SAMPLE FULL SHARES - 2011

FULL SHARES are geared toward a slightly bigger family or a couple who love their vegetables or who enjoy putting up some food for the winter.  The share includes a weekly bouquet and Pick-your-own snap peas, beans, cherry and plum tomatoes.

20 - 24 weeks of organic produce and flowers.

Sliding scale: $600.00 - $675.00  $300 due by April 1, balance due by July 1. 

AN EARLY SEASON SHARE

Pea shoots, radishes, mesclun, kale spearmint

PEAK SEASON SHARE

Celery, tomatoes, squash, hot peppers, garlic, microgreens, eggplant, sweet peppers, cukes, beans, leeks, carrots, onions, greens

SUMMER SHARE

Garlic scapes, radishes, mesclun, kolrabi, turnip greens, scallions, arugula, mint

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS

Peonies, pyrethrum, rocket, salvia

SAMPLE HALF SHARES 2011

HALF SHARES are intended to be a good amount for a couple who enjoy eating vegetables and occasionally like to preserve something for the winter. Or be about right for a small family. Or be for one person who likes to both eat and put up some food for the winter. A little larger than the MINIS but still quite manageable.

Like the Full Shares, Half Shares start as early as there are crops in the garden (mid May?) and last until mid fall (Halloween?).  Depending on the weather, they can last 20 - 24 weeks.  With the farm's new hoop house, I am hoping to get them started early and going late with plenty of variety.

The size and content of the shares vary with the season but most weeks will contain some sort of SALAD GREENS, like mesclun, head lettuce or arugula, some kind of COOKING GREENS like kale, chard, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach or New Zealand spinach, and whatever else is ready. I like to include some form of ONION whenever possible, scallions, leeks, onions, or garlic and ROOT VEGETABLES when they are available, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, as the season changes.

Other items vary throughout the season from rhubarb in the spring, tomatoes in the summer, and winter squash in the fall. Everything is subject to the whim of Mother Nature, but there is always plenty of GOOD EATING! FLOWERS for Make-Your-Own bouquets are included with your share. 

Pick-your-own snap peas, beans, cherry tomatoes are part of your share.

20 - 24 weeks of organic produce and flowers.

Sliding scale: $300 - $350 for the season.  $200 due by April 1.  Balance due July 1.

                                     
                                          FLOWERS FOR BOUQUETS
                         Zinnias, dahlias, gladiolas, verbena, lisianthus, snapdragons

A REALLY BIG PEAK HARVEST SEASON HALF SHARE

Onions, eggplant, hot peppers, garlic, tomatoes, kale, carrots, leeks, cucumbers, celery, microgreens, squash

AN EARLY SEASON HALF SHARE

Rhubarb, lettuce, spearmint, violets

SAMPLE MINI SHARES - 2011

MINI SHARES consist of two items each week, plus a bouquet, for 16 weeks. Farm members can choose what they would like out of each week's available items or take Farmer's Choice. Just enough to enjoy. Not so much to be overwhelmed.

$100.00 for 16 weeks.  Payable by April 1.


                                                 BEANS AND KALE

                                          RADISHES AND MESCLUN

                                  SUMMER SQUASH AND TOMATOES

                             FLOWERS TO MAKE-YOUR-OWN BOUQUET

Shares for sale

I've started selling shares for the 2012 season! I am excited both to have returning and new farm members already. It's neat to have a few shares sold already when it is still 2011. This is a flyer I brought to the Leyden Craft Fair. If you would like a copy, I can email or snail mail one to you. So happy about farming. I just planted Red Russian Kale, Swiss Chard and Red Garnet Mustard for the hoophouse today. I am aiming for mid May harvest for the earliest shares. Keep your fingers crossed!

IN CASE YOU CAN'T READ THE FLYER, IT SAYS: Laura Timmerman's Farm A tiny farm with a big heart. Leyden's very own little CSA – really local and really fresh, organically grown vegetables, fruits, and flowers Three sizes to suit your needs: Full Shares, Half Shares and Mini Shares I grow a wide variety of produce and flowers, focusing on delicious and heirloom varieties. In addition to standard garden favorites, such as beans, tomatoes and lettuce, I like to grow vegetables that you might not find in your local market, such as fresh shell beans, Italian and Asian greens, and varieties that are difficult to ship long distances, but are oh so tasty. I have been growing food organically in this same location for over thirty years. I never use chemical fertilizers or pesticides but focus on natural, intensive, sustainable methods of caring for the garden. The farm includes a mixed flock of heirloom, pasture-raised chickens who lay delicious, dark-yolked eggs in a rainbow of colors. I am an experienced gardener but a new farmer. I invite you to become part of my exciting and joyful adventure. BASIC SHARE INFO: Farm members receive fresh, local produce during the growing season. Full and Half Shares last 20-24 weeks, depending on the weather, and include a weekly bouquet. Mini Shares last 16 weeks and include a bouquet when possible. All shares include Pick-Your-Own privileges when possible. Full Shares - $600.00 - $675.00, sliding scale Half Shares - $300.00 - $350.00, sliding scale Mini Shares - $100.00 Pick Up at the farm on Thursdays Contact Laura for more information or to reserve your share for the 2012 season. 413-773-8325, laurat-at-crocker.com

I'll be at the LEYDEN CRAFT FAIR this Sunday with eggs and information about the 2012 Farm Shares. Stop by for a visit!

FARM SHARE # 23 - October 27, 2011

HALF SHARE:


FULL SHARE:

Last share of the season!
I am pretty happy with the size and variety of this last share. Let's hope for winter squash, broccoli and more potatoes next fall. It's been a lovely year in general, despite so much rain. It has always been reassuring to me as a gardener, and now as a farmer, that every year some things do well, some fail or wimp along, and some crops are outstanding. There's always enough to eat and each year has its special flavor. This year I grew the best peppers ever. In fact I will be very glad when the hot peppers are done! I miss winter squash and I look forward to trying corn next year.

Most of all, I am grateful to my farm members for their patience and willingness to try new things, whether it's radish tops or edaname or tiny thinnings of Swiss chard. In fact, our farm members are frequently appreciative of many of the vegetables, fruits and flowers they get in their shares, as well my efforts on their behalf. That gives me courage and hope, no matter what the season.

So to all you farm members, THANK YOU! You are the best.

FARM WEEK # 14 - August 25, 2011 - Minis - Week # 11

August 22, 2011
Hello on this beautiful late summer day!

FARM NEWS
The most exciting news around here is that the TILLER is repaired!! (Thank you, Doug. You are awesome.) Robin spent much of the weekend tilling and weed whacking some of the most weedy, neglected parts of the farm. It made a big difference. (Thank you, Robin! You are awesome, too.) I put my time into hand weeding and planting more fall crops, especially spinach. I also harvested the last of the onions and although they are a bit small this year, they still look good. At the moment my projects are to freeze tomatoes, make pickles and plant more fall items, daikon radishes, Chinese broccoli, kolrabi and pak choy. Hmmm, I seem to detect an Asian theme to these fall items...

Speaking of Asian food, the EDANAME (fresh soybeans) is almost ready. Robin and I tested some and it was so, so good! Still a bit small but, wow. We just pulled the pods off the plants, boiled them a few minutes and then squeezed open the pods so the inner bean could pop into our mouths. Yum.

My thoughts are already turning towards 2012, thinking about what to plant and where and how to prepare the soil this year for NEXT SPRING. One thing I really want to grow is sweet corn. I haven't grown it for quite a few years but I've done well with it in the past. And imagine how delicious our own corn on the cob would be! I also want to plant strawberries and maybe some more raspberries. Feel free to make suggestions about your favorite crops.

I guess I am feeling pretty hopeful and full of ideas today. I think it's a direct effect of all that cleared out brush and freshly rototilled ground. Many things look possible.


THIS WEEK'S SHARES:

FULL AND HALF SHARES -
Carrots or beets
Garlic
Leeks
Tomatoes
Kale
Cucumbers
Beans
Hot peppers
Sweet peppers
Squash
Fennel - this was supposed to bulb up but it bolted instead. Use like dill. Smells and tastes like licorice.
Soybeans? This is very close to being ready. Maybe this week...
Flowers


MINI SHARES - Choose two (plus flowers, as usual)
Tomatoes
Beans
Carrots
Hot peppers
Leeks
Garlic
Kale

Have a great day and maybe I hope to see you during pick up on Thursday, 12:00 - 6:00.

Your farmer,
Laura

Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com

2011 Farm Shares on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150198790794656.328961.837814655&l=c1ca374ea9