Saturday dawn cold with another storm promised. I dashed right out to the Greenfield Winterfare to stock up, and I wasn’t the only one. Every booth was busy. These young women from Wheatberry Farm and Bakery were selling the wheatberries AND delicious muffins. Ben and Adrie Lester, the founders of Wheatberry are also founders of The Pioneer Valley Heritage Grain CSA.
At the Simple Gifts booth I bought lots of roots – and make a shredded vegetable slaw when I got home. Perfect accompaniment to casserole roasted pork. Brooke Werley and Emily Adams say they do everything! at the farm. They have a brand new tractor at Simple Gifts and they are very excited.
I not only found the Grade A Medium Amber Maple Syrup I had been looking for I found out that the sugar house I pass when I drive from Heath to Colrain is called Sunrise Farm and is operated by a branch of the locally famous Lively family. It is wonderful to have so much Lively-ness in our area. Rocky’s family has been on this farm for over 100 years.
Most of these farms are already signing people up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares. For a full list of CSA farms visit CISA, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture.
One thing I have noticed is that there are more farms selling meat locally. I am buying lamb from a neighbor, and I found out that the new Pen and Plow Farm in Hawley is selling beef – and it doesn’t have to be a whole quarter of an animal. Hmmmm. Oxtail soup and osso bucco may be in my husband’s future.
I stopped at the library on my way home from Winterfare, but a ‘wintry mix’ was already falling out of the sky. By suppertime everything was encased in ice. This is the view when we woke on Sunday morning. Beautiful but dangerous.
I have that ice view coming up tomorrow. It is quite lovely isn’t it. Even the 2 year old granddaughter was impressed. She can now say ‘sparkle’.
I have the exact same catalogs on my coffee table at the moment! 🙂 Beautiful photo of what looks like a sugar maple encased in ice. Hope it doesn’t cause it too much damage…!