New Field Farm – Temple, New Hampshire

Oh deer!

Greetings,

We got a good 1 1/2 inches of rain the other night, with more on the way on Thursday, so they say. All that will get us through the heat that’s on it’s way this weekend, so they say.

Beets are starting to size up so we can offer some of each kind. As always, if what you want is sold out you can ask for it in the comment section.

The squash has begun as well. Because it’s growth is so unpredictable we may have to mix and match varieties. For example, you can order 2 lbs. cousa, but one of those lbs. may be green or yellow zucchini. We can usually provide what you want, but can’t guarantee that. If you only want the kind you order please say so in the comments.

The other crops are coming along. The potato plants look especially nice so far (knock on wood, as always).

We were visited by a gang of deer the other night and they ate most of the chard and 50 plus heads of lettuce. Ouch. That was unusual for this time of year as they generally stay out of the field until the fall. I put up a quick deterrent fence and we’ll see how well that works.

Thank you for your orders and for the reusable bags.

Enjoy,
Tim

Cucumbers and rain

Greetings,

We got over an inch of rain yesterday which was desperately needed. We can stop irrigating for a week!

Meanwhile, the cucumbers in the hoop house are coming in well and the Sakura cherry tomatoes have begun, though in modest quantity so far. The basil *in the greenhouse is abundant and the first planting of *scallions have started to size up so we can offer those.

If you have a problem ordering or a question about the CSA don’t hesitate to call or email.

Wildlife are active these days. A while ago a fox grabbed one of our chickens. I yelled at it and the fox let her go. The hen was in shock for some time, but recovered. It was the second time it had happened to her! And one morning we watched a bobcat walk along the top of the stone wall that runs by our house.
Then there’s a flock of young turkeys and their mother hen often passing through the field. I give them wide birth, having seen what a hen will do to protect her chicks. It’s intimidating, as are the barn swallows who swoop down on us now to protect their young who are leaving the nest. They stand around on the barn floor looking kind of befuddled before they figure out how to fly.

In the past week we had a young deer appear on the farm, it’s budding antlers covered in velvet. One day it stood and watched me mow round and round on the tractor which was unusual. I waved hello. Then the night after we removed the posts strung with twine and mylar around some of the crops which is meant to deter deer the buck helped himself to a lot of chard and some lettuce. He reappeared in the chard the next day and was indifferent to Madeleine running towards him waving her arms until finally deciding to avoid the crazy person. The next time he was grazing on some weeds and I got within about 50 feet, explaining that he really needed to go somewhere else. I tossed a rock at his feet and he dutifully went into the woods. After appearing a couple of more times and being discouraged by us, he hasn’t been seen now for a few days. Maybe he got the point or maybe he was ill which was the cause of the curious behavior.

Thank you for your orders.

Enjoy,
Tim

LETTUCE BEGIN!

Greetings,

We have a few items to offer now to begin the season and get the first taste of fresh greens.

There’s basil, arugula, lettuces, salad mix, swiss chard, and two kinds of parsley.

Please note:

For those items I can’t actually count (which is most of the crops) I have to estimate how much is available. I try to underestimate to be safe so if something is sold out you can ask for it in the comment section and we might be able to provide.

A reminder:

Orders can be placed after you receive this weekly email on Tuesdays. Orders are due by 8 AM Thursday morning, after which time you’ll be unable to order for that week.

PICK-UP is Fridays from 4:30 to 7:30 at the farm and 5 to 8 at Union Mill.

A suggestion:

We encourage those picking up at the farm to begin using their own cloth bags/boxes/crates/laundry baskets or such to cut down on plastic bags. This means dropping off two (2) bags or whatnot, with your name written on them some Friday. We’ll use one to fill your next order and then you bring back the empty the following week and pick up your new order in the second bag. And so on through the season. If your order won’t all fit in your bag we’ll use our regular plastic ones as well.
This won’t work at Union Mill because I don’t want to clutter up their lobby with our stuff during the week. They’ve been very accommodating about using their space for pick up for over 10 years.

It’s been a lovely June, though very dry, so we’re irrigating a lot right now, as well as planting and hoeing and doing all the other many tasks needed to get the season up and going.

Thank you for your support and we’ll hope for a good season.

Tim

A FEW VEGGIES AND A FEW COMMENTS

Greetings,

We have a few veggies left. So few that I anticipate little interest and so PICK UP WILL BE AT THE FARM ONLY

The big freezes were too much for anything left in the field.

*PICK UP CAN BE TUESDAY 11/21 OR WEDNESDAY 11/22 FROM NOON ON.

PLEASE STATE WHICH DAY YOU WANT TO PICK UP IN THE COMMENT SECTION.*

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT SEASON!

I’ll be in touch next month and again in early January with details about 2018.

FOR NOW, IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL, OR WON’T, JOIN AGAIN FOR NEXT YEAR PLEASE LET ME KNOW. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT NOT YET REQUIRED. AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET ME KNOW ABOUT A SHARE AMOUNT. WE’LL GET TO THAT IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.

Thanks again and have a good holiday season.

Tim

BULK ORDER THIS WEEK! Please read

Greetings,

Now is the time when we offer a number of crops at a reduced price.

Please read the description with each item for details.

Onions, potatoes, carrots, ginger, and leeks are all discounted.

As you’ll read, you should order the amount you want and we’ll adjust the price on your invoice according to the quantity you chose. For example, if you get 10 lbs. of carrots for $1.40/lb. the invoice will say $20.00, but we’ll correct that to $14.00. If you’re still drawing on your account we’ll apply any credit due.

This week is the official end of the season. We may do another order the week before Thanksgiving.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THIS SEASON! I’ll be in touch about next year very soon.

Thanks,
Tim

BULK ORDER NEXT WEEK

Greetings,

Next week, NOVEMBER 3, will be the annual bulk order when carrots, onions, and potatoes are discounted when you order 10 pounds or more. These three crops can all be stored for many months with a little care. Details will be included next week.

Pick up will be at the usual time AND ALSO ON SATURDAY NOV. 4 AT THE FARM, if that’s more convenient.

Certain other crops may be discounted as well, depending on availability.

Meanwhile, for this week, we have some salad mix again, and a few cauliflower that survived the ravaging porcupines, as well as a few other items.

This much needed rain may bring on more broccoli and another frost should give more flavor to the brussels sprouts so we may have those next week as well.

The last of the garlic was used for planting. Hopefully, next year we’ll have a better crop.

If you have any questions or comments let me know.

Thanks,
Tim

Weblog Entry

Greetings,

We had a hard frost last night, but between much of what remains being hardy and other things under row cover or in the greenhouses, there was nothing lost. And now it looks like we’re going to warm up a bit again for awhile.

We have some spinach this week. If it’s sold out and you want some you can ask for it in the comment section and we might have more. I usually try to underestimate amounts.

I didn’t estimate how many green and purple peppers there are so please also ask for those in the comment section. We can probably provide.

At this point it looks like we’ll continue through at least early November. There’s more lettuce and salad mix in the hoophouse, some spinach and beets, and plenty of onions, potatoes, leeks, bok choy, carrots, chard, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and ginger. And maybe some more broccoli. So on we go.

Thanks as always for your orders.

Tim

Honey and humidity

Greetings,

I broke into a sweat yesterday just typing an email. Where’s our refreshing fall weather? Maybe tomorrow…

A reminder that if your account is empty, or nearly so, you can continue to order and pay by check. Those who pick up at the farm can pay at pick up, and those who use the Union Mill can mail a check. Email or call if you have any questions.

Meanwhile, the honey harvest is in and our one hive of hard working bees (well, the females that is) produced around 100 pounds, of which we took about 40. The remainder should get them through the winter, hopefully.

Fresh honey and ginger – a nice combination for tea and ginger syrup.

No salad mix this week, but more later, if we’re lucky. The 1 1/2 inches of rain put an end to the tomatoes in the field and the heat and humidity brought on the broccoli so fast that it’s mostly gone by. There’s a last planting which we may or may not get. At least the Bull’s Horn Peppers are enjoying the heat.

The deer aren’t fooled by the warm weather and are starting to feed more aggressively out in the field. Time to put row covers over some of the crops.

I hope to do a bulk order at the end of the month or early November. There should be carrots, onions and potatoes at a discount when bought in bulk, and maybe some other items. More on that later.

Thanks for your orders.

Tim

Chilly, but no frost yet.

Greetings,

You would think that a waxing moon and clear, still nights in October would mean a frost, but not so here. I’ve been covering and uncovering certain crops the past few nights, always convinced that if I don’t then there will be a frost. As a result, no frost.

All the same, the season is winding down. I’m starting to clean out the greenhouse and put away the irrigation. Yesterday I put the escape board on the beehive so the bees would move out of the supers (the boxes on the top of the hive where the bees store the honey that we steal, leaving them enough for the winter in the main hive boxes). This movement takes a few days. Both supers seem packed to the brim, the medium size one being very heavy.

Thank you for your orders and enjoy if you can this beautiful weather during these troubled times.

Tim

PLEASE READ REGARDING ACCOUNTS

Greetings,

Fall is here, October is days away, the leaves are starting to turn, and it feels like July. Go figure. And we’re still irrigating!

Where’s the garlic? I have to go through what remains and set aside some for planting. Hopefully, after doing that there will be more to offer.

For those whose funds are close to gone in their account you can use up what remains and then pay by the week from now until the end of the season.

For example – if you have $10 left and you order $20 worth this week you can pay for the difference with a check or cash. For future orders this season you can pay by check or cash when you pick up.

Checks should be made out after you pick up because the final total may differ from the original total on the invoice.

For those who pick up at Union Mill payment should be mailed to Tim Winship, PO Box 143, Temple, NH 03084. Checks should be made out to Tim Winship

Questions? Comments? Please let me know.

Thanks,
Tim