The CSA Starts Soon!

A Note from Amanda, our CSA Share Room Manager:

It's hard to believe it’s June! Both farmers and plants are grateful for the warmer weather we’ve experienced over the past few weeks. It’s finally feeling like summer, and our fieldwork is in full swing. During our longer work days, we continue to seed in the greenhouse, cultivate the soil around the crops and transplant seedlings, filling up the fields.

We are pleased with success we have seen in the cover crops that were seeded over the fall. These fields are lush and green, it’s quite a beautiful sight! The grass-like rye has grown to waist high, and the vetch and clover are blooming with brilliant hues of purple and burgundy flowers. We will soon disk the cover crops into the soil, helping to improve soil health and fertility, and closing the nutrient cycle. The strawberries are starting to fruit and ripen, a sure sign that the CSA is about to begin!

Time flies when you are having fun! Before we know it we will be filling up baskets out in the field and preparing them for the pick up! 

Now that Memorial Day Weekend is behind us, we are eager to welcome our seasonal staff to the farm next week. These part time workers play a critical role during the bustling harvest season. Slowly but surely, the items kept in the barn over the Winter are finding new homes, and tables, bins, and CSA signage are being uncovered and cleaned up. As your share room manager, I am already anticipating posting a weekly recipe that CSA Members can snap a picture of on their way in or out of the barn. The weekly recipes will highlight a vegetable available in the share each week, maybe sparking some new ideas for the fresh local produce in your bag!

The share is set to open the week of Tuesday June 12th. 

As a reminder, our share room hours have changed this year. Pick up times are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 12:30-6:30. Shareholders are free to pick up their share any day that best suits their schedule, and do not need to commit to the same day each week. Additionally, shareholders do not need to tell us which day they will be picking up. 

Be on the lookout for the Member Handbook in your email inbox in the coming week. It’s a wonderful resource that lays out the ground rules for how the share room operates. We will be more heavily staffed during the first week of the share to welcome new CSA Members, and to answer any questions pertaining to weekly pick up procedures.

See you soon!

- Amanda

 Appleton Farms CSA Share Room Manager

The CSA Barn at Appleton Farms [photo credit: Above Summit]

Planting Season is in Full Swing on the Farm!

A Note from Farmer Andrew

The farm is finally coming to life as spring slowly makes its appearance. We’ve been waiting for fields to dry and soil to warm, and the crew has been busy with odd jobs like fence repair, tractor maintenance, and barn clean up. Although it’s been nice to tackle some of these projects, we now find ourselves playing catch up. The warm, dry weather last week allowed us to get plants out and seed in the ground, which is always exciting this time of year. We will spend most of the next few weeks preparing the soil and planting.

We are fortunate to have some fabulous people returning to work with us this season. Their skills in growing vegetables and knowledge of our production systems have made my job as manager quite a bit easier this spring. Amanda Stefanik, who is returning for her second season with us, will be managing our CSA distribution this year and has been helping in the greenhouse and fields and with odd jobs like fixing the fence. Emily Fenton is in her third season at Appleton and will be leading our weed management and cultivation efforts. She has been has been working hard to get our tractors and cultivators ready for action. We are also very lucky to have landed Megan Ardolino, formerly of Green Meadows Farm. Her background and skills have allowed her to jump right in with us and fill in wherever needed, even despite a healing broken wrist! 

We are so lucky to have a dedicated and wonderful group of farmers here at Appleton. I am thankful for all their efforts and look forward to the season ahead!

Events on the Farm

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Intro to Backyard Composting

Saturday, April 28
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Gardens & Gardening, Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops

Art Week Walk & Talk with Photographer Bill Franson

Saturday, April 28
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

History, Art & Culture, Lectures & Workshops

REI Wilderness Survival: 3 - Season Skills

Saturday, April 28
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Outdoor Recreation, Lectures & Workshops

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Appleton’s Preschool Farm Explorers

Wednesday, May 2
Appleton Farms
Hamilton and Ipswich | North Shore

Click HERE to register for our upcoming events


Farm Camp Registration

Appleton Farm Camp registration and the weeks are filling quickly! Sign up soon so you don't miss out! For more information and to register visit www.thetrustees.org/appletonfarmcamp

Renew Now for Appleton Farms Summer CSA!

A note from Farmer Andrew: 

There’s still time to renew your Appleton Farms CSA membership for 2018!

While it’s been a cold and snowy winter so far, we’ve been busy in the office planning out details of the share for next season. This time of year is spent assessing what went well last year and what did

The CSA barn in January

not and brainstorming how we can improve the farm and the CSA next season. 

We wanted to send a notice to current members as a reminder that CSA membership renewals for the 2018 season are still open. While there’s still time for renewals, we will be opening signups to folks on the waitlist soon and therefore we can no longer guarantee your spot for the 2018 season if you haven’t signed already.

If you need the weblink to renew, please send a message with your current email to appletonfarmscsa@thetrustees.org  so we can help get you signed up. Feel free to call us with any questions at 978-356-5728 ext. 4115. We are looking forward to next season and we hope you are too!

  UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE FARM       

Cooking at Appleton Farms 

Winter is the perfect time to get cooking in the kitchen and learn some new recipes! 

We have an array of fantastic adult cooking classes let by Chef Carolyn Grieco with Carolyn’s Farm Kitchen. From Soups to Pot Pies, Valentines Dinner and Maple Cooking, there is so much to choose from! All classes involve hands-on instruction through multiple dishes, with a full meal at the end.

You can also get in the kitchen with our Cheese Maker Kristian Holbrook and learn how to make fresh cheese -- a great way to make these winter months productive.

Have some little ones in your family? We also have a parent/child Preschool Kids in the Kitchen program starting in January. This is a 4 week program where we will learn a new kid-friendly recipe each session! Check our website for a full list of winter offerings and registration!

  IN THE FARM STORE                          

During the deep freeze of January, our year-round farm store is your one-stop shop for locally-sourced comfort food. Over 50% of our store inventory is sourced from Essex county small businesses. Try our new rum cheese from right here in Ipswich: Privateer, an aged hard cheese infused with Privateer amber rum, perfect for a cold winter's night.

Bounty from the Appleton Farms dairy

Appleton Farms is growing! Check out our new kid's corner, filled with thoughtfully selected, farm-related toys for all the kiddos in your life.  Just in: Maple Landmark (Vermont) all wooden rattles, teethers & toys plus farm & train playsets from Green Toys (made in USA from recycled plastic milk jugs). 

Treat yourself to a cookie from Kim Gregory's Pure Pastry (Beverly, MA - gluten free available) and fresh bread from A & J King (Salem, MA) -- always available to pair with your cheese selections.  Wipe up any crumbs with 100% organic cotton towels hand screenprinted by Hearth & Harrow (Amesbury, MA). We look forward to seeing you at the store this winter!

Winter Share Pickup on Friday and December Happenings

Winter Weather Harvest
With snow on the ground, it’s finally starting to feel like winter! Despite the weather, we managed to

bunches of fresh kale

clean off the last of our covered spinach to get one final harvest for the share. We weren’t able to unearth the greens, which were mostly crushed under the weight of the snow. But luckily we have a good variety of storage crops in the cooler still.

Harvests get tricky this time of year because the vegetables will turn to mush if they are cut frozen and then allowed to thaw. So we carefully watch the weather for a few warm hours to get it done. It’s amazing how hardy and delicious the winter grown kale and spinach can be!

winter-grown spinach...delicious!

Don't Forget to bring two bags! Final Winter Share Pickup is on Friday, December 15th from 2pm to 6pm!

The share will include:

Spinach

Kale
Red cabbage
Watermelon radish
Daikon radish
Kohl rabi
Carrots
Beets
Purple top turnips
Red onions
Shallots
Garlic
Potatoes
Butternut squash
Popcorn
Tomato puree

Remember to bring two tote bags for pickup this week. If you are unable to make it, please inform us before the share happens so we can put together a box for you. We look forward to seeing you there!

- Andrew, Appleton Farms CSA Manager



  UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE FARM       

Winter is the perfect time to get cooking in the kitchen and learn some new recipes! We have an array of fantastic adult cooking classes let by Chef Carolyn Grieco with Carolyn’s Farm Kitchen. From Soups to Pot Pies, Valentines Dinner and Maple Cooking, there is so much to choose from! All classes involve hands-on instruction through multiple dishes, with a full meal at the end.

You can also get in the kitchen with our Cheese Maker Kristian Holbrook and learn how to make fresh cheese. Great last minute gifts for the holiday season!

Have some little ones in your family? We also have a parent/child Preschool Kids in the Kitchen program starting on Thursday, January 4th from 9:30-10:30AM. This is a 4 week program where we will learn a new kid-friendly recipe each session! Check our website for a full list of winter offerings and registration!

  IN THE FARM STORE                          


Lots of fantastic, locally-made items are in the Dairy  & Farm Store just in time for the holidays! Stop by to enjoy fresh samples of local goods and check out what's new. And of course, Appleton Farms award-winning cheese is on hand for all your holiday needs, from gift-giving to party-throwing.

Don't miss the Rum Cheese sampling on December 15th from 2 to 6pm for a perfect taste of the holidays!