Happy Summer!
This Saturday is the CSA farm tour & Strawberry Picking (see below under #3 for info).
WE HAVE ROOM FOR ABOUT 50 MORE CSA MEMBERS! So, if you know of anyone who’d be interested…have them stop by, contact me, or give them a CSA brochure (which is attached to this email and we have copies at the sign-in desk).
Brief farm report from me…The very short story is that our farmers are having a tough time and the weather lately really stinks for growing food (except for maybe rice…which they don’t grow but I may suggest it to them).
June has had 8 inches of rain at the farm (one inch per week is desired) and it’s the coolest June in 27 years. All this rain has made it impossible for our farmers to plant seeds or transplants with any hope of them germinating or growing as the mud kind of suffocates the seeds & plants, as it’s dense and doesn’t give room for them to grow and breathe. Of course, they’ve had to go picking our food in the rain as they have no choice (seriously not fun). The coolness and lack of sunlight has kept plant growth to a bare minimum. You can see this by the small heads of Lettuce we’re getting. They had better crops with what overwintered in the early spring and what came out of the greenhouse. This too shall pass and I’m sure at some point there won’t be enough rain and it will be too hot. I’ve always described the difference between being a CSA member & going to a farmstand or farmer’s market as the difference between being married (or in a committed relationship) and dating. Well folks, at the moment we’re experiencing the farm version of for better or for worse! Our farmer needs our support in good times and in bad. It’s his job to do the best he can and give us the fruit (and veg) of those labors and it’s our job to figure out what to do with them! Clearly, sometimes it’s easier to figure out than others. It’d be the same as if you had a garden and depended on what came out of that garden. If something wasn’t perfect (or you had crop failures), you’d figure out what was the best way to use whatever it was that came out of the ground. That’s what our ancestors did and it spurred creativity and some pretty good eatin’!
Included in this email...
1. Your CSA does not need you this week. However, you know it won’t stay that way for long!
2. What you actually got this week
3. Fun, Cool & Interesting Stuff (new stuff added weekly...really!)
4. Do you garden? Want organic seedlings from your CSA farm???
5. Dines Farm Pre-Ordering Info (by noon on Tuesday for delivery this week)
1. Your CSA does not need you this week. However, you know it won’t stay that way for long!
You can always just show up a little before 3:30 or 5:30pm at the CSA and offer to work if there's still an empty slot on the CSA Work Sign-up Sheet. ALWAYS FILL THE CSA WORK SHEET OUT IN PENCIL!!! Life is too unpredictable for being written in pen! Any questions about CSA work/hours, please contact our CSA Work Co-Ordinator, Judi Soehren at JSoehren@gmail.com .
2. What you actually got this week
June 25, 2009
Week # 10
1. Peas, Snow - .6 lb - $4.25
2. Strawberries – 1 qt - $6.25
3. Radishes – 1 bunch - $2.25
4. Lettuce: Bibb – 1 head - $2.25
5. Lavender – 1 bunch - $2.50
Total Items – 5
Total Amount - $17.50 (+$2.50 total extra given to us by our farmer so far this season - over what we pay our farmer per week...$16.50...not much, but over 34 weeks, this all adds up)
Flower Share
Week #3 - Yarrow
Herb Share
June 2B
French Tarragon AND Lemon Thyme
3. Fun, Cool & Interesting Stuff
Friday, June 26th
Till Thursday, July 2nd (unless a LOT of people show up and then it’ll be there for another week)
“Let’s Eat! Films on Food” presents…Food Inc
Cinema Arts Centre
423 Park Ave
Huntington
For more info:
631-423-BOXO
Co-sponsored by Slow Food Huntington…check out the winner of the 2009 Golden Snail award (International Food on Film Award, Bologna, Italy). If you think you’ve heard and seen everything about this subject…you haven’t! Check out the trailer…
http://robertkennerfilms.com/films/files/detail_current.php
Saturday, June 27th
10:30am/noon/1:30pm
Green Thumb CSA Annual Farm Tour & Strawberry Picking
Montauk Hwy
Water Mill
For more info & directions:
631-726-1900 (9am to 4:30pm any day)
It’s a walking tour of some of our spring crops. We’ll meet at the field on Rose Hill Road just east of our farm stand. It’s the 2nd right after the farm stand and it’s the field immediately on the right. Park outside the gate. There’s a LOT of traffic by late Saturday morning into the afternoon going east so leave yourself plenty of time (1 ½ hours minimum). This is your only chance to see the fields in this spring/summer season so we hope to see all our CSA members there (this is available to CSA members and immediate family members only). If you are sharing a CSA share with someone…you can decide who gets to go in June and who gets to go in October as the farm doesn’t recognize anyone but the person who’s listed on the contract so the share partner would be going under the CSA member’s name.
Sunday, June 28th
5pm
Slow Food Benefit
Old Mill Inn
5575 West Mill Rd
Mattituck
$30
For more info: 631-298-8080
Cocktail party featuring oyster and wine parings with cooking demos and a raffle. Guest speaker, Chef Sandy Ingber, Grand Central Oyster Bar (LI resident).
Friday, July 10th
3:00 pm- 6:00 pm
Macari Wine Tasting
Sag Harbor Liquor Store
52 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY
For more info:
(631) 725-0054
www.sagharborliquorstore.com
www.macariwines.com
Visit Sag Harbor Liquor Store and meet Macari Vineyards Sales Rep., John Miniaci, as he guides you through a tasting of Macari Wines. Enjoy!!
Saturday, July 18th
1pm to 6pm
Macari Wine Tasting
Stew Leonards
210 Airport Plaza Blvd
Farmingdale, NY
For more info:
(631) 249-3583
Visit Stew Leonards and meet Macari Vineyards Sales Rep., John Miniaci, as he guides you through a tasting of Macari Wines.
Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9th
NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Summer Conference
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA
http://www.nofasummerconference.org/
If you're interested in organic gardening, food, farming, holistic health, alternative energy, cleaning up the environment, food politics, good eating, partying, dancing, music, crafts, poetry, yoga, join between 1,500 and 2,000 like minded people in a weekend of fun and education with something for just about everyone from tots and teens to everyone else. There are many Long Islanders who go every year. If you try it once, I bet you'll try it again!
Saturday, August 15th
11:45am
Wildman Foraging Tour
Muttontown Preserve
East Norwich
For more info & reservations:
914-835-2153
$15 - Adults, $10 - younger than 12
If you've never been...you should treat yourself to go at least once. If you've gone...you know why you want to check this out!
Saturday, September 5th
12:30pm
Wildman Foraging Tour
Sunken Meadow Park
Kings Park
For more info & reservations:
914-835-2153
$15 - Adults, $10 - younger than 12
If you've never been...you should treat yourself to go at least once. If you've gone...you know why you want to check this out!
Sunday, October 25th
12:30pm
Wildman Foraging Tour
Sunken Meadow Park
Kings Park
For more info & reservations:
914-835-2153
$15 - Adults, $10 - younger than 12
If you've never been...you should treat yourself to go at least once. If you've gone...you know why you want to check this out!
Sunday, November 1st
11:45pm
Wildman Foraging Tour
Muttown Preserve
East Norwich
For more info & reservations:
914-835-2153
$15 - Adults, $10 - younger than 12
If you've never been...you should treat yourself to go at least once. If you've gone...you know why you want to check this out!
Saturday, Nov 21st
11am to 6pm
Green Living Expo
Suffolk County Community College
Brentwood Campus
Sports/Exhibition Complex
101 Crooked Hill Road
Brentwood, NY 11717
For more info:
http://www.greenlivingexpoli.com/
http://www.greenlivingexpoli.com/schedule.html
$10.00 (under 12 years old free)
The Green Living Expo is a 2-day event designed to provide Long Island residents and business owners with the information they need to support a greener way of life here on Long Island. “Green Living” is a new concept for many Long Islanders, for others it has been a way of life for years. Regardless of which category you fall into, being “green” is a notion that has firmly taken root in our society.
The Green Living Expo will be the catalyst between businesses, organizations, and consumers looking for information, inspiration, and innovation. It will provide information to help move us in the direction of a lifestyle that is both economically viable and ecologically sound.
The Green Living Expo will have two full days of programming to make the event both educational and fun. Speakers have been selected for their passion, commitment, innovation, and authority on their “green” topic. There is no additional fee required to attend the programs/lectures/classes.
Sunday, Nov 22nd
11am to 5pm
Green Living Expo
(see Saturday, Nov 21st)
4. Do you garden? Want organic seedlings from your CSA farm???
You can order certified organic seedlings for your garden from our CSA farm, Halsey's Green Thumb Farm, that will be delivered to you when you pick up your CSA share! AND, the prices are the same as last year! If you want something not on the list, call and ask...there's a decent chance they have, or will have, it. Fliers about this are on the CSA Sign-In Table.
How?
Call the farm (631-726-1900) from 9:30am to 4:30pm, order using a credit card (minimum order of $20) and coordinate when you'll be picking up your seedlings with your CSA pickup.
What?
All the pots are 4 1/2" and the cost of each pot is $5.00
Basil, Green
Marigold: Orange (8" to 10")
Mint, Cat
Oregano, Greek
Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf
Petunias: Blue OR Mixed OR Rose
Rosemary
Sorrel
Strawberries, Alpine (very small)
Swiss Chard: Gold OR Green OR Red
Tarragon, French
More varieties coming soon!
5. Dines Farm Pre-Ordering Info (by noon on Tuesday for delivery this week)
If you’re a vegan/vegetarian, consider emailing this info to your meat eating friends & family.
If you do eat meat, read on, and also consider forwarding this to potentially interested friends and family to support our other local farmer at the CSA, Jay Dines of Dines Farm.
It’s time for BBQs and family gatherings and what’s better than celebrating with Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Steaks and Ribs from Dines Farm (and anything else they have). You need to pre-order to make sure that when you show up at the CSA this week, Dines Farm hasn’t run out of what you want.
ALSO, if you want larger quantities of something PLEASE pre-order as one person can deprive everyone else of Hot Dogs, Ribs, Hamburgers, etc for the week (it’s been happening lately).
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
TO PRE-ORDER FOR DINES FARM…
Please email your order by 12pm, noon, Tuesday, June 30th.. 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 you can order:
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)
CHICKEN
Eggs: Brown OR White, Extra Large ($3.50 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)
Other cuts are available - PLEASE ASK!
Why should you Pre-Order (and purchase in general): 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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