Fit to Print Volume 23 Issue 4 December 2014 | Page 29
My wife and I started natural Earth
Farms in 2008. After years of looking
for land to start farming organically, we
stumbled upon an overgrown 10 acre
field when while passing by an antique
sale in an old 1850s post and beam barn
that was 2 miles away from our home.
We took a small loan out as soon as the
owner agreed upon renting it to us and
we got to work. The farm had lain
fallow for 7 years, which was perfect
for our venture. Now it has been six
years farming the land, and things
could not be better.
composting, adding trace minerals,
and using cover crops to avoid soil
erosion. Rotating crops helps control
the depletion of nutrients and controls
pest build up. Sometimes we have a
picture perfect quality and sometimes,
our produce is slightly imperfect,
which is part of growing without the
use of chemicals.
Every seedling coming out of our
greenhouse and transplanted in our
fields was started by us early in the
season and hand planted by us and our
crew of volunteers. Most of our weed
control is by hand or tractor mounted
cultivation tools. We handpick all of
our produce on the day it goes out.
We love our job and we are very hands
on in the entire process.
Operating an organic produce farm.
Many families these days are eating
organic food. For some it is just a fad,
but for others it is a way of life. There
are many reasons why farming practices
have evolved from natural method to
the conventional techniques of today.
Production, consistent quality, and pest
control… the list can go on. To
understand it well, here is a bit of an
inside view...
The first and foremost component in
organic growing is our soil. We spend
countless time and money improving
our soil, building organic matter,
Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA)
Our CSA Program is the heartbeat of
our farm. Starting in January each
year, we start offering shares of our
produce for the upcoming growing
season. A certain number of shares
are sold based on what we can
produce. This helps us with working
capital to start up the farm. In return
the members are receiving a
discounted rate opposed to the high
cost of store bought produce, not to
mention how fresh it is. Starting in
mid-June and ending in mid-November,
EatSmart
continued from page 10
members will
receive a box
Natural Earth Farms
of produce
each week to
be picked up at
one of our pickup locations.
We guarantee 6
to 9 items per
week. You can
enjoy a large
variety of
organic
vegetables that
will change
with the
seasons.
However, as
exciting as this
may sound, it is
not for
everyone. If
you like to try
new veggies
and enjoy
preparing and cooking them, you are a
good candidate. If you only like certain
vegetables, you may find our online
market or our farm stand would be a
better fit for you.
You can read more about our farm,
practices, and services we offer on our
website, www.naturalearthfarmsny.com
or like our facebook page.
REWARDS
It’s all about choices!
Smart choices, that is! Attend a Workshop and learn about the diet that’s right for you!
Diet #1- No Guesswork Diet
For the person who wants to lose weight and be told exactly what to eat and when.
Thursday, January 1st or Saturday, January 3rd 9:00 - 10am; Tuesday, January 6th 6:00 - 7:00pm
Diet #2- Clean Eating Diet
Not necessarily about weight loss but for the
person who wants to eat clean.
Days & Times: Thursday, January 1st or
Saturday, January 3rd 10:00 - 11:00am; Tuesday,
January 6th 7:00 - 8:00pm
Cost: $80 for either workshop. Attend both Workshops and
save 50% on the second Workshop!
Eat Smart
Diet and Nu tritional Counseling Services with Rachel Ezelius, Registered Dietitian
[email protected] • 631-942-7841
Holidays 2014 FIT to Print
29