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

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Connie

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:

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.
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.
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:

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.
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.
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 19^th 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.

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

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Connie

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.

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

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Connie

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.

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

Answering your questions – why join Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s organic CSA

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Connie

1. CSAs connect consumers to local farmers and fresh food CSAs or Consumer Supported Agriculture, is a model for connecting consumers to local farms, originally started in nearby Great Barrington, MA in the 1980’s. CSAs offer consumers the opportunity to become shareholders in their local farm; in turn, the farm provides fresh, locally grown – and in Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s case – organic vegetables, in exchange for your membership.

2. CSAs are thrifty Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s CSA is a very good value. For about the price of dinner for two, or $33 a week, you receive a generous amount of organic produce of the highest quality, nutrition, and freshest flavor. Buying directly from the farm, instead of the grocer, skips the middleman, and gets you a better deal.

Yellow Stonehouse Farm is also an all-inclusive CSA – your membership entitles you a vegetable share plus access to the farm’s extensive cutting gardens, popular pick-your-own vegetable patches plus access to the back acreages extensive walking trails and picnic areas.

3. CSAs are healthy Joining a CSA improves your health by adding vegetable nutrition to your family’s diet on a consistent basis – plus cooking fresh vegetables eliminates many of the additives and extra ingredients of processed food. Locally grown vegetables are fresher and retain their nutrients versus produce transported thousands of miles. Organic farmers don’t use pesticides and chemical fertilizers, not to mention organic food tastes better and has more nutrients since they are grown in healthy soils.

4. CSAs are friendly Perhaps one of the best things about joining a CSA is the wonderful community you become a member of – sharing a love of food, nature, and cooking. Belonging to Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s CSA is fun! We encourage everyone to engage with the farm by picking vegetables and flowers and experiencing the beauty of nature; we have community events such as potlucks and harvest celebrations; we have members who are photographers, bird watchers, herbalists and walkers; experienced cooks and those who are just learning. You’ll get delicious recipes to prepare your vegetables and you’ll get to know your farmer’s face to face, who are happy to see you and to answer any questions you may have.

5. CSAs are green Community supported agriculture encourages non-polluting farming practices such as organic growing methods. This type of farming also minimizes food waste by producing just the amount of food members need, with minimal unused surplus – and any surplus we have is donated to charitable food pantries and kitchens. Supporting your local farm also helps to conserve the land, agricultural heritage and beautiful natural resources of a historic farming legacy in Westfield.

6. CSAs are a win-win For both CSA members and farmers! As a shareholder, members are entitled to a wide variety of nutritious, freshly picked vegetables over an extended season (June – October) at an affordable price. For the farmer, knowing how many people to grow for permits efficient planning, seed ordering and harvest scheduling. All of this helps sustain the farm as an agricultural enterprise so that future generations will also be able to enjoy fresh, locally grown food!

Yellow Stonehouse Farm CSA

Coexisting Harmoniously with the Native Wildlife

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