Farmers
Introducing GroundWork Farms’ Farmers!
*Produce*
–Shady Locust Produce–
Benuel and Sarah Lapp of Rebersburg are long-time produce growers who also manage a certified organic dairy farm. Their vegetables are raised without the use of any chemicals and are marketed primarily through GroundWork’s CSA.
–King Family Farm–
Jonathan and Bina King of Rebersburg are experienced vegetable growers who have sold sweet corn and other produce direct from their farm for many years. They have been supplying produce for GroundWork’s vegetable shares since the very beginning and are committed to using organic methods of production on their farm.
–Byler Family Farm–
Rufus and Elizabeth Byler raise a variety of vegetables on their farm outside of Aaronsburg. They have sold produce direct from their farm for a number of years, and have been growing for GroundWork’s since 2005. With the help of their team of halflinger horses, the Bylers raise a large field of vegetables using all organic methods.
*Eggs*
–Spring Bank Acres–
Raymond and Mary Fisher are innovative farmers who live along route 445 North of Millheim. Their flock of laying hens are raised on pasture and are free to roam about and eat whatever grasses, broadleaves, or insects catch their fancy. These eggs are incomparable in color (bright orange yolks!), flavor, and sponginess (should you bake with them) because of the variety present in the chickens’ diet. And as with all pastured animal products, those beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and cancer-fighting conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) are surely high in these delicious eggs.
*Herbs*
–Spring Bank Acres–
Mary Fisher started supplying GroundWork’s herb shares in 2010 and greatly enjoyed the experience of cutting and bunching fresh herbs each week. Herb share customers will receive a variety of fresh herbs delivered to a convenient location each week from June to October. Gallon bags full of bunches of fresh herbs will at times be augmented by a bulb of garlic or edible flowers. In the fall, herb share customers may receive jars of dried herbs or home made pesto for the freezer. If you’ve never cooked with fresh herbs, you’ll never go back after sampling the basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, and other flavorful herbs grown using organic methods at Spring Bank Acres!
*Dairy Products*
–Spring Bank Acres–
In addition to producing egg and herb shares, Raymond and Mary Fisher are also dairy farmers. Their mission is to produce quality dairy products in harmony with nature for their community. Spring Bank’s farm and herd of approximately 32 Holstein and Jersey cows are:
~Grass-fed
~Grain-free
~Chemical-free
~Antibiotic-free
~GMO-free
~Not treated with rBST
The Fishers offer a number of raw milk products, including bottled raw milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, butter, and sour cream. Their dairy CSA is unique in that each week you can put in an order for which specific products you’d like to receive. Visit our dairy page for details and a product list. The benefits provided by raw milk dairy products are too numerous to list here, but suffice it to say that the pasteurization process destroys innumerable beneficial enzymes, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and bacteria. A strict system of sanitation combined with stainless steel containers and holding tanks make pasteurization an unnecessary and even detrimental process. Here in PA we are lucky to have licensing for raw milk dairy farms where rigorous inspections ensure that quality and safety remain high. For more information about the benefits of raw milk, check out realmilk.com
*Bread*
–Eunice Lehman–
Dairy farmer Eunice Lehman has agreed to bake bread for the CSA this year. Eunice has been selling her bread and other baked goods at farmers’ markets for a number of years, and has developed a loaf that will please many GroundWork’s customers. It’s sweetish, a bit soft, baked in stainless steel baking pans. It’s not a coarse artisan-type bread-more like the bread your grandma might have baked, if she was ever into that sort of thing. It’s great for sandwiches, and as French toast it’s unsurpassed. If you’re trying to get your children to eat whole grain bread, this would be the place to start!
Ingredients: Prairie Gold whole-wheat flour, water, honey, olive oil, Redmond salt, and yeast.
The Prairie Gold company sells wheat products from farmers who use no chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides, and do not use any GM (genetically modified) seeds. They have their wheat tested by an independent lab for chemical residues. The only non-organic practice used by these farmers is that they use synthetic fertilizers rather than animal manure.
*Organic, Fair-Trade Coffee*
–Webster’s Bookstore and Cafe–
Webster’s has been serving Organic, Fair-trade coffees since 1999, when they first opened their doors. Since then, they have expanded to two full-service cafes and now offer catering of delicious, local, organic foods. Through GroundWork Farms, Webster’s provides a coffee share comprised of weekly deliveries of coffee beans. CSA members can choose from a variety of options, including 2oz bags of ground beans, ready for the coffee maker, or several size bags of roasted whole beans. A number of varieties are available, including their House Blend, Italian Dark, and Decaf. And all of Webster’s coffee comes from farmers who are treated and compensated fairly for their products, which are grown in an ecologically sustainable manner.
*Meats, Fruits, Berries and More!*
In addition to weekly CSA share deliveries, GroundWork’s CSA members will have the opportunity to order other products from local farmers, including strawberries, blueberries, apples, pastured chickens, beef, pork, and lamb, canned goods, baked goods, flour, mushrooms, home-made soaps and more! We keep our ear to the ground for new items and are pleased to deliver them with your share boxes or sometimes on other days of the week. CSA members can find out about these extra products in our biweekly newsletter and through email announcements.
