Trip to The Garden of Eve Farm
PHOTOGRAPHER Stas Komarovski
Eve and her daughter, Shira
On Sunday, June 8th, members of the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA went out to visit their partner-farm, Garden of Eve. This day marked several special occasions: the kick-off of the 2008 growing season; the first opportunity for many members to meet the farmers, Chris and Eve; and the first birthday of the youngest member of our farmer's family, baby Shira. There was much to be excited about...
At the Garden of Eve's entrance, CSA members were greeted by a yard full of farm animals -pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys and a cow. The pigs were eager to get pet by the visitors, and squealed loudly in objection whenever the petting stopped as people moved on.
Core member, Star Black petting one of the farm's billy goats.
The miniature billy goat at the patio path was also very friendly, and many of our members stopped to greet him while he grazed happily on the yard grass.
Chris and Eve gave a short introduction to the farm for visiting CSA members. Chris explained what it meant to the farm to have the support of their CSAs and described their level of commitment to the members. The CSAs' support sustains their organic farm by providing funds for spring equipment and supplies, and offers the farm financial back-up should their crops fail due to pests or weather. In return for this support, Chris and Eve pledge to grow the finest quality fruit, vegetables, flowers and eggs that they can produce for CSA members.
Next came a tour of the Garden of Eve, beginning at Eve's farm stand. Available for purchase were fresh lettuce, asparagus, bok-choi, leeks, and radishes, as well as dry goods which lined the walls.
As our tour progressed through the farm's fields, Chris explained the different methods that they use to produce their organic crops. Cover crops help to provide soil with nutrients collected from the sun, improve soil structure, prevent weeds from growing in the fields while they are resting between plantings, and protect from soil erosion. Clover plants are one of the many cover crops on it farm. It also makes great tea!
As we went tromping across the fields to see all the different crops and plants, I couldn't help but imagine I was on the set of one of my fantastic pastoral fantasies - if only farming were as easy as our Chris and Eve make it look!
Chris pointed out the new crops that were coming up. Now that's BABY ARUGULA! These little sprouts were just getting started, but they still packed a pretty spicy punch!
Chris and Forrest showed off a new variety of fruit tree they're testing out this year, the Japanese apple tree. If this tree is successful, they may add a few more trees and add it to their list of CSA and farm stand fruits they offer.
Chris explained the drip irrigation methods for the heirloom tomatoes. The plastic sheets around the plants prevent moisture from escaping and keep weeds from growing.
Chris also demonstrated how the farm hands gently hoe around every plant in the vegetable rows to remove the weeds that, if left to their own devices, would overwhelm the vegetables and remove the nutrients from the soil that the vegetables need to grow.
The baby potato plants are especially vulnerable to pests. Chris explained that the farmers and farm interns went through the rows and picked off the potato beetles and their eggs by hand, collecting them in baskets and then dumping them out in the chicken yard for a delicious chicken feast! The chickens love eating potato beetles - it's a great source of natural protein, and an efficient way to get rid of the pests!
The portable hen house - which was built by CSA Core Volunteer and Accountant, Yo Lim - allows the farmers to easily move the chicken's from one pasture to another. It also provides the chicken's with shade in the open pasture, where it can get pretty hot! And it makes collecting eggs simple for the farmers with easy access egg boxes at the outside entries!
CSA member Dani spotted the chicken flock and got really excited! The chickens didn't seem to take much notice, even as Dani did a little dance in their honor.
This is one of the farm's new, organic spring chickens. While they are young, they lay small eggs - but just wait until fall comes and they are fully mature! Also note how healthy these chickens look - they're free-range, left to graze in a large field with plenty of vegetation, bugs and organic chicken feed to eat. This is why CSA eggs taste so much better then standard grocery store varieties!
Pam, a CSA member, and Dawn, our Saturday Distribution Core Volunteer, had a great time collecting eggs from the coops. Pam was happy to be carrying the fresh eggs that we collected from the hen houses! Yum!
CSA members took to the fields in search or delicious strawberries. It was still a little early in the season so it was slim pickings, but each strawberry that we sampled was so sweet and fresh that our mouths watered in anticipation of the next one!
Everyone had their own approach to finding strawberries in the field. Here one of our CSA members gently lifted ripe berries from their stems.
While these yellow broccoli flowers are very pretty, they are the bearers of bad news. Because of the unusual weather this spring - hot weather followed by cold - the plants behaved as they do in Autumn, and they bloomed in preparation for seed production. When the broccoli plants bloom this early in the season it means they will be skipping the actual broccoli production period. Unfortunately, the plants only produced a few small heads of broccoli, not good enough to give to CSA members or to sell at the produce stands. Weather is one of the many risk factors of organic farming that CSA members should remember when we are disappointed by a particular crop return.
Organic flowers are another one of the farm's many cover crops. CSA members are encouraged to take advantage of the flower share option that the farm has to offer, especially we enjoy having fresh cut flowers in our homes! Unlike industrial flowers, which are usually grown with heavy pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers in third world countries with little regard to environmental restrictions or workers' health, the Garden of Eve's flowers actually improve the soil and environment in which they are grown.
Our farmer, Chris and his son Forrest
Our trip to the Garden of Eve reminded us all what a wonderful project we are involved in. Not only did we get a chance to spend a beautiful Sunday out in the country, learning about farm life and work, we also met our farmers and got a better sense of where our food is coming from. It's so wonderful to be part of a community of people who understand the importance of our farm partnership, and who are committed to strengthening and growing the bond that ties us all together: FOOD.
posted by E.J. Starbuck @ 3:50 AM
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