This all follows the Haverhill BOH proposal to ban pigs. This was in response to neighbors and a housing developer who protested a farmer who was proposing to put pastured pigs on a local farm. There have not been any problems with pigs on farms in Haverhill. A huge outcry from the farm community and supporters of local agriculture (Thank You!) seems to have derailed the ban – but these proposed regulations would have the same effect.

The MA Farm Bureau has proposed a set of regulations to the BOH that is a tiered approach. It separates pig farms into three categories – small, medium and large – based on how many pigs are kept. It proposes scale appropriate regulations for each category to control for odor and other issues. The proposal also allows the BOH to take action if problems arise. The Farm Bureau proposal can be found at:

http://www.mfbf.net/Portals/0/pdf/MFBF%20Comments%20-%20Haverhill%20BOH%20proposal%20to%20Adopt%20Tewksbury%20Regulations%20on%20Pigs.pdf

We support reasonable regulations and the Farm Bureau proposal and will be letting the BOH know that we do. If you support local agriculture, there are two ways you can help:

First, write the BOH and let them know that you support regulations that are appropriate to small farms and that you support the Farm Bureau Proposal. You can send comments to bdufresne@cityofhaverhill.com. The deadline for comment is noon on February 21.

Second, and this is important, you can attend the BOH meeting at 7 pm, in Haverhill Town Hall on March 13. Springdell will be there and we need to continue to show the BOH how many farmers and consumers support local agriculture!

Thanks for all your support!

- Add 1 – 3 Cups of Sugar (this really depends on your taste and what type of Apples that you are using, but 2 Cups is usually enough for us. (I also use Organic Sugar but you can use White Refined Sugar instead.)

- Add 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Cloves

- Add 3 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

- Cook everything on Low for 12 hours without opening the Crock Pot cover, so put everything into your Crock Pot and go to bed. Your house will smell so good in the morning!

- When you get up in the morning (or after 12 hours), open up your Crock Pot and stir everything well. Cook on High for 2 hours.

- Pour everything into your Blender and blend on “Stir” until smooth.

- Pour the smooth product into air-tight containers (like small and clean Ball Jars or freezer containers) and label and freeze them. You can thaw the container in your refrigerator, but once open, you should eat it within  two weeks.

Submitted by CSA shareholder Kathleen.

We’ve been reading some good books, and they would make great gifts as well. We’re pretty sure you’ve heard of Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by now. Pollan’s “manifesto” for eating wisely goes like this: “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.”  Food Rules is his very simple guide of how to eat for good health, which, by the way,just happens to also be healthier for the planet. There’s a new edition out which is illustrated by the talented Maira Kalman. It’s beautiful and whimsical. Many of us, though we already have the earlier edition, are adding this new one to our collections.

We’re also reading a new book, Folks, This Ain’t Normal: A Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World, by one of our heroes, Joel Salatin, the farmer who owns and runs Polyface Farm in Virginia. If you saw the film, Food, Inc., you’ll remember Joel from that. In this book, one of many he has written, he discusses how removed we are from the land and how that and our current way of life is not sustainable. He has some strong, and, for some, controversial, opinions, but the book is an interesting read.

Finally, a favorite of so many of us: David Mas Masumoto’s Wisdom of the Last Farmer: Harvesting Legacies from the Land. Masumoto is an organic peach farmer in the Central Valley of California, and this is the story of his family and their farm. It is beautifully written. The word most often attached to this memoir is “lyrical.”

Don’t forget that we have two wonderful local bookstores close by: Willow Books in Acton and The Concord Bookshop in Concord.

We’re open tomorrow, Saturday, December 17, from 9 to 4, or by appointment. Call us at 978-486-3865, or email Jamie at jamie@springdellfarms.com.

Happy, happy holidays to you!

Let me start off by saying this: I hate the word “piggery.” It is so misleading. It reminds me of an industrialized hog facility. And, technically, an operation like the one our friend, Chris, has in Haverhill, the small operation that has seemingly caused all the ruckus, falls under it. Yuck. It just sounds bad. I like pig farm.

For the first time in a while, it seemed that the farmers outnumbered the non-farmers. I looked around hoping that there were some consumers in the room. We all needed to stick together on this. A way of life is on the line, our food supply, our health. If pigs were banned, what would be next? Cows? Horses?

I took a seat front and center, right in front of a group of women that I had assumed were a group of farm supporters. I sat next to a young vegetable grower and right behind several Haverhill farmers. Good spot! I just sat there hoping that farmers and consumers would speak up.

The meeting was called to order, and, within minutes, one of the folks behind me stood up urging the BOH to ban “piggeries.” It was affecting her property value. She happened to live in a newer housing development, you know, one of those ones that developers build up around farms, expecting the farmer to hit the high road once completed. Several other folks spoke.

People for Pigs.

First to speak for the farmers was the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation president. He is a vegetable grower in Essex County. He is one of the many folks who have been a great influence on me. The Massachusetts Farm Bureau is the Voice of Agriculture. It is a grass roots organization made up of 6,000 family farmers and farm supporters here in the Commonwealth. Most of the people in the room last night were Farm Bureau members, all there to support a fellow farmer. While he was speaking, a woman behind me said to her friend, “I don’t need local farmers; I have Market Basket.” I was shocked! But I sat there chuckling to myself as the president happens to ship many of his vegetable to Market Basket.

After he spoke, it was like a domino effect. Farmers stood up, worried about losing their lifestyle; consumers stood up, worried about their food supply; kids stood up, worried about their future in agriculture. Folks mentioned how pigs are important to our ecosystem, sustainable agriculture, and our meat supply. We tried educating on how they are clean animals; we tried educatiing on what they do for the environment. We all stuck together.

There is another meeting scheduled for sometime in January, but, in the meantime, Chris, the farmer who sits in the middle of the new development was told to remove his pigs from his property. Until sometime in January, this farm family’s lifestyle, their income, and their passion are all on hold.

On the ride home, I thought to myself what it would be like to be in Chris’ shoes. What if my community ganged up against us? What would we do? Would we stand tall and fight back, or would we close the doors and walk away? Littleton is a unique town. We have plenty of farms to sustain us. We support the community, and the community supports us back. It is one of the many things that keep us going when it is bitter cold out and we are chipping ice out of buckets for our animals; when it is super hot out and we are picking beans; when we are moving snow around so folks can get in just to pick up a dozen eggs.

To all the consumers who shop here, support us, belong to our CSA, thank you for supporting your farmers. Thanks for working with us, and not against us. I can speak for every farmer I know when I say that! Every day that we work this land, whether it be decisions made in the office, the greenhouse, the barn, in a pasture, in the Farm Stand, in the field, on our tractor, or in the John Deere dealership, we do keep you, your family, the environment, our land, our animals, and our family in mind, making sure we deliver you a healthy, sustainable, tasty, food supply.

Jamie and the entire Springdell Farm Community

Our Own Patty Pig

]]> http://springdellfarms.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/i-dont-need-local-farmers-i-have-market-basket/feed/ 4 springdellfarms Patty Pig http://springdellfarms.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/threat-to-our-local-piggeries/ http://springdellfarms.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/threat-to-our-local-piggeries/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:44:29 +0000 springdellfarms http://springdellfarms.wordpress.com/?p=311 ]]> Many of you have already received the letter I sent out below about the threat to our local piggeries in Haverhill, MA, but I wanted to remind you that the Board of Health meeting is tonight, November 15, 2011, at 7pm at City Hall. The link with more information is below. There has also been some news coverage about our fight! Here are those links:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45287068/ns/local_news-boston_ma/t/state-group-fights-haverhill-pig-farm-ban/#.TsKRNIC-aQs

http://www.eagletribune.com/haverhill/x960872464/State-farmers-group-rallies-to-oppose-pig-farm-ban

Dear Customers, Shareholders, Members & Friends,

Local agriculture is facing a challenge in the City of Haverhill. As a supporter of buy local, we are asking for your help.

The Haverhill Board of Health (BOH) is considering a ban on all piggeries in that town. Such a ban would be a horrible blow to Haverhill Farmers, and those throughout the state. Once one town bans a certain type of agriculture, others will likely follow suit. It also opensthe door to banning other types of farming. Even worse, this would be a blow to consumers who want to buy local food. What if every town banned piggeries in Massachusetts? Where would you buy your pork? Would you be able to speak to the person who raised the pigs? To see or discuss the conditions in which they were raised?

Town boards have legitimate concern in making sure that piggeries, and other farming operations are managed in a way so that they’re not a nuisance to neighbors. That’s not what this is about, or what the town is doing. They are simply banning piggeries outright. This epitomizes a not-in-my-backyard attitude.

What can you do? Let the town of Haverhill know that you DO want farms in your backyard. Let them know that you would prefer to buy from a local business; that you want to keep your money in the local community; that you want to protect open space; that you want to know where the food you feed your family comes from; and that you want to preserve the rural character of our towns.

Even if you do not live in Haverhill, this could impact you and the Farmer(s) that feed you.

What can you do? Consider one or more of the following actions:

1. Attend the BOH meeting and voice your opposition to the proposal and your support for local farms. It is on November 15 at 7pm in the City Hall. Details at http://www.ci.haverhill.ma.us/departments/clerk/Meetings/2011/111115-ph-ppb.pdf

2. Write or call the BOH before the meeting and let them know your thoughts:

Haverhill Board of Health – bdufrene@cityofhaverhill.com – 978-374-2325

Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini – mayor@cityofhaverhill.com – 978-374-2300

While more and more of you are trying to eat locally, know your Farmer, know the land, shop locally, and know that the food on your plate was treated with respect to the animals, the environment, and the helping hands that helped it grow; doing your best to stay away from the big

industries…somebody is threatening that. For those of you who follow us on Facebook you saw the post a several days ago on how this hit a little too close to home for us. We raise vegetables, fruit, beef, poultry, lamb, goats and PIGS. We raise these animals in a clean environment and for those of you who get it through the Meat CSA, Meat Buyers Club, Winter CSA or right over the counter…you would not want to see that option taken away from you, nor would your Farmers.

On behalf of my family, myself and the entire Massachusetts farming community, we thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Jamie M. Cruz

Auntie Rose’s Zucchini Bread & Muffins

(Note: It does not taste like Zucchini – It’s  a delicious taste similar to a Carrot cake/Banana bread)

Ingredients:                                                                                                           

Mixture A                                                                                                                              

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 cup White Sugar

1 cup Oil – vegetable or similar type oil

3 eggs

2 Cups Grated Zucchini

Mixture B

3 Cups Flour

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon of Salt

Mix together Mixture A-  Brown Sugar, White Sugar, Oil, and eggs,  then add  in Zucchini

Sift together Mixture B- flour, cinnamon,  baking soda and powder, salt

Add Mixture B gradually into Mixture A.

Fold in  ¾ cups of Cinnamon Chips (available at Donelans) and 1 cups of Chopped Walnuts ( optional)

For Muffins – pour into cup and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 325º

For Breads- Bake in Greased and floured pans at 325º for 60 minutes.

We still have lots of pumpkins, gourds, and other cool things to decorate for the season! Come down to the stand and take a look. Apples and apple cider, too, to make your Halloween party even more festive!

©Michael Clark TintypesDigital 2011

By our own Heidi Van Auker.

Webster defines a farmer as “a person who cultivates land or crops or raises animals (as livestock or fish).” Oh, Webster. Dear, sweet, innocent, and naïve Webster, what an understatement that is. I’d like to define a farmer as “a person who is up at the crack of dawn, and then until far after the sun goes down, someone who relies on completely unreliable things such as weather and pests, as well as chance and luck, and who supplies our families with nourishment through both crops and livestock…” and well, you get the picture.

As a new employee to Springdell Farm this year, I wanted to share a bit of my experience as someone who has re-fallen completely, hopelessly, and utterly in love with farming. To give you a touch of history on me: I’m from Minnesota with family located in Nebraska and Iowa. It doesn’t get much more Midwest than that! My grandparents have a farm in Iowa where I grew up visiting them and spending time with the hogs, cattle, chickens, and in the rolling fields of corn and beans. As I grew older, visits to the farm weren’t my favorite thing, and I would have rather done most anything than pick up apples in the yard or pull milkweeds out of the bean fields. I was scared of most bugs and can remember a horrific experience where a grasshopper made its way into my pants. Being in those fields just wasn’t something that made me happy. However, through all of that, I always admired the values and work ethic of my farmer family and friends. Growing up in a rural area of Minnesota, it never completely got away from me. Even more, cows are still my favorite animal, and I am oddly pleased by the smells I pick up when driving through farm towns, as it reminds me of my family. How did I end up in Massachusetts? That’s a long story for another blog. How did I end up at Springdell? A perfect series of events and luck that have landed me in quite a conundrum of what to do with the rest of my life.

Working at Springdell is like being part of a second family. It is truly an honest-to-goodness New England roadside stand filled with the type of people who should be farming our food. You know how some people are made to be parents? The women who run Springdell were made to be livestock and vegetable farmers. They work with a handful of men who help harvest and maintain the fields, greenhouses, and livestock, as well as with some close friends and family members who lend a hand when they can. I can’t tell you how much this entire group has taught me about their farm, their practices, and their agricultural beliefs. They nurture every aspect of their land, see it from start to finish, and take great pride in what they do. They are continuously striving to grow and improve and do everything possible to be the best in the area.

I walk into work every day with an energy I can’t even describe. The stand is always beautiful, piled high with fruits, veggies, and flowers. There are generally a few geese or a rooster peering at me as I park my car, hoping I’ll toss them a snack from the stand later in the day. And there’s Joe, the farm Corgi, napping somewhere near by. I learn something new every day. Today, I learned about the pumpkin shortage that is affecting New England due to Hurricane Irene and has left many farms with no crop to speak of this year. The last day I worked I found out all about the new milk we’re carrying as well as the benefits of it coming from Jersey cows including its higher levels of Omega-3s as well as CLA and Vitamin E.

Other things I learned over the summer: Tomatoes have “shoulders.” Brussels sprouts taste better if you don’t harvest them until after a frost to increase the sugar content. There are more varieties of squash, heirloom tomatoes, and apples than I will ever understand no matter how many I eat. The most important thing I’ve learned are that the values and beliefs that this farm follows and implements are contagious and infectious. I’ve been inspired to join the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, and Jamie has encouraged me to become involved in some young farmer events. The amount of joy I receive from spending time at this farm is something I’ll never be able to truly describe, and something I’ll never forget.

©Michael Clark TintypesDigital 2011

Alice Lenhart, of Groton, has been a customer of Springdell Farm for many years. For her, like for so many of us, the farm is a special place, “a treasure,” as she calls it. Alice wrote a delightful and poignant essay, “Why I Love Springdell Farm,” about her deep affection for the farm and its people, its critters (Hello, Joe!) and, perhaps most of all, its heart on her blog, On the Verge. Here’s an excerpt to whet your whistle. We hope you’ll go read her entire post, and check out her lovely blog at http://alice-ontheverge.blogspot.com/:

Thank you, Alice, for sharing with us.