Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Notes from Your Farm: Strawberry Season



Hello from the Farm,   



Strawberry Season
Strawberry Season is coming early this year because of the rain and warm temperatures during the Winter/Spring months.  Our strawberry season will start today (5/30) and go until June 10.  The season might last until June 17 but this all depends on the weather.  During this strawberry season we will be giving half shares and full shares a season limit. Which means you can only harvest the given amount throughout the whole season.

Season Limit
Half Shares - 2 quarts
Full Shares - 4 quarts

We are welcoming shareholders to come pick strawberries during the whole week, except Sundays.  Meaning you can come Monday - Saturday to pick strawberries at the farm till dusk.  I understand this week does not have sunny and dry weather but we have ripe strawberries in the fields now.  Strawberries rot in this type of weather and will not delay until we get perfect weather.  Put on your rain jacket, rain boots, and pick some strawberries!

Below is a map that shows where the strawberries are located on the farm.  There will also be red flags in the fields to indicate a strawberry patch.  At the distribution area (marked on the map) we will have green quart baskets for you to use while harvesting strawberries.  

If you have any questions contact Taryn by phone: (717)871-3110 or email: thogeland@yourgoodwill.org 


First Vegetable Pick Up Dates: June 8, 9, & 10
Pick Up Hours:
Thursday - 4pm till 7pm
Friday - 11am till 7pm
Saturday - 9am till 1pm

We will be sending more information about the first pick up week at a later point.



2017 Season Sign Ups!!!
There is still room for you!  Just sign up by following this link: http://goodwillathomefieldsfarm.csasignup.com/members/types




Below are the products that you can buy from another location but pick up at our location once the season starts.  Take a look they are great products from local businesses!

North Star Orchard Fruit Share
Would you like to pick up a CSA Fruit Share when you come to get your CSA vegetables? It’s time to sign up now with North Star Orchard for their weekly Fruit Share, which is available for pickup for 15 weeks starting in August.

CSA Members have been enjoying the Fruit Share for years, and we encourage you to take a look at what the share has to offer here.

This is not ordinary fruit, but unique and heritage varieties which are full of flavor: plums with pizazz, perfect peaches, amazing Asian pears, great (seedless) grapes, astounding apples, and a sprinkling of heritage pear varieties.

Sign up directly with North Star on their website (link again to https://northstarorchard.com/fruit-share ), or if you need to reach them directly, email Lisa@northstarorchard.com

And for a quick view of North Star Orchard itself, enjoy this 90-second bird's eye view (link to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izdj6VIWyao )


Hillacres Pride Cheese Share
Goodwill at Homefields farm will be a pickup location for Hillacres Pride Cheese share once again for the 2017 Season.  

The share will usually start with the first pick-up at your veggie share location and run every other week for 11 pickups, which usually encompasses June-Oct. A share contains 2 cheese items with each delivery.

They will range from cheddars and colbys to artisan cheeses, such as our Susquehanna and Cave Aged Arcadia; to fresh cheeses like ricotta and our signature flavored fresh cheeses.  It is always fun for us to select the share items and we hear it is a fun surprise for the customers. We offer a bit of information about the cheeses and are hoping to incorporate recipes this year as well.

11 bi-weekly deliveries $125.00

Signup by following this link:
http://hillacrespride.com/?q=content/csa-sign-form


Village Crest Farm Mushroom Share
Village Crest Farm is a fourth-generation family farm near Strasburg that grows a variety of gourmet mushrooms for fine restaurants and your table, using chemical-free practices.  We are pleased to announce that Goodwill at Homefields Farm will be a pick up site for the Village Crest Farm mushroom share during their regular vegetable share season.
 
Offerings: Choose either 12 or 24 weeks of delicious seasonal mushrooms. We grow a beautiful variety of oyster mushrooms including elm, golden, brown, blue, and pink oysters rotating from week to week depending on season and temperature. Other species such as lion's mane and chestnut mushrooms may make guest appearances during the season as we continue to develop new varieties.
 
June through November (24 week) share = 1 lb fresh gourmet mushrooms weekly - $360
OR 
June through August (12 week) share = 1 lb fresh gourmet mushrooms weekly - $180
 
To reserve your mushroom share, please contact:
Scott Breneman
717-786-2801
 
 
Coffee Share
Do you enjoy whole bean coffee?  Do you purchase the coffee at a specialty coffee shop?  Or maybe the local grocery store?  One has fresh coffee, the other an affordable price.  Want to have both?  College Coffee Roasters has partnered with Homefields to create a coffee share.  College Coffee Roasters offers 6 Fair Trade Organic (FTO) coffees.  A different coffee will be available each week for 6 weeks, by the 1/2 lb.  
 
Cost of the share will be $36  
 
In order to start, we'll need to know if you are interested.  If you wish to purchase a share, please make the check payable to Homefields and have it sent to: Homefields Inc., 150 Letort Road, Millersville, PA 17551.  Also make note on the check that it is for the coffee share.
 
The funds generated by the share will help fund projects at the Farm.
 
If you have questions please contact Bruce at: 717-278-0839
 
 
Abendessen Bread
Bread will be offered once again when you pick up your veggies.  This is not a share but can be bought at the farm when you want some, as supplies last.  
 
 

9 Days till the First Harvest Weekend!,

Your Farmers

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