WHERE: Teachers College at Columbia University
WHEN: Sunday, February 28, 2010, 8:30 am to 6:00pm
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Registration 8:30-9:30am
Welcome 9:30-10:15am
Workshop Session 1 10:30-11:45am
Lunch (provided) 12:00- 1:30pm
Workshop Session 2 1:45-3:00pm
Farmer Panel *Q and A with local farmers! 3:15-4:30pm
CSA Expo and Reception 4:30-6:00pm
*Wine and Cheese, informational tables.
The CSA in NYC Conference is an opportunity for the CSA organizers, members and enthusiasts from around the city to come together with local farmers for a day of learning, networking and fun! The Conference will offer skill-building and policy workshops ranging from CSA trends and management to food policy and food justice topics. In addition to the workshops, there will be a panel discussion with CSA farmers, where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what it means to be a CSA farmer.
The Conference will be followed by a CSA EXPO where members, farmers and other NYC organizations will share information and expertise on growing your CSA and enjoy socializing over complimentary wine, beer and cheese.
**The CSA in NYC Conference is sponsored in part by Teachers College, Columbia University.**
Check back periodically for updates on workshop topics, speakers, and expo presenters here .
For ticket information and to register for the conference, please see our NY Charities page here.
February 4th, 2010
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Carrots
Beets
Rutabaga
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Watermelon Radish (Storage: in plastic in the fridge)
Celery Root
Yellow Potatoes
STORAGE TIPS
Click on the crop above to read more about ideal storage conditions.
NEWS FROM THE FARM
Happy New Year! Matthew and I welcomed a beautiful baby boy on New Year’s Day, born at home on the farm. We’re a little tired, so please excuse the short newsletter this time around! More news from the farm for the next winter delivery. Stay warm…
January 5th, 2010
The winter share newsletters are also posted on the GEOF website, and include a list of the share contents for each week and important storage tips. You can find it here: http://www.goldenearthworm.com/winter-newsletter/
For those of you who prefer it, the newsletter is below.
Do go to the blog for photos of greens growing in the greenhouses, and go here http://www.grassrootsinfo.org/112409.html for an interview with Matthew, one of our farmers, on WBAI radio!!
This week’s share:
Radicchio - 1 head
Red Kale - 2 lb.
Broccoli - 2 heads
Green Kale - 2 lb.
Baby Bok Choi - 1 head
Sweet Potatoes - 3 lb.
Butternut Squash - 1 piece
Rutabaga - 3 lb.
Celery Root - 2 pieces
BONUS: Garlic (Quality is questionable, but we had it available so it’s worth a try!)
WINTER STORAGE TIPS
Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash should be stored at room temperature - and dry. (Above 55 F is important - cooler temperatures will result in chilling injury to the sweet potatoes.) Keep in paper bags or baskets out of direct sunlight.
Rutabaga and Celery Root should be kept in plastic bags in the refrigerator where they won’t dry out. They need high humidity in order to stay crisp, so put into a plastic bag first with a few drops of water. Under these conditions, these crops can easily keep until May! (You’ll be getting more, so I recommend enjoying them as they come!)
Greens should be stored in plastic bags in the fridge. The broccoli should be used within a few days, but the kales should keep for a while.
NEWS FROM THE FARM
With the mild temperatures we’ve experienced so far this month, there are plenty of fresh greens included in this week’s share! All the greens (radicchio and broccoli included) were harvested from our fields. We’re not sure if we’ll be so lucky as to harvest from the fields for the next delivery, but that’s what the greeenhouses are for! Check out our farmers’ blog to see what’s growing in the houses for your upcoming shares.
Matthew and I are patiently awaiting the arrival of a new member of our farm family and we look forward to sharing the news with you by the next delivery! In the meantime, we send all our best wishes to you and your families for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!
- Maggie, Matthew & James
December 15th, 2009
Winter share distribution dates are the following Tuesdays:
December 15th: GEOF and LWF
January 5th: GEOF
January 12: LWF
January 26th: GEOF
February 16th: GEOF and LWF
March 9th: GEOF
March 16: LWF
April 13: LWF
May 11: LWF
(GEOF= Golden Earthworm Organic Farm distribution; LWF= Lewis Waite Farm distribution )
Distribution is between 4:00 and 8:00 PM on GEOF days, and 5:00 to 8:00 PM on LWF only days.
The GEOF volunteer shifts will be 3:30 to 6:05PM & 5:55 to 8:30PM.
The LWF only days volunteer shifts are 5:00 to 8:05PM”
New to Community Supported Agriculture? More questions about our CSA program? See our FAQ page!
Interested in joining the Forest Hills CSA? Registration is not yet open for the 2010 season but please join our Mailing List to be notified when next year’s contract is released.
The new foresthillscsa.com is coming early in 2010! Look for more CSA and food resources, a calendar of local events related to CSA and environmentalism, and more!
December 8th, 2009
Our winter season registration is now closed.
Please click on the green “join” button above to sign up to be on our mailing list and receive our 2010 contract when it is complete.
Thank you!
November 19th, 2009
We’ve reached our capacity and are no longer accepting members for the 2009 season. To find other CSA listings, please go to www.goldenearthworm.com and www.justfood.org. We will be happy to add your name to our waiting list for next year (2010), or for the winter share (2009/2010). To sign-up for our waiting list, please click on the link here. Thank you for your interest in the Forest Hills CSA.
March 21st, 2009
Dear FHCSA Members and Prospective Members:
Attached is the contract and general information sheet for the 2009 Season. Our eighth season! Yay! We’ve certainly experienced our growing pains, and constantly learn from every season’s problems. Hopefully, this year will be better than ever.
There are vegetable shares available from Golden Earthworm Organic Farm [GEOF], and fruit shares from Briermere Farm. The prices and amount of produce per share are the same as last year: $530 for a vegetable share and $155 for a fruit share.
Vegetable shares will be allotted on a first come-first served basis, based on when signed contracts and checks are received. We are allotted approximately 95 vegetable shares, due to capacity of the Farm and the distribution site. Therefore, for the first two weeks, from Saturday 2/21/2009 – Saturday 3/7/2009, priority will be given to returning members in good standing (those who have fulfilled their obligation to volunteer during the 2008 season and/or the 2008/09 winter season.) We will try our best to keep you informed.
This year GEOF will also be offering a tomato share. This is not to be confused or to replace the wonderful variety of tomatoes that we get in the vegetable share. The tomato share is a one-time delivery of 20 pounds of plum tomatoes that will arrive sometime in September and will cost $26. **We must receive all orders for tomato shares by APRIL 10th so GEOF can plan their greenhouse tomato seeding.** GEOF indicates that there will probably be a range of delivery dates to choose from. Then, you can freeze or can your own tomato sauce for the winter, or do whatever one does with 20 pounds of tomatoes!!
We must receive all contracts and checks NO LATER THAN MAY 15TH, so that we may inform the farm of our final counts by their deadline. However, we recommend sending your contract in earlier. If we reach capacity before that date, checks will be returned and membership will be closed. (Note that tomato shares must be received by April 10th)
Contracts and checks should be mailed to Helen, as they were last year. Please remember to make your check out to GOLDEN EARTHWORM ORGANIC FARM and not the FHCSA, or Helen!!.
All members must work a minimum of 2 shifts at the distribution site during the winter share season, or the equivalent as approved by the Core Group. Alternatively, some members fulfill their volunteer obligation by delivering leftover produce to local charities, assisting with member communication (electronic, making telephone calls, etc.) or administrative work and organizing special events such as lectures, potluck dinners or other things appropriate and of interest to the members of the CSA. This season, all volunteering sign-up will be online. You will receive the link once your application is received and accepted. If you can think of other ways that you can help our CSA, please do let us know! For those members who do not have email, please contact Marina.
Every year a few people ask about the non-organic fruit from Briermere Farm. Although Briermere Farms is not certified organic, some of their crops, including raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are grown in a way that would fulfill the organic standards. Long Island is a difficult region for tree fruit production because of the high humidity levels which contribute to fungus disease pressure, and can decimate fruit quality (and sometimes the whole tree). At Briermere Farms, insecticides and fungicides are used only when needed to produce marketable fruit. The tree fruit is sprayed with 1 or 2 synthetic insecticides and fungicides at some point typically earlier in the season. No herbicides are used underneath the trees, and on-farm produced compost from leaves is the only fertilizer/nutrient source for their fruit crops.
As last year, there is also the option to order from Lewis Waite Farm. They organize with local farms to bring us free-range poultry and eggs; raw and pasteurized cheeses from grass-fed cows, sheep, and goats; meats of grass-fed cows, sheep and goats; local raw or pasteurized honey, maple syrup, freshly baked bread and jams on the designated delivery days. We will notify you of the dates as soon as we know them. You place your order by the Thursday before each delivery and pay Lewis Waite farm directly. You may also place a standard order for each delivery, such as 2 dozen eggs, if you know you will always want certain staples. For more information, see www.csalewiswaitefarm.com and our web site www.foresthillscsa.com. You may also call the Lewis Waite Farm at (518) 692-3120 or (518) 692-9208, or e-mail them at nkdbrown@LewisWaiteFarm.com.
In our efforts to improve the CSA, we are speaking with a NYS farm about arranging deliveries of local, organic, pastured, primarily grass-fed (some hay in winter), low temperature pasteurized, unhomogenized. cow’s milk, yogurt and butter, and another NYS farm about getting a larger variety of fruits. We hope thus to be expanding the variety of local produce and agricultural products for our CSA members and thus be supporting more local farmers. 2009 FHCSA members will receive more information this spring.
All current and prospective CSA members are invited to a Spring Walking Tour at GEOF on Sunday, May 3rd from 2 to 4PM. You will have an opportunity to meet the farmers, see our farm fields and busy greenhouse in action, learn how the food is grown, talk with other GEOF CSA members and visit with the beautiful rare breed animals. Bring comfortable clothes and shoes. It might be muddy in the back fields, so be prepared. The visit is rain or shine, so dress appropriately!
Remember, the FHCSA is a member run and supported organization. We’ve been successful due to all of our collective efforts. Please feel free to contact the Core Group with any concerns or suggestions you have.
We look forward to another delicious season!
Regards,
Betty, Helen, Marina, Roger and Vanessa
The FHCSA Core Group
Harvest Schedule 2009
February 19th, 2009
CSA member and Holistic Health Counselor Inna Shapkina shares her thoughts about agriculture, diet and wellness. Read her first article, Eating with the Seasons by clicking on the link below.
Eating with the Seasons.pdf
September 20th, 2008
Click here for a CSA Vegetable Guide prepared by Core Group member Betty Chen.
June 20th, 2007