Week 13, August 31, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag
Tomatoes
Sweet Corn
Carrots
Cucumber
Onions
Melon
Lettuce
Green Beans
Sweet colored peppers
Herbs - Basil and Garlic

Recipes of the Week Three Pepper Pasta Salad

News from the Field

Welcome members: Well who was expecting a heat wave in September, but here it is. I am sure this will put this summer in one of the warmest ever categories. Especially since the last two summers were so cold and wet. We are trying to keep the irrigation running through these hot spells. The cucumbers and summer squashes are such water loving vegetables that the plants will start to wilt as they try to give all their fluids to the heat. The onions are nicely drying out in the hot sun. The peppers are all starting to ripen into beautiful shades of oranges and reds.
The Story of Peppers
Peppers are used by many different nationalities from Mexican, Spanish, Thai, Indian, Asian, African, and many others including American recipes. Peppers come in many shapes and colors. Did you know that if you have a green pepper it is not ripe until it turns into the red/yellow/orange stage? That process usually takes nearly a month longer which is why the colored peppers cost more at the store. The mildest peppers are the sweet bell peppers and some smaller snacking size varieties. Banana and Aruba peppers are also sweet and great for frying.
Hot peppers are usually measured in scoville units. The higher the scoville number the hotter the pepper. The hottest peppers are scotch bonnets and habaneros which have a score of anywhere from 60,000 to 300,000 units. The capsaicin, which is what causes the burning sensation and can even cause a blister on your tongue. Capsaicin dissolves easily in the fats found in dairy products. So enjoy a little sour cream when you're feeling the heat.
Enjoy your tasty veggies and melon. - Anne Tisbert

Week 12, August 24, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag
Potatoes
Corn
Carrots
Savoy Cabbage
Onions
Cucumber
Squash (choice of zuke, summer or patty pan)
Green Beans
Gold Chard
Peppers - HOT
Tomatoes
Herbs ~ garlic

Also at the Farm Stand

Sweet Corn - grown at Valley Dream Farm
Peaches - grown locally*
Boyden Farm ~ beef*
Maple Shade Farm ~ maple syrup*
Doe's Leap Farm ~ organic goat cheeses*

* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week

Carrots with Honey Mustard Sauce

News from the Field
We are having an exceptionally great weather year and hope you are enjoying the plentiful harvest. Many of the vegetables that you are receiving will continue right into fall. Think of how healthy you are eating this summer. IF you are struggling to keep up with your vegetable consumption, here are a few suggestions:

1. Donate to a neighbor or a nearby senior citizen. (Most grew up with large gardens and they have a special fondness for fresh vegetables.)
2. Try to eat 2 veggies with every dinner, make one an appetizer or a dessert.
3. Always put veggies in your sandwich.
4. Make a big pot of veggie soup and freeze it for the coming frosty days ahead.
5. Try a new recipe (I like epicuriuos.com where you just scroll down and type in your veggie into an empty search box and it will soon come up with tons of different recipes with that ingredient in it, all at no charge)
6. Put up some veggies in the freezer.
7. Preserving vegetables by canning is a fun project if you have the right supplies and tools. You will need a large deep pot or canner with a lid, a jar grabber, wide mouth funnel, and canning jars with new lids and rings. (I use the "Blue Book" by Ball. You can usually find it right next to the canning supplies at the store. There is also a section on freezing and jams, jellies, and pickles.)

Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

Week 11, August 17, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag
Corn
Zucchini
Carrots
Onions
Green Beans
Cucumber
Radish
Lettuce
Peppers
Tomatoes
Garlic

Also at the Farm Stand
produced locally...*
Boyden Farm ~ beef
Does' Leap Farm ~ organic goat cheese
Maple Shade Farm ~ maple syrup
Twiss Hill Farm ~ frozen whole organic chicken
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week
Quinoa and Green Bean Tabbouleh
Radish Tea Sandwiches

News from the Field
Green Beans are here! The anticipation of such tender succulent beans is a sure sign of summer. When shopping look for firm green or colored beans and stay away from rusty spotted or old leathery beans. A fresh bean will snap crisply and is velvety to the touch. Skip the beans that you can feel a bean seed bulging inside as they are past their prime and moving on into the seed stage instead of the green vegetable stage you are looking for.
Have you ever purchased green beans brought them home, washed them and put them in the refrigerator only to notice that your green beans developed rusting or browning spots? What could be causing this problem? Usually green beans will get rusty looking if they have been picked in the early morning, when the dew is still on the bushes. This is a fungus that will appear after the beans get wet. Therefore store them in your refrigerator in plastic but do not wash them until just before you are ready to eat the beans or prepare them for cooking.
There are many kinds of beans available. Green or string (which refers to older varieties that required you to pull a string down the length of the bean before eating), yellow often referred to as wax beans as they are not always as velvety as the green, and now there are purple beans that are easy to find on the plant and turn green when cooked.
Whatever you name green beans, I hope you enjoy them frequently in the summer when they're at their peak. When they're seasonal and regional, there's nothing as tasty as boiled beans.
Please enjoy our fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

Week 10, August 10, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag

Potatoes
Beets or Kohlrabi
Corn
Zucchini
Carrots
Broccoli
Cucumber
Radish
Lettuce
Tomato
Garlic



Also at the Farm Stand

produced locally...*

Blueberries ~ grown in the valley
Maple Shade Farm ~ Maple Syrup
Boyden Farm ~ beef
Twiss Hill Farm ~ Chicken
Free range eggs

* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.


Recipes of the Week

Fusilli with Corn and Tomatoes


News from the Field

We are very fortunate to have such wonderful growing weather this season. Most vegetables like the heat as long as there is plenty of water too. Thanks to our irrigations system we are able to keep the plants growing and the workers are keeping the weeds at bay. It never seems like true summer until the sweet corn begins. We hope you have enjoyed the sweet corn you received last week. Last year our members waited through a cold and wet June and July only to be disappointed to hear that we had over 140 dozen of our corn stolen. It was taken right from the field, during the middle of the night. We have moved the corn closer to home this year hoping to prevent that from happening again. It was around 11 pm when the phone rang and it as the neighbor telling me that there were men and dogs in the corn. I panicked thinking it was the thieves from the year before. Then I calmed down and remembered that we had asked a local coon hunter to stop by.

Corn has many predators besides the two legged variety. Birds love to eat the seeds as they emerge from the ground. We cover the newly planted rows with row covers to help protect the seeds. Birds also like to be in the corn to eat the corn borer and ear worms. Skunks will chew the bottom of the stalk to make it fall over and easier to get to the ears. Bears will roll around and flatten the stalks and then eat some and leave the rest. Most notorious are the raccoons. They have such a keen sense of smell. They know exactly when that corn is ready. They did get into the first planting just as it was starting to ripen. Thanks to the hunters and dogs and the double strand of electric fence, we have seen little new damage. We also try to stay ahead of any bugs (traveling to us by the storms) by using our organic sprays.

This year we have tried 2 new varieties of corn. The first is a smaller ear called"Sweet Chorus" and the second is a larger variety just starting to ripen called "Sweet Rhythm". Let us know how you like these varieties.

Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

Week 9, August 3, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag this week:
Potatoes
Beets w/ greens
Sweet Corn
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Broccoli
Cucumber
Cabbage ~ Arrowhead, Green or Nappa
Gold Chard
Lettuce
Tomato
Herb ~ Basil

Also at the Farm Stand
produced locally...*
Boyden Farm ~ beef
Maple Shade Farm ~ maple syrup
Twiss Hill Farm ~ whole chicken
Free range eggs
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week

Anne's Quick Cheese Sauce

News from the Field

Are you wishing you had a few more vegetables each week?

If a single share is not enough give us a call and we will be happy to upgrade you (on a pro-rated basis) to a regular size share. Additional items are always available for purchase in the farm store or you can pre-order and receiver with your regular delivery.

Organic means that we do not use any synthetic chemicals or insecticides on your vegetables. So the cute little white butterflies that you see in the fields are actually pests looking to lay their eggs on their favorite crops. We do our best to remove any pests but as a precautionary measure we recommend you use a pre-soak or wash for all vegetables. See instructions for broccoli below. Some years we have more pressure than others, and this year there are almost none.
When you buy broccoli at the market it has been treated for tiny inch worms. For organic farm fresh broccoli you should soak it in a large pan or sink of cool water with a 1/2 cup of salt and a weighted plate on top. Leave for 15 minutes. Any worms will fall to the bottom of the sink. Remove broccoli and rinse. Then store in a plastic bag in the coldest pat of the fridge.

Broccoli is very high in vitamin C and is always popular at our house. When sitting down to a family dinner one of the children would hold up a piece of broccoli on their fork and ask Farmer Joe, "Dad, what kind of tree is this?" He would only pause for a second and say, "Oh, that's a Peach tree", soon to be followed by another child questioning "Well, what about this one?" "Oh yes, that's an apple tree", he would say and so it would continue until all their plates were clean and all the broccoli was gone. Now the kids are in their 20's and every once in a while when broccoli is served one of them will ask him again what type of tree they are about to eat. As we all chuckle, he continues with a straight face and says, "Well, that looks like a pear tree to me."

A new movement called "Slow Food" has started. You and your family can join in by spending meal times together. Make some of your own silly memories. Your kids are guaranteed to never let you forget.

Enjoy your fresh organic vegetables.

Anne Tisbert

Week 8, July 27, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?
In Your CSA Bag
Zucchini or Summer Squash ~ 2
Chard ~ 1 bunch
Beets w/ greens ~ 1 bunch
Cucumber ~ 1
Red Russian Kale ~ 1 bunch
Lettuce ~ 1 head
Green Beans or Snow peas~ 1 handful
Fava Beans ~ 1 quart
Red or Gold Potatoes ~ 1 quart
Napa Cabbage ~ 1 head
Garlic Scapes ~ 4
Herb ~ Rosemary

Also at the Farm Standproduced locally...*
Sweet Corn ~ finally our own
Beef ~ Boyden Farm
Blueberries ~ locally grown, picked by Valley Dream Farm
Amish Peaches
Maple Syrup ~ Maple Shade Farm, Cambridge
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week
Grilled Fava Beans
Fava Bean Bruschetta

News from the Field
Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

What is that ugly looking bean pod in my bag this week?
The answer is FAVA BEAN!
"With their rich, meaty flavor, Fava Beans are the true stars of the legume family. You may have had them canned, dried, or frozen, but you really haven't had Fava Beans until you've savored them fresh and tender, direct from the field. They're such a delectable seasonal treat that connoisseurs will completely re-arrange that night's dinner menu to accommodate these marvelous beans. Much of the joy of Fava Beans comes from their versatility: fantastic by themselves, but also spectacular in combination with other ingredients in the creation of sumptuous dishes. A staple of Italian cooking, Fava Beans make superb dips and other appetizers, but they're also great in salads, sauces , sautes, stew, pastas, and risottos.

The Fava bean is actually an old-world tradition that is growing in popularity with knowledgeable cooks in the 21st century. For sheer longevity, you'd be hard-pressed to find a food that dates back further. They've been found in some of the earliest-known human settlements. Most often associated with Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisines, the Chinese have also enjoyed them for more than 5,000 years. Fava Beans are also known by an amazing variety of other names: Broad Beans, Windsor Beans, Horse Beans, and even Pigeon Beans. By any name, Fava Beans are among the all-time great culinary vegetables." Ocean Mist Farms

How to store: To store Fava Bean pods, place them in a plastic bag in the crisper section of the refrigerator right away. The pods will keep fro five to seven days in the refrigerator.
Store cook and peeled Fava beans in plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.

How to Cook: Cook Beans in a large saucepan in plenty of boiling water until tender, about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the bean. Drain well and rinse with cold water to cool. Peel outer shell of bean before eating.

Nutritional Value: Could Fava beans help keep us young? They have high concentrations of L-dopa (dopamine), an amino acid that is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Dopamine plays a role in the brain in such activities as memory, energy, and sex drive. Dopamine levels decline in brain cells as we age, so who knows what role Fava Beans might play in keeping these levenls up. We do know for sure that Fave Beans are low in calories and in fat, with no cholesterol. In a 1 Cup serving they're high in protein (an unbelievable 39g), iron (56 % RDA) and fiber, (37g), and are also good sources of vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium.

Week # 7, July 20, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag
Tomatoes ~ 1 large/1 small
Zucchini ~ 2
Summer Squash ~ 2
Beets w/ greens ~ 1 bunch
Cucumber ~ 1
Red Kale ~ 1 bunch
Lettuce ~ Choice 1 head
Sugar Peas ~ 1 quart
Blueberries ~ 1 pint
Herbs ~ Garlic Scapes

Also at the Farm Standproduced locally...*
Boyden Farm ~ beef
Green Top Farm ~ lamb & pork
Maple Shade Farm ~ maple syrup
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week
Brown Sugar Glazed Beets
Beet Raspberry Soup
Polka-dotted Pancakes

News from the Field
How are you enjoying the bounty of vegetables? Are you able to keep up with them all? It is amazing how fast they can disappear when you are munching on raw carrots, peas, cukes and even broccoli and zucchini as snacks. It also helps to keep those calories down, too. They all taste delicious with dip. And it's a great way to get the kids to eat them.
Don't forget to make "Kale Chips" as it's a great way to eat those healthy greens and still get some crunch.
The tomatoes are so terrific that Farmer Joe can often be found in the store with a fresh tomato in hand eating it like an apple. I like to enjoy a tomato sandwich on toast with a slice of cheese.
Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?
In Your CSA Bag
Tomatoes 1 large/1 small
Zucchini - 2
Broccoli Raab - 1 bunch
Broccoli - 1 bunch
Cucumber - 2
Red Russian Kale - 1 bunch
Snow peas - 1 quart
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch

Also at the Farm Standproduced locally...*
Boyden Farm ~ beef
Green Top Farm ~ lamb & pork
Maple Shade Farm ~ Maple syrup
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week

Zucchini Tomato Supreme
Broccoli Raab, Bok Choy, Scapes, Zukes and Pasta

News from the Field
Well it seems like we all made it through last week's heat wave. The vegetables really seem to have taken off with a big growth spurt. We tried to keep the staff cooled off with river swim breaks and popsicles. I am sure glad for the return of cooler summer evenings for sleeping. We were happy to access our irrigation system (which was hardly used during the last two cool and wet summers). Thanks to an observant staff member, we did find an underground leak when he noticed the ground bubbling at the end of the strawberry patch. Farmer Joe rented an excavator and immediately began the dig. Jon helped Joe had dig out the rest of the pipe and so the repairs began. And now the Broken "T" with multiple breaks is fixed. We are up and running again. Even though the forecast is for rain, the vegetables require large amounts of water daily. It helps with growth and reduces stress to the plant. A stronger plant is healthier. A healthier plant is more able to defend itself from diseases, insect and weed pressures during its growth. We are trying to keep ahead of the weeds in the potatoes. Any member wanting to get a little dirty is welcome to pick weeds anytime.

The Zucchini Story
Zucchini is a type of squash. It is in the cucurbit family. Other members of the curcubit family are: all other squashes, pumpkins, gourds, melons, and cucumbers. It does really well with our irrigation because it contains a lot of water. It is also a favorite of several common pests. the stripe cucumber beetle (it looks like a referee with black and yellow striped wings, the size of a lady bug) and the spotted squash bug (has markings like a soccer ball). They can damage blossoms and very young fruits. We plant an earlier trap crop away from the main crop. this helps us to respond with a much smaller amount of organic treatments while still reducing the population.

Please enjoy our fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

Week #5, July 6, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?



In Your CSA Bag

Tomato - 1
Kohlrabi - 2
Broccoli Raab ~ 1 bunch
Cucumber ~ 2
Swiss Chard ~ 1 bunch
Lettuce ~ 1 head
Choice ~ Bok-choy/Zucchini
Herb~garlic scapes



Also at the Farm Stand

produced locally...*

Boyden Farm ~ beef
Green Top Farm ~ lamb & pork ~
organic breads
Free range eggs

* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.



Recipes of the Week

Kohlrabi Coleslaw

Chicken with Broccoli Raab and Penne



News from the Field

We hope you had a Happy 4th of July. We had fun with our float in the Jeffersonville parade. All of our kids were home and helped on the parade route.
We were so happy to have offered you strawberries this season and we are always sad to see them end. Every year farmer Joe says, "Wow! The strawberries really ended quickly this year." And I always reply, "No, they were here for a full 2 weeks just like last year, it's just that we enjoy them so much, and they are so delicious. We want them to last longer! To which he replies, "Yes, I guess you're right, but this year I think they tasted the best we have ever grown." That's when I laugh and think thank goodness I froze a few batches for this winter.

Jay bought 25,000 (yes 25,000) new plants for next year and a new variety that matures later in the season. Hopefully we can stretch the strawberry season a little longer next year.



The Brassica Story: There are many vegetables in the brassica family. It includes vegetables that are commonly grown and know as Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard, Rutabaga, and Turnip. Many of them can be grown for their ornamental leaves. Brassica vegetables are very highly regarded for their nutritional value. They provide high amounts of vitamin C and soluble fiber and contain multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties. Brassicas are common in northern climates due to their tolerance of colder weather.



Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables and stay cool this week!- Anne Tisbert

Week #4, June 29, 2010 CSA Pick up

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag

~ Tomato - one large & one small

~ Swiss Chard

~ Kale (purple)

~ Lettuce

~ Garlic Scapes

~ Choice: Bok-choy or Cucumber

~ Strawberries (get 1 pint/pick 1 pint)

Also at the Farm Stand

produced locally...*

Boyden Farm ~ beef

Green Top Farm ~ lamb & pork

Red Hen Baking Co. ~ organic breads

Maple Shade Farm ~ maple syrup

* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipe of the Week

Avocados with Strawberry Salsa and Tortilla Strips

News from the Field

Strawberries are available for you again this week. They seemed to have peaked this last weekend and are slowing down already. You may have noticed that our berries come a few days later (zone 4) vs. some of the other farms in the area (zone5, closer to the lake). Many people were out picking over the weekend and left with baskets of red, juicy berries. They may not last for another week. This week you may pick one pint for your CSA share (you have one week to pick your pint). Delivery members will receive their pint already picked.

Our Tomato Story:

Our tomatoes were started from seed in February. We grow several different kinds, each for a different purpose. We are also growing different colors this season. We grow special types to be grafted together when whey are about 3-4 inches tall. A root stock with great disease resistance and vigor is grown for the bottom of the new grafted plant and the top of the new grafted plant is chosen for its delicious flavor. Bi-focals and a steady hand are helpful when cutting the plants at similar angles and putting them together with a grafting clip. They are carefully transplanted into larger cells in a shaded incubation chamber an misted for 4 days to allow the grafts to take. Nest they are uncovered fro a week and returned to the sun slowly as the grafts begin to heal and the plants continue to grow. Soon the clips are removed and the new plants are again transplanted into small pots. By March the grafted plants are ready to be planted in the green house in black plastic with trickle tape underneath to keep those thirsty plants happy and the humidity in the greenhouse to a minimum. This is just one way we as organic growers can bring you a better tasting tomato.

Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

CSA Week #3, June 22, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag
Swiss Chard
Bok-Choy
Lettuce - Red Fire Leaf
Cucumbers
Tomato
Strawberries - get 1 pint/pick 1

Also at the Farm Standproduced locally...
*Boyden Farm beef ~ *Fresh eggs ~ *Maple Shade maple syrup
* These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the Week
Garlic Scape Pesto
Fried Scapes
Spinach and Scape Frittata

News from the Field
Strawberries are available this week. You get a pint and you can come and pick a pint for free. You have up to a week to come and pick your free pint. Delivered members will receive a full quart.
The Strawberry Story - Our strawberries were planted last spring and weeded and cared for all summer at the farm. About a month ago we had a late frost. These low temperatures can kill the center of the strawberry blossom, which eventually will become a strawberry. Farmers with irrigation systems had their sprinkler pumps spraying water.
The water freezes and makes an ice coating on the blossoms holding the temperature of the ice, at 32 degrees. This will keep the berry in the center of the blossom from spoiling which happens when the temperature drops to a lower than freezing temps, usually anything lower than 30 degrees. The temperatures can drop very low usually when any of three things happen. 1. a cold front comes down from Canada, 2. There is a full moon, and 3. the skies are clear leaving no cloud cover for thermal warming and between 2-6am are the coldest before the sun rises. This ice coating process is also used on other fruit blossoms when a freeze is expected, such as oranges in Florida. Farmers without irrigation systems lost nearly all their early berry blossoms to freezing temperatures.
Please enjoy our fresh organic vegetables!- Anne Tisbert

Week #2, June 15, 2010

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA BagSpinach ~ Bok-Choy ~ Lettuce ~ Tomato ~ Cucumber ~ Basil

Also at the Farm Standproduced locally...
*Boyden Farm ~ beef
*Free range eggs
*These items are brought into our farm stand to give you a larger selection.

Recipes of the WeekFresh Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Appetiser Salad, Stir-fried Baby Bok-Choy with Garlic

News from the Field
We hope you all enjoyed your vegetables last week. As usual veggies start off slowly in June with lots of greens. This week you have two greens. One for your salad and one for a stir-fry. Bok-Choy is great as a side dish or add some shrimp with rice or pasta for a full meal. We are excited to offer our own tomatoes that were started in the greenhouse in March.
Don't forget to come in with your new "shopping bag", cross your name off the list and pick up your weekly newsletter as you pick out your veggies. It is your bag to keep and re-use weekly. For those with deliveries, please return your bag every week and we will always have another one there for you.
The farm crew for the 2010 season includes: The Tisbert Family (Joe, Anne, Jay, Jon, and the dogs: Zippy and Bella), Tamara(field and greenhouse manager), Geoff, Josh, Shane, Doris, Rudi, Victor(field crew), Anna, Ashley V., Derek, Alex, Erica, Jackie, Tommy, and Crystal(farm stand/greenhouse), and Wendy(book keeper). All of our staff is available to assist you with any purchase or questions that you may have.
Please enjoy your fresh organic vegetables.

Strawberries are coming soon. We are hoping to offer pick your own starting Saturday, June 19, 2010. Please call for availability at 802-644-6598.

This Week at the Farm 5/17/2010

Valley Dream Farm hosted our annual Spring Celebration on Saturday, May 15th. Despite the cool moist weather we had many of members (both new and returning) visiting the greenhouses and tasting all the wonderful foods we offer.

Several of our add-on share vendors came by with their offerings.

Green Top Farm cooked natural meats - beef, lamb, and pork - very delicious.

Doe's Leap Farm offered feta, chevre, and caprella goat cheeses.

Crusty organic breads from Red Hen Baking Company.

Sweet maple syrup from Maple Shade Farm.

The many kids loved the freshly harvested cucumbers from the greenhouse and kids of all ages loved the samples of this years sweet maple syrup. Everyone had lots of energy for the farm tours and checked out many of our improvements including our new Greenhouse #5 and the greenhouses full of cucumbers and tomatoes.

Visitors were given free samples of potatoes and carrots for stopping by and enjoying all the fun.

Our greenhouses are bursting with color and many guests grabbed hanging baskets for their decks and porches. Annuals and veggie starts are available in the greenhouse. It's not to late to start planning your summer garden.

CSA Memberships are still available.

Get an application.

IN THE STORE:

Greenhouse cucumbers- grown at Valley Dream Farm

Greenhouse tomatoes - Grown by a Deep Root Organic Coop member

Lettuce - grown at Valley Dream Farm

Fresh Eggs - Lucky Ladies Coop from Waterville

Boyden Farm Beef - beef raised at Boyden Farm in Cambridge

Apple Butter (organic) - Champlain Orchard, Shoreham

Maple Syrup - Maple Shade Farm, Cambridge

Store is open from 10am-7pm daily.

This Week at the Farm - May 2, 2010

WOW!! What a week it's been. Starting with the snow Tuesday and Wednesday then the beautiful weather over the weekend. The greenhouse is open and the flowers are gorgeous. We have a large assortment of annual flowers and vegetable starts just waiting for you to come and pick them out.


We are still accepting applications for our 2010 CSA. There are many options for you and your family.


Check out an application.


IN THE STORE:

Greenhouse cucumbers

Lettuce

May 2010 Events:

Mothers' Day Weekend, May 8-9, 2010 - $2 off all hanging baskets. FREE Farm Tours (10am-2pm, top of the hour)

Spring Celebration, Saturday, May 15, 2010 - 10am-2pm. Come meet the farmers, staff and our add-on share vendors. Take a tour of the farm (tours start at the top of the hour). Find out more about memberships in our CSA program.

Window Box Weekend, May 22-23, 2010 - Come and learn how to plant your own window box or planter. FREE demos (10am-2pm on the 1/2 hour). Please recycle. Bring your own planter or purchase one of ours. Farm Tours (10am-2pm, top of the hour)

Memorial Day Weekend, May 29-31, 2010 - Come and learn how to make a cemetery planter to remember your loved ones. FREE demos 10am-2pm (on the 1/2 hour) FREE Farm Tours 10am-2pm (start at the top of the hour)

This Week at Valley Dream Farm

This spring we have had all kinds of weather. 80 degree heat one day and 3 inches of snow 2 days later. Got to love Mother Natures spring fertilizer to green everything up.

Yesterday the crew and a couple of guests put plastic on the "New" greenhouse. This is the greenhouse that tried to fly to "OZ" during the big windstorms last winter. Only took a couple of hours to cover. It was quickly filled with all of the onions that Joe has been planting.

The plants that were started in the germination room back in February are now planted in the ground in the greenhouses. The cucumbers are slowly starting to produce for us. A fresh cucumber sliced for dinner is coming your way soon. YUM YUM!! There are even a couple of tomatoes in there.

The greenhouse opens on May 1, 2010.

Hours 10am-6pm daily.

MAY 2010 FARM EVENTS:

Saturday, May 1: Get your hands dirty and learn how to plant veggie starts. Free Demos on the 1/2 hour. All ages welcome. Children will receive their own potted seeds to take home. Farm Walking Tours 10am-2pm (start at the top of the hour)

Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9: Mothers Day Weekend Special - $2 off all hanging baskets. Farm Walking Tours 10am-2pm (start at the top of the hour)

Saturday, May 15: SPRING CELEBRATION - Come and meet the farmers, staff and our vendors. CSA Members can sign up for their add-on shares. Farm Walking Tours 10am-2pm (start at the top of the hour)

Saturday, May 22: Window Planter Day - Come and learn how to plant your own window box or planter. FREE demos on the 1/2 hour . Sale: Buy 2 pansy six packs and get 1 free pansy six pack.

Memorial Day Weekend: Farm Walking Tours 10am-2pm Saturday (start at the top of the hour) Sale on Organic Veggie starts and Cemetery Planters

Have you signed up for your CSA membership? Memberships are still available.

Click here for an application.

This week in the greenhouse

We are still planting Joe's onions. Many more to go. These are onions just starting to come up.
They may look funny to you but they come up bent in half and then straighten. Hard to believe that they will end up baseball size.

Students from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corp are helping us this week. They will assist us in planting more of the onions and will help to erect a new greenhouse that Joe is picking up in Massachusetts this week. The students are very helpful at this time of year. They will usually visit us again during the summer to help with weeding and again in the fall to help with the harvest. The VYCC also is helping other local farms and will work on other local conservation projects. We really appreciate their help.

We are still accepting applications for the 2010 growing season. We are offering both 16 and 24 week shares. Download an application today!

This Week in the Greenhouse

Joe and Jay have been very busy in the green house this week. Pansies were delivered last week and needed to be transplanted. It's amazing how much growth there is in just one week. The picture here shows the pansies that arrived last week (on the left) compared to the pansies that arrived yesterday. The pansies arrive from the grower in a tray that has 512 cells/plants. These are then transplanted into 6 paks that will be available for purchase in mid-May.

Another large project this week is for Joe. He ran out of onions this winter. OH NO! This year he is planting 300,000 seeds. That's about 708 trays of onions to be transplanted on about 1 acre. We all hope that he doesn't run out this year.

We are still accepting applications for this years CSA. We have many options for you to choose from and will deliver FREE to your workplace if you have 5 or more members being delivered.

GET AN APPLICATION HERE!

Wow!! How about that snow? At least 10 inches and it's still falling.

It's very warm in the germination room and this week Anne and Jay are busy grafting tomatoes.

Why do we graft? We do this so that we have the best of our varieties.

These grafts are with plant stock that was started a bout 3 weeks ago. We use Maxifort and Beaufort tomatoes as the bottom, to give a vigorous growth and disease resistance to the top. We use the ever popular Buffalo tomato as the top.

We hope to have these grafted plants in the greenhouse in the ground in about 3 weeks, and tomatoes around the end of May.

We have also started cucumbers to be planted in their own greenhouse and parsley to be planted in the fields when the snow melts.

Don't forget to sign up for this summer's CSA.

2010 CSA Shares

This year we are offering three share levels and two season lengths. You can have flexibility both in price and in your harvest preferences. Choose from 16 weeks of summer crops or a full 24 weeks between June and November.

The economical Senior share (must be over 65) gives you a choice of 5 items each week. The Single share gives you 6 items per week. The Full share lets you haul 10 or 12 different items each week, depending on the harvest.

16 Weeks (summer only)

Full share $350,
Single (6 items) $232,
Senior (5 items) $200

24 Weeks

Full share $495,
Single (6 items) $355,
Senior (5 items) $250

Payment Options

Our 4-payment plan can be arranged for a 5% fee with due dates in 2010 on March 1, April 1, May 1, and June 1.

Please send us your contact information, choice of share level, and your check payable to:

Valley Dream Farm

5901 Pleasant Valley Road,

Cambridge VT 05444

Please enjoy our fresh organic vegetables!
- Anne Tisbert