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Hello Everyone! So we are still waiting for some rain. There is some in the forecast for tonight and Tuesday but they have been wrong so many times now… I mentioned a rain dance in last week’s episode. My form of rain dance is to head out into the fields on my seeding tractor to do some planting. This has worked often in the past to get the skies to open up but I tried it last week and only managed to squeeze out a few drops! (more…)
Hello Everyone! So we continue to experience dry conditions here on the farm. We have had several more predicted rainfalls fail to arrive. We have another shot at a little precipitation overnight on Monday and perhaps a better chance of the wet stuff on Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer or perhaps do a rain dance if you are so inclined. In the meantime, we will continue to move the sprinklers around the fields and employ creative tricks to get the seeds to sprout. (more…)
Hello Everyone! So we waited with a mixture of anticipation and dread for the severe storms predicted for Saturday. We badly need the rain but worried about the high winds and potential for hail. In the end we got no rain at all, only 2 days of high winds that have been wreaking havoc with our crop covers and drying out the soil even more. There is some hope for precipitation at the end of the week; in the meantime, we will be moving the sprinklers around from field to field to keep the crops growing and the seeds germinating. (more…)
Hi Folks! We finally got some rain here at the farm on Sunday, just over an inch. We need more but are grateful for what we receive.
We have essentially lost the first planting of arugula, broccoli raab, and tatsoi as a result of the dry conditions and the heat wave. It had been under siege from a pernicious pest – the flea beetle – and was covered with an Ag fabric to protect it. (more…)
Hi Folks, Firstly, I would like to apologize for having been incommunicado until now. I normally write one or two pre-season updates to keep members apprised of how things are going at the farm. It has been an extra challenging spring this year, we once again got off to a late start owing to winter sticking around until Mid-April. Since then it has been exceptionally dry despite a week of “rainy weather” which delivered barely a half an inch of drizzle during 6 days of gloomy overcast skies. As always, my crew and I have been working hard to get the planting done and overcome the challenges. (more…)
It’s time to sign up for the 2016 season!
Why Join a CSA? First and foremost, you build a relationship with a real person who works hard to bring you fresh produce every week; You save gas by not flying in your produce from California (or other countries), you keep a small farmer in business, you help keep land undeveloped, and you keep toxic chemicals off the land by supporting organic farming. You also got to see the face of your food and eat a variety of fresh, local, organic produce!
Know your farmer. Know your food.
Did you know that John spends over $30,000 on seeds each year? When we pay ahead of the season, John can pay for his seeds without having to pay interest on his credit card bills.
The price structure for the 2016 season remains the same as in previous years, but with a late fee for last minute signups:
You can put down a non-refundable deposit of $200 to save your share. If you have extenuating circumstances and need to work out a payment plan we can work with you.
Email westfieldcsa@gmail.com for more information or click here to download an application form.
As before, you can split a share with someone else. If you need help finding someone to split with, let us know and we will pair you up as I get requests!
Returning members will be guaranteed a spot in the CSA if registered by Feb 6. After that registration is first come, first served.
Share this information with anyone who may be interested in joining the Westfield Area CSA!
Hi Folks, A few words about the stock up share. We ended up not having very much winter squash; it did not keep well for us this year. There is only acorn and some small buttercup. I recommend cooking the buttercup soon and freezing what you don’t need. The acorn should keep for a while but it does get stringy after many weeks in storage.
We have tried to make up for this with other items – notably sweet potatoes, which were not promised and have not been in the shares in years past. We put them in plastic bags because they poke holes in paper ones, but they should be removed immediately and stored in paper bags or in a bowl on the counter. It is better to keep these warm. (more…)
Hello Everyone! So we have reached the end of the season and it is time for me to bid you all adieu until next year. It was a challenging year, but with farming I have come to accept that each year will have its own unique problems and glitches. It was, for the most part, a dry year, which is always better than a wet one. We received just enough rain to get by, and irrigated when it began to get to dry. Overall I am pleased with the production we had and with what I was able to provide to the members; I hope you all feel the same. I feel we’ve been improving each year and will continue to strive to provide you and your family with the best variety and quality we can. We have a very nice share for you this week, so we end the season on a high note. (more…)
Hello Folks! As we head into the final weeks of the season we are becoming more dependent on roots and tubers to fill your basket. This week we will have carrots again, as well as beets, sunchokes, and salad turnips. The beet tops were damaged by the cold snap a few weeks back and so we will ship them loose without tops. The salad turnips still have beautiful greens, which, as always, I encourage you to eat. (more…)
Hi Everyone, we had about 2 inches of much needed rain this past Wednesday. Although heavy at times it came over an extended period and so was mostly able to be soaked up by the soil. This should be a big help to the spinach and brassica plants as well as to our last planting of carrots. Temperatures remain balmy and this too will enable what is left in the field to continue growing and reach a respectable size. (more…)