yumpittsburgh

Farm Profile: Triple B Farms

Twenty-five years ago Ron Beinlich lost his job in a steel mill, and Triple B Farms was born in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.

Ron and his wife, Carolyn, sunk Ron’s entire severance pay into planting their first strawberry crop. Over the years they added sweet corn, raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, and other summer fruits and vegetables. In recent years they have even added orchards: apple, peach and nectarine.

You should see the size of Triple B peaches and apples.  The sweet corn is so sweet you don’t really need to cook it; just heat it up a minute or two.

Their country market, located right on the farm, boasts not only some of the best produce in the region but also:

• Homemade pies, creamy fudge, cookies, quick breads and other baked goods featuring fruit fresh-picked from the fields (advance pie orders are recommended).
• Homemade jams and jellies made with Triple B fruits.
• Other food items including baking mixes, salsas, pickles, BBQ sauces and more.
• Gift items, farm-themed toys and country crafts.
• Best-quality Amish-made butter, cheeses and smoked meats.
• Eggs laid by Triple B chickens.

The farm is a great place for kids! There are animals to see and feed, an observation beehive and a farm-themed playground. From late September through November 1st the farm stages “Pittsburgh’s Finest Family Pumpkin Festival,” with 250 pumpkin-headed characters, hayrides to the pick-your-own-pumpkin patch, a haunted barn and other fun. Every month in the summer, the farm has a festival day with hayrides and special refreshments.

Carolyn, a former elementary teacher, also leads farm field trips in the spring and fall. She teaches over 5,000 area schoolchildren about agriculture every year. Triple B is also an excellent place to host a child’s birthday party; several party packages are available.

Ron and Carolyn have been joined in business by their son Bill, his wife Sue and their four children.  Because Triple B is a family farm, the Beinlichs love providing a special place for other families to enjoy the beautiful country.

Triple B wholesales fruits and vegetables to several area stores and sells produce at a handful of farmer’s markets. Bill Beinlich also raises corn-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free beef cattle and sells his beef by the side. Triple B takes large-quantity orders for fruits and vegetables, so call ahead to get your picnic corn or canning tomatoes!

Triple B has been “worth the drive since 1985”! What a great place to see a real working farm, eat the very best food, have some family fun and “buy fresh, buy local.”

For more information call 724-258-3557 or see their website at www.triplebfarms.com.

Farm Profile: Left Bower Farm and organic CSA

The Roos family of Left Bower Farm

The CSA movement is catching on in Western PA. Every year we see more and more farms — both established operations and new farmers — offering weekly boxes of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Today we wanted to mention a brand-new CSA for folks living in or near Washington County. Left Bower Farm is a small family farm near Washington operated by Dave and Mandy Roos, a young couple trying to expand the organic CSA model beyond the borders of Pittsburgh. They are excited to offer shares in their 2010 CSA.

Left Bower Farm specializes in 50+ varieties of organically grown vegetables raised on a historic, certified organic farm near the town of Avella, PA. They are accepting CSA members anywhere near Washington, PA and up to the South Hills suburbs. Farm pickup is preferred, but drop-offs and deliveries can definitely be arranged.

Dave and Mandy were farm interns last year at Blackberry Meadows Farm in Natrona Heights, PA, where they learned the ropes from Jennifer Montgomery and company. Now they’re setting out on their own and looking for some adventurous souls and hearty eaters willing to invest in their fledgling farm experience. It’s a great opportunity to support young local farmers who are growing healthy, affordable food for Western PA families.

The CSA season will run 20 weeks from late May/early June through October and costs only $400 for a full share. Contact the Rooses to reserve your CSA share or to learn more about the farm:

Dave and Mandy Roos
412-203-3486
dave@daveroos.com

Food Alliance Certification to be offered

In 2009, PASA partnered with Food Alliance to deliver a trusted and time-tested, sustainable certification program to our region’s farms, processors, food buyers and consumers.

The Food Alliance Certified seal ensures safe and fair working conditions, humane treatment of animals, and careful stewardship of ecosystems in the context of an overall farm plan for continuous improvement.

Food Alliance offers two levels of certification:
· Producer Certification for Farms & Ranches
· Handler Certification for Processors & Distributors

Get Food Alliance Certified!
·  Differentiate and add value to your operation & products
·  Protect and enhance your brand
·  Access high-value niche markets
·  Exercise more control over pricing
·  Increase consumer loyalty
·  Improve community relations
·  Find new ways to improve your operation over time

Great conference, giant blizzard, closing thoughts

Well, the blizzard may not be so great for all the folks who had plans to travel home today, but the PASA conference was interesting, educational, fun and at times touching.  In addition to tons of hard core ag topics there were a lot of topics for the do it your-selfers. This is just a brief mind dump, I have lots of fun stuff to write about in the coming week or two. But for now, the thing that struck me most was how much learning happened for folks from non-farming families on really practical food production and preservation. And the sense of self reliance and community that comes out of it.

There are a lot of folks who work with farmers, our food system, policy, cooking, nutrition; food really touches to many disciplines to list here. A lot of people have in interest in what they eat and where it comes from but are not from farming families. An interesting feature of the schedule this year was that there were a lot of skill-based sessions geared towards folks with interests in urban farming, suburban lawn transformation, permaculture, food preservation, composting and nutrition.

The food preservation topic was a great example of the cross pollination between disciplines and generations.  There was a time where canning how-to was handed down informally every season during the harvest. This transfer from grandma to mom to granddaughter installed confidence in food security and the final product. Yum admits having canned and then not eating it for fear of having done it wrong and dying of botulism!  So lame.

But to see a roomful of folks of all ages re-learning and sharing this old knowledge (which included the latest USDA tested recipes!) was remarkable. Seeing focused attention from so many people relearning how to use the sun to dry food for later use felt really, really right.

Here are some other things that were especially inspiring:

- Learning about a farmer coop in North Dakota who grow and distribute an open-pollinated wheat variety bred specifically for that climate. The seed is distributed on the honor system to fellow farmers, with no contracts to revive traditional crop production.

- Seeing how people have changed their suburban yards into beautiful producers of habitat and edible calories, and being inspired to keep removing the sod.

- All of the young families striving to learn and be part of making a better world for the young kids they were jugging.

- Lisa Hamilton’s photos and stories of farmers, farm protests and landscapes.

Enough for now, more later. Everyone have a safe trip home!!

Farm Profile: Cherry Valley Organics CSA share open

Cherry Valley Organics offers over 100 varieties of vegetables and specialty greens, over 150 varieties of herbs, and over 300 varieties of specialty cut flowers, as well as potted plants, herbal teas, and herbal bath & body products, all of which are grown or produced at their certified organic farm in Cherry Valley, Washington County, only 20 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. Enrollment for the 2010 CSA season is now open.

Unlike traditional “farm share” programs, Cherry Valley Organics’ CSA subscription service is entirely “a la carte” over an approximately 30-week-long season (roughly April through November), with subscribers ordering off of a weekly menu that is issued via email – with no minimum order or any obligation to order every week. This set up allows customers to purchase only favorite foods, like a custom grocer!

Orders are delivered packed in coolers each week to pick-up sites in the following communities: Bethel Park, Cherry Valley (near the Burgettstown/Hickory area), Crafton, McMurray, Mt. Lebanon, Robinson, Sewickley, and Squirrel Hill.  Pick-up sites in additional communities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Cherry Valley Organics can be contacted more information including pricing and sign up. Subscribers will be accepted on an ongoing basis until we sell out.

Cherry Valley Organics

518 Joffre-Cherry Valley Road

Burgettstown, PA 15021

phone: 724-777-0790

info@cherryvalleyorganics.com

“Exploring the Small Farm Dream” to be offered this March in Pittsburgh

Penn State Cooperative Extension is pleased to offer “Exploring the Small Farm Dream”

Have you ever considered launching a small farm enterprise, but were not sure where to start? This is the course for you!

Designed to help guide you through an initial exploratory decision making process, “Exploring the Small Farm Dream” bridges the gap between ideas and action.

What to Expect :

· Creative exercise, research and class discussions that will help you assess your skills and resources.

· Interviews with local farm business owners that will assist you in deciding how to carry your dream forward.

· The opportunity to connect with others interested in new farm  enterprises.

Who should attend:

· Career changers and farm newbies breaking into agricultural pursuits.

· Farm apprentices interested in launching their own start-ups.

Small Farm Possibilities:

• A market farm operation specializing in heirloom vegetables.
• A pick-your-own orchard.
• A grass-fed beef CSA enterprise.
• A goat dairy selling cheese and yogurt.
• A garden supplying cut flowers.
• Add your own small farm dream to the list!

Where: Penn State Extension Allegheny County, North Point Breeze

When: March 9,16,23,30 from 6-8:30pm

For More Information Contact: Heather Mikulas, Program Associate 412-473-2540 or hem12@psu.edu

Farm Profile: Crighton Farm and CSA, Prospect, PA

Crighton Farm, located in beautiful Prospect, PA, is currently taking CSA memberships for 2010.

Jim and Chris Crighton have been growing flowers and vegetables all their lives. They are sowers of seed, stewards of soil, nurturers of plants,  livestock,  customers, themselves.  They care very deeply about the responsibility to the ecological health of the farm, and all of the life their farm-land supports. This includes everything that is grown, including the food that feeds their family and customers.

The Crighton’s bought the farm in 1987 and admire how alive it is. The farm is a living being. It grew the wood that was harvested and used to build the home and barn over 100 years ago. It supplies the pure spring water for the house and includes a bountiful well for irrigating the greenhouses and fields. In a region where clay soil is the norm, the soil is Class 1 Cookport Loam, a deep, well drained soil which allows the plant roots to spread out and down, nourishing growth. This water and soil in turn support the continuation of their work through the sale of the produce and flowers. There is a huge variety of birds in the woodlot including wild turkey, deer, rabbits, fox, ‘coons and marmots.  An electrified high tensile fence surrounds the vegetable fields or there wouldn’t be anything for us!

Would you like to be a part of this farm, and for 20 weeks of the year eat their freshly grown vegetables everyday?

So how does the CSA work?  Subscribers receive a weekly share of that week’s harvest, picked at the peak of freshness. Customers can expect to receive a variety of seasonal vegetables, including many heritage varieties, fruit and berries from the orchard.  We have gorgeous multi-hued eggs available, laid by free-range hens.

Another aspect of the business is the greenhouse, a busy place where a huge variety of seasonal flowers and vegetables are grown from seed. Starting in late winter/ early spring, there is a changing cast of delicious and colorful plants including onions, ageratum, tomatoes, morning glories, peppers, lettuce, micro greens.  Everything has its own timing and care.  Some things go into the field. Some of the flowers are planted among the vegetables to help attract bees for pollination, but most of these beauties for the customers.

Jim and Chris would love to have you partner with their farm! Contact us to join the CSA or grab those first flowers for your yard. Let’s grow together in 2010!

To contact the Crighton’s:

Jim and Chris Crighton

130 Main St., Prospect, PA 16052

724-865-9371

724-822-7644 cell

jcrighton@aol.com

PA farm snapshot / PSU’s upcoming events to support local food

An article mentioning yours truly, among other PSU statewide endeavors to support PA farmers.

http://bit.ly/5KsRUK

USDA launches free advice service for small meat processors

FYI – a re-post of the press release.

By Rory Harrington, 08-Dec-2009

Small meat and poultry processors in the United States can now get free expert advice on regulations thanks to the opening of a new Government advice service.

The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced yesterday that its small plant help-desk will provide authoritative guidance for operators of small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg product facilities.

Operators can receive help on how to meet requirements laid down by the FSIS through direct access to “knowledgeable specialist staff”, said an agency statement.

The help-desk also will provide assistance to state and local food regulatory agencies, which work with the FSIS in keeping meat, poultry and egg products safe for consumers.

Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Jerold R. Mande said: “USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is committed to providing assistance to businesses of all sizes that provide American consumers with access to a safe and healthy food supply.

“The small plant help-desk will help the development of small, local producers by offering a one-stop shop for questions about how to make sure their meat, poultry and processed egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labelled.”

One stop shop

The agency said the help-desk would serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ for plant owners and operators with questions. An important factor behind its inauguration is that more than 90 per cent of the 6,000 plants inspected by FSIS are small or very small.

The agency explained its staff will assess callers’ requests and provide information and guidance materials that best meet their needs. Where information is unavailable, staff will research the issue and follow-up with the caller. The helpdesk will also refer inquiries to other services such as AskFSIS, – the agency’s internet service offering official responses to queries on agency policy.

Inquiries can be made to the small plant help-desk by toll-free telephone or by email. The help-desk is open from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday, excluding Federal holidays. To speak to a staff specialist during this time, call 1-877-FSISHelp (1-877-374-7435).

1/30 Penn State to offer goat and sheep nutrition school

Penn State Extension is offering a sheep & goat nutrition school at six locations across PA to assist producers to better manage profitability through nutrition in their flock or herd. The school will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2010 from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. The six locations will be linked through internet technology. Participants will be able to interact with live speakers through video and audio conferencing.

One of the largest expenses in livestock production is the feed cost. In order to increase profitability producers need to watch feed costs, but still meet the nutritional requirements of their animals. Nutrition can have a great impact on the overall health of a flock or herd, and nutrition can impact the overall production of lambs and kids. This includes the number of lambs or kids born as well as the growth rate of those lambs and kids

Topics that will be covered in the school include Feeding Basics: concentrates, water, minerals and vitamins; Hay – It’s Not Just Dried Grass: Evaluating Feed Quality; Who Needs What, How Much and When: Understanding Nutrient Requirements; Ewe’s Not Fat, Ewe’s Fluffy: Body Condition Scoring for Sheep and Goats; A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That: Formulating Rations; Feed Substitutions and Comparisons for Cost Savings; and Environmental Effects on Feeding: Temperature, Wind, and Humidity.

Locations for the sheep and goat nutrition school are Beaver County Extension Office, Bedford County Extension Office, Bradford County Extension Office, Fayette County Extension Office, Franklin County Extension Office and York County Extension Office.

Registration is $25 for the first family member and $15 for each additional family member. Registration fee includes refreshments, lunch and educational materials. Contact the Bedford Extension Office at 814.623.4800 for more information or to register for the school.

Registration deadline is January 15, 2010.