Native Offerings

We are excited to announce that our annual CSA potluck/ open house will be on Sunday, August 10th from 1pm-about 5pm.  Come and see how our crops are grown and our new crop of grapes (we’re testing wine varieties and some storage table grapes!).  This is always a fun event for us to meet CSA members and for you to see the farm!  Bring a dish to pass, we’ll potluck after the farm tours.  Hope to see you then.DebOther news from the farm.  Our shares were to include peas.  We had so much trouble with getting a crop in years past that we asked Abers Acres to grow these for us this year.  They attempted it and had a terrible crop failure.  The long cold wet spring caused poor germination and what did germinate didn’t have a good fruit set. That’s why you didn’t see peas in your share.   We take what we the season offers us and in farming you don’t get a second chance till next year.  Cherries are another crop that was in short supply this year.  We saw an increase in the cost of cherries by almost a dollar a pound.  Some fruit farmers lost a majority of their crop from hail storms.  Farming is unpredictable enough as it is; responding to extreme weather events (as the NOAA calls it) make things even more challenging. 

This season we are sad to say that there will be no peas.  Every spring we have planted thousands of pea seeds in the hope that the crows and other creatures would leave us enough for a harvest.  Birds and animals are very hungry for tasty sweet pea shoots after the hardship of winter.  They take more than their share and neither violence nor dog nor fence will keep them away.  So this season we decided to have another organic farm grow our peas for us.  They have a system employing Labradors’ to keep crop thieves away.  Despite excellent crop protection in the form of 24 hour security, they also did not have a crop to harvest!  The weather was not to the peas liking.  The spring was too hot and then they refused to grow.  There is always next year!STEW 

The vegetables are looking good.  The wet weather of the last month was ideal for the germination of carrots and parsnips.  Often the parsnips have to be replanted due to poor germination.  They take up to three weeks to emerge from the soil, so dry conditions can be a problem.  Transplanted yellow beets are now ready and will be in your share soon.  Our early direct seeded beets were a tasty spring treat for the birds and we lost the crop.  Our second planting should be ready by mid-month.  The vine crops look good although the three days of freezing temperatures did delay planting so the summer squash and cucumbers will not be ready as soon as we would like.  On a positive note, the Brussel Sprouts look great!  We have effective woodchuck control this year.  Last season the chucks destroyed the entire crop.  This year the storage onion crop was eaten by the deer.  We will purchase organic onions from Porter farms.  The leeks they did not eat, so you can look forward to those.  We also have thousands of scallions planted.  Next week we will begin to plant the fall greens and broccoli will be started today.                                        The vineyard looks good.  We lost the Traminette grapes which is not surprising.  The seedless table grapes; Canadice and Reliance survived the winter and look great.  We hope to have a crop next year.  This is a trial for the fruit share.  This year we added the seedless varieties Himrod and Vanessa.  It is our hope that we will be able to add at least one of the  seedless grapes to the fruit share.                                                                                Today is a great day for weeding so I must be off.STEW                                                                                                                

May, June and July are in charge of my life.   We have had a very busy spring.  It seemed like we had a dream team.  We were on schedule and everyone was doing excellent work.  We try to pay our employees well, and our key tractor/livestock employee was very happy.  Nobody had paid him more!  That did not last long.  He was offered a job in construction at double our pay with benefits.  A week later he was gone!   So I am on the tractor again.          We have a great crew, six weeks later.  We are late in some of our crops, but we are on schedule.  Travis our wonder intern has been doing the work of three and we are feeling blessed with him being here.  I will try to write more.  STEW 

We have started to go to the Forever Elmwood farmers market on Bidwell in Buffalo.  Check us (plus many other local vendors!) out there Saturdays, 8am-1pm.  Hooray for summer!

Anyone looking for meaningful work in a beautiful setting?  We are in dire need of hired help on the farm.  We lost two workers in one week.  Part time or full time seasonal work available.  Job duties include: planting, weeding, harvesting, and packing vegetables.  Some greenhouse work, fencing and work with animals.  Housing is available in the area, no need for a long commute from Buffalo or surrounding area.  Call us! 716-257-3006 (Deb or Stew)

Fruit shares are starting this week.  The strawberries are red ripe and ready!  Fruit share start:For Orchard Park pick up: Tuesday, June 17thFor the farm: Wednesday, June 18th For Amherst and Buffalo: June 19thSee website for distribution sites (under share info, distribution sites)….in case you’ve forgotten!Deb  

I’ve called the fruit growers that we contract with and it looks like we will start next week (June 17th for Orchard Park, June 18th for the farm, June 19th for Amherst area and Buffalo).  We’ll post again with a definite start date but I know you’re all getting as anxious as I am…. If only larger grocery stores wouldn’t flood the market with berries before our local growers get a chance to get up and running!!   By the way if you are using The Produce Stand for recipes ideas and a preview of the weeks share realize that our neighboor who puts all this together for us meets with us on Monday and gets an idea of what’s to come.  Sometimes things can change, (especially with weather like we’ve been having this past week) and we will pick something not listed in The Stand.  Please don’t take offense if mizuna is listed and you don’t get it at your site.  We have to work with what crops look the best and figure out what might bolt if not picked till next week.  If you come home with an item that doesn’t have a recipe to try, you could always search the Produce Stand for ALL the recipes listed for mizuna and get recipes from past share offerings.Think local!Deb 

Even an unusual cool spring can’t slow the forward progress of vegetative growth.  We are going to get the share season off to a modest start next week. Summer and Four Season vegetable shareholders can meet us at your chosen pick site on:Tuesday, June 3rd at Orchard Park Depot, 395 South Lincoln (beside the Orchard Park Library, parking available behind the library). Times: 3:30pm to 6:30pmWednesday, June 4th at the Native Offerings Farm, 8501 Maples Rd. just 5 miles east of the town of Otto.  Times: 3:30pm to 7 or 8pmThursday, June 5th at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church, 875 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo.  Times: 4pm to 6:30pmThursday, June 5th at the Heavern household, 111 W. Maplemere in Williamsville.  Times: 4pm to 7pmPlease bring your own bags, boxes, totes or other washable container.  We won’t be providing bags this year as in the past.  The less plastic bags floating around the world the better!  Also, note that as the season presses in on us we will be less and less frequently checking our email.  If you absolutely need to get ahold of us please call (and give us a couple of days to return your call). 716-257-3006.Can you just taste those spring greens?Deb 

It was time.  The bull was there nine months before.   We brought the cows inside.  The vet was called but could not come for two weeks.  Too long:  three days later we had a calf in the barn.  It was a Saturday night and I could hear cow distress from the house.  Eleven pm, to the barn I go to discover a new life, later to be tagged number 2.  He is beautiful, and in danger.  I awake Deb, and we return to the barn to move the calf and his mother a private pen.  In the past we have lost calves because the big cows have crushed them; very sad.  You learn, your lesson dies.  Sunday, more distress in the barn, a new calf and another late night.  This time she is born.  Being a girl she is given a name: Chocolate.   STEW