Category: Note from the Farmer

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Farmer’s Note — Week 6

Dear CSA Member:

We have not melted but come very close over the last week. The cucumbers have been soaking up the heat and just love it. Each vegetable has a peak harvest when a bulk of the crop is ready. This week it is the cucumbers. There are Marketmore, a green slicer, and also Boothby Blonde and Poona Kheera cucumbers. The Boothby Blonde and Poona Kheera are both heirloom varieties of smaller, oval cucumbers. The Boothby Blonde cukes are generally a lighter yellow than the Poona Kheera and anywhere from russet brown to light yellow to a dark green. There is no rhyme or reason with the Poona Kheera, and I am sure if you were to see them in a grocery, you would pass them by. They are sweet, juicy and our favorites.  Do not be wary of a brown cucumber with this batch. Some are large, some small — every shape, color and size. Being an heirloom variety, the seeds can be saved from one season to the next if properly harvested, and they are varieties that have a long history. The Poona Kheera are a variety from India, the Boothby Blonde are from Maine. Quite a diversity in their origin but both delicious.

Enjoy the vegetables
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Farmer’s Note — Week 5

Dear CSA Member

Summertime and the crazy weather has not ended. The sun has finally started to shine and although the thunderstorms can be severe in the afternoon, the rain does not fall all day as it has been. The farm is very busy and each week just slips quickly by. There is still transplanting to be done, the weeds love the rain and have been growing like “weeds”, the vegetables are quickly ripening and picking continues on our weekly schedule. By early evening another day has busily moved on and we have once again started to fill up the walk in coolers for the weeks’ delivery.

Still beautiful greens. The Summer Squash is delicious and new this week is Napa Cabbage and a pointed early green cabbage variety, Early Jersey Wakefield. Both are sweet and full of nutrition. Napa Cabbage is a savory leaved variety, mild tasting. Scallions for your salads. They are still very young and tender and much of the green can be used along with the white bulb. Sugar Snap Peas. An edible pod pea. Strip the string from the side by bending the stem end and pulling. The whole pod should be eaten either raw or quickly sautéed or steamed.

I have been posting photos on the farm Face Book page, StoneldgeFarm, if you are interested in seeing how the fields and farm look during the changing weeks. If there is something you would like to see, please let me know and I will do my best to capture a photo and post it on line.

This will be the first delivery for the optional Fruit Shares. This week the Fruit Share is no spray local Blueberries and local Sweet Cherries. The Mushroom Share this week is Oyster Mushrooms. For members with a Mushroom Share and a Fruit Share, you will receive them every week with the Vegetable Shares. Coffee Shares are delivered once a month at the beginning of the month.

Everyone has a CSA Member Account and can log into that account and place orders from the online Marketplace. Right now there is Honey, Maple, Coffee and Mushrooms available.

Enjoy the Vegetables
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Farmer’s Note– Week 4

FULL VEGETABLE SHARE
Tropicana Lettuce-1 head
Romaine Lettuce-1 head
Red Leaf Lettuce-1 head
Escarole-1 head
Summer Spinach-1 bunch
Mint-1 bunch
Garlic Scapes-8
Kohlrabi-1 bunch
Summer Squash-2 pounds

HALF VEGETABLE SHARE
ODD — Tropicana Lettuce-1 head
ODD — Romaine Lettuce-1 head
EVEN – Red Leaf Lettuce-1 head
EVEN – Escarole-1 head

MUSHROOM SHARE
Cremini

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Farmer’s Note– Week 3

Full Vegetable Share
Red Sails Leaf Lettuce-1 head
Green Towers Romaine Lettuce-1 head
Butter Head Butter Crunch Lettuce-1 head
Encino Lettuce-1 head
Summer Spinach -1 bunch
Bright Lights Swiss Chard -1 bunch
Garlic Scapes-6 scapes
Golden Purslane -1 bunch
Kohlrabi-1bunch
Summer Squash-2

Half Vegetable Share
Odd gets Buttercrunch Lettuce and Red Sails Lettuce.
Even gets Romaine and Encino lettuces.

Mushroom Share
The Mushroom this week is Shiitake.

Please note that the Shiitake are a much more expensive mushroom so the quantity will be in keeping with the $4 price charged for the weekly Mushroom Share.

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Farmer’s Note — Week 2

Full Vegetable Share

Bok Choy-1 head
Chinese Cabbage-1 head.
If you used the Chinese Cabbage last week in a stir fry, try slicing the Chinese Cabbage finely and use fresh as a Slaw. There is a good Cole Slaw recipe on the farm website, Recipe section, under Cabbage.

Red Sails Lettuce-1 head
Romaine Lettuce-1 head
Buttercrunch Lettuce-1 head
Mustard-1 bunch
Mizuna-1 bunch
Sorrell-1 bunch. This is a lemony tasting, little bit sour green. Use with Chicken.
Sage with Flowers-1 bunch The whole thing is edible.
Garlic Scapes-6 scapes

Mushroom Shares
Portobello
The Mushroom Share this week is for the members that originally signed up. The New Mushroom Share members will start next week.

The Bulich Mushroom farmers info: Portobellos are a large mushroom and the fresh picked Portobellos have the root end still attached. It has some of the soil still attached the root. Cut the root off and clean the mushroom. If you are going to use them right away, it is OK to rinse and then pat dry. If you are not, brush the excess soil away and store in the paper bag. Portobellos are very meaty and are great brushed with balsamic vinegar and grilled. Remove the stem and slice. The stem is a bit woodier and will not cook as quickly as the cap. If you are grilling the cap, it will only take a couple of minutes on each side. Grill the smooth side first and finish with the gill side.

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Farmer’s Note — Week 1

Dear CSA Member

The first delivery has finally arrived. The activity level around the farm increased by 100-fold today as we started picking. Each season is new all over, and we are full of anticipation and excitement as we start.

The greens are very nice this spring. It was rather cold for a long spell and the greens just loved the weather. Your share is overflowing with greens. We transplant all of our early greens and cover them immediately with floating row cover. It is a sheet that covers the plants and keeps most of the insect pests out and allows the sunshine and rain to go in. You will find some holes in the leaves of the early greens. The row cover does a good job but some of the insect pests find their way to the plants despite our best efforts.

I find the best way to wash greens is to remove the leaves from the stem end and give them a cold water bath. You may want to repeat and then spin dry in a Salad Spinner. Plastic bags work fine to keep the greens fresh. The most tender greens should be used first as you work your way through your share. There has been a lot of rain the last couple of days. We do give the greens a rinse but they will need a good wash.

Please remember to pickup any optional shares that you have ordered. Mushrooms Shares will be delivered each week and Coffee Shares the first of each month. If you placed a Marketplace order, your order will be delivered with the Vegetable Shares. You can check your orders by logging into your CSA Member account from the farm website home page. Click on CSA Member Login under the center photo. The My Account link has all of your order information. We are also sending tote bags [for the site]. Hope you like them.

Welcome 2013.
Deborah
for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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A Note from the Farmer — May 29

Dear CSA Member

The start of the CSA delivery season is coming quickly now. We have been working toward this day since last December and it is with great satisfaction that we can finally harvest your share. Farming is patience and commitment. Seeds planted months ago, tended daily are now ready to yield a harvest. Wednesday CSA sites will start on June 5, Monday CSA sites on June 10 and Tuesday CSA sites on June 11.

The Marketplace is now open for weekly orders if you are interested. To place a Marketplace order for Maple, Honey, Coffee by the pound or Mushrooms, please log into your account by selecting CSA Member Login under the center photo on the farm website home page. Orders will be delivered with the CSA delivery and can be placed up to the day before delivery except for Mushrooms. We must have Mushroom orders from the Marketplace by Friday at 11 AM so we can notify the Mushroom farm.

For members with Optional Mushroom and or Coffee Shares, the Mushroom and Coffee Shares will be delivered with the first CSA delivery. Mushroom Shares will be delivered each week and Coffee Shares once a month at the beginning of the month. Please make sure that you pick up all of the shares you have ordered. If you don’t remember what your compete order is for this season, log into your CSA Member account and click on My Account.

If you would like to add an optional share of Mushrooms, Coffee or Fruit, please log into your CSA Member account from the farm website home page and add the shares. Optional Coffee and Mushroom Shares can be added until the Friday before your first CSA delivery. Fruit Shares can be added until the second week in June.

We are looking forward to a great CSA season. If you have any questions, please send an e-mail and I will be back in touch. We have been posting photos on the farm Face Book page over the winter and spring time. Take a look.

To a bountiful CSA season.
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm.

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A Note the Farmer — May 2013

Dear CSA Member

We have been transplanting, seeding and more seeding all month. The weather has been beautiful and the plants are soaking up the sunshine. The Spring Farm Visit is scheduled for May 18 from 11-3. It is a great day to visit the farm and see who, where and how your vegetables are being grown. Please bring your own drinks, picnic lunch and dress to be outside in the field. There is so much activity in the spring as the garden is being planted. Come and walk the fields, meet the farm crew. We look forward to the day. If you would send me an e-mail just to let me know you will be coming it helps us plan the day. Send the e-mail to info@stoneledgefarmny.org.

There is only about a month before the shares start to be delivered. There are still shares at most CSA sites. Please pass the word on to others that you have contact with that might be interested.

The schedule for the first delivery follows:
Tuesday CSA Locations first delivery will be June 11th:
    *CARNEGIE HILL CSA*    
    Yorkville CSA
    West Village CSA
    Greene County CSA
    East 88th Street CSA
    Chelsea CSA

Wednesday CSA Locations first delivery will be June 5th:
    Wilton/Norwalk CSA
    White Plains CSA
    Upper Westchester CSA
    Sustainable Hastings CSA
    Stamford CSA
    Southport/Fairfield CSA

Monday CSA Locations first delivery will be June 10th:
    Rye Soundshore CSA
    Mt. Sinai Farm Share CSA
    Locust Point CSA
    Jan Hus CSA
    City Island CSA
    Bronx 811 Walton Ave CSA
    92nd Street Y CSA

The online Marketplace will open two weeks before the first delivery for CSA members to order Coffee by the pound, Maple Syrup, Honey and Mushrooms. The delivery of the online Marketplace orders will be with the first CSA delivery and then each week as members place their orders. Mushrooms must be ordered by Friday 11AM so we can notify the Mushroom farm of the upcoming order amounts.

Coffee Shares and Mushroom Shares will also be delivered with the first CSA delivery. Fruit Shares start the 5th CSA delivery when local fruit becomes available. If you would like to add one or more of the optional shares, log into your CSA account from the farm website home page, select the CSA Member Login option and then add the optional shares to your existing CSA order.

Last season there were a number of CSA members that contacted us requesting produce in bulk for preserving. We are working on the details for online orders through the Marketplace of some vegetables in bulk for canning and freezing. There will be a limited number of vegetables that we will be offering, some of the favorites for home preservation such as tomatoes. If you have any suggestions, we welcome your input. There will be more about this new project as the season begins.

Happy Spring
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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A Note from the Farmer

April 2013

Dear CSA Member

A CSA Spring Farm Visit is being planned for the first time this year for May 18th from 11-3. The Spring Farm Visit will be an opportunity for CSA member families to visit the farm and be part of how we transplant, seed and care for the vegetables at the beginning of the CSA season. Come and enjoy the activity of the early season farm. There is a lot of excitement in the spring and a great chance to be part of their CSA share right from the start of the season.

Please dress in comfortable clothing and shoes that you don’t mind getting in the soil. Bring your own picnic lunch and drinks. We will take our lunch break in the barn. There is a lot of activity in the fields in May and you will be able to see how our tractors and transplanters work, meet the wonderful Stoneledge Farm crew and help with some of the planting. A great day for the whole family. The directions to the farm can be found on the farm website www.stoneledgefarmny.org, click on Contact and Directions and go to the West Farm Address 145 Garcia Lane, Leeds, NY 12451. If you plan on attending, please send an e-mail to the farm at info@stoneledgefarmny.org. In case of any changes I will be able to e-mail you directly.

The Fall Farm Festival is also planned for September the 14th. It is never too early to mark your calendar for the fall visit.

The greenhouses are filling up quickly with seedling transplants. The plowing has started in the fields. The work of the season has begun. I post farm photos on the farm FaceBook page regularly at https://www.facebook.com/StoneledgeFarm. Take a look.

Happy Spring and Welcome 2013 CSA season.
Deborah
for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Note from the Farmer

March 2013

Dear CSA Member

We trudged our way through almost eight inches of snow to get to the warmth of the greenhouse today. Red and White Onions, Leeks, Shallots, Hot Peppers and Rosemary have been planted. The sunshine that is predicted for the weekend should be just what the seeds need to send out their first leaves. We all wait with great anticipation each year for the first green to appear.

As we gear up for the season we are also reaching out to members to help spread the word about joining CSA. If you are part of a church, synagogue, community group, parents group, have a building or job e-news, we would greatly appreciate it if you could post a notice about how to join the CSA. A sample has been included at the end of this e-mail.

We are very excited to announce the addition of the local, naturally grown Mushroom Share to the 2013 CSA shares. We were encouraged by the positive feedback from members and thank all of the members that took time to write. The Mushroom Share will be delivered every week, 24 deliveries, one variety of mushroom per week. We heard from members that a weekly delivery of the share would be the best. The varieties that are available from the neighboring Mushroom Farm are Crimini, White Button, Portobello, Shiitake, Oyster. The full Mushroom Share information can be found on the farm website, Mushroom Shares link on the left side bar. If you have already ordered your CSA share it is easy to add a Mushroom Share. Just log into your CSA Member Account by clicking on CSA Member Login under the center photo of the farm website and log in with your e-mail address and password. The additional shares are added to your Vegetable Share.

Mushrooms are also going to be available for weekly order from the Marketplace. Crimini, Portobello, White Buttons in 3 pound baskets and Shiitake and Oyster in 1 pound bags. The Marketplace will open for online orders two weeks before delivery begins.

Spring must be on the way!
Deborah
for everyone at Stoneledge Farm