FARM WEEK # 3 - June 9, 2011 - Still only FULL AND HALF SHARES

CABBAGE FORMING A HEAD


June 7, 2011

Hello farm members,

6/6/11
I am writing this in the parking lot of Green Fields Market, waiting for a tow truck to come get my car. I ran into a friend who is coming to give me a ride home. Life is full of unexpected challenges and pleasures. The car breaks down, and there is a friend right there to give me help. It rains and rains and then it's hot, hot, hot! There is always something good going on and there is always something good that can be done, no matter what the weather. My task each day is to find those good things that can be done.

6/7/11
FARM NEWS
Shares: Things are still a bit behind because of our cold, wet May so unfortunately, I need to delay the start of the Mini- Shares. Hang in there, people! Your mesclun, salad turnips, radishes and snow peas are growing but are still too small. They getting bigger every day. Really, thank you for your patience. I will make certain that the Minis go for 16 weeks, no matter when they start.

Share # 2: For information about last week's share check out the csa blog:

Pick Up: We had a few snags last week during pick up. I believe that Sarah and I left out the correct number of bags of various vegetables and yet by the last two people picking up, the numbers were off. I am working on a better system of identifying the items and what each share should include. Please be extra careful while choosing your items and let me know if you have ideas for improving the set up. This is a work in progress, definitely a change from previous years so there is plenty of room for improvement. (Still looking for more refrigerators...)

Woodchucks: Yesterday morning I saw an amazing thing, a woodchuck carrying her baby! Into the woodshed! This is a mixed experience for sure. I love nature, and seeing a mother creature moving her baby, how cool is that? But, no, no, no, no! I am not sharing! So plans are in place. The woodshed is now my pathway of choice for my numerous trips in and out of the house, a radio is blasting and the light is on. Wood pallets to be removed soon and I guess if I start stacking wood, that will help too. And as soon as all the seedlings are in, more brush clearing will be done. And I have covered some of the choicest items in the garden. Plotting and scheming on ways to make my little corner of the world less attractive to woodchucks.

Chickens: The young chicks are fully feathered and getting frisky. On sunny days when I know I will be home all day, they get to go out on the grass in their own special yard. They love it. And gobble up bugs and comfrey leaves and run around with worms in their mouths. One of my hens, a Dark Cornish, seems to be getting broody. Robin and I have been waiting for this so we can raise up some chicks from our own hens. I am hopeful that this is about to start as she keeps sitting heavily on the nest, will barely stand up, and pecks me when I check under her for eggs. Keep your fingers crossed. Eggs are being laid regularly and in good amounts, usually 18 per day. $4.00/dozen.

Some sad things: Arugula eaten fiercely by flea beetles, some woodchuck damage on the cauliflower plants. (now covered)



BUG BIT ARUGULA, STILL EDIBLE, BUT LESS PRETTY

Some hopeful things: Soybeans bursting out of the ground, thick lush pea vines forming buds, green tomatoes, the loan of a great tool from some friends (thanks, Paula and Karen!), a new trellis for hops and moonflowers (thanks, Rob!), 7 new fruit trees in the ground (thanks, Rob!), Sweet William showing color, big radishes!



LOVE THEM SOYBEANS




JAUNE FLAMME TOMATO


THIS WEEK'S SHARE:


Kale
Mesclun - featuring various thinnings and Johnny Jump Up flowers
Radishes (full sized)
Rhubarb (from Karen Loomis)
Parsley
Flowers - signs look good for peonies and Lady's Rocket and more.




Farm blog: I have doing better so far this year about regularly posting general news at the farm blog and news about the shares at the csa blog and some cooking ideas at the recipe blog. Also, there are pictures there and sometimes links to more pictures, related items on the web, etc. (recipes, herbal info, farms). I'll try to keep it up. I like to post a picture of the shares each week and some cooking ideas that relate to that share. I did a bit of re-vamping recently and now you can search the blogs using keywords. Sarah will be signing on as an author at the farm blog so perhaps we will get the chance to hear about her experience as a working farm member this summer. (Welcome, Sarah! So glad you are here.) If you have recipes or thoughts you want to share with the rest of the farm members, just send them to me or comment directly at the blogs. That would be great.

See you soon,
Laura


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

SHARE # 2 - 2011

Last week's share was pretty green and I imagine that they will continue to be that way for awhile. For cooking ideas, see the recipe blog.

Week 2 Full Share:

1 bunch kale
1 bunch endive
2 bags of mesclun
2 bags of pea shoots
2 bunches of radishes
2 bundles of sweet cicely pods
2 bundles of apple mint
flowers - dogwood, centaurea, valerian buds, lady's mantle, peonies

FARM WEEK # 2 - June 2, 2011 - FULL AND HALF SHARES ONLY

May 30, 2011
Hi gang,

FARM NEWS
This is one busy place here. The sun is shining at last and the farm crew is planting and planting! Many of the early/main planting items are in although there is more to go. It's good to at least imagine the main planting being done, even if it's an illusion. This past week I have been home farming and have been very lucky to have the help of Sarah, Robin and farm member, Desiree. Thanks, you guys!

Fruit trees: 7 new fruit trees will be arriving this week. 2 peaches, 2 sweet cherries, 1 sour cherry, 1 quince and 1 pear. Thank goodness Robin is coming up to help plant them. Here's hoping for lots of delicious fruit in the shares in years to come!

The first share went well. Picking and distribution was pretty smooth. Thank you all for switching to pick up this year. It makes the process a lot simpler for me. One lovely thing was that the tree peony decided to bloom just in time for last week's bouquets. It is absolutely gorgeous.
You can read about last week's share and follow the link for recipe ideas here:


Birthday Gift: This past Saturday I got a phone call from Atlanta, Georgia from a woman who found the farm on line. She asked if I would make up a gift box of vegetables and flowers and deliver it to her friend who lives in Leyden. What a fun thing, out of the blue. So I picked and delivered a Birthday Share to the birthday gal, who was very surprised and pleased. Fun!

You can see pictures here:


I seemed to have run out of steam for the day so I'll just give you a quick low down on this week's share.

THIS WEEK'S SHARE - STILL FOR HALF AND FULL SHARES ONLY (Hang in there, Minis.)
Pick Up on Thursday - 12:00 - 6:00

pea shoots - for stir frys and more
radishes
kale and/or endive
Sweet Cicely seed pods - these are tasty just for nibbling but could be added to salads too.
mesclun
flowers - hoping there will still be peonies and maybe dogwood blossoms

Okay, now to rest up so I can plant more tomorrow!
Cheers,
Laura
PS Anyone who does not want to be on this email list, just let me know.


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

SHARE # 1 - 2011

TODAY'S SHARE

Thing went pretty well today. I still have a fair amount of prep work to do to make the process more speedy. Simple things like cleaning up the dining room (where we prep the shares) so there is more counter top/table space to use. Also, I need to finish cleaning up the garage so I can make a long term set up. But, all in all, it went well and I am happy with the size and quality of the shares. I had to pick all the head lettuce but that's fine. The mesclun is getting bigger every day and I have lots more small head lettuce plants to set out.

I am trying out a whole new system of distribution this year so it was fun to try out a few new things. No delivery anymore, just pickups. And the bouquets are MYO (Make Your Own). I did not separate each person's share but instead put the bags or bundles of each thing all together and let the farm members pick out their own. Lots of new details to think about.

SHARE # 1 (quantities are approximate)

Half Share:
Rhubarb 1 # 6 OZ.
Lettuce 13.5 OZ
Spinach 1 1/4 #
Peppermint 1 bunch
Violets 1 bunch

Full Share: Twice as much.

For cooking ideas see the Farm Recipe Blog

Flowers: Tree Peonies, Leopard's Bane, Hosta leaves, Perennial Centaurea

TODAY'S SENSATION

2011 Farm Share # 1

May 23, 2011
Hello Farm Members and Friends of the Farm!

(If you are busy, zip down to the bottom of this email for a list of what will be in this week's share!)

At last I am writing to you all and the share season is beginning. I have not sent you any emails for a long time but starting now, you'll be getting at least one each week, usually on Sunday or Monday. Thank you for waiting so patiently.

FARM NEWS: Rest assured, I have not been idle. Those who I get to see or talk to in my day to day life know that there are hundreds of seedlings and many, many rows of seeds planted and growing. This week I am home all week setting out tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and flowers, and planting beans, squash and cucumbers and more! And then there is fertilizing, hoeing, pruning and mulching. (Not much watering though.)
It's a busy time here.

I am the kind of person who tends to see the bright side, even in the rain. This is great weather for transplanting seedlings and it's wonderful for growing crisp and juicy lettuce and spinach. In fact, the lettuce and spinach are *insisting* that I START THE SHARES THIS WEEK. Okay, okay guys. It's always an act of faith and courage to make any commitment, and that is true for starting the farm shares as well. Now that I've been farming for five years, I recognize the feeling of uncertainty, the concern that there will not be enough for the shares. But, I remember that every year this feeling quickly passes into "What are we going to do with all this food?!"
So, we are STARTING THE SHARES THIS WEEK.

Oops, I mean the FULL AND HALF-SIZED SHARES ARE STARTING. You mini-share folks will need to wait one or possibly two more weeks. It is entirely weather dependant. The plants are in the ground - mesclun, cilantro, spinach, radishes, arugula and more - but they need some sunshine to really get growing. The start up shares this week will be a bit smaller than later ones. Just think of them as warm up shares. We all get to practice our parts and gather our containers, recipes, etc.

OTHER IMPORTANT FARM NEWS:
- Farm Helper, Sarah Brown-Anson has started working at the farm! It is just terrific to have another pair of hands and another interested gardener around the place. I can tell that Sarah's help will make a huge difference around the farm this year.

- There are baby chicks. I have twenty 2 1/2 week old chicks that are thriving and cute. Come by to see them if you are interested. They include more of the green egg laying Ameracaunas and some Welsummers, Leghorns, Anconas, Buff Orpingtons and Speckled Sussex chicks. The grown up hens are laying well. If you are interested in eggs, send me a note. I usually have plenty.

- I'm getting a hoop house! My sons Dan and Robin gave me a hoop house as a birthday/mothers' day gift!!

- It's Farming Week # 2. With a few possible exceptions, I am home this week through Sunday, May 29. If you have the urge to visit, look at your vegetables, admire the chicks or help with the planting, come on by!

DETAILS ABOUT THE SHARES:

PICK UP will be Thursday afternoon. I will be here to help you find your share. Let's say any time between 12:00 and 6:00. If that is a problem, please let me know.
(At this writing, I do not yet have a refrigerator in the garage, so I will be using coolers to start the season. Still looking for one or two more refrigerators, if you happen to bump into one.)

Bring your own BAG or BOX to hold your share. Bring a JAR for your flowers.

Now is a great time to start thinking about how to manage your share. Many people find it helpful to look through and possibly wash their vegetables the day they get them. That way you can get a good sense of what and how much you have. A good goal is to use up all your food before the following week, even if that means freezing some or inviting a friend over.

I usually rinse off the soil from the vegetables but your produce WILL NEED WASHING! If you plan on storing lettuce or mesclun or other leafy things after washing, it helps to dry it off before refrigerating. And it helps to cool down all your vegetables as soon as possible.

Okay, I don't want to say more right now because this email is already way too long. Remember that I am here to help you. If you have questions, please ask. If you want to read more about the farm, check the blog. It has a section for the farm, for the csa, for eggs and other picked-to-order items, and for recipes. If you are not a farm member this year and don't want to be on this email list, let me know. That's no problem; I'll take you right off.

THIS WEEK'S SHARE - May 26, 2011

Head lettuce
Spinach
Rhubarb (Thanks to Karen Loomis)
Wild peppermint (or applemint or spearmint, if you prefer)
Flowers - unless the rain is too much for them

This is for the Full and Half Share folks. If you all would send me a reply so I know that you got this message, that would be helpful.

See you soon!
Laura


Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com
Back to the Farm
May Photos

Still a few shares left...

I have been selling shares to former members and to some new folks. Welcome to the farm, new members! Welcome back, you others! (I was going to say "old folks" but that's not right...)

If you are still considering a share, here is the basic information:

DISTRIBUTION DAY:
Thursday afternoon - early evening (before dark) at the farm. (No delivery this year.)

Shares include pick-your-own snap peas, snow peas, cherry tomatoes and some flowers. These will be marked in the garden so you know what's what.

PRICES:
Prices for 2011 are the same as 2010! Full and Half Shares are on a sliding scale.
Full Shares: $600.00 to $675.00, 20 -24 weeks, depending on the weather, starts mid to late May
Half Shares: $300.00 to $350.00, 20 -24 weeks, depending on the weather, starts mid to late May
Mini Shares: $100.00, 16 weeks, June 2 to September 15
PAYMENT:
Deposits of $100 for Full and Half Shares and $50 for Mini Shares are due by March 20. (Hmmmmm.... Today is March 23rd so I guess that now means, ASAP.) If you are able to make a larger payment on your share, that would be extremely helpful as most of my expenses for the farm are in February, March and April. For instance, I recently ordered $700 worth of seeds and plants and now I am building grow tunnel and need to buy potatoes and peach trees! All shares should be paid in full by June 1, 2010.

*****SEED MONEY - special thank you gift for payment in full by April 1.*****

Get in touch soon if you want a share. Only 1 1/2 shares left!
laurat-at-crocker.com

Timmerman Farm and CSA - 2011 Season

February 21, 2011

Dear FRIENDS OF THE FARM - family, friends, former farm members, helpers and supporters far and wide, and people who have asked about the farm,

This is it!  The start of the 2011 growing season and my fifth year as a farmer.  Somehow, it still moves me to tears to contemplate the absolute pleasure of growing things.  I guess it was meant to be and I am glad I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up.


FARM NEWS:
Still small, and getting smaller.  I decided to cut back this year on the number of shares I will be growing, just to give myself a bit of room to think and to work on farm projects such as perennial plantings for future harvests. (Think peaches, asparagus, currants, etc.)  Last year the farm grew 7 1/2 shares.  This year my limit is 5 shares.
The seeds are here and the onions, leeks and parsley are up and growing.  Some broccoli and cabbage for an early harvest to be grown in a protective tunnel just came up today!  Now to build the tunnel...  My mind is buzzing with plans and layouts and seed planting schedules.  And I am getting pretty darn excited about the winter squash and heirloom tomatoes coming our way.  Is there such thing as a vegetable-aholic? I feel like I might be one.
WORKING AT THE FARM:  I am delighted to announce that Sarah Brown-Anson will be farming part-time with me this season.  Sarah is a college student and wonderful person and her presence and help will be a real boost at the farm.
WORKING MEMBER: I am interested in trading a share for work, so if that interests you, please be in touch. All farm members are encouraged to come help out during the season, if you wish.  Your company is welcome.
The CHICKENS are laying really well and they seem happy to see some warmer, sunnier days.  I almost always have eggs for sale and sometimes send out separate emails about eggs.  If you want to be informed about egg availability, just let me know.  $4.00 a dozen for large, organically grown eggs.  In general, there are eggs available all the time but call or email to be sure.  I now have 24 hens and new chicks will be arriving in early May.


2011 FARM SHARES

NOW is the time to let me know if you are interested in getting a farm share this year.  Since I am offering fewer shares than last year, and there are new people who have expressed an interest, please sign up as soon as you can.  This year I will be trying out a few changes in how the farm operates (see below) and some things will stay the same.

If you are new to the farm, the way it works is that each farm member household gets a share of the harvest each week consisting of freshly picked, organically grown produce and a bouquet of cheery flowers. Farm members pay in advance for their share, which helps cover the expenses of growing our food and flowers.  We all share in the bounty and the variety of the harvest.  I like to grow a wide variety of vegetables and every year some crops do very well and others may not.  It's all determined by Mother Nature and the effort and growing skill of your farmer.  Rest assured, there is always plenty of really wonderful food for us all.  The earth is generous.

Like last year, there will be FULL, HALF and MINI SHARES.  I hope to begin picking for the FULL and HALF shares in mid to late May and run for 20 - 24 weeks.  The early and late season shares tend to be smaller than the mid season pickings, and the contents of your share will vary, depending on what is ready to pick.  Most weeks you will get some kind of salad greens, (head lettuce, mesclun, etc.) and some kind of greens for cooking (chard, kale, collards, etc.), plus several other items.

You can see pictures of the shares at the CSA blog:
http://lastingimpressionscsa.blogspot.com/
The blog has links to general farm news and recipes, as well.

Every household varies in the amount of vegetables they like to eat and/or put up but I think of the Full Share as being about right for 3 - 4 adult appetites and the Half Share as suitable for 2 - 3 people.  Mini Shares are for supplementing your own garden or just getting a taste of fresh greenery without making a huge commitment to cooking lots of vegetables.  MINI shares will start June 2 and end September 15.  Each week I will let you know what items are likely to be in the mini shares and you can let me know what you prefer, if you wish.  Or let me choose for you.

PRICES:
Prices for 2011 are the same as 2010!  Full and Half Shares are on a sliding scale.
Full Shares:  $600.00 to $675.00
Half Shares:  $300.00 to $350.00
Mini Shares:  $100.00
PAYMENT:
Deposits of $100 for Full and Half Shares and $50 for Mini Shares are due by March 20.  If you are able to make a larger payment on your share, that would be extremely helpful as most of my expenses for the farm are this month. For instance, I recently ordered $700 worth of seeds and plants!  All shares should be paid in full by June 1, 2010.

*****SEED MONEY - special thank you gift for payment in full by April 1.*****

CHANGES:

DISTRIBUTION:
In the past I have offered delivery in Leyden.  This year all shares need to be PICKED UP.  Delivery is fun but it takes me about 2 hours each week to make the rounds.  This year I want to use that time in other ways.  Another change is the distribution day.  Shares will be ready for pick up on THURSDAYS, 12:00 - 7:00.  My plan is to refrigerate the shares so they will stay fresh.  Hopefully, Thursdays will work for everyone.  If it is a problem, talk to me.  We can figure something out.

FLOWERS:
I am trying something a little different with flowers this year, as well.  When you come to pick up your share, there will be jars of flowers ready to be selected.  Each person can then choose their own flowers and do their own flower arranging, either right at the farm or at home.  I plan on having some extra flowers available for pick your own, as well.  This again, is mostly a way for me to save some time and energy with the added benefit that you will be able to select the colors and kinds of flowers you want.

PICK YOUR OWN:
There will be a section of the garden devoted to pick-your-own crops this year.  They will include snow peas, snap peas, cherry tomatoes and flowers, maybe more.  So if you have some extra time, and want extra vegetables and flowers, be my guest.


Remember, some things are the SAME:
PRICES AND SIZES - Same as 2010
DELICIOUS ORGANIC FOOD AND BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS

Thank you for all your interest and support for the farm.  I feel extraordinarily lucky to be doing this.
Peace and joy to you all,
Laura

Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat@crocker.com
http://lastingimpressionscsa.blogspot.com/