Hello from the fields of your local, chemical-free farm! We've been busy, fighting with the weeds that have been enjoying our daily doses of rain, and picking piles and piles of fabulous vegetables and fruits.
This week we're picking:
- Strawberries!! Strawberries!! I have been repeatedly told that my berries are the most delicious, the most sweet berries at the market. They are not as gorgeous as the ones who've been sprayed multiple times, but they are fabulous.
- Broccoli!! This is the first picking of our perfect heads of broccoli. This broccoli is so sweet that my kids eat it raw, right in the field. It is so dark green it's almost blue, and packed full of wonderful nutrients. Buy enough to freeze for winter enjoyment.
- Lettuce!! We are picking the most gorgeous heads of lettuce - Buttercrunch, Red Buttercrunch, Romaine and Tropicana green leaf (you know, that frilly, huge head of bright green lettuce). They are big and tender and sweet and I have tons of them ripening right now.
- Swiss Chard! My gorgeous rainbow stalks of Swiss Chard are coming on strong. My favorite thing about cooking with Swiss Chard is that the stalks retain their beautiful colors and that you use the entire stalk, nothing is thrown out. My favorite pasta recipe with Swiss Chard is a huge crowd pleaser. My customers tell me I'm so brilliant to get their kids eating Swiss Chard with this recipe.
- Spinach! My dark green, velvety leaves of spinach are going strong. We pick them by hand, not with our greens cutter, so each leaf is perfect.
- Salad greens! A gorgeous mix of green and red lettuces mixed generously with arugula, tatsoi, mizuna, mustards and red Russian kale.
- Turnips! I've been checking the turnips every week, and finally yesterday I see that they've bulbed. These are the mild, purple top, white globe variety and they are beautiful. I'll be bringing stacks of them to my markets.
- Garlic Scapes! These are just starting to make their presence known in the garden, and must be pulled so that the garlic bulb can make a nice fat head. We use them just like garlic or onions, and are excellent ground up into cream cheese for a refreshing spread.
-Radishes! The crimson bulbs on these babies are so gorgeous, I had customers fighting about them at one market last week! They just flew off the table. These are great sliced in a salad, sauteed or dipped in salt (according to several customers. I'll have to try it this week.)
Please come and visit us at our local farmers' markets:
Thursdays: Ballston Spa, Wiswell Park, 3-6 pm
Saturdays: Gloversville, Pavillion west of Main St, 8-12 pm
Sundays: Schenectady, Jay Street, 10-2pm
I'll be looking for you!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Spring planting at WWF
Hello from Windy Willow Farm! We are busy in the garden, planting our little hearts' out. We are outdoing ourselves and have doubled the size of our gardens from previous years. Above, I'm taking a break from potato planting, with the garlic behind, and the row covers on our crops make the neighbors curious as to what's growing in the garden.
We put out our tender plants, tomatoes and squash, earlier and earlier every year. We put up hoops and row covers to protect them from wind, bugs and frost. They allow light and rain through, but we don't take them off until the plants are pushing up on the fabric. It's a big like Christmas, to unwrap the garden and see what's been growing under the covers. However, they look like giant catepillars crawling across the gardens.
We've had some cold mornings, with frost, but didn't lose too many plants. I was worried we'd lose the entire strawberry crop, as the blossoms were in full bloom, and we hit 27 degrees. So far, so good, but we'll keep an eye on them.
Our worker share program is going along wonderfully! We all have a great time working in the garden, and the produce so far has been excellent: asparagus, chard, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, pick-your-own herbs and a cucumber from the greenhouse. This week's share will be spinach, arugula, asparagus, lettuce and a couple of storage onions from last year's harvest. We've been planting, covering, picking, and weeding with our great helpers. Next week we need to hill the potatoes and do more weeding after this week's rain.
We've been at the Sunday Schenectady Greenmarket all year (10-2 on Jay Street) and will start at the Gloversville Pavillion this Saturday (8-12). June 11th is the first Thursday market in Ballston Spa (3-6 pm, Front Street). Hope to see you all there!
p.s. Here's my wish list: 1) wire hangers. We use wire hangers to secure our row covers and have used all we have. If you have any wire hangers to be rid of, let me know! I'll take them. 2) An upright washing machine. Are you replacing your old, energy inefficient washing machine? I'll take it! I need one in the barn for use on the spin cycle - it's a great, quick way to spin dry greens. Let me know if you have one to donate to the farm.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Spring "Cleaning" or the "Can The Kids Reach The Raspberries?" Pruning Method
Some people take their curtains down and wash them. Some clean their windows. Others bring carpets outside and beat them with a big stick. Not me!
I prune raspberries.
It is a daunting task. We have row upon row of raspberries needing pruning. Some rows are 250 feet long. Some, out in our orchard garden, are 500 feet long. That's a lot of raspberries.
After several hours of pruning yesterday, I was called away. Upon my return, I resolved to finish my current row, since I thought I was almost done. With the optical illusion of a never ending row, I had only completed one-quarter of the row, in 3 hours. I re-focused on how great the pruned side of the row looked and got back to business.
I start with the 3 Ds: Dead, Damaged and Diseased. Once these are gone (cut right to the ground), I decide how wide I want the row. At this point, I picture my kids picking raspberries in the heat of summer. Will they be able to reach this one if this cane is in the way?
Then I thin. I cut any canes that thin and wispy. I cut any that are too close to another cane (how will the kids reach between the two?). I cut any that are leaning the wrong way. Then I stand up, brush the mud from the knees, and top off the canes, to about belt height. Then I take another good look. My goal is to have 6-8 healthy canes per running foot of raspberries. Lots of air between the canes, for picking space and circulation.
Now, here's the disclaimer. I'm not the world's best raspberry pruner. I probably cut a ton of stuff I shouldn't and don't cut stuff I should. I'm sure someone will look at my picture of my pruned raspberries and tell me all I'm doing wrong. But somehow, even with my annual pruning, we always have a bumper crop of raspberries, so something I'm doing is right! Maybe someday, Gwen's 'Can the kids reach it?' Raspberry Pruning Method will be all the rage.
I can't tell you how many times during the summer the kids have complained of being hungry and I've sent them to the raspberry patch for a snack. Or the time when Jason was just learning to walk, and getting stuck in the weeds, how Sarah pulled him along. Or when Sarah was picking for me, and in her sweet voice, "One for me, one for the bucket."
For now, I'm just pruning till I can't prune no more and imagining all those lush, sweet raspberries as big as my thumb. And one of my kids running up to me, waving a raspberry in my face, picked just for me.
That's what farming is all about.
I prune raspberries.
It is a daunting task. We have row upon row of raspberries needing pruning. Some rows are 250 feet long. Some, out in our orchard garden, are 500 feet long. That's a lot of raspberries.
After several hours of pruning yesterday, I was called away. Upon my return, I resolved to finish my current row, since I thought I was almost done. With the optical illusion of a never ending row, I had only completed one-quarter of the row, in 3 hours. I re-focused on how great the pruned side of the row looked and got back to business.
I start with the 3 Ds: Dead, Damaged and Diseased. Once these are gone (cut right to the ground), I decide how wide I want the row. At this point, I picture my kids picking raspberries in the heat of summer. Will they be able to reach this one if this cane is in the way?
Then I thin. I cut any canes that thin and wispy. I cut any that are too close to another cane (how will the kids reach between the two?). I cut any that are leaning the wrong way. Then I stand up, brush the mud from the knees, and top off the canes, to about belt height. Then I take another good look. My goal is to have 6-8 healthy canes per running foot of raspberries. Lots of air between the canes, for picking space and circulation.
Now, here's the disclaimer. I'm not the world's best raspberry pruner. I probably cut a ton of stuff I shouldn't and don't cut stuff I should. I'm sure someone will look at my picture of my pruned raspberries and tell me all I'm doing wrong. But somehow, even with my annual pruning, we always have a bumper crop of raspberries, so something I'm doing is right! Maybe someday, Gwen's 'Can the kids reach it?' Raspberry Pruning Method will be all the rage.
I can't tell you how many times during the summer the kids have complained of being hungry and I've sent them to the raspberry patch for a snack. Or the time when Jason was just learning to walk, and getting stuck in the weeds, how Sarah pulled him along. Or when Sarah was picking for me, and in her sweet voice, "One for me, one for the bucket."
For now, I'm just pruning till I can't prune no more and imagining all those lush, sweet raspberries as big as my thumb. And one of my kids running up to me, waving a raspberry in my face, picked just for me.
That's what farming is all about.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Windy Willow Farm's 2009 Newsletter and Order Form
Dear friends,
We hope that 2009 finds you well and enjoying the beginning of a fantastic year. We are busy planning our 2009 season and have big changes planned. What used to be quiet winters have become busy with constant greenhouse maintenance. We are amazed by the amount of snow we’ve received and remember winters’ past when we had snow covering the fields until April.
This is our first year with our new, 30’ x 48’ greenhouse! We have great plans for its use: over the winter, we grew spinach and greens right in the ground. We will utilize every inch of space, to start our vegetables early, and grow tomatoes, beans, eggplant and early vegetables. We anticipate that it will help us in bringing excellent produce to the market up to a month earlier.
Our Philosophy
Our family farm’s core belief is to practice and promote sustainable and organic agriculture. Although we are not certified organic, we follow the organic guidelines. We believe that both the land and our animals should be treated with respect and gentle care. We minimize off-farm inputs and maximize use of compost and natural pest control. The end result is a garden full of delicious produce, picked at the ripest, most nutritive moment; and healthy, robust animals.
We keep our animals healthy and happy by rotating them to fresh, lush and nutritious pastures and feeding them certified-organic grains. They don’t need medications, hormones or antibiotics. Healthy animals make the best meat: don’t forget that grassfed meats have been found to be lower in cholesterol and higher in amino acids and essential fatty acids.
We invite you to spend an hour or a day with us on the farm, to experience the best our land has to offer.
WWF Returns to Farmers Markets
As in years past, we’ve decided to focus on selling our produce at the local farmers market. This past season we participated in the Gloversville Farmers Market and were enthusiastically greeted by customers old and new. We are applying to attend the farmers market on Jay Street in downtown Schenectady, Thursdays, from 9-1 pm. Saturdays we plan to be in Gloversville at the wonderful new Pavilion west of Main Street from 9-12 pm. The markets begin in Mid May and run to the end of October. We hope to see you there.
In the meantime, we hope to shortly return to the Schenectady Greenmarket, held on Sundays from 10 am – 2 pm at the Proctor’s Robb Alley basement. With the short winter days, we couldn’t harvest much, but hope to be back at the market in February. The cold-hardy greens are starting to grow again in the greenhouse. We’ll be harvesting spinach and greens like claytonia, mizuna, mache and other greens for delicious winter salads.
CSA: Worker Shares
After five years of running a CSA from our farm, we have decided to change the way our CSA works. As much as we love the CSA philosophy, and sharing our farm with our customers, we are challenged to provide a quality CSA affordably.
This year, we will be offering a worker share only CSA. In exchange for a weekly 4-hour work commitment, you will receive a full share (20 weeks) of our harvest. We had several worker shares last year and really enjoyed the relationship. We think that especially in this time of financial crisis, the worker share program will help some families afford our fabulous vegetables. Please see below for more specific worker share information.
We have worker share openings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Share pickups will be on Wednesday or Fridays, as agreed upon with the worker.
Grassfed Meats
Pork
We raise our pigs with the utmost of care and respect on our lush pastures. We purchase them as weanlings, and raise them on our rotated pastures until September. When the pigs are full-sized, we send them to our favorite butcher, who treats them with kindness and respect. The meat is cut, smoked and vacuum sealed to your specifications. Our customers rave about out pork; the meat is tender, juicy and flavorful. We also share with you cooking tips, since grassfed pork cooks differently from supermarket meat.
We continue to be challenged to keep farming affordable, as the price of our organic feed has tripled in as many years! This year’s pork price will be $5.50 per pound, hanging weight. This includes custom cutting and smoking of hams and bacon. If you are interested in additional meat smoked (such as hocks or roasts), or linked sausage, there are additional fees.
For all meat purchases, pickup will be on the farm. We will give you at least 2-3 weeks’ notice of the pickup time and date. Please bring several coolers or boxes to bring home your frozen meat. Your balance is due at this time as well.
WWF Grassfed Poultry
Last year was our first year raising broiler chickens and turkeys for our customers. We had many challenges, including owl predation and losses from storms. This year we’re taking a break from poultry.
Many Hands…
We always try and include our customers in our farm workdays; it allows folks to have a closer connection with the earth and offers us much-appreciated help. We find that our work parties foster camaraderie and ownership of our crops. Who wouldn’t like eating broccoli from plants you placed into the ground as babies? It’s also a great teaching tool for kids to begin to understand just where their food comes from. We’d love to have you join us: please send me an email of your interest.
We look forward to a wonderful and healthful growing season. We look forward to seeing you at our farmers market stands! Call on us if you have any questions or need additional information. We are always happy to chat about our passion for farming.
Sincerely,
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde
© Gwen Hyde 2009
Worker Share Information:
A “worker share” is the exchange of your labor for a vegetable share. Worker Share members are a major work force on the farm. Worker shares come out to work hard and make a significant contribution to the farm. You are making a serious commitment of 4 hours of work per week for 22 weeks
You commit to a shift and work that shift for the entire season. Shift options: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday.
The jobs are very physically demanding. You should be able to lift at least 30 pounds. The work can be heavy, exhausting, and repetitive; hot, cold or wet. We work in ALL weather.
You will develop a special connection with the farm and farmers and other workers. You will develop an appreciation and understanding of organic vegetable production.
Our Worker Shares help make this farm a success!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What will I be doing?
You will be involved in all aspects of vegetable production. Planting, seeding, hoeing, picking, washing, bagging, bunching, weighing vegetables, and weeding. There are many one time jobs.
I’ve never done farm work before. How will I know what to do?
Each job will be explained. You need to be able to listen, follow directions and work hard.
Can I share the responsibility with my spouse, partner, housemate, etc.?
Yes, as long as the person you are sharing the commitment with can work the same shift.
Can two of us come each week for 2 hours?
It is not preferable. Leaving in the middle of a shift is not very satisfying for you and not as helpful for the farm.
When does the worker share begin?
Early May through late September.
Can I bring my child along?
Not if they are under the age of 12. If over the age of 12 we can talk about it. We are working hard, and the work is not geared for young children.
Can I bring my dog out with me?
No.
What if I need to miss a shift because of vacation, illness or other conflict?
You can make up your shift. You can do this by working a double shift or two shifts in one week.
Can I work evenings or weekends?
No. We do the farm work during the day, during the week. But we certainly welcome volunteers, so if you really would like to become involved, give a call and we can work something out.
What if my schedule changes mid season?
If you know your schedule will be changing mid season we can talk about it and plan accordingly. If your schedule changes unexpectedly mid season, we will try to work with it. In either case you may be able to switch to another shift that fits your schedule.
I am a teacher/student and can only work during summer vacation, is this possible?
This is an option. We can talk details.
Will I be able to pick up my share when I work my shift?
It depends on your shift, since our pickups will be on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Windy Willow Farm reserves the right to decide if a proposed worker is a good fit with the farm.
After looking at all of this I would like to consider a worker share. What should I do next?
Call Gwen at (518) 332-5718.
I have read and understand the above requirements to be a Worker Share Member at Windy Willow Farm. I agree that if I cannot fulfill the entire season’s responsibilities (22 weeks), I will pay for my share of the CSA harvest.
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________ State: _________________ Zip: __________________
Home Phone: ___________________________________ Cell Phone: ______________________________
Email: __________________________________________________________________________________
Signed: ___________________________________________ Dated: _______________________________
Signed for Windy Willow Farm: ________________________________________ Dated: ________________
Pork Cut Sheet
Type of Cut
Circle One on each line
Thickness of Steaks or chops
( ¾”, 1”)
Hams
Unsmoked / Smoked
Hams
Half Hams / Steaks
Bacon
Unsmoked / Smoked
Shoulders
Whole Roast / Steaks
Butts
Whole Roast / Steaks
Tenderloin
Whole Loin / Chops, ____ per package (min. 4)
Sausage*
Hot Italian / Sweet Italian / Breakfast
Bulk Sausage / Linked Sausage**
Hocks
Unsmoked*** / Smoked / Ground and included into sausage
Ribs
Whole Rack / Two Half Racks
* One choice of sausage for half pig; two choices for whole pig
** Linking Italian sausage will cost an additional $2.00 per pound of sausage. Breakfast sausage links are $2.50 per pound
*** Smoking of hocks will be an additional smoking charge, $2.00 per pound.
Definitions:
UNSMOKED – Not smoked, not brined, but regular meat with nothing added
SMOKED – Smoked meat is always brined first otherwise the meat might spoil during the smoking process. You can not get meat smoked without having it brined
BRINED – Soaked in a salt solution, (i.e. Bacon or Ham is fresh meat that is brined then smoked)
Steak thickness – We recommend ¾” to 1” thickness, as thinner steaks cook very quickly. If you want to stuff your pork chops, 1 ½” is recommended. Remember, the thicker your steaks, the fewer you’ll get.
All meat is cut, vacuum sealed in plastic and flash frozen regardless of whether or not it is UNSMOKED or SMOKED
Name: __________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________
Address: ________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________
City: ____________________________________________ State: ________________ Zip: _______________
CSA
_____ Sign Me Up! for my worker share of the 2009 Windy Willow Farm CSA Harvest
I’m interested in the following 4-hour shift:
___ Monday
___ Tuesday
___ Wednesday
___ Friday
Morning and afternoon hours are available.
Pork
$5.50/lb. hanging weight
(180-200 pounds average whole)
____ Half Pig ($200 deposit)*
____Whole Pig ($400 deposit)*
* Please fill out cut sheet on the back of this form – completed cut sheets are required with deposit
Orders closed by April 1, 2009
We hope that 2009 finds you well and enjoying the beginning of a fantastic year. We are busy planning our 2009 season and have big changes planned. What used to be quiet winters have become busy with constant greenhouse maintenance. We are amazed by the amount of snow we’ve received and remember winters’ past when we had snow covering the fields until April.
This is our first year with our new, 30’ x 48’ greenhouse! We have great plans for its use: over the winter, we grew spinach and greens right in the ground. We will utilize every inch of space, to start our vegetables early, and grow tomatoes, beans, eggplant and early vegetables. We anticipate that it will help us in bringing excellent produce to the market up to a month earlier.
Our Philosophy
Our family farm’s core belief is to practice and promote sustainable and organic agriculture. Although we are not certified organic, we follow the organic guidelines. We believe that both the land and our animals should be treated with respect and gentle care. We minimize off-farm inputs and maximize use of compost and natural pest control. The end result is a garden full of delicious produce, picked at the ripest, most nutritive moment; and healthy, robust animals.
We keep our animals healthy and happy by rotating them to fresh, lush and nutritious pastures and feeding them certified-organic grains. They don’t need medications, hormones or antibiotics. Healthy animals make the best meat: don’t forget that grassfed meats have been found to be lower in cholesterol and higher in amino acids and essential fatty acids.
We invite you to spend an hour or a day with us on the farm, to experience the best our land has to offer.
WWF Returns to Farmers Markets
As in years past, we’ve decided to focus on selling our produce at the local farmers market. This past season we participated in the Gloversville Farmers Market and were enthusiastically greeted by customers old and new. We are applying to attend the farmers market on Jay Street in downtown Schenectady, Thursdays, from 9-1 pm. Saturdays we plan to be in Gloversville at the wonderful new Pavilion west of Main Street from 9-12 pm. The markets begin in Mid May and run to the end of October. We hope to see you there.
In the meantime, we hope to shortly return to the Schenectady Greenmarket, held on Sundays from 10 am – 2 pm at the Proctor’s Robb Alley basement. With the short winter days, we couldn’t harvest much, but hope to be back at the market in February. The cold-hardy greens are starting to grow again in the greenhouse. We’ll be harvesting spinach and greens like claytonia, mizuna, mache and other greens for delicious winter salads.
CSA: Worker Shares
After five years of running a CSA from our farm, we have decided to change the way our CSA works. As much as we love the CSA philosophy, and sharing our farm with our customers, we are challenged to provide a quality CSA affordably.
This year, we will be offering a worker share only CSA. In exchange for a weekly 4-hour work commitment, you will receive a full share (20 weeks) of our harvest. We had several worker shares last year and really enjoyed the relationship. We think that especially in this time of financial crisis, the worker share program will help some families afford our fabulous vegetables. Please see below for more specific worker share information.
We have worker share openings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Share pickups will be on Wednesday or Fridays, as agreed upon with the worker.
Grassfed Meats
Pork
We raise our pigs with the utmost of care and respect on our lush pastures. We purchase them as weanlings, and raise them on our rotated pastures until September. When the pigs are full-sized, we send them to our favorite butcher, who treats them with kindness and respect. The meat is cut, smoked and vacuum sealed to your specifications. Our customers rave about out pork; the meat is tender, juicy and flavorful. We also share with you cooking tips, since grassfed pork cooks differently from supermarket meat.
We continue to be challenged to keep farming affordable, as the price of our organic feed has tripled in as many years! This year’s pork price will be $5.50 per pound, hanging weight. This includes custom cutting and smoking of hams and bacon. If you are interested in additional meat smoked (such as hocks or roasts), or linked sausage, there are additional fees.
For all meat purchases, pickup will be on the farm. We will give you at least 2-3 weeks’ notice of the pickup time and date. Please bring several coolers or boxes to bring home your frozen meat. Your balance is due at this time as well.
WWF Grassfed Poultry
Last year was our first year raising broiler chickens and turkeys for our customers. We had many challenges, including owl predation and losses from storms. This year we’re taking a break from poultry.
Many Hands…
We always try and include our customers in our farm workdays; it allows folks to have a closer connection with the earth and offers us much-appreciated help. We find that our work parties foster camaraderie and ownership of our crops. Who wouldn’t like eating broccoli from plants you placed into the ground as babies? It’s also a great teaching tool for kids to begin to understand just where their food comes from. We’d love to have you join us: please send me an email of your interest.
We look forward to a wonderful and healthful growing season. We look forward to seeing you at our farmers market stands! Call on us if you have any questions or need additional information. We are always happy to chat about our passion for farming.
Sincerely,
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde
© Gwen Hyde 2009
Worker Share Information:
A “worker share” is the exchange of your labor for a vegetable share. Worker Share members are a major work force on the farm. Worker shares come out to work hard and make a significant contribution to the farm. You are making a serious commitment of 4 hours of work per week for 22 weeks
You commit to a shift and work that shift for the entire season. Shift options: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday.
The jobs are very physically demanding. You should be able to lift at least 30 pounds. The work can be heavy, exhausting, and repetitive; hot, cold or wet. We work in ALL weather.
You will develop a special connection with the farm and farmers and other workers. You will develop an appreciation and understanding of organic vegetable production.
Our Worker Shares help make this farm a success!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What will I be doing?
You will be involved in all aspects of vegetable production. Planting, seeding, hoeing, picking, washing, bagging, bunching, weighing vegetables, and weeding. There are many one time jobs.
I’ve never done farm work before. How will I know what to do?
Each job will be explained. You need to be able to listen, follow directions and work hard.
Can I share the responsibility with my spouse, partner, housemate, etc.?
Yes, as long as the person you are sharing the commitment with can work the same shift.
Can two of us come each week for 2 hours?
It is not preferable. Leaving in the middle of a shift is not very satisfying for you and not as helpful for the farm.
When does the worker share begin?
Early May through late September.
Can I bring my child along?
Not if they are under the age of 12. If over the age of 12 we can talk about it. We are working hard, and the work is not geared for young children.
Can I bring my dog out with me?
No.
What if I need to miss a shift because of vacation, illness or other conflict?
You can make up your shift. You can do this by working a double shift or two shifts in one week.
Can I work evenings or weekends?
No. We do the farm work during the day, during the week. But we certainly welcome volunteers, so if you really would like to become involved, give a call and we can work something out.
What if my schedule changes mid season?
If you know your schedule will be changing mid season we can talk about it and plan accordingly. If your schedule changes unexpectedly mid season, we will try to work with it. In either case you may be able to switch to another shift that fits your schedule.
I am a teacher/student and can only work during summer vacation, is this possible?
This is an option. We can talk details.
Will I be able to pick up my share when I work my shift?
It depends on your shift, since our pickups will be on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Windy Willow Farm reserves the right to decide if a proposed worker is a good fit with the farm.
After looking at all of this I would like to consider a worker share. What should I do next?
Call Gwen at (518) 332-5718.
I have read and understand the above requirements to be a Worker Share Member at Windy Willow Farm. I agree that if I cannot fulfill the entire season’s responsibilities (22 weeks), I will pay for my share of the CSA harvest.
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________ State: _________________ Zip: __________________
Home Phone: ___________________________________ Cell Phone: ______________________________
Email: __________________________________________________________________________________
Signed: ___________________________________________ Dated: _______________________________
Signed for Windy Willow Farm: ________________________________________ Dated: ________________
Pork Cut Sheet
Type of Cut
Circle One on each line
Thickness of Steaks or chops
( ¾”, 1”)
Hams
Unsmoked / Smoked
Hams
Half Hams / Steaks
Bacon
Unsmoked / Smoked
Shoulders
Whole Roast / Steaks
Butts
Whole Roast / Steaks
Tenderloin
Whole Loin / Chops, ____ per package (min. 4)
Sausage*
Hot Italian / Sweet Italian / Breakfast
Bulk Sausage / Linked Sausage**
Hocks
Unsmoked*** / Smoked / Ground and included into sausage
Ribs
Whole Rack / Two Half Racks
* One choice of sausage for half pig; two choices for whole pig
** Linking Italian sausage will cost an additional $2.00 per pound of sausage. Breakfast sausage links are $2.50 per pound
*** Smoking of hocks will be an additional smoking charge, $2.00 per pound.
Definitions:
UNSMOKED – Not smoked, not brined, but regular meat with nothing added
SMOKED – Smoked meat is always brined first otherwise the meat might spoil during the smoking process. You can not get meat smoked without having it brined
BRINED – Soaked in a salt solution, (i.e. Bacon or Ham is fresh meat that is brined then smoked)
Steak thickness – We recommend ¾” to 1” thickness, as thinner steaks cook very quickly. If you want to stuff your pork chops, 1 ½” is recommended. Remember, the thicker your steaks, the fewer you’ll get.
All meat is cut, vacuum sealed in plastic and flash frozen regardless of whether or not it is UNSMOKED or SMOKED
Name: __________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________
Address: ________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________
City: ____________________________________________ State: ________________ Zip: _______________
CSA
_____ Sign Me Up! for my worker share of the 2009 Windy Willow Farm CSA Harvest
I’m interested in the following 4-hour shift:
___ Monday
___ Tuesday
___ Wednesday
___ Friday
Morning and afternoon hours are available.
Pork
$5.50/lb. hanging weight
(180-200 pounds average whole)
____ Half Pig ($200 deposit)*
____Whole Pig ($400 deposit)*
* Please fill out cut sheet on the back of this form – completed cut sheets are required with deposit
Orders closed by April 1, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Such is my life with a greenhouse
Snow + polycarbonate panels on the greenhouse= must get it off as soon as possible.
This is why I'm "done" with winter already.
Every time it snows, this is where you'll find me.
We have work planned to reinforce the panels since we've lost some with the recent windy weather. The panels flex and then let go, so we'll be putting metal strips on both sides to shore them up. I can't lose panels when I have my tomatoes started. My spinach and Asian greens can handle the freeze quite well.
Although, I'm enjoying my greens from the greenhouse almost every day, which is a huge luxury in the winter. Plus, I've been able to sell some at the winter Market in Schenectady, which helps as well.
I'll be looking forward to the end of this snowy, windy weather. Anyone interested in "playing" in the snow, come one over!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
News from Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 20
News from Windy Willow Farm2008 Week 20
This week’s share includes:
4 sweet onions: 3 white, 1 red: These will store for a couple months, especially the reds, but if you want 6-9 months of storage our storage onions are the way to go.
1 Qt white potatoes
1 bunch carrots – I got a little carrot digging instruction from my mother in law. Apparently, I was digging the carrots too close, and really needed to move the broadfork about 6-8 inches away from the carrots. It’s still slow going, but I was able to dig them today with much less cursing and very few broken carrots.
1 big bunch of beets – As an end of season send off, I picked an extra big bunch for your enjoyment. Beets are a mainstay of our growing season and always is a crowd pleaser.
1 Butternut squash – This squash only gets sweeter the longer it’s stored. Last year I cooked ours up in February and was surprised a how sweet they were.
1 bunch collards – These came back beautifully, and they like this cool weather. Collards are a fabulously healthy vegetable, see the sauté recipe below or just add it to almost any soup.
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch cilantro – our last of our tender cilantro, sure to turn black this week with the freezing temperatures. I covered it with row cover during the last frosts, and it’s come back perfectly.
1 eggplant
1 head garlic
1 box raspberries – With all of the rainy weather we’ve been having, the raspberries have molded right on the vine. It’s heartbreaking to see the canes, loaded with raspberries, that can’t be eaten! Our late season raspberries are delicious, but very perishable. Please eat, refrigerate or freeze these immediately.
Photo Captions: 1) My newly planted greenhouse! The greens (mesclun, arugula, mizuna, claytonia and spinach) germinated in 2 days! Transplanted Swiss chard looks colorful in the background. 2) Our turkeys like to show off their feathers.
It’s hard to believe that this is the last week of the season, it’s flown by so fast. Every growing season is unique, with crops that do amazingly well, and crops that stall on their way to success. We are experienced growers and know that some crops will do well, no matter the season. This year we had some crops that excelled: tomatoes, lettuce (especially fall lettuce), beets, peppers, peas, potatoes, onions (have you ever seen them so huge??), cucumbers and garlic. I wish these crops had done better for us: winter squash, cabbage and broccoli. And I wish these had done anything at all: strawberries, edamame soybeans, sweet corn and Chinese cabbage. But such is the season, and next year’s list will probably look different from this year’s.
I’m looking forward to learning how to grow in a greenhouse, and during the winter. And I’m especially looking forward to eating the winter greens I grow! We very rarely shop in the produce aisle at the supermarket, so if I don’t have it in my basement or the freezer, we don’t eat it. And once they run out, we’re done with that crop until it’s harvested for the next season. This trains you to enjoy eating what’s in season, and to put up enough food to last you well into the following season. This is why I need to make sure our potatoes, garlic and storage onions are of high quality, because they need to last until next spring!
Thank you in advance for completing our survey! And also a huge thanks for your support, and for helping to make our 2008 season successful. We wish you a healthful winter season and hope you join us again next year!
Eat what you can, can what you can’t.
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde
© 2008 Gwen Hyde
Sauteed Leeks and Carrots - Recipe
Adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, by Nava Atlas.
Carrots come out at or near the top of two different surveys. First, they’re ranked among the most nutritious vegetables, following closely behind dark leafy greens and sweet potatoes; Vitamin A and beta-carotene are their strong suits. Second, they are often named “favorite vegetable” by children. Sweet and crunchy, carrots are a vegetable worthhaving often, both raw and judiciously cooked.
Leeks and carrots both have a natural sweetness that mingles nicely. This is a mild and pleasant side dish, good with pasta, potatoes, and soy dishes.
INGREDIENTS1 tablespoon light olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 medium leeks, white and palest green parts only,chopped and very well rinsed
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
Pinch of nutmeg, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Heat the oil and wine in a wide skillet. Add the leeks and carrots,cover, and cook over medium-low heat, for about 8 to 10 minutes, oruntil tender-crisp.
2. Uncover and sauté, stirring frequently, until the leeks and carrotsbegin to turn golden. Stirin the nutmeg, if desired, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
4 to 6 servings
Carrot, Ginger, and Beet Soup Recipe
Adapted from Vegetarian Planet, by Didi Emmons (Harvard Common Press, 1997).
You can’t do better than beets and carrots for sweet, earthy winter nourishment, and this zesty recipe combines them with ginger and a touch of orange rind to make an intriguing soup that will surprise and delight your whole family.
What a tasty way to get your beta-carotenes and minerals: this is borscht with a citrus and ginger twist, a sure-fire crowd-pleaser!
INGREDIENTS
3 medium beets (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 pound carrots, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
6 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
4 teaspoons sour cream (optional)
1. Under running water (this is very messy otherwise), peel the beets with a vegetable peeler. With a chef’s knife, cut the beets in half, then lay them flat side down and cut them into large chunks.
2. In a stock pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the onion until it is translucent. Add the carrots, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beets and water or stock. Simmer the soup, covered, for 50 minutes. Add orange rind, and stir well.
3. In a food processor or blender, puree the soup in batches. Transfer the pureed soup to a large container, and stir in the salt and pepper. Taste the soup, and adjust the seasonings, if you like. Serve the soup hot or chilled, garnished with dollops of sour cream.
Serves 4.
Here are some great ideas for your collards:
Here is my super quick favorite greens sauté method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.2. Add chopped fresh garlic and sauté over medium high heat until it starts to sizzle and turn golden.3. Toss in a handful of very dry mixed greens and stir a few times until they start to wilt.4. Continue tossing in a handful at a time. Adding them slowly will ensure that the water released cooks off before the next handful is thrown in—no soggy greens!5. When all your greens are added, toss them with some sea salt and fresh pepper and serve.
Granny’s Vegetable Barley Soup
Adapted from The Findhorn Book of Vegetarian Recipes, by Kay Lynne Sherman (Findhorn Press, 2003).
Imagine an iron pot hanging over an open fire, bubbling with this hearty, fragrant soup, so similar to the ones many of our ancestors used to make. It offers plenty of simple, healthful whole-grain and vegetable nutrition, and only needs a salad and a loaf of bread and maybe a wedge of good cheese to complete the meal.
This is the kind of nourishment, ease, and simplicity we crave in winter: many a Wise Woman knew how to make a steaming pot of Granny’s Vegetable Barley Soup to keep the cold away.
INGREDIENTS
1 onion, dicedInner stalks and leaves of a head of celery, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 1/2 quarts good-quality vegetable broth or water
1 cup barley
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
1 large can (30 ounces) tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
1 1/2 cups seasonal greens–kale, chard, collards–coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt to taste
1. In a large soup pot, saute the onion and celery in oil until tender and starting to brown. Add broth or water and bring to a boil.
2. Rinse barley under running water and then add to boiling soup stock. Add bay leaf and simmer one hour, until barley is tender.
3. Add potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and tomato juice to soup. Simmer about 1 hour until vegetables are very soft. Add more water if necessary.
4. Just before serving, add greens and basil, cooking until greens are just tender. Add salt to taste.
Serves 10 to 12
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