Adalyn Farm 2016 CSA sign-up’s are HERE!!!

All Farm CSA!

This is what we have been working towards for almost 5 years!  First, let us tell you what a CSA is.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  First coined in the 80’s, it was a farming business model that allowed local customers to have easier access to local, seasonal food, while taking a little bit of the risk from the farmer and sharing it with the customers (traditionally surplus is also shared with the customer).  The local food scene and eating in general has changed a lot since the 80’s and so have some CSA’s.  

We are striving to get back to the roots of a CSA, while leveraging modern technology to give today’s customers what they want.   All of the vegetables and meat you get will be from our farm, we DO NOT buy in any vegetables or meat from other farms.  We feel local food security is important, and local means local.  Even the flower and berry add-ons we offer are grown within 20 miles of our farm, not trucked in from California’s central valley or Mexico.  This does mean some things will not be available all season long.  You will have choices, not every week, but as much as we can.  Through our weekly CSA email update, when the harvest allows us the flexibility, you can select different options depending on your share size and what is in abundance or scarce.  If we have an abundance, you might get to choose between more lettuce or more carrots, or between a new veggie or some of the more traditional garden fare.  

You will have the choice to do on-farm pick-up of your share, or have it delivered to your home for an additional cost.  We highly recommend on-farm pick-up for several reasons: the chance to pick up surplus veggies beyond what is in the shares (depending on availability), to pick up eggs that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, to see what’s happening on the farm, to visit some friendly animals, and so you can get to know your farmers and where your food comes from.  

Week Seven

Week Five

Week Six

We are also partnering with two other local farms to provide berries and flowers as add-on options with your vegetables!!!

We are excited about partnering with Twig and Vine as they explore offering a flower CSA.  Deanna has been arranging for weddings and custom orders and is excited to have folks all over the area enjoying her flowers!  Her 10 week season will start in July (when the blooms are ready), and will run for 10 weeks.  Your arrangement will be in your box at pick-up, or delivered if you select CSA delivery as an add-on.

 

We know how much our family enjoys seasonal fruit, so we are very excited to offer an add-on for a berry share.  Hayton Farms is a fifth generation farm growing organic berries in the Skagit Valley.  Your berry share will include different varieties of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries as they come into season.  Each share will include 1/3 flat, that’s four pint baskets of local, organic fruit!!!  The season starts in mid-June and will run for 17 weeks.  They will be in your box at pick-up, or delivered to your door if you select for CSA delivery.

Lastly, Community Supported Agriculture is supporting the farmer and the community.  Giving back to our community through our farm is a key piece of our farm plan.  We will be working with several local churches to donate multiple shares to families in need in our community, and we want to partner with our customers in this.  If you would like to help us give additional shares, please indicate so on your order form.  You pick how much, even $25 will go a long way!  We will update our Farm-ily with the impact they make through this.  (Our goal this first year, with your help, is to donate 10% of the total food grown on the farm.)
  
 Here is the breakdown of what we are offering.  To hold your place you only need to pay the $200 deposit (which applies toward your total).  We will invoice you monthly for the balance (full payment due by April 31st).

 Farm CSA with choices! 25 weeks of a variety of fresh, organically-grown veggies and greens.

1. 1. Share Size
      1. Premium Share $795 (7 or more items, larger volume of each item, more choices, feeds 4-6 people each week.)
      2. Standard Share  $545 (5 or more items with some choices, feeds 2-4 people each week.)
2. Add-Ons
   1. Delivery to Stanwood, Camano Is. and Arlington!
      1. $135 for the entire season.
   2. Farm Bouquets!  Arrangements from the talented, local floral artist at Twig and Vine.  Included in your box starting in July and running for 10 weeks.
      1. $200 for a 10 week season.
   3. Berries!  A variety of local, organic berries from Hayton Farms.  1/3 flat (that’s 4 pint baskets) included in your box starting mid-June and running for 17 weeks.
      1. $204 for each 17 week share (Fruit lovers can get a second share for the reduced price of $195.)
   4. Adalyn Farm Organic, Pasture-raised Chickens!
      1. $30 each, must be picked-up on farm on specific dates. (This item is pending insurance underwriting, we’ll invoice once we have a green light.)
   5. Donation for a Family in Need
      1. You determine if you would like to give a monetary gift toward helping us provide fresh, healthy food to a family that is struggling to feed themselves.

 

Are you ready?  HERE IS THE SIGN-UP LINK!

Additionally, if you refer a friend to us, we will discount your CSA share by $20 for each family who signs up for either of our two share sizes.  This credit can only be applied to the main CSA share and cannot be applied to the Add-Ons.  To receive credit, your friends need to put your name in the field at the end of the sign-up form where we ask if anyone has referred them to us.  Just think, you could have a free share this summer!

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When the animals leave home….

We love hearing from folks about the food we have grown here.  Especially when folks really take advantage of all that locally grown food has to offer.  From folks who part up their chickens, make broth, and canned meat or soup, to happy kids munching on carrots, it really lifts our spirits.  It makes all the work worth while.  We got one of the most uplifting e-mails of 2014 shortly before Christmas.  It was from one of our pork customers who literally used everything but the oink.  I’m linking to her ‘how to’ on making Canadian Bacon, just to give you some ideas for this year…

(oh, and we are in the midst of our 2015 farm planning meeting, yes more pigs and chickens)

How to Make Canadian Bacon at Home.

Community Seed Exchange (Take that you big, nasty government/big ag bully.)

I saw at least two stories over the holiday about seed banks and seed exchanges being in trouble.  The premise is that seed companies need to sell seed that has a standard germination rate, set by the “industry,” so folks don’t spend good money on bad seed.  In order to enforce this, some states have laws about seed that is distributed being germination tested.  Most community seed banks can’t afford this, or do it in-house as many commercial seed companies do.  Really it all comes back to money, and trying to protect the consumer, but it gets hijacked by some brain stem with a pulse in government who doesn’t want free seed being given away unless it is germination tested…..  Sound silly?  I thought so.

So, for a second year (Not in a row, that would be too puny.) we are coordinating a community seed exchange.  The details are below, and the only request is that you jump on Facebook and indicate that you are coming.  That way we can make sure we have enough zip-tie handcuffs for all you wild law breakers out there.  Just kidding about the handcuffs, but we do need to have an idea of how many folks will be there.  It’s also a bit of a potluck/snack bar, so please let me know if you want to bring something, and I can put you in touch with the person that is coordinating food. After all, too much guacamole is too much of a good thing, especially if there are no chips to go with it.

From the Stanwood Community Seed Exchange:

“Are you ready for the 2015 garden season? Do you save seed from your garden to re-plant next year, or do you want to learn how? If you have seed to swap, plan to bring 4-8 shares (enough for a family garden), please germ test the seed if at all possible, and please pick just one or two of your favorites. Details on the actual exchange process to follow… And we do have a start on some door prizes…. And just to be clear, you don’t need to have seeds to swap to come, but if you don’t have seeds to swap, you won’t be able to participate in the seed exchange.

Our goal is to involve folks in the Stillaguamish Valley and surrounding areas, as we all share common seasonal variations that make gardening here unique. I am trying to line up a few folks to give informal talks or presentations, and we plan on having a light snack/lunch potluck. Kids are welcome, with parent supervision, because seeds are small and kids are quick.”

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Polar Vortex, done.

It was cold.  For us anyhow.  I have family in Michigan, close enough to Lake Michigan to get some wicked lake effect weather.  I try not to complain too much, since they tend to treat my grumblings like childish whining.  Regardless, our critters are used to 40’s, not teens.  So when we run daytime highs around 28, I whine on their behalf.  Chores are all about water and extra food, dry bedding and checking for drafts.  The nice thing about cold weather at the farm, it means sun, and no mud!!!  Here are some shots from the farm instagram feeds.  Both Farmer Joscelyn and Farmer Adam have started using Instagram, not because we’re all hipster, but because it so easy to share what’s happening, real time.  So here are some shots, of the frozen ground and fuzzy critters…

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The geese are complaining because their pumpkin is too frozen to eat.

A post shared by Joscelyn Stevens (@adalynfarmgirl) on Nov 13, 2014 at 11:56am PST

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On these frosty, freezing cold mornings, the goats wait in the doorway of the barn until the first patch of sun hits the corner of their yard; then they run over there high stepping like Irish dancers because the grass feels funny. They stand soaking in the sun with eyes closed and looks of bliss on their fluffy faces. They will stay with the sun as it moves through the paddock-like faithful sun worshippers.

A post shared by Joscelyn Stevens (@adalynfarmgirl) on Nov 13, 2014 at 12:04pm PST

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Mr. Fluffy (the rooster) basks in the sun against the rabbit hutch. This silly boy likes to roost in the tree at night with his favorite girls, so on freezing nights we pluck them out of the tree and put them in the nice, warm coop. Do they learn to just go in the coop themselves? Oh no, just like us people they are too stubborn to admit they're wrong, so we repeat the process each night.

A post shared by Joscelyn Stevens (@adalynfarmgirl) on Nov 13, 2014 at 12:11pm PST

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Last of the year. It's 32 outside as of 9:30. Glad I grabbed these last two little gems..

A post shared by Adam Stevens (@adalynfarmboy) on Nov 10, 2014 at 9:23pm PST

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A post shared by Adam Stevens (@adalynfarmboy) on Nov 21, 2014 at 2:30pm PST

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Toasty pig. No food, no facetime.

A post shared by Adam Stevens (@adalynfarmboy) on Nov 21, 2014 at 2:31pm PST

It’s actually raining now, with the temps up.  And we are hi fiving, as some of our winter greens test garden came through with little to no damage!!!  These were all harvested after the run of mid teen overnight temps.

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Pushing the envelope on salad greens. All from the hoop house after a week of nightly temps below 20°. 8 different leafy greens. #adalynfarm

A post shared by Adam Stevens (@adalynfarmboy) on Nov 16, 2014 at 8:30pm PST

This bodes well for next winter.  We might just have a few shares of winter greens to offer up.  Stay tuned.

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Tough times….

Farmer Joscelyn summed it up well, so I’m not going to add much more than what she shared on Facebook this morning.

“Many tears at Adalyn Farm today…we had to put down our sweet old llama, Samson. He was such a great guard for the goats that he loved and watched over so faithfully and a big, gentle friend to our girls. He was always so patient with the baby goats as they would climb all over him and treat him like a personal jungle gym; it would remind me to be more patient with my kids. He only spit once and that was at the vet who was poking him with a big needle-totally justified. He was typically quite dignified and stoic and if he could have spoken he would have sounded like Sean Connery, but every so once in a while he would break into a goofy prancing llama run and you would see his sense of humor come out. As you can see, he looked fabulous in a cowboy hat, and whenever the local fair needed a llama representative to come and show how nice llamas can be, they would call us and ask for Sam. Samson, you will be sorely missed; rest in peace big guy, you totally deserve it!”

Farming is hard, not always in ways you expect.  We do know that Sam loved living here, and we loved having him here.  We develop a relationship with the animals we care for, it’s oddly mathematical, and dependent on the time they are here, their intelligence, and the frequency with which we interact with them.  Sam came to our farm in 2008 with some pesky little goats, who have since moved on, but he has remained.  He’s lovingly watched over dozens of baby goats, and our herd as it’s evolved.  We have never worried about our goats, even when the song dogs are singing in the woods along the creek, because Sam was with them.  It’s going to be an uneasy winter, but at least we will know that Sam, who did not have an easy summer, will not be uncomfortable and cold this winter.  I’ll leave you with some more images, while I go find a kleenex

If you jump over to the Adalyn Farm Facebook page, (link here), we have a video of some of Sam’s times here on the farm.  I couldn’t find the footage of the goats jumping on him while he stood and ‘put up with it’, but if I do, I’ll post it there as well.

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Growing beef. (Grass Camp)

Time to send then to grass camp.  It’s been a lot of fun, the five boys have pulled bottles out of our hands, run up and down our driveway in a mad panic (with us not much calmer) and sucked on many an offered hand (or non offered elbow, or boot top, or flap of fabric)

Here are the boys, all of them over 90# and two over 120# getting the last of their morning grain on the farm.

We are glad we moved them when we did.  They all just fit in the back of the short bed truck, and it was a grunt to get the big one in…  (note cute skinny calf butts, and the unkind reflections in the truck tailgate)

 

They all got a window seat, and also helped clean off the interior of the canopy with their Velcro tongues.

 

Unloaded at the the new home!  They will eat their way through the 8 acres of fenced paddocks at our friends farm till September of 2015.  They still have a long way to go, and lots of good food ahead of them.

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Time to mow.

 

 

 

Have gas, will mow.

 

It’s a little daunting, but it needs to be done.  Although we run chicken tractors, rotationally grazed dairy goats and children on the farm, there are some areas where a tight close urban style cutting is required.  Specifically to keep pests out.  Weed and rodent.  Around the house (especially in the fall) we cut the grass close, to create a bit of moat to keep the rats at bay.  Around the garden, we mow during the summer, to reduce wind blown seed, and to discourage rabbits and voles from hiding in the tall grass to wonder in and much on the tubers, greens and young plants…  Works like a charm.  When it gets done.  When it doesn’t, we have trouble.  Last year, we lost 80% of our bean crop, and 75% of our potatoes to voles.  This year, I have gas, a non bagging mower and will power.  Now I just need the time….

Meat Chickens are on their way!!!

Went out via e-mail to our subscribers a few days ago.  There are just a few left…

It’s finally time!  The cute little fluff balls will be showing up via US mail next week!  That’s 100 little nuggets, that will get all organic feed, fresh air and  sunshine in our chicken tractors, to spend all their days on our farm.  Then we’ll process them and you can pick them up!!  We will be processing them on Saturday August 16th, and yours should be ready to pick up in the afternoon! The birds will be $5.25 per lb this year, and probably won’t quite be the #5.03 average they were last year, as they will be getting done about 5 days earlier.  We require a $15 per bird deposit, and at this point we are limiting folks to 10 birds per family (we have had folks ask for 25 or 30 birds in the past, and as much as we wish we could run the 1000, or 2000 birds a year that would allow us to do that, we can’t and really want as many folks as possible to experience local, organic, free range chicken) “How can I get in line for these?!?!?”  Well, as we have kids, we are aware of trying to keep everything fair.  We will send out the pre-order/contract to folks in the order that they reply to this e-mail, they will have 48 hours to get the deposit to us, and as folks get us their deposits they will get their place in line.  So, it might take a few days for you to get the order form if other folks are in line in front of you.  Yes we did think of just sending out the order form, with our PayPal info and such, but, we didn’t want to deal with returning deposits for dozens of birds if lots of folks responded without checking to see if we still had some available.  You can also call if you would rather, or have questions, but we do need the signed contract and deposit to hold your birds. Thanks! and we are looking forward to seeing you in August!!! (or before, if you want to come and see your birds ‘on the hoof’) The Adalyn Farmers 360-474-7427 19313 22nd Ave NW Stanwood WA 98292

Update from the farm (or Vol 1 Issue 1)

Here’s what went out this AM to folks on our mailing list.  I wanted to post it here too, as there are a few folks who might be following the blog, but haven’t signed up for the mailing list yet.  If you want to get notices like this (and the offers to get some darn tasty food) hit the link below to jump to our mailing list….

Click here for our newsletter Sign Up!!

It’s been a long cold winter… and wet, with some more cold.  Single digit temps can make summer seem a long way off, but it’s coming.  Despite all that life has thrown at us (I’ll spare you all the excuses details.) the farm is still on track.  And then there were the babies.

Cute, huh?  They have chewed up the time that we might have had to get this out sooner, but here it is.  The Adalyn Farm Offering for 2014:

Our intent for 2014 is to continue with the practices we have worked very hard to put in place and offer Chickens, Turkeys and Pigs.  A more in depth ”how we do things” is in the works, and includes some of the practices indicated such as: organic feed, pasture-raised, humanely treated, sustainabily grown, by a local family, for their local community.  We’ll go into more detail on each of those points at a later date.  The critters will be grown on contract. What does that mean? Well, in a nutshell, we won’t be growing anything unless we have a customer who has gotten us a deposit.

Of the animals we are making plans on offering, the pastured chickens will probably be about $5 per lb. they will be the cornish cross, with a 7-8 week grow out, and the final price will depend on feed costs when the contract is written,

Pastured turkeys will probably be close to $8 per lb this year, with birds ranging from 18# to 25#. We are growing broad-breasted whites this year; butcher and pickup will be earlier than last year, so plan on freezer space for these.

Pastured Pork will probably be $5.00 per lb. hanging weight plus the kill, cut and wrap fees charged by Del Fox. The minimum order is a 1/4 pig. We buy weaned pigs from a local breeder, and they get farm surplus and other goodies here until butcher at 6-8 months of age.

“How can I get in line for these?!?!?”  Well, if you got this in your e-mail in-box, you’re first in line, but you need you to take another step. Please hit the link at the bottom or reply to this e-mail, and let us know your interest in what we have planned for this year. Specifically let us know what type of meats you want and how much (ex. 5 chickens, 1 turkey and 1/2 a pig).  This will let us plan for the year. Then when we send out the pre-order form, just be snappy about getting it back to us with the $$, and we’ll hold your place.  “But I didn’t get the e-mail!”  Well, then sign-up by clicking on the sign-up links on our blog/site and our facebook page.  You can also call us, or e-mail us.  Until then, get outside and enjoy the spring that’s soon going to be a distant memory…

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Are you still here?  Did you miss the sign up link?  Here it is again:

Click here for our newsletter Sign Up!!

Makin’ Bacon.

You remember these boys…

We have had some of the pork, but are really excited to be finally getting the bacon cured.  Salt, and sugar on some, salt sugar and honey on another.  Next up will be more sausage making!

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