We are well into May and the fields are filling up.  Rows of small plants line the garden and seem to double in size every day.  Most of the plants are transplanted from seedlings started in the greenhouses, grown to transplant size and then planted in the garden.  As the greenhouses are emptied of transplants, newly seeded flats replace those that were just taken to the garden.  Seeding goes on into July.  I have posted new photos on the farm Face Book page for May.  Posting photos on Face Book is easier than on the farm website and so I will update them more frequently.  The page is https://www.facebook.com/StoneledgeFarm if you would like to take a look.

The first CSA deliveries will also be taking place next month. The schedule follows:

Wednesday delivery sites:  Southport, Stamford, Sustainable Hastings, Upper Westchester, White Plains and Wilton/Norwalk CSA’s will start on June 6.

Monday delivery sites: 92nd Street Y, City Island, Mt. Sinai Farm Share, Rye/Soundshore, Locust Point and Bronx 810 Gerard Studio will start June 11th.

Tuesday delivery sites: Carnegie Hill, Chelsea, East 88th Street, Greene County, West Village and Yorkville CSA’s will start on  June 12th.

As in the past, we will be sending out a weekly e-mail to all members through the site coordinators listing the share for the week and also a brief bit of farm news.  You will receive another update before the first distribution.

There is still time to add a Fruit Share or Coffee Share to your Vegetable Share if you would like and have not done so yet.  To add shares or if you would like to check and see what you have ordered, log into your member account from the farm home page, www.stoneledgefarmny.org, and click on “My Account” under the center photo.  To add a share to your existing order, click on the “Add Subscription” in red found in the green Summary box on the right side.  Advance past the Vegetable Share page to the “Options” tab by selecting “Next”.  You can then select the additional shares to add to your CSA membership.

Take Care

Deborah
for Pete Sr., Peter, Arliss and everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Spring has come to the farm.  The barn swallows have returned right on schedule, the wildflowers are in bloom.  I have added new photos to our Face Book page trying to capture a bit of the spring time plant life that borders the farm fields.

Tomorrow we start to transplant seedlings into the field.  The greenhouses are full, the hoop houses spilling over with transplants and the sturdy greens of spring need to move into the field to make room.

Many of the CSA sites are filling up if they have not sold out of available shares.  If you know of someone that would be interested in a CSA share, please pass on the farm website.

Welcome Spring.
Deborah
for Pete, Peter and Arliss

What a season we have all endured.  The farm has been sustained with the support and commitment of the CSA members and we can not express completely our sincere gratitude.  As farmers we know the power of nature and respect both the devastation and also the blessings that are part of working within the natural world.

Seed catalogs arrive every day and we are placing orders for supplies needed for the spring.  The fields are covered with a Winter Rye cover crop.  The garlic is planted and waiting for the spring.

As we look forward to the upcoming season we are filled with a sense of gratitude and commitment to our CSA members and renewed understanding of what it means to be a CSA farm.

With heartfelt thanks.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Deborah, Pete, Peter Jr. and Arliss

NOTES:
2012 Registration is now open. Instructions to register and also to place Market Place orders are on the farm website on the Farm Blog.

Market Place orders can be placed until noon the day before the last delivery.

Winter Sun Farms is taking orders for Winter CSA shares.  Go to the Winter Sun Farms website at www.wintersunfarms.com to find their drop off sites.

Jim Hyland has also offered to deliver Market Place orders to the Winter Sun CSA sites over the winter months.  To order Market Place items once our CSA season ends, go to the farm website www.stoneledgefarmny.org, click on Market Place, select the Winter Sun site closest to you, place your order.  Winter CSA shares will be delivered once a month.  The delivery date will be on the confirmation e-mail.  You will need to pick up your Market Place order at the Winter Sun Winter CSA share location during the designated distribution time.  Any questions?  Send an e-mail to info@stoneledgefarmny.org and we will get back in touch.

Our online CSA 2012 Registration is now open.  This is a new system and so everyone will need to register the first time as a new member.  If you would like to order from the CSA Market Place you can order from the online store by registering there as well.  You do not need to order a 2012 CSA share to order from the Market Place.

Three new products are now available on the Market Place:  Apple Butter, Pear Butter and Raspberry Jam.  They are all delicious. The Apple and Pear butters are made from local fruit.  The Raspberry Jam-no seeds-is made from our own Certified Organic Raspberries.  The holidays are right around the corner and many members have found honey, maple syrup, coffee and now, preserves, pickles, sauce and salsa make great gifts.  Please order soon because there are only two deliveries remaining.  The last delivery will be on November 21,22 and 23.

If you have any questions about registration or ordering from the CSA Market Place just send us an e-mail and we will be back in touch.

Fruit Share delivery this upcoming week November 7, 8,9 depending on your delivery day.  The fruit is just beautiful.  This week the first Fuji Apples, Cameo Apples, and Golden Delicious Apples and Bosc Pears.  We are also sending a 1/2 gallon jug of award winning Eco-Apple, fresh, no preservatives added Apple Cider.  It is freshly pressed and by NYS law, UV’d.  It has a bright fresh taste and will need to be refrigerated when you take it home. If you are not going to use it right away, it will freeze “beautifully” says Elizabeth Ryan, the orchardist and cider maker.

We thought we would give cider a try.  Let us know what you think.

Such beautiful fall weather and no snow for this week.
Deborah for
Pete Sr., Peter Jr., Arliss
Stoneledge Farm

Fuji Apples are my favorite late fall apple.  Crisp, juicy. Great for eating and cooking. If you have apples that you want to store away, Fuji will keep in the refrigerator until spring.  They almost seem to get sweeter as they store.

Cameo is an attractive eating apple.  Sweet, juicy with a beautiful color.

Stoneledge Farm LLC

Thanksgiving Turkeys-ORDER BY NOV. 7th – so make your calls now!

We have special procedure for ordering Thanksgiving Turkeys. Since Stonewood Farm needs our order by Nov 8th, we need our orders from you by Nov. 7th (Monday). We also offer our full array of other products to round out your Thanksgiving meal, with a later deadline, so we have to separate the Turkey orders from the other products ordered. When you sign in, there will be a special link “Place my Thanksgiving Turkey Order,” which will take you to the dropdown bar which will only have Thanksgiving Turkey as a product. That will take you to all the Turkeys we have available for ordering. Any other items you’d like with your Turkey MUST BE ORDERED SEPARATELY, under the delivery date closest to Thanksgiving for your pickup site (11/17, 11/19, or 11/22).

If you have any questions, problems, or concerns, please call the office, and Nancy, Caroline, and Joanna are happy to answer questions or take your order by phone: 518-692-3120.

Market Place items can still be purchased by all CSA members from the farm website. The order will be delivered with the Fruit Shares to the CSA site. If you have any questions, please send us an e-mail at info@stoneledgefarmny.org.

Jim Hyland of Winter Sun Farms has extended a generous offer for CSA members. His message follows:

Join Winter Sun Farms and eat local all winter long!

Winter Sun Farms is once again selling winter shares of locally grown veggies and berries that have been carefully frozen so you can eat local all winter long. Registration is online online at http://csa.farmigo.com/join/wintersunfarms/winter2011-2012, and pick-ups are offered monthly, from December through April, throughout the NYC and Hudson Valley areas. Price is $132 (4 Month Share) and $165 (5 Month Share). In the spirit of CSA and in the aftermath of the flooding we are offering a discount to all Stoneledge Farm members. Just enter the code CSA at checkout (or CSACHECK if paying by check). And if you’d like that discount to go back to Stoneledge Farm, send an email or put Stoneledge in subject line of your check, and we’ll forward that amount to the farm. Support local farms and enjoy a variety of fantastic local produce this winter! www.wintersunfarms.com

Jim has also offered to deliver all of the Market Place items throughout the winter for CSA members. The delivery of Market Place orders will be with the Winter Sun monthly winter share delivery to the distribution sites that they serve.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather.

Deborah, for
Pete Sr., Peter and Arliss
Stoneledge Farm

Bosc Pears
Empire Apples
Jona Gold Apples – A large, crisp apple. It is juicy and aromatic and has a sweet-sour taste. Very good for cooking
Mutsu Apples – Also known as Crispin, the Mutsu is a large, green-yellow apple. First grown in Japan, it has become a favorite for fresh eating and also cooking.

There will be one bag with Jona Gold and Bosc Pears and one bag with Mutsu and Empire Apples.