Today we proudly announce availability of Farm Shares for our upcoming 2022 season. We are opening 2022 shares to current members first, because we wouldn't be here without you, and we hope you stick with us! But before you run to secure your spot in next year's program, we have a few exciting highlights to share with you:
Options - Previously, we've held fast to our single CSA offering of veggies along with a weekly selection of pastured chicken or pork. Everyone likes a choice though, so we are offering more variety this year. For example, if you prefer to go without meat, we now have veggie only shares available. Even more exciting, are two new collaborations to increase your independence from the grocery store:
Baked Goods - We are proud to partner this year with Veteran-owned Bee's Knees Bakery & Cafe in Hoag's Corners, NY - if you haven't checked them out yet, please do! Outstanding fresh-baked homemade bread, cakes, cookies and many other items are made fresh to order and will not disappoint. Thanks to Bee's Knees, you now have the option to add a weekly bakery item to your farm share for only $6 per week. Often this will be a loaf of fresh baked bread, but other weeks may include a box of muffins, cookies, or a seasonal "bakers choice" such as foccacia, that will compliment your seasonal farm goods.
Cheese! - We're also proudly offering a cheese add-on from award-winning Four Fat Fowl Creamery in Stephentown, NY. Literally recognized as some of the "Best Cheese in America" - you can now opt in to a weekly offering of their outstanding products, conveniently included with your farm share. Depending on the week, cheese shares will include a round of the Creamery's famous St. Stephen, CamemBertha, or a tub of Inagadda Ricotta.
Veggie-Only Shares - Animals, especially ruminants, are the linchpin of sustainability for our small farm. Keeping animals alongside our vegetable plots has made chemical inputs unnecessary, and has added fertility, opportunity and joy to our small farm. Happily though, we've reached a point on our soil-building arc, where for the first time we expect our own homemade compost to fulfill all fertilization requirements for the gardens. Along with new practices, like no-till/low-till raised beds, this means we can increase our yields of veggies while slowly pulling back on chickens and pigs. So, if it's vegetarian fare you seek, we think you will be very happy with the quality, variety and quantity offered in this year's new Veggie-Only option!
How To Reserve Your Spot: In our online store, you will see options for Omnivore shares and Vegetarian shares, with separate store items for full shares and for "half" shares (half shares are the same size, but provided every-other week as opposed to the weekly full share). When you click on the type of share you'd like, you'll have the option to stick with our traditional items, or add weekly baked goods, weekly cheese, or both. In your shopping cart, you'll have the option to pay for your selection up front, or use the convenient option provided by PayPal to break it into 4 installments.
There's a bit more to navigate than in years past, so please don't hesitate to email or call if you have any questions at all.
The Season: We are set for 14 pick-up dates in 2022, beginning in mid June and running through September. Pick-up will be available on Saturdays at the farm in Averill Park, or on Wednesdays in Albany, at the fantastic Nine Pin Cider Works. Pick-up dates for each type of share and pick-up location are listed within the different farm share options in the online store - please also note that our farm will be closed from July 21 to July 27 which will affect pick-up dates, so please look carefully at the options and choose whatever suits you best. Again, please let us know if you have questions and we'll be happy to help.
Finally: We feel so fortunate to be able to close out 2021 with our eyes forward, focused on the potential and renewal offered by a fresh new season. For us, the coming weeks will be dominated by planning planting and harvest dates, selecting and ordering seeds and supplies, caring for our animals, and preparing our minds and bodies for a challenging and, certainly, rewarding new year. As always, we offer heartfelt thanks for your early commitment to the Farm Share, as it is so helpful to our winter preparations. As a thank you for your early action, we'll share a free Chicken Pot Pie with the first 12 folks who sign up.
We are so grateful for all of you - for your camaraderie, friendship, advice, love, and continued support... and we can't wait to share the exciting new year with you!
See you soon,
Mark, Diana, Eva and Noah