Hello from the Farm,
First Harvest is this week on June 8, 9, & 10!
This newsletter is going to be the handy dandy Guide Book for the farm. It will go over the hours / pick up, pick your own, and basic farm rules.
We will also be hosting a Welcome Weekend event on June 10! Details below.
Farm Guide Book
Hours / Pick Up
Our hours for vegetable pick up will remain the same as they were in the past. Thursdays 4pm till 7pm, Friday 11am till 7pm, and Saturday 9am till 1pm. Shareholders may choose any day that suits them for that week. You can only pick up vegetables once a week. If you are going away during pick up days shareholders can offer their share for a friend/family member to pick up for that week. If you are to miss a pick up week that week cannot be made up but your veggies that are left over will be donated to the local food bank.
Distribution Center
The distribution center is located aside of the barn next to the parking lot (where you picked up your strawberry supplies). This is where your vegetables for pick up will be located on shelves. There will also be a sign in table where you can check in for that week. Our Distribution Hostess is Emily and she will be there to greet you and take care of any questions that you might have.
At the distribution center we offer plastic bags for shareholders to put their vegetables in. We do request that you bring reusable bags, baskets, or a cardboard box for you to put your vegetables in weekly. Reduce our plastic use!
Once you are signed in for the week you can look at the two skinny chalkboard signs hanging on the wall. One will be labeled Full Share and the other Half Share. Which ever share you signed up for will be the chalkboard that you look at. The chalkboard will list all of the vegetables that are on display in the distribution center and the amounts that you can take home that week for each vegetable. You will weigh and count out the amount of vegetables yourself.
Pick Your Own (PYO)
We do have some PYO options at the farm as in Strawberries, Blueberries, Herb Beds, and the PYO Field. Strawberries are in season now, blueberries will be in season shortly, the PYO Field and Herb Beds are generally ready in July. For the strawberries and blueberries you will be given certain amounts that you may only pick. Please do not exceed those amounts.
The PYO Field will be filled with flowers, cherry tomatoes, herbs, hot peppers, and more! Once the PYO Field and Herb Beds are open we will keep shareholders updated on what is ready to be picked and how much can be picked.
Farm Rules
While coming down the drive way please drive slowly! There will be children on the farm during pick up hours. We are also a working farm so there could be a slow moving tractor or employees walking across the drive way.
Please keep a good eye on your children because of the possibility of moving tractors and cars moving in the parking lot.
The parking lot is right at the bottom of the drive way beside the barn. Try to park in a uniform way so we can fit a good amount of vehicles comfortably.
Only take the amount of vegetables / fruit that is listed.
And have a great time at the farm! There are picnic tables in front of the greenhouses that can be used by shareholders. Have a picnic on the farm, take a walk around the farm, and just enjoy nature!
Strawberry Season
Our strawberry season will start on May 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.
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
Welcome Weekend Event
This event will be hosted by Goodwill at Homefields Farm on Saturday, June 10 from 9am till 1pm. You will be able to meet the owners behind the Coffee Share, Mushroom Share, and Abendessen Bread. There will also be samples!
Slackwater Farm will be bringing piglets and little chicks for all ages to enjoy!
Your Farmers will be hosting tours:
Farmer's View Tour (Farmer Taryn) - 10:00am
Berry Tour (Farmer Elizabeth) - 11:00am
There will also be a chance to talk to members of Homefields about their non-profit and how you could get involved!
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.
(Link to http://northstarorchard.com/fruit-share )
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
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.
Website: http://abendessenbread.com/
2 Days till the First Harvest!,
Your Farmers
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