Hello folks, I apologize for the last minute announcement…

As you may know, Maple Wind Farm is in partnership with the Vermont Youth Corps and we have a summer vegetable CSA- Monitor Barns Farm. Farm fresh food raised in Richmond.

We are  hosting a drop in information session Thursday March 10 from 5-7 at the barn on Rte 2 in Richmond. Please stop by to say hello. This is a great way to meet our new farmers, Tucker and Jennica, who will be taking on the farm coordinator role at VYCC. They have a passion for growing high quality vegetables and have worked at area farms and also had their own CSA in Bolton.

All are welcome to the meeting. We will be on hand for lots of Q and A. If you are a former CSA member and have not decided yet whether you are returning, we would love your input and to have you back again as part of the farm.

If you are signed up for 2011 already, thank you. Please spread the word!

Swing by the barn on your way home from work before dinner, say hello. Refreshments, slide show, kids welcome.

Sign up at Thursdays meeting and receive a bonus delicious pasture raised chicken! Tell your friends and neighbors to come.

If you cant make it and would like to sign up for this season, please visit www.maplewindfarm.com or www.vycc.org for a member form. We can also send you one in the mail.

Highlights of the Monitor Barns Farm CSA

• Thursday pickups all summer long June-Oct (3 locations to choose from). Two share sizes.
• Your share supports our commitment to youth, conservation and the donation of food to those in need
• You will receive at least 15% more value over the season
• Great pick your own garden: flowers, herbs and several vegetables
• Member only events
• Weekly newsletter/recipes
• Horses used for cultivation to reduce our fuel needs
• Poultry CSA option(6 fresh chickens over the summer)

We hope to see you Thursday.

Beth, Tucker, and Jennica

Monitor Barns Farm crew

Any questions?  Call Beth 434-7257

PS. We would like to host another event in the Waterbury area, if anyone knows of a nice space to host a meeting to promote the CSA, please let us know.

Hello folks,

Beth Whiting will be on hand this Saturday (Feb 5th) from 3-5pm at the Richmond Commons (former Richmond Corner Market) for a CSA Party of area farmers. She’ll be available to answer questions about the incredible partnership of Maple Wind Farm and the Vermont Youth Corp, the Monitor Barns Farm. We were 80 members strong last summer and are looking to expand! The buzz is that we have amazing pick your own flowers, herbs and other vegetables in addition to your incredible weekly share (2 sizes: Regular and Family). 20 weeks June – Oct. Join us for another great growing season. SIGN UP ON SATURDAY and get a special surprise! See you then! Tell your friends! Be a part of the growing local food movement…

Hello friends,

We hope that 2011 brings you all wonderful new adventures. With the holidays behind us we can all look forward to a new slate…

Resolution for this year? Eating more locally? We can help with that… Fill your freezer with locally raised pork, beef, lamb and poultry.

10 of our 35 pigs are at the butcher now. You can reserve 1/2 or whole (buying in bulk saves between 20-30% off retail prices). ORDER NOW (thru Mid FEB) and get it custom cut to your family needs. Smoking fees are extra. You can use our order form and send in a deposit, balance due on actual meat received per pound is due upon delivery.

Beef? Not much room in a freezer? We have 8 small family packages (20lbs)  available now. We also have one quarter cow package available.

Whole chickens? Pasture raised really does taste better! $4.50/lb or buy 5 and get them for $4.00lb

Our lamb supply is a bit low. Whole lambs will be available after they have been on pasture this spring for a bit. Reserve one now. Some lamb available at Farmers Market.

You can always find us 2x a month at the Burlington Winter Market. Stop by and say hi! If you need something specific, give us a call for a special order so its there waiting for you.

Information coming soon on our summer 2011 Monitor Barns Vegetable CSA. Stay tuned.

Eat well,

Beth and Bruce

Hello folks,

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season.

Here at Maple Wind, all the animals are nestled are snug in their winter housing; Eliza Jane with the 2 bulls in the pole barn, the 500 layer hens and the 185 Katahdin sheep  in our solar barn and the 30+market pigs and the 3 pregnant sows with Bigfoot the boar in our arena barn! And yes, the 100 beef cows will be wintering in Bolton this coming season at our leased property along the Winooski. All dreaming of next years green pastures!

Beth, Bruce, Bryn, David (Molly, Izze, and Captain) are looking forward to the holidays with lots of snow for sledding, fort building and skiing at Mad River Glen!

A few farm announcements! READ ON:

*We have a few organic turkeys frozen if anyone is interested for an amazing holiday bird (they are all 30+lbs!)

*Come see us at the Burlington Farmers Market on Sat December 18. (10-2 at Memorial Auditorium) We’ll have a great selection of beef/pork/lamb and whole chickens (maple syrup too!)

*Pasture Raised meats make great holiday gifts! Let us put a gift box together for you and your budget!

*Fill your freezer with pork, we will be offering ½ and whole pork packages cut to your specification in late January-reserve now!

*Our Yurt Rentals have been very popular this winter. Call to check availability and bring your out of town guests for a winter camping adventure.

We are excited about next years Monitor Barns Farm CSA season with the Vermont Youth Corps. Stay tuned for more information about 2011 membership! In the meantime, email us if you have questions.

Enjoy the holidays. Eat well. We appreciate your support of our family farm.

All the best,

Beth and Bruce

Its not too early to think about a delicious MAPLE WIND FARM pasture raised turkey gracing your family table this coming holiday. We continue our tradition of raising our turkeys on pasture and feeding them organic certified grain. ORDER SOON as we only have 125. Last year we had a wait list for turkeys. Please send a 25$ deposit and then pay the balance due upon pickup of your fresh turkey. They are $4.95/lb and will range from 12-22lbs. Send to: Maple Wind Farm 1340 Carse Rd Huntington VT 05462 or email me, beth@otloose.com.  Specify your Pickup: Sat Nov 20 in Burlington at the winter farmers market, Sun Nov 21 in Richmond at the Andrews Farm Store, Middlebury TBA, Waitsfield at the Kingsbury Market in Warren TBA.  Past customers rave about the taste and say its the best they’ve had!

We have some amazing pasture raised pork ready to fill your freezers. Pigs at the butcher now and thru the next few weeks can be ordered by the Whole or Half packages. Whole pig is about 140lbs of meat $6.25/lb, Half is 70 lbs $6.75/lb and we are still selling our 20lb Small Family Package $190. Call us to discuss options and delivery. Whole roaster chickens available in 3-5.5 lb range at $4.50/lb– stock up now!

Call Beth for questions or drop by one of our farmers markets to say hi! Richmond Friday evenings, Middlebury or Shelburne on Saturday mornings 9-1. email is good too!

We hope you’ve had a great summer, enjoy the remaining weeks!

Look for upcoming news of a second annual CATTLE DRIVE and HOEDOWN at Maple Wind Farm….we’ll keep you posted.

Be well,

Beth and Bruce

You are welcome to join us at the following hosted by Maple Wind Farm (or fwd to anyone who might be interested)

June 6th  10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Grass, the Animals That Eat It, and The Vegetables They Help Grow: An Integrated Approach to Conserving the Working Landscape

VT Youth Conservation Corps Farm, Rte 2, Richmond

A public/consumer event outlining in detail how the diversified farmers at Maple Wind Farm use cover cropping, legume seeding, and high-density grazing to add organic matter and fertility to conventional corn ground in preparation for high quality organic (after transition) vegetable production.  Maple Wind and VYCC entered into a cooperative lease arrangement in 2009.

FREE EVENT

Families welcome. Please keep dogs at home. Rain or shine. Farm footwear suggested.

For more information: www.maplewindfarm.com or Beth beth@otloose.com

2 pm to 4 pm

Raising Diversified Grass-based Livestock: A Discussion and Support Group

1340 Carse Rd in Huntington. Follow the signs to the end of the road.

Diversified farmers face many challenges; the same feed, production, nutrient management and marketing issues faced by other livestock farmers, plus the requirement to have expert knowledge in multiple species.  Whether you raise cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry or horses, developing a strong support network of allied farmers and technical support mentors can be key to your success.  Join hosts Beth Whiting and Bruce Hennessey of Maple Wind Farm on a walking farm tour and informal discussion about a wide range of diversified farming issues.  Participants will be eligible for follow up technical assistance provided by the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s Pasture Program and NOFA-VT Dairy/Livestock Program staff.

Funding support provided by the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, VT Grass Farmers Association and the VT Agency of Natural Resources.

FREE EVENT

Families welcome. Please keep dogs at home. Rain or shine. Farm footwear suggested.

For more information: www.uvm.edu/pasture or jcolby@uvm.edu

Hello folks!

Please join Maple Wind Farm Sunday May 23rd from 10-2 at our annual Farm Tours/Open House. Tell your friends and neighbors that our farm is hosting an event for the public to come and see the new spring lambs and calves. Come take a horse drawn wagon ride to see all the sights on our hilltop farm. We just received 500 layer hens-what a sight! Bring a picnic or enjoy a grilled farm burger or sausage. We’ll have a farm trivia table and a map to follow to find all the animals. Walk up the trail to see our Mongolian yurt and while you are up there, visit the pigs in their new woodland home. Please leave dogs at home and wear good walking shoes. See you then! Rain or shine. Free event. Parking is on Carse Road below the farm.

Come with questions about our summer vegetable CSA or our new monthly meat CSA. We still have shares available!  We will have our delicious grass fed beef and pork and maple for sale.

See you soon, we hope!

Beth and Bruce

Spring is here and farm fresh Vermont grown vegetables are not far

off! Shares still available. Join the Monitor Barns Community Supported Agriculture and

receive 20 weeks of vegetables, herbs and flowers grown in Richmond

by partners, Maple Wind Farm and the VT Youth Conservation Corps.

It’s the 5th season for the CSA but our inaugural year as partners.

The partners’ shared passion around youth, education – and the

importance of making good, healthy food available to every Vermonter

- guides their work.  Upon harvest, local families, area schools,

food shelves, VYCC crews, and the Our Community Cares Summer Camp

will all receive farm-fresh and locally grown food from the five

acres under production. For a membership form see the Monitor Barns member form link on

www.maplewindfarm.com. Pickups Thursdays from June-Oct. in Richmond,

Huntington and So. Burlington. Two share sizes available. Take 10% off vegetable shares if we receive your form by April 1st!

Hello folks, Happy Spring and mudseason too! We have happily begun our sugaring season with the first 10 gallons of sweetness! Maple Open House all over Huntington Saturday March 27 11-3. Come by and visit and see our sugarshack in operation!

Thank you to our returning members who have signup up already for a summer of fresh vegetables, flowers and herbs!

If you felt like you missed our offer to receive a 10% discount-have no fear! Please consider joining our MONITOR BARNS CSA (partnership with VYCC) this summer and send in your form by April 1st.

Pickups will still be on Thursdays 3-6:30 (expanded hours) at the Monitor Barn in Richmond or after 4pm in So. Burlington at Healthy Living or Maple Wind Farm in Huntington.

Share a membership with a neighbor! Augment your own home garden! Give a share to a friend! or even donate a share to the local Food Shelf!

Vegetables and Poultry CSA 2010- please use the Monitor Barns CSA form

Maple Wind Farm Meat CSA and other sized meat packages/turkeys/syrup CSA- please use the Maple Wind Farm form

Forms can be downloaded here: http://maplewindfarm.com/forms/

INFORMATIONAL CSA MEETING Tonight! Thursday March 11 6:00-7:00 at the Monitor Barn. Past and potential members welcome. Come with your questions.

Contact me with any questions.

Eat well, Beth