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Common Thread Community Farm Fresh Local Organically Grown Produce |
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Happenings on the Farm
With the crisp cooler days that we've been having it's hard not to think of the upcoming fall season. We all know it's not really here just yet and that's a good thing because we still have lots of summer crops to harvest and eat. The tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are ripening up and we will be harvesting them later this morning after things dry out just a bit more. This is the time to start thinking about tomatoes, tomato sauce, gazpacho and salsa. Mmmmmm. Over the next two weeks, while we have this ideal weather we will picking/harvesting, washing and packing them into cases all day. Harvesting summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, potatoes, onions and all the hot crops to name a few is more than a full day's work for the entire crew. Special thanks to Courtney Carter from Oklahoma who has been volunteering her vacation hours here on the farm harvesting away with a smile!
The fall crops look great. Leeks, spaghetti squash, celery, celeriac (celery root), parsnips, a ton of winter squash coming with the cooler months. Two new rounds of swiss chard, spinach will also be in the distribution. Kale, collards, broccoli and cauliflower are also sizing up nicely now that the woodchuck has left us to do our jobs. Potatoes and onions so far have been delicious and plentiful. As a reminder the fall garlic distribution is scheduled for late September. The garlic has been curing in the greenhouse and looks like it is almost ready to be clipped, sorted (so we have seed for next year), bagged and stored until distribution.
Some of you may wonder why all the crops can't be ready all of the time. The short answer is we live in a complicated, chaotic world with lots of external variables. The metaphorical answer is that the farm is like a symphony with sections coming in on time, but not all at once. The witty answer is we ain't no grocery store. The long answer takes into consideration factors such as length of day, daytime temperatures, insect life cycles, soil fertility and nutrient cycles, biodiversity on the farm and in the surrounding area, night time temperatures during fruit set, plantng conditions and rain fall, but did you also know that how and what farmers grow around our farm can also have an impact. For example, as dairy farmers or beef producers make their hay, especially the second and third cuttings, insect species habitating in their crop look for new homes. Frequently during sunny stretches of weather as farmers are making their hay white fly and leaf hopper make their way from those hay fields to more appealing feeding grounds. Both of those insects love to chew and suck our crops like kale, swiss chard, head lettuce, radicchio, beans and many other tender crops. Our farm's biodiveristy may be it's most valuble assest. Biodiversity provides protection to our crops in the form of maintaing or augmenting ecosystem function i.e. beneficial insect species preying on what we call pest species. So as some crops do well others simply fall by the wayside, consumed by hungry insects or disease. This year we have done well at planning and executing, and with a little luck have had a great food year. We are heading into our 11th week of head lettuce, our 8th week of carrots and our 12th week of diverse seasonal food. We hope that next time you look into your box of veggies or come pick up at the farm you consider just how special and miraculous organically grown local produce really is.
We've been having fun out here growing your food this year,and we are glad to hear many of you are enjoying the season!
Best,
Chris, Amy, Georgie, Cody, Heidi and Chris W.
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Common Thread CSA
CSA Distribution
June-November
Farm Shop Hours
Saturday 8-1
Tuesday 2-7
Delivered Box Shares
Every Thursday boxes arrive between 9:30-3:00
depending on location
Pick-Your-Own Crops
7 days a week during daylight hours weather permitting |
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The Mad Art Mud Oven At Common Thread CSA
In September and October of 2009, with grant funding, Mad Art, a volunteer based arts organization dedicated to creating community through the arts in Madison County, constructed a wood fired mud oven for all to use. |
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NOFA NY Farmer's Pledge 
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"A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define and limit the possibilities of each other's lives. It is the knowledge that people have of each other, their concern for each other, their trust in each other, the freedom with which they come and go among themselves."
-Wendell Berry
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 NEW Farmer Harvested PYO Service for Delivered Shares Many of our delivered share members have expressed interest in a new PYO service whereby you hire your farmers to pick and pack your PYO crops for the week. Here is how it will work: Each Friday the delivered CSA share members will receive an email with information regarding which PYO are available including quantities. If you are interested in what is available and would like to receive your PYO produce along with your delivered CSA box on Thursday, reply to email by Monday morning 11 am indicating that you would like to order the PYOs for the week. Once we have received your email you will receive email confirmation. Next we will harvest your PYO crops for you, wash, cool and pack them neatly. Fresh Flowers will not be included in this service. How will my farmer harvested PYO share arrive? Your PYO share will arrive neatly packed in a brown grocery bag. Your last name will be written clearly on the outside of the bag. Inside the bag you'll find your PYO produce and an invoice. Invoices will be on a 14 day term. How much does the PYO harvest service cost? The price of this service will never be based on the crop since you have already purchased the crop. The price of the service will be determined on a week by week basis depending on the quantity of the crops. The price will be determined based on labor to harvest, handle, pack, and the administrative cost. The cost of this service will vary from week to week and will be in the ball park of $15-$20 during summer months. What if I am not interested in this service? That's fine too. We have many different customers with a variety of needs. This service may not be for you, but we would like to offer to those who cannot pick, but would like to enjoy more of the summer crops including cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, cilantro, dill, tomatillos, green beans and paste tomatoes. What will be included in my Farmer Harvested PYO share? Your farmer harvested PYO share will include the crops that are available that week for PYO, no more no less. The quantities change each week so be sure to check the website or the Friday email. Fresh flowers will not be included in this service as they are difficult and expensive to harvest, transport and keep looking fresh for you. Thanks we hope that this will help some of those CSA members who would love to come take advantage of the PYO crops more often but just don't have the time.
Best,
Chris |
Pick Your Own Crops The CSA Week of August 23rd
Pick your own crops (PYO) are available seven days a week during daylight hours. For those of you who are new members this year you can find information regarding picking quantities on the website as well as in the big red barn on the chalkboards. We provide the containers. This is a fun self serve activity that you can do just about anytime once the crops are officially opened. An important note is that all PYO crop quantities are subject to change and we do not allow picking in the rain or during wet conditions. We emphasise this for one main reason, reducing the spread of plant disease. As an organic farm we do not spray fungicides and thus we must control the conditions for disease in other ways. Thanks for your understanding. On the farm right now available for you to pick this week per share: Sungold cherry tomatoes - 1 Quart Tomatillos- 1-2 Paste Tomatoes- 1-2 Green beans 3/4 bag (approximately 3 quarts) Fresh flowers- 1 large bouquet Fresh herbs- basil, cilantro, dill- one bunch each per share
PYO Crops on Website (we try to update this as much as possible!)
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What's in the Box?
We are going to try our best each week to update the website on Wednesday evenings once we have harvested to inform our delivered box share members of what is coming in their box on Thursdays so you can better plan for the week.
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On Farm CSA Distribution
Local pick up Saturday 8-1, Tuesday 2-7
Delivered CSA Box Distribution
Tuesday 10-3 Syracuse Clinton Square Market
Thursday- Cazenovia, Fayettville, Manlius, Dewitt, Real Food Coop, Laci's Tapas Bar, Green Planet Grocery
Join us on Twitter to follow our every delivery move! @commonthreadcsa
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Common Thread Community Farm
Your Farmers
Chris, Amy and The Crew
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Together We Are Building A More Vibrant Local Food System
Thank You. We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with fresh, local and organically grown produce.
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