The emergence of blueberry blossoms is one of the most welcome seasonal events at the farm. The recent, unseasonably warm weather helped the plants along quite a bit. As you can see above, the flowers are finally beginning to open and become ready for pollination. Thankfully, the record-breaking high temperatures we experienced in our region this week helped to offset the delaying effects of our extreme and extended winter. We estimate blueberries will be arriving two, rather than three weeks behind schedule, an unexpected and pleasant surprise.
Last week, we mentioned the damage done by a local black bear to our beekeeper's hives. This week, Al Machinski and cohort Jim Dohanic took action to defend our precious pollinators. Above, you see the pair constructing a solar-powered electrified enclosure. The fence won't do any harm to unwelcome visitors, but hopefully it will be a sufficient deterrent for honey-hungry critters.
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As a continued reminder, the sign-up period for 2014 CSA Season membership is still open. 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.
Due to unusual weather patterns and exceedingly wet soil conditions, planting is about ten days behind schedule. Crew members Becca and Jason, pictured above, were happy to have suitable conditions to begin planting potatoes this week. Although nature has determined to make us a week or so late, getting plants in the ground makes us look forward even more to a bountiful harvest.
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As the seasons change, so do the delicious offerings from our local partners. This Saturday, stop by the Farm Store to pick up a pint of Beelzebub Salsa's most popular seasonal offering, their Strawberry Salsa. Sweet, hot, unique, it's a summery treat that's not to be missed.
Beelzebub's Strawberry Salsa will be available for $5.99 at the Farm Store, located at 7269 Sterrettania Road, currently open Saturdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
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| Available at the Farm Store |
Weekly Special
This week, we're featuring pure beeswax candles from Vorisek's Backyard Bee Farm in Linesville, PA. These 12" tapered candles are long-lasting, smell heavenly, and don't put off the potentially harmful residues and chemicals that artificially-scented, commercial wax candles do. These candles, usually priced at $9.99 per pair, will be available at a discounted price of $7.49 per pair, this week only.
Open Saturdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Asparagus harvest has begun! As you can see, adorable miniature crewmember Ivy, pictured above, is proud to present the first asparagus of the season. It will only last so long, but beginning this Saturday the 17th, we'll have Hunter Farms' fresh, organic asparagus at the farm store. In addition, we'll have wild leeks, a springtime delicacy harvested right here at the farm and fresh, organic chives. Fresh, local, organic produce season has officially begun!
Certified Organic Produce:
Hunter Farms Organic Asparagus
Hunter Farms Wild-Harvested Leeks
Hunter Farms Fresh, Organic Chives
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
Simply Body Soap Nets
Beelzebub's Salsas and Spicy Pickles
NOW Aromatherapy Essential Oils
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A recent posting on British newspaper The Guardian's Sustainable Business blog provides an interesting snapshot of the global food industry. It's a revealing glimpse into the economics and logistics of feeding seven billion people and some of the included facts may surprise you. For instance, worldwide food production allows for an ample supply of food for each person on the planet, yet economic, environmental, and political conditions lead to a disturbing disparity in which an estimated 842 million people go hungry each day, while more than 1.5 billion people are considered obese. Check out the link below for an enlightening survey of the global food industry.
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