Thursday, December 10, 2009

Happy Autumn!

LAST CALL TO RETURN BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS!!!

CSA refund checks will be mailed out in the next few weeks (it’s going to take a while to dig out from this computer fiasco).

CSA emails will continue on an irregular basis with the Dines Farm Winter Schedule, the 2010 CSA contract (in January) and events and info as they occur thru the winter.

*Reminder –
Please bring bags to the CSA to pack your food.
If someone is picking up for you, please let them know they need to have
them on hand or provide bags for them.
Tip to help not to forget…put bags in every vehicle you own in the trunk
and/or glove compartment and replenish when you’re getting low and you’ll
never be without.


This email contains...

1. The CSA needs help at 3:30pm ( 3 people) and 5:30pm (4 people)...see below
2. This week's list
3. Help save farmland in Nassau County
4. Farming at Caumsett State Park?
5. Protect children from toxic pesticides
6. Help keep the carcinogen, methyl iodide, off our food
7. Organic conferences this winter…
8. VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SERIOUS GROWERS/WANNABE FARMERS!!!


1. The CSA needs help at 3:30pm (3 people) and 5:30pm (4 people)

If you're available...

A. Call 631-421-4864 up till 1pm on Thursday

B. Call 631-385-1079 from 3pm Thursday onward

C. Show up a little before 3:30 or 5:30 and ask if there is any help needed



2. This week's list

December 10, 2009
Week #34

1. Sweet Potatoes
2. Rosemary
3. Celeriac (Celery Root)
4. Beans: Black Turtle (dried)
5. Cauliflower: Romanesco OR White
6. Carrots

Total Items: 6



3. Help save farmland in Nassau County!

Click for info…
https://www.karma411.com/Markslist/campaign/display/profile.do?campaignId=3081



4. Farming at Caumsett State Park?

Do you folks know about this?

There was a meeting this past Tuesday about the status of Caumsett State Park possibly changing to a preserve. I couldn’t go because of a work commitment but I’m hoping someone who is interested in organic farming/gardening went and asked about how this change of status would effect the possibility of having any gardening/farming activities as it could be part of the historic use of the property.

I’d hate to see it if this would prevent anything happening like…putting in a fully functioning organic heirloom apple orchard in the walled garden where (I believe) there used to be one back in the day (I think there are apple trees there now but they were poorly taken care of the last time I saw them and seem more decorative to me)…having dairy cows back on the property which there was at one point…possibly having a kitchen garden near the house as it would have back in the day and a fully functioning one in the smaller cottage on the property. These are ideas off the top of my head. I’m sure more projects could be considered. A big one would be an organic farm with a cafe (there is at least one on public land in the northeast…I forget where). There at least could be a CSA connected to a farm or produce could be sold at the Huntington Farmer’s Market. Activities like these can provide food which, if were sold, could be part of the project’s fundraising making it (hopefully) sustaining.

Spread the word…find out what this is about and please let me know as I’d like to write a comment.

Comments may be submitted in writing by Jan 8th:
Ronald Foley, regional director
Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
625 Belmont Ave
Babylon, NY 11704

Article written about this…

After a public meeting last year to develop a master plan for Caumsett State Historic Park in Lloyd Neck, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is ready to present its draft version at a second public hearing Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 6:30pm in the Cold Spring Harbor Public Library. Under the proposal, the park would become a state preserve, which gives it more protection. That means fewer alterations would be allowed to the park’s environmental and cultural or historical assets, the office’s regional director, Ron Foley, said. The parks department decided
the time has come to establish a written plan for the spectacular 1,500-acre parcel located on a scenic peninsula that extends into the Long Island Sound. “In this case, no real thought out planning had been done in the park since it was acquired more than 40 years,” said Foley. “It was acquired in 1961 and opened to the public in 1976. Th e evolution of it as a park has kind of been as
opportunities arose, things were done.”

He added, “Parks should have plans that talk about what can happen or what won’t happen over a period of time. This has been a product of public input from people who love and enjoy the place, and that’s what this process is all about.” A core planning team of state parks officials and two members of the Caumsett State Park Foundation convened to discuss the park’s future after last year’s hearing. Under the definition of a park preserve, no more than 15 percent of the preserve can be developed, Foley said.

As a park preserve, there would also be limits to the kinds of activities that can occur there. Major events, like rock concerts, would be forbidden. Small fundraisers, however, and film, television,
commercial and photo location shoots would still be permitted. For the most part, the draft recommends keeping the status quo throughout the park. Volunteers for Wildlife, the wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation center, could remain headquartered near the park’s entrance. The equestrian center, with its horses, stables and pastures, and BOCES offices and environmental education center, located in the summer cottage, can also remain intact. The draft plan discusses potential uses for the main house, which was home to the Marshall Field family that owned the land for generations before donating it to the state as parkland. Built between 1923 and 1925, the 75-room Georgian revival mansion was used as a field study center by Queens College for many years but has been out of use for some time. The location of the house seems to pose problems. “It’s in the middle of the park and accessible by roads that are generally used by bicyclists and walkers,” Foley said. “So the access is not terrific.” The building is also in need of work; Foley described mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems as antiquated and said the building has not been adapted for handicapped accessibility. The plan offers three preferred alternatives for the building’s use:

• Develop a guided and self-guided tour of the building to interpret the history of the Field estate and educational programming.
• Seek proposals from potential licensees to occupy and use the house in a manner that is consistent with the historic use, which includes public use.
• Use the house for public programming and exhibit space.

“I think everybody in the planning function agreed that it needs to be used for something as part of its protection but use needs to be consistent with its value, its history, and preserving that history,” Foley said. After the Dec. 8 hearing, comments will be appended to the draft and could alter the fi nal master plan of the renamed Caumsett State Park and Preserve, which the commissioner would adopt in April 2010 Comments may be submitted in writing by Jan. 8 and mailed to:
Ronald Foley, regional director
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
625 Belmont Avenue
Babylon, NY 11704



5. Protect children from toxic pesticides

Click for info…
http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/pesticidedriftkern/7sswi74r7djtj87?



6. Help keep the carcinogen, Methyl Iodide, off our food

Click for info…
http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/mi1009/7sswi7407ee6j78?


7. Organic conferences this winter…

Jan 14 & 15

LI Agricultural Forum (usually one of the two days features organic/sustainable topics)
http://ccesuffolk.org/long-island-agriculture-forum/2010-01-14


Jan 22 to 24

NOFA-NY
http://www.events.org/nofany-conference/cpage.aspx?e=21411

Jan 30

NOFA-NJ
http://www.nofanj.org/



8. VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SERIOUS GROWERS/WANNABE FARMERS!!!

Jan 29th, John Jeavons, the author of “How to Grow More Vegetables” will be giving a one day workshop in New Jersey!

http://www.johnjeavons.info/workshop-main3.html

He’s based in California, travels the world, and isn’t in this neck of the woods very often so if you’re interested in a farming method that can feed a family of four for an entire year on one half acre of land and don’t mind dealing with numbers and computations (I HATE working with numbers but I managed to deal with it because I was determined to “get it” and was glad I did)…this may be worth your while. I took a 3 day class with John many years ago and it’s part of what got me to start this CSA (if I wasn’t going to be a farmer, I needed to actively support them). John Jeavons is one of the greats of contemporary organic/sustainable agriculture along with Eliot Coleman, Michael Phillips, Joel Salatin, Elizabeth Henderson, CR Lawn and others who are paving the path to an alternative to big agribusiness.

SPREAD THE WORD IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED!!!

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Monday, December 7, 2009

Last week for weekly Dines Farm deliveries

Greetings!

This is the last week for weekly Dines Farm deliveries until the CSA starts up again in April.

Starting next month, Dines Farm will be delivering twice monthly by pre-orders only. Larry will give me the schedule this week and you’ll be receiving the entire winter schedule by email in addition to reminder emails prior to the ordering deadlines.

Spread the word to any and all who’d be interested in the winter deliveries so Dines will keep doing them!

If you’re a vegan/vegetarian, consider emailing this to your meat eating friends & family.

If you’ve never seen it, or it’s been a while, here’s the NY Times article about their Hot Dogs…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/dining/05dog.html

If you need further reasons to be eating locally, humanely, sustainably raised meat (personally, or when talking to other people), this is an amazing article…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html


TO PRE-ORDER FOR DINES FARM…

Please email your order by 12pm, noon, Tuesday, December 8th.. Allow more time for special requests.

Email your order to: dinesfarms@gmail.com
In this email you MUST include:
Your name
Your phone number
Huntington CSA
Otherwise the farm won't know WHO placed the order, WHERE TO CALL in case you're running late or haven't shown up (it happens...people forget) and WHERE the order should end up.

You should get a confirmation email. If you don't, call Larry to check on your order (914-403-5828). Also, call Larry if you have any questions or need help placing your order.

Payment is made when you pick up your order this week. Acceptable for payment are cash, a check, or a debit/credit card.


What:

Prices are per pound or as designated.
Prices are subject to change due to our increased costs for petroleum products and animal feed.

If you don't see something you're looking for...PLEASE ASK!


BEEF
Cocktail Franks - All Beef ($6.50)
Ground Beef ($5.00)
Hot Dogs - All Beef ($6.50)
Steaks:
NY Strip - Boneless ($13.00)
Rib Eye - Boneless ($12.00)
Stew Meat ($6.00)

Other cuts are available - PLEASE ASK!

CHICKEN
Eggs: Brown OR White, Extra Large ($4 per Dozen)
Breasts, Boneless ($7.00)
Chicken, Ground ($4.99)
Chicken, Whole ($3.50)
Leg & Thigh Quarters ($3.50)
Thighs, Boneless - Marinated ($6.00)
Thighs, Boneless - Plain($4.99)

Sausage, Chicken ($7.99 per pound)
Breakfast, Maple
Garlic & Sage
Italian, Hot
Italian, Sweet
Additional flavors will be available in the future (or ask)


DUCK

Breast ($13.00)
Whole ($5.50)


LAMB (as available)
Chops ($14.00)
Ground ($6.50)
Leg-of-Lamb, Bone In ($7.00)
Leg-of-Lamb, Boneless ($9.00)
Stew ($6.00)


PORK
Bacon ($6.00)
Chops, Pork Loin - Boneless ($7.00)
Roasts, Pork Loin - Boneless ($7.00)
Spare Ribs ($6.00)

Why: The better business is for Dines, the more likely they will continue to travel from Albany to Huntington. Please spread the word amongst family and friends as you don't have to be a CSA member to buy from Dines Farm!

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Green Thumb CSA - Huntington Weekly Reminder - Thursday, December 3, 2009

Happy Autumn!

DINES FARM NOT COMING THIS WEEK!!! Just got a call that Larry can’t make it but will be at the CSA next week (the last week) and you’ll be getting the winter schedule for Dines Farm in a future email.

CSA refund checks will be mailed out in the next few weeks (it’s going to take a while to dig out from this computer fiasco).

*Reminder –
Please bring bags to the CSA to pack your food.
If someone is picking up for you, please let them know they need to have
them on hand or provide bags for them.
Tip to help not to forget…put bags in every vehicle you own in the trunk
and/or glove compartment and replenish when you’re getting low and you’ll
never be without.


This email contains...

1. The CSA needs help at 3:30pm and 5:30pm...see below
2. This week's list



1. The CSA needs help at 3:30pm and 5:30pm

If you're available...

A. Call 631-421-4864 up till 1pm on Thursday

B. Call 631-385-1079 from 3pm Thursday onward

C. Show up a little before 3:30 or 5:30 and ask if there is any help needed



2. This week's list

December 3, 2009
Week #32

1. Sweet Potatoes
2. Tat Soi
3. Kale: Curly
4. Beets
5. Cauliflower: Purple OR Romanesco
6. Cabbage: Green OR Red OR Savoy

Total Items: 6

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