Hello Spring
Dear Members,
The accelerator is pressed to the floorboards here as we approach the month of June. This is true every year, but especially on a spring like this, which started off slowly, and has seen plenty of rain. June is the everything bagel of the year on a diversified farm like ours. We will be making hay, planting, weeding, harvesting, butchering, grazing, birthing, and slinging retail products out of the increasingly busy farm store, all at once. If we manage to keep all the balls in the air in June, the rest of the growing season tends to be manageable. Relatively. If the balls go wonky and skitter across the fields, it's a very different story. Once you're behind on weed control, for example, it's very hard to catch up. So, June tends to be the month we dig deep and grind, knowing every hour now saves several in the future. We upgraded our cultivation tools over the last couple of years so that helps a lot, and our team is exceptionally awesome and experienced this year! If we don't have any major breakdowns, extreme weather events, or other curveballs, I think our odds of absolutely killing it this season are very good. (And let us hope the farm gods did not hear me say that - they love to make fools of us mortals.)
We distributed our last of the 2025 broiler chickens last week, which is neat, because our first chicken slaughter for 2026 is about two weeks out. That'll be just enough time for you to miss it, and for us to get the chicken freezer defrosted. Anne and Nick are blasting through the punch list of fixes and improvements that have to be done before slaughter day. Unlike our other livestock, chicken slaughter is always done here on the farm, with added help from a hired crew. Our chicken processing infrastructure is rudimentary but has been smoothed by 23 years of practice, and we have a deep bench of skilled people. Anne is our best killer, Nick mans the plucker, and everyone else eviscerates. It's a long and gory day but some of us look forward to it. I'll let you know when the date is firmed up and you can expect fresh chicken in the share.
We have salanova lettuce back in the share today. Look for limits because everyone wants to load up on the salads when lettuce appears for the first time. This variety is one of our favorites. It is colorful and tender but also holds up well. Here's a link to the dressing I've been making lately. Asparagus season is chugging along. I am planning to make this asparagus tart (with store bought puff pastry and store bought feta) for Jane's homecoming. She graduates from high school tomorrow!
Our milk production is still limited. We are producing about 300 gallons per week rather than 400 gallons, which is our baseline for having enough for everything. That said, we have plenty of fluid milk available, and you do not need to hold back on that. We've had a lot of milk left over the last couple of weeks and that's probably because you members are so conscientious you're going without an extra splash of milk in your coffee because I keep harping on the low supply. But it's only the butter and creams that are pinch points. Those items take the majority of our production. Butter alone requires half of the milk we make. Like fluid milk, yogurt is a 1:1 product - a quart of milk makes a quart of yogurt - so we can make plenty of that even when supply is low. Please check limits on the precious products today. We're still working out what we can offer this week. We have four cows coming into milk in June and if all goes well (cover your ears please, farm gods) we'll be back to normal.
Here's more news you need to know:
-Important: since I am away and so are several others, we are NOT getting a Crown Point Bread order this week. We will be back in the bakery business next week. Remember, we are now on the summer bakery schedule, with Drifters Loaf delivery on Tuesdays, usually in the early afternoon, and Crown Point breads and pastries delivered on Fridays, usually around 5PM.
-Please give a warm welcome to new member Gianna who is joining us this week, and Austin who came onboard last week. It's so wonderful to be expanding the Essex Farm family this year.
-Finally, we are wrapping up the plant sale soon, so if you have not gotten your tomatoes, herbs and flowers yet, visit the plants at the farm store.
With love and gratitude,
Kristin
PS, If you are picking up over the weekend and notice we're out of or critically low on something, would you please send me a text at (518) 645-4658 so I can refresh it? Thank you!
Estimated Availability for Members This Week
Green = abundant, eat with abandon
Yellow = Somewhat limited supply, enjoy but don’t go nuts
Red = Limited supply, take just enough for one meal
Vegetables
Green
Beets - Red and Gold
Cabbage - Green, Red
Carrots
Celeriac
Chives
Lovage
Onions, Red and Yellow
Parsnips
Potatoes - Gold, Purple, Red, White
Rutabaga
Salanova Lettuce Mix
Shallots
Sorrel
Winter Squash - Kabocha
Spinach
Yellow
Asparagus
Red Russian Kale
Rhubarb
Thyme
Oregano
Red
Rosemary
Sage
Value-Added Products
Kimchi
Kraut
Hot Sauce
Frozen Tomatoes
Lard
Tallow
Schmaltz
Eggs
Unlimited — we are supplementing this week with some certified organic eggs from Curtis Latrimore. Our new pullets arrived last night!
Farmer Only Raw Dairy
Our raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization.
Buttermilk
Skim Milk
Whole Milk
Yogurt
Fresh Cream
Grassfed and Pastured Meat
Pork - ground, chops, and bacon
Beef - ground beef and brisket
Lamb - ground, assorted cuts
Bones - beef, lamb
Offal - pork, chicken, beefGrains, Beans & Dry Goods
Everything not grown by Essex Farm is certified organic.
Note: We have more products than we have room for on the grain table, so check the buckets under the table if you're looking for something.
Beans- Black and Pinto
Chickpeas
Steel Cut Oats
Rolled Oats
Essex Farm Popcorn
Sea Salt (Cargill)
White Bread Flour (Sutton)
White Pastry Flour
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Whole Wheat Bread Flour
Buckwheat Flour
Cornmeal
Pancake MixPlease be advised that consumption of raw or undercooked foods including meats, poultry, dairy, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
This Week's Share is Brought to You By: Seth Allen, Anne Brown, Gracie Broughton, Beth Davis, Will DeHaven, Catherine Eskilstark, Nicholas Johnson, Kristin Kimball, Mark Kimball, Barbara Kunzi, Joanie McMahon, Will Glaser Wilson. Thanks to Ted, Ken, Ben, Jackie, Will, Harmony, Sergei, Kathleen, Gwen, Charlie, and Barb for the help this week!
