Mountain Lakes Organic Co-op

06/05/2023

Farmer John Update

Hi Folks,
I want to thank all of you who have signed up for the 2023 season; I appreciate every one of you and all your support. The circumstances of the start of this season have been unprecedented and the bottom line is that we will need to cancel the first delivery and begin the share on Thursday, June 15th. The season will still conclude with the delivery on November 16th, with the stock up share during the week
of November 20 th (Thanksgiving week).

We will compensate you for the missed week during the course of the season by adding volume to the shares. The early deliveries will be a bit small as usual, but I can assure you that we do not give up and as the season progresses, we will do our best to provide you with the quality and value that you have come to expect.

A confluence of factors has affected our production. The weather is, of course, a challenge that we must contend with during every growing season, but it seems to get wilder and weirder every year. This season began very dry; a dearth of snow or any type of precipitation over the winter left the soil moisture exceptionally low as we began to prepare ground for planting in March. A heat wave in early April exacerbated the situation.

On April 8 th , after planting peas in what was basically dust, we began to lay drip lines over the rows to help germination. Shortly thereafter we received the first of several deluging rains, rendering our efforts unnecessary. The ground, being so parched, quickly soaked up this excessive water but soon thereafter we experienced a week of showers and drizzle which left the fields too wet for prep or planting.

At the end of April, we had another deluge- 3” in less than two hours! This left the fields a muddy mess, that when the sun came out the ground was baked to a rock-hard crust that our potatoes and recently planted seeds could not break through. Two weeks ago, we spent over a hundred man-hours chopping away at this crust, so that the spuds could sprout (which they have!).

After this we returned to dry conditions and have had less than a half inch of rain during all of May. Additionally, the heat of early April caused the emergence of our most damaging and difficult insect pests - flea beetle, several weeks earlier than normal. They quickly descended on our tender transplants and germinating seeds and did extensive damage before we were able to protect the plants. We now finally have them under control.

For almost all the challenges that we experience on the farm there are solutions or workarounds. The one thing that all these remediations require is labor. Labor is one of the most difficult challenging issues in agriculture. My solution has been to use a Department of Labor guest worker program called H-2A. I bring my workers from Guatemala and Nicaragua with temporary visas. The Guatemalan contingent is
the most important part of my crew.

Many of them have worked for me for more than ten seasons; three of them have NJ driver’s licenses and experience operating tractors. Esperanza manages the greenhouse, the CSA distributions, and the markets. Her brother Manuel is the crew leader, managing all the workers, the irrigation system, and pest control. I began the process, as usual, of receiving the approvals from the DOL in December and by March they submit their forms and documentation to the US embassy and within a week to ten days they receive their passports with visa by courier.

This year the paperwork was submitted on March 8 th and after a week only three had received their passports back. Two weeks later Esperanza and Marco received theirs. For 5 weeks I tried to get answers and action from the embassy to no avail. I finally contacted Congressman Gottheimer’s office for assistance and the embassy ignored their correspondence for two weeks before stating that the visas were approved on March 27, but that there was a technical problem with printing the visas.

On May 20th, the remaining six workers finally received their passports and on May 22nd they arrived - more than two months after I needed them! We have forged ahead during this time, with a skeleton crew of less experienced workers. We have worked long hours to keep from falling behind and now after a week with a full crew, we are getting back on track. We are moving the irrigation system around the fields; the well pumps are running, and transplanting constantly.

I appreciate your support and understanding,

Farmer John

12/08/2022

What's in your basket this week?
Butternut squash, purple sweet potatoes, red leaf lettuce, asparagus, artichokes and tarragon. Pinata apples, bartlett pears, ruby grapefruit, pomegranates, Hachiya persimmons and blackberries.

Add-on items available: almond milk, brown large eggs, firm tofu. Original, ruby and ginger carrots sauerkraut. Walnuts in shell, coconut chunks and apple cider.

We'll be closed on Dec. 22nd and 29th. All orders for items by the case and half-a-case only available until next week. Please place those orders by Monday Dec. 12th.

Gift cards are now available through your account on our website. When logging to your account, you will find it on the storefront on your left-hand side.

11/16/2022

Farmer John's Newsletter...

Hi Everyone,
So, we have reached the end of the line for this season. I would say the finish line, but my crew and me still have several more weeks to finish out the season. There is still some garlic to be planted, the stock up shares to put together, and various root crops to harvest for storage through the winter and into next spring. And there are a myriad of other chores to be done, to put the farm to bed for the winter.

As I mentioned last week, we are entering a very cold stretch of weather. We have been busy harvesting many of the crops that will be in the shares this week and in the stock-up before they are damaged. And we have been moving many of the crops in storage into the barn where they can be better protected from the cold nights ahead.

I think that it was a fairly good season, I hope that you all feel the same. There are always some crops with which I wish we could have done better. A few of these, such as cucumbers, are perennially pesky- they are just very challenging to grow in our climate. There is a lot of great breeding work being done, especially for organic growers. I am hopeful that new varieties will soon be available with more disease resistance, that will allow for more sustained productivity.

A few years back we could hardly grow basil due to a disease called Basil Downy Mildew; now, thanks to Rutgers Cooperative Extension we have 2 new varieties with excellent resistance.

It is a time to be thankful, and I must always give praise and thanks to my fantastic crew. They work diligently and conscientiously through all kinds of weather-unbearable heat, wind, rain and bitter cold and the are always cheerful. And of course, I am extremely grateful to you the members, who put your trust in us by investing in the farm months before there will be any return on your investment.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and a safe and healthy winter. See you next spring!

The share for this week will be: Butternut squash, orange sweet potatoes, red-skin potatoes, parsnips, choice of turnips or rutabaga, carrots, spinach, kale, lettuce, broccoli or cauliflower, Savoy cabbage, and leeks.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Farmer John

Only tomorrow, free organic eggnog with your order. Contact me to reserve yours. Limited quantities! First come, first served!

10/31/2022

Our local season is coming to an end this year with Farmer John's stock-up share. This year we'll have it available at 3 of our pick-up sites: Mountain Lakes, Denville and Madison and a handful of locations where we can deliver. Full and half shares available. All orders must be made by Monday Nov. 21st. Delivery/pick-up day is Wed. Nov. 23rd. Non-members are welcome. This year for those of you who don't think this share is for you but still want to help Farmer John and his farm, we're also accepting donations for Circle Brook Farm. As usual we'll continue the rest of the year. Contact us for details. www.mountainlakesorganic.com [email protected] 201.838.5653

10/12/2022

10/05/2022

Farmer John's Newsletter

Hi Folks,
So, we are hanging to summer - but just by a thread! This will be the last week for summer squash and sweet corn. We had a good run with both; I know that this was the most sweet corn that members have ever received.

The beans are coming to an end as well; we will have some for most groups this week and will catch up next week with those who lacked them. The brassicas should be starting up by now, but unfortunately, they are behind schedule - a consequence of the prolonged drought.

For this week we will have some baby bok choi. We are expecting a couple of cold nights over the weekend, hopefully nothing too drastic!

The share for this week be: Summer squash, salad turnips, arugula or tatsoi, delicata or sweet dumpling winter squash, gold potatoes, baby bok choi, garlic, sweet corn, radishes, beans (for some), ornamental gourds and choice of an herb.

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Fruits this week are Fuji apples, Bartlett or Red Starkrimson pears, pineapples, avocado, pomegranates, peaches, black plums, kiwi, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, red grapes, and kiwi berries.

Our add -ons: organic almond milk, organic local eggs, organic original, ruby and ginger carrots sauerkraut, organic kalamata and green olives. Organic apple cider is back! Pie pumpkins, mini jack-be-little or wee-bee little pumpkins available upon request. Organic egg nog coming next month!

09/28/2022

Circle Brook Farm 2022 Fall Event Schedule

We will host several more events at the farm this fall. These will all be opportunities to see the farm and to lend a hand with the harvest. All the volunteer opportunities will be followed by a farm tour. You are welcome to come for one or the other, or both. Bring drinks and lunch or some snacks to eat in between the work and the tour.

Volunteer days-
Winter squash harvest- Saturday, October 1 st , 2 PM with a twilight farm tour @ 5 PM
Saturday, October 8 th , 3 PM- with a twilight farm tour @ 5 PM Sunday,
October 9 th , 11 AM -with a farm tour @ 2 PM Sunday,
October 16 th , 11 AM- with a farm tour @ 2 PM

Sweet potato harvest- Bring gloves and be prepared to get dirty!
Saturday, October 22, 3 PM- with a twilight tour @ 5PM
Sunday, October23 rd , 11 AM- with a farm tour @ 2 PM
Sunday, October 30th 11 AM- with a farm tour @ 2 PM

FARM VISIT-Saturday, October 29 th , I will give a farm tour @ 2PM Afterwards, if there is any interest we can carve pumpkins for Jack-O-Lanterns and /or have a campfire. Please let me know if you are interested in these activities ASAP, so that we can gauge interest and plan.

Garlic Prep-Sunday November 6 th , 11 am- Come out and help prepare the garlic for planting. This will be done inside the barn, so it will be rain or shine. If there is interest and the weather permits, I will be happy to show folks around the farm in the afternoon.

Please RSVP to me directly if you will be attending any of the volunteer days or would like to hang around for pumpkin carving or a campfire on 10/29. [email protected]

I look forward to meeting many of the members in the coming weeks!
Farmer John

09/07/2022

Hello everyone,

Happy Labor Day! It seems we will finally see some abatement from the prolonged dry spell. At this writing we are receiving light rain and more and heavier precipitation is predicted over the next 36 hours. Hopefully, we will be graced with the wet stuff with more regularity as we head into autumn.

It also appears that the extreme heat may be mostly over for this season. Now we must hope that the first frost does not come to early and that it will not begin to rain too much!

After thirteen straight weeks of zucchini, we must finally take a pause. Beginning next week, we will start to send winter squash, specifically spaghetti squash. Arugula is back- yippee! Though, be advised -it is very spicy.

Speaking of spicy- radishes return as well. Remember, if you cook them in a stir
fry or a soup or roast them, they lose their heat. Also, if you will not get to use them right away, remove the tops so they will not get soft. We have a few leeks for you, for the first time this season.

For some reason they did not grow well for us this year from the beginning, and the drought only made matters worse.

The share for this week will be: Beans, peppers, sweet corn, arugula, red-skin potatoes, carrots, leeks, lettuce, radishes, and choice of an herb.

Bon Appetit!
Farmer Jean

07/28/2022

Farmer John's Newsletter
Hi Everyone,
I hope you all have managed okay with this weekend’s scorching heat. It was hard on my workers, but, as always, they stoically endured it. Had it not been for the rain earlier in the week, it might have been devastating for the crops. We were hoping for some more precipitation on Monday as cooler air moves in, unfortunately we got a scant tenth of an inch.

Temps this week will be a little more bearable, especially with nighttime temperatures dropping into the sixties. Hopefully, there will be more
rain soon.

We have some more sweet corn for you this week, although a smaller quantity than last week. The birds have been devastating our corn plantings this year; I’ve never seen anything like it! We have netting that we cover the stalks with, but they still get in and wreak havoc.

There will be green peppers for the first time and more tomatoes. We are finishing the cauliflower/green cabbage rotation. The heat
has destroyed the tops on the beets, so we will be sending them loose.

The share will be: Tomatoes, summer squash, cauliflower or green cabbage, beets, peppers, beans, sweet corn, eggplant, red onions, and basil.

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Fruits this week will be watermelon, bananas, nectarines, pluots, cherry plums, black grapes, apricots, strawberries and blueberries.

We also have this week organic almond milk, local organic eggs, organic sauerkraut, organic kalamata and green olives, gluten-free mushroom ravioli, and organic firm tofu.

07/18/2022

Highly motivated, independent, reliable and honest individual to assist with the administration of 2 small growing businesses.
Flexible schedule. Part-time to start but can lead to a full-time position.
Must be 21 yrs old or older.
Must have a reliable means of transportation.
Must be comfortable travelling to at least 2 locations (Hoboken and Mountain Lakes).
Strong interpersonal skills.
Active listening and good communication skills.
Tech savvy. Comfortable with Email, Internet browsing, Social Media, navigating Applications.
Strong time management and organizational skills.
Comfortable working from home.

07/12/2022

What's your favorite melon? This week we're offering honeydew. One cup of honeydew contains 64 calories, 16 grams of carbs, 1.4 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, 0 fat, 53% vitamin C, 8% B6 and folate, 6% vitamin K, 12% potassium, and 4% magnesium.
It may maintain healthy blood pressure levels due to its low sodium and high potassium levels. Due to its folate, magnesium and vitamin K contains, it assists to maintain healthy bones.
For those concerned about their sugar levels, a study found that when diabetes patients consume fruits at least 3 times a week, they have 13-28% less chances of developing diabetes-related health complications.
Though honeydew contains carbs that can raise your blood sugar temporarily, it also provides fiber and other nutrients that may help improve blood sugar control over time.
When you think of hydration, the first thing that probably comes to mind is water. However to effectively and properly hydrate, your body needs more than that — it needs electrolytes, too.
Honeydew is about 90% water and contains electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium. This combination of water and nutrients makes honeydew great for hydrating after a workout, during illness or if you’re just trying to stay hydrated throughout your day.
Eating honeydew may support healthy skin due to its high vitamin C content.
Vitamin C is arguably best known for its role in supporting immune function, and honeydew is loaded with it.
Honeydew contains fiber, a nutrient that is well known for improving digestive health. Honeydew melon also contains two potent antioxidants: lutein and zeaxanthin.
These carotenoid compounds are well known for supporting eye health and preventing the development of age-related vision loss. Research indicates that regularly eating foods that contain these antioxidants, such as honeydew, may support proper eye function throughout your life.

06/29/2022

Farmer John's Newsletter

Hi Everyone,
I need to keep it brief this time, because I must get back out in the field to get some
planting done. I am almost finished with sowing the winter squash- just two varieties of acorn to go! I will be planting sweet corn and cucumbers later this evening. I like to plant late in the day, just after we till the beds. The seeds then have the night to soak up the humidity in the soil before the sun begins to dry out the surface.

Tomorrow I will make the second planting of beets and the third planting of carrots.
I lied last week when I promised Sugar snap peas- we were still heavy on the English, and these do not hold their sweetness as well. Hopefully, none of you tried to eat the pods! We will definitely have the edible pod types for you this round. We also are bringing in a lot of cucumbers from the greenhouses, so the Friday groups enjoyed some of these. We should have enough for everyone this week.

We also have broccoli coming in strong, so we will hold off on the Napa cabbage until next time. For greens we have kale and one more bunch of spinach, as well as a double dose of lettuce again. We have some lovely red skin turnips, so we will offer them as a choice with the salad turnips. Scallions, aka green onions are the allium of the week.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, kale, peas, summer squash, cukes, broccoli,
spinach, choice of red skin or salad turnips, scallions, choice of an herb (or two)- cilantro, dill, parsley, marjoram, or summer savory.

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Fruits this week are: cantaloupes or seedless watermelon, Fuji apples, nectarines, apricots, red or very cherry plums, Ataulfo mangos, strawberries or blueberries, black mission figs and green seedless grapes.

We also have available this week: Organic Large Brown Eggs from Farmer John's Circle Brook Farm, Three Threes Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk, Deglet Noor Dates, Hawthorne Valley Organic Original, Ruby and Ginger Carrots Sauerkraut, Divina Organic Kalamata and Green Olives, and La Pasta Gluten-Free Mushroom Ravioli.

Grapefruits, oranges and pears will not be available by the case much longer. Peaches, berries and grapes are back.