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  • Published on
    May 30, 2019

    Forkful: June - Week 1

    forkful
    Picture
    WHAT'S IN MY SHARE?
    • Red Satin Radishes
    • Mary Washington Asparagus
    • Banjo Spinach
    • Green Tower Romaine Lettuce
    • Cawood Delight Rhubarb
    • Mint, Sage & Rosemary
    • Tomato Plant
    PICK-UP LOCATION
    Bardwell Farm
    49 Main Street - Hatfield, MA 01038


    CAN'T MAKE YOUR PICKUP DAY?
    Please call or message us and we'll make arrangements for you to pick-up your share at another time.
    ​
    ​
    (413) 800-5583
    bardwellfarm@gmail.com
    Picture
    Evening garlic crop inspection in the back fields
    FIELD NOTES
    Welcome to WEEK 1, it's finally here! Are you excited? We are beyond pumped to be on this journey with all of you! So... buckle up, and here we grow :)

    There are a ton of things going on at the farm any given day of the week. This is where we will keep you updated about all of these things including the progress of our shared investment.

    It has been a crazy month finishing up everything for the CSA and getting the fields prepped. We laid miles of plastic and planted thousands of seedlings and seeds. All of this while building another high tunnel and grooming for a greenhouse. It was a lot of rainy day planning and meetings. When the rains stopped, we got out there as early as we could and stayed out there as long as we could. There were many dark til' dark days. I want to thank my crew and everyone who helped get us to this pivotal point. You are amazing.

    As many of you know this season is off to a rainy start with very few days of sun. Luckily, we were able to plant our first and second settings of crops. The days we did have warm sunny weather it definitely helped move things along, but we are just about a week behind schedule.

    Although your shares are choice selected and we try to make every effort to fulfill vegetable production, unfortunately we will not be able to double-up on the items you like for the ones you don't this week. If you truly do not like an item, please let us know and we will pass it along or you can swap it with another share holder. We are in this together. This is the "risk" versus the "reward" we talked about during the sign-up process. Mother Nature is really calling the shots right now.

    On a positive note, when the warmer weather arrives and stays, and everything begins to come in as it should, we will be sure to make up for it and pass along the bounty.

    Thank you again for investing in our farm! See you soon!

    ​Owner Harrison Bardwell
    Picture
    ​ENHANCE YOUR CSA EXPERIENCE
    Having these items will help you make the most of your CSA Farm Share!
    • a sharp knife that feels like it was made for your hand
    • a large cutting board
    • a good recipe tool
    • an open mind, we know you may have never tried some of the items in your share, but part of the experience is the "adventure" and trying something new
    • we also know you like your veggies prepared the way you like them, but you may find a new family favorite trying a different way
    HERB USES
    • ROSEMARY  pair with grilled items, oils and marinades, eggs, fish, poultry, pork, roasted potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, oranges and lemons
    • SAGE  pair with meats, cheese and dairy items, sweet and savory bread stuffings, beans, rice and risottos
    • MINT  pair with salads, ginger, ice water, sugar, vinegar, chocolate protein shakes, tea and pesto
    THE LITTLE TOMATO PLANT
    We included a tomato plant in your share in hopes that you would take your CSA to the next level. We encourage you to plant and take care of the seedling until it matures and bares fruit. Whether it's in a pot on your deck, in your garden, or by itself somewhere in your yard, please take a moment while you are watering, feeding, pruning, or picking fruit, that we did this together. Savor it. Really think about what you are doing and know we share this common idea for a greater good.
    ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS
    When you arrive you will find several value added products on display. These items will be an additional purchase and separate from your farm share. We will have a limited supply on hand, but most items will also be available for preorder prior to your Tuesday and Friday pickups at button below. 
    • Prospect Meadow Farm Free Range Eggs
    • Bardwell Farm Magic 49 Blend Coffee, Medium Roast, Ground
    • Mapleline Farm Milk, chocolate, coffee and orange cream
    All products are sourced locally and every purchase will support a farm or local business.
    CSA VAP Preorder HERE
    LETS GET COOKING
    Picture
    pdf roasted_radishes.pdf
    MORE RECIPES
    • Asparagus with Bacon & Shallots - myrecipes.com
    • Grilled Asparagus Rafts - cookinglight.com
    • Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet & Sour Rhubarb Chutney - eatingwell.com
    • Creamy Cucumber, Radish & Tomato Chopped Salad - eatingwell.com
    • Wilted Spinach, Bok Choy, Grapefruit & Sesame - bonappetit.com
    • Cannellini Beans with Spinach - bonappetit.com
    • Quick-Pickled Rhubarb Salad - epicurious.com
    • Rhubarb Compote - epicurious.com
    • Rhubarbecue - tasteofhome.com
    6 THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK
    • Watched our first sweet corn come up!
    • Attended our first Asparagus Festival in Hadley!
    • Sampled Mother's pickled items and jams to possibly include in the Online Farm Store :)
    • Navi received our very first egg order!
    • Discovered our first tomato in the high tunnel!
    • Sold our first bag of Magic 49 Blend Coffee!
    ​7 DAY SUPPORT
    ​
    Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, need assistance or want to provide constructive criticism. Also, when the program starts, don’t be afraid to talk with your Bardwell Farm Representative in-person during a pick-up day. You can always contact us by using the links below. 

    (413) 800-5583
    bardwellfarm@gmail.com ​

  • Published on
    May 14, 2019

    Week In Pictures: High Tunnel 2

    homegrown-news Week In Pictures
    • Bows are assembled and up, things are starting to come together
    • Next we added the purlins to tie the bows into each other and give regidity
    • The master carpenter hard at work, building end walls
    • After purlins are installed the cross bracing and cross ties are assembled, these are the final steps for metal farming portion of the structure
    • Base boards and hip boards have been installed and fastened down
    • We simplified our end walls this year, making the process much faster, we are so close to adding the polycarbonate
    • We subsoiled the high tunnel after all the grading and leveling the ground, time to get a cover crop in
    • Were we are marking and drilling the channel for the wiggle wire going in for the plastic cover
    • The Bardwell team hard at work
    • The Bardwell team hard at work
    • Digging holes for the posts for end walls
    • Thank you for everything dad
  • Published on
    May 2, 2019

    Start getting excited!

    forkful
    Picture
    Our first setting and no-til planter going to work!
    We want to thank and welcome our newest CSA farm share subscribers!
    ​
    Your contributions will support local farms and make programs like this one possible. We're a little over a week away before all of the fun starts and we can't wait!  


    We've outlined some important information below, so please take your time and read through carefully :)
    ​
    CSA FARM SHARE HIGHLIGHTS
    • The farm share program runs for 20 weeks from June 4th to October 14th
    • All CSA members receive a complimentary produce share bag(s)
    • It is a “choice” selected share and members will be able to choose from a variety of produce
    • Members will pick-up their weekly share at the farm just beyond the farmstand on 49 Main Street
    • The pick-up day you chose is held weekly, on a Tuesday or Friday, from 3pm to 6pm, if you don't think you can make it please let us know
    • All members will receive weekly reminders via email and social media
    • We will send you a weekly copy of "Forkful", a CSA guide complete with share offerings, value added products, recipes, and field notes, one week before every pickup
    STAY CONNECTED
    Be sure to bookmark this blog for the latest CSA member information. Every week we will email you a pick-up reminder which will include a link to the Forkful CSA member blog. It will detail what’s in your share and include recipes, storage tips, food preparation, farm news, photos, videos and more. Lots in store!
    PICK-UP LOCATION
    The pickup location will be at Bardwell Farm at 49 Main Street, just beyond the farmstand. In case of inclement weather we have an indoor space on the north side of the house. Look for signage or someone from our staff to guide you in :)
    TOTE BAGS
    Our new tote bags are in! Included in your share is a Bardwell Farm CSA tote(s) for your weekly pickup. A "Small Share" includes 1 tote and a "Medium Share" includes 2 totes. This will be your bag(s) to gather your fresh picked vegetables every week, please remember to bring them with you. If you forget or lose them additional bags will be available for purchase here.

    This will save the expense and waste of single use containers and plastic bags. Please help us be sustainable and environmentally friendly by returning each week with your reusable bag(s).
    Picture
    VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS
    Over the last 2 months we have been sampling pasture raised eggs, raw honey, milk, mushrooms, smoked bacon, maple syrup, cheese, organic fair trade coffee and gourmet ice creams... it was a rough job but someone had to do it!

    Starting today will be offering additional products for members through our CSA Value Added Products (VAP) Preorder page. This would be an additional purchase and separate from your farm share. All products will be sourced locally and every purchase will support a farm or local business. More items will be made available for preorder prior to your Tuesday or Friday pick-up at the link below!

    CSA VAP Preorder
    NOTES FROM THE FIELD
    Sunday - May 26, 2019 - 1pm
    ​

    Hi folks! As you may know the 2019 season was off to a difficult start. Rain and cold weather made it difficult to seed the fields, prep beds, and get crops in the ground. We are working round the clock with the sunny days we have been given.

    Despite everything Mother Nature has thrown at us so far, we have been able to get fields prepped and first settings of crops in the ground. The warmer weather arrived this past week and that's great news because our greenhouse is busting at the seams with crops ready for the field.
    Picture
    On a super positive note we are finally seeing asparagus, spinach and radishes beginning to come in and we're thrilled people are enjoying them!

    I am looking forward to seeing each and every one of you when the farm share kicks-off on June 4th and 7th. Thank you again for your support!

    Owner Harrison Bardwell
    • Fresh spinach and the first pick of the season!
    • Banjo and Admiral Spinach bagged and ready to go!
    • Harvesting from our new asparagus field!
    • Mary Washington Asparagus washed and sparkling in the sun!
    IT'S ASPARAGUS TIME
    If you haven't seen Harry's Farm Vlog by now, check out his latest edition. This week he's taking us asparagus picking!

    Stay in in the know, be sure to like the video, subscribe to his channel and click the notification bell :)
    7 DAY SUPPORT
    Please stay in touch. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, need assistance or want to provide constructive criticism. Also, when the program starts, don’t be afraid to talk with your Bardwell Farm Representative in-person during a pick-up day. You can always contact us by using the links below. 

    (413) 800-5583
    bardwellfarm@gmail.com 

    Thank you again for investing in our farm!

    Owner Harrison Bardwell
  • Published on
    April 30, 2019

    Week In Pictures: Planting

    homegrown-news Week In Pictures
    • Greentower Romaine lettuce ready for the ground
    • Prepped beds for our first succession of transplants
    • Red Ace and Kesteral Beets
    • Looking out over the field on our first day of planting
    • Calvin stretching row line, it helps keep everything uniform
    • ​​Marking our beds for planting
    • Calvin and I planting Swiss Chard
    • Radish just popping through the soil
    • Turnip popping out of the ground
    • Felt good to be out in the field
    • Planting away, one tray at a time
    • Touchstone Gold Beet transplants
    • Planting Swiss Chard in rows, 12” between plants
    • Cabbage transplants
    • Back in the soil after a long winter
    • Working as quickly as we can to try and beat the rain
    • Prepping the bed to plant another row
    • Calvin planting away
    • Swiss Chard
    • 2 more flats going in
    • Laying and spacing the transplants
    • Pushing up soil and compressing the plants into the ground so they can take root
    • Kale is going in
    • First setting planted successfully, now to give them little food and let Mother Nature do her part
  • Published on
    April 9, 2019

    Featured Partner: Mountainside Maple

    homegrown-news Partnerships
    We are thrilled to partner with Luke Longstreeth of Mountainside Maple, Hatfield's first sugaring operation. Luke is a dedicated farmer and really is making a name for himself here in Western, Massachusetts!

    Check out Harry's Farm Vlog on YouTube to see how we used his handcrafted syrup... ice cream for breakfast anyone?
    Picture
    All products above are available at our online farm store!

    Luke shared the "sugaring" process with us... 
    • He starts in the woods and finds nice "sugar bushes" or stands of maple trees to tap
    • He runs sap lines to collect the sap from the trees and put into holding tanks to be trucked to the sugarhouse for boiling. Sap runs best on cloudy days with temperatures in the low 40's and at night below freezing
    • Once sap is collected and brought the sugarhouse it is run through Luke's RO (reverse osmosis) which concentrates the sap by reducing the amount of water so it takes less time to boil and evaporate
    • The sap is run into boiler pans where it channels through different sections until it's the right temperature and consistency of maple syrup
    • It is then screened to make it super pure and bottled-up for consumption 
    • Sap lines running through the woods collecting the sweet maple goodness!
    • The new sugar house!
    • Getting ready to boil sap!
    • Sweet sugary steam coming out of the boiler!
    • Order up!
    • Almost to the proper proper consistency!
    • Open for business!
    • Featured Maple Syrup products available in our online farm store!
    We are proud to work with a local farmer in right here in Hatfield to supply our customers with a super delicious locally made product. 

    Luke's Mountainside Maple products are available at our online farm store. You can arrange for pickup, delivery or ship anywhere in the United States!

    Please call (413) 800-5583 or message us at bardwellfarm@gmail.com if you have any questions. ​
  • Published on
    April 3, 2019

    Soil Health

    Education homegrown-news
    As many of you may know cover cropping is a major part of soil health. It builds organic matter and creates food for the microbes, earthworms, and other living organisms in the soil.

    Season 2018 sure took a tole on both farmers and the farmland on which they grow on. We shared how difficult last season was with you but never really talked much about the late season monsoons and what it did to the farmland here in the Pioneer Valley.


    The picture below might be hard to see, but I was driving the other day and saw a brown wind storm in the distance and wanted to stop and grab a quick photo to illustrate. 
    Picture

    Wind storm blowing away top soil

    Picture

    Excessive rain and poor soil quality eroding soil

    Due to the excessive rain and the over saturated fields late in the season many farmers had to abandon the use of cover cropping because it was just too wet to get into the fields without creating more damage. Fields were either left bare, or if lucky, the remnants of the crop remained. 

    Soil is most happy when it has something living on it. It keeps the soil fed and healthy throughout the winter months, but it was too 
    difficult to seed down fields or even germinate seed before it just rotted away from too much moisture. 

    This led to bare fields over the winter months. When we didn't have any snow cover, on windy days you could see top soil blowing away because there was nothing to hold it in place. Or the opposite, where there was too much snow melt or excessive rain made erosion a big issue. It basically washed away the top soil.

    Farms have to start getting creative in years such as these. It's a tough battle. In some cases there's not much that can be done. We have to take care of our land just as much as we take care of ourselves. If the soil we grow our food on isn't healthy it will not perform well. Farmers constantly have to find the balance between profit and environmental sustainability.

    The take home message here is that we are at the mercy of mother nature, but we have to try our hardest to make sure we are implementing the best agricultural practices as we can.
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