The News from Lewis Waite Farm – April 2007

This note is brief and as we have been preparing traveling, attending events and celebrating MUD SEASON and are now beginning to see the light of the beginnings of spring. There is one more delivery on May 22 before the CSA regular season is in full swing.

Last weekend we were privileged to attend the JustFood mini-conference on Saturday. Our activities included getting up really early to make 6 deliveries before the farmers meeting where we exchanged views and issues and greeted the old friends we see each year. We attended morning presentations on food preservation and the federal proposed farm bill. At lunch we ate with CSA friends Frances, Valerie, Dore, Philip, and saw other friends who we get to see just once a year. In the afternoon we were on the presenter panel of a session which focused on the challenges of being a small meat producer in the NE from daily farm life to process challenges with emphasis on consumer education. At this session Jayme was our facilitator who is also the new pastured coordinator of one of our newest CSA’s – Hellgate. We also attended the City Fair and had a chance to hear Joan Gussow speak about the progress JustFood has made in creating the 50 CSAs in the city! We had time to talk to the CSA members and CSA representatives manning their booths. We thank JustFood for supporting the CSA movement and healthy local foods for the NYC region and for their hosting and planning of the conference. We got home after midnight and Sunday woke to do chores and go to the Saratoga Environmental Expo to support the BUY LOCAL food booths of our restaurant supporter One Caroline St Bistro and the Mouzon House, who are devoted to buying all the local food they can! It was a packed weekend!

At the farm we are mending fences broken from the winter snows and fallen branches; planning a new building project; and waiting for the ground to dry out so we can begin to feel like starting our spring projects. Most importantly, we and the animals are waiting for the sun to come out and finally see the green grass growing - fresh, tender, light green spring grass.

Take care, Nancy and Alan Brown