Weekly Email - September 12th

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View this email in your browser EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED   With only two full time, year round staff, plus volunteers and part time folks, we have a small staff here at CCF but we manage to get quite a lot done each day and each season.  But their comes a time when Jared (our assistant farm manager) or myself are due a break from the non-stop pace of farming.  And it never really fails, and I dare say NEVER fails, that each and every time one of us is away, the unexpected happens.  You know, something happens where you actually do a double take, hardly able to believe your eyes.  We come to expect it in a way, I suppose....and this week Jared was on vacation. So, true to form, we had a few unexpected events.  Nothing terrible, and we always get through it, but there were a few memorable moments for sure. I'll tell you about one. Did you know our critters are located on fields throughout Lincoln and Concord?  Each morning to carry out our chores we have to drive to the various fields where they are all located;  the meat chickens are at Mt. Misery field, cows at Farm Meadow, Codman South and Page Road, pigs are at Minuteman National Park and on Codman North field, turkeys at Van Leer field, laying hens at Farm Meadow-  you get the idea.  They are spread out, miles apart. Each of our fields are unique and are better suited for one species or another.  Since we raise ALL of our animals on pasture, we need to decide each season where they will all go taking into account factors like the field size, how we get in and out of each field, are there neighbors that wouldn't want to hear a dog barking all night, are the soils wet or dry, how far away is the field etc...  But one thing is common to just about all of our fields.... none of them have any permanent infrastructure at all, so that means each season we set up temporary electric solar powered fencing, we create mobile watering systems, if the animals rely on grain then we also have feeders or portable grain silos, then we also have some sort of natural or man made shade structure to keep the animals comfortable in summer.  We have a lot of "stuff" to manage in addition to the animals.  And the more "stuff" you have, the more you have to keep track of it all and the more likely something will go wrong.   And finally, there is the fact that animals are innocent opportunists...and if a farmer makes a mistake, the critters will no doubt take advantage of the situation... On Thursday of this week I headed out on the tractor from the farm, with the water trailer in tow, hauling 1000 gallons of water to Farm Meadow field.  As I drove down the narrow dirt path, next to the railroad tracks, under the canopy of trees, bumping along as we do on that pot holed road, I slowly emerged from the road next to the open 20 acre field.  I had just moved the cows a couple days before into this lush one acre section in the corner of the field, and expected to see them - right there in front of me in that front paddock as I pulled up to the field.  I looked for the cows, expecting to see them lazing in the shade.  I looked again.  I looked and scanned a third time.  No cows!  What the...Not one cow was in that part of the field.  My brain almost exploded.  Seriously.  I thought "how could ALL the cows have disappeared?  11 cows, 10 calves and a bull. Gone!?"  Then I looked up and scanned the entire field...I saw the chickens, I saw Andy the dog, and then, finally...I saw all of the cows.  They were clear across the field standing next to the chickens, calmly chewing their cud.  My mind was racing...how did this happen?  Did they walk through the electric fencing, are they totally on the loose?  Then I scanned the field again and realized it was my fault!  When I had moved them into their new paddock the other day, I forgot to do what's called "back fencing".  When we rotationally graze animals on pasture like we do, we shift animals from paddock to paddock to move them into a new area, to fresh pasture, and away from the area they just grazed.   This prevents over grazing and allows the grass to regrow. But when I moved them forward a few days earlier, I forgot to put the electric fence back up and at some point they got bored and walked through this opening and all the way around the entire field until they ended up next to the chickens.  It was a relief, in a way, because at least I knew how they got there and what the problem was.  It's the times when you don't understand the root of the problem that are the most worrisome. But this time, once I realized what happened I quickly devised a plan to get them back to where I wanted them.  I first had to move the shade haven, then water wagon, then a new line of fencing, then herd them back.  It all worked according to my hastily made plan and once again proved my theory to expect the unexpected.... cows on the loose, hanging out next to the chickens....then herding them back...photos and story by Pete Lowy     BULK BEEF BONES AND CHICKEN BACK SALE!   Due to our robust inventory of bones we have added a new freezer to the barn stocked with bulk packs of beef bones and chicken backs.  They are bar coded and priced and ready to go at your convenience!     Beef Bones - SALE PRICE: $1.99 lb -for 20 lbs or more! Chicken Backs - SALE PRICE: $1.99- for 10 lbs or more!     KITCHEN RENOVATION UPDATE   With lots of planning behind us we are just about ready to begin renovating the kitchen and office!  It's been a long road but we have finally finished jumping through all the hoops.  We hope to have the contract signed this week with construction starting in the next week or two!  So keep an eye out for work trucks, dumpsters and workers. The Farm Store will remain OPEN of course.  We expect the renovation to take two months or so, we will provide updates and photos along the way.   TURKEY TIME. part cinq!!   Reminder to once again  ORDER YOUR TURKEY for Thanksgiving NOW!     FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week Sept 11-18th   FRUIT Peaches and Apples (honeycrisp, mac, zestar) from Clearview Farm and & Kanner Family orchard VEGETABLES  Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes, beets, chard, kale and Green Beans LOCAL organic loose carrots, fresh onions, garlic  lettuce mix, eggplant, cucumbers, winter squash, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn. MOST ALL THE PRODUCE WE BUY FROM LOCAL FARMS IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC THIS WEEK WE PURCHASED ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM: New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Beverly Lindentree Farm, Lincoln Red Fire Farm, Granby Fat Moon Farm, Westford Picadilly Farm, Winchester NH     MORE BEEF AND PORK SOON!   As we head towards fall many of our animals are approaching harvest time.  We have many appointments lined up with our processors and over the coming weeks our freezers will once again be brimming full of our tasty pasture-raised, Lincoln grown proteins!  Thanks for hanging in there with us as our inventory has fluctuated over the spring and summer.  We have worked hard all season long to grow some beautiful animals and hope you have room in your freezers to stock up for winter!      U-Pick FLOWERS...get them while you can! We still have tons of flowers our there....pick by the stem and pay for on the digital terminal in the farm store!  FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO... 1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org. WEEKLY PICS by Pete CCF Barn at night Curious turkeys   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to us at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - September 4th

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View this email in your browser DAYLIGHT   Did you know we are losing over 2 minutes of daylight every day?  It's subtle, but it's happening, and compounded over days and weeks, we soon realize the days are shorter and winter will soon arrive.  Fall equinox is coming soon too, which means the hours of night and day become equal.  This change in daylight dramatically affects life on a farm.  Spending so much time outdoors, we are always noticing these daylight changes and it affects how we plan our days and set priorities.    In the spring when day length is increasing, plants and animals respond by growing more quickly.  But the one critter most affected on the farm by daylight changes are the laying hens.  Hens are extremely light sensitive with too much light causing them severe stress and too little light causing them to stop laying eggs entirely.   Hens have a Pineal gland in their brains which controls their reactions to light, and chickens reproductive cycle is triggered by the light-dark cycle - with at least 12 hours per day needed to continue laying eggs.   As we head into fall, we begin to be concerned with the hens rate of lay.  With daylight decreasing, so does their egg production and there quickly becomes a time when the birds lay so few eggs that they become a drain on the farms resources.  So, our job is to keep them laying - which is not easy when they are still living out on pasture!  We do this by providing a solar powered lighting system in the mobile hen coops...these lights turn on early in the morning when it's still dark to wake the birds up and keep their production going just a bit longer.   These lighting systems are not perfect but it's the best we can do until we bring the birds home in November where they will spend winter in the greenhouse...with a better lighting system.      .  ONE MORE WEEK... BULK BEEF BONES AND CHICKEN BACK SALE!   As we quickly head towards fall it's time to start thinking about making broth and stock.  To that end we are making BULK SALES of our grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken backs available at a reduced price to get you all healthy and strong !    Beef Bones - SALE PRICE: $1.99 lb -for 20 lbs or more! Chicken Backs - SALE PRICE: $1.99- for 10 lbs or more!   To order: e-mail Pete@codmanfarm.org to coordinate order and pickup!     FRESH CHICKEN THIS WEEKEND!!     Starting at 2pm Friday we will have fresh Freedom Rangers and Cornish birds ~ Chicken Parts too!!~   September 25-27 (turkeys too) October 9-12 (turkeys too) October 23-26 (capons &  turkeys) TURKEY TIME. part quatre !!   Reminder to once again  ORDER YOUR TURKEY for Thanksgiving NOW! Photo by Eli Newell   TURKEY SURVEY If you have or plan on purchasing a turkey from us this season...please complete this 3 question survey so we can grow the perfect sized turkey for you this season.   TAKE SURVEY HERE   FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week Sept 4-11th   FRUIT Last week for Blueberries!, Peaches, & Kanner Family orchard in Lincoln brings us Zestar Apples and Pears VEGETABLES  Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes, Codman farm radishes and beets and Green Beans LOCAL organic loose carrots, fresh onions, garlic chard, kale, lettuce mix, eggplant, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn TONS of cherry and slicer tomatoes this week!   PIG HARVEST BEGINS   Fall is pig harvest time!  This week we sent in 15 pigs for harvest and over the next couple of months we will continue to expand our pork offerings in the store.  Our pigs can be seen on the corner of Codman Road and 126 here in Lincoln and in a field at Minuteman National Park behind Carty Barn on Lexington Road.  We only grow heritage pigs including old spot, large black and tamworth crosses which are hearty pigs which thrive in the outdoors.      U-Pick FLOWERS...get them while you can! Tons of flowers out there....come and u-pick them before our first frost.  FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO... 1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org. WEEKLY PICS by Pete Andy with the chicken parade...they know who's boss! Frog pond at Codman Estate is teaming with froggies!   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to us at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - August 29th

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View this email in your browser DROUGHT   I remember the days as a kid, when the perfect summer would be blue skies everyday - without a drop of rain to interfere with summer fun.   These days though, I live in fear as spring rains fade, the temperatures of summer soar and rain in the forecast becomes something we are constantly on the hunt for on our weather apps.  On any given day we find our farm staff competing to find the app with more rain in the forecast to ease our concerns of fields going brown and dormant, and crops withering in the dusty soils.   According to Drought.gov - 67 million people in the United State are currently experiencing some sort of drought right now.  This is 33% of the land area in the U.S.  If you live in any of the states listed below, you are experiencing either Extreme, Exceptional, or Severe drought...which is what we are experiencing here in Massachusetts.  Extreme (D3) and Exceptional (D4) drought is present in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Wyoming, Oregon, Nevada, and California. Severe (D2) drought is present in Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Today it is raining, thankfully, but we are a far cry from where we "should" be this time of year.  "Should" is all relative these days as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable.  We all must start preparing for these additional uncertainties in our lives.  As farmers we must plan and adapt to these unpredictable changes in order to continue to run viable and sustainable farms for the long run. Since we are primarily a livestock farm, our pastures where our animals graze are high on our list of worries.  This year we are facing pastures that have gone dormant and our grass-fed cattle are quickly grazing what grass is left on the fields.  We have been moving them from field to field to try and find what green grass remains.  We are hoping for cooler weather and lots of rain to help the pastures break their dormancy and put forth a bit of greenery as we head into the fall.  Realistically, we will most likely begin feeding hay much earlier then normal and we are already expecting about half of the hay to be harvested from our fields - as compared to last season.  Here at Codman Farm we are looking towards this uncertain future and making changes and investments now to keep our farm strong and vibrant.  We are  investing in additional shade structures to keep our animals cooler while on pasture, we are building larger water wagons to keep our livestock well hydrated through these hotter summers, we are seeking out new fields and pastures which have higher water tables which will allow the summer grasses to endure drier summers, and most recently we have applied for grant funding to help us purchase a new grain drill so we can  reseed our summer pastures with more drought tolerant forage blends.  We are doing these things and more to adapt to a changing world.  Your continued support, whether it be making a donation to the farm, shopping in our Farm Store, or becoming a member of the farm are all ways you can help us raise the funds to keep Codman viable - as we face drought and all the other challenges in the years to come.    Drought Map - as of  THIS WEEK!   BULK BEEF BONES AND CHICKEN BACK SALE!   As we quickly head towards fall it's time to start thinking about making broth and stock.  To that end we are making BULK SALES of our grass-fed beef bones and pasture-raised chicken backs available at a reduced price to get you all healthy and strong !    Beef Bones - SALE PRICE: $1.99 lb -for 20 lbs or more! Chicken Backs - SALE PRICE: $1.99- for 10 lbs or more!   To order: e-mail Pete@codmanfarm.org to coordinate order and pickup!     FRESH CHICKEN NEXT WEEKEND!!     These are the LAST Fresh Chicken harvests of the year... September 4-7 (turkeys too) September 25-27 (turkeys too) October 9-12 (turkeys too) October 23-26 (capons &  turkeys) TURKEY TIME. part trois!   Reminder to once again  ORDER YOUR TURKEY for Thanksgiving NOW!   Photo by Eli Newell   FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week August 29-Sept 8   FRUIT Last week for Blueberries!, Peaches, Zestar Apples, some local melons too! VEGETABLES Codman Farm fresh dug red potatoes& Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes, Codman farm radishes and beets and Green Beans LOCAL organic loose carrots, fresh onions, garlic chard, kale, lettuce mix, eggplant, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn(limited over the weeknd!) TONS of cherry and slicer tomatoes this week!   MOZZARELLA HOUSE is in the HOUSE!   We are pleased to announce we are now carrying FRESH MOZZARELLA from Mozzarella House in Peabody.  It's tomato time so we figured it was time we offered the perfect match to our tasty tomatoes.  And don't forget to pick up some balsamic vinegar and Eleones Olive oil for the perfect caprese salad! "Mozzarella House cheeses are made from scratch with raw milk from local dairy farms.  We use a low-heat pasteurization process in order to preserve the national enzymes in milk that are integral to great tasting cheese.  By making our own curd, we are able to ensure the finest taste, texture and quality". In stock now are: 8oz mozzarella, 8 oz smoked mozzarella, 4 oz mozzarella (ovoline), and cute little 10 gram mozz balls (ciliegine) which are perfect for salads, and also Burratina...a smaller version of very tasty Burrata.  Let us know what you think!     LINCOLN FOOD PANTRY - THANKS YOU! Today we received yet another THANK YOU letter from the Lincoln Food Pantry / Society of St. Vincent de Paul for the donations we now send to them EACH MONTH - THANKS TO YOU!  Several months ago we installed on the Farm Store self-checkout terminal, the ability for customers to make donations the Lincoln Food Pantry -which is run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.  As quoted in the letter to us today "It is because of YOU that we are able to serve a wonderful array of foods to over 400 people each month".  We are so happy to support this organization and help them help others who need access to healthy food.  To date we have received donations of almost $4,000 earmarked for the Lincoln Food Pantry.  It takes a village...and we are grateful to everyone who supports both our work here at Codman Community Farms and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul! FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO... 1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org. WEEKLY PICS Turkeys are getting BIGLY! It's cover crop time!  Seeding winter rye on Codman North field after the pigs rooted it all up!   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to us at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - August 21st

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View this email in your browser FRESH TURKEY! This weekend!   Turkeys already you say?  Yes, indeed!  We know there are lots of turkey lovers out there who love a fresh, locally raised, organic fed, free range, pastured turkey...any time of year, so we are totally hooking you up this weekend.  Come and get them.  We expect the turkeys in this round to be 11-14 lbs and they will be available in the same glass refrigerator case as the chickens.  First come, first serve! Did you know we purchase our baby turkey poults (baby turkeys are called poults, not chicks!) from Bob's Turkey Farm in Lancaster, MA?  They have been breeding and growing turkeys for over 65 years and do an excellent job at hatching and starting our turkeys for us.  This year our baby turkeys arrived on the farm at the end of May.  When they arrive they are quite delicate little beings and so we keep a close eye on them so they don't get themselves in trouble.  For some reason baby turkeys are especially good at finding any and all ways to hurt themselves, so it's our job to be attentive caregivers for these young innocent birds.  Luckily this year we had no issues and after a few weeks in the turkey brooder they were strong enough to graduate to living on pasture - so we moved them on out to Van Leer field on Old Sudbury Road, where they remain today.  As the season progresses we are slowly marching them through the field along with their mobile feed, shade and water wagons, and Toby is there to make sure predators stay away.   They are doing great and are healthy and strong and growing quickly.  Feel free to visit them anytime where they will no doubt come out to greet you with a gobble or two!  And definitely do not hesitate to gobble back...they love that!   FRESH CHICKEN This weekend!   Friday @ 2pm thru Monday evening Cornish birds only this week PLUS boneless breast, thighs, leg quarters, drumsticks, wings, backs and giblets... Pre-orders not needed Self Serve - First Come - First to BBQ     Remaining Chicken Harvest Dates for 2020 September 4-7 September 25-27 October 9-12 October 23-26 TURKEY TIME. part deux!   Reminder to once again  ORDER YOUR TURKEY for Thanksgiving NOW!   Photo by Eli Newell   FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK   Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  From now on, we will provide a "potential" list of veggies we will have for sale in the Farm Store.  Availability will vary but we hope and plan to have these items fresh and in stock!  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week August 21-28   FRUIT Blueberries, Peaches VEGETABLES Codman Farm fresh dug red potatoes& Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes, Codman farm radishes and beets and LOCAL organic loose carrots, fresh onions, fresh green beans, chard, kale, lettuce mix, eggplant, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn! TONS of tomatoes this week!   CAPE ANN FRESH CATCH   The fisherman folks at Cape Ann Fresh Catch wanted me to remind everyone that it's time to sign up for their FISH CSA, which will begin a new season on August 31.  Pick up is right here at Codman Farm every Wednesday and they have many other pickup locations in the region. As a reminder Cape Ann is also here every Wednesday from 12:30-2:30 with fresh fish that you can pick up a la carte without pre-ordering. ALSO, we are now carrying their delicious salmon dip and smoked salmon in the Farm Store, available anytime at your convenience.     SWEET CORN! Freshly harvested sweet corn will now be available every day in the Farm Store.   We have partnered up with Cucurbit Farm to bring you freshly harvested sweet corn each and every day.  Cucurbit farm leases land at Minuteman National Park, adjacent to where we are growing our pigs so we are in the area daily checking on the pigs...so we are picking up some corn everyday for you all to enjoy!  It's sweet, crunchy, very fresh and tasty! FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish   THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO...   1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.   WEEKLY PICS Cattle on pasture at Farm Meadow field, along with shade haven shade structure. Our four random ducks...meandering the farm.     View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to us at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - August 13th

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View this email in your browser FRESH CHICKEN This weekend & next weekend too!   Yes, we have fresh chicken again, ALL WEEKEND, this weekend, and next week we will have FRESH chicken as well!  While we normally space our harvests three weeks apart in the summer, this next harvest is a bit of a bonus week, but probably not for the reasons you think....(how's that for a lead in...) Did you know that our baby meat bird chicks arrive at the farm via the mail?   The United States Post Office (USPS) ships millions of live chicks every year to homes and farms from hatcheries located all over the country.  Once hatched the birds are quickly boxed up and shipped out and are able to sustain 2-3 days of travel with no food and water.  Most of the time they  safely arrive at their destination, a bit thirsty and hungry, but usually in quite good shape.  Unfortunately, not all shipments go according to plan.  This year in particular there have been trucking delays due to Covid-19 and many chick deliveries are unfortunately going a bit awry with birds sitting on shipping docks or in trucks for much too long.  When this happens, the chicks either arrive very weak or they die en route.   We have had many chicks arrive at the farm this year in less then perfect condition and this last batch of birds that were just harvested is an example.  When the chicks arrived 10 weeks ago approximately half of the birds that were shipped did not arrive alive.  Since we carefully plan ahead of time how many birds we need to grow, this left us short of birds for the harvest this weekend.  To make up the shortfall we immediately ordered another group of 300 chicks to arrive the following week.  So this means, NEXT week we will have another harvest, since this week we do not have the full amount we had hoped for.  In the future we hope to work with a hatchery closer to the farm with the possibility that the birds can be driven to us directly from the hatchery, avoiding the stress and providing a better outcome for us all.  We will send out an email next week reminding folks when the fresh birds will be at the farm.  Our loss is your gain...two weeks in a row of fresh birds! Remaining Chicken Harvest Dates for 2020 August 21-24 September 4-7 September 25-27 October 9-12 October 23-26   FRESH CHICKEN ...details...   Friday @ 2pm thru Monday evening Whole Freedom Rangers only this week PLUS split breast, boneless breast, thighs, leg quarters, drumsticks, wings, backs and giblets... Pre-orders not needed Self Serve - First Come - First to BBQ     THANKS AND GOODBYE! By the end of this weekend we say adieu to some very hard working folks who helped us manage the farm this season.  With their help we were able to keep all of the animals well fed and cared for (thanks Eli!), the store stocked and well tended to along with some beautiful flower bouquets (thanks Kayla!) and the grounds around the farm well groomed and many an egg washed and packed (thanks Turner!).  Without their help the farm would not be what it is today.  Best of luck to Kayla and Eli as they had head off to college and Turner...finally gets a little vacation time with his family before he returns to high school.  TURKEY TIME!   Thanksgiving is fast approaching and the turkeys are sizing up beautifully!  Time to reserve your turkey before they are all sold out.  This year the birds are being raised at Van Leer field on Old Sudbury Road (in Lincoln) instead of Codman road where many have seen them roaming around the past few years.   We decided to grow the turkeys in a different field this year because it's important to rotate field usage to spread fertility and alter the impact the animals have on the land. Starting with next week's chicken harvest, we will begin harvesting some small turkeys for retail sale...as we know many enjoy turkey any time of year, so keep an eye out for some 10-12lb birds at next weeks chicken harvest.  They will be available first come, first serve!  We will make an announcement in next week's newsletter.  Keep an eye out.  In the mean time ORDER YOUR TURKEY for Thanksgiving NOW!   Photo by Eli Newell   FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK   Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  From now on, we will provide a "potential" list of veggies we will have for sale in the Farm Store.  Availability will vary but we hope and plan to have these items fresh and in stock!  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week August 14-21   FRUIT Blueberries, Peaches VEGETABLES Codman Farm fresh dug red potatoes& Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes organic loose carrots, fresh onions, fresh green beans, chard, kale, lettuce mix, eggplant, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn!     UP UP WE GO   The hoops are now up on our new greenhouse!  Yippee!  Hopefully this coming week we will install the baseboards along the bottom, then the purlin pipes which add strength to the bows and also keep them properly spaced and then the hip boards which hold the plastic in place.      SWEET CORN! Freshly harvested sweet corn will now be available every day in the Farm Store.   We have partnered up with Cucurbit Farm to bring you freshly harvested sweet corn each and every day.  Cucurbit farm leases land at Minuteman National Park, adjacent to where we are growing our pigs so we are in the area daily checking on the pigs...so we are picking up some corn everyday for you all to enjoy!  It's sweet, crunchy, very fresh and tasty! FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish   THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO...   1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.   WEEKLY PICS Pigs cooling off in a mudhole Photos by Eli Newell   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to us at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - July 31st

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View this email in your browser CRUISIN' ROUND TOWN   Farming season is in full swing and we now find ourselves deep into the summer months.  In case anyone has noticed, it has been HOT these past few weeks!   Wicked hot.  Arm sweat hot.  Just hot.  Days at a time hot.  Global warming hot..um mm, I mean, climate change hot.  It can be challenging for staff and for the critters on these hot days but we do our best to stay cool, keep the animals as comfortable as possible and, of course, stay hydrated.  The farming season is what we wait all winter for, so we must remain mindful and present, even while we do indeed begin to pine for the cooler days of fall just around the corner.  Mid-summer work usually boils down to a fairly routine schedule of chores.  Most animals have settled into their fields and pastures for the summer and we are tasked of caring for the animals  scattered throughout town.  Most of our fields have no permanent infrastructure at all, so this means we must install temporary electric fencing to keep the animals contained ...and then we must provide shade, water and food to keep them comfortable, hydrated and well fed.  This means LOTS of trips hauling water and food, here, there and everywhere.  If you live in Lincoln, no doubt you have seen us somewhere around town on our blue tractors carrying or towing feed bins, water tanks or something else en route to check on the critters. Below you can see us delivering grain to pigs with our grain wagon and auger which pumps feed into stationary feeders;  Jared can be seen below towing over 1000 gallons of water to the cows at Farm Meadow field; and then the lower photo is of one of our pig shade/water wagons being brought home from Silver Hill road where we had to rescue the wagon for repair due to a broken hitch and steering rods.  So next time we are holding up traffic as we slowly plod along down the road....please be patient, take a deep breath or maybe wave a hand or give us a thumbs up...we are just doing our thing and working hard to keep us all well fed!     BEEF, PORK, CHICKEN (Our own Lincoln grown!) As a reminder we have a full array of our own Lincoln grown proteins back in stock in the farm store.  Lots of whole Freedom Ranger and Cornish chickens as well as chicken parts and many different cuts of pork and beef.  The freezers need a bit of reorganization due to the wide variety of cuts we now have - so poke around as items may be in slightly different location in the freezer!      CODMAN CALLOUT TO....ROBIN WILKERSON! It seems we are following a pattern these last few weeks...acknowledging and thanking the many peeps who help make Codman Farm the beautiful and productive little farm that it is.  To continue this tradition for yet another week, we find it time to give a huge Codman Callout (our new patented term in leiu of a "shout out"!) to Robin Wilkerson who has been the brains and brawn behind our amazingly beautiful flower garden, AKA "Beth's Garden", that grazes the front entrance to the barn.  Robin was instrumental in planning and planting the garden this year and also comes weekly to tidy it up, give the beautiful flowers a nice drink and no doubt also provides them with a little pep talk to keep them blooming and beautiful for all to enjoy.  Not only are we grateful to Robin for her hard work and many hours volunteering to make the gardens what they are, but we are also grateful to Robin for her enduring kindness and warm spirit.  It's always a great day when Robin stops by  the farm!  Thanks Robin!    FLOWER POWER!   The recently relocated flower garden is in full bloom!  Kayla has been hard at work creating beautiful little field flower bunches available for purchase in the Farm Store.  Flowers are also available for U-Pick out in the field in the heart of the farm, near the white shed.  We have a bounty of zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons and many other varieties with which to make a stunning bouquet.  And our use this year of ground cloth has made the garden easy to walk through and quite tidy! Snipping shears are hanging on the post for your convenience.  We will have additional signage installed soon with clear directions and information.      FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK   Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  From now on, we will provide a "potential" list of veggies we will have for sale in the Farm Store.  Availability will vary but we hope and plan to have these items fresh and in stock!  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week July 30-August 6th   FRUIT Blueberries, Peaches VEGETABLES Codman Farm fresh dug red potatoes!, loose carrots, fresh onions, fresh green beans, broccoli, beets, chard, kale, lettuce mix, head lettuce, arugula, eggplant, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and sweet corn!     PROGRESS   Slowly, slowly we are making progress on our new greenhouse.  The bows are going up and we will be gradually adding all the pieces parts that make the greenhouse strong and sturdy.  It's a bit wobbly at the moment but it will come together nicely as the days move along.  We finally picked up the heater and all the relevant parts to complete the project so we will plug along as time allows!     A WEEK OFF We all need a bit of time off so next week, yours truly will be off on vacation, thus: NO NEWSLETTER NEXT WEEK! THE STORE AND FARM REMAIN OPEN!  Anyway, per the cartoon below, WE will return from vacation soon... FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish   THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO...   1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.   WEEKLY PICS While not farm related, a VERY classic summer photo for all to relate to... Shade haven and cows, Farm Meadow field Photo by Eli Newell   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to Jon Mayer at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - July 23rd

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View this email in your browser FRESH CHICKENS...ALL WEEKEND!   This weekend we will be harvesting our 4th batch of birds!  We have five or six more groups to go until the season wraps up, so time is ticking....get your Lincoln Grown, pasture-raised, organic grain fed, ...EXTREMELY tasty chicken this weekend.  This is a larger harvest of over 500 birds so we should definitely have enough to go around!  Whole and split birds, boneless and bone-in breast, wings, thighs, drumsticks, backs, giblets and feet....all the parts that make up a chicken!     BEEF & PORK (Our own Lincoln grown!) Just a quick shout out that we are finally fully stocked with all sorts of beef and pork cuts including many types of steaks and roasts, hamburger patties, brisket and a healthy selection of pork linked sausages (though not ALL of the variety we have had in the past), ground pork sausage, boneless loin roasts and boneless chops, and alot more.  Check it out!     ELI on FILM Folks who have been visiting the farm over the past four summers no doubt have seen various versions of the young lad in the image below.  Eli Newell has been working here at Codman since my first year at the farm in 2016.  Except for taking last year off to explore other interests, Eli has been helping to keep the farm running smoothly during the summer months and contributing in many different ways ever since he first approached Beth Taylor about volunteering here four+ years ago.  We are extremely grateful he has chosen to spend so much of his time here at Codman.  This year he has pretty much been taking care of most of the livestock on his own from moving the meat birds each morning, to collecting and shifting the cows and laying hens on pasture, to driving all of our tractors to deliver water to remote fields and on and on.  Eli has become an invaluable part of the farm team.  When he departs for Cornell in a few weeks to begin his studies in agriculture, we will dearly miss his unmatched work ethic, attention to detail, and passion for farming.    Jared and I often lament..."how many days until Eli leaves?"...as we both know it means WE have to then step up to make sure the farm runs as smoothly as it does when Eli is here!  Earlier this season the renowned film maker, Ben Bishop, shadowed Eli as he carried out his chores on the farm.  He made a great 3 minute film which will allow you to get a glimpse of this amazing young man, and the work he carries out on the farm each and every day.  I highly recommend you take the time to view the film, it's really quite wonderful.  Thanks to Eli for all his work over the years and thanks to Ben Bishop for capturing a bit of Eli for us all to appreciate.     DOUBLE FEATURE!   In addition to the short film about Eli, we are also offering a second feature film created in 2000 about farming in Lincoln.  It's a bit longer, but it's an interesting look at the history of agriculture in Lincoln.  Enjoy!      FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK   Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  From now on, we will provide a "potential" list of veggies we will have for sale in the Farm Store.  Availability will vary but we hope and plan to have these items fresh and in stock!  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week July 25-Aug 1ish   FRUIT - Blueberries, Cherries VEGETABLES Codman Farm fresh dug red potatoes!, carrots, fresh onion, fresh green beans, broccoli, beets, chard, kale, lettuce mix, arugula, eggplant, cucumbers, shitake mushrooms and sweet corn if it lasts!     DEAN'S BEANS   Calling all coffee lovers...we have NEW VARIETIES!  Just in this week, for a limited time only are three new coffee varieties that are sure to give you a boost.  All are whole bean, medium roast coffees, and as with ALL of Dean's Beans coffees, they are Certified Organic and grown by coffee cooperatives.  We really love supporting Dean's Beans, because they have a wonderful mission of supporting local cooperatives around the world, sell only Certified Organic coffee, and they roast coffee for us FRESH upon our order.  Plus the bags are FULL POUND bags, which is rare these days.  Enjoy!     TEXTING IS FUN I get quite a few phone calls and texts each week from folks who have found my phone number in various places.  I don't mind it much, generally.  The inquiries are usually just customers trying to find out when the store is open (always) or if our eggs are fertilized (no), or if we take roosters or stray chickens (definitely no).  But occasionally, I can get snarky and often hope folks get my sense of humor.  Literally today, I had this exchange with someone....and I'm sharing it just because it really made me chuckle.  Hope it does the same for you... FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day 12:30-2:30ish   THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO...   1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.   WEEKLY PICS Photos by DJ Mitchell Best friends The last chicken from our 2019 flock is free ranging in the barnyard Photo below by Pete Lowy, taken 7/23 at Minuteman National Park during an afternoon thunderstorm. View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to Jon Mayer at info@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser

Weekly Email - July 17th

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View this email in your browser GREENHOUSE RISING!   As we make our way through another season on the farm, we often find ourselves dreaming up new projects to better meet the needs of our small, but growing farm. Plus, as everyone knows,  farming is so easy, that we just need more and more projects to keep ourselves entertained, lest we grow tired and lazy.  So, our latest and greatest farm project is a new 20'x64' heated greenhouse, next to our existing high tunnel.  Four years ago we built our first unheated high tunnel to serve as a home for our laying hens in winter and to grow heat loving crops during the summer (think tomatoes, peppers, etc..)   As we have slowly grown our market garden over the last few years and as veggie sales in the Farm Store have increased, we figure it's time we grow a bit more of our own crops to sell.  This new greenhouse will allow us to grown our own vegetable and flower seedlings early in the spring for transplanting into the fields.  This, in turn, will allow us to harvest crops much earlier in the season then we do now.  In addition, we will grow a small amount of vegetable transplants for sale to community gardeners in the spring and the greenhouse itself can be used for educational workshops, year round.   Our goal for next season is to finally hire staff dedicated to vegetable and fruit production and expand our market garden footprint.  We also plan on improving our growing methods, moving towards a reduced tillage system and also hope to engage more volunteers in the process.  Keep an eye out for the greenhouse bows going up this week!   Hunter and Turner proving us with much needed brute strength!   BEEF IS BACK! (more pork is coming soon, too!) Over the last several months we have tried wicked haad to keep all of our tasty, Lincoln grown proteins in stock.  Thanks for hanging in there with us during these challenging periods of low inventory!  We are happy to announce that our freezers will begin filling up once again in the coming days and weeks!  We will be restocking a wide array of steaks and other beef cuts this weekend and next week we will be restocking lots of pork cuts including an assortment of links, boneless chops and other items.  We have many critters growing nicely and hope that as the months progress we will gradually refill all the freezers to capacity.      SHOUT OUT TO....SABRINA! The Farm Store has been busta moving this season and we have several staff to thank for keeping it so well stocked - but the main person to thank for keeping it all up to snuff and tidy is.... Sabrina Hoenig!  Sabrina started volunteering here in the time once known as pre-Covid and as the store became busier and busier she became a very dedicated full time employee.  Sabrina will be leaving us to head to Oberlin College in a few weeks and so we wanted to express our thanks and appreciation for all her hard work.  We were lucky to have her during such a trying time and we will miss her good cheer, bright spirit, and can do attitude!    Photo by Abe Lowy! PICK YOUR OWN FLOWERS   Our Pick-your-own area is finally producing loads of zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons and other beautiful field flowers.  Last year we relocated the Pick-Your-Own Patch to the center of the farm, from the community garden area where it had been for many years.  Integrating the flower garden into the farm and near our other crops just made sense.  We have laid down black ground cloth to keep the area tidy and easy to navigate and walk and we are still developing and refining the entire area.  But for now, it has quite a few nice flowers growing and wou can find them down the farm road, near the white shed.  Starting this weekend we will have scissors and the signage up for folks wishing to cut a few.  Pay by the stem on the Farm Store terminals or pay cash.  We will be adding signage soon!      FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK   Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit.  From now on, we will provide a "potential" list of veggies we will have for sale in the Farm Store.  Availability will vary but we hope and plan to have these items fresh and in stock!  Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy in from local farms ARE certified organic and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).     Available this week July 18-25th   FRUIT - Blueberries, Raspberries VEGETABLES Fresh Scallions and Onions, Bunched Carrots, Fresh Green Beans, Broccoli, Beets, Chard, Kale, Lettuce Mix, Arugula, Eggplant, Cucumbers     CODMAN FARM @ MINUTEMAN NATIONAL PARK   Last year Codman Farm signed a Special Use Permit with Minuteman National Park to assume management of almost 30 acres of land within the park.  Minuteman National Park is a huge park with over 1000 acres.  The park has been in search of partners to help redevelop some of the agricultural land that historically had been farmed for hundreds of years before the park was established.  Codman is just beginning to establish plans to bring some of the fields back into production and this season we have over 60 pigs in a field behind Carty Barn, which is located on Lexington Road.  This field had been used quite a few years ago for grazing cattle but it has since become overgrown with invasive plants.  The pigs love to root and dig in the rich soils and so we are using their innate desire to dig to help reclaim this beautiful field.  We will be moving the pigs and their mobile feeders, water wagon and shed through the field as the season progresses.  Stop by and say hi to the piggies to see for yourself what amazing field renovators they are!  A huge thanks to the Minuteman Staff who helped make this possible - Landscape Architect, Margi Coffin Brown and Superintendent BJ Dunn!  Without their hard work and dedication to revitalizing the agricultural history at Minuteman our work there would not be possible.      A BIT of NATURE, UPDATE As we mentioned last week we have a very nice little nest of Robin eggs in the orchard we have been monitoring daily.  Last week it had three little beautiful blue eggs in it.  A few days later we checked again and two of the three eggs hatched out to two very hungry big eyed, yellow beaked birdies.    Two days later I went to check on them again and they were no where to be found!  They had not fallen out of the nest so I can only assume they were taken by a hawk or some other predator.  One egg remains and we will see what comes of it!  That's nature I guess.  You win some....   FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE   As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!   MONDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - we normally receive fresh veggies, cider, donuts, flower, and other items   TUESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain WEDNESDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Cape Ann Fresh Catch Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day   THURSDAY High Lawn Farm  (early morning) Fresh milk, cheese, ice cream deliveries Myers Distributor (early afternoon) Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms - we normally receive fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items   FRIDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am) Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas Sweet Tahini Fresh, gluten free breads, and Israeli inspired pastries, breads and cookies Local Veggies We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available SATURDAY Bread Obsession (by 11 am) Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish Fresh fish and lobster, 10am- 12pm   MISC INFO...   1. We remain  OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night! 2.  MANDATORY MASKS:  Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store.  They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-) 3.  THANKS:  Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.   WEEKLY PICS Photos by Pete Lowy Lazing around at Codman North Field Hanging out with the goats!   View this email in your browser Our Practices Connect Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.   read more >> Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering. read more >> Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins. read more >> Consider becoming a member to support the farm! Want to host your own event at Codman? Click for info about barn rentals Itching to get your hands dirty? Click here or contact us for info about volunteering. Have any ideas, questions, or thoughts about community at CCF? Reach out to Jon Mayer at jon@codmanfarm.org Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|* contact us view this email in your browser