spring time for western pennsylvania produce farmers with tips & tricks for growing produce4/19/2023  Fleshly Plowed Springtime Fields As a family run produce farm who also operates a Community Supported Agriculture program here in the Pittsburgh area, spring is a busy time for us. The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and it's time to start working in the fields! Most of our seedlings are started in late January/early Feburary either in a rented greenhouse or in our basement underneath grow lights. Come late March or early April, it is time to start preparing the fields and transplanting. During the second week of April here in the Pittsburgh area this year, we had AMAZING weather! Of course, as farmers we took full advantage of the sunshine and the warmer temperatures. However, as produce farmers in western Pennsylvania, what do we plant in the spring time when the weather can be 80 degrees one day then snowy the next? WHAT CAN YOU PLANT WITH UNPREDICTABLE SPRING WEATHER IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA?There are many different vegetables that prefer cooler weather and can be grown in the spring. During April, in western Pennsylvania, peas, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, kale, arugula, mustard greens, collard greens and turnips can be planted directly into the ground from seed. During early spring, potatoes are also planted. For our 2023 season, we planted over 1000 pounds of potatoes! Garlic is planted in the fall and overwinters, however, during the spring it starts to show its green tops above the soil. Spring is also a perfect time to plant onion sets. Our Pittsburgh based CSA farm planted approximately 25,000 onions of different varieties. While machinery can be used to plant some things, onions and garlic are all planted by hand! These vegetables are all cool-weather crops, which means they can tolerate cooler temperatures. They are also relatively quick-growing, which means they can be harvested and sold early in the season. For western Pennsylvania, depending on weather, this means we can start harvesting some items in late May or early June. Spring is also a good time to plant perennial vegetables and fruits such as asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. These vegetables will come back year after year, so they are a good investment for produce farmers. For our 2023 season, we have planted 2000 strawberry plants. As we plant them, we dream of eating fresh picked strawberries in June!  Muddy fields in the spring WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SPRING DOES HAVE CHALLENGES FOR PRODUCE FARMERSOf course, spring is not without its challenges. As we already discussed, the weather can be unpredictable, and there is always the risk of frost. Sometimes there is a lot of rain making the fields muddy and challenging to maneuver in. However, produce farming in western Pennsylvania is one that requires skill, careful planning, a lot of weather monitoring and preparation. Thank goodness Haffey Family Farm has over 30 years of experience with Farmer Jeremy! TIPS & TRICKS FOR GROWING PRODUCE IN THE PITTSBURGH AREALet’s share some tips for you all who may want to start a vegetable garden this year. Afterall, we as your local Pittsburgh based CSA produce farmers are here not only to share quality, fresh picked produce but growing tips as well. What does Farmer Jeremy recommend for spring growing? Here are some of his tips so you can get the most out of the spring season:
SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER DURING SPRING TIMESpring time is a refreshing time of year for all of us. The dead of winter has ended, the hours of sunshine are longer and the temperatures are warming up. Although at times, nights may still be cold or we may see a random snowflake here or there in Western Pennsylvania, spring time is a busy and exciting time for produce farmers! By developing a relationship with your local farmers, supporting them and speaking with them you too can learn how to grow a successful spring garden. If you don’t have the space for a garden, don’t worry! Your local produce farmers are there to support you. Be sure to support them by joining their Community Supported Agriculture programs or visiting your local farmer’ markets. As always, we appreciate the support of all our customers! We cannot wait to share our spring produce with all our Pittsburgh based customers! See you soon! Kim Haffey Haffey Family Farm  Red Onions at Sunset
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eMBRACE THE ADVENTURE - REFLECTING ON LIFE 20 YEARS LATER AS A CSA FARMER IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA3/14/2023 20 YEARS OLD COMPARED TO 40 YEARS OLDThis week I spent a lot of time in my hometown. As I drove through downtown Cleveland I reflected on my 20 year old self as compared to my 40 year old self. At 20, I would never have driven downtown. Maybe I was unlike most 20 year olds but that made me too nervous. At 40, I have to admit, even though traffic makes me nervous still, I am more assured of myself and confident of my abilities. My 20 year old self had a plan. I was going to finish college, get married and work in a business setting. I loved computer work, organizing and typing. I loved the job I had which involved document control for a certification agency. LIFE CHANGES AS YOU GROW Me, at around 20 years old  Me, now at 40 years old, in the garlic fields Never in my life would I have thought I’d be farming when I was 40. I was the girl who didn’t know how to keep any plant alive. Neither did I know how to cook anything (I am talking burnt pancakes but raw inside type of cooking).
I thought about this and the changes life brings you. At 20 you think you have everything figured out. I felt confident. Now at 40, I realize how little I knew and how much more self assured I am now. I reflected on if someone had told me when I was 20 that I would marry a farmer and start farming, what would I have said? Honestly, I would have laughed. Most who knew me then would have laughed at that thought as well. I was a hard worker, but I preferred work in an airconditioned, comfortable office. Sitting out in a field in 90 degree temperatures - NO WAY would I have done that. If you would have told me, I’d be running a CSA program and offering cooking advice in the Pittsburgh area, I would have laughed even harder. I could not cook even if it meant following a recipe. If you would have told my 20 year self that I’d leave living close to my family and move out of my comfortable suburb to a rural area near Pittsburgh, I would not have believed you. Yet as we grow, life changes. We try things, and sometimes we succeed, and other times we may fail. However, when I look back at the past 20 years, I wouldn’t change a thing! I am grateful I took the leap and learned how to grow fresh produce. I am glad of the experiences I have been able to enjoy and the people I have been able to meet. I am grateful for my family and the opportunity to teach my children the value of hard work. And although I still don’t like being out in the field on 90 degree days, I feel happy at the end of the day. Maybe sweaty, exhausted but happy because together my family and I planted those seeds, cared for those plants, and harvested the fruit of our labor. I think about the smile on the faces of our customers as they enjoy our fresh, locally grown produce. And it is that feeling, true satisfaction, that I am glad my 40 year old self gets to enjoy now. So moral of the story: embrace the changes. Go on the adventures! I promise you won't regret it. All the best, Kim Haffey  I am, (please do not hate me for this), originally from Cleveland, OH. I am not a football fan, really, so you don’t have to worry about me being a supporter of the Cleveland Browns. Farmer Jeremy grew up right here on the farm, not too far from Pittsburgh. When we moved back to the Pittsburgh area over 7 years ago, I really got to know the city well for the first time in my life. It is a great city to explore with so many things to do especially if you have young kids! It is also a community that loves to support local business and loves FOOD, especially fresh vegetables.(I mean a great steak salad with fries on top…. Can’t get that in Cleveland.) Pittsburgh is the perfect place to find the perfect CSAWestern Pennsylvania is loaded with various types of farms and therefore makes Pittsburgh a great city to find the perfect CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program for your family's needs. With the city's thriving local food scene, you can find a CSA that offers a wide variety of produce that includes seasonal fruits and vegetables. In this blog post, we'll explore one of the best CSAa Pittsburgh has to offer - Haffey Family Farm! With the right CSA, you can get fresh, local produce delivered locally every week or bi-weekly and support local farmers at the same time. For families looking for farm-fresh produce in the Pittsburgh area, the Haffey Family Farm CSA is a great option. Haffey Family Farm was founded in 2016 by Jeremy Haffey, when he started growing garlic as an additional way to support the family. By 2021 the whole family had joined in and a variety of fruits and vegetables were added. Jeremy and I realized it was a privilege to have fresh, healthy produce available for our children and wanted other families to enjoy that as well so in 2022, we started our popular CSA program. Why Haffey Family Farm's CSA program is different What makes our CSA program different from other CSA programs? It is the family feel. When you join our CSA, you become part of our FARMILY. We love building relationships with our Pittsburgh area customers. We love meeting your children and getting to know you personally. Also, we are busy working family too and we know it isn’t always easy to eat healthy. And we are all too familiar with picky kids! That is why with our CSA program, we love to grow kid friendly vegetables such as sweet corn or green beans. But don’t worry we always make sure to add a unique item such as kohlrabi so everyone can explore outside of the box. We also love to help busy families prepare their produce in kid-friendly ways in under 30 minutes. This is why each member will receive weekly recipes with your CSA purchase. Subscribers to the Haffey Family Farm CSA can also choose from a variety of subscription options, including weekly and bi-weekly delivery. This helps with the veggie enthusiast or the picky eater and families of all different sizes, including individuals. All of the products come directly from the farm, guaranteeing freshness and quality. We have several pick up locations in the Pittsburgh area including Bellevue Farmer's Market (Bellevue), Enchanted Olive (Harmony/Zelienople), Health Hut (Beaver and Beaver Falls), Plant2Plate with the University of Pittsburgh (Oakland), Cranberry Township Farmer's Market, and Oakmont Farmer's Market (Oakmont).  The best part of a CSA besides the great produce is building a direct relationship with your farmer, the grower of your food. That is why with our CSA, you will deal directly with us, the farmers. We make our best effort to be present at most pickups so we can personally meet you and answer any questions you might have about recipes, and how to store the farm fresh produce included in each CSA box. Each week you will receive a weekly communication email from us with your weekly box contents and recipes. In addition, all members are able to join a private Facebook group so they can connect with other CSA members. The promise that comes with each CSA BoxWhen we started our CSA program here in the Pittsburgh area, our major motivation was to be able to provide the same high quality, fresh produce to other families that our children enjoy. Because our produce feeds our family, we at Haffey Family Farm are committed to growing the best possible produce. We use sustainable, organic and natural farming techniques to ensure our produce is of the highest quality. I think you’ll agree that the Haffey Family Farm CSA is an excellent choice for families looking for fresh, locally-sourced produce in the Pittsburgh area. With various subscription levels, help with meal planning, education and a commitment to sustainable farming, we are sure to meet the needs of your family!  Thanks for letting this Cleveland native join yinz in this amazing city! Come join our FARMILY so you too can enjoy that steak salad with the best lettuce and fries on top!! We can’t wait to meet you and share our produce with you and your family!
All the best, Kim Haffey By Guest Writer: Nathan Haffey  Part of 2022 Pumpkin Harvest Today I will be talking about Pumpkins. Pumpkins are funny looking, delicious, and large. There are so many things about them that people don't know. When you think of a pumpkin what comes to your mind first? Most likely a round smooth orange vegetable, but Pumpkins aren't just orange. They aren't just smooth, and they aren't just round! For example, we grow a variety of pumpkins called the blue doll. It is square shaped and a blueish green. We also grow grizzly bear pumpkins. They're brown with big bumps all over them. My favorite variety we grow is probably the grizzly bear pumpkin because it looks cool and also are very interesting.
Are Pumpkins a fruit or a vegetable?If I were to ask you if a pumpkin is a fruit or a vegetable, what would you say? A lot of people would say a vegetable but that's not true! A pumpkin is actually a fruit! I was surprised when I first found this out. Pumpkins grow from a flower like an apple does. It takes about three to four months for a pumpkin to grow. Pumpkins have health benefitsPumpkins are also good for your health. One reason is because they're full of vitamins and minerals that are good for your eyes. They also protect your skin and strengthen your immune system. Pumpkins are amazing!In conclusion pumpkins are an amazing fruit. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. And finally they are great for your body.  Can you spot the grizzly bear pumpkin? I’ll admit it - I am not, and I’ll repeat it, I am not a morning person and yet….I married a farmer! A city girl who married a farmer. And became a farmer herself. I could never have imagined that when I married into this farm family 18 years ago. And now we farm with our three incredible, hard-working children by our side. Farming is a challenging yet rewarding way of life. It is entirely controlled by weather, and sometimes you may lose an entire crop you worked so hard to grow. Yet, the moment you get to taste the first watermelon of the season or the first ear of sweet corn, all the sweat, pain, and tears are forgotten, and a smile comes across your face, knowing you grew it, cared for it, and harvested it. To be a farmer who runs a Community Supported Agriculture program is demanding. Quite honestly, to be a produce farmer, you have to be downright stubborn and determined! So are you curious about what a day in our life looks like during the growing season? One word: BUSY! Let’s examine a day in the height of the growing season on the busiest prep days during the season - Tuesday. On Tuesdays, we prep produce for approximately 25-30 CSA members and our biggest market - the Bellevue Farmer’s Market. A Peek into a typical August Morning for a CSA Farmer Sun Protection is a must for a CSA Farmer Since August is hot, the earlier we can get started, the better, so, in the dead heat of the afternoon, we can be lying under a shade tree rather than in the field. The alarm goes off at 6:30 am but not being a morning person, I will crawl out of bed by 7. As I scuffle to the kitchen, I mentally review the day in my head. I prepare coffee for myself and Farmer Jeremy, and he’ll join me in the kitchen. By this point, all 3 children are up and awake, and I’ll be on mom duty telling them to get ready for the farm. I’ll start breakfast. We work hard, so a good hearty breakfast is essential. A favorite is usually pancakes, sausage, and most likely melon since it is in season during August. We will sit down to eat as a family and discuss the tasks of the day. The night before, I will have prepped dinner for the crockpot. Today we will have Sweet & Spicy meatballs with green beans and rice - a favorite of the kids. The meatballs will cook in the crockpot, and then we will make the rice and beans later. After breakfast, everyone is dressed and ready to go. We rent land from family to farm, so we do not live on the farm. By 8 am, we will load into the truck and head to the farm. We arrive at the farm at 8:30 am, and it is time to get to work, but first, we get distracted by the four farm cats. A quick little time to play with the cats, then it is time to head to the fields. We load up the truck with the picking baskets, water, and snacks and head to the field. Today’s harvest list is big, and alot of picking needs to be completed.
Picking beans is tedious, but I love to be in the field. These are times I treasure with my daughter. We sit in the field, loading our baskets or aprons with beans, talking about life, nature or recipes, and building core memories. After we finish the beans and tomatoes, the boys have moved on to the watermelon field. Approximately 4 bushels of watermelon will need to be harvested. It is now 10:30 am, and we are hot, so of course we have to sample one of the juicy watermelons. We will pick a watermelon, sit under a tree, and split it open. Each of us enjoys a refreshing piece of melon, some water, and a little break and then it is back to work.  Part of the Pepper Fields Next up is bell peppers. Nathan and I head to the pepper field and harvest 3 bushels. While we do this, Jeremy, Liam, and Allison will pick 4 bushels of zucchini. Liam loves picking zucchini because he gets to use a farm knife (with supervision). However, zucchini baskets get heavy quickly. After the peppers and zucchini harvest is completed, we have eggplant left to pick. We harvest 2 bushels of eggplant, and now our truck is full, so it is time to move to the barn and cooler to unload. It is also lunchtime, so we will make some sandwiches, sit under a tree, and enjoy our lunch. We use this time to discuss what else needs to be completed for the day. 100 heads of lettuce still need to be harvested, but we will pick that tomorrow morning since it is better to harvest the lettuce before the heat of the day. Sweaty and tired, we are done with the fieldwork for the day. We have already harvested in July our garlic and onions. We will need 2 bushels of onions and a peck of garlic for Wednesday. Packing CSA Boxes and Market Prep for a CSA FarmerAfter lunch, it is time to organize the produce we harvested and prep the CSA boxes. We have already pre -printed a label for each CSA member that will be picking up on Wednesday, which includes a list of the produce they will be receiving in their CSA box. It takes 30 minutes to load 25 CSA boxes. These are then loaded into the cooler so they are ready for delivery the next day. After the lettuce is harvested in the morning, it will be bagged and added to each produce box. Farmer Jeremy preps everything else needed for the market the next day into crates, and the kids help stack the crates. It is now close to 2 pm and the heat of the day. We will sit in the shade and probably enjoy a popsicle. The kids play and run around the farm. Jeremy and I sit under the tree and watch them, exhausted and loaded with sweat. We are happy, though. The kids ask for a snack, husk an ear of corn, and eat it raw. I sample the corn, and it is so sweet. No wonder it is a favorite of our customers. Evening Chores for a CSA FarmerIt is about 3 pm now, and we head home. When we arrive home, the kids will play or have some reading time. After that, we all complete the evening’s household chores. I finish preparing dinner. We sit together at the table and talk. The brothers annoy their sister a bit, some squeals erupt but then end in laughter. For dessert, we slice up the watermelon that has been chilling in the fridge. (And yes, we really do eat that much watermelon in a day because once watermelon season ends, we wait a whole year for it to return.) After dinner, I send out text reminders to our CSA members who are picking up on Wednesday. They have already received the weekly email with the meal plan on Sunday. Sometimes, CSA members will text back with questions or needing to make changes to their pickup for the next day and I will communicate with them. After that, we spend some time as a family and then get ready for bed. End of the Day for a CSA Farmer  The perfect treat on a hot summer day! As my head hits the pillow, I feel the aching in my back, but I am happy and grateful for the air conditioning after being in the heat all day. I am happy to have seen our harvest, happy to have spent the day with my husband and children and am excited to share our produce with our CSA members and customers the next day. It’s been a good day! Yes, life as a CSA farmer requires hard work and determination but it surely is rewarding and maybe, just maybe, this former city girl will eventually turn into a morning person! (MAYBE!)
All the best, Kim Haffey - Haffey Family Farm pittsburgh area based csa farm plans to celebrate national csa week - february 20-26, 20232/14/2023 Celebrate Community Supported Agriculture with Haffey Family Farm Haffey Family Farm, located in the Pittsburgh, PA area, is excited to join other CSA farmers across the country to celebrate CSA Week, a national event taking place from February 20th through February 26th to promote CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). CSA is a farm membership system that allows consumers to sign up to receive a season’s worth of a farm’s products (veggies, eggs, meat, flowers, grain, etc.) over a number of weeks. Along with getting to enjoy fresh, delicious, and local food, being a CSA member is an excellent way to support and get to know your local farmers. February 20-26 is the Most Popular Time to Join a Pittsburgh CSAJoin us in promoting CSA Week, the most popular time of the year to sign-up for CSA! This year, our farm is offering a 5% discount to customers who sign up during CSA Week and pay in full. As a special added bonus, we are extending our CSA Week sale for the ENTIRE month of February. When you sign up to become a CSA member, your financial support helps us prepare for the growing season. You’ll enjoy high-quality fresh, locally grown Pennsylvania produce while taking comfort in knowing where and how your food was grown along with meal planning and preservation tips. Don’t wait to sign up, as we have limited spots available! There has never been a better time to connect with fresh local food while helping to make our local food systems and communities more resilient. Participating in Community Supported Agriculture Programs (CSA) is the Best Way to Support Pittsburgh Area Produce FarmsCommunity Supported Agriculture programs are the best way to support local farms, to eat what is in season and to really build a relationship with the grower of your food, where we as the farmer, can give you tips, recommendations and recipes on how to use your produce. Regarding Haffey Family Farm CSA membership, 2022 season member, Beth H. of Pittsburgh, PA states that Haffey Family farm is the “Best family farm CSA in Pittsburgh! We've been happy customers of a number of CSAs in Pittsburgh, but none has been as full of great produce and as connected to a great family as the Haffey Family Farm CSA! Haffey Family Farm CSA offers a number of size and frequency options, and for our family of four, the small weekly share was perfect. The items available were all top quality, fresh, seasonal, and literally hand picked by the family! Kim Haffey sends out delicious recipe options each week to accompany the produce in the share. Makes cooking all of the vegetables much more interesting and fun! Kim is also very responsive with any issues on the CSA--missing a week or an item was never a problem. Highly recommend Haffey Family Farm CSA if you're in the Pittsburgh area!” Join our Meet the Farmer Events Being Held in the Pittsburgh AreaIn honor of National CSA Week, we will be holding "Meet the Farmers" events throughout Alleghany, Beaver and Butler Counties. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions about our Pittsburgh area based CSA program, our sustainable growing methods and sign up in person to join our CSA Program. In honor of CSA Week, we will be offering a 5% discount on all CSA memberships (excluding student level) for those that pay in full at time of sign up. We will be starting our celebration early on Friday, February 17 at the University of Pittsburgh's ScholarChef Food Fair from 11 am to 2 pm. We will be available to meet and speak with professors and students regarding our Pittsburgh based CSA program. We will be featuring our student level of our CSA membership. At just $15 per week, our student CSA is perfect for a health conscious Pittsburgh based university or college student and will feature smaller amounts of fresh produce along with dorm friendly recipes. Throughout the week find us at other Beaver, Allegheny and Butler county local businesses as listed below: February 21: Health Hut - 1617 3rd Street, Beaver, PA 15009 1 pm to 3 pm February 22: Mystery Lovers Bookshop - 514 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont, PA 15139 11 am to 12 pm February 22: Oakmont Olive Oil - 640 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont, PA 15139 1 pm to 3 pm February 24: Health Hut - 110 McMillen Ave, Beaver Falls, PA 15010 - 4 pm to 6 pm February 25: Enchanted Olive - 120 Perry Hwy, Harmony, PA 16037 - 11 am to 1 pm Unable to attend? Don't worry you can still join us in celebrating CSA Week. How? Sign up to become a CSA member here. Then help us in spreading the word about CSA Week. Post on your social media accounts that you have "Joined The Farmily with Haffey Family Farm" - using the graphic below and the hashtag #CSAWeek. Don't forget to tag us @haffey_family_farm on Instagram and @haffeyfamilyfarm on Facebook so we can welcome you personally! Thank you for your support. We love building our community and sharing our locally grown fresh produce with you! All the best, Kim Haffey - Haffey Family Farm For more information regarding CSA Week please visit: https://www.csainnovationnetwork.org/   As I sit in my kitchen writing this post today, it is January 31. There is a fresh coat of snow on the ground. And I only can think of how many more months until I can have freshly picked lettuce from the field? In fact, this thought is emphasized even more as I prepare lunch ,and the lettuce from the grocery store says it was picked on January 9 and came all the way from Arizona to Pennsylvania. Obviously, this is because Arizona still has moderate temperatures to grow lettuce in January, but it doesn’t make the lettuce taste any better. In fact, it doesn’t have much taste at all, which makes my mouth water more for our lettuce. Eating seasonally is very important. Here in western Pennsylvania, most of our fresh produce is consumed in the spring and summer months. So why is it beneficial to join a CSA if you want to start eating seasonally? Let’s consider 5 reasons. Eating seasonally through a CSA provides freshly picked produceJoining a CSA allows you to consume produce that is grown locally and seasonally in the region where you live. Therefore, you are able to enjoy the freshest produce. As a CSA member with Haffey Family Farm, your produce is picked fresh and is therefore at its peak ripeness and flavor. (I mean, have you tried our cantaloupes?) In addition, the produce does not have to travel long distances to reach you. The lettuce you receive in your box is harvested within 24 hours before it is delivered to you; not two, three or four weeks before it lands in your fridge. Eating seasonally through a CSA provides more nutrient filled produceSeasonally grown produce is more nutrient-dense, as it has had the proper amount of time to mature and develop its full nutritional value. By joining Haffey Family Farm CSA, you are able to enjoy produce that has been personally cared for by the farmer and hand picked. This ensures more nutrient-rich produce because it is not harvested too early. Eating seasonally through a CSA allows you to eat out of your comfort zoneHave you ever had turnips? Have you ever tried to make your own pumpkin puree? Or what about mustard greens? Have you always wanted to try these items but were maybe a little bit scared to? By joining a CSA you are exposed to a wider variety of produce, including items that may not be in your daily menu or that may not be available at the grocery store. Perhaps, you may feel intimidated by that thought. However, an advantage of being a Haffey Family Farm CSA member, is that we help educate you on how to use those “out of your comfort zone” items with our weekly meal plans included in your subscription. Still not sure on some items? Don’t worry. Just ask and we will do our best to help you or direct you in the right direction. Eating seasonally through a CSA helps the environmentHere at Haffey Family Farm, we farm using organic and sustainable farming methods. Everything is personally harvested and delivered to you by our family. By joining our CSA and eating seasonally, it helps to reduce the environmental impact of food production by supporting local farmers and reducing the need for transportation and preservation of out-of-season produce. Eating seasonally through a CSA connects you to a community Joining a CSA connects you with a community of people who share your interest in eating locally and sustainably grown produce. In addition, you are able to form a direct relationship with the grower of your food. You can communicate directly with us regarding your produce including how it was grown, when it was harvested, how to preserve it or how to prepare it. As a CSA member with Haffey Family Farm we will connect you to other members who will also share recipes and tips within our private Facebook group. When you join our CSA it really is like you are part of our family or should we say FARMILY?
The next time you buy lettuce from your local grocery store, check out the package and see where it was shipped from and the date it was harvested. How would you describe how it tastes? Now, think how it would taste if it had been picked that morning and delivered directly to you? Probably, like me, your mouth will start watering. By joining Haffey Family Farm Pittsburgh-based CSA, you will be able to enjoy seasonal vegetables, recipes and preservation tips. I promise you won’t regret it. So come join our FARMILY! For more information on our CSA: www.haffeyfamilyfarm.com All the best, Kim Haffey- Haffey Family Farm  Here's the thing if you grow up on a produce farm, you always expect fresh vegetables and melons. Something is always available during the summer months. You just go out to the field and pick what you feel like for a snack. A favorite of our kids is watermelon but can you blame them? So sweet and juicy and perfect on hot summer days. During the winter months there is usually a freezer full or shelves of cans of preserved produce. But what about when the kids want something you couldn't preserve for winter, like ripe, juicy watermelons? Well, your five year old has a complete meltdown in the middle of Sam's Club because he just doesn't understand why his parents won't buy him the almost $10.00 watermelon that won't taste very good or the almost $7 pack of 6 of sweet peppers. Our recent trip to the grocery store had us all dreaming of summer months and the fresh lettuce, melons, berries and peppers. How about you? Are you ready for fresh produce? We are eager to move from snowy, icy, frozen ground to warm, soil turned fields. We have been working hard on making this season as productive as possible for our customers! We have started planting seeds of kale, cabbage and lettuce. Our whole family eagerly checks each morning to see if any seedlings have sprouted. When the ground is ready, these will be transplanted into the fields and will produce the delicious produce we all are waiting for! We have been busy prepping to for a great CSA year and farmer's markets season. We will be working with Health Hut in Chippewa, PA as a pick up location on Fridays for CSA members. There are also several other locations including any farmer's market we will be at, Urbana Boutique in Oakmont and the Broken Plow Martial Arts (Pittsburgh Sword Fighters) in Creighton, PA. In addition to the CSA pickups, we will be adding two farmer's markets this year. You'll find us every Saturday in Oakmont and every Thursday in Wilkinsburg. We know that the coming months will be busy but we are excited to be back and connected again with the land and you, our supporters. We are anxious to get back out there and feel the dirt between our fingers. Most of all, we are dreaming of those juicy, sweet watermelons! How about you? Leave a comment below and let us know what you're excited for this coming season? All the best, Kim Haffey, Haffey Family Farm  Happy almost December! November flew by!
Have you seen our Instagram and Facebook posts regarding our 2022 CSA? We are so excited for next year and what we have planned. Jeremy has been busy ordering seeds and planning out next year's crops. Can you believe starting in January we will be planting our early spring crops in the greenhouse to later be transplanted in the fields? What can you expect with next year's CSA Program? Each CSA member will receive 22 weeks of fresh produce starting the week of June 1 through the week of October 31. Depending on your membership level you will receive 4-6 to 8-10 items each week. For example, starting in June, you can expect to see in your boxes peas, lettuce, greens, spinach, kale, onions, beets, radishes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and strawberries. Through July and August, you'll see such items as lettuce, tomatoes, a variety of peppers, eggplant, cantaloupe, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, beans, onions, garlic, kale, beets, carrots, sweet corn, and potatoes. And as we move into September and October, you'll see lettuce, tomatoes, a variety of peppers, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, onion, garlic, kale, beets, sweet corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes Brussel sprouts, turnips, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, greens, acorn squash, butternut squash and pumpkins. How can you pick up your box? As of today's date, we have 5 definite pick up locations. One will be on Wednesdays at the Bellevue Farmer's Market. On Saturdays we will have two pick up locations - one at Urbana Boutique in Oakmont and another at Broken Plow Martial Arts (Pittsburgh Sword Fighters) in Creighton, PA, There will also be pick ups available by appointment at the farm in Enon Valley or also at our home office in Ohioville. Most likely we will also have a pick up location in Zelienople at the Zelienople-Harmony Farmer's Market as well. How do you sign up? You can sign up directly on our website (Click the picture above and you'll be directed to our CSA page.). If you are paying in full, choose your membership level, add it to the cart and you can submit payment directly on our website. If you are paying in four installments, please email us directly at haffeyfamilyfarm@gmail.com. We will then email an invoice you can pay electronically. Membership Agreement - Please be sure to download and complete the membership agreement to fully complete your membership. You may submit this electronically by email or mail directly to our mailing address (147 Edgewood Circle, Industry, PA 15052). Payment options - We can accept check, cash, credit card or EBT for payment on CSA memberships. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. For those paying in fully by January 1, 2022, you will receive a 5% discount. On our next blog post, look for benefits of joining our CSA. As always, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for daily/weekly updates and thank you for your continued support! All the best, Kim Haffey, Haffey Family Farm  WOW! WOW! WOW! That's all we can say to describe our 2021 season! You guys rocked it! Your support was AMAZING! It made for a great year for us and we were so excited to see you every week! Thank you for coming out in extreme heat, storms and downpours each week to show us your support! Without you, we wouldn't be able to do this and we appreciate every one of you!
Now that we have some downtime and things have slowed down on our end, does that mean we are not working? No! We have already began preparations for the 2022 Season. What does that involve? Well, first, Farmer Jeremy has been busy preparing the fields for the winter. Because we follow sustainable farming methods, this means cover crops are put in. We use a variety of cover crops such as rye, buckwheat, daikon radishes, hairy vetch and Austrian peas. A cover crop stops soil erosion, preserves the nutrients in the soil and replenishes nitrogen in the soil which helps promote healthy plant growth for the following crop. We are also busy finishing planting the garlic for next year. Planting the garlic in the fall allows the root to grow and then we are able to harvest larger bulbs the following year. Each bulb is divided and each clove is peeled and replanted. Each garlic clove is planted by hand and over all we will plant thousands of cloves. In addition to field work, we have also been working on seed orders for next year's crop. Our children love to scan the seed catalogs and help choose what we will grow. In addition to everyone's favorites, they have chosen some new things such as yellow watermelon, canary melons (similar to a honeydew), and orange cauliflower. In other news, our 2022 CSA program is live and ready for pre-order on the website. Look for future blog posts for more information on the CSA. As always, a huge THANK YOU to all of you! Make sure you're following us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on our latest news! All the best, Kim Haffey, Haffey Family Farm |
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