Cascade Farm

It is that time again and our Christmas shop will be open weekends in December.  We will be selling handmade wreaths and locally grown Christmas Trees.  Our Christmas Shop weekend hours are Saturday 10 – 6 and Sunday 11 – 5.   

Our trees (and wreath materials) come from a tree farm in Dutchess county.  Because they are local they did not travel far (the majority of Christmas trees sold in this country are grown in North Carolina or Washington state) and are fresh cut (the batch we have now were cut this week).  Recently there has been some debate over the best choice for a Christmas tree.  Some might argue that artificial trees are environmentally friendly but many of those are manufactured using petrochemicals and travel many miles (85% of artificial trees are manufactured in China). Although an artificial tree will be used in your home for an average of 6 years, it will stay in the landfill for hundreds of years.   Live Christmas trees are grown for the purpose of eventual sale
(98% of live trees sold in this country are grown on tree farms).  Responsible tree farms manage their farms by replanting new trees each year (making them a renewable resource).  When live trees are disposed of they can be composted adding nutrients back to the soil.   

The wreaths and trees sold at Cascade farm are for raising funds to support the operation of the farm and the farm school.

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  Come to Cascade Farm to pick your own pumpkin, take a hayride, and to visit our farm stand for fall produce and baked goods

Open Saturday, Sunday, and Columbus Day from 11am to 6pm from October 1st to October 30th  (call 878-3258 for more information)

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This year we are adding a FALL SHARE to our CSA.  Anyone can sign up.  The share will begin on Thursday October 20^th and continue for 10 weeks until Thursday December 22^nd.  We will be offering cool weather crops like lettuces and greens, root crops, herbs, beans, and winter squash (see list below).  We will keep gardens as long as the weather allows and then continue growing in the greenhouse and hoop houses.   We expect the harvests to produce enough vegetables for the average family of four each week (about 10 to 15 lbs. of produce each week on average).   

Below is a list of the plantings for the fall share.  Like our summer shares, this list is subject to change due to weather and growing conditions:  Asian greens, arugula, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collard greens, dry beans, herbs, kale,  kohlrabi, lettuce, pac choy, potatoes, radish, rutabaga, spinach, string beans, swiss chard, turnips,  winter squash (acorn, butternut, hubbard) 

FALL SHARES AT CASCADE FARM:

• 10 weeks Thursday pick-ups from October 20 thru December 22
• $300 for 10-week SeasonUp to 50 Shares being offered

• $50 deposit due by September 10th, balance due by October 1, 2011 (checks or cash)

Click on link for application FALL CSA SIGN UP

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Beginning July 9th, our farm stand will be open to the public.  Every Saturday from 8am to 12 noon come by the farm for fresh, locally grown produce (grown without chemicals or pesticides).  Our stand is located inside the barn.  We also sell honey, syrup, eggs and other made-on-the farm treats as the season allows. 

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I didn’t really appreciate trees until visiting the west coast some years ago and touring the old growth woods in awe of the majestic trees that grew there.  Sure I had climbed trees and picked fruit from trees but it wasn’t until I visited Muir Woods that I realized how important and wonderous trees are.  If you have visited the farm recently, you may have noticed a pile of (quite large) recently cut trees.  Many of our members and visitors have asked about those trees, some worried that they may have been cut without regard.  These trees were cut by a firm contracted to clear areas around electric lines in Putnam and Dutchess.  The firm donated the cut trees to the farm for use.  The smaller trees and branches were (or will be) used as firewood to heat our greenhouses in the winter.  The larger trees have already begun to be milled.  From these trees we will create usable lumber for repair projects or plant beds.  I feel that allowing these trees to be used (instead of discarded) respects the tree’s life and reduces the need for us to bring outside (mostly imported) lumber to our site for projects.   

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Once upon a time there were three little pigs…. no, no not that story, a different three little pigs.  These pigs came to live at Cascade Farm and within a few hours of arriving managed to escape from their pen and go for a walk.  Now these pigs weren’t content to explore the farm, no they wanted to see the world!  So they set out on Harmony Road.  Some passersby noticed these pigs and called around to see if they could alert their owners.  Meanwhile, the pigs turned up onto Rte 292 and explored several yards and gardens along the way.  They came upon a small stream and more neighbors and passersby noticed the three little (very bad) piggies and made more calls.  Someone called the sheriff and he tried to help find the owners as well.  Before long the farmers noticed the three little (very very bad) piggies were missing (especially after receiving some of the phone calls) and set out to get them.  Brave friends and volunteers helped the farmers in a muddy chase to round up the adventurous piggies.  The farmers were so very grateful to all their friends and neighbors who helped.  They brought the pigs back to the farm (and fixed the fence so they couldn’t get out again).  The three very tired little pigs were so glad to be back at their new home that they took a long nap.  The End.

April 27, 2011

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