The Season is Coming Together

Hi everyone,
Please remember Ian and Mary Kate tomorrow (Saturday) -- they are getting married so the farm is closed. Hopefully the steady rain tonight isn't going to affect the dance floor!

I've got some fun pictures to share for this week. First, meet Beth. She usually works in the field but is helping out today to allow Delaney time to prepare for her brother's wedding.

Beth!

Beth is working hard.

Tada, Carrots!

Glamorous Ana was also working at the stand today. I can't do this blog without a few pictures of Ana! Here's she is...

Ana getting carrots.

Ana working hard, sporting fit legs and hot pink shoe laces

Today I got a great selection of beets along with their lovely greens which I put into soup or combine with other greens and cook,  onions, french crisp lettuce, english shelling peas (fresh green peas!), and lots more. There was even squash this week, so things are starting to come in.

Some weeks when I am picking up my share, the much Mor bread is sold out. I'm glad that everyone enjoys the bread so much, but maybe I'll get a loaf next week! I hear that soon there will be a second vendor to alleviate the bread shortage. Of course, the recipes will be different, but it will give more people a chance to buy the freshest bread possible.

It's getting warmer!

88 degrees F??? Really?

I want to share these last two photos:

Beautiful skies over the farm after the rain last night

The same onions from April 28th -- they are getting bigger!

July 4th, 5th, 6th

I am told that the farm stand will operate normal hours during this holiday weekend. So, please feel free to come on Thursday July 4th to receive your share! See everyone next week!

Reminder to Pick up Thursday or Friday this week

No Saturday Pick up

Hello folks, this is just a quick reminder that Ian and Mary Kate are getting married on Saturday June 29th. Keep them in your mind and hope for good weather for the celebration of their wedding.  The farm stand will be closed on Saturday June 29th.

See you at the farm stand on Thursday June 27th of Friday June 28th.

Week 3, Warmer Weather

Hello everyone. The weather is getting warmer for the farm!

 

The crops should be excited  too. This week's pickup included many items from last week such as snap peas, carrots, lettuce, and onions. But this week there is also Pac Choy and another green.

Pac Choy, so good

 Delaney and Ana are around working hard, as usual.

Delaney and Ana at work

And Pete showed me these baby spaghetti squash he was taking to plant.

Pete with Spaghetti Squash babies

Lovely Spaghetti Squash plants waiting to be planted

The farm stand will NOT operate on Saturday June 29th because Ian and Mary Kate are getting married. Warmest wishes to them on this special day. Please pick up your share on Thursday or Friday that week.

We're getting hitched! June 29, 2013 - Mary Kate and Ian

 Things growing

I saw lots of good looking things growing.

 

The field of onions I've been following since April 21.

I think these might be beets.

Tomatoes -- they were getting their stakes today

Things in the greenhouse

Beets or Chard?

Long rows of cabbages

These might be celery.

I'm not good at identifying food, so if I've misidentified something, just let me know in the comments!

Other Local Products

As usual, there are lots of local items you can purchase separately from your share. Milk, yogurt, cheeses, quiche, meat, eggs, etc. This week I noticed that there were cookies...which I can't resist.

Also, Adair Wines was at the farm on Thursday. He will be setting up his stand every other Thursday. According to my calendar that means he will be here on July 4th (but don't hold me to that, because I'm not sure if the Farm Stand has special hours due to the holiday). But keep in mind if you want wonderful wine, please come on Thursdays.

If you are into wine, the Bounty of the Hudson takes place July 27th and 28th and Adair Wines will take part.

Cicadas

Last week I promised to post a cicada picture this week and I don't want to disappoint. I don't hear many cicadas near the farm, but at my house I have a ton. I was working in my own garden and this little critter appeared from no where. I love the noise the they make...I find it very comforting.

Food Share

Hi folks, this is Leigh with the long blog post and lots of pictures. As always, click on the pictures for larger view and feel free to click the "comments" button at the bottom.

At my Thursday pick up there were lovely strawberries, snap peas, lettuce, onions, carrots, and spinach. It was raining super-hard (as I suspect you know!) and Pete mentioned that strawberries may run out since the fields were too wet to harvest more today. So, please understand that every day is different on the farm. The share items available may be slightly different from day to day during a week. Of course, Pete tries to make sure that there is plenty for everyone, but there are many variables that can affect availability. For example, this rain makes it difficult to harvest certain crops. At other times, planting may take precedence over picking, growth may be inhibited by overcast weather, pests can affect the harvest, or staff may be unavailable to pick. So, please understand if not everything is available every day. With that little blurb, here are some pictures of the wonderful food:

The rain may affect strawberry harvest this week.

Snap peas

Carrots...the tops are great for slow cooked soup (IMHO)

Spinach

Farm Card

If you're wanting to become a member the easiest way is to get a Farm Card.

If you have any questions about the Farm Card, please ask someone at the farm stand. They can explain the entire system -- it's actually quite easy once you try it. It's a way to become a member without having to pay the entire cost up front. And, it helps the farm to have incremental income during the season. You'll be able to buy just what you need each week, so on the weeks you have company you can get more and on the weeks when you know you won't cook, you can get less.

Local Market Items

Besides all the lovely share items, there are lots of local market items you can purchase separately.  Here are just a few:

much Mor bread (100% organic grain)

Yummy muffins...my picture doesn't do them justice

Honey from GJP Honey Farm in Gardiner!

Kombucha (Chai)

Pika's Quiche

People at the Farm!

The dog seems to be hoarding a carrot...hmmm...smart dog.

These kids were just too cute for words. They were loving the puddles!

Ian and his sister Delaney:

And, last, but not least, Delaney and Ana hard at work:

Next time, watch for pictures of more cicadas if you can stand it, and maybe a surprising slug photograph.

We are open for the season for members and the public
 The days and hours of our farm stand are
Thursdays 8:00AM-7:00PM
Fridays 9:00AM-600 PM
Saturdays-9:00AM-3:00 PM





Here is are some baby apples.
Pete is working hard to bring them to harvest 

Here are some more!

A morning picture of the farm and mountains

Another morning view

Opening Day

Wow, I have so much to write about. Today was the first day of the 2013 Season. I went right to the farm this morning to pick up my share. There are many topics to cover and I can't do them all today, but I'll work them into future posts.

Food at the Pickup

There were strawberries, spinach, spring onions, lettuce, and garlic scapes. Everything looked so wonderful!

Also there herbs you can cut.

And, there are extra items from local vendors which you can purchase separately. For example, bread,

 eggs, yogurt, milk, honey and more. Today, Adair Wines was here giving tastings of their wonderful wines. The grapes are grown in New Paltz and other fruits used are sourced locally. I liked it so much I bought a bottle! Adair Wines is hoping to be back at the farm on Thursdays (I forgot exactly which Thursdays...I'll try to find out and post it here).

People at the Pickup

There were a lot of people at the pickup, but today I want to talk about all the people that make it happen.

Pete!

Delaney and Sarah at the Farm Stand

More hard working folks with the tractor loaded for work.

Ana worked at the Farm Stand last year and says you may see here working some this year. But today, it was all about Glam at the Farm.

Ana, all glam for the opening day.

Ana with her silver shoes...and tractor.

Crops on the Way

Onions - this is the front field from my picture on April 28th but now I can tell what it is.

Same field as in April 28th blog post.

Strawberries

Squash

Tomatoes, Lettuce, and Etc

A nice view of the mountain and greenhouse.

Don't Forget About the Cicadas

I'm told that they have not been eating the crops. I wonder if that comes later though. I have a variety of photos to include for you. The first set shows the holes from which they emerge after their long hibernation, and their skins after they molt.

When they molt, they gain their wings. Here is one I found today that was alive, though it seemed a little stunned, perhaps from being caught in the middle of a lawnmower. You can see the cool red eyes and the approximate size.

I think this one is a little small though so I'll keep looking for bigger, juicier ones to photograph.

Robin had this link in the newsletter -- if you're into cicadas, check it out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/cicada-time-lapse-video-by-samuel-orr_n_3361789.html or you can go straight to the video at http://vimeo.com/66688653

Big Family News

Robin wrote in the newsletter that Ian and Mary Kate are getting married! Congratulations!