Author: Bryan Housel

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – June 3, 2013

Hi Folks, Well we started out too dry and too cold and now we’ve had too wet and too hot. So in just the first two months of the growing season we’ve covered all the bases. Someone asked me a few weeks back if I thought it would continue to be dry and I replied that I reckoned it would remain very dry until it began to rain too much (I didn’t actually say “reckoned” that’s just literary embellishment). I didn’t expect, nor wish to be proven correct so soon. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – May 12, 2013

Hello Everyone, Welcome to the 2013 Starbrite Farm CSA season and to the first installment of my weekly updates. These will serve to apprise you of the work we are doing at the farm each week, of the success we are having and the challenges we may be facing, and what to expect in your share for the week. I strive to make them as informative and entertaining as possible. (more…)

Thyme

Thyme

There are actually over 100 varieties of thyme, but only 2 that are used in the kitchen: Garden thyme and lemon thyme. Garden thyme has a woodsy, pungent aroma, while lemon thyme, when crushed, has a distinct lemony smell. Leaves and sprigs are used in salads as garnishes, and in soups, chowders, and in many Cajun and French dishes. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 5, 2010

Hello Folks, We’ve arrived at August, having survived a scorching July, and happy for the more moderate temperatures we’ve enjoyed over the past week. A few passing storms have brought us just enough rain to keep the crops happy and to help germinate the many seeds I’ve sown during the week. I’ve planted more beans, cucumbers and summer squash for a late September harvest as well as beets and carrots for October. We have also begun transplanting the brassica crops for the fall as well. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 29, 2010

Hi Everyone, It looks as though the tomato season has arrived. We began picking a sizeable amount of fruit last Friday, and a lot more have ripened over the weekend. It’s a week or two earlier than normal, one of the better consequences of this sunny, hot, and accelerated season. There will probably only be enough for 1 or 2 fruits per member this week, with more appreciable quantities arriving in the coming weeks. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 22, 2010

Hi Folks, We had a great start to the season, with many greens and unusually bountiful shares. As we head into mid-summer, greens generally become more scarce, and in this accelerated season we arrived at this point sooner than normal. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 15, 2010

Hi Folks, I am happy to report that the farm received nearly 2 inches of rain this past Friday night into Saturday morning, much more than expected and a bit more than was needed, but nevertheless a huge relief. We were spending too much time moving sprinklers around and thus unable to begin preparing ground for the fall planting which will begin soon. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 8, 2010

Hi Folks, I hope everyone had a pleasant Fourth of July weekend. We don’t take much of a break for the holiday here at the farm. Monday was a regular workday and I spent most of yesterday on a marathon mission to finish planting the winter squash. I confess that I did catch some blues music and fireworks (ooh-ahh) in the nearby town of Sparta. The lack of rain in the last 2 weeks has us moving the irrigation equipment around from field to field, a task that interferes with our other pressing duties. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 1, 2010

Hello Everyone, Well, it was a scorcher of a week! It’s summertime in New Jersey just like I remember it – hot and humid. While the hot warm weather crops such as the tomatoes and peppers have been in their glories, the cool weather plants have been looking quite dejected- wilting and droopy. Fortunately the heat wave is predicted to break and we will have some milder temperatures by mid-week. (more…)