Sweetwater Organic Farm

Final pick-up for “Week A” Members

andrea — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:47:09 +0000

The final CSA share pick-up for “Week A” CSA Members is this Thursday the 16th or Sunday the 19th. We hope you have enjoyed being part of the Sweetwater Farm Community in the 2012-2013 Season! Before the end of May you will receive an end of season Member Survey that we hope you will take a moment to complete. Your responses will help our Board of Directors and staff better serve our Members and will help us shape our short and long-term future.

Remember to renew your Membership at your last pick-up. You can pay with a check or cash and save yourself a little bit of money by taking advantage of the “renewal” price before May 31st.

If you have not fulfilled your 4 hours of volunteer work for the Season, you still have the opportunity to help us out. Volunteer to help with the harvest on the 16th, 19th, 23rd, or 26th starting at 8:30 am. We still need a couple of Members to work our “info” table this Sunday the 19th from 12-2 and 2-4. If you are unable to complete your hours, please be sure to pay the $25 “opt out” fee before the end of the season.

We also hope to see you at our Home Brewing Workshop this Saturday!

Cheers!

End of Season fast approaching

andrea — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:11:54 +0000

Only three more weeks of CSA shares left! Currently, we are busy picking the end of the line, tedious, monstrous green beans and summer squash plants. These unruly beasts are easily doubling in size within a few days and producing so much we have started taking wagers on daily grosses! In addition, we’ve been clearing the fields and getting ready to plant our cover crops for the summer!

Check the CSA pick-up schedule to make sure you don’t miss picking up your last bountiful share(s)! May 26th is our last CSA pick-up of the season.

Renewal rates are in effect for current CSA Members until the end of May. On June 1st all CSA prices will be the same “new member” price. Get CSA Membership info here.

Turn in your CSA Membership application at the farm and pay by cash or check. Or fill out an online application and pay by credit card.

If you are new to our Community and thinking about joining as a CSA Member, consider joining us for our last Sunday Market of the season on May 26th. We’ll have an open house, a farm tour, and Q&A session for anyone that has questions about next season or how a CSA works!

Many heartfelt “thanks” to you all…

andrea — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:27:00 +0000

It was yet another beautiful day at Sweetwater Farm this past Saturday for our PestoFesto celebration. Despite several challenges, the event went off without a hitch. Sponsors signed on to help our Farm with some of the larger expenses, including purchasing Basil for the first time in our history! We owe the success of the entire event to Mitch and the rest of his wonderful team at Global Organics for sourcing local organic basil and donating 40 pounds of the beautiful greens to our Festo as well as donating much-needed cash to the cause. Cheers to Cigar City beer who was simply amazing again this year. What a gem we have in our back yard and always willing to support our events. And what about our local vendors Java Planet with their stimulating locally-roasted organic coffee – and Chris “the Pizza Guy” with his giant self-made pizza oven (threatening to overshadow the Pesto itself!) We also send big hugs to Erin and Rollin’ Oats Market for being so generous again this year with their donation of rolls, cookies, and a gift basket for our Silent Auction. Speaking of Silent Auction – an enthusiastic thank you! to Elizabeth Murray for being our trusty Outreach/Events/Media and Silent Auction gal this season. It’s amazing what an inspired person will do for veggies. Just around the corner from us, Vigo never hesitates to donate all the non-basil ingredients required for our Pesto feast. They’ve been a Friend of the Farm for years. And so has Uncle Matt’s – another steadfast and admirable supporter of our urban oasis. Gracie and the Sunset Bridge Band were so easy and fun to work with and absolutely delighted us all. I heard at least five times – “where did you find these guys!?” Andy Harris heads up the salad making and demands focus and respect for those lovely veggies he and his team chop, peel, and slice for hours so that we can all enjoy a scrumptious farm-fresh salad. Who makes the best salad dressings on Planet Earth? Well, Heather of course, founder of Raw and Not Alone. (Did anyone else pour a cup of it to drink??) For the ump-teenth year now Chris Healy‘s tribe has created and delighted our Pesto Palettes with their infamous Pesto-making skills and have way too much fun in the process. And I myself am somehow exhilarated and exhausted from the entire experience. Coordinating a party of this size requires a volunteer commitment way beyond the day to day. Luckily, all we have to do is ask and folks always come running. (One such volunteer literally did come “running” after seeing a last minute call-out for help on Facebook Saturday morning when our truck ran late. With her two children in tow – and wearing a skirt and sandals, I might add – she managed to help us set up tables and wipe down chairs and teach her kids a valuable lesson about helping their community!) Our “retired” Founder, Rick Martinez, keeps rockin’ it out. I don’t know how he does it, but I’m starting to feel and understand his pain (fist-bump). And I cannot stress enough how hard our Farmers, Educators, and Board Members work each and every day to bring us all this amazing food and fun. Growing and harvesting food is just a fraction of what they contribute to this Farm. They do it with charm, grace, sweat, and smiles. Love and endless thanks to All of You for keeping our Community healthy, happy, and strong.

XXXOOO,

Andrea

Pesto for our Festo!

andrea — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:10:38 +0000

With our 21st Annual Pestofesto just around the corner we are eagerly preparing for the festivities of our annual end of the year hoedown. The musicians are lined up, ticket sales underway and the members and farmers are ready for the big party.

But something is different this year from our 20 plus years of growing basil. A new basil disease has quickly spread from its first discovery in South Florida in 2007 to most of the US and Hawaii in 2011. Our basil crop for the first time in my 35 years of growing basil, was for the most part a complete failure.

The University of Florida IFAS Extension has identified Downy Mildew as the culprit. It is a seed born disease that can be effectively controlled be using a combination of resistant seeds, specific cultural methods and organically approved biological fungicides.

Actinovate is the name of our biological defender of healthy basil that we will be using next season. It is a high concentration of beneficial bacteria that colonize the root and leaf surface to defend against diseases, much the way our own bodies do. This is a very good example on how organic farms find natural solutions to farming problems that are not only non-toxic, but strive to establish a balance within the ecosystem that allow our crops to flourish.

All is not lost however, thanks to our friends at Global Organics. They have generously offered to donate the organic basil needed for our event. This Florida-grown basil combined with the basil from our own farm (that has managed to survive) means THERE WILL BE PESTO for the FESTO!!

It is also a good example of the challenges that our farmers face in bringing you your weekly share. Thanks so much for your support and thanks to our farmers for the persistent efforts and hard work.

So we look forward to a Rockin Time this Saturday at the 21st Annual Pestofesto. We hope to see you there. Spread the word to your family and friends. It is you that is the Community in our name and makes the Sweetwater Magic possible.

Rick Martinez

Founder, Sweetwater Farm

Celebrate Earth Day farm style

andrea — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:10:45 +0000

This Earth Day, join us as we host a special Earth Day Sunday Market. This Sunday April 21st we’re kickin’ our Market up a notch and will have all kinds of special things going on. Pack up the family and come to the Market during our special extended hours from 12:00-5:00 pm. All kids receive a free re-usable bag from Rollin’ Oats so they can visit our Market Vendors and fill their bags with earthly goodies! Our Music Series will feature 3 different musical acts at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00! Joel will lead two different Farm Tours during the day at 12:30 and 3:30 (and you can get your photo taken on a tractor!) Heather Rampolla will show us how to make Sesame Ginger Lettuce Wraps at 2:00, and we’ll have games and gardening for the kids throughout the day. Don’t forget to join us for yoga from 11:00-12:00 and then shop our produce stand for certified organic produce (including some Sweetwater-grown veggies). Show your support for sustainable agriculture, enjoy this warm weather, and have fun!

One good thing about the sudden, sweltering heat encroaching upon Tampa these past couple weeks is that our tomatoes are loving it! While the cool weather lasting through March was slowing their growth, they now have been making a steady come back through April. At this point in time, we have already been able to place stakes around the plants and twine them in place at two points. Twining the tomatoes enables them to wrap their leafy green stems skywards and stabilize themselves. The best news of all with the tomatoes is we have spied our first flowers which means fruit should be soon on the way!

Companions help us out

andrea — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 03:37:38 +0000

As spring continues to roll on, many of our beautiful companion flowers are taking bloom. We call them companion flowers because they assist other crops to be productive. For example, our little beauties attract pollinators which are crucial to ensuring the production of seeds and fruit on a plant. The flowers we are using this spring are sunflowers, calendula (edible), nasturtiums (edible), and marigolds. Marigolds are a particularly wonderful companion plant because they deter many insects that would love to feast on our crops.

Be a good community companion and plan to bring your family and friends to our upcoming PestoFesto end of season celebration on Saturday, April 27th. This is a unique and fun event that is open to members and non-members in our community. Buy your tickets online or at the farm for only $20! ($25 at the door.) Kids 12 and under are free. Delicious Pesto pasta, organic salad with salad dressings made fresh with our garden herbs, rolls, dessert, and Uncle Matt’s juice. Live music with The Sunset Bridge Band. (Cigar City beers, wine, and organic Java Planet coffee available by donation. As well as wood-fired pizza!) Proceeds from this event support our educational programs. Please support your local farm.

Get your nose in a twist, and enjoy!

andrea — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:57:11 +0000

Have you noticed those beautiful, sunset colored flowers on the CSA share table? They aren’t only there for their complete loveliness, they’re edible too! Adding Alaskan Mix Nasturtiums to your favorite salad or pasta dish is a great way to make a meal “kid friendly” or class up your next dinner soiree. Not only do the flowers offer a delectable peppery taste, the leaves do as well. In fact, the entire plant is edible from the flowers down to the seeds. One can even grind the seeds as a replacement to traditional black pepper. Nutritionally, nasturtiums (the flowers and leaves) contain Vitamin C and Iron. The name nasturtium comes from the Latin words for nose (nas), and tortum (twist), referring to a persons’ reaction upon tasting the spicy, bittersweet leaves! As the sprawling nasturtiums slowly take over the farm this spring, we will continue to have these flowers packed with a peppery punch for the remainder of the season.

Try these delicious nose-twisting recipes:

Stuffed Nasturtium Flowers

http://www.herbalgardens.com/archives/articles-archive/nasturtiums.html

Mix 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 2 Tablespoons finely minced chives or other herbs of your choice. Stuff the mixture into nasturtium flowers and place on a tray that has been lined with nasturtium leaves. Serve at room temperature.

Nasturtium Vinegar

http://www.herbalgardens.com/archives/articles-archive/nasturtiums.html

1 cup nasturtium leaves, flowers, and buds

1 pint champagne or white wine vinegar

Place the ingredients in a clean clear glass jar or bottle. Tightly seal. Let sit for at least 3 weeks before using. Place a new nasturtium in the finished bottle for decoration, but you should make sure the vinegar always covers the flowers or they will mold. Makes 1 pint vinegar to use in salads, sauces and flavoring in other dishes.

Nasturtium Lemon Butter

http://www.herbalgardens.com/archives/articles-archive/nasturtiums.html

This lovely butter has a mild lemon/pepper flavor and a colorful appearance. It is wonderful on fish, chicken and vegetables. This is also great on those small party breads, pumpernickel especially.

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1-2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (according to taste)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons finely chopped nasturtium blossoms

Mix all of the ingredients well until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. Makes 3/4 cup flavored butter.

P.U.

andrea — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:43:47 +0000

We reek, but at least our plants are healthy! This week we have been applying fish emulsion, you got it—dead fish guts, and liquefied seaweed to everything. As our seeding and planting are winding down, we are paying extra attention to ensure that all we presently have in the ground maintains its green, lively state. Fish emulsion is a naturally-derived organic fertilizer that will grant the vegetables nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium while seaweed is helpful to improving plant growth and strength. So while some of us still can’t get dates or are told by our significant squeezes to take a shower, we continue to vigorously douse the veggies (along with ourselves) and get used to our new oceanic aroma.

We promise to shower if you’ll promise to join us for our next season. CSA Membership renewals are happening now. If you are new to Sweetwater, hang on for a few more days! On April Fool’s Day (April 1) we will begin accepting applications from new members too. No joke. Check out our website for more info.

And don’t forget – Members that normally pick up this Sunday the 31st should pick up on Saturday the 30th instead. We’ll be here 12:00-4:00 with your shares ready. Enjoy the holiday.

Seeding finale

andrea — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:16:26 +0000

This week we are welcoming the reprisal of the Miyashige daikon! This daikon radish originating from Japan, regularly grows longer than 1.5 feet and can weigh up to 6 pounds. The first few of our gargantuan beauties are easily a foot long and at least 2 pounds! When matched with cabbage, another item in the share this week, these daikons are excellent in kimichi or other fermented foods. The other event we are welcoming this week is the finale of seeding for the season. While we still have new seedlings in the greenhouse that are waiting to be planted, we have come to that time when we can set our seeding trays to the side.

Don’t forget that we will be closed on Sunday, March 31 for the Easter holiday. CSA members that normally pick up on Sunday should pick up on Saturday the 30th from 12:00-4:00 instead.

Also, our 21st Annual PestoFesto event will be on Saturday, April 27 this year and tickets are on sale now. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door (kids under 12 years get in free). Go to our PestoFesto event page to purchase them online through PayPal, or pay cash or check at the farm. We hope you’ll join us for this wonderful end of season community celebration!

Good week, bad week

andrea — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:35:49 +0000

This was the week that everything broke. Kaput, busted, toasted—it seems for every synonym we have a piece of farm equipment. At the start of the week ,“Big Blue”, the beloved dump truck we use to transfer compost and large equipment went kaput a few meager strides from Sweetwater on Hanley and Hillsborough during evening traffic. Then the spreader got to know a very, very large rock. The spreader, in fact a crucial piece of machinery, is used to spread large amounts of compost over fresh fields before planting occurs. When a new field was being prepared with compost it seems a large rock took the time to bounce into the spreader and bend several metal bars inside of it, leading the spreader to go bust. On the last day of the week that went broke, while returning back to Sweetwater after the Sunday harvest we realized that the well-water pump was toasted. The water pressure would continually rise and plummet seemingly at its own willy-nilly will. The well-water here at Sweetwater is used for watering all the crops at the main farm, the green house, and washing vegetables; so it’s somewhat necessary. Now we should be on the mend and bringing relative peace back to the little urban farm.

And it is this “peace” that keeps us all going when nothing else seems to be going our way. While our Farmers were having a bad week, our Board of Directors had a very good week. Much work goes into budgeting for the next season, and although it was a little later than planned, they did announce that we are ready to begin accepting applications for our 2013-2014 Season. An increase in production at our Children’s Home farm location will allow us to add more shares, and a very slight increase in price over last year will keep this little sustainable piece of heaven growing for another Season.

Current CSA Members may sign up now until May 31 and receive the lower renewal rate. After May 31 the rate for all Members (Renewal or New) will be the same. Applications are being accepted online here with credit card (through PayPal), as well as at the farm with paper application and a good ole’ fashioned check!