The Strawberry season is going to be a short one.....don't wait!

The Strawberry season is going to be a short one. The heat of this past weekend and the predicted heat of this week coming will really shorten the season. We are irrigating in an attempt to slow things down but it is hard to control Mother Nature. Please don't wait too long.

The up side of this is the Sweet Cherries and Blueberries as well as the Raspberries, Currants and Gooseberries will be ready sooner-hopefully the first weekend in July.

2011 You Pick Strawberry Season starts the 16th.

Summer is finally here. Or least we hope so. The You Pick Strawberry season will start Thursday the 16th. This years You Pick Strawberry hours will be as follows: Monday thru Friday 7:30am to 12:30pm & Saturday and Sunday 7:30am to 2:30pm. Weather Permitting. Always check our website for the daily update if you intend to come out and pick. If you don't have the time or desire to pick for yourself no worries already picked fruit is available at the Farm Stand located at 4572 Lincoln Road. Just north of the You Pick Gate.

We anticipate the season lasting only 3 weeks. The very cool wet pro-longed spring has kept the plants small. Now that the days are warm to down right hot the berries are ripening all at once. One plant will contain 5 to 7 berries of all different sizes but they are all red to almost red. So don't wait long. We hope to see you soon.

Juneberries!

Well the word is out. Alex Hinckley of Channel 8 News was here today to talk to Gary and I about our Juneberry planting. Thanks to the efforts of Jim Ochterski from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County and a SARE grant we have a 3/4 acre planting research project for the new super fruit - the Juneberry. Juneberries are sweet and flavorful. They taste like a Blueberry and Sweet Cherry and Almond all at the same time. The bushes are a year old and will bear fruit in June of 2012. Yes, that is a year away but it will be worth the wait. Stay tuned!

On Sunday, June 5, 2011 WROC Channel 8 produced the following news story about juneberries / saskatoons and their emergence as a “superfruit” crop in Upstate New York. Click this link to see the story: http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=254597

Where did the last 30 days go?

Boy have we been busy. Since my last posting we have planted peas, beans, sweet corn, onions, leeks, gladiolas, tomatoes, tomatilloes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, pickles, melons, summer squash, zucchini and apple trees. We picked up 18 new hives of Honeybees; took delivery of 10 quads of Bumblebees; are participating in a native pollinator research project with Cornell University. We put up and planted a new high tunnel hoop house for season extension. We have spent countless hours in the tractors plowing, discing, rototilling, mowing, spraying and planting. Some where in all of that time we have managed to eat at least 3 meals a day, sleep at least 5 hours a night and spend quality time with our 6 wonderful dogs on their daily walk. Oh and lets not forget laundry and the dishes. With any luck the stand and you pick will be open in 2 weeks!

Spring is here!

The Barn Swallows returned mid week and that is a sure sign of spring. The Forsythia is in full bloom so that means time to uncover the Strawberries. The Rhubarb is up and growing fast. Everything is happy to see the sun. And so are we. The wind is helping to dry out the very saturated ground. Soon the fruit trees will be in bloom.

Meet us at the CSA Fair!

Come meet us and learn more about our CSA at the NOFA-NY CSA Fair. Subscribing to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) lets you receive a season's worth of fresh produce, one week at a time, support your local farm, and eat the very freshest produce. Activities for children are planned, so bring the whole family! Tell your friends!

Saturday March 26
1:00-4:00pm
Rochester Village Gate at Physikos
302 N. Goodman Street, #E201
Rochester, NY 14607

Spring is on the way, sign up for our CSA!

This year we are offering both a Fruit CSA and a Vegetable CSA. The Fruit CSA is available in 2 share sizes and 2 season sizes. The Vegetable CSA is one size and one season. Returning CSA members your enrollment is due by March 25th. Enrollments for new members are now available. If you are interested please send us an e-mail for information and an application. We look forward to having you as a member of our CSA family.