Happy New Year!!! We hope everyone had a great holiday with family and friends! We sure did! We had a quiet simple holiday as always and it's how we've wanted it to be.
The snow is falling and kids are off from school. We hope most of you are staying home as well, tucked in your warm cozy homes. For those who still needs to get to work in this bombcyclone, we hope you get there safe and just wait it out until it's over before you head back to your homes.
This time of year is when we brainstorm and plan for the upcoming harvest season. We sure got a lot of ideas up on our sleeves! Besides planning for what crops to seed and new varieties to introduce, we are also planning for new things for our CSA members, like re-vamping ideas and tips not only about how to use and consume your weekly shares but also maximizing the benefits of having direct access to fresh, certified organic produce from our farm that you can enjoy throughout the year. Of course, we will keep you posted as each one gets finalized and launched.
On the other hand, i bet you are thinking of New Year's Resolutions to fulfill this year. Actually making it, doing it and fulfilling it. We are thinking, if you already are our farm friend, or just newly acquainted with us and our farm. You already are on the right track! You came across our farm or already supporting us because you have the same values as we do.... A BETTER SELF. Taking care of ourselves to be healthy, happy, and live longer.
How does one simply take care of one's self? Here's the major simple points:
- Eat better.
- Be active.
- Save more.
- Learn something new.
- Make new friends.
We can help you with these points simply just being our farm friend. A direct contact with your very own farmer not just with your food. Probably one of the most important relationship you have to keep is your relationship with us, your farmer.
EAT BETTER.
Opt for fresh fruits and vegetables. Go organic, Certified Organic. Learn to eat what is in season locally. Getting your fresh produce directly from us, your own farmer, will put you on the right track of eating better. We are a Certified Organic Farm. Your fresh produce is safe from the roots to the top. All our crops are started from seeds that we sow ourselves, transplanted to a fertile ground that's not treated, grown naturally and organically as nature dictated, and hand-picked fresh a few hours before we hand it over to you. It taste better and more nutritious. You will be eating according to what is in season. You will discover new varieties that you haven't seen nor tasted, probably heard of but wasn't sure what it really was and how beneficial it is to your body.
BE MORE ACTIVE.
Get motivated to be more physically active either by exercising regularly or
simply moving constantly. Taking extra steps are good for your heart and your muscles. Stretching while sitting for longer periods of time will help you relax. You can go the usual route of joining a gym or a class or get a little extreme by volunteering at our farm. We always have a lot of things to do and we could always use some help. Trust us, just walking along the perimeter of the field is a work out. A little bending while weeding, or planting, or even harvesting will loosen up your muscles. Light weight lifting when harvesting will build up your muscles on the other hand. A work out while helping us, having fun, and breathing fresh air while getting some sun.
SPEND LESS. SAVE MORE.
Think before you spend your hard earned money. Ask yourself if it's necessary, what will you benefit from it if you buy it. Is the value of the product worth it for what you're paying for.
Buying your fresh produce directly from us, your local organic farm, will definitely help you save more. You are cutting the middleman and getting your food straight from our farm. The value and the nutrition of the food you're taking home is way better and you are saving more because of the quality. Picked fresh a few hours or the same day before you take it home makes it lasts longer there is less spoilage.
Opting fresh produce from our farm is also better than packaged frozen foods. Remember the new year's resolution above... EAT BETTER!
Joining our CSA Program (community supported agriculture) is one way of spending less and saving more. It's an investment not only monetary wise but also health wise.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
Learn a new skill or a new hobby. Try something new. Work on starting that new hobby or skill you've always wanted to do.
One of the things you can learn by being our farm friend is how to make great tasting meals out of the fresh vegetables our farm produces. If you join our CSA Program, we will be able to teach you how to use the produce you'll be receiving every week from us. Other CSA members would also jump in the wagon and show you other ideas and tips on handling, cooking, or storing the vegetables. You will be amaze on how you will be inspired on making simple gourmet-ish dishes at home.
You'll also learn and be more adept on what is grown in season within our area. This will teach you to be more aware of your food. You'll learn new varieties and their benefits.
This will hone your new skills in cooking and vegetable identification. You might be able to write a book out of it or start blogging as a hobby!
MAKE NEW FRIENDS.
Surround yourself with people who view the same values. Meet new friends who has the same interests and passion as you do.
You've already made a new friend as a start, US!, by being part of our farm! Knowing your farmer, being part of a CSA, or supporting us at the farmer's market is building your circle of friends who share the same passion and ideas as you. We have farm friends who became friends with our other farm friends just because they were both connected to us and our farm. Our CSA Members connecting with each other about recipes. Our Farmer's Market customers connecting with each other every week while picking their fresh produce on what's the best way to cook a kohlrabi or which eggplant is best to make for eggplant parm, exchanging ideas. It's delightful to see and hear the following week how one tried the recipe or the idea that was mentioned last week and how that starts a conversation from there on.
So whatever it is your aiming for this year to make yourself better, just always opt for what you think is best for you and what makes you feel comfortable. But most important of all, ours will be to LOVE YOU ALL OUR FARM FRIENDS MORE the way you have shown and given us your farmer, your love! Cheers to the New Year!