There’s been a lot going on…in spite of me not posting FOREVER! I do manage to get things up on FB, so, hopefully you like our page so you can get, at least, weekly updates 🙂
Greetings:
Yep, it’s still cold!
We don’t see the groundhog here, but the porcupine shows him/herself regularly in the beginning of February.
This year he found some apples ready for compost in the barn and then found his way to our kitchen door before climbing to the top of an Elm tree in our back yard.
Fatso porky WAY up in the Elm tree, eating the bark and periodically shakin’ it.
Glenn and I have had a little extra time for walks and observing the wildlife on the farm. We are proud to host the porcupines, offering healthful bark for them 🙂 and last week, another driver on the road stopped me (not knowing I was the property owner) to alert me to the Bobcat and three kittens crossing the road (from one of our fields to another).
We are filling out market applications for the summer markets – not far off, in spite of how we feel 😉 Looks like there will be changes to the City Hall location, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can still find us all winter at the Armory in Somerville, Saturdays, 9:30-2 and Sundays at 318 Harvard St, Arcade Bldg, Brookline 12-5 (except 12/22/13). You’ll be able to get amazing carrots, potatoes, turnips, squash and greens. Bonus – Kate will have her meats and eggs at both markets!
We have suffered through the housing inspection for the guys to come up from Jamaica…my house would never pass (there’s rust on the radiators). I surely hope none of you have to endure the trauma of a little rust on the baseboard radiator covers – it’s a health hazard and they might have to evict you or take your children away (if you are not catching the sarcasm, I’m laying it on pretty thick). Anyway, we feel pleased with the housing we offer our Jamaican family. I laid a new floor in the kitchen and it looks pretty good 🙂
Yes, boring picture, but I thought you might like to see the kitchen of the awesome workers who help make it all happen. -Still looking for twin sheets if anyone has any gently used to contribute.
In the News
Clearly the wildlife is running amok on our farm…plus, the neighbors horses went out for a jaunt. Glenn and I spent an hour this morning keeping them off the slick roads. They made it back home just fine 🙂 The Bobcats are still ever present on the farm. Apparently Mom was moving the kits last week (in anticipation of the porcupines revealing themselves ?) and the family is doing well on our farm – three kittens!!! Glenn is so pleased to be providing the right kind of habitat for all creatures to want to stay, breed and hang out! Living with wildlife and providing great habitat, is another part of your food being “conscientiously grown”.
CSA
Sign up today for CSA.
Named one of Boston’s Best CSA by CBS…we offer the best value, the best knowledge, the best resources, the best farm hangout, the best newsletter….just one of the best. You are one of the best and brightest for choosing Stillman’s. Join us if you haven’t already.
Sign ups are coming in nicely – thank you! You will see me add many other market locations to the pickup locations in the coming weeks. We have had a great deal of interest in Charlestown, Cambridgeport, and, Lexington. We may have a slightly different structure at these locations, but it will be awesome, none-the-less. The price will hold at the old price of $350 for a small box and $500 for a large box until April 1. Remember, a large box is not double the quantity in the small box, but it is more ;). As of April 1 the price will increase to $375 for a small box and $535 for a large box. As much as we would like to hold the price forever, our costs have gone up across the board: health care, gas, soil, boxes, seed, labor (now $11.20/hour), etc. We will hold the price for our early subscribers but will have to raise our prices to reflect costs of doing business in Massachusetts. Please also remember that we hire a lot of local help – even folks in the city, and we pay them over minimum wage (yes, $11.20/hour) 🙂 Take advantage of the old price ASAP! Call or email if you have questions or would like to chat: 508-867-7193, stillmans@verizon.net
Sign up today for CSA.
How well do you eat? What about your children or your friend’s children? I LOVE this picture that reminds me why we work so hard on the farm…because, at the end of the day, we want our food to be worthy of the most precious of all creatures.
You can find our CSA brochure online…should you like to print out some to pass on to your friends 😉 Please feel free to pin up somewhere or pass along to a friend 🙂 We also have some very nice 11×17″ posters to hang if you have a location in mind.
Sign up today for CSA.