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Native Offerings Farm
May 21, 2013 at 8:45 pm Katie and Todd are drilling seed. We are planting forage oats as a nurse crop for a hay field for the cattle. Later in the day we seeded a crop of forage peas that will provide a green manure for the fall brassica field and also fix nitrogen for lush fall growth. We are hoping for rain. I could hear thunder. I listen to the weather and I hear promises of rain that does not come. Dust blows in the wind and I am glad we have irrigation. Think Rain! stew
Sonia Efron Thank you. That's pretty soon!
May 22, 2013 at 8:52 am
Native Offerings Farm
May 20, 2013 at 8:56 pm Time is moving fast. There is a lot to do on the farm and every day is both exciting and a challenge. Today we finally planted the potatoes. The soil is dry and we have been busy irrigating. I feel blessed we have water here. The New York Times had an article today about water scarcity in the mid-south. It seems that farmers have pumped their aquifers dry. It will take a thousand years to refill the hole but who cares if there is money to be made today. This seems to be the dominant thought. Take the money and worry about the consequences later.
Water is our greatest natural resource in the North East. We have water. We have clean water.
Michael O'Donnell We can't grow the fuel we need, Brett. We need to simply live with less, much less. And, yes, if fracking grows up there, they won't have an abundance of clean water
May 20, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Brett Lawler At some point we'll have to rely on the fuel we need to be grown. It's one of the drawbacks of "finite" petroleum resources.
May 21, 2013 at 12:49 am
Native Offerings Farm
May 5, 2013 at 2:58 pm Next week we will stop accepting new shares. We are fully subscribed for the 2013/14 growing season. Thank you for your support. stew
Jessica Hapeman so excited for the farm shares to start!! :)
May 16, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Rebecca Hoffman When is the first pickup?
May 21, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Native Offerings Farm
May 2, 2013 at 5:43 pm Who said farming is low skill job? Supreme concentration is necessary when cultivating baby plants. One inch too far in either direction means death to the infants. You also have to watch out for the ridges that tend to bury the plants when they are disturbed. Farmer Deb is in the drivers seat. stew
Ron DuBois You look comfortable in the drivers seat Deb!
May 3, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Cheryl Lendrum Spada I love Deb and miss her so much, last time I saw her was at your wedding...please tel her I say "hi"!!!
May 4, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Native Offerings Farm
May 1, 2013 at 8:12 pm This was the first day of weeding on the farm. The weed seeds are just beginning to germinate. This is the perfect time to kill them. The entire field crew was out on a search and destroy mission. Kill it before it grows as Bob Marley sang. stew
Jill Barone Rafferty I appreciate all of the hard work that goes into creating delicious food for my family.
May 1, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Native Offerings Farm
April 30, 2013 at 9:22 pm It was the perfect day to plow under the freshly mowed rye cover crop. You know the conditions are right when you make a ball with the soil and it easily breaks apart in you hand or if you drop it. If you drop the soil ball and it remains a ball on the ground then the soil is likely too wet to plow. stew
Annie Levay-Krause Stew, One of my SOLEarians wanted to know: "What do you plan on planting? Is a no-till planting possible? If so, what factors help you decide between plow and no-till? If not, why?" She mentioned that, "I studied land management practices shortly and I'm wondering what deciding factors are for farmers." Do you mind popping over to SOLE of Buffalo to answer her questions?
May 1, 2013 at 1:39 pm
Native Offerings Farm I do not know too much about no-till. We do practice it in our greenhouses, but not in our fields. I would like to learn more. stew
May 1, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Annie Levay-Krause Would you connect with Krissy Ingleman Creech when you are able? She seems genuinely interested in speaking with you.
May 1, 2013 at 8:23 pm
Thank you for your interest in the positions available at Native Offerings Farm!
Native Offerings Farm is a 400 member and growing four season Certified Naturally Grown CSA farm 50 miles south of Buffalo in Otto, NY. We also have a 400 member fruit share and market our grass fed beef and heritage pork. We started the first CSA in Erie County in 1996. We were the Cattaraugus County Conservation Farm of the year 2008 and were the Edible Communities 2010 and 2011 Local Hero Award Winner. Stewart Ritchie is currently participating in LEAD NY Class 14.
If you are interested in an apprenticeship or job, please read the descriptions of available positions, fill out an application and send it back to us. Please feel free to call or email us at employment [at] nativeofferings [dot] com with any questions.
Personal and General Policies
Drugs and Alcohol
It is unacceptable to work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. One infraction may be cause for immediate dismissal.
Shareholder Interactions
We depend on our shareholders and farmers market customers for our livelihood. All employees and apprentices must be professional, polite and helpful to all people who come to the farm and distribution
sites.
Tools and work clothes
We assign harvest knives at the beginning of the season. It is yours to take care of and return at the end of the season. We provide ear protection and dust masks where necessary. Apprentices and farm workers must provide any other desired tools (pocket knives, rain gear, rain boots, hats, gloves, sturdy farm boots, etc.).
General demeanor
It is expected that all workers be prompt, appropriately dressed for work and professional in their attitude at work.
Native Offerings Farm We are on schedule to start the first week of June.
May 22, 2013 at 7:38 am