Push to Eat Local Food Is Hampered by Shortage
In what could be a major setback for America’s local-food movement, championed by so-called locavores, independent farmers around the country say they are forced to make slaughter appointments before animals are born and to drive hundreds of miles to facilities, adding to their costs and causing stress to livestock.
As a result, they are scaling back on plans to expand their farms because local processors cannot handle any more animals.
There’s a New CSA in the Neighborhood
I’ve posted before about the Food Coop initiative that’s been started by some neighbors with the institutional support of the Educational Alliance. Well, one thing that’s come from those meetings is that a brand new CSA — the LES CSA — is trying to get on its feet. Just Food (the same great group that got us started in 2008) has hooked them up with Monkshood Nursery in upstate NY for their own weekly distribution of fresh, organic vegetables.
Since the Grand Street CSA is booked for 2010, if you know anyone still looking to join, please make sure they know about the LES CSA — and soon! Monkshood Nursery has given them an April 1 deadline to fill 50 shares. And while they are already halfway there, it would be a shame for everybody if they couldn’t quite make their quota.
Their program is basically the same as ours, though distribution will be on Thursdays instead of Tuesdays, from the corner of East Broadway and Jefferson (at the Educational Alliance or the Public Library). And they may not have any extras at the LES CSA for their first year.
(Meanwhile, don’t forget we have our own wait list over here. And no one should feel shy about signing up for the new CSA for 2010 and our wait list for 2011.)
NYT: Spot Tests of Organic Foods
U.S. to Ensure Spot Tests of Organic Foods
The Department of Agriculture will begin enforcing rules on testing organically grown foods for pesticides, after an audit exposed gaps in the National Organic Program.
Spot testing is required by a 1990 law that established the basis for national organic standards, but in a report released on Thursday by the office of Phyllis K. Fong, the inspector general of agriculture, investigators wrote that regulators never made sure the testing was being carried out.
The Lo-Down: Hester Street Fair
The Hester Street Fair: All About Community
The food blogs (and The Lo-Down) have talked quite a bit about the food that you’ll find at the Hester Street Fair when it opens next month. But there’s a lot more to it than that. Fair organizer SuChin Pak told me, “we want to create a meeting space for the community — somewhere we can gather to eat, shop, connect and discover new things.”
CSA Extras: Eggs and Pasta
Our fruit farmer, Elizabeth Ryan, also operates Knoll Krest Farm, where some really happy hens live, making really happy eggs. Knoll Krest hens are free-running, hormone-free, antibiotic-free (and have been for over 50 years). They are in the process of transitioning to free range.
Full share (12 eggs/week): $80
Half share (6 eggs/week): $40
In addition, Knoll Krest offers fresh pasta handmade using flour (white and whole wheat), eggs from their own birds, and juiced fresh local vegetables (carrot, beet, spinach, and sweet red pepper).
Pasta share (12 oz./week): $90
Since eggs and pasta are delivered together with our fruit, those extras will have the same schedule: starting a week later than vegetables and skipping a week early on (when there’s no fruit), for 21 weeks total.
CSA Extras: Fruit
Last summer was a difficult season for fruit farmers in the northeast — all the rain in June not only washed out many early summer berries, but also altered the growing pattern of different varieties of pears and apples later on. Last year was also our first time partnering with a fruit farmer, and the first year that Breezy Hill Orchards was working with CSAs, which made for some miscommunication about what fruit we’d be getting each week.
Nevertheless, we ended up with some delicious stone fruits in the middle of the summer as well as a bounty of apples into autumn, and the reports from our end-of-season members’ survey were mostly positive. We’ve also had some very productive conversations with Elizabeth Ryan of Breezy Hill, and feel confident that our second season (weather permitting) will be much better than our first.
One thing you should know is that Breezy Hill is not organic — in the northeast, pests are not controllable without some spraying. The apples are certified Eco Apples, which is a particular program of integrated pest management where prevention, traps, beneficial insect predators, and other methods are used to control pests, and chemical pesticides are used only as a last resort. Plums, pears, and peaches are easier to grow without pesticides, and some berries get no spray at all. But in the northeast, it’s impossible to grow apples that way.
The other thing you should remember is that Breezy Hill is an orchard. We’ll be getting rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, and pears — but make no mistake, we’ll be getting lots of apples.
Full share: $210
Half share: $105
The fruit season starts one week later than our vegetables, and will take a week off within the first month when there’s nothing to harvest, so we’ll be getting only 21 weeks of fruit.
CSA Extras: Cheese
Farmer Dave has finally come through on his promise to make cheese at Woodbridge Farm, and is offering a dairy extra to the CSA. Artisan cheese recipes akin to Gruyere, Tomme, Washed Rind, Feta, Camembert, and Chaource (to name a few) will be delivered each week along with our fresh vegetables. (When available, yogurt may be substituted for cheese.)
Full share: 1/2 lb. per week — $180
Half share: 1/4 lb. per week — $90
Look for an announcement soon about how to sign up.
Meet the Farmers Recap
We had a great meeting last night where we got to bring all the pieces of our CSA together: Abrons Arts Center, represented by Jay Wegman and Rose Ortiz; Henry Street Settlement, represented by David Garza; Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry, represented by Nivia Mendez; and our farmers, David and Julia Smagorinsky.
Thanks to everyone who participated, and all our members who came and tried the cheese!
The light was pretty dismal for phone camera pictures, but for the record is our slide show below:
Organic Beef! First-Come, First-Served
Kezialain Farm in Westtown, NY will be offering us certified organic, 100% grassfed beef in early June. They are offering us a 20lb mixed package or a 10lb ground beef package, delivered vacuum packed and frozen. If it seems like too much for your freezer, consider sharing with a neighbor! If we are happy with the beef there can be options in the future for 40lb packs, eighths or quarters. More details are on the beef order form.
There are only 4 cows being processed this time around. Although that means 1600+ pounds of beef, we are competing with many other customers since orders will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. So, our apologies for such an immediate deadline, but after speaking to our farmer (who seems so authentic and lovely) it seemed necessary.
The form we’re linking to here needs to be 1) printed out and filled out by you 2) mailed, along with a check to Martha at Kezialain Farm by Wednesday, March 17.
For those who miss the deadline: We will touch base with Martha after the 17th and if more beef is available we will let you know.
There is a total delivery charge of $100 which will be split among everyone who orders (not to exceed $10/head). We will let you know how much that is before the delivery so we can collect the remainder at the delivery.
Please stay tuned for more information regarding FRUIT, EGG, AND CHEESE shares! We can’t wait for this season to begin!
Meet the Farmers
We’re really glad to be holding this event next Tuesday night at Abrons Arts Center (466 Grand St.). Dave and Julia Smagorinsky of Woodbridge Farm will join us, as will representatives from Breezy Hill Orchard. In addition, we expect to be joined by staff members of Henry Street Settlement and Abrons Arts Center, who host our distribution during the season, and Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry, where any extra food goes at the end of distribution.
Core Group members will be available to answer your questions about the CSA, and we’ll be presenting you with information about extras you can sign up for: fruit, from Breezy Hill Orchard; eggs, from Knoll Crest Farms; cheese, from Woodbridge Farm; and 100% grassfed beef, from Kezialain Farm.
You’ll also have the chance to sign up for your two volunteer spots, pay off the balance of your membership, buy a Grand Street CSA canvas bag for $10.