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.
Little Kale Enthusiast RUINS my video + Teen farmer needs your help
Hi Reader,
Life with kids is fun and surprising, isn't it? Farm kids are especially creative because they are so connected to nature and how life works in the real world.
"Pippin, do you like to go out to the field?"
The answer, of course was, yes!
"Do you like to work in the field?"
"No, I like to eat!"
He sounds a lot like the older farm workers I interviewed earlier this season - except they do the work too! Most of the time. I hope!
Needing to update the video for the farm website and introduce winter farm shares, we took a litle inspeciton walk to the "field of greens".
Someone got super excited about kale!
Simple pleasures like discovering kale, enjoying good food and walks to the field are child-like characteristics that even wise adults keep cultivating in their lives.
Wanting to play instead of work or saying "No!" when told to do something are child-like characteristics that need to be grown out of.
That's why our three year old and seven year old are not going with us to Rome next month. They just won't enjoy walking for hours around the city, meditating on art and architechture or enduring long, choir rehearsals in ancient basilicas. Instead, they have wonderful friends to visit who will play with them and do all kinds of fun activities. They might not even miss us!
These hard working kids are ready, though!
Figuring out how to explain and honor what our kids do and what this trip means to them took longer than I wanted.
I've been wondering how to tell their story.
I hope I've gotten it right.
Did I?
So many of you have already supported our pilgrimage to Rome. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL!
Please do one more thing--> Share, Share, Share! https://gofund.me/a1c6db4b
You know how it works. The more our friends share the Go Fund Me campaign, the more likely it is the DeMaster children will meet their donation goal.
Just like this: Sharing the story of Bohdie's sweet corn crop on Instagram and Facebook will help him become a better farmer.
Teen Farmer offering DISCOUNTED SWEET CORN, organically grown.
Winter Sqaush Mix Up - Do you know these three?
Sending winter squash to our members this week got a little creative and even the ladies in the pack barn who were packing the farm shares weren't sure of the exact names.
So many options for topping winter squash make it an awesome farm share adventure no matter which one ends up in your box. Most people are familiar with the classic acorn squash topped with butter and sugar but these farm grown squash are so sweet you might not even want extra sugar.
Roast them exactly the same way, perhaps different times, depending on size. Then try these amazing and creative options for topping them.
By the way - this is why you should roast and scoop winter squash instead of peeling and cutting - one of my favorite Bon Appetite articles!
We'll keep farming for you!
Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm
Directions to the farm
MOST IMPORTANT P.S. Please do one more thing--> Share, Share, Share! https://gofund.me/a1c6db4b
➢ Share on all your social media accounts with ONE CLICK!
Are you new? More info about our farm:
ON FARM MARKET OPEN THIS SATURDAY! Come in forpastured duck, fresh brick oven bread, bath and body herbal products, discounted apples and sweet corn, Haven Farmstead cheese and organically grown veggies, or check out the Online Farm Stand to make an order for Wednesday.
WINTER SHARES, including plenty of winter squash varieties will be offered to farm members beginning September 22. Get on our waitinglist for the shares that remain after our members renew. If you were a winter share member last year your auto-renew options will be sent to you soon. Find out more
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.
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.
WOW! YOU MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM!
Please do one more thing--> Share, Share, Share! https://gofund.me/a1c6db4b
➢ Share on all your social media accounts with ONE CLICK!
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, I finally did what I promised. Taking my girls out for birthday shopping kept being delayed because of farm activities. I said I would take them last Saturday, but I got pulled into setting up a tent at Rodale’s Spring Market event. Even a unique situation on the farm last night caused me to detour as we started to drive away. A fight. The story continues... We Are Open! Saturday: 9 AM - 3:00 PMFresh Brick Oven Sourdough Bread: Onion Rye, Ancient Grains, Honey Wheat, Baguette,...
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...