Hello CSA and Friends of Shalom Orchard,

In spite of the slow start of the season, we are going to open for the first pickup this Wed., July 2, from 3:00 – 5:30 PM.  For the new folks, here’s how it works:  please reply to this email to let me know you got it, if you will be coming out for this pickup, and what you would like in your order from the list below.  For example, say you would like a couple of chickens in addition to your share of veggies, or only chicken for your share, then we will try to accommodate if we can.  Sometimes, people want a lot of one veggie and we just don’t have enough of that veggie that week, so we try to divvy it up equally. But please ask, as some weeks we are drowning in something (usually zukes!).  We will try to have your bag ready and your invoice prepared.  Please let me know if it’s OK to go a bit over your weekly share in order to include some of everything, or if you want us to keep it close to the weekly $ amount you paid for.

For this week we have available:

rhubard            $2.5/#
salad mix        $3.50/3 oz
arugula            $2.50/3 oz
cilantro            $2.50/bu
baby chard        $3/bag
garlic scapes    $2/bag    (these are the beautiful flower shoot of the garlic, which is cut off to strengthen the bulb.  They are mild and great  sauteed.)
scallions        $2/bu
Blueberry syrup    $8/10oz bottle (our fruit and all organic ingredients)
Raspberry jam    $7/10oz jar       (same)
chicken            $3.75/#  (this is probably the BEST chicken we have ever raised!)
eggs            $3.50/doz

Remember that these prices are so you can decide what you want in your share – you will only pay for whatever goes over the weekly share amount you purchased.  Please ask any questions you may have.  Email is the best way to reach me, but our phone is 565-2312.

For those of you coming to the farm for the first time:  take Rt. 182 off of Rt 1, go about 5 miles to Rt.200 N, the Eastbrook Rd., a left turn.  We are about 1.7 miles up the Eastbrook Rd.  You will see the apple trees on your right and the long brown farm house on your left.  Pull up and park at the end of the driveway.  Come to the winery doors.

We are looking forward to welcoming our new members and seeing our old friends!!  Thank you for your support of local, organic farming!

Charlotte and Jim

Hi CSA and Friends of Shalom Orchard,

I want to remind you that we are taking chickens to the butcher on Monday, June 23.  Please email me or give us a call at 565-2312 if you would like to pick some up next week.  These chickens are quite large, so we will have a few whole chickens, but most of it will be cut into halves or quarters.  I package the quarters as leg quarters and breast quarters.  The price is $3.75/#.  This is a $.25 increase over last year.  The price of grain went up 35% in the past year, but we are not raising the price to you by 35%. This is a really good price for organic chicken – John Edwards sells nonorganic chicken for $3.90/#.  We work hard to bring really good organic food to you at a reasonable price!

The cool, rainy weather has slowed down all the growth of the veggies.  I will make a decision next week about the date of the first pickup.  I hope it will be July 2.  Please remember we have eggs and chicken all the time.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you,
Your Farmers,
Charlotte and Jim

Hello CSA and Friends of Shalom Orchard,

Welcome to our new members and hello to our returning friends!  We have been amazed at the interest in CSA this season and even had to turn some folks away, which is very hard for us – we want to believe there is always room for one more family – but our space is limited.  It is wonderful that people want to buy locally and support their local farms!!  We thank you all.

We are in full swing here!  We had a beautiful bloom in the apples and cherries and good set on on the fruit.  We have been planting for the last month – all of the early crops – cabbage, broccoli, onions, leeks, potatoes, lettuces, beets, carrots; and now we are into the warm weather crops.  It’s a very busy time and I’m at the stage of saying ” There’s not enough room, HELP!”  Because it has been so cool, growth is a little slow, but will catch up fast (as will the weeds).

We are very fortunate to have two wonderful apprentices this year, Shoshanna Rome and Chris Mahairas, both are students and will be with us until early September. Khimba Lee is still here this season, her fifth with us!  They are a hardworking crew and we are very grateful for all they do here!!

We anticipate our first CSA pickup to be on Wed., July 2, between 3-5:30.

We will be taking meatbirds to the butcher on Monday, June 23.  If you want us to reserve you some fresh (unfrozen) chicken, please let us know and you can come out and pick it up.   You don’t have to wait for the first pickup to come out and get chicken or eggs @ 3.50/doz.

I will send out another email before the first pickup with prices on chicken and the early veggies.  I’m sure all of you are aware of what has happened with grain prices.  A bag of organic chicken feed has gone up 35% at our local Feed and Seed, but we are determined to keep our prices as low as we can.  By buying from your local farm you know that you are getting the freshest veggies possible and saving on gas as well.  We pick your vegetables on Tues. afternoon and Wed. morning before your pickup on Wed. afternoon – you can’t get much fresher than that!!

We hope you will contribute some of your favorite recipes for the seasonal fruits and veggies – we like to post them on our website and share them with all of you!

We are looking forward to meeting our new members and seeing everyone from past years.  Please come visit anytime – this is your farm!

Thank you,

Charlotte and Jim