Open Farm Day & Spring deluges

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Connie

First an announcement – Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s Open Farm Day is this Saturday, May 20^th from 10:00 till 2 pm. Everyone is invited to come, both members and those who are just curious about the farm. Come see us, pick up some asparagus or rhubarb and maybe a few wild greens.

Be careful what you wish for, is a saying my parents would send my way whenever I said I wanted something. Here’s another – When it rains it pours – usually referring to a deluge of problems not actual rain. Well – this Spring, it seems we are experiencing both an actual deluge, as well as problems, caused by way too much rain but also the end of the drought.

The pendulum swings: in 2016 we wished for rain; in 2017, not so much. Wish fulfillment is tricky. So, I am going to be careful, and not wish for an end to the rain – just a little decrease.

So – as you can see – we’ve been blessed with an over-abundance of rain this Spring and its causing a few issues with getting our crops in the ground. When It’s muddy like this we can’t plow, or get the beds ready or even walk around in the fields much.

During the bird walk last Sunday, our birders had to deal with 16 inches of water in the back pastures – making it difficult to get to certain bird habitats. The peas we planted in March are having a hard time, and we suspect that many of the seeds have rotted – which we will rectify this week by reseeding. Even picking the asparagus can be a bit tricky – I’ve lost a boot or two to the mud, resulting in very wet feet.

CSA pick-ups are still on schedule for an early June start through October, however.

Also – as a reminder, of the extra 27 spots we added, there are only a few remaining. We encourage everyone who is going to sign up for a share, to do so as soon as possible. We are planning and planting for the summer right now, and we need to know how many members we will have, to do so efficiently.

That’s the deal with a CSA – the farmer knows how many shareholders to plant for and can thus be as efficient as possible in how many seeds to order and grow and plant. It’s a win-win: for the member, who gets all sorts of wonderful produce and the farmer, who knows how much to grow due to a reliable customer base.

Though we still have a few organic CSA shares available, some pick-up days are filling up fast. Call us at 413-562-2164 or email us at the farm at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com for more information or come visit during our Open Farm day this Saturday, May 20th between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Happy Easter with thoughts on Spring, farming and open space

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Connie

Happy Easter! What a difference two weeks makes. The last Farming Matters blog was March 21^st when there was over a foot of snow on the ground. Now it’s Spring, 80 degrees and flowers are starting to bloom everywhere – just in time for Easter!

It is a lovely time of year; early Spring bulbs like crocuses and daffodils refresh one’s entire being – as well as providing winter lazy bodies incentive to get out there and begin tending the flower, vegetable and herb beds.

Prepping the vegetable fields is late this Spring due to the snow and rain accumulating in the fields and surrounding meadows. Check out this picture of the flooding we experienced when a blockage on the nearby ponds was removed, causing a rush of water to roar into Brick Yard Brook and our meadows. Amazing what a big effect the actions of another can have on someone else’s water and land. A good reason for cooperation among citizens and neighbors to safeguard natural resources.

Protecting the natural resources of our farm is one the reason Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s organic CSA was established – it was a way to continue as a working farm and maintain the open space for agricultural use. Did you know that our farm and just a few others are all that are left of Westfield many farms? Farming was a huge part of Westfield’s history – in fact, our section of town is called East Farm’s because it was basically all farms at one time.

Sustaining farms and open space are important for our community. These few remaining swaths of farm land not only protect the flora and fauna but maintains the recharge area for the aquifers which supply us with clean water – lately a big issue in Westfield. Farm’s and open space need protection to safeguard natural resources such as our air and water so they are there for future generations.

Membership in Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s organic CSA is a way to support open space and farming in Westfield – while enjoying delicious certified organic vegetables and field fruits. We also offer community members free activities such as the guided bird walk coming up on May 7th for those who want to explore the property and see the array of birds and other wildlife resident on the farm. Other activities available to members include hiking, pick-your-own vegetable and flower picking, and member gatherings like potlucks.

There are still a few organic CSA shares available – though some pick-up days are filling up fast. Call us at 413-562-2164 or email us at the farm at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com for more information or come visit during our Open Farm day this Saturday, April 15^th between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Hope to see you then and Happy Easter!

Looking forward to farm fresh vegetables on a snowy morning

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Connie

Looking out the window in the middle of March 2017 – this is what we see … a beautiful snowy day at the farm.

But it’s almost Spring, the days are lasting longer and we are dreaming of warmer days and the farm’s first early vegetables – asparagus, peas, young lettuces and tender radishes.

After the carb fest called Saint Patrick’s day (so tasty as our bodies crave carbs this time of year) we yearn for fresh vegetables and are frustrated; they aren’t especially fresh having been trucked in from Florida and Georgia and then sitting on grocery shelves a little too long. We’re hoping those of you who were members last year, managed to get a few items in your freezer to remind you of the deliciousness of farm fresh organic produce. I know when John and I open a container of my homemade garlic scape pesto or squash, pepper and tomato soup base we are transported back to the warmth & sunshine of last summer.

Healthy eating is a big benefit of CSA membership in our USDA certified organic farm and a primary reason for the creation of our CSA five years ago. We wanted to share farm fresh organic food with the local community. CSA means Community Supported Agriculture. Shareholders join before the start of the season so farmers can plan what & how much to grow – ordering seeds is a big project as there are many choices, and it helps with the cost of seeds and labor to get the season started. CSA members are later rewarded with the fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers of our labor. Our CSA is set up to run for 20 weeks beginning the week of June 7, 2017 (weather permitting) and ending in October. Two options are available – an Every Week Share for $650 and an Every Other Week Share for $450.00.

Members pick up their share at the on-farm market style distribution area, where that week’s produce, picked fresh for them at the peak of ripeness, is arrayed in bins for shareholders to select from. Each week’s produce is accompanied by recipes, nutritional information and preparation suggestions customized to that week’s unique share. An added bonus are Pick-Your-Own crops such as peas, cherry tomatoes and beans not to mention the beautiful flowers and aromatic herbs included with every CSA membership.

We carefully balance each weekly share to provide a variety of vegetables and field fruits to support a healthy diet for you and your family. You’ll receive coveted items such as asparagus, strawberries and rhubarb, corn, garlic scapes, delicate lettuces, juicy melons and a myriad of tomatoes. If you receive too much in one week, you can always freeze or can it for that distant winter day when you’re craving a summer treat.

Here are the specifics for Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s Spring/Summer CSA 2017

New shareholders are being accepted until the program is filled
Season runs from early June through October 2017
You select your preferred pick-up date: Wed., Thurs., or Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm or Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
You can elect to “share” a share with another family. See details on shareholder application.
If you cannot pick up your share, you can make arrangements to pick up at another time or have someone else pick up for you — if you send us an email a few days in advance.

Stay warm and Happy Spring. I know that’s a contradiction … do enjoy this picture of Spring daffodils.

Best,

Connie

The Lovely Month of June

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Connie

June is when I celebrate my birthday and also when Summer starts – so of course, June is a favorite month of mine! You can’t blame me – there are the fabulous flowers of June: irises (my favorite!), peonies, roses and wisteria (which unfortunately didn’t bloom well this year due to that nasty freeze in March); Spring fruits: strawberries and rhubarb for sauces and pies (which can replace birthday cake anytime for me); and the first luscious vegetables: asparagus, tender lettuces, sweet peas and the mint the flourishes at just the right time, along with the spicy radishes that add a special crunch to salads.

For our CSA members in June, we also grow bok choi aka Chinese cabbage, dandelion greens, Spring turnips, kohlrabi (which didn’t make it due to a great wave of flea beetles, we think because of the warm winter), kale, mizuna and Spring raab (bitter greens that are so good for us), Swiss chard, and tatsoi – a type of oriental spinach.

What’s interesting to me, is most of these vegetables are packed with nutrients we all need to stay healthy. Take rhubarb, for instance – did you know that it’s been used medicinally for thousands of years? Folklore credits Benjamin Franklin for first importing rhubarb to America in the 1700’s, but it originated in Asia over 5000 years ago. Its’ roots and rhizomes were used in Chinese medicine to treat everything from liver complaints to senility. More recently, rhubarb’s beneficial qualities have been validated by modern science who’ve found a slew of compounds that may prevent and fight cancer & senility, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins such as C, K, and B-complex plus the minerals calcium, potassium and manganese.

This brings me to an idea that at first may not seem appetizing – food as medicine! My herbalism teacher Jade Alicandro Mace, of Milk & Honey Herbs, recently introduced me to the concept that what we eat not only provides us our day to day sustenance, but can also actively support our good health. I am so enthusiastic about this idea. In future columns, I plan to start introducing some of the power house vegetables that we can all eat to protect and improve our health!

We still have a couple EOW shares available for a couple of pick-up days even though the season has started! Please call us or stop by the farm Tuesday through Saturday.

Yellow Stonehouse Farm CSA

Coexisting Harmoniously with the Native Wildlife

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Happy Easter with thoughts on Spring, farming and open space

The Lovely Month of June