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What's Growing on Sangha Farm?

Sunday, June 15, 2008

WE have goats for sale!!!

Wethers & a buck.
All are very people friendly.
Wethers make wonderful companion animals or land clearers.
Buck has great lines
Email or call for more information

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Season has begun!!!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

TOWER SQUARE CSA PICK-UP

This year we are very pleased to be working with the Springfield Business Improvement Distict offering our CSA to the business employees in downtown Springfield.
Pick-up will be Wednesdays during the Tower Square Farmers' Market (10-3) or after work at 5 p.m.
Sign up using paypal or by mailing a check to Sangha Farm.
Deadline for sign up is May 15th
For more information feel free to call or email the farm or Sarah Fitzgerald at The Springfield Business Improvement District 413.781.1593

Thursday, April 24, 2008

SPRING HAS ARRIVED

The barn early morning /////// The triplets, Willoughby, Chappy & Scottfree

The Greenhouse the end of March

Kevin Ford shearing/////// Spring Training Farm Stlye

Boo-Boo before shearing////// Baby Sheep

Boo-Boo after shearing ///// George lounging in the sun

Finally after a very long winter, spring arrived here in Ashfield, literally overnight. A few short weeks ago we were in winter attire, one day we woke up the snow was melted & temps were in the 70's. That old saying of "if you don't like the weather wait 15 mins it will change", seems to really be true this year.

Greeting & welcome to new & returning CSA members.

Remember the beginning of April when we still had a few feet of snow on the ground?? Seems like forever ago doesn’t it?? Derek & I were wondering then if we would be able to get into the field by May. Well one day we woke up, all the snow was gone & the field was dry enough to plant in, the season had begun.
In spite of all the snow we received this winter, this is the earliest we’ve been able to plant in the field since moving here. We have planted: spinach, lettuce mix, carrots, beets, radishes, dill, cilantro, spicy mesclun mix & arugula.

The greenhouse is full of vegetable & herb starts. The beds are loaded with spinach, lettuce mix & mesclun mix. We are hoping to start harvesting off of those soon.

Beginning May 15 we will be selling vegetable & herb starts from the farm. We will also be selling any available greens, so if your interested in greens stop by after the 15th & see what’s available.

C.S.A. pick up begins
Memorial Day Weekend at the Ashfield Farmers’ Market. If you chose Tues at the farm for your pick-up that begins May 27th.

INTERNS HAVE ARRIVED!!
We have 2 interns working with us this summer. Adam Shapiro arrived March 15th. Brian Boucheron arrived April 1st. Both are taking breaks from school & careers to learn a little more about sustainable agriculture.

GOAT CHEESE:
After waiting what seemed like a long time the barn is finally completed. I’ve been practicing my cheese making, giving samples to everyone who stops by, asking for honest opinions. So far the feedback has been very positive. I’m waiting for my pasturizer to arrive, after which I will have my final inspection, receive a plant number & will be legal to sell. I’m planning on having all that done by the first Farmers’ Market.

PAYMENT PLAN:
If you chose this option to pay for your share, your next payment is due May 1st.
Thanks for paying on time.
Paypal automatically charges your credit card if you chose to pay by this method.

GOAT BABIES, SHEEP
BABIES……
The season began March 4th
With Bennie giving birth to 3 bucks. We named them after the guys who built the barn..Willoughby for Will Elwell, Scottfree for Scott Barrows & Chappy for Al Chapman. Then came 2 sets of twin sheep, then Hershey gave us 2 more bucks, Then a few more sheep, then came one of the most intense days here on the farm. Our sheep live in our neighbors barn across the road with her sheep. We have combined flocks so to speak & share in all the animals care. Well on a particular Friday both Targa our goat & Roberta’s sheep Natalie were due. Roberta works on Friday at Northampton Wools & I work at Elmers. Derek had plans to drive Maia & Jayden to CT. for the weekend so Adam & Brian were in charge of checking the girls. I walked in the door from

work to Adam telling me that Targa was pushing. I quickly changed & took my place beside her. She gave birth to a doe & buck. Things went smoothly. Once we knew everyone was o.k. Brian went across the street to check on Natalie, he came back to say she was ready also. So off I went to check & then call Roberta to come home. I sat with Natalie until Roberta came home & then I went to feed the bucks. Roberta called when Natalie started pushing so back to that barn we all went. When we started to see a nose before the front feet Roberta & I began to worry. Natalie was obviously uncomfortable so Roberta pushed the head back in searched for the front legs pulled them out & then while Natalie pushed we pulled. The lamb kept coming & coming. She got stuck around the midsection, so we had to pull alittle harder. Big Betty weighed in at 14lbs. The average size for lambs is between 6-8lbs. 10 lbs. being a large lamb. I work a double on Fridays so I walked out of that barn at 4 p.m., washed & was back at Elmers’ for 4:30.
Momma & baby are doing fine, Betty is a very large girl, being almost the same size as the lambs born 3 weeks before her.
We’re going to plan a little better next year, the goats will kid first
& then the sheep. We have 2 more animals to birth…..1 sheep & 1 goat. Both are due the same day again. Artemis is Targa’s daughter, Tonya is Natalie’s twin, & they are due on a Friday. We’re a little nervous.

OTHER NEWS:
Kevin Ford sheared some of our sheep last week, so if anyone is

interested in raw fleece we have some for sale.

Due to the high number of bucks born on the farm this spring we have some wethered (neutered) goats for sale, they make great pets & are great for clearing land,

This year we are going paperless, so please check our website for monthly updates on the farm. Or you could always just ask us when you pick up your share.

WHERE WE’LL BE THIS SUMMER:
Saturdays: Ashfield Farmer’s Market
Tuesday: Greenfield Seniors Center for the Senior Farm Share Program Delivery
Hilltown Food Pantry Delivery
Wednesday: Tower Square Farmer’s Market Springfield

Sunday, February 24, 2008

A winter day on the farm

Here are our guinnea fowl. Aren't they cute????

Guinnea Fowl are from Africa where it is very warm. Yaks are from the Himalaya's, not somewhere you would consider warm. Well on Sangha Farm (which is pretty far from both places) the guinea's & yaks are great friends. Today was a beautiful winter day. Two days ago it snowed another 8 inches of fluffy powder, today the sun was shining, it was warm enough to wear fleece & overalls. I looked over & there on top of Praja sat one of our guinnea's. I just had to snap a few photos. The guinnea's were up to a lot today we also had to chase them off of our road, twice. They actually played 'chicken' with a car & wouldnt' let it pass. When we chased them back into our yard, they flew up in one of the old maple trees & squaked up a storm

Since today was so beautiful I decided to take some pictures of the barn. As you can see the outside it done & quite spectacular. The kay-lite is in place on the walls & ceiling of the cheese room & milk parlor. Bennie is huge & we expect her to kid anytime. We seperated her into the kidding pen, Shanti is with her just for company & warmth. While I"m not that computer savy, & consider myself pretty illiterate when it comes to all the new technology. As I begin my search for the equipement for the cheese room I"m very thankful that much of that searching can be done right from my very own home.

The front & back of the barn, those are the solar panels on the front roof

The side view shows the bathroon, cheese room & milking parlor windows
Here are some pictures of the inside of the barn. Thats Bennie peaking up over the top of her stall.

Aries is our 'big daddy' ram. He's almost 3 & still pretty sweet for a ram, though we don't turn our back on him anymore. But he still loves a scratch on his neck

The upstairs still needs the finishing touches.

A funny story!!!!!

This year, since a new greenhouse was purchased we had hoped to grow greens through the winter. Derek started building it the end of Sept. probably a little late to start, but it was worth a try. We had a pretty warm fall & were picking out in the field still & time just got away from us. By the time we could focus on the greenhouse again snow had settled on the land, then the holidays came & we all know how hectic a time that is, then more snow settled on the land. Finally mid Jan we started again on finishing the greenhouse. It took a few weeks before Derek could drive the tractor back there to snowblow, it was a great feeling to finally blow those feet of snow out of the greenhouse. Plans were made to build the end walls.........& then more snow arrived stalling the building. Then other things came up, then more snowblowing of snow from the previous few storms, then more plans to build, then more snow yet again delaying the building. Finally Al offered (ha, ha) to help Derek build, so off Derek went to once again snowblow out the greenhouse, along came another storm, but no matter what it was going to get done on Monday......well Monday came with below zero wind chill, tuesday so not much warmer & wed it snowed again.
Well this past week plans were once again made. This time Al & our friend Erik & Lauren were going to come. Monday we had freezing rain & sleet. Tuesday Derek was determined to chisel out the ice. The kids had some friends over, as we were discussing if everyone was going to go out & Derek was putting on his overalls we looked out to see snow falling once again, at times coming down in blizzard like force. He shook his head, the kids decided to stay in & off he went to shovel or chisel.
Wednesday came along with Al & Erik, inspite of the cold.....(Will set up the propane heater out there so everyone could warm their hands) building began. At the end of the day Al promised to come back Thursday to finish. Around 3 p.m. my sister called to ask if Derek & the guys were working like hell to finish before the storm? I asked what storm, she informed me we were getting another 6-10 beginning Friday ending early Sat morning. Now I had to just laugh, what else could I do????
So I suited up, went out to tell the guys that yet another storm was coming......an extra 6 inches at Al's just because he loves the snow so. Talk about Murphy's law
Tomorrow at 8 a.m. Derek will once again work on building those end walls. We are hoping (praying) that we can put the plastic up on Tuesday........I wonder if heavy winds are predicted for Tuesday????
It will be a big deal when the greenhouse is finished

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Fun Pictures

Here are some pictures taken inside the barn on a very cold, wet, slussy New England winter day

Moses & Abe hanging out looking for treats
the goats huddling for warmth

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Is it Spring Yet???????????

New England Winter!!!For those of you who are reading this from somewhere other than New England, we are for the first

time in many years having an old fashioned New England Winter. Our first snow storm was very early in the season....right after Thanksgiving I believe. And here it is mid-Feb. with still 2 feet of snow on the ground & more predicted for later in the week. Last year, our first snow storm was mid-Feb. As much as I enjoy a good snow storm, I'm ready for warmer weather & a new farm season!!!! These pictures were taken Feb 13th, we woke up to at least 8" of new snow, sometime in the early hours of the morning the snow changed to sleet/freezing rain. The branches of the trees are covered in ice. Derek snow blowed early & then fed the animals. The picture is of him returning from the barn.

chrissy & lisa after running 27 miles in San Fransisco
The race was won!!!!!!
Last October my cousins Chrissy & Lisa ran in the Nike Women's Marathon to Benefit Cancer. They ran the race in 6 hrs 15 min. not bad for 27 miles.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you who sponsored them, & us. We put the money to good use, some went to hay (Moses & Abraham are especially thankful!!), & some for fencing the new paddock area. Your generosity is much apperciated.
And special thanks again to Chrissy & Lisa for asking us to be the benefactors.

The barn is finished!!!
(well the outside anyway)
At long last the outside of the barn is complete the solar panels are functioning & producing energy even with the little sun we've had this winter. Will, Scott, & Al are busy finishing the milk parlor, milk/cheese room. Things are moving along for our cheese making endeavor. We start purchasing equipment this month. Its all very exciting. The barn is amazing. Good old fashioned workmanship. Each & every detail of the building has been a labor of love.

Babies!Babies!Babies!
Soon there will be many 4 legged babies running around Sangha Farm. All the ewes are bred, including our neighbors sheep thats 7 ewes which means at least 14 babies.
We had the vet come out a few weeks ago to ultrasound the goats. We're very happy to say that all are bred. Bennie the first doe we bought has been having false pregnancies the last few years. Last spring I attended an 'alternative herd health' workshop, where douching with a herbal remedy was recommended to correct a suspected hormonal imbalance. I had also read in another holistic livestock book that douching could help an animal when there is trouble breeding. Bennie was milking when we bought her,so we knew she could get pregnant. So last Sept. we started douching her. It was one of the least enjoyable jobs we had to do here at the farm, but fortunately it worked. I can tell you how happy Derek & I were when we saw the babies on the ultrasound. Other vets & breeders have told us that since she had 2 false pregnancies there was little chance she would breed again, & we should cull her. We did consider selling her but knew her prospects weren't that good for finding a good home. I couldn't give up on her, she was such a good milker, & has been a great surrogate mother to the babies we've had I wanted her to have her own babies. Since my first inclination when ill is herbal medicine its really nice when its effectiveness is proven. Bennie is bagging up (which means her udder is filling with colostrum), we expect her to kid soon...definetly by the beginning of March. I will post pictures when the babies start arriving. From our calculations from whenver Bennie kids til mid-April we'll be having babies....I can't wait.

Sangha Farm C.S.A. page coming soon!

Soon you'll be able to sign-up & pay for our CSA on line. Keep checking back

Organic Certification

pictures by Will

Elwell

Each year Derek & I discuss wether or not to apply for organic certification. We grow according to organic standards the USDA now owns the word organic, which means we can't say organic without certification. Because there is a 3 yr. waiting period when transistioning fields, this year we can apply for certification for all our growing fields & pasture land, the hay fields have to wait 2 more years. We have never used chemicals but there is no record of what was put on the fields before we started growing on them in 2004. The paperwork is intense & there is a significant expense.

Since our market is mostly local we debate on wether its necessary or not. We sell at area farmers' markets where customers can ask our growing style or because they are are neighbors they just know our growing standards. Where the certification becomes necessary is when you enter into the wholesale market. Which is an area we want to enter into more.

So once again Derek has pulled out the application & started the paperwork process.....answering questions, drawing maps, charts, etc., etc., all to make us more efficient farmers?????? or maybe just more accountable. I would like to certify our pasture land, since we are entering the dairy world with goat cheese it would be nice to have on our label that our grass fed goats graze on certified organic pasture.

It would be nice to hear if that certified organic label is important to those that buy our produce, please email with your opinions. Thanks

Sangha Farm: Grown the Way Nature Intended