Growing up on my family's farm in Pennsylvania, I never would have pictured the life I live at Willow Haven farm. As a kid I spent summers in our large family garden we called, “The Truck Patch”. I helped mom every summer, picking beans, weeding, and cutting fruit and vegetables for the hundreds of jars of canned and frozen produce we put up. Now I spends less time out in the field and more time in the kitchen doing the same preserving for my own farm family. Farmer Reuben values my many hours doing much of the behind the scenes marketing, writing emails to cultivate customers and capturing the farm story each week. I'm always learning along the way in my quest to improve the farm experience for each of her current and future farm members in our 500+ member, year-round customized farm box delivery program. Reading our stories will connect you with your food in a way you never experienced before. Someday soon you will want to fit local food into your life and we'll be here to help you.
Did you send me rotten broccoli??! + Why is Farmer Reuben building a wall in this HEAT?!
Hi Reader,
What to do when a new farm share member asks "Why is my broccoli is brown? I'm disappointed that you sent me something I can't use and will have to throw away."
Oh no! Don't throw it away!
It's great that you trust your Farmer enough to check with us when something seems wrong. We want to know what you think because it gives us the opportunity to educate you about your vegetables.
This is one of the large heads of broccoli that we sent to farm members in their Farm Share boxes this week.
 |
As a favorite vegetable, broccoli is in high demand for farm shares. But it is a challenge to grow and to harvest on a small scale. Last year, we asked a very experienced farmer friend to grow broccoli for us and even he had dissappointing harvest so we were only able to give it out one time last summer.
Broccoli needs just the right amount of water, nutrients and heat to develop large heads. Then it has to be picked exactly at the right time before the tight head begins to open up and flower. Sometimes even after it is picked it start bursting little yellow flowers - which are actally edible too! Have you ever seen that? I've eaten flowering broccoli. In fact, in the first deliveries this season, a different variety of early broccoli did flower but it was called "sprouting broccoli" for that very reason.
The Answer
So, why is it brown? This discoloration can look dark green, yellow, purple or brown instead of the blue-green color with which you are most familiar. It happens when the broccoli is not cooled down quickly enough after harvest. To retain the blue-green color, broccoli likes to be cooled to 35 degrees F immediatley after harvest. From a 90+ degree field to two degrees above freezing that takes incredible effort and energy.
Our farmer friend, Leroy, did a great job growing this beautiful harvest for you and got it picked and into his walk in cooler as fast as possible. Then we transported it in our refrigerated vans to our walk in cooler and then your box was sent to your pick up/delivery location in our refrigerated vans. But in this heat, it just wasn't enough.
Did you know that commercial broccoli growers take huge wagons of ice out to their fields to put the broccoli in during harvest? We don't have an ice maker big enough for that!
What should you do with it?
Farmer Reuben recommends eating it! The change in color does not affect flavor.
I recieved two heads of broccoli in my farm share today so I took section off the most discolored one and took a bite. I couldn't identify any difference as I tasted it. If someone in your household is sensitive to the color, try making a quiche, casserole, broccoli gratin or using a delicious cheese sauce.
Enjoy this broccoli harvest. There is more broccoli planted and growing for future farm share boxes. I found little tiny broccoli heads starting to form in this Mini Farm Tour Video this week.
VIDEO: there's a lot here! Don't miss "Why I can't get near the flowers," the beautiful rows of basil, the visits with three sets of pea pickers (one was just eating, I think!), pizza night info and more.
One of the highlights of eating fresh from a local farm is learning about and experiencing the challenges, the variety, the bounty and the victories. We grow varieties of veggies that retain flavor rather than uniformity and shelf storage life.
Trusting Your Farmer
Another important aspect of this experience is the committment you've given us by signing up for our veggies for the whole season. That's a lot of trust you've invested in us as your farmers and we take that seriously.
You are trusting us to:
- grow your vegetables for 20 weeks
- deliver your box of veggies every week no matter what
- send you fresh and high-quality veggies
That's what we do. We promise.
🥬 We will never send you anything that shows signs of rot or detioration.
🥬🥬 Occassionally something will go wrong and you'll get a mistake but it's never our intention.
🥬🥬🥬 If you think there is something wrong - please let us know right away. Help us out by sending us a picture. We'll give you a helpful explanation of what you are seeing and give you a farm credit if we made a mistake.
We also trust you!
- We trust you to store your veggies properly, learn to prepare them and enjoy fabulous meals. Do you need the veggie storage guide?
- We trust you to read our emails and to use the resources we've sent you.
- We trust you to reach out when you have questions.
And you are doing it! I'm getting great thank you emails and good questions. Keep posting in the Harvie Facebook group to get creativity flowing with thousands of other farm share members.
Why is Farmer Reuben Building a Wall in 98' Heat?
To make Pizza Nights BETTER, of course! With a backlog of projects in his mind, Farmer Reuben decided to teach his young farm hands new skills last week when it was too hot to work in the fields. This L-shaped wall will create a great work space for the during sourdough bread bakes and for our pizza makers during our monthly pizza nights.
Digging the trench, shoveling new sand, gravel and cement, won't be what you are thinking of when you watch the glow of the brick oven from a safe distance while leaning on the newly finished stone wall but these young men will remember the fatigue and the sweat even as they appreciate the challenge and the experience of building it.
Reserve your table for Pizza Night on Saturday, July 10. You'll experience "The best place to eat in the Lehigh Valley!" as farm member, Susan, said last week. It's a great way to see the farm, get inspired by local food, and meet your farmer in a relaxed atmosphere. *Info & reservations here*
I hope you have a great week enjoying your vegetables.
We'll keep farming for you!
Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm
Directions to the farm
P. S. ON FARM MARKET OPEN THIS SATURDAY! Come in for fresh brick oven bread, organically grown veggies, or check out the Online Farm Stand to make an order for Wednesday.
Are you new? More info about our farm:
SUMMER SHARES: Get the six question guide Is a Farm Share CSA Right for You Guide to find out if our Farm Share CSA will fit into your life and your goals. YES! SEND ME THE GUIDE.
How do you Refer A Friend? Members get REWARDED for getting their friends to join too! When you tell others about our farm, you both earn $15 Farm Credit when they start their own membership using your unique referral code. Read this article to find your link, then send it to your friends.
FLOWERS: Annika's private CSA takes members who want flowers delivered to them every week during the summer and fall. Members enjoy the beautiful variety of local flowers, information from Farmer Annika about the flowers, a Flower Guide and a unique note each week. Flower Shares can be added to your farm vegetable share as well. They come carefully wrapped and included in your box with each delivery. Just select Flower Add On Share after choosing your perfect size Veggie Share.
FARM STAND: Get more of your groceries from your local farmer! Order now for Wednesday delivery. Join Online Farm Stand No membership necessary. 1. Get the Farm Stand Email. 2. Choose your Farm Food items. 3. Pick your drop off or delivery location. Find out more Here.
AIRBNB: Curious about our Farm Stay Airbnb? Have you ever wanted to stay on a farm? This well maintained farmhouse is in a quiet valley surrounded by 30 acres of land. Willow Haven Farm is a working organic vegetable farm and dairy. It’s a great place to get away. You can enjoy quiet walks and beautiful evenings. Our goal is to make it hard for you to leave. Willow Haven Cottage
CHEESE: Want to purchase amazing grass-fed artisan cheese from our sister business, Haven Farmstead? The grass-fed dairy cows at Willow Haven Farm are co-owned by farmer Reuben and cheesemaker, Steve. Living on pasture and milked once a day, they produce excellent milk for the best old-world style cheeses. If you've traveled to Europe, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find the same excellent flavors here in PA. Shop the Cheese Store.
Thinking of unsubscribing? current CSA members need to stay connected to our emails but you can limit them to just vital information about your membership by clicking here.
Tessa DeMaster
Growing up on my family's farm in Pennsylvania, I never would have pictured the life I live at Willow Haven farm. As a kid I spent summers in our large family garden we called, “The Truck Patch”. I helped mom every summer, picking beans, weeding, and cutting fruit and vegetables for the hundreds of jars of canned and frozen produce we put up. Now I spends less time out in the field and more time in the kitchen doing the same preserving for my own farm family. Farmer Reuben values my many hours doing much of the behind the scenes marketing, writing emails to cultivate customers and capturing the farm story each week. I'm always learning along the way in my quest to improve the farm experience for each of her current and future farm members in our 500+ member, year-round customized farm box delivery program. Reading our stories will connect you with your food in a way you never experienced before. Someday soon you will want to fit local food into your life and we'll be here to help you.
Hi Reader, A snake in the greenhouse! Terrified? Not at all. Farmer Reuben welcomed the garter snake and the sense of security it gave us. You see, if a snake is present, we can be sure that the mice will stay away and our newly planted seeds will be safe. Unfortunately, the snake must have moved on because earlier this week... The story continues... We Are Open! Saturday: 9 AM - 3:00 PMFresh Brick Oven Sourdough Bread: Olive Rosemary, Onion Rye, Cranberry WalnutFresh Veggies: Rhubarb,...
Hi Reader! The young, aspiring reporter met Reuben and Bill at a boring township meeting. Now Olivia Marble is following this lead wherever it takes her. After the zoning meeting in Upper Macungie Township, a young lady with a microphone attached to her iphone stopped Farmer Reuben and Bill Kuklinski, the owner of the building at 8150 Hamilton Boulevard. After that interview she looked up our farm and found out about our Foster A Chick program. She came out to the farm to see the families...
Hi Reader, Can You Grow One Thing? The only thing better than a Market Box is growing your own food. Which you should do! "We encourage every one to grow at least one vegetable at home" Farmer Reuben explained at Earth Day. Why? So you can experience the freshness and satisfaction of picking food from the ground and putting it in your mouth immediately. Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers are perfect for this but even a planter of lettuce, herbs or kale is great too. Reuben's first farm job,...