By Kasey Peters, Farm Apprentice

We have a nifty new water wheel transplanter here at the farm.  It’s a tractor implement with a large water tank, three wheels for marking and watering the rows, three seats, and ample room for flats full of eager little seedlings. The tractor putt-putts along the bed, pulling the machine at what seems to be, from a distance, an incredibly slow crawl. Meanwhile, those on the seats must efficiently yet tenderly pull the plants, thrust them into the wet dibbles at just the right depth, and cover them up with enough firmness to secure their future here in the fields, and at the table.

We’re breaking in the new transplanter this spring; after a little bit of tweaking, adjusting, and determined practice, we’ve successfully beaten the record for most beds transplanted in a week… and we did it in one day.

The machine makes us fast. There’s more set-up time involved, with filling the tank and adjusting the spacing on the water wheels, but once we get into the beds, things fly. And with an injection of water right into the base of each plant’s new home, the transplanter lessens the shock of transplanting.

What’s not to love, right?

I’ll admit. I had my reservations about this machine. It felt a little too fast. The ground seemed to be slipping by, I didn’t have time to look at each plant more than a split second, my hands moved like I was some kind of assembly line. It felt very mechanical.

But something happened this weekend that put my mind at ease about the transplanter. I made a quiche.

I make egg pie fairly often—it’s one of my favorite things to put together and eat. And I always make the pastry crust. For the past couple years, I’ve had access to a very nice food processor, which makes pastry crust a breeze. Measure in your flower, pinch of salt, plop in a butter stick, and pulse. After no more than a minute, you get perfect bread-crumb-looking pastry, to which you add ice water just until the dough comes together.

This weekend, though, I ran out of all-purpose flour and had only whole wheat flour left in the cupboard. So I tried it. Something about whole wheat flour is absolutely incompatible with the food processor method of pastry crust. Even without the water, it gummed up like it was too wet, and turned into something like cookie dough. It was totally unusable for pie crust.

So I tried it again, but this time I really did it by hand, the way my grandma did it when I was little. I cut up the butter, slid it off the paper into a new bowl of flour, and pinched with my fingertips over and over, slowly working the butter down into little flour-coated grains.

And even though I was skeptical, even though I thought I couldn’t do it fast enough, or the butter would heat up too much from my hands, or the clumps would be too big…. it worked. There must have been a method before food processors, after all. And it was incredibly satisfying. Having my hands covered in flour, feeling with my fingertips the way the butter and flour came together, I was transported back to my grandma’s kitchen, the flour rising in little clouds as I worked it, puffing out onto my shirt when I accidentally tipped the bowl. I felt a new sense of appreciation for the structure of the dough, for the components who make that magical pastry flakiness possible.

Alas, I don’t always have a free Saturday morning to slowly savor the food preparation process. So when I have white flour on hand, and I want to make another crust, and it’s been a long day and I need to shower and do laundry and fix my flat tire before tomorrow and respond to a hundred emails, I’ll whip up that pastry dough in the food processor in two minutes flat. I’m still making it at home.

And on the farm, when we have eight beds to transplant, irrigation to repair and move, the greenhouse to be watered, and raised beds to install in the Meditation Garden (among a hundred other things), we’ll use our little transplanter. It’s not half bad being efficient and accomplishing what needs to get done, as long as every once in a while I put a plant in the ground the old-fashioned way, at eye level with the seedling, both hands in the dirt, on bended knee.

May 15th is the First "Using Gardens to Teach" Workshop!

Are you a teacher or other educator in the City of Poughkeepsie?  Do you teach students in grades 3-8?  If so, we invite you to join us for the first of three series of workshops that will help you integrate gardening into your teaching! 

Four Tuesdays ~ 4-7 pm:
May 15: Math
June 5: Biodiversity
July 17:  Nutrition
September 11: Plant Ecology

This workshop series is part of Growing City Seeds, a new project to develop two community gardens in Poughkeepsie with designated spaces for teaching youth. 

The series, offering professional development workshops designed to help educators integrate gardens into their teaching, is a collaboration of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, the Fall Kill Partnership Gardens and other organizations. 

Location: All workshops will take place at the Family Partnership Center, in room 101, located at 29 North Hamilton Street.  Please come prepared to spend time outside in the Fall Kill Partnership Gardens.     

Eligibility: This first series of four workshops are specifically designed for teachers or other educators of students in grades 3-8.  Workshops can be used to apply for professional development credits. Additional workshops will be planned and advertised in the fall of 2012.    

Workshop Descriptions: Click here or see the attachment below (titled "Inservice Proposal") for a more detailed description of each workshop.

Registration:  Complete the online application form.  You can register for as many workshops as you’d like.  Workshops will be limited to 12 participants.

Questions?  Contact Cornelia Harris by email at harrisc@caryinstitute.org or phone 845-677-7600 x321. 

*This project and workshop series is supported by a NY State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice grant. 

We are thankful for the rain that has come in the last few weeks – it had gotten so dry that we needed to irrigate the soil BEFORE planting, which is quite the change from looking for a window in mud season to plant.  A number of crops are growing well out in the fields at this point – lettuce, escarole, scallions, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, beets, onions and a few other things are all looking good so far.  We had a problem with corn seed maggots in our peas so we are replanting and using nemotodes to protect them from the maggots this time.  We had the same issue last year and the nematodes worked great - so it will be a later crop of peas but hopefully it will come through.  The potatoes went in the ground last week so they aren’t poking up yet, but we’ll see the sprouts emerging any day now.  Next year’s strawberries are due to arrive this coming week and meanwhile this year’s strawberries are mostly still looking good.  The earliest variety bloomed too early and many of the blossoms were killed by the frost, but luckily the majority of the patch is later varieties that are just getting started.  We’re not certain what the cold temperatures did to the blueberry blossoms.  With the plants flowering early this year followed by some really cold nights, it won’t be surprising if it’s not a great fruit year this year.  We’re glad that fruit is not our main crop.  The vegetables we have planted at this point can all handle some frost.  Today, we’ll start planting our earliest tomatoes in the unheated hoophouse which offers a lot of frost protection as well as heat during the day.  In another week we’ll start planting some of the more tender crops like cucumbers, summer squash, melons, and peppers so let’s hope the really cold nights will be past by then.  Our new transplanter is working quite well – once it’s set up, we can put in more plants at a faster speed than we ever have.  It’s really wonderful, because transplanting has long been one of the biggest hold ups for us in the spring, making it difficult to get to other things.  With the transplanter, we are on schedule with planting and we’ve been able to rebuild the hoophouse, do a meditation garden overhaul, and do several needed repairs around the farm, while keeping up with the greenhouse work, tillage, and cultivation.

Perhaps some of you who use Facebook (and the very few of you who are signed up for the PFP Twitter feed (is that how you say it?)) have noticed that Asher has started tweeting.  Very amusing to several of us who can’t bring Asher and Twitter together in our minds, but he’s kind of getting into it.  He likes having an excuse to notice a nice moment and take a picture - sending out a snapshot from the fields every day or two to share those moments with others and get some nice photos out of it.  In the last week or so, he’s recorded a field walk with the education crew and our hoophouse in its new location with new plastic, Beatrix planting nettles in the meditation garden, and Lisa planting potatoes.  If you are interested in getting tweets from the field, or just viewing them when you choose to on your computer, you can click on the twitter icon on our website for a nice photo diary from the fields.

We’re excited to see lots of you out at the farm at our upcoming Plant Sale and Open Farm Day, and at CSA distribution, which is just a few weeks ago!

Yours in the field, Wendy

We are lucky to have been joined by four wonderful farming apprentices this spring.

Left to right, our 2012 farming apprentices are: Lisa, Kasey, Trevis and Julia

Trevis Carmichael joins us this season from Nebraska.  He recently graduated from the University of Nebraska Lincoln where he studied Environmental Studies and worked for their Small Grains Breeding Program.  He spent last season apprenticing at Robinette Farms, a newly established, small, diversified farm in Nebraska. At the PFP, he is interested in learning about "soil fertility and gaining an exposure to the education side of things and...see what an established farm and community support system brings to the experience"  

Kasey Peters also joins us from Nebraska.  She studied history and did soybean research at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.  She completed an apprenticeship at Robinette Farms in Nebraska last season.  This season, she says she is “concerned with learning how to manage the production side of the farm [and] I'm looking forward to seeing a farm function as a meeting place and teaching setting for CSA members. I’m excited about Poughkeepsie Farm Project because I really want to get experience in a place where community involvement is a priority.” 

Julia Sisson has been a part of PFP one way or another for years now, having been a volunteer, a CSA member, a Vassar field work student, a Vassar work study student, and a Vassar Community Fellow.  She decided to make her last semester at Vassar particularly full by taking on a full time apprenticeship position at PFP in April, and she is set to graduate in two weeks.  She says “I really admire the work that the PFP does in Poughkeepsie and I like the fusion of learning practical farming skills and thinking more broadly about food systems and the food movement in the U.S. “

Lisa Arnoff says, “Despite being a lifelong local resident, I discovered PFP by accident on a recent early morning run.  I went home, 'googled' PFP and was immediately attracted to its food justice mission.  While only able to volunteer part-time as an apprentice, I am excited to be learning about farming with the dream of creating a small scale organic farm in my backyard while in return giving back to the community.  I am very much looking forward to working at the Poughkeepsie Farmers' Market, doing some fundraising for PFP and hopefully creating a long term relationship with the PFP where I can assist in improving our area’s access to healthy, locally grown food.”

Four interns will join us in late May for the summer and we’ll also be joined by an Education Apprentice, so we’ll have another round of “Meet the Interns and Apprentice” soon.

We are looking for volunteer to help us with our upcoming Plant Sale on May 12 and also with Open Farm Day on May 19. We need cashiers for a few different shifts on May 12 as well as some help setting up and cleaning up.  On May 19 we also need cashiers, we need help in the children's tent and with children's activities, and it would be great to have one or two more volunteers to do cooking demonstrations.  If you are interested in volunteering please contact Wendy at wendy@farmproject.org or at 240-3734.  Both events are from 9 am - 2pm.  There is more information at https://farmproject.org/events/2012/05/plant-sale and https://farmproject.org/events/2012/05/open-farm-day-and-plant-sale

Everyone is invited to a Soup-A-Bowl Bowling Party on Saturday, May 19 from 1 to 4 pm and again on Saturday, June 23 from 1 to 4 pm at the Barrett Clay Works, 485 Main Street in Poughkeepsie. Whether you are new to clay or an experienced potter, we welcome you to come help us create beautiful bowls for this year's Soup-A-Bowl. There will be volunteers on hand to help you hand-build and throw bowls. Call 845-486-4048 or email soupabowl@farmproject.org for more information.

Click here for a job description and application or contact Wendy at wendy@farmproject.org or 240-3734 for more information.

Save the date! The PFP will be holding a monthly member potluck this year.  Come join the staff and other members for good food and good company!  The dates will be:

Wednesday, June 13 at 5:30 pm
Sunday, July 15 at 5 pm
Wednesday, August 1 at 5:30
Sunday, September 16 at 5 pm

We will also have an End of Season Potluck in October, date TBA

We hope to see you there!

The Poughkeepsie Farmers' Market has a new logo! The logo signifies fresh food, local purveyors and community connections by highlighting produce, our location near the Walkway Over the Hudson and the beehive seal of the City of Poughkeepsie. 

The new season starts June 1st!  Mark your calendar to come to Pulaski Park on Fridays, June through October, between 2 and 6 pm to support our local producers, get the freshest food available, enjoy interactions at this vibrant market and a walk over the Hudson River ~ the entrance to the Walkway is a block away!

We are excited that the PFP CSA will be starting soon!  The start date depends on when the plants are ready – usually the last week in May or the first week in June.  When we know the start date, we will email the CSA e-list and we will call each of you to make sure you know we are starting and to confirm your pick up day.  We have a change this year in the Tuesday distribution pick up time.  We are extending the time by an hour, so Tuesday pick up is now 3-7 pm instead of 4-7 pm.  If you have a small share and are interested in picking up every other week, please contact Wendy at wendy@farmproject.org or 240-3734 to pick which set of weeks you will pick up.

If you haven’t yet paid your balance, you should receive a statement via email in the next few weeks.  We have a few shares left to fill, so if you know of someone who would like to join, please have them contact membership@farmproject.org or 240-3734.

We will hold two 30 minute New Member Orientations at our upcoming Plant Sale and Open Farm Day events – at noon on May 12th and 19th, followed by an optional 30 minute farm tour.  They both will contain the same information, so new members don’t need to come to both sessions.

We have made a number of changes to shareholder hours this year, in the hopes that we will encourage more of you to come out and spend some time working with us in the field.  While you are all welcome to volunteer at any open work time, shareholder hours can only be fulfilled by signing up for an open slot in the member hours book.  Sign up is self-serve.  The first opportunity to sign up will be at the Plant Sale and Open Farm Day, and the sign-up book will then be available at every CSA distribution.  We now have a mix of 2 hour and 3 hour slots – please try to pick a combination of hours that add up to the number you intend to fulfill.  We have removed or shortened a few slots and added a few others, including an evening slot in the summer.  Soup kitchen deliveries now fulfill 2 shareholder hours (which is closer to the amount of time they take).  To assist you in signing, here is a summary of the time slots that will be listed for this season.  If you find it too confusing, don’t worry, we’ll be there to assist you in signing up at the events and at distribution:

• June- August: Tue 6-8 pm, Friday 10 am-noon
• June–Sept: Tues 7–10am (optionally 7-9 am), Sat. 6:30–9:30am and 10:30am–12:30pm
• Sept-early November, Wed and Fri 2-5 pm (both optionally 3-5 pm)
• October-early November: Tuesday 8-11 am, Sat 10:30am-12:30pm
• June-early Nov.: Tuesday Distribution Assistant 3:15-6:30 pm, Saturday Distribution Assistant 9:15 am-12:30 pm, Wed. soup kitchen delivery, 9-11 am, Saturday soup kitchen delivery 12:30-2:30 pm

The Fall Kill Partnership Gardens fence is nearing completion! But, it's not too late to volunteer. Volunteers will be working to hang welded wire on 4x4 wooden posts, build and install a gate and clean up the site. Please contact Heather at 845-476-6529 or hwernimont@gmail.com for details on the times volunteers will be working if you can help out.Funding for the fence was awarded to the PFP as part of the Growing City Seeds, a project supported by a NY State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice grant. 

Gray Horse Farm, a small, USDA Certified Organic, family farm in Clinton Corners will be offering egg shares and chicken shares to Poughkeepsie Farm Project CSA shareholders again this year. 

Egg Share· Shares will consist of (2) Dozen USDA Certified Organic Eggs, every two weeks from June through October (20 weeks = 20 dozen eggs).  First pick up June 5 (Tuesday) or June 9 (Saturday).  Cost is $110.00.  Orders must be picked up from the Poughkeepsie Farm Project.

Chicken Share· Shares will consist of (2) Frozen USDA Certified Organic Chickens (3-4lb. range), every two weeks from June through October (20 weeks = 20 chickens).  First pick up June 5 (Tuesday) or June 9 (Saturday).  Cost is $400.  Half shares are also available this year: one chicken every two weeks for $200.  Orders must be picked up from the Poughkeepsie Farm Project.

By purchasing an Egg or Chicken Share you are guaranteeing availability of our product. A limited number of shares are available.  Sign-ups will be based on those first to email us: grayhorsefarmorganic@yahoo.com or call us at 845-266-8991 (h), 845-242-4200 (c).  Gray Horse will not be tabling at PFP CSA distributions this year (they will be tabling on Open Farm Day) so the shares are the only way to access their products at the PFP this year.

Bounty of the Valley CSA has shares available for the 2012 season.  The distributions will be on Thursdays at 4-7 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center on Grand Avenue in Poughkeepsie.  It will run for 22 weeks, beginning the first week of June and continuing through the beginning of November.The cost for the full share for entire season is $500 plus a $36 membership fee.  The membership fee will help provide shares for needy families.  Two families may feel free to split a share, but each family must contribute the $36 membership fee.   A full share will include about 7-10 vegetables a week.  Each member will be required to volunteer at one or more of the distribution days, depending upon the number of members.   For those who want to join but are unable to participate at the distribution, other volunteer options may be arranged.  The produce for Bounty of the Valley will come from two local farms, which use sustainable, bio-dynamic practices, Great Song Farm in Red Hook and Lineage Farm in Hudson. The farmers will bring the produce to the JCC each Thursday.  To join Bounty of the Valley and get additional information as well as download a membership form, visit www.bountyofthevalley.org.  For questions, you may email bountyofthevalley@gmail.com.  A Bounty of the Valley CSA representative will be at the PFP Open Farm Day this year to answer questions and sign up new shareholders.  

Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress has started a project to research and develop food distribution infrastructure, such as food hubs, to help local farmers bring their products to market. As Pattern for Progress begins its research, hearing from local farmers, food distributors, restaurant owners and others along the food value chain will be crucial. We want to hear about current programs, challenges, improvements and opportunities for collaboration that would help local farmers get more of their food to market.

Pattern will host six listening sessions throughout the Hudson Valley to gather information from those key stakeholders. More information, and a link to the full schedule of listening sessions can be found on their website.

Fall Kill Partnership Gardens, located at 29 N. Hamilton St. in Poughkeepsie, has a few plots still available for the 2012 season - spread the word! Plot fees are $15 for 10'x10' and $25 for 10'x20'. The garden is organic, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides allowed. Gardeners must be City of Poughkeepsie residents, commit to using the plot the entire season and contribute to spring and fall clean-up and two monthly workdays throughout the season. If interested please contact Peg at 518-727-0385 or fkpgardens@gmail.com. Plots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.