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Yellow Stonehouse Farm CSA

Coexisting Harmoniously with the Native Wildlife

Yellow Stonehouse Farm CSA

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Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s COVID-19 Policy & Procedures

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Posted on April 27, 2020 by Connie
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The COVID-19 pandemic and associated Social Distancing is a new and unsettling time for us all.  Here at Yellow Stonehouse Farm, we are continuing with our mission of growing USDA Certified Organic Food for our Members & Friends and increasing our planting to ensure a bountiful harvest for our local community.  We are more committed than ever to sharing both our healthy immunity boosting vegetables and our beautiful natural landscape with you during this stressful time. To keep everyone safe, these are the practices we will implement:

  • The Spring Pantry share is a preview of how “barn-side” NO CONTACT DISTRIBUTION WILL WORK, if necessary, for future summer distributions.
  • YSF has expanded our safety procedures concerning sanitizing our distribution & storage areas, as well as the washing of produce. YSF will provide 2 hand washing stations.
  • For members and employees alike, we require that Social Distancing of at least 6 feet is practiced by everyone on the farm’s property.
  • Most produce will be bagged in compostable “plastic” bags, and when the share is distributed “barn-side” using No CONTACT DISTRIBUTION, it will be packaged in brown paper bags.  No boxes will be used to eliminate potentially contaminated returns to the farm and because paper bags are easily reused & recycled by farm members.

  • YSF will provide compostable plastic bags to cover member’s hands when the market style distribution is safely opened. YSF requests that “if you touch it you should take it.”
  • When the Market Style distribution center is open, it will be cleaned & sanitized on a daily basis after a deep cleaning prior to Wednesday’s opening each week.
  • To ensure proper social distancing is implemented in our gardens, and to enhance member’s Pick Your Own (PYO) experience, YSF has increased the size of our PYO gardens by planting 3 separate areas with vegetables and flowers.
  • We request that members be aware of the Covid-19 symptoms and not come to the farm when they are symptomatic.
  • All farm employees are subject to daily health screenings and will follow all CDC guidelines, concerning handwashing, gloves and social distancing.
  • YSF requests that all future payments be made by credit/debit card or check to eliminate the need to handle paper money or coins.
  • Yellow Stonehouse Farm will provide notification of changes & updates to CDC guidelines when pertinent.


Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged CDC, COVID-19, crop share, csa, Farm Share, Organic, Organic Vegetables, Pick Your Own, Social distancing, Westfield Farm | Leave a reply

Mother’s Day on the Farm

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Posted on May 5, 2019 by Connie
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A week from today is Mother’s Day and Yellow Stonehouse Farm is celebrating with an Open Farm day on Saturday, May 11th starting at 10:00 am. It’s a day to tour and learn about the farm, pick-up some fresh Spring vegetables including, weather permitting, fresh asparagus, ramps, and greens, and celebrate all the Mother’s in our lives.  We will have a variety of flowering pots, vegetable and herb transplants, other flowering perennials and shrubs, plus locally crafted and organic food items in our farm store for a perfect Mother’s Day gift.

A lovely vintage Mother’s Day image

Mom’s and Families are very important to Yellow Stonehouse Farm.  So much of what do here is about supporting our local community – growing organically, providing freshly picked produce to members along with easy family friendly recipes, offering Pick-Your-Own vegetables, flowers and herbs as a fun family activity plus our friendly and supportive farm community.

Life is busy for today’s families and we know Mothers are the organizers, nurturers, and caretakers of the family – responsible for everything from ferrying kids from one activity to another, to making sure food gets on the table that is tasty, nutritious and healthy. Making the right food choices is complicated, with a bewildering array of foods making a variety of claims.  It’s scary to learn about the pesticides and herbicides used in conventional farming – and the growing evidence of impacts on human health of a diet that contains these substances. 

The impact of pesticides and herbicides are linked to everything from immunity related disorders to cancer and learning disabilities and have led to a huge increase in the popularity of organic food.  Eating organically is one of the fastest growing food trends in the US and a good way to protect the health of children, the elderly, pregnant and nursing mother’s and the immune suppressed such as cancer patients.

A picture of a share from August 2018

Joining Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s USDA certified organic CSA is a good way to ensure that the produce you eat every day is organic.  It is truly one stop produce shopping!  Your CSA share provides all the vegetables along with delicious recipes you need to feed your family of four for a week.  And the cost of a full weekly share works out to be just $32.50 per week – a bargain when you factor in the weekly PYO privileges!

June share items 2019

Something new we are adding to the farm this year – and focused especially on Mom’s and making their lives easier – is an expanded product line in our farm store.  We have decided that one thing we can do to simplify the lives of our members is to save them a trip to another store.  So, we are going to carry a variety of grocery items to help busy mom’s make delicious meals as well as every day items such as milk, eggs and bread.  The best thing is, most of the items are going to be organic and locally crafted from farms throughout Western, MA allowing us to support other farmers in our area.

Friends at the farm

We look forward to seeing you on May 11th.  If you can’t make it, you can contact us at the farm at 413-562-2164 or email us at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com to arrange a visit that’s convenient for you.

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged Asparagus, Berries, Corn, crop share, csa, Farm, Farm Share, flowers, greens, hanging pots, Hill Town Farm, Holyoke CSA, Mother's Day, Open Farm Day, Organic, Organic CSA, perennials, Pick Your Own, ramps, shrubs, Southampton CSA, Southampton Farm, Vegetables, Westfield CSA, Westfield Farm Share | Leave a reply

Join a CSA and have a farm to call your own.

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Posted on April 14, 2019 by Connie
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One of the reasons that John & I decided to start Yellow Stonehouse Organic Farm & CSA was to share the farm and beautiful natural landscape with neighbors and local community members.  We realized farms were disappearing from our area and the availability of locally grown vegetables was decreasing.  We started our Organic CSA to keep Yellow Stonehouse Farm in operation and we think belonging to our organic farm CSA is important because:

  • Picking beans
Just picked strawberries

  • Massachusetts is losing farms:  Losing agricultural land impacts our ability to feed ourselves locally with increasing dependence on large factory farms located in the Midwest, California and Southern states – all areas that are being impacted by climate change damaging their agricultural productivity.  Most of these farms also use conventional factory farming practices which impact food safety, taste and nutrition.
  • Local food is the better for you: When food is transported long distances to grocery stores, it loses freshness & wholesomeness.  Often, food grown for transport are varieties that are designed to last longer but sacrifice flavor and nutrients.  Eating locally grown food is the best of all worlds – vegetables taste best at peak freshness as well as being most nutritious.
  • USDA certified organic food is healthy:  Conventionally grown food is often grown with chemicals and fertilizers that we believe to be harmful to human health – especially children.  Feeding children organic food when they are young is a great start to lifelong health and wellness.  Not only are they getting the best nutrition, children also learn to like vegetables and develop good eating habits that last a lifetime.
  • YSF farm is fun for families and children:  It’s important for children to learn about and appreciate how food happens. Children who are exposed to farming are more likely to enjoy eating vegetables.  They also develop an appreciation and understanding of the importance of farming, nature and open space.  Plus, kids love being outside in the sunshine, playing in the dirt, and having a hands-on experience picking vegetables and flowers.
  • YSF Farm is a stress reducer – relaxing and refreshing:  Spending time at the farm outside in the sunshine, absorbing a little vitamin D on our beautiful organic farm is a wonderful healthy way to spend a few hours – experiencing the beauty of nature among a myriad of flowers, trees, berries, birds, butterflies, bees, not to mention turtles, frogs, and grasshoppers.  We plant flowers, vegetables and berries for members to pick their own and take great pleasure in the fun children have in filling their baskets (and tummies). 
One of the fairy gardens
3 generations of bean pickers
We are always trying different colored vegetables…

These are some other, unique reasons why belonging to Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s CSA is especially rewarding:

  • Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s CSA is limited to no more than 200 members – we want to
  • make sure we know every member so we can provide a personal touch like remembering your favorite vegetable and saving you an extra or letting you know when your favorite flower is in bloom.
  • CSA members are Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s first priority – we make sure members get first dibs on all produce before we sell to drop in customers.  We also do our best to fulfill special requests like a glorious bouquet of flowers for a special occasion or the blackberry leaves one member uses to make a special soothing tea.
  • YSF is flexible – there are a variety of share options, payment plans and pick-up days so every member can conveniently fit their trip to the farm in their schedule.  And if something comes up, or you have a vacation scheduled, we will work with you to make sure you don’t miss a share.
  • YSF is accessible – we have convenient parking close to the pick-up area and then additional parking near the PYO fields along with a U-shaped driveway to minimize congestion.  We are open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am till 6:30 pm for Pick-Your Own members. PYO crops are planted on the near side of the fields for member convenience and we have shaded picnic tables nearby for family members to relax while watching the pickers.
  • YSF has an additional 65 acres of fields and meadows for members to enjoy.  We keep paths mowed for easy access and provide maps for various features of the area including the Manhan River and turtle nesting area and will conduct tours upon prior arrangement.
  • One of the farmer’s – Connie or John – is always at the pick-up area to help members – review that week’s recipe, explain what a particular vegetable is and why its good for you, or to just spend a few minutes talking about your day.  Socializing at the farm is something many members enjoy.
  • PYO vegetables, flowers, berries and herbs are included with every share.  The flower bouquets are especially popular with many of our members.  Perennial & herb gardens along with Fairy gardens are located near the pick-up area for member’s to enjoy.
  • To increase convenience for our members, the farm store will be carrying a carrying a curated selection of local, organic grocery items and condiments including eggs, bread, jams & jellies, freshy roasted coffee and more.
Friday evening socializing
Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged agricultural tourism, csa, csa near me, Farm, farm fresh, farm fresh vegetables, Farm Share, farm store, flower farms, local csa, Local farm, Organic CSA, Organic Vegetables, Pick Your Own, strawberries, sunflowers, vegetable stand | Leave a reply

Thinking about Mom’s – and making CSA membership convenient for them

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Connie
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It’s Mother’s Day and I am remembering my mom and thinking about all the many mom’s I love – sister, DIL, SILs, and many friends – Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

One of the things that I know for a fact, is that Mom’s are very busy people.  Most Mom’s are tirelessly trying to do the right thing for their family all the time.  Just as the members of our CSA are doing by feeding their family the freshest, healthiest organic food possible. 

Yellow Stonehouse Farm tries to do our part to support Mom’s and families.  We do this by offering different membership options and pick-up days, and then match that with flexibility to make reasonable changes for vacations and conflicts.

Types of memberships – there are three types of memberships, sized to accommodate different size families and budgets, which all INCLUDE weekly Pick-Your-Own (PYO) vegetables and flowers (2 bouquets during high season), recipes and herbs:

  1. The Every-Week Full CSA farm-share begins in June and lasts through October. It is the traditional weekly pick-up of freshly picked vegetables and farm fruits, sized to feed a family of four. This option is $650 for a season of USDA certified organic vegetables plus weekly PYO privileges.
  2. The Every-Other Week Full CSA farm-share begins in June and lasts through October. Members pick-up of freshly picked vegetables and farm fruits every other week, each share sized to feed a family of four. The EOW share is perfect for singles, couples, or families with one child and works because the vegetables are so fresh they last the two weeks. The PYO option enables EOW members to pick vegetables every week so they can augment their share if desired.  This share also cuts the number of trips to pick-up at the farm in half, saving time and money. This option is $450 for the season for USDA certified organic vegetables plus weekly PYO privileges.
  3. The Sharing-a-Share option is available for both the Every-Week CSA farm share and the EOW CSA farm share. There is a small upcharge to share, as we increase the quantities of some vegetables to allow the easy splitting up of the veggies.  For example, if we are giving out a single cabbage or watermelon, an item not easily split, we will round up the number to two, so that both sharers get an entire cabbage without having to divide or cut the vegetable in half.  Like-wise, if we are giving out three tomatoes, we will round up the number to four, making sure that each sharer gets two.

The up-charge for Sharing the Every-Week farm share is $110.00, making the CSA cost for each sharer $380.00. The up-charge for the EOW share is $55.00, making the CSA cost for each sharer $252.50.

Many larger families and groups – those with 3-5 children or group homes – will also buy an augmented share to increase the quantity of produce in their share.

Pick-up Days and flexibility – There are four different pick-up days to allow members to pick the day that works best for them:

  1. Weekdays Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:00 – 6:30 pm. These weekday timeslots work for pick-up’s after soccer or gymnastics or before t-ball, softball or baseball practice; it also works for the parent on their way home after work.  And don’t worry, if something comes up or you have a conflict, you can send us an email – hopefully 24 hours in advance – to let us know you need to reschedule to another day.
  2. Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. This weekend timeslot is often used by families who are coming to the farm as an excursion, picking vegetables, visiting with the farmers, or walking their dogs around the perimeter of the fields on deer patrol.  And if you can’t make it that day, are going on vacation for a week and want to pick up your vegetables early to take along with you, we will be happy to accommodate you – hopefully with 24 hour notice.
  3. Pick-Your-Own days and times are Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Payment Plan – YSF farm has a three payment plan to make the CSA farm share more affordable.

Yellow Stonehouse Farm wants to be your organic community vegetable farm – and we believe that providing customers with flexibility and convenience is one way to make it easier and more enjoyable to join.  Hopefully, one of these options will work for you.

Due to the increased number of new members that have signed up for the 2018 season, we have modestly increased the number of shares available.  Therefore, we now have a few more 2018 CSA farm-shares available for sign-up.  CSA pick-ups are Wed., Thur., and Fri. from 3 – 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 9 am – 1:00 pm – so sign up soon.  We are having our annual Open Farm Day on Saturday May 19th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and you are all invited.  Please sign-up at the event listing on our Facebook Page or for more information email us at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com.

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged certified organic, csa, CSA in Westfield MA, Farm Share, Healthy, Local Vegetable, locally grown, Organic, pesticide free, Pick Your Own, Shareholder, Southampton, USDA Certified Organic, Vegetables, Yellow Stonehouse Farm | Leave a reply

The many benefits of being a member of Yellow Stonehouse Farm – April 28, 2018

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Connie
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Part of the mission for Yellow Stonehouse Farm is to continue farming the land as a successful USDA Certified Organic Agricultural Enterprise.  Farmland is being lost at an incredible rate in both Massachusetts as well as throughout New England and the United States.  We have found that sharing our farm with members – in addition to providing our delicious organic vegetables – is one way to deliver greater member satisfaction and demonstrate how valuable farms are.  We do this in several ways:     

    • We are USDA Certified Organic:  To be safe for ourselves, farm workers and our customers, so we won’t use harmful chemicals, insecticides, pesticides or non-organic fertilizers.
      • To support healthy populations of bees, butterflies, amphibians such as frogs, salamanders and turtles and other wildlife living on our farm.
      • The USDA Certified Designation provides a uniform process and accountability to provide members with confidence in our organic farming methods.
  • Membership includes Pick-Your-Own flowers and vegetables – We love sharing our vegetables with members – especially children – they experience picking vegetables and cutting flower bouquets themselves. For some, it’s a way to learn about growing vegetables and for others it’s eating just picked, sun-warmed cherry tomatoes, peas and beans.
  • We offer weekly recipes for members with each share, along with herbs – both fresh and dried – to boost flavor and add to a little spice for health and taste.
    • The recipes are designed to assist members in preparing delicious meals especially when we offer a new or unfamiliar vegetable.
  • Members select the produce they want from our Market-Style distribution area.  Rather than pre-select your produce and put into a box – we fill bins with that week’s produce, so members can circulate through the market picking their own individual share.
    • This works because the individual items may vary in size and members want what’s right for them – couples may pick a 3 lbs. butternut squash while the family of 7 may select a 10 lbs. one.
  • We offer Bird and Nature Walks on the back acreage for members and the public to enjoy nature in all its’ beauty – and learn about the native plants, trees, flowers and birds that call Yellow Stonehouse Farm home.
  • The next Bird Walk is May 6th – see our listing under events and sign up.
  • Since improving health is also part of our mission, we offer activities such as Yoga on the Farm to our members and the public. We are currently planning our schedule but have a tentative date in September that we will be putting up as an event soon.
  • Since feeding the body and mind go together, we are planning to host an On-Farm Poetry program in the fall of 2018. We think the beautiful setting combined with poetry will be wonderful.

We still have a limited number of 2018 CSA farm-shares available – though Wed. & Sat. pick-up times are filling up fast. CSA pick-ups are Wed., Thur., and Fri. from 3 – 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm so sign up soon.  The farm is now open Saturday’s between 10:00 am and 3 pm if you would like to visit & learn more about us. To reserve pick-up dates, email us at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com.

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged Bird walks, Birding, csa, Farm fresh recipes, Farm market, Farm Share, Healthy Eating, locally grown, Market style, Nature Walks, pesticide free, Pick Your Own, Poetry reading, USDA Certified Organic, Vegetables, Westfield, Yellow Stonehouse Farm, Yoga on the farm | Leave a reply

A presentation on why Yellow Stonehouse Farm thinks organic is the way to go

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Connie
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One would think that during the winter months, John and I would be relaxing and recharging our batteries.  Well, to be honest, there is a certain amount of that – we do relish our snow days when we are “forced” to stay put and cuddle up with a good book and cup of hot chocolate.

This time of year we also attend to small domestic repairs and projects that make life better, but which get neglected during the busy growing months.  This winter’s projects included replacing the kitchen faucet, installing new bead board around the shower, and getting the light over the kitchen sink repaired.

We also spend some time getting out into the community to talk about our farm, the CSA and why we are Organic Farmers.  I had a wonderful experience yesterday with one such group, The Ramapogue Women’s Club of West Springfield.  They are a group of lovely women from all around West Springfield, dedicated to raising money for academic scholarships for West Springfield graduating seniors.  I gave a talk that covered CSAs, Growing Organically and some of the reasons why John & I think Organic Food is good for you.  Here are a few slides from the presentation I gave.

It was an active and interesting group – and very flattering to receive such an enthusiastic response.  Here’s another slide which they all found interesting!

The idea of eating different colored foods to ensure you are getting enough vitamins was one trick everyone seemed to like.  And we all had fun with the concept of “You are what you eat” and “Food as Medicine” two concepts I plan to dedicate a lot time and thought to in the coming months.

If you or your group are interested in having Yellow Stonehouse Farm come talk to your group, club or school please contact us by email at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com or call us at 413-562-2164.

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged certified organic, csa, CSA in Westfield MA, Farm Share, food as medicine, Fresh, Healthy, pesticide free, Shareholder, Southampton, Vegetables, Yellow Stonehouse Farm | Leave a reply

Healthy Eating To Improve You and Your family’s health January 20, 2018

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Connie
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Continuing a Family Farm into the future

Yellow Stonehouse Farm is an Organic Farm and CSA located on the Westfield-Southampton border, which is part of the Eastern Farms section of Westfield, MA. Historically a Dairy Farm operated by my husband John’s family (the Hutkoski’s) and their predecessors back to the early 1800’s, John and I took over the farm in 2009 and opened the CSA in 2012. Today, we have a thriving USDA certified Organic CSA whose members enjoy the farm’s fresh vegetables, herbs, & flowers from June – February.

What is a CSA

A CSA is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal produce directly from a farmer in their community in the form of a “farm share”. Yellow Stonehouse Farm offers a limited number of “shares” to the public so that they may share in the bounty grown on the farm’s cultivated fields.  CSA members buy a share of the farm – and in exchange, during the growing season, members receive abundant shares of local, fresh, and seasonal produce directly from the farm at an affordable price.

A Commitment to Health

When John and I first took over the farm in 2009, we spent a lot of time on a Farm Plan that would allow us to continue the farm as an agricultural enterprise – keeping the farm a farm for the long term – as well as selecting the best way for us as a couple to take on the work of the farm in a way that kept us happy, healthy and able to support the farm.

Healthy Living was one of our most important goals – and from the very start we decided we weren’t going to use any unwholesome pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.  We both grew up in family farm-based and chemical free agricultural communities and felt that doing so led to our overall good health, which we didn’t want to squander using chemically dependent farming practices.  Besides, we both loved wildlife and didn’t want to hurt any of the other residents on our land such as the birds and bees, beavers, bobcats – and turtles! Happily, we found the CSA model of farming and were able to complete the USDA approved Organic Certification process in 2015 to become Hampden Counties’ first, and to this day – only, USDA Certified Organic Vegetable Farm and CSA.

Healthy Eating Movement

As we’ve became more involved in Yellow Stonehouse Farm we have pursued many educational opportunities – I completed an eight-month farming program and we’ve both attended seminars and classes offered by NOFA – the Northeast Organic Farming Association and MDAR – the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.  I feel lucky to be able to pursue my life-long interest in growing and using flowers and herbs for both culinary and medicinal use, which help me to develop the healthy and delicious recipes that go together with the the CSA shares each week.

What is more interesting, however, is how popular Healthy Eating has become throughout our local community, the Pioneer Valley.  Of course, Western Massachusetts has been a leader of the Organic Food and CSA movement since the 1960’s – and we are blessed to be part of today’s healthy eating movement in Hamden County, contributing to our communities’ well-being.

We are committed to providing a healthy start to our communities’ children and families.  Research shows that eating Healthy Nutritious food contributes to the positive physical and cognitive development of children and prevents the onset of disease – both in childhood and adulthood. Research and our experience has been that children who are exposed to the farm and farming practices, learn where their food comes from, how it grows, end up eating and enjoying vegetables earlier and then for the rest of their lives.  Plus having children enjoying the farm is a great joy and keeps us young too!

What’s so Healthy about Organic Local Vegetables

  • Fresh local produce is better for you – because nutritional value is at its’ peak when food is freshest. Much of the food in your local grocery store has travelled for days before reaching store shelves and thus lacks freshness.
  • Organic produce doesn’t have any of the toxic chemicals of industrialized foods that researchers suggest may be contributing to today’s chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease plus a broad spectrum of modern childhood maladies such as allergies, asthma, ADHD and Autism.
  • Organic food really is healthier for you – and more delicious. This is because the soil used in Organic Farming includes more microbes and minerals, which become part of the vegetables that grow in that soil.  These microbes and minerals contribute to immune system, gastrointestinal, and cellular health.  There is also some research that suggests that these same microbes and minerals add flavor and depth to the taste of organic vegetables making them more delicious.
  • Preparing meals at home allows you, the cook, to use healthier, chemical-free ingredient and preparation choices – decreasing salt & sugar, using healthy food preparation techniques such as roasting and baking instead of frying, and increasing healthy food choices to include more plant based foods. It also makes a goal of eating the five servings of plant based foods easier to accomplish.
  • Increasing the amount of whole plant based foods in your diet is recommended for everyone – with corresponding decreases in animal based products, processed foods high in sugar, salt, fat and chemical additives and less healthy forms of plant based foods such as fruit juices. Most Americans do NOT get enough of many vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber – which can be addressed by adding dark, leafy greens, legumes and other nutrient rich vegetables and lean proteins to the diet.

Upcoming Blogs

Over the next few months, Yellow Stonehouse Farm will be writing and posting our Blog – Farming Matters – on our Website – www.yellowstonehousefarmcsa.com/ and also on our Facebook Page of the same name .  We may also link to other Community Facebook pages.  Please feel free to share with your own Facebook Community and to respond with questions and comments.  We’d like to start a dialogue on Healthy Eating and Living with the community here in Western MA and would appreciate your input.  I’ll be posting about our CSA and other ideas we think are important regarding Healthy Eating and Organic Farming but would like your suggestions on topics you are interested in.

For more information on Yellow Stonehouse Farm and our CSA memberships go to www.yellowstnehousefarmcsa.com/ or call the farm at 413-562-2164.

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged Certified, csa, Farm, Farm Share, Hampden County, Healthy, locally grown, No GMO, NOFA, Nutrition, Organic, pesticide free, Pick Your Own, Shareholder, Vegetables, Westfield, Yellow Stonehouse Farm | Leave a reply

Open Farm Day & Spring deluges

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Connie
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First an announcement – Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s Open Farm Day is this Saturday, May 20th 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.

Posted in Farming Matters, Uncategorized | Tagged Asparagus, certified organic, csa, CSA in Westfield MA, Easthampton, Farm Share, Local Vegetable, locally grown, nettles, Organic, Pick Your Own, rhubarb, Southampton, spring greens, Westfield, Yellow Stonehouse Farm | Leave a reply

Looking forward to farm fresh vegetables on a snowy morning

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Connie
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  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

Posted in Farming Matters, Uncategorized | Tagged certified organic, csa, Farm Share, Local Vegetable, locally grown, Membership, Organic, Shareholder, USDA, USDA Certified Organic, Westfield | Leave a reply

Looking foward to Spring

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Connie
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 Farming Matters                      March 11, 2017                      Looking forward to Spring

A blog by Connie Adams – co-owner, with husband John, of Yellow Stonehouse Farm, an USDA Certified Organic Vegetable CSA located in Westfield, MA.

I hope this picture of our farm from last May helps ward off the persistant winter chill we are experiencing in New England this March.  It’s unsatisfactory after the warm weather teased in February.  It’s true what they say about New England weather – the only thing you can count on is it’s unpredicatability.

Thankfully, most farm activities this time of year happen in-doors.  We’re getting ready for the growing season, deciding what to plant, laying out the rows and deciding where we are going to grow the different crops, figuring out how much of any one thing to grow, and studying dozens of catalogs to pick new and different, as well as tried and true, varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs.  We are even starting seeds for plants that have a long propogation time – like leeks and kohlrabi.

This is also the time of year for members to sign up for our Spring/Summer CSA.  CSA members are the ones we are planting for, and we try very hard to make sure that we have enough variety to satisfy the most adventuresome of eaters. If there is a vegetable (or flower or herb) you would like us to grow for you as part of your membership, please email us to let us know.

Regarding Yellow Stonehouse Farm CSA memberships – we are delighted to welcome a number of new CSA members!  Welcome all, we are very happy to have your join our farm family.  We look forward to sharing the bounty of our harvest and the beauty of our farm with you and yours.

Many of these new CSA shareholders were referred to us by our present members – thanks to all for being so supportive.  Providing the best experience possible to our members is our primary mission – and your recommendations validate our efforts.

For those considering  2017 CSA membership in our farm, we urge you to sign up soon.  Some popular pick-up days (Wednesday and Saturday) are fast becoming fully subscribed, and we only have a fixed number of shares available.

Providing fresh, local, and USDA certified organic vegetables to the local community is something that John and I are both committed to – but it’s the CSA community that we’ve become a part of that makes the work so rewarding for us and our members.  We look forward to expanding our farm family to include many more neighbors and friends from Westfield, Southampton, the Hill Towns and surrounding area during the upcoming 2017 season.

For more information call the farm at 413-562-2164 or email us at yellowstonehousefarmcsa@gmail.com.  You can also get membership information and applciations at our website at www.yellowstonehousefarmcsa.com/

Posted in Farming Matters | Tagged csa, CSA membership, Farm, Farm Share, farm shares, food, Fresh, local, locally grown, Organic, Pick Your Own, Vegetables | Leave a reply

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