Spring CSA shares are often full of beautiful, delicious but sometimes overwhelming herbs. Come learn how to make the most of this herbal bounty!

Ever come home with a bunch of fresh herbs, use a couple of sprigs in a recipe, but then end up wasting the rest? With these simple techniques you’ll never need to do that again!

Learn how to make herbal vinegars, salts and oils, as well as how to freeze or dry herbs so that they keep their vibrant colors and aromas. These delicious herbal products make great gifts, but keep some for yourself to enjoy year-round!  All participants will bring home their own herbal product.

Wednesday, May 15th

Happy Earth day to our Forest Hills CSA Family!

Your friends at the

To get on our waiting list, please click here.

To find other CSAs in Queens, please click here.

Here is a list of the 7 closest CSAs, based on distance from us, closest to farthest:

While things were fairly quiet, we sat down with Maggie Wood, of Golden Earthworm Organic Farm, to see how our farmers fared over the winter. February was relatively peaceful as they organized and prepared for the coming growing season. As for keeping warm over the seemingly endless winter, Maggie and the Golden Earthworm family relied on slow-cooking dishes like roasted vegetables and hearty legume and vegetable soups. That said, the pace is now picking up—and quickly. In March, things got going in the greenhouse. First into the ground were onions, followed by a variety of crops planted throughout the month.

The spring season will be an adventure. Maggie Wood and Matthew Kurek have two sons: a 3-year old, Galen, and a new baby boy, Zinn, whom they welcomed into the family in December. There are no weekends off. No sleeping in or lazy Sundays. They enjoy downtime as a family in the off season from December – February, which is the only period in which there isn’t a constant stream of chores and activities to manage. Not to suggest there is no fun to be had. The kids will explore one of the most bustling environments a child can imagine. Without a doubt, this a cool place to grow up, exemplified by the fact that 3-year Galen already rides the more than ten tractors on the farm with dad.

This season, CSA members will be treated to new varieties of cucumbers and tomatoes. Golden Earthworm Organic Farm will also experiment with some artichoke crops, as they did last year. “Last year we grew trials and they were great, so that’s in the works for a coming season.” As always, our farmers will buy certified organic seed from the trusted vendors they have used for years, including High Mowing Seeds, Seeds of Change, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

The more than 80-acre farm serves over 2,000 member families across Long Island and Queens and produces more than 100 varieties of vegetables. Since its inception in 1996, the number of CSAs Golden Earthworm Organic Farm has served has grown to nearly 20 times its original reach. The farm family includes: co-owners Matt and Maggie, farming partner James Russo, and Stephen Searl—the new farm and CSA manager. A small flock of sheep, a goat, a very large pig, and a few cats roam the grounds and keep everyone company.

Golden Earthworm Organic Farm employs well-established organic farming methods to yield nutritious and stable crops. Their approach is two-fold: maintain healthy, nutrient rich soils and strengthen plantings against weeds, pests, and disease. Last season they planted pea cover crops which absorbed nitrogen from the atmosphere and, in a symbiotic dance, deposited nodules through the plant’s roots—preparing the soil for another round of vegetable plantings. Cover crops, composting, and other measures to manage the land’s ecological balance also help suppress weeds and pests. Crops are regularly rotated in a scientifically sound way. The farmers introduce birds and insects that help keep pests away naturally, and when necessary, use barriers such as handcrafted bat houses and fencing. Outbreaks like late blight, which is the same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s, often require more rigorous efforts. A few years ago, a potato variety planted at Golden Earthworm Organic Farm was struck with blight, making it the second documented farm on Long Island to be hit. The farmers took action to prevent destruction of the tomato crop by spraying a special copper certified for organic use.

As a former chef and architect respectively, Matt and Maggie’s past professional lives give them a unique perspective on farming. “I find the beauty in our work and in our life and try to share that with our CSA community. Both Matt and I are obsessed with food and cooking, so we’re always keeping that in mind when we make decisions about the best tasting varieties to grow, or what to put in the boxes each week,” said Maggie. Just as members do, they cook up the shares each week and delight in what comes from the ground and provides so much nourishment. A variety of food blogs and cookbooks keep them on the pulse of what is new and delicious. Favorite blogs include: 101 Cookbooks and Sustainable Pantry. Maggie’s go-to cookbook of the moment is Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. It’s no wonder the recipes in the weekly newsletters are so carefully procured and aesthetically appealing.

Maggie manages the design for the website. She is the woman behind the lens that captures the beautiful close-ups of squash, strawberries, and you-name-it, as well as the sprawling images of the fields on the farm’s website and in the weekly newsletters. With Stephen now on board to manage the CSA, she will have more time to dedicate to the two boys. Maggie hinted at some new farm projects coming up, but she won’t reveal them just yet.

We asked Maggie some of our burning questions:

FHCSA: What are the biggest pests on the farm and how do you get rid of them naturally? Do you ever share tips with other farmers?
MW: The organic farming community is very close and helpful out here on the East End. Some of our biggest pests include potato beetles and late blight. These can wipe out our potato, eggplant, and tomato crops.  We also have issues with powdery mildew which destroy our winter squash. We do what we can with organic controls, but sometimes they can claim crops in a matter of days.  

FHCSA: Do you offer volunteer programs for those who want to try out being a farmhand?

MW: We don’t have a volunteer or intern program. We’re a bit too busy to oversee them.  Perhaps this is something we could do in the future if we had more management.

FHCSA: Who’s our CSA share delivery man?

MW: Deliveries are made by Neil, who has been with us since last year.

FHCSA: What do you say to a member who hasn’t had time to come to any of the events on the farm? Will it really make a difference to tour the farm and see the crops first-hand? 

MW: All members should come visit the farm. We wish we could make the visit mandatory. I can always tell if a member has actually been to the farm when they write to us on email. Those who have been here really get it.

FHCSA: Was it challenging moving from an urban setting to the farm? What’s the best thing about being on the farm year round? Do you ever feel nostalgic for the city?

MW: We both love living in the country. It’s peaceful and quiet. The North Fork is changing, though, and lots of people are choosing to move out here with their families, so the community is rich and evolving. We like to come into the city when we have time in the off season. The biggest surprise was just how hard farming is. It’s always so romantic until you start doing it! You have to learn to be a perpetual optimist—always looking to the next season, to getting it right, to learning from your mistakes.

FHCSA: Where did Matt serve as chef? Did he work in any restaurants we might be familiar with?

MW: He was the first chef at Caravan of Dreams in Manhattan. He worked at many other restaurants in New York before coming out to Long Island to start farming.

FHCSA: The food movement is stronger than ever, yet agribusiness is represented by powerful interests. Is it easier or harder to be a small farmer than it was ten years ago?

MW: I think it’s actually easier for us.  More people know about organics and are seeking to support their local farmer. We used to have to spend a lot more time educating our community about these issues. Now we sell out every year.

FHCSA: Where do you think sustainable agriculture will be in 20 years? Where would you like it to be?

MW: Hopefully we’ll continue on a good path.  I expect to see more small, organic farms meeting the demands for this kind of food. The CSA model makes it possible for us to farm the way we do. CSA is a win-win for everyone: the farmer, the consumer, the land, and the local economy.

FHCSA: Why are you personally committed to organic farming?

MW: It’s healthier for our planet and for ourselves.

Quoted on the Golden Earthworm Organic Farm website is Daniel Webster:

“When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”

As members, we can enter this new season with the knowledge that our farmers not only respect the land and work tirelessly to fill our pantries, but also that they give us reason to feel inspired about and connected to a shared vision for a healthier and more sustainable planet.

Coming up is a not-to-miss week-long New York City premiere of the documentary film American Meat, which looks at our nation’s meat industry through the eyes of farmers all over the country. It’s an important, timely film about the future of agriculture, and I’m joining the discussion as a panelist at one of the screenings.

The event will take place on Monday, April 15th at Cinema Village: 22 East 12th Street, New York, NY (between 5th Ave & University Place). The film begins at 7pm and runs until about 8:15pm, and it will be followed by a panel discussion including me and other key actors in the meat/farming industry (see below for full panel line-up).

If you can’t make this particular screening, there are others listed on the American Meat website (and you can watch the trailer, too).

Following the screening of American Meat, the conversation will continue over food and drink at farm-to-table restaurant Jimmy’s No. 43, located just a few blocks away from the theater at 43 E 7th Street. Jimmy’s will be offering appetizer specials made with heritage pork meat from Flying Pigs Farm, one of the farms featured in American Meat. We hope you will join us there!

Here is Cinema Village’s description of  4/15 panel discussion:

Community Supported Agriculture: Maybe you or someone you know is a member of a CSA, a Community Supported Agriculture program. These programs are having a tremendous impact on our food system. What are they doing to support a sustainable meat industry, and what can we learn from the already-significant achievements of CSA programs? What does it take to start up a CSA and make it successful? This panel features special guest Richard Morris, who left a corporate career to work for Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farms, is currently starting his own farming business, and is featured in American Meat; Just Food’s CSA Program Manager Paula Lukats; Bushwick Food Cooperative “Meat Mastermind” Amanda Pitts; and Alan and Nancy Waite of Lewis Waite Farms, a farm in Upstate New York that is home to 100 percent grass fed beef and rotationally-grazed pigs.

Director of American Meat Graham Meriwether will moderate the discussion.

Each day has a different panel theme.

The film will be shown at 7PM at Cinema Village April 12th-18th.

To purchase tickets go to the American Meat web site.

4/12 

Farmers of Innovation PANEL INCLUDES:

Joel Salatin, Polyface Farms
Paul Willis, Niman Ranch
Chris Ely: Applegate
Chris Arnold: Chipotle
Graham Meriwether: American Meat

Central Queens YM & YWHA

67-09 108 Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375

Give new life to old things!

Bring clean, reusable, portable items to share OR just come see what is free for the taking!

Bring as much as you want and take as much as you want.

They welcome:  clothing, small home electronics in good working condition, children’s toys, household items such as dishes and picture frames.  Last year’s items included: baseball gloves, a child’s bike, costume jewelry, yarn, formal dresses & fancy shoes, jackets, dishes, a globe, and books.

No furniture or other large items, please!  Items accepted on the 14^thfrom 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. only.

More information at:  www.cqy.org or at718 268-5011 x 151 or pkurtz@cqy.org.

The Forest Hills Greenmarket will be open again on Sundays from 8am-3pm

It is located infront of the Forest Hills Post Office on Queens Boulevard and 70th Avenue, as it was last year.

It will run every Sunday through December 29th.

2013 SEASON OPEN DATES  

May 24 – June 23, depending upon availability, we will update these dates as soon as we know when and what the harvest will be.

HOURS 
Friday – 10-6
Saturday – 9-5
Sunday - CLOSED

PRICES
$4/quart for current CSA members
$4.50/quart for all non-members
Cash/checks only

FARM WALKING TOURS
Tours of the farm will take place during our U-Pick Strawberry season. Free tour for current CSA Members, $5 per adult for non-members. Kids are free!

NO DOG POLICY
Dogs or other pets are not allowed on the farm property. Thank you.

DIRECTIONS TO THE FARM

The farm is located at:

652 Peconic Bay Boulevard
Riverhead, New York 11901

For directions and a map, please click here.

Queens Botanical Garden

Parking Garden entrance on Crommelin Street

Rain or shine

Queens Botanical Garden is located at 43-50 Main Street, Flushing, NY, 11355.

QBG’s 10th Annual “After the Holidays” E-waste Event in partnership with the Lower East Side Ecology Center.   It’s the perfect way to responsibly dispose of all of your unwanted or broken gadgets. Help them meet their goal of collecting 100 tons this January by spreading the word to your friends and neighbors!

A list of acceptable materials can be found here.

For more information contact info@lesecologycenter.org.

–Marina

A comfortable meal with old friends included sauteed broccoli and baked butternut squash while we caught up on our daily lives. A laughter-filled meal with new friends brought new vegetables to sample in a huge stir fry and delicious sliced-seasoned-and-baked potatoes while we shared stories of artistic inspiration.

Happy Turkey Day, Charlie Brown!

This week will bring family and friends here as we host Thanksgiving for the first time. We’ll add two folding plastic tables to our old reliable hunk of wood, borrow a few more chairs from the neighbors, and savor both the culinary delights and company. Every day in our home we are thankful to have more food than we need to survive and so many loving relationships that our hearts just overflow with joy.

Two pumpkins from upstate for pie, CSA potatoes to mash, and some good ol’ Midwest casseroles (along with plenty of other things!) will join the turkey on Thursday, with leftovers and board games after the food coma wears off. What delicious dishes will you be gathering around?

Here is the Thanksgiving pie recipe that I will be trying for the first time. Although I’ve made hundreds of pies in the last eight years, this will be the first time ever for me to make a pumpkin pie from scratch, start to finish!

When pumpkins are done scaring people on Halloween, they love nothing better than being turned into pies!

(From: CookLocal.com)

Roast Your Pumpkin
Roasting a pumpkin is very simple. Cut the pumpkin in half horizontally. Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and reserve. You can roast them later for a delicious snack.

Turn the pumpkin halves cut sides down on a cookie sheet and roast at 400 for 30-40 minutes, or until you can stick a fork in the outside of the skin and have it pierce easily.

Let the pumpkin cool and scoop out the insides. Process the pumpkin innards in a food processor until smooth.

You can freeze the pumpkin or refrigerate it for up to 7 days.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp salt
1.5 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Roll out the pie crust and place in a 9-10 inch pie plate.
• Fill with aluminum foil and add pie weights on top of the foil.
• Bake on the middle oven rack for 20 minutes.
• Remove the pie weights and the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is a nice golden brown.
• Remove the crust and turn the oven down to 350.
• Place the beaten eggs into a large bowl.
• Add the spices (cinnamon through salt) and mix well.
• Whisk in the cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, until well mixed.
• Strain the mix through a sieve into a medium saucepan.
• Add the pureed pumpkin and mix well.
• Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
• Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and reads 150 on a candy thermometer.
• Pour the pumpkin puree into the pie crust.
• If you have leftover filling, pour it into ramekins.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard is set.
• Cool and serve with whipped cream.

Whatever your table looks like, make sure it’s filled with good food and great friends and family!

If you were touched by the recent storms, seek out the shelter and company of your loved ones. If you have more than enough to give, share what you have with those who have nothing. Reach out, serve, and give of your time and donations. To some, just the thought of sitting around a battered wooden table with full bellies, laughter, and love this Thanksgiving is more than they can imagine right now. For me, I’m just so thankful how many people we can squash around that old table. And for pie.

Enjoy! And be thankful every day!

Lacy