CSA - 2012. This is it!

Thank you to all of you who have joined us for this season (which I think is going to be our best. It is 2012 after all). I hope you were all able to see the write up in the Bergen Record... http://www.northjersey.com/food_dining/146768045_CSAs_are_helpingconsumers_getfresh_produce_boost_N_J__farms.html

And just for the record, Whole Foods approached me about providing a CSA pickup location in their parking lot in Ridgewood. (Like they need more business!) It was tempting (who wouldn't like to advertise being in Whole Foods (even if it's just their parking lot)? But, I could not. In good conscience. My goal is to put them out of business! lol. (But I'm not really laughing). I'm serious. Someone once told me (and I really try to listen to what people tell me) that I have a "long thought" like a long coat rack in which I hang a lot of coats (and I do...have a lot of coats). But I think he was right. I do have a long thought.

This thought of a CSA has taken me on a long and wild ride with many ups and downs. It's so much easier than I thought (those little seeds want nothing more to do than sprout and grow and produce some offspring (if we let them but we don't, the vegetables don't taste that good if we let them go to seed!). And it's so much more challenging and complex than I ever thought it would be (those little seedlings need to be picked (at the right time), banded (one girl already dropped out of the CSA because she's allergic to rubber bands), washed (think deep well, big wash tub, power washer and really wet pants and shoes, yuck!), packed, stored in a walk-in cooler, loaded into a truck, unloaded, repacked into canvas bags, driven back home, washed again, stored in refrigerator, prepared and served. (And this is directly from the farm to you!) Think how many more layers of "process" that all the veggies in Whole Foods (and all grocery stores -- I don't mean to pick on Whole Foods) go through. And that's why we're all here. In the CSA. Because we want something different. Something better. At least something real. And real we are.

You may think that your signup forms and checks have gone into a black hole. But I assure you they have not. We appreciate each and every member. I keep wanting to have the CSA so perfect so that we can send an individual thank you and welcome to each member as they sign up. It's just that when everyone is signing up just happens to be the busiest time of the farm season...just last week we planted 30,000 plants (from our Amish farmer friend) by hand. And this week we are busy cutting and planting hundreds of pounds of potatoes. And then, it's time to plant celery and celeriac! And after what we think will be the final frost, then it's time to plant tomato, pepper, eggplant and tomatillo plants. And herbs. And we have lots of them.

So, just so you know...we are here. Thinking of you and grateful that you have entrusted us for vegetables for this year of 2012!. We will see you soon. If not before, Tuesday, June 5. The first pickup

Thank you, Kale, for joining...

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for joining the CSA for this season. The first pickup will be on Tuesday, June 5. As the date gets closer, we will send more information regarding the details. In the meantime, we are busily (and happily and hungrily) planting...and planting...beans, beets, carrots, celery, cilantro, chard, collards and we're only to the C's! (Not that we plant alphabetically, but we could...asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, ... We were immensely joyed by the 2.05 inches of rain (yes, we farmers keep track of the tenths -- they do count!). And we were even more happy with this perfect rainfall after planting 30,000 plants of cole crops. My sister asked "What the *** are cole crops?" That's slang (not really) for Brassicas.  "Cole crops" is a general term used to describe several vegetables in the mustard (did you know broccoli was a turd?) family, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower" .... Brassicas, well, there just isn't enough that could be said about them....all of them...

Aethionema

Agallis

Alliaria

Alyssoides

Alysopsis

Alyssum

Ammosperma

Anastatica

Anchonium

Andrzeiowskia

Anelsonia

Aphragmus

Aplanodes

Arabidella

Arabidopsis

Arabis

Arcyosperma

Armoracia

Aschersoniodoxa

Asperuginoides

Asta

Atelanthera

Athysanus

Aubrieta

Aurinia

Ballantinia

Barbarea

Beringia

Berteroa

Berteroella

Biscutella

Bivonaea

Blennodia

Boleum

Boreava

Bornmuellera

Borodinia

Botscantzevia

Brachycarpaea

Brassica

Braya

Brayopsis

Brossardia

Bunias

Cakile

Calepina

Calymmatium

Camelina

Camelinopsis

Capsella

Cardamine

Cardaminopsis

Cardaria

Carinavalva

Carrichtera

Catadysia

Catenulina

Caulanthus

Caulostramina

Ceratocnemum

Ceriosperma

Chalcanthus

Chamira

Chartoloma

Cheesemania

Cheiranthus

Chlorocrambe

Chorispora

Christolea

Chrysobraya

Chrysochamela

Cithareloma

Clastopus

Clausia

Clypeola

Cochlearia

Coelonema

Coincya

Coluteocarpus

Conringia

Cordylocarpus

Coronopus

Crambe

Crambella

Cremolobus

Crucihimalaya

Cryptospora

Cuphonotus

Cusickiella

Cycloptychis

Cymatocarpus

Cyphocardamum

Dactylocardamum

Degenia

Delpinophytum

Descurainia

Diceratella

Dichasianthus

Dictyophragmus

Didesmus

Didymophysa

Dielsiocharis

Dilophia

Dimorphocarpa

Diplotaxis

Dipoma

Diptychocarpus

Dithyrea

Dolichirhynchus

Dontostemon

Douepea

Draba

Drabastrum

Drabopsis

Dryopetalon

Eigia

Elburzia

Enarthrocarpus

Englerocharis

Eremobium

Eremoblastus

Eremodraba

Eremophyton

Ermania

Ermaniopsis

Erophila

Eruca

Erucaria

Erucastrum

Erysimum

Euclidium

Eudema

Eutrema

Euzomodendron

Farsetia

Fezia

Fibigia

Foleyola

Fortuynia

Galitzkya

Geococcus

Glaribraya

Glastaria

Glaucocarpum

Goldbachia

Gorodkovia

Graellsia

Grammosperma

Guillenia

Guiraoa

Gynophorea

Halimolobos

Harmsiodoxa

Hedinia

Heldreichia

Heliophila

Hemicrambe

Hemilophia

Hesperis

Heterodraba

Hirschfeldia

Hollermayera

Hormathophylla

Hornungia

Hornwoodia

Hugueninia

Hymenolobus

Ianhedgea

Iberis

Idahoa

Iodanthus

Ionopsidium

Irenepharsus

Isatis

Ischnocarpus

Iskandera

Iti

Ivania

Kernera

Kremeriella

Lachnocapsa

Lachnoloma

Leavenworthia

Lepidium

Lepidostemon

Leptaleum

Lesquerella

Lignariella

Lithodraba

Lobularia

Lonchophora

Loxostemon

Lunaria

Lyocarpus

Lyrocarpa

Macropodium

Malcolmia

Mancoa

Maresia

Mathewsia

Matthiola

Megacarpaea

Megadenia

Menkea

Menonvillea

Microlepidium

Microsysymbrium

Microstigma

Morettia

Moricandia

Moriera

Morisia

Murbeckiella

Muricaria

Myagrum

Nasturtiopsis

Nasturtium

Neomartinella

Neotchihatchewia

Neotorularia

Nerisyrenia

Neslia

Nesocrambe

Neuontobotrys

Notoceras

Notothlaspi

Ochthodium

Octoceras

Olimarabidopsis

Onuris

Oreoloma

Oreophyton

Ornithocarpa

Orychophragmus

Otocarpus

Oudneya

Pachycladon

Pachymitus

Pachyphragma

Pachypterygium

Parlatoria

Parodiodoxa

Parolinia

Parrya

Parryodes

Paysonia

Pegaeophyton

Peltaria

Peltariopsis

Pennellia

Petiniotia

Petrocallis

Phaeonychium

Phlebolobium

Phlegmatospermum

Phoenicaulis

Physaria

Physocardamum

Physoptychis

Physorrhynchus

Platycraspedum

Polyctenium

Polypsecadium

Pringlea

Prionotrichon

Pritzelago

Pseuderucaria

Pseudoarabidopsis

Pseudocamelina

Pseudoclausia

Pseudofortuynia

Pseudovesicaria

Psychine

Pterygiosperma

Pterygostemon

Pugionium

Pycnoplinthopsis

Pycnoplinthus

Pyramidium

Quezeliantha

Quidproquo

Raffenaldia

Raphanorhyncha

Raphanus

Rapistrum

Reboudia

Redowskia

Rhizobotrya

Ricotia

Robeschia

Rollinsia

Romanschulzia

Roripella

Rorippa

Rytidocarpus

Sameraria

Sarcodraba

Savignya

Scambopus

Schimpera

Schivereckia

Schizopetalon

Schlechteria

Schoenocrambe

Schouwia

Scoliaxon

Selenia

Sibara

Sibaropsis

Silicularia

Sinapidendron

Sinapis

Sisymbrella

Sisymbriopsis

Sisymbrium

Smelowskia

Sobolewslia

Sohms-Laubachia

Sophiopsis

Sphaerocardamum

Spirorhynchus

Spryginia

Staintoniella

Stanfordia

Stanleya (plant)

Stenopetalum

Sterigmostemum

Stevenia

Straussiella

Streptanthella

Streptanthus

Streptoloma

Stroganowia

Stubebdorffia

Subularia

Succowia

Synstemon

Synthlipsis

Taphrospermum

Tauscheria

Teesdalia

Teesdaliopsis

Tetracme

Thelypodiopsis

Thelypodium

Thlaspeocarpa

Thlaspi

Thysanocarpus

Trachystoma

Trichotolinum

Trochiscus

Tropidocarpum

Turritis

Vella (plant)

Warea

Wasabia

Weberbauera

Werdermannia

Winklera

Xerodraba

Yinshania

Zerdana

Zilla

Wow! Thank you wikipedia! But where is kale? My favorite of the cole crops. Are you there? Kale? The top "ANDI ", i.e. Aggregate Nutrient Density Index according to Eatright America is kale, (and mustards & turnip greens).

Kale scores 1000: Coke 1.   Are we even surprised about that?

Happiness is a little red planter

It doesn't take too much to make me happy.  1/2 inch of rain. A little red planter.  25,000 plants delivered safely from the man in brown to my front porch (from a very nice Amish farmer in PA whom I've never met --but I really like him, and the Amish.  They know how to work.  Cooperatively to produce great stuff and still remain tried and true to their principals, or is it principles? because there is a difference.  I just want to be on the right side of that!.

This year we have invested more, in fact we are fully vested, in farming.  Last year was our worst year, ever.  But rather than run, we have turned, around, to face it.  (And embrace it).  And put some more of  our, money, a lot of it ,almost all of it, into farming (it's still been a losing proposition, at least on the books, but a great tax break (that is the little dirty secret (and there is a lot of dirt) of farming)). So, where are we putting it?

Seeders, first and foremost.  Red ones.  Little ones.  But bigger than what I was using.   I was using the earthway seeder.  http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5475-earthway-vegetable-seeder.aspx And it works so well.  I hate to give it up (and I probably won't).  But we needed to move on up to more production....to more productive activities. And so, we researched seeders.  There are better ones than  we were using (compliments?) of the Korean government.  North or South I am not sure.  But sure I am that either they thought it in their best interest to think of agriculture, first and foremost, rather than bankers and finance.  No food  No good. So, rather than spend $16 trillion http://www.forbes.com/sites/traceygreenstein/2011/09/20/the-feds-16-trillion-bailouts-under-reported/ and no, I'm not kidding about this! they (north or south, does it matter?) decided to make a great little red planter for those hick farmers. Like me.  And they named it Jang. A beautiful little seeder.  And it does work well.  For most seeds. (lettuce, spinach, kale, cilantro, carrots, kale, collards).  For many seeds. Not just for all seeds (beets, pelleted (another post) lettuce. 

And, that, is the conundrum. of all small farmers, like me.  It takes so much equipment to make it all work...from those little itty bitty lettuce seeds planted three rows 12 inches apart to those squash seeds planted one row six, feet apart. I can understand, quite perfectly, why a farmer would choose mono-croppinng.

But it's cute isn't it?    The little Jang seeder.

It's Worth It!

Methinks I doth complain too much!

I feel a little silly complaining about my finger when there are so many people suffering from far greater challenges. I guess I'm not as evolved as I would like to think for I am still very much attached -- to my body parts. All of them. Even the tips of my fingers. The first words from my husband after, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to take you to the hospital. But first, we've got to finish unhooking this Arenavator from the tractor," was "It's a good thing you like being a farmer because you're never going to be a hand model!"

And then I was looking forward to some good narcotics -- vicodin. I told the doctor I have a very low theshold for pain (he didn't really believe me knowing that I'm still farming) but gave me a prescription for 10. I enjoyed two of them (they helped me sleep the first day while icing my arm). But when I went to get one the next night before going to bed (it's amazing how those little blood vessels can throb), they had disappeared only to find out my son, after researching the side effects of vicodin on the internet, flushed the rest down the toilet. I think Nancy Reagan meant "just say no" for yourself, but I could be wrong about that. And being the good mother that I am, I didn't smash his finger with a hammer but merely jumped up and down requesting loudly, "Why, on earth, did you throw them away?"

But it was probably a good thing. It gave me yet another opportunity to make lemonade --"Wow, my son is such a thoughtful, caring young man!"

And it was time to finish getting ready for the Open House. Which was very well attended (thank you to everyone who was able to stop by). There were 14 different culinary artisans who work out of the kitchens next door displaying, sampling and selling their products. John of Homespun Chili debuted his newest chili "Cock-a-Doodle Bleu" (Buffalo Chicken Chili with Blue Cheese -- delicious!) and the newest processor Greenfield Ice Cream sampled three of their flavors -- Caramel, Earl Grey and Peanut Butter. OMG -- it's the best ice cream I've ever tasted. Lighter than Haagen Dazs with subtle, complex flavors.

We had several people stop by the Open House just to get information on buying grass-fed (and finished. Did you know there is a difference?) meat. Meat can be labeled "grass-fed" even though cows are also given grains. Which is still probably better than 70 percent of the "pink slime" hamburger that is sold in grocery stores and burger joints. But in one of the most inspiring pieces of news this week, the company that makes "pink slime" has declared bankruptcy. (Do you think they'll be suing Jamie Oliver?) So many people are waking up to the sad reality of the industrial food supply and SAD (Standard American Diet) and are actively choosing to find local sources of pure food -- vegetables, fruit, beef, chicken, pork, eggs, honey, dairy products and great desserts!

And it's really great to be participating in this revolution. Because I think, when all is said and done, we are in the midst of a revolution. And food, good food, real food, is one of our most fundamental needs and rights. Hippocrates wasn't kidding around 2400 years ago when he said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food."

I like to say that "It's all about the food." So, I want to thank everyone who has joined the CSA for this season. I'm very much looking forward to this season and I have a lot that I would like to share with the members -- both the nuts and bolts of getting the vegetables from a seed to your table and also the bigger picture of small-scale agriculture versus the industrial giants from my personal experience. And, of course, the vegetables!

What is it worth?

I don't know. What is it worth? Is it worth a finger? Or maybe just the tip? I ask this as I stumble around the keyboard hunting and pecking like we want our free-range chickens to do without paying the price. But we do. We all do. Our fingers. Our chickens. Our farmers. Our health. And I'm not really happy about it.

I nearly lost a finger this week. Or at least the tip. Definitely the nail. And a broken bone and 7 stitches. (The first in my life). I know the risks in farming. It was made clear to me last year. I have no control over this. I am at the mercy of Mother Nature. Who told me (and others) she was not happy. We can do better. (Yes, I, too need to step up my game! Can't we all?)

My father had a severe head injury from a farming accident. He was fixing the baler machine when it hit his head and nearly killed him. Miraculously he was able to walk up to the farmhouse where my mother was and did what she had to do to save him. And she did. He (and we with him) had many more years after that.

And one of my classmates from high school did not fare so well. He was out in the fields with his 2-year old son in a BAPQ (big-ass piece of equipment). No one knows what happened. But his wife went out to the fields to find her son in the tractor cab and her husband dead on the ground.

So, I know the risks. But I never thought it would happen to me. And it only takes a second. A micro of a second. I just thought I pinched my finger until I looked down on it. It was "smashed." Cut and bleeding on both sides. Gross. Broken bone. 7 stitches.

And I think about all the people signing up for the CSA for this year. And I think about all those who did not sign up again this year because they lost "$50" from last year. (I gave everyone a credit for god's sake). How many of you are willing to give your pinky? or at least the tip of your finger or even a nail for some really great vegetables?

Probably not many. Food is way too cheap. This is not a game. Anymore.

So, I am asking for people to join the CSA who are serious. About life. About food. About commitment. (Because I am. Are you? I nearly lost a finger. And I am not happy about it). It hurts! And it sure isn't pretty. It'll never be the same. I am scarred for life). But I still am here doing this. And honestly I don't know why.