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Posts Tagged ‘letterbox farm’

Spring on the Farm

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Sandy sent this March 20 update from the Letterbox Farm Collective in the Hudson Valley. Farmer Nichki is Sandy’s niece.

“We can see the ground! All of a sudden, our fields and beds have emerged.  We’re checking the soil daily to see if it’s thawed enough to get started.  In the meantime, we’re wrapping up a very full winter of projects, events, and olympic-level planning, and taking a deep breath before the neverending days of the growing season begin.  Its time to start seeds, take soil tests, and take stock.

“Six months ago, through lots of work, lots of luck, and the incredible support of our community, our team of farmers and land partners were able to purchase the land underneath our farm.  Farming with land security is entirely different than farming with a one-year lease …

“We’ve long been inspired by the Community Supported Agriculture model and have spent many years planning the CSA of our dreams.  We’re so proud to finally introduce our 2015 Meal Share, a ‘Full-Plate’ CSA designed to bring you a whole, compelling, and meal-based experience of eating from the ground. …

“Pigs. Now that we have land security and access to more outbuildings, we can finally bring on the larger livestock.  …

“While sometimes farming seems like a poor career choice, there are a couple things that make us feel luckier than everybody else.  The USDA Farm Service Agency’s Microloan program is one of them.  FSA Microloans are nifty little loans for up to 50k at generous interest rates, just for farmers to start or expand their operation.  …

“Inspired by the success of our September farm dinner with Momofuku Ko (the pictures are in!), we’ve officially opened up our land for weddings, parties and celebrations. … All proceeds from events go directly toward land renewal and restoration projects (this year’s projects are all about planting trees). …

“Our very own Nichki received a Farmer Grant from Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE) to develop a comprehensive enterprise guide on raising rabbits humanely on pasture.  Watch out for ‘Pastured Rabbit for Profit’ hitting your PDF libraries and farming conferences this fall.”

It’s quite an inspiration to see these young people take on the hard work farming — learning and innovating as they go.

On a related note, New Englanders too far away to take advantage of a CSA in New York may want to check out some local community-supported-agriculture opportunities, here. The list is from EcoRI.

Photo: Letterbox Farm Collective

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Scenic Hudson Partnering with Young Farmers

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 7, 2015| 2 Comments »

Good news for Letterbox Farm Collective in New York State! The environmental nonprofit Scenic Hudson’s interest in protecting a Hudson River tributary has enabled the young farmers to purchase land.

Scenic Hudson’s Jay Burgess writes, “Scenic Hudson has acquired a conservation easement protecting 62 acres of productive farm fields and watershed lands in Greenport, just south of the City of Hudson. The easement’s purchase enabled a group of young farmers who had been leasing the property to purchase it, securing the future of their farm operations.

“Known as the Letterbox Farm Collective, the farm partners supply specialty vegetables, herbs, pork, poultry, rabbits and eggs to a variety of regional and New York City markets — local bakeries and food trucks, many restaurants (including New York City’s renowned Momofuku restaurants) and two farmers’ markets. In the spring the farmers will launch a diversified Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation. …

“ ‘Achieving the goal of Scenic Hudson’s Foodshed Conservation Plan — meeting the growing demand for fresh, local food in the Hudson Valley and New York City — depends on successful partnerships like this, which provides a stable base of operations for the dedicated young farmers in the Letterbox Farm Collective. We also thank these farmers for enabling a future public access point to our protected lands along South Bay Creek, which present exciting opportunities for Hudson residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors,’ said Steve Rosenberg, executive director of The Scenic Hudson Land Trust. …

“ ‘We were lucky to have Scenic Hudson with us while we gathered our financing and at the closing table when the moment came and we were able to buy our land,” said Letterbox’s Faith Gilbert.” More here.

Thanks to Sandy and Pat for letting me know and congrats to their niece for being successfully launched in farming.

Photo: Nathaniel Nardi-Cyrus

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Farm to Table Banquet in Upstate New York

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 30, 2014| 4 Comments »

I’ve written a couple times about Sandy and Pat’s niece, who graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and went into farming in a serious way. My most recent post is here.

On Saturday, Sandy and Pat went to Letterbox Farm in Hudson, New York, to see their niece and enjoy a magnificent farm-to-table spread.

The original invitation said, “The meal is in motion.  Meats from the farm are curing in Ko’s kitchen.  Our beekeeper is spinning honey from the combs, and the blue corn is waiting at the mill.  Will you join us in the fields for an incredible feast?

“The culinary team at Momofuku Ko joins the Letterbox farmers to host a celebratory evening of dinner and drinks.

“The night begins with farm-made sodas and cocktails in the garden, complete with bar snacks and live music.  In our silent auction, guests can bid for offerings from bee hive installations to garden consultations or a night on the town, provided by farmers and friends.  Before dusk arrives, we will move to the hillsides for dinner and sunset views of the Catskill Mountains.

“All proceeds from this event go to support the farm as it puts down permanent roots on new land.”

I wish I could show you all the wonderful photos of the event I just received, but I think you’ll enjoy this sampling. Note the roasted beets on greens and the elegant pork, marinated for two weeks in a marinade featuring sumac.

Photos: Sandra M. Kelly

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Wooly Pig Farmers Move to Hudson Valley

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 2, 2014| 2 Comments »

Here’s an update on the Wooly Pig farmers I blogged about in 2012. (See that here.) At that time, they were raising chickens in Connecticut. They have since joined forces with other young farmers and are now part of the Letterbox Farm Collective in Hudson, New York. If you have Facebook, that’s the best place to see their photos and learn what they are up to. (Click here.)

From the Letterbox Farm About page: “We are a group of people growing meals and medicine on shared land in the Hudson Valley. We take our time and listen.”

If you don’t have Facebook, you might enjoy the pictures at a Turnquist Photography post called “Young Farmers of the Hudson Valley.”

The photographer writes, “We were recently contacted by Chronogram Magazine, a tremendous monthly publication circulated in and around the Hudson Valley based out of Kingston, NY. They asked that we photograph some young farmers local to the Hudson area for an article being written for their September issue. … It was a true honor to be considered for this assignment, especially after meeting these amazing people who UNDERSTAND what it means to eat responsibly.

“My first stop was just outside of the Hudson city limits to Letterbox Farm Collective.” (Turnquist photos here.)

Letterbox farmer Nichki’s Aunt Sandra sent me a photo of a spring farmers market that the collective attended in Rhinebeck. I’m told they can hardly keep up with the demand from restaurants for duck eggs, rabbits, and quail.

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