Strawberry Day 2017…What a Fun Day!

 By Farmers Richard & Andrea

Last Sunday we hosted our 24th annual Strawberry Day event at the farm. While this day is sometimes a scorcher, we were pleased to have a very pleasant day for the party. With just a little rain overnight and a few clouds passing through, we made it through the day with just a few sprinkles of rain. The cloud cover and temperatures in the 70’s was the perfect backdrop for comfortable strawberry picking. We had an estimated 120-130 members in attendance. One member referred to our visitors as members of our “fan club.” Our “fan club” included people ranging in age from the very little ones riding in carriers with their moms to seasoned veterans returning to the farm for another visit to check in on us and make sure we still know what we’re doing!  

We started off the event with our annual potluck. We enjoy seeing our vegetables return to the farm in various forms. Jars of fermented vegetables and salsas preserved from last year’s bounty, pasta tossed with garlic scape pesto garnished with sugar snap peas and baby white turnips, and strawberry-rhubarb lemonade were just a few of the foods that made their way to this year’s potluck. We also enjoyed a delicious and refreshing batch of Strawberry Basil Kombucha made with our strawberries and basil by NessAlla. Of course a farm party isn’t complete without Iced Maple Latte made with cold brew coffee from Kickapoo coffee!

After the potluck, we loaded up the harvest wagons and made our way to the fields to check out some crops.  We enjoy taking members to the fields every year and feel that it makes your CSA experience so much more personal and meaningful when you can see for yourselves what it takes to grow and care for your vegetables.  Field tours have also proven to be a very meaningful and formative experience for children who visit the farm, and this year was no different.  On our first stop, Richard took a group over to check out the onions.  He showed them how to pull the purple scallions, clean them, and then of course you have to eat them!  This year’s purple scallions are pretty pungent, but that didn’t deter some of the kids and adults alike to try eating them raw right there in the field.  Richard was afraid the hot onions might leave a negative impression on one young member, but quite the contrary.  She did acknowledge they were hot, but described it as a “good hot.”  Not the kind of heat you get from hot salsa, but rather a healthy kind of hot.  She didn’t even fall victim to onion crying!  On the other side of the field, Andrea showed a group of members how to pick basil and rainbow chard.  Everyone commented about how fresh the basil smelled when it was picked right there in the field!  A few people who had never tasted fresh basil were able to pick some and get their first taste right there in the field.  Next to the basil we found the rainbow chard.  There were a few children and adults who were not familiar with this vegetable, so we found some big leaves to pick and sample.  Everyone who tried it agreed that it was pretty tasty.  What a sight to see children munching on a chard leaf in the field!  Awesome!

The next stop on our tour was the potato field.  One member made an observation when we were in the field that when Farmer Richard picks up a carrot fork and starts walking, everyone follows in anticipation of what he might find!  We wanted to stop at this field so we could dig some potato plants and check the progress.  First we had to identify the early variety, Red Norland.  Once we found that variety in the field we looked for plants with blossoms and hopefully some cracking on the ground around the plant which would indicate potatoes swelling and growing underneath.  We dug a few plants, and did find some potatoes, but they were tiny!  We did make the assessment that we need to give them a few more weeks before we start harvesting them, but we observed great potential on the plants we took a look at!  There were as many as 10 potatoes forming on one of the plants. With a few more weeks to grow, we should get pretty good yields on our harvest.  As we walked back to the wagons we took a look at the winter squash crop which looks pretty nice.  At this point we paused to take a vote as to where to go next and the consensus from the group was to move on to STRAWBERRIES!  

As we approached the field, we could smell the scent of the berries wafting our way.  Even though we were at the tail end of the season, there were still nice berries in the field.  It just took a little more time and patience to find them, but we didn’t have the hot sun beating down on our backs so everyone just settled into picking and took their time.  There was plenty of sampling in the field, but no one declared themselves too hungry for strawberry ice cream!  There were over 200 pounds of strawberries picked on Sunday.  We didn’t weigh any children or adults before and after picking, so this is just an estimate of the berries picked and eaten in the field as well as those that were taken home.  

When the wagons returned to the farm, we all enjoyed a bowl of strawberry ice cream.  This is a highlight of every Strawberry Day as this is one-of-a kind ice cream made for us by Castle Rock Organic Dairy using our very own strawberries in a higher ratio than normal.  It was described as the “best ice cream ever” and many people commented about how creamy it was….as they ate a second serving!

Over the course of the day we enjoyed our conversations with members, both those we have known for years as well as new members visiting the farm for the first time!  We watched children playing together throughout the day.  Some used their imaginations to pretend the wagon was their pirate ship and they showed us handfuls of their “gold,” which we usually just call gravel.  We had some runners in the group too.  When they got off the wagons they started at one end of the field and ran the entire length of the field and back!  What energy!  It must be all the organic vegetables they are eating!  It’s wonderful to see children feeling free to run, play, experience and enjoy their day on the farm.  

We are grateful to everyone who took the time to come and spend the day with us.  We appreciate the opportunity to visit with you, show you our farm, and get to know you more personally.  Your faces and stories stay with us and we think of you throughout the year as we work.  We would also like to thank our crew members who volunteered to help us set up, clean up, assist in the strawberry field, drive the tractors, etc.  We couldn’t do this all by ourselves and we appreciate their willingness to participate in making this a fun and memorable day for everyone.

If you weren’t able to make it to the farm for Strawberry Day, we hope you’ll consider joining us for the Harvest Party in the fall.  We’ll have field tours, pumpkin picking, live music, games and another delicious potluck!

Strawberry Day…We had so much fun!

by Andrea Yoder

This past weekend we hosted our annual Strawberry Day CSA event.  We had a gorgeous, sunny day for the party and were thrilled to have over 200 CSA members in attendance!  While we had many members who were enjoying their first visit to the farm, we also enjoyed seeing some of our longtime members and friends return to enjoy the day. We also had a group of happy campers enjoy a night under the stars in our valley! 

   

We started the party with a picnic potluck lunch, and let me tell you this was one of the best potluck

spreads I think we’ve ever seen!  We also enjoyed delicious iced maple latte made with Kickapoo Coffee’s cold-pressed coffee, Castle Rock Organic Dairy’s milk and Alvin Miller’s organic maple syrup.  The other cold beverage treat we enjoyed was a special batch of strawberry-basil kombucha made by NessAlla with HVF strawberries and basil!  Once we had all satisfied our mid-day hunger, we piled onto 5 wagons and ventured to the fields.  Our first stop was near the kale and collard field. Farmer Richard walked the field with some of the members on his wagon. Together they decided red curly kale was the first variety we should harvest for this week’s boxes. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

 Next stop along the way was at our Hammel Farm.  At this stop we checked out the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage crops that will all be ready for harvest within the next few weeks.  We jumped back on the wagons and circled around the farm to get a good look at the peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos….all of which are looking great!!  Along the way we had the opportunity to answer a lot of excellent questions about the crops, the land, farming techniques, methods for controlling pests, how do we decide what to grow and how much and even a few equipment questions that I had to recruit some help from the crew members.  We were very impressed with the interest and thoughtful questions everyone asked this year!

After we left the Hammel Farm, we journeyed to our final stop along the tour….the strawberry field!!!  Everyone was anxious to start picking and eating the warm, juicy strawberries.  You could smell their aroma as we got close to the field and we were all in strawberry heaven!  After careful instructions from Farmer Richard, everyone got busy picking strawberries.  Farmer Richard, ever the teacher, created a lasting memory for the day when he had the opportunity to pick strawberries with a young CSA kiddo.  As Richard reflected on the day, he lamented that there were so many people and so little time, but this little guy “made my day.”  Richard taught this little guy how to pick strawberries.  Did you know that strawberries like to hide?  Well, they do and the trick to picking them is learning how to “find them.”  His student quickly caught on and filled his pint container in no time.  He handed it off to his mom and got started on another one!  If you can’t tell, Richard has a soft spot in his heart for children and I’m sure he’ll remember this strawberry day picking experience years from now after this youngster is grown up and moving on to college and beyond!

After strawberry picking we were all hot and ready to enjoy a bowl of refreshing strawberry ice cream.  I think it’s safe to say that EVERYONE loved the ice cream…Captain Jack was right, it is some of the best strawberry ice cream we’ve ever tasted!  A big thanks to the folks at Castle Rock Organic Dairy for making this special batch of ice cream just for us!    

 It takes many hands in the community to make this day a success.  Richard and I would like to thank all of our crew members who worked hard to get things ready for the day and many of them helped with the party as well.  A big thanks to our friends Bob & Carol who helped prepare food for the potluck. They were a joy for me to cook with and made the process of preparing hot dogs and chili sauce for over 200 people seem like no big deal.  We’d also like to thank Pam & Jim for their help with sharing Richard’s beautiful wood products at this party.  It was quite a display of unique, one-of-a kind products made from specially selected trees we’ve harvested.  We’ll have more things to share with you by the Harvest Party, just in time to start your Christmas shopping!
  

 All in all it was a great day.  We appreciate everyone who carved out time to come visit our farm and be part of the day with us.  We love getting to meet our members face to face and be able to share a little piece of our daily lives with all of you.  Your joy and appreciation for the work we do is what encourages us to continue doing what we do.  Thanks again!

Strawberry Day 2015-What a Fun Day!!

Strawberries ready to head home! We can't wait for next year!

Last Sunday we had a great turnout for our 2015 Strawberry Day Party.  Thankfully we had a clear and sunny day for the celebration and the storms and rain held off until Monday morning.  It was fun to see some familiar faces again and we enjoyed the opportunity to meet some members who were visiting for the first time.

The wagon tour ended in the strawberry field,
where no one could resist sampling a sweet, sun-warmed berry
or two!

Captain Jack had a great day and boy was he tuckered out by the end of the party!  He’s still recovering, so he asked me to pass on a huge “Thank You” to all of the wonderful children (and adults) who played with him and took care of him on Sunday.  Farmer Richard was grateful for the help he had with feeding the animals in the evening.  Rico the goat and Richard’s pet pig appreciated the pieces of apple snacks the kids fed him.
We had our annual “pick the biggest berry” contest again this year.  Faith was the winner of the kids division and won with a berry weighing 0.12#!  Kathy and Jess tied for the adult division and picked berries weighing in at 0.11# each.  There was enough ice cream to go around, so these three ladies each went home with a ½ gallon of strawberry ice cream.  Carol was the lucky winner for participating in the scavenger hunt and also took a container of ice cream home with her.  If you weren’t able to attend the party….you might want to knock on one of these ladies’ doors and see if they’ll share their ice cream with you (although chances might be slim).

Farmers Richard & Andrea were happy to share farm stories
& wisdom on the farm tour!

Mark your calendars for our Fall Harvest Party on September 27.  We have a lot more fun planned including pumpkin picking, sweet potato digging & a hog roast!
----Richard, Andrea, Capt. Jack The Dog & The Entire HVF Crew

Wagon tours heading towards the sugar snap pea field, where
everyone could pick & eat to their heart's content!

Our heaviest berry contest winners! Each took home a 1/2 gallon of Castle Rock Organic Dairy & Harmony Valley Farm strawberry ice cream!

Farmer Richard asked for some help collecting eggs
at chore time!

Strawberry ice cream from Castle
Rock Organic Dairy & Harmony
Valley Farm was a big hit!

Wagon tours of the farm ready to head out

Strawberry Day 2015!

By Captain Jack-The Dog

Hello Everyone!  I’m so excited for our Strawberry Day party this coming Sunday, June 21!  I wanted to make sure I reminded everyone about the party in case you haven’t had a chance to read any of the invitations we sent previously.  We’re going to have a great time sharing together in a potluck lunch, followed by wagon tours through our fields and lots of strawberry picking.  Of course, I can’t forget to tell you we’ll also have strawberry ice cream!  We have a lot of exciting things happening in our fields right now and there will be plenty to see and pick.  Here’s a little sneak preview of some of the things we’re excited to show you on the tour.
We’ll start with the obvious….strawberries!  My dad, Farmer Richard, says this is one of the best fields of strawberries he’s ever seen….and he’s seen a lot!  We spent a lot of time and effort making sure the field was mulched really well last fall.  Dad says our investment has paid off this year.  Despite the rains we’ve had over the past week, the field still looks good and the berries are clean.  The plants have really been producing gorgeous, sweet, delicious berries.  My dad and some of his crew leaders will be in the field on Sunday to help you find the best berries.  Don’t forget to walk in between the rows with your ballet shoes on.  We want to keep the plants nice and healthy so we can continue to pick berries this year and so the field looks nice again for another year.  If you aren’t sure where to walk, just ask my dad.  He’ll show you the best way to tread lightly in the fields.
Along the tour route, you’ll see quite a few other vegetable crops as well.  We just started picking zucchini last Friday.  The plants look really nice and they are loaded with blossoms!  Right next to the zucchini you can check out the progress of the cucumbers, watermelons and melons.  If you look closely you might find a tiny little cucumber!  To get to the zucchini field, we’ll have to drive by the onions.  Man, they look good!  I think it’s going to be a good onion year….at least that’s my perspective as a dog.  Just another week or so of scallions and I think the green top Cipollini onions will be ready to harvest.  These are some of my mom’s (Andrea) favorite onions.  As we’re leaving that farm, you can take a look at the celery root field.  It looks pretty good!
We’ll make another stop at a location we call “Dorothy’s Bench.” Dorothy is our landlord and she has a really nice farm.  This year we planted our early broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi and sweet heart cabbages on her farm.  They look really nice and we’re excited to show you these beautiful fields.  We also decided to plant our tomatoes on her farm this year.  The first planting has already been staked and tied for the first time.  Wait until you see the tomatillo plants…..their stems are huge!
Before we leave Dorothy’s you’ll want to check out the sugar snap peas.  I have trouble picking them, but I can show you where they are and tell you how to decide whether they’re ready to pick or not.  You want to look for the big fat ones…they’re the sweet ones.  Don’t eat too many peas though…we have to save room for strawberries!
The strawberries are so delicious this year!  I’ve been eating them for my snack almost every day!  You are welcome to pick and eat in the field.  You might get a little dirty, so don’t wear your nicest shirt.  If you want to take some home to make jam or strawberry pies, make sure you bring some containers.  Kelly will have a scale by the packing shed where we’re going to load up the wagons for the tour.  Make sure you talk to Kelly before you get on the wagon so she can weigh your empty container.  Oh, I almost forgot…we’re having a contest!  While you’re picking strawberries, keep your eye out for large berries.  We are offering a prize to the kid and adult who find the biggest strawberry (by weight).  The prize will be strawberry ice cream that you can take home!  So lets talk about this ice cream.  Most members probably know by now that I really like strawberry ice cream.  Our friends at Castle Rock Organic Dairy made the ice cream for our party again this year.  They use their delicious creamy milk and strawberries from our farm that we froze last year.  They always alter their ice cream recipe a little bit for us so there is at least twice as much strawberry in it!  Last year there was a member who said she didn’t like strawberry ice cream, but she tried a little bit anyway.  Surprise—she loved it!
It’s time for me to get back to work.  I need to go check on the harvest crews with my Dad and then it will be time for my afternoon nap.  I hope you will consider coming to our farm on Sunday.  I’m really looking forward to a fun day!