NEWSLETTER

THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE YOUTH FARM

Farmer Column
It is almost impossible to believe that its mid-October. It seems like only yesterday we were busily planning crops, purchasing seeds, starting seedlings in the hoophouse Perhaps the unexpected challenge of helping the DOE set appropriate soil safety standards for school gardens cast an unusual pall on the harvest season. It has admittedly been hard to watch gorgeous tomatoes ripen, and to not be able to proudly harvest, wash and pack them for you, our committed CSA members. Sharing in the bounty of the season is what brings joy to us on the farm. So once again, we want to thank you for your support during this unexpected hard time. We can only be grateful that we helped NYCs Department of Education set fair and reasonable standards for school gardens to follow. We are proud, and yet still saddened that this meant that you, our CSA members, did not receive the full bevy of what we had to offer, through months of diligent work and love put into growing diverse, nutritious crops. We are now knee-deep literally in compost, made from old crop residues were pulling out of beds. We are also cover cropping Our Just Food Youth Chefs fried some simple apples these beds with soil-enriching crops like Field with cinnamon at last weeks market! Peas, Oats, Clover and Rye that we will turn in to the soil in late Winter. Growing our soil is the foundation for growing excellent food, and so in a sense we have already begun the 2013 CSA season. As we look towards the winter, and toward much-needed rest for our bodies and the land we are left humbled by your compassion, grateful for the community of CSA members, teachers, farmers market customers, volunteers and interns, Trainees and youth who have made this 3rdseason an extra special one. Please check our website for upcoming Volunteer Days and winter internship opportunities. Have a wonderful rest of fall, and we hope to see you in the spring! Bee, Martha, Molly, Stacey, Tanzania and Anita

Farm News and Notes

MEET YOUR MAKER FUNDRAISER! Support the Youth Farm by attending a one-of-a kind event featuring Rob Newton of Seersucker and George Weld of Parish Hall and Egg, as well as Douglas Amport of Bitters and Esters. Taste unique, seasonal food paired with local beer. $40. 6:30 and 8:30pm. Tickets available at http://bkfarmyards.blogspot.com/2012/10/meet-your-maker-hops-and-crops-fest.html. Join us at the Farm and get your hands dirty! Volunteer Day Saturday Nov. 3rd, 10am-2pm. Please bring a healthy lunch, a water bottle, and work clothes. No open toed shoes or sandals. Youth under the age of 13 must be supervised by an adult. FREE WORKSHOP on Garlic Planting, 2:00-3:30pm following workday: Add some spice to your garden. You will learn everything-garlic, including how and when to plant garlic for a successful spring harvest, how to dry garlic for year-round enjoyment, and all the medicinal properties of garlic.

Week 1 June 20, 2012 www.hspsfarm.blogspot.com Week 18 October 17, 2012 www.hspsfarm.blogspot.com

Thank You Flower CSA Members!

FARMIVAL! Wednesday, October 24th

Join us for FARMIVAL on October 24th at our market! Farmival is a fun annual event that brings together HSPS students, Youth Farm staff and apprentices, CSA members and market customers. At this time of year, we want to celebrate the season and enjoy the farm while the weather allows. At Farmival, you can pose for pictures at our farm-themed photo booth, meet some healthy Brooklyn-based chickens, decorate a mini-pumpkin, tour the farm and more! Food will be available for purchase, and our fantastic teen chefs will demonstrate a great seasonal recipe, as well. Bring friends and family members of all ages, and help us celebrate the 2012 season!

This week, for our last week of the our flower CSA, we are not highlighting a particular flower, but YOU our wonderful community of flower lovers and Youth Farm supporters. We cant thank you enough f or supporting the farm through a purchase of a weekly flower bouquets... quite an unusual but special arrangement, we think! O the course of the season, we have all loved getting to ver know each flower as it came in to bloom, and we hope you enjoyed
the bounty we mustered into bouquets. As it is now mid-October hard to believe! there are just a few flowers left in the fieldMarigolds are still looking well, as is Gomphrena and Lavender. Sage has become our good friend. Your bouquet features all of these, as well as Lavender which you can pick out and dry somewhere in your home a memory of your season of flowers for the winter. We hope youll consider purchasing a flower share again next season we are looking forward to crop planning in November, and improving and enhancing what we have to offer. We will be sending you a Flower CSA evaluation form soon please take a moment to fill it out and send it to us. We hope to improve our flower CSA every year! Thank you again it was such a joy to provide you with fresh, local flowers every week. Stop by our Farmers Market and get some fun fall crops! Last week we had our first sugar pie pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and empire apples. Come by this Wednesday from 2:30-6:30 pm!

Week 1 June 20, 2012 www.hspsfarm.blogspot.com

Week 18 October 17, 2012 www.hspsfarm.blogspot.com