Taking advantage of the short thaw last week, we were able to get into the fields and begin trimming the blueberry bushes. Above you see one of the many birds' nests, now abandoned, that we encounter in the bushes while trimming each season. It is always gratifying to find signs of wildlife among our crops. These types of discoveries lend a great deal of credence to the contention that conventional farming using pesticides creates biological deserts, while organic farming methods help sustain ecosystems which enjoy greater biological diversity. In addition to our specific wildlife habitat initiatives, we are happy that the farming methods we employ further our goal to act as responsible stewards of our environment, an environment of which Hunter Farms is but a small part.
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As a continued reminder, the sign-up period for the 2014 CSA Season has officially begun. Order forms can be found below and at the farm's website at hunterfarmsorganic.com/CSA.html. Please don't hesitate to call us at 814 840 4370 or send us an email to hunterfarms@yahoo.com if you have questions or need assistance of any kind.
To date, we've received quite a few requests for information regarding specific CSA drop sites for the upcoming 2014 CSA season. Presently, we have one definite site: Competitive Gear bicycle shop, located at 3501 W. 12th street in Erie. We would like to determine an arrangement of drop sites that best serves all CSA members, so we're asking for your input. We welcome your suggestions of general geographic areas as well as specific sites that may be well-suited to act as drop-sites in 2014. Send us an email at hunterfarms@yahoo.com. We thank you and look forward to your responses. |
| Available at the Farm Store |
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Open Saturdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Certified Organic:
Beets
Butternut Squash
Cabbage
Dried Herbs
Elephant Garlic
Potatoes
Yellow Onions
Beelzebub's Salsas and Spicy Pickles
NOW Aromatherapy Essential Oils
Old State Farms Maple Syrup and Maple Products
Clarion Rivers Organics Canned Goods and Breakfast Cereals
Frankferd Farms Pastry Mixes and Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
ReCap Regular and Wide Mouth Jar Lids
Out of the Grey Organic Teas
Hunter Farms Organic Blueberry Plants
Hunter Farms Organic Blueberry and Strawberry Jam
Fresh Little Farm Girl Handmade Soaps and Sundries
Local Honey and Beeswax Candles
Grabski Farm Eggs and Antibiotic & Hormone-Free Meats
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It seems that technology continues to creep into daily life at an increasing rate and even farming is not entirely immune to this trend. Although we don't currently employ them at Hunter Farms, automated farming implements which use GPS to navigate, plant, weed, and harvest with precision and without a human operator are now quite common. These pieces of equipment collect and generate vast quantities of data - some of which farmers are now beginning to send wirelessly to large offsite databases for storage and analysis - and agricultural industry giant Monsanto and other organizations are battling over access and use of this data. Will this be to the detriment or benefit of farmers, local food systems, or consumers? Check out the link below and decide for yourself.
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