Hunter Farms Logo
March 31st 2016
Farm News

Bee Breakfast
 
Farm Beekeeper Al Machinski checks on the status of our hives regularly.  The bees have been extremely active on warmer days and after a long winter's wait Al is pleased to see the current maple tree bloom. The maple flowers, pictured above and below, provide a bountiful means for the bees to break their fast.  They are exploiting it to the max.


  
Everywhere we look the skyline is dominated by the striking red maple flowers  

 Final Step  
 
Last week's newsletter showed us removing all the trimmed material from the blueberry fields.  As we mentioned then, any crop residue left in, or near the production area is attractive to pests and pathogens that could be transferred to the producing plants.  Even though we are not thrilled with open burning that adds co2 to the atmosphere it still remains the lesser of the environmental evils when compared to trucking and transporting the material away from the farm.

CSA News


 
 

Our CSA program depends on members whose actions and community support create many positive benefits reaching far beyond the participants themselves.  Similar far reaching social good is achieved by the work done at the Bradley H. Foulk Children's Advocacy Center. www.cacerie.org The center's Executive Director and CSA member Michael Gains, and his wife Denise announced an important fundraising event scheduled for this Sunday benefiting abused and neglected children.  We are proud to support this worthy cause and we urge other CSA members and their families to participate in this high impact and fun event.   

Proceeds benefit
The Bradley H. Foulk
Children's Advocacy Center
Sunday, April 3, 2016
1:00 - 4:00 P.M.
at the
Medaille Room
Villa Maria Elementary Campus
2549 West 8th
Street, Erie, PA
Join Us in Tasting a Variety of
Delicious Cupcakes from
Local Businesses!
Place your vote
for Erie's Best Cupcake!
Tickets: $8.00 at the door
Advance tickets available
by calling (814)-451-0202

2016 CSA

The 2016 USDA Certified Organic weekly shares will be approximately one half bushel in size. This volume is roughly equal to a full paper grocery bag.  Non corporate distributions will be on Saturdays.   
 
We offer two options:   
  FULL season memberships will consist of eighteen weekly distributions beginning on Saturday, June 18th. with the final distribution on Saturday, October 15th. 

CORE season memberships will consist of ten weekly distributions beginning on Saturday, July 16th, with the final distribution on Saturday, September 17th.

The cost of the full season membership is $600.00 
Full season membership with home delivery is $750.00

The cost of the core season membership is $350.00 
Core season membership with home delivery is $435.00

The number of memberships is limited. We are now accepting a 10% deposit ensuring a share is reserved for your choice of membership options.      
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.

New this year! 
Announcing a corporate CSA program.  
We will begin partnering with area companies and institutions that have employees wishing to receive CSA distributions. Deliveries will be made directly to the partner's location on either Thursday, or Friday afternoons near the end of the business day. We believe this will allow us to more efficiently spread out our harvest and distributions while providing convenience and additional opportunities for area residents to receive fresh, local, organic produce. Please contact the farm for additional details.   

In addition to picking up the shares here at the farm 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. 
 
Home delivery is available in the city of Erie and the following townships;  Fairview, Franklin, Girard, Greene, Harborcreek, McKean, Millcreek, Summit, Washington, and Waterford

  Sign up forms are available at the farm, or you can sign up electronically on the CSA page at  www.hunterfarmsorganic.com  Past members with no change in contact information can simply let us know you wish to sign up.  We can complete the form for you using the information in our records.

We are very much looking forward to serving our 2016 CSA members! Please feel free to contact us with any questions. 
 
 

Available at the Farm Store

New Item!

We are excited to announce the addition of a unique line of locally handmade jewelry.  Knots, Gnarls, & Beads- by Debbie Yeaney.
Debbie mixes a variety of natural cotton, synthetics, and jute materials to make these one of a kind pieces.  Incorporating beads, gems, and natural stones brilliantly accent the art. Debbie uses knotting techniques from cultures spanning the globe including Chinese, Celtic, Macrame, and many decorative styles of fusion knots. Stop by the farm store and check out the latest addition to collection of locally produced arts and crafts.     
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Also Available at the farm Store:  
 
Blueberry Bushes
Fresh Little Farm Girl Soaps and Body Care Products
Porter "Buzz Run" Honey From Our Farm's Hives   
Happy Mug Coffees 
Old State Farms Maple Syrup 
Middlefield Original Cheese CO-OP Roll Butter  
Hand-Thrown Pottery by Mel's Pot Shop    
Simply Body Soap Nets
Grabski Farms Antibiotic & Hormone-Free Meats
 Grabski Farms Free Range Chicken Eggs
Miller's Country Jam   
Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Cheese  
Vorisek's Handmade Pure Beeswax Candles
Beelzebub's Salsa, Pickles, and Golden Eggs

Store Hours:   9:00 to 5:00 Saturdays, or by appointment 


Interesting Links

NEW YORK - Improving food security can help build sustainable peace and even ward off looming conflict, FAO Director-General Jos� Graziano da Silva told members of the United Nations Security Council. "We know that actions to promote food security can help prevent a crisis, mitigate its impac... 
Hunter Farms Crew

Hunter Farms | | [email protected] |
7269 Sterrettania Rd, P.O. Box 478
Fairview, PA 16415
814-840-4370

Hunter Farms | 7269 Sterrettania Road | P.O. Box 478 | Fairview | PA | 16415