Along with my husband, who reorganized his own business as a graphic designer to help make the farm business a success, we worked diligently to purchase the farm we rented from his aunt and uncle and to preserve the farms legacy. Over 10 years, we faced many challenges and drank to our accomplishments – from the hardships of growing crops and living in an RV, to the joys of sharpening our skills and expanding our business – becoming a farmer is hard, and remaining a farmer at times is even harder. We got this.
For CSA week, help us celebrate local farms (and women in agriculture)! Eagerly awaiting fresh spring and summer produce… now is the time to connect with your local farmer. Consider signing up for a CSA share or Market Card with us today. Thank you for your support.
In solidarity, your Farmers, Jen and Ryan.
2023 Memberships and What's New
Hello farm friends.
2023 CSA signups are OPEN. Thank you to all who already joined! Did you buy your share of the farms harvest yet? Choose a traditional CSA vegetable share (3 sizes), OR the Market Share Card. Why get it delivered to your door when you can get it from us right on the farm?! Farming is what we do for a living. Experience you can trust. Please consider joining us - help spread the word about what it means to be a part of our farm! Read on for more about us and what's new.
What Do Farmers Do In The Winter?
• Attend Winter Conferences – fun times gathering with other crazy farmers like us to learn about new growing strategies and ways to improve crops and soils.
• AND lots of planning! Our days are spent pouring over data from last year, calculating yields and projecting sales, researching new varieties and projects, ordering seeds and supplies, and mapping out fields – continuous improvement means constant learning and self-discipline. For the next few weeks, our heads are in the spreadsheets.
WHAT’S NEW THIS SEASON? MARKET SHARES CARDS
• Buy down plan. One-upfront fee $425. Cards can be used throughout the entire farm season as you see fit. Once spent, you can load money back on it, in increments of $100. Also, any unused balances from the summer season can be rolled over and used during our fall season.
• Invest upfront in the farm like a CSA member, without the weekly commitment. Guaranteed share of the harvest (versus walk-in shopping); Pick-Your-Own discounts (for strawberries and blueberries!). Receive member emails regarding the week’s harvest and farm happenings; it’s your choice on how and when to spend your farm dollars.
• Good for ALL purchases on the farm. Use your Market Share Card to purchase anything offered to traditional CSA members in the weekly harvest AND other items. It’s essentially a gift card; use it to purchase items in our farm store, from vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs to Pick-Your-Own.
• Market Share Cards make a great gift for your favorite foodie! Just complete the purchase in your own name and address (for credit card processing purposes). Then send an email to jen@walkingbirdfarm.com with the gift recipient’s contact info. Market Cards will be available on the farm at first pickup; we will have your info on file.
JOIN OUR FARM -
Buy a share of our farms harvest in advance and enjoy eating healthy food in season – choose a traditional CSA vegetable share (3 sizes), OR the Market Share Card. Get your food right on the farm – know your farmer, know your food and enjoy open space. Honest to goodness food. To all our customers, thank you for your faith and commitment in what we do.
2023 CSA Signups OPEN
Hello farm friends and Happy New Year.
2023 CSA and Market memberships are now OPEN – want to support local agriculture and buy fresh, affordable produce – become a member of our farm today! Celebrating 14 years of growing your food, we are offering an updated AND streamlined version of our CSA (14 weeks, Memorial Day through Labor Day). Purchase a traditional CSA vegetable share (3 options), OR the Market Share Card. After Labor Day, when the CSA ends, our Market will remain open to members and the public for “buy as you go”. During the season, we are open to the public, BUT membership has its advantages!
CSA SHARES VS. MARKET SHARE CARDS -
Pickup your share on the farm. Bring a bag and pack your veggies from around the tables in our Market. Customize your share in person.
CSA SHARES - Guaranteed weekly share of the harvest (versus walk-in shopping); Pick-Your-Own discounts (for strawberries and blueberries!). If you can not pick up your vegetable share for whatever reasons, then send a friend to pickup for you; produce not picked up is donated to local organizations - helping to put more fresh produce in the diets of people in need. OR consider our Market Share Card.
MARKET SHARE CARDS - Buy down plan. One-upfront fee - can be used throughout the entire farm season as you see fit - once spent, you can load money back on the card. No weekly commitment (versus the traditional CSA Share). Cards can be used to purchase ALL items on the farm - from vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs to Pick-Your-Own crops. Market Share Cards allow customers to invest upfront in the farm like a CSA member, without the weekly commitment.
JOIN OUR FARM -
We are committed to treating the land, our workers, and customers fairly. We are proud of our longstanding relationships with our customers and community - 14 years growing your food. Experienced, practical farmers you can trust, using sustainable and organic practices. Buy a share of the season’s harvest in advance and enjoy eating healthy food knowing where it comes from, who’s growing it and how it is grown. To all of our customers, thank you for your faith and commitment in what we do! Please feel free to reach out with any questions. We’ll see you in the spring!
Sunday Pork Sale and CSA - One Day Only!
PORK SALE on Dec 11th SUNDAY, 10AM-4PM (or until sold out). OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ONE DAY ONLY.
Pasture 13 pork is raised in the forest locally, fed non-GMO grain, veggie scraps from WBF and bakery seconds from Hammerbacher. Pigs were raised happily and healthily. WBF manager and well-seasoned crew member, Riley Blankenship is the owner/operator of Pasture 13. We are proud to support Riley's farming goals and offer his responsibly raised, nutritious pork… show some love for the next generation of farmers! *** PORK QUESTIONS? CONTACT RILEY BLANKENSHIP, pasture13llc@gmail.com ***
FRESH CUTS. Tenderloin; Spare Ribs; Pork Chops; Boston Butt.
SMOKED MEATS. Bacon; Half ham; Ham Steaks; Hocks.
SAUSAGE. Jalapeno and Cheddar; Chorizo; Sweet Italian; Bratwurst.
BROTH, LARD AND SCRAPPLE.
FINAL CSA PICKUP, on Dec 11th SUNDAY, 10AM-4PM. ONE DAY ONLY.
THE HARVEST… last one for the season! Greens at their peak in cooler weather - spinach, lettuce, arugula and kale. Cabbage too, gets sweeter with frosty weather, perfect for winter soups. More of what we grow - dress up salads with radish and tender hakurei turnips. And grab some butternut, sweet potatoes, garlic, fennel and onions. Cauliflower and Chard limited, these crops tolerate cold somewhat. That’s it folks! We look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday and then taking a little time off to enjoy the holidays. Thank you for being a part of our farm and helping to make this another great season!
Thank you... and see you on Sunday!
Final CSA Pickup AND Pork Sale Sunday
FINAL CSA PICKUP, on Dec 11th SUNDAY, 10AM-4PM. ONE DAY ONLY!
Due to weather, we are limiting the final CSA pickup to this Sunday (12/11). Come out and grab your greens AND purchase local pork. We have the opportunity to offer Pasture 13's pork. This is a one-time, bulk pork sale. Limited freezer space, therefore we are not able to bring in other inventory at this time. Please reach out to our farm friends directly at Griggstown, Sicklers and Piney Pastures.
PORK SALE on Dec 11th SUNDAY, 10AM-4PM (or until sold out). ONE DAY ONLY!
Pasture 13 pork is raised in the forest locally, fed non-GMO grain, veggie scraps from WBF and bakery seconds from Hammerbacher. Pigs were raised happily and healthily. WBF manager and well-seasoned crew member, Riley Blankenship is the owner/operator of Pasture 13. We are proud to support Riley's farming goals and offer his responsibly raised, nutritious pork… show some love for the next generation of farmers! Please see below for available products and pricing. *** PORK QUESTIONS? CONTACT RILEY BLANKENSHIP, pasture13llc@gmail.com ***
FRESH CUTS
Tenderloin $15/lb Average weight just over one lb.
Spare Ribs $9/lb Average 2.75lb per package.
Pork Chops $10/lb Bone-in 3⁄4 of an inch thick, two chops per package.
Boston Butt $7/lb Skinless bone-in. Average 8.25lb each. Great for pulled pork or smoking.
SMOKED MEATS
Bacon $12/lb 1lb package
Half ham $8/lb (4 3⁄4 lb – 9 1⁄4 lb; average 6 1⁄4 lb)
Ham Steak $8/lb. Center slice ham steaks
Smoked Hocks .................$7/lb. Two hocks per package. Great addition to baked beans or other slow-cooked meals.
SAUSAGE $12/1lb pack
Jalapeno and Cheddar
Chorizo
Sweet Italian
Bratwurst
SCRAPPLE $5/lb, 1 1⁄2 lb blocks.
Thank you... and see you on Sunday!
Thanksgiving Offerings
Last CSA pickup in Nov… this is a double week leading up to Thanksgiving, serving as pickups 6 AND 7. And your share will include extra items to accommodate your holiday tables. The final CSA pickup of this season will resume sometime in Dec, serving as pickup 8.
FARM SHOP HOURS: OPEN THU, FRI 10AM-4PM AND SUN 12-4PM, CLOSED SAT.
THE HARVEST. Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Butternut, Cabbage, Carrots (Potato Homestead), Cauliflower, Chard, Escarole (Rancocas Farm) Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Onions, Radish, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Herbs (Parsley, Sage, Thyme). AND YES WE GROW IT! (Special thanks to farmer friends at Rancocas and Potato Homestead for the gorgeous escarole and carrots!)
Come out and support your farmers and our farm friends! Celebrate the harvest and share the bounty with your loved ones on Thanksgiving. This is what it is all about for us; we love growing your food and are grateful to be a part of your table.
Hammerbacher breads and other provisions, AND The Seed Brewery on tap - Friday and Sunday;
The Barn Workshop for your Thanksgiving centerpiece (pre-orders only), AND Live music Sunday!
Veggies for sale, Piney Pastures whole chickens and ground beef, Faith Flower Farm mushrooms.
The Broccoli is Beautiful!
Weekly Harvest: NEW! Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots and Chard. Also, Spinach, Arugula, Kale, Beets, Butternut, Onion, Leeks, Garlic and Sweet Potatoes. Extras for sale, along with our Herbs (parsley, cilantro), and Escarole from our farm friends at Rancocas Creek Farm. Farmers supporting farmers!
Bread and More from Hammerbacher. Friday 10-4 and Sunday 12-4 ONLY (or until sold out).
See you on the farm, and thank you for your business.
Greens, BBQ and Breads, Wreath workshops.
Great week for greens! Spinach, Kale and Arugula are amazing and the highlight of our week. Alongside our Beets, Butternut, Eggplant, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Radish, Turnip and Sweet Potatoes. Herbs too. Parsley is huge and flavorful! Cutting cabbage now, could be an item as we near the weekend. Broccoli sizing up nice as well.
BBQ and BREADS (pairs nicely with suds from The Seed Brewery).
Handmade, thoughtful and of the highest quality…
Hammerbacher, on-farm Friday 10AM-4PM, and Sunday 12-4PM (or until sold out). BBQ Chicken Grab and Go Meals AND Fresh Baked Breads. Not available on Thursdays at this time - thanks for your understanding and support.
The Seed Brewery, on-farm Thu, Fri and Sun. Pouring samples and selling 4 packs to go. This is one of NJ’s finest breweries, AND USA Today’s 10Best.
WREATH WORKSHOPS (and more coming soon!)
The Barn Workshop Events, on-farm Dec 2nd and 3rd. Limited seating, don’t wait! Grab your girlfriends for a fun night out - details on their website www.thebarnworkshop.com
Happy Halloween Week
It’s Fall Ya’ll… and your local farmers are still out there in the fields - shop local:)
Half Price Pumpkins - save $ in the field, and on the "grab and goes" from inside the Farm Shop.
Dollar Discounts - $1 off ALL Sheepsicles and Apple Cider.
NEW pumpkin patch, and Sunflower field open!
Field and Harvest Combo Pass $10 - includes tractor ride, U-Pick pumpkin and 3 sunflowers.
Field Pass $5 - includes tractor ride and entry to the field for photo ops.
Harvest of the Week - ALL grown on our farm -
Arugula, Beets, Butternut, Eggplant, Garlic, Lettuce Mix, Leeks, Onions, Peppers, Sweet Potatoes, Radish, Salad Turnip. New crops coming in every week.
HOURS: Thu, Fri 10 AM-4 PM, and Sun 12-4 PM (closed Saturday’s).
See you on the farm. And thank you for your support.
Week 2 CSA
HARVEST OF THE WEEK... Beets, Butternut, Leeks, Onions, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Radish, Salad Turnip, Sweet Potatoes, Eggplant and Peppers. Also herb and flower bouquets - the are beautiful and smell amazing - last chance to grab a few bunches due to the frost. Zinnia, Basil, Dill, Cilantro, Parsley. Spinach and more in the next few weeks!
Lazy Maze Sunday’s - Hayrides, Pumpkins and Meadow Maze.
When: Sunday’s 12-4PM. Tractor rides every 30 minutes.
Pricing: Hayride $5, Pumpkin Patch $5 (includes 1 pumpkin), Maze (4 acre’s of meadow vegetation and bird habitat). Discount for all 3 activities, $12/person.
ON SALE… this week in the Farm Shop - Open to the Public.
FOOD AND DRINK… Hammerbacher (Fri and Sun - limited production - we love you!), and The Seed Brewery (Thu, Fri and Sun). Treat yourself to the good stuff:). Also Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate bar.
Apples - Winesap, Fugi, Crispin. AND Apple Cider.
Pumpkins - Hayrides and Pick-Your-Own from the field, AND grab and goes at the Farm Shop.
Home-grown from Walkingbird Farm… Tomato Sauce, Salsa, Jams, Pork Bone Broth and Lard. AND our produce as available (CSA members have priority), see Farm Shop for details for daily harvest.
Meats, Raviolis and Potpies - Griggstown Farm; Cheeses, Yogurt and Sheepsicles (try the pumpkin bar!) - Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy. NEW! Local Chickens - Piney Pastures.
More LOCAL! - Eggs, Mushrooms.
Getting cold out! Greens are undercover and protected from the frost - spinach and more coming your way soon!
Fall Hours
REMINDER:
*** PLEASE NOTE, NEW HOURS/DAYS OF OPERATION FOR FALL SEASON. ***
Thu and Fri 10 AM - 4 PM, and Sun 12 - 4 PM.
CLOSED Saturday’s and OPEN Sunday’s.
OPEN until 4 PM, NOT 5 PM, (due to lack of daylight/good lighting on the farm in the fall).
Regardless of day you are signed up for, you can pickup your CSA share on any of these days/times we are open.
For more, please CLICK HERE for our Farm News and Fall happenings on the farm.
Thanks for your support!
Farm OPEN for Fall Season
Hi all. Our farm OPENS THIS WEEK, Thu Oct 13th for the fall season. CSA member’s pickup Week 1 Fall Shares, and Open to the Public (limited quantities, CSA members have priority).
*** PLEASE NOTE, NEW HOURS/DAYS OF OPERATION FOR FALL SEASON. ***
Thu and Fri 10 AM - 4 PM, and Sun 12 - 4 PM.
CLOSED Saturday’s and OPEN Sunday’s.
OPEN until 4 PM, NOT 5 PM, (due to lack of daylight/good lighting on the farm in the fall).
THE HARVEST, CSA Week 1 Fall Share. Lettuce mix, Radish, Arugula, Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Butternut, Leeks, Garlic, Onions, Peppers and Eggplant. Also Herbs - Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Sage, Thyme, Chives. Flowers are fading but zinnia’s still available for pick-your-own. Other crops like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and more coming up in the week's ahead.
Sunday’s On-Farm this Fall… hay rides and pumpkin patch, music, local food and drink. Beginning Sun Oct 16th, Noon - 4PM through Oct 30th.
Extras for Sale - Farm Shop Open to the Public.
Apples - new varieties - Crispin, Winesap, Golden Delicious. Jersey Fresh is the Best! AND Apple Cider.
Pumpkins - Hayrides and Pick-Your-Own from the field, AND grab and goes at the Farm Shop.
Home-grown from Walkingbird Farm… Tomato Sauce, Salsa, Jams, Pork Bone Broth and Lard, (fed bakery scraps and WBF veggies!).
Meats, Raviolis and Potpies - Griggstown Farm; Cheeses and Ice creme (new - pumpkin!) - Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy).
LOCAL - Eggs, Mushrooms.
Fall CSA Share’s Sold Out. As the season progresses, we will re-evaluate if we can open a few more slots. We will continue to sell extras to the public as available through November.
Fall Season Re-Opens Oct 13
Hi all. The farm re-opens NEXT WEEK, Thu Oct 13th.
Fall CSA Pickups HOURS: Thu and Fri 10AM - 4 PM, and Sun 12 - 4PM.
*** Please note, we will be CLOSED Saturday’s and OPEN Sundays. ALSO, we will close at 4PM, not 5, as we loose more daylight going into Nov).***
Fall CSA Share’s Sold Out. As the season progresses, we will re-evaluate if we can open a few more slots. We will continue to sell extras to the public as available through November.
Sunday’s On-Farm this Fall… hay rides and pumpkin patch, live music, local food and drink. Beginning Oct 16th, Noon - 4PM through Oct 30th.
Details forthcoming as we dry out and get some sun on our greens. Luckily we got our sweet potatoes out of the field and curing before the rain came in. See you soon!
CSA summer wind down, NEW products, fruit and corn, annual Art’s festival.
This is it… this is the final week of the Summer CSA pickup on 9/15, 16, 17. OPEN Thu, and Fri 10 AM-5 PM, and Sat 10 AM-2 PM. Don’t forget next week… JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL ART’S FESTIVAL! Saturday 9/24, 10AM-3PM. Local artists, pottery, demos, food, drink, LIVE music.
THE HARVEST. Tomatoes - red, orange AND a few green - if fried green tomatoes are your thing! Zucchini, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Arugula, Winter squash - Butternut is in! Kabocha and Spaghetti too. Onions, Leeks, Garlic, Carrots, Flowers and Herbs. Get your flowers from a farmer:) As a thank you for your support - your choice - BONUS apples and corn! Details in Farm Shop. APPLES, CORN AND PEACHES… available for purchase too.
NEW PRODUCTS! Stock up. Beer - The Seed Brewery on-farm Thu and Sat; Ravioli’s - chicken/broccoli rabe, roasted mushroom and grilled veggie - pair with our own tomato sauce; Chicken Sausage - white wine/parsley and chicken apple; POTPIE’S - chicken, veggie and beef Shepard’s; Hot dogs and Burgers; farmer Bill’s Cheeses, Yogurts and Sheepsicles; And more from our other farmer friends… Mushrooms, Microgreens and Eggs.
*** End of Summer Farmer Report ***
Highlights and Challenges
HIGHLIGHTS. Strawberries… epic quality and bounty! Many months of labor throughout the spring, summer and fall go into managing this crop for 4 short weeks of strawberries. They are the best, got to have them! Onions - who cares, right? It’s an onion, but to a farmer who strives for large, sweet onions with good storage ability, we nailed it! Other notes… throughout the season, we expanded our Farm shop and High Tunnel production to increase our reach, services and farm fresh options in the community. Thanks to the high tunnels, we had our best tomato season and extended harvest to date! We also incorporated more cover cropping, mulching and bees for better yields and crop health. And we continue to grow our farmer training program and strive to make it possible for younger, beginner farmers to have successful careers in agriculture.
CHALLENGES. Heat and Drought. Hottest and driest season yet. We irrigated constantly. The weather continued to push back planting schedules and will delay our fall CSA harvest (reopening mid Oct). Despite some losses, we have replanted and look forward to cooler temperatures and big heads of broccoli:) Unable to change the weather, our well-seasoned farmer crew are healthy, have positive attitudes and overcome tough days to get the work done. We are tested daily, some more than others! Raspberries… limited quantities for many reasons, including weather, but we keep working at it. My advice would be don’t grow raspberries! Tractor issues - behind the scenes, we were down for several weeks without our most used work horse. We did a lot by hand (our backs were not happy), or pushed off work until we could get it back up and running. Thanks to a great farm team, planning and management, we make the best of it and work through it.
As the sun sets on another crazy farming season, we give thanks to everyone who makes this farm dream work, from our amazing staff and support organizations, to the customers whom are all the backbone of this farm’s success. We are passionate about growing and supporting the next generation of farmers, and committed to creating and sustaining a viable food system. Thank you for following us on this journey and being a part of the local food movement.
Please take a few moments to take our survey and let us know how we can improve your farm experience! Your responses are anonymous. Take a screen shot of your completed survey page, or print it out and get 3 free sunflowers:) We appreciate your input.
Much love to our partners and farm friends… Hammerbacher Kitchen, The Seed Brewery, Pastore Orchard, Nichols Orchard, Cycle Farms, Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy, Fulper Farm, Sicklers Circle View Farm, Griggstown Farm, Faith Flower Farm, First Field, Bee Cool Pollination, Mill Creek Apiary, Smith Poultry, CROPS, our local artist’s network, and Folk Across the Street musicians network. AND to our friends and family - thank you for standing by us!
Barn Concert, Sunflower Maze, Art’s Festival
Summer is winding down - 2 more weeks of Summer CSA pickups to go. Teasing a few Fall CSA crops this week and next. Fall CSA season SOLD OUT! As the season progresses, we will re-evaluate if we can open a few more slots. We will continue to sell extras to the public as available through November.
THIS WEEK’S HARVEST. Kobacha squash - if you like butternut and sweet potatoes, you will LOVE Kobacha! Leeks, Spaghetti squash, Onions, Peppers, Carrots, Garlic, Arugula, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Herbs and Flowers. Apples, pumpkins and more coming soon!
BARN CONCERT SUNDAY. Twisted Pine on the farm this weekend - check it out! Tickets $20 per person - *** advanced sales ONLY, no walk-ins. *** BYOB, potluck.
SUNFLOWERS GALORE! Walk the maze - $4 per person, kids in strollers or carriers enter free. Pick-Your-Own Sunflowers in a separate field.
PICK YOUR OWN FLOWERS. Zinnias $5/12 stems, Sunflowers $1/stem.
ART FESTIVAL. Mark you calendars, Saturday 9/24!