Fall CSA Week #4

Fall CSA Week #4

Light

We have entered the final few weeks of crop growth this season. Typically plants stop growing once daylight hours drop below 10 hours in a single day which will happen on November 6th. Right now, we are hovering around 11 hours of daylight and are noticing subtle changes in our plants as greens continue to get larger, beans are maturing in GH3, and the cilantro gets a touch bigger each day. For perspective, we are experiencing the same daylight hours now that happen the last week of February and about 4.5 hours less daylight hours than the summer solstice on June 20th.

As mentioned in previous newsletters, spinach tends to be the one crop we can grow that will survive the plunging cold winter temperatures, not much growth occurs, however once day light hours begin to increase again come February and March, overwintered spinach takes off. Being further away from the equator, we have greater daylight hour difference between the winter and summer soltices. On equator there is generally year round consistancy of 12 hours darkness and 12 hours light per 24 hour day.

Want to see specific daylight hour amounts along with sunrise and sunset times, check out Time and date

Also check out this article on the Johnny’s seeds website about the effect of shorter daylength on plant growth.

GH6 cilantro growing just a little bit each day. We were’nt sure if this succession was going to amount to anything, however are pleased to see it is now bunch-able!

Despite the lack of water, the spinach seeded at the oxbow germinated and has done alright. We are hoping to get one cut this fall before covering and protecting for the winter.

Water and GH7

Evrald and Sam spent a bit of time repairing some tears in GH8. Plastic starts to break down due to sun exposure and weather typically needing to be replaced every 5-7 years. The recent winds found a weak spot which thankfully Shawn noticed . Black Zip tape and Clear Greenhouse tape has hopefully given us another 6-9 months before needing to replace the plastic.

We moved GH7 yesterday in maybe 15 minutes from start to finish and never documented the moment. Check out our self guided tour video for some Moveable GH information!

We share 809 Brook Road with Woodland Community School. CHILDREN AND PARENTS MAY BE STILL IN AND AROUND THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CSA PICKUP BEGINS, PLEASE BE CAREFUL NAVIGATING THE PARKING LOT.

Pickup
Come anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday.

Please bring your own bags or box to gather your choices.

 Remember to contact us in advance if you will be unable to pick up on Thursday, so that we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can email or call us to let us know. Thank you to all of those who have already arranged another time to pickup!

Here's what you will find in this weeks share:

When you arrive at the farm, look for the CSA sign straight ahead and to the left.

Jaime will check you in and help you gather your share.

The Fall CSA is a set share chosen by your MSF Farmers. You will receive everything on the “basket” list. We will have a trade box available if you would like to trade one (1) of your items!

Picture from the Johnny’s Selected Seeds website

You may have noticed the sign in the farm-stand with winter hours. Starting November 1st we will be closed Tuesday - Thursday and open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. However, we will open the stand during the Thursday CSA Pickup in case while you are here picking up your share you want to grab a few other things. Thanks!

Your Farmer, Sam (For Tim, Mikaela, Jeannie, Jim, Evrald, Shawn, Jav, Jeb, Colin, Jaime, Wyatt, Ani, Sophie, Cole, and Jess)

Fall CSA Week #3

Fall CSA Week #3

Farm Happenings

We got off the farm again this week for a brief walk and talk weekly meeting. Did you know there is a farm built trail across from the entrance to the farm? We walked on the trail for a bit and enjoyed some fall foliage, time together, and reflected on the season coming to a close in the next 4 - 6 weeks. In the next 3 - 4 weeks we have a number of items on the to-do list we are hoping to complete from weeding (yes more weeding?!?) to fixing greenhouses, moving animals, trimming hooves, installing some electric and water to GH10 and planting garlic at the oxbow.

The Spinach in GH6, where we had cucumbers this summer is doing great. With red stems, the Red Tabby Spinach variety adds a burst of color on the plate accompanying the other all-green winter hardy spinach varieties we grow. More spinach will be coming your way this week!

Pole Beans in Greenhouse 3 may come to fruition….we are hoping! The cover crop of oats and peas are doing well and will set up next seasons cash crop.

Cherry tomatoes and basil have made it through the recent cold weather. We are excited to have cherry tomatoes again for you this week.

Water and GH7

GH7 salanova: some has been harvested, however some been munched by deer who have wandered in looking for food.

The brook in the front of the farm as seen from the school foot bridge.

Incredible to see the brook in the front of the farm so low. Water does remain flowing, however this is lowest the water has been in decades and with little water comes challenges for everyone. We have all heard about Wells drying up and grass not growing. We are fortunate and have a good source of hay for our animals, however hay prices have risen with less supply and we are already feeding out hay to our goats, donkeys and cows. With the lack of water we have been watering more everywhere and have noticed an increase in pressure from wild turkeys and deer who have both been entering greenhouses to find food.

GH7 is moveable. With the salanova head lettuce consumed by deer, we are going to move the greenhouse over the middle section sooner than expected. The scallions will be hooped and then covered with row cover within the greenhouse to help them make it through the winter.

We share 809 Brook Road with Woodland Community School. CHILDREN AND PARENTS MAY BE STILL IN AND AROUND THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CSA PICKUP BEGINS, PLEASE BE CAREFUL NAVIGATING THE PARKING LOT.

Pickup
Come anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday.

Please bring your own bags or box to gather your choices.

 Remember to contact us in advance if you will be unable to pick up on Thursday, so that we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can email or call us to let us know. Thank you to all of those who have already arranged another time to pickup!

Here's what you will find in this weeks share:

When you arrive at the farm, look for the CSA sign straight ahead and to the left.

Jaime will check you in and help you gather your share.

The Fall CSA is a set share chosen by your MSF Farmers. You will receive everything on the “basket” list. We will have a trade box available if you would like to trade one (1) of your items!

Picture from High Mowing Seeds

Your Farmer, Sam (For Tim, Mikaela, Jeannie, Jim, Evrald, Shawn, Jav, Jeb, Colin, Jaime, Wyatt, Ani, Sophie, Cole, and Jess)

The delivery van spent a night down in Lincoln before a length of wire helped hold things together to get it back up to the farm for a more permanent fix!

Fall CSA Week #2

Fall CSA Week #2

The clean up Continues

The last week has provided an opportunity for us to get caught up on a few of the items on the eternal to-do list. With the switch from the summer CSA to the fall season, Jaime and Evrald did a much needed deep clean of the CSA area spraying down or cleaning the tables, crates, wooden tomato flats, shelves, and even the pens!

Out in the gardens and greenhouses, GH8 received new plastic, GH4 was completely planted with lettuce, the Basil in GH3 was removed and spinach planted, and Paper Pot Spinach was planted in GH8 under the new plastic.

Paper Pot Spinach going in the ground a previous season in GH7. Spinach doesn’t do much growing in the winter however can survive, if covered, winter conditions waking back up come spring when daylight hours increase and temperatures begin to think about warming.

We attach plastic using wood or in the case of GH8 wiggle wire. Once Shawn, Sam, and Jav got the plastic over the greenhouse, we went around feeding wire into the tracks to secure the plastic onto the frame of the GH. We replace plastic ideally every 5-7 years. As the plastic ages, the plastic breaks down and UV light passage becomes restricted. We use the old plastic for animal shelters, to cover wood, or any other farm project.

A video from 2022 when we replaced the plastic on GH3

We took a break off the farm and enjoyed a bike ride and walk over at Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge. Great to see some fall foliage and take some time together.

We share 809 Brook Road with Woodland Community School. CHILDREN AND PARENTS MAY BE STILL IN AND AROUND THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CSA PICKUP BEGINS, PLEASE BE CAREFUL NAVIGATING THE PARKING LOT.

Pickup
Come anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday.

Please bring your own bags or box to gather your choices.

 Remember to contact us in advance if you will be unable to pick up on Thursday, so that we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can email or call us to let us know. Thank you to all of those who have already arranged another time to pickup!

Here's what you will find in this weeks share:

When you arrive at the farm, look for the CSA sign straight ahead and to the left.

Jaime will check you in and help you gather your share.

The Fall CSA is a set share chosen by your MSF Farmers. You will receive everything on the “basket” list. We will have a trade box available if you would like to trade one (1) of your items!

Lunchbox sweet peppers can be chopped up and frozen for later use, roasted then frozen, or roasted and eaten as is. They are delicious stuffed as well. Enjoy these sweet treats…remnants of the summer season!

Stuffed Mini Peppers

Everything cream cheese stuffed mini peppers

Your Farmer, Sam (For Tim, Mikaela, Jeannie, Jim, Evrald, Shawn, Jav, Jeb, Colin, Jaime, Wyatt, Ani, Sophie, Cole, and Jess)

Fall CSA Week #1

Fall CSA Week #1

Joining us for the fall CSA is one of the ways to support what we do and help us continue to grow…in all the ways! Thank you!

With the recent 26 degree night here at the farm we have launched into Fall and have spent the last few days beginning to clean up gardens and greenhouses as we continue to prepare for the Fall and winter growing seasons. Lettuce Mix, Radishes, and Spinach are a few of the crops we are still planting inside greenhouses, knowing that despite the shorter daylight hours we may still get harvest.

Summer crops, particularly Cherry Tomatoes continue to thrive and some well placed heaters helped this past weekend to ensure this is the case. Even though we removed 600 plants from GH4 a couple weeks ago, about 300 - 400 pints are being harvested a week in total from GH2, GH9, and GH10.

GH9

GH2

GH10

GH2, GH9, and GH10 cherry tomatoes continue to provide a high quality, bountiful harvest.

Taking tomato plants out of the ground

GH4 cherry tomatoes lasted from the beginning of March 2025 until the first week of September. These 600 plants produced over 2500 pints of cherry tomatoes over the season.

GH4 now with lettuce mix coming up in one bed. Since the photo was taken, two more beds have been direct seeded with lettuce mix and head lettuce is getting a little bit bigger before filling up the other two beds.

As many of you may know an early season crop of cucumbers didn’t quite work out as expected and so we have been focusing on cover cropping to improve the soil. A single row of Pole beans is surround by oats and peas. As we focus on organic matter and fixing nitrogen a crop of beans would be a bonus. We will see what the fall brings for weather and if the cold cold weather holds off.

We welcomed the much needed rain this morning. We all took a deep breathe (the plants too) as rain fell for the first time in weeks and weeks.

We share 809 Brook Road with Woodland Community School. CHILDREN AND PARENTS MAY BE STILL IN AND AROUND THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CSA PICKUP BEGINS, PLEASE BE CAREFUL NAVIGATING THE PARKING LOT.

Pickup
Come anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm on Thursday.

Please bring your own bags or box to gather your choices.

 Remember to contact us in advance if you will be unable to pick up on Thursday, so that we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can email or call us to let us know. Thank you to all of those who have already arranged another time to pickup!

Here's what you will find in this weeks share:

When you arrive at the farm, look for the CSA sign straight ahead and to the left.

Jaime will check you in and help you gather your share.

The Fall CSA is a set share chosen by your MSF Farmers. You will receive everything on the “basket” list. We will have a trade box available if you would like to trade one (1) of your items!

Early European settlers quickly adopted it for its rich flavor and ability to store well through the winter. By the 1800s, acorn squash was a familiar sight in U.S. gardens and seed catalogs, its ridged, acorn-like shape making it instantly recognizable. Today it remains a beloved heirloom variety, often roasted or stuffed, and a staple of autumn harvest tables.

Your Farmer, Sam (For Tim, Mikaela, Jeannie, Jim, Evrald, Shawn, Jav, Jeb, Colin, Jaime, Wyatt, Ani, Sophie, Cole, and Jess)

Fall CSA Welcome

Fall CSA Welcome

Spanning for most of the Fall season, this CSA will provide you with fresh fall hardy crops and storage crops that will bring farm flavors into the holiday season.

We have already been busy the last few weeks bulk harvesting some of our storage crops. Onions, some carrots and beets, cabbage, and winter squash have all made their way onto the farm for storage or curing. In anticipation of a frost, we make protecting these crops crucial in September as the days shorten and the weather begins to get colder.

The first Fall CSA Pickup is in just over a week:

Thursday September 25th from 3 - 6 pm

Expect the first Fall CSA Newsletter, with information about next weeks basket, to arrive sometime at the beginning of next week.

Look for the CSA sign by the shed roof ahead and on the left once you drive into the farm. Jaime will be present each week to help you gather your share.

If you have been with us this summer as a Summer CSA member, please remember for the fall there are no add-ons, and the basket is pre-determined by Meadowstone Farmers.

Remember please contact us in advance if you will be unable to pickup at the designated time on Thursdays, that way we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh for you to come and pickup at a convenient time. Also remember: Pickup is at the farm between 3:00 and 6:00 pm on Thursdays for 9 weeks from September 25th until November 20th.

Enjoy! Thank you for supporting local agriculture!