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.
The ONE question my mother asked - but I couldn't answer + On the Farm Video
Hi Reader,
"Have you gotten any rain?"
This was the really important question. I mean, she was four states away visiting her 98 year old mother and THAT's the question she texted me?!?!
I normally don't pay that much attention to the rain. I don't have to because Farmer Reuben does and my Mom does - when she's here.
Finally I called and asked her, "Why do you ask that question? Why is it always so important to you?"
"Because I'm from the Midwest. I'm a midwest farm girl. It's a conversation starter. First we talk about the rain, then the weather, then the crops and then the family.
You see, I grew up where everyone was a farmer. It's important to know whether you are heading into a drought or a flood season."
On that trip my parents were back in the rural community she grew up in as she visited with my grandmother. That included going to Calvary Lutheran Church and seeing relatives, neighborhood friends and schoolmates.
"I spoke to an old classmate of mine on Sunday in the church parking lot. He told me he got 2 inches of rain. We didn't even get around to talking about his family."
Me: Is that too much?
"Yes. In Illinois there is more clay in the soil so it holds water. 2 inches means there is standing water in the low lying fields.
Your Grandpa Miles (here on this farm in PA) always wanted an inch of rain per week. That's how much we need here so the crops don't dry up. Our soil drains well because it has very little clay but it also doesn't hold water when it's needed either."
I just checked in with my mom today to ask when we last received a good soaking rain.
"Well, we had a 1/10 of an inch last week but that didn't do much. You'll have to look at my calendar. I record all the rain fall there."
If that calendar is correct, our last rain was 1.6 inches on June 23. Rain wasn't plentiful before that either - a little bit every other week all the way back to a storm that dropped 3+ inches on May 7&8. That was a long time ago in "vegetable years."
What does this mean for our vegetables?
They will struggle.
Our drip line irrigation is super important so the plants don't wither and die. We can't water every bed at once so we have to rotate the lines that are on and not forget to switch lines at the right time.
No water for showers in the house is a consequence of watering two fields on the main well that supplies the house too. Sometime we have to turn off the irrigation to run the laundry but we make sure it's running all night for those poor plants while we are sleeping.
I'll show you are super dry fields and what the plants are doing:
New Lehigh University Farm Members are THRILLED!
Our new members at Lehigh University are going to experience their first Market Box shares this coming week. Already they are learning how to customize their box.
It's been fun to hear from them as they sign up and get excited about it:
As one of the Health & Wellness Goals at Lehigh University, this Market Box CSA program is a collaboration between Willow Haven Farm and the Office of Sustainability in order to meet the goals of their "Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030." We are happy to work with Audrey McSain and her staff to make this goal a reality to benefit the campus community.
Want to see MY customized farm food delivery this week? I keep my box heavy on vegetables because we eat them all and I want to show you the variety that we are harvesting.
My market box contents from top left: Green cabbage, parsley, arugula, beets with greens, slicing cucumber, garlic, green beans, Swiss chard, yellow onions and pickling cucumbers. (The amount of some items is larger but we remove some for a nicer picture.)
If you are not a member yet, you'll be surprised how much really great food we have available to fill your weekly market box.
What's Coming?
It is mid July and each week you will begin to see more of your favorite veggies being offered as they are ready to be picked.
Some "FIRSTS OF THE SEASON" you will see this week include:
- Japanese Eggplant- a long slender variety
- YELLOW Onions 🧅
- Hot Peppers- you may try the yellow HOT WAX pepper or the beloved Jalapeno pepper OR TRY BOTH!
Farmer Reuben has added some new Willow Haven Farm Pork Products. Isn't is great to know EXACTLY where your pork is coming from? You may want to try the:
- Country Style Boneless Ribs,
- Tenderloin,
- Ham Hocks, or
- Boneless Pork Loin Roasts.
Don't Forget to add some beauty to your life with Flower Farmer Annika's Gorgeous Bouquets- This week her popular "Dr. Seuss" Bouquets are back! Add them by customizing your farm delivery this week.
What a great way to brighten someone's day- why not add a bouquet in your share for a friend?
So much great food and many weeks to come for fresh farm grown goodness.
| Check out our market boxes HERE! |
You know what we need right now? A good soaking rain. About an inch. Then repeat. Just like my Grandpa Miles always said.
Thank you for supporting your local farm.
We'll keep farming for you!
Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm
Directions to the farm
P.S. It really helps our farm when you tell us that you've read this email, even if you just skimmed to the bottom.
| I read it! |
This will let me know that people are actually reading what I write and help me send you what you find worth while.
Are you new? More info about our farm:
The Next and LAST Pizza Night is Saturday, August 20. Reserve your table HERE.
SUMMER MARKET BOX: Get all the details on our website before you make your purchase. See the Market Box options here.
WHAT'S IN A MARKET BOX? Yep. I get it. You need to know what comes in a box. What's available? What's in season and when? Find out if our MARKET BOX deliveries of local farm food will fit your life and your goals. YES! SEND ME THE GUIDE.
FARM STORY VIDEOS: The Willow Haven Farm YouTube channel has fun, informative, and educational videos of our farm life and what organic farming looks like here. Check out it out here >>> VIDEOS!
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 needed a bigger, better stainless steel pot for our growing family. This was years ago. Early in our farming years, with young kids and not much extra money for upgrades in the house. For making yogurt, especially, my cheap, thin metal pots weren't cutting it. What could I do? We Are Open! *** Market Hours:Saturday: 9 AM - 3:00 PM Fresh Baked Bread, Scones, Baguettes... Grass Fed Raw MilkAdd a gallon to your Market Box Farmer Reuben gave me the idea. "Why don't you teach a yogurt...
Hi Reader! It's your turn to donate to Farmer Reuben's crowd funding campaign to open: Willow Haven Farm General Store in Trexlertown/Breinigsvilleacross from the Velodromeat 8150 Hamilton Boulevard Donate for the Values Donate for the Vision Donate for the Perks Donate for Your Future Donate for Your Community To donate and learn more about the Willow Haven Farm General Store project, please visit our crowdfunding page on GiveSendGo https://www.givesendgo.com/WillowHavenFarm We are looking...
Hi Reader! Are you passionate about supporting local agriculture and promoting healthy, sustainable food options for our community? We're excited to share an opportunity that aligns with these values—our project to establish: Willow Haven Farm General Store in Trexlertown/Breinigsvilleacross from the Velodromeat 8150 Hamilton Boulevard The Willow Haven Farm General Store isn't just a store; it's a vision for a vibrant community hub where you can shop for fresh, clean, and nutrient-dense foods...