Hunter Farms Logo
February 19th, 2015
Farm News

Last week we introduced Katie Chriest as the director of our upcoming Farm To Yoga Program.  Pictured above enjoying her garden, Katie also graciously agreed to be a contributor to the Farm Newsletter.  Her energy and expertise are most welcome.



Like so many of the wonders of humankind, I discovered Hunter Farms on Craigslist. I was browsing the Farm and Garden section (again) and came across a post selling organic blueberry bushes. Two questions sprang to mind: 1) How many bushes can we fit in our tiny backyard? and 2) How did I not know about this?

That second one's easy. I'm a late arrival to the world of edible gardening (as evidenced by the paltry carrots I'm harvesting in the above photo). And it's taken me awhile to comprehend the critical role our food has in keeping our land, water, selves, and communities free and healthy. But now I see supporting organic farming, eating locally, and growing your own food as ultimate acts of self-reliance, patriotism, and citizenship. When we wonder how we can individually mitigate many of the overwhelming issues we face, what we put on our plates is a pretty solid place to start. 

  

Ultimately, local, healthy food can sustain us, but only if we sustain it. We really, truly are what we eat. (Even if we find it on Craigslist.)

 

I'll be chiming in about regional food issues here and in the Erie Reader, where this article about injustices surrounding modern food ran about a month ago. If you know about any food-related issues that could use some attention, you're welcome to contact me at [email protected]. Or, just post your ideas in the Farm and Garden section on Craigslist. I'll find them eventually.

 

CSA News
  
2015 CSA

A 5% Early Signup Discount is available through February

The 2015 USDA Certified Organic shares will be distributed in returnable, half bushel, food grade, sanitized bins.  This volume is roughly equal to a full paper grocery bag.  Distributions will be on Saturdays. 

We offer two options:  A full season membership will consist of twenty weekly distributions beginning on Saturday, June 13th, with the final distribution on Saturday, October 24th. 

A core membership will consist of ten weekly distributions beginning on Saturday, July 11th, with the final distribution on Saturday, September 12th.

The cost of the full season membership is $600.00
The cost of the core season membership is $300.00

The number of memberships is limited. Beginning on January 1st. 2015 we will begin accepting a 10% deposit ensuring a space is reserved for your choice of membership options. Past members, and everyone on our waiting list, will be guaranteed a 2015 membership as long as a deposit or full payment is made through the month of January.  After January we will open any remaining memberships to the public.

Any member wishing to pay in full during the month of January will receive a 10% discount.  Full payment made in February will be discounted 5%. In keeping with the original concept of CSA's, this provides meaningful savings to members while aiding the farm with early expenses for organic seed, propagation. and planting.

Full payment for the full season share will be due on or before May 1st.
Full payment for the core season share will be due on or before June 1st.

We anticipate using the same drop sites as last season.  Competitive Gear Bicycle Shop in Millcreek, and  the Whole Foods Co-Op in Erie.  We are looking into the possibility of adding others in the east and south county.

We are continuing our home delivery option.  Final details for the delivery program, and CSA sign up forms will be made available in next week's newsletter.  We are very much looking forward to serving our 2015 CSA members. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

Available at the Farm Store


 


New Item!

We are pleased to announce a new addition to the farm store line up. Our partners at Clarion River Organics sent up some of these wonderful chocolate morsels for us to try, we loved them.  It is hard to find great tasting chocolate with a high organic content, but these morsels far exceeded our expectations. Divani Chocolatier is a family owned business in Foxburg PA. http://divanichocolate.com/visit-us/  Foxburg is a delightful, Allegheny River Town, about an hour and a half drive from Erie. http://www.visitpago.com/counties/clarion/foxburg/    We believe the combination of great taste, high organic content, locally produced, and high anti oxidant content makes these fine chocolates a perfect addition to our store inventory.

Open Saturdays 9:00 to 5:00 
Or By Appointment 

 

 

Local Products: 

Divani Organic Chocolates 
Middlefield Original Cheese CO-OP Cheese 
Aivilas Dog And Cat Food 
"Buzz" Run Honey From Our Farm's Hives 
Hand-thrown Pottery by Mel's Pot Shop
Happy Mug Organic Coffees
Old State Farms Maple Syrup
Clarion Rivers Organics Canned Goods and Breakfast Cereals 
Frankferd Farms Pastry Mixes and Blue Corn Tortilla Chips 
ReCap Regular and Wide Mouth Jar Lids 
Fresh Little Farm Girl Handmade Soaps and Sundries
Simply Body Soap Nets
Local Honey and Beeswax Candles 
Grabski Farm Eggs and Antibiotic & Hormone-Free Meats
Beelzebub's Salsas and Spicy Pickles
NOW Aromatherapy Essential Oils 
Garden of Eden Organic Canned Goods 
 
Interesting Links 

Hunter Farms is proudly celebrating our twentieth year being Certified Organic. While organic has been slow to be appreciated in our area, it is encouraging to look at the world wide trend towards organic food production. The percentage of organic production may still be small, but the long term tend is encouraging as documented in the Christian Science Monitor article linked below.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Progress-Watch/2015/0217/Organic-farming-continues-to-rise-across-the-globe
 

   
Hunter Farms Crew

Hunter Farms | | [email protected] |
7269 Sterrettania Rd, P.O. Box 478
Fairview, PA 16415