Leffler Family Farms’ March 29th Farm Update
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LOCAL MOTION CSA News…
***Extended Season Starts Soon!
Extended Season member’s first day of pick up:
Tuesday, April 23rd for University of Denver
Wednesday, April 24th for Basil Doc’s, Evergreen and Golden
Thursday, April 25th for Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland/High Plains
***Half Shares Now Available
After receiving many inquiries, we have decided to offer 1/2 share options for Regular and Peak Season. Please see the website at http://www.lefflerfarms.com/ for pricing and more information.
***Deadline Extended
Memberships will continue to be accepted after the March 31st deadline. A big thank you to everyone who has already signed up-we have been able to employ our wonderful CSA manager Julie, purchase this season’s seed, a new cultivating tool, and many other important items because of your memberships. Thank you for your support! We are looking forward to growing lots of delicious, healthy and unique vegetables for you in the months to follow!
***Starter Pack
Thanks to the work of Local Motion’s community outreach coordinator, Natalie Leffler, members will be receiving an information packet to guide you through the season; complete with recipes, nutrition facts, personalized contact and pick up information and more! You will receive your starter pack book the first day of your vegetable share pick up. With her education and experience in gardening, culinary arts and nutrition, Natalie was the perfect person to write such a document and we are very much looking forward to sharing it with you.
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Healthy Weld 2020 Mini Grant
Earlier this month, Leffler Family Farms was the very grateful recipient of a mini grant awarded by Healthy Weld 2020 with the purpose of improving access to locally produced food year round in our community. The funding will be used to improve refrigeration infrastructure on our farm and to help incorporate processing/freezing our sweet corn. We hope to have frozen corn, green beans, carrots, edamame, and okra among other veggies available this fall and winter through our Winter CSA share.
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Chicks
It’s the time of year for chicks again! This year brings an assortment of “ornamental layers”. They are staying cozy on the porch right now, but they will be big enough to join the flock outside in just a few more weeks.
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Greenhouse Planted
Above pictured is the greenhouse just before and after planting earlier this month. Lettuce, spinach, mustard, mesclun mix and radishes sprouted last week and are on schedule for the end of April. The greenhouse, which is supplemented with minimal propane heat, allows us to harvest cold loving crops 6-8 weeks earlier than outside.
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Seedlings
Above are basil and tomato seedlings about ready for transplanting. Our bedding plants will be used for planting on the farm and also available for sale at farmer’s markets starting in May.
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Around the farm….
This past week Sarah and I have been finalizing the seed orders we plan on growing for you this year. We have some fun and nutritious varieties in store for everyone this season. Here is a small updated list of interesting seed we just purchased and plan on getting in the soil soon: Jerusalem Artichokes, horseradish, purple Brussels Sprouts, Lacinato Rainbow Kale, Silver Queen Okra, purple fava beans, Mosco Anaheim peppers (Colorado specialty), Peruvian White Habanero, Jelly Melon (African Horned Melon), Italian Broccoli Raab, horticultural shelling beans, purple artichokes, and pink popcorn. We hope to introduce you to a few new vegetables, and some of the old ones too, just in a different color than usual!
The hens have happily adjusted and seem to be loving the new farm. Egg production is really increasing rapidly as the days increase in length. The girls are averaging around 18 eggs per day, while Huxley is averaging eating 1-2 per day.
Happy Easter!
Anthony and Sarah