Hilltown Families 
GIVEAWAY: 2016 CSA Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm
Enter to Win a 2016 Summer Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm!
Enter for a chance to win a Small Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm in Florence, MA for the 2016 season by sharing ways your family engages in our local food culture and the learning you glean from your experiences in the comment field. Deadline: March 29th, 2016.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a fabulous way families can support local farmers. By purchasing a CSA share for your family, shareholders pledge their support of a local farm and receive weekly shares of fruits, vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, honey, eggs, dairy and meat products. CSA’s are also great opportunities for community-based learning! Here on Hilltown Families we highlight educational opportunities in the region that integrate our local food culture, encouraging families to engage with our community while learning through the lens of local food. For a list of CSA’s in the Pioneer Valley, check out CISA’s list of local farms.
FOOD-BASED EDUCATION
How does your family participate in our local food culture? Maybe you have a garden in your yard, a plot at the community garden or container pots on the front stoop or windowsill? Do you buy your food at farmers’ markets or roadside stands? Is volunteering to support food security and sustainable agriculture in our region a priority to your family? How does Hilltown Families support your family in your food, farm and garden-based interests?
We invite our readers to share ways your family engages in our local food culture and how you use this lens of community engagement as a way of supporting the interests and education of your children. Hilltown Families sponsor, Crimson & Clover Farm, a community based farm on the Northampton Community Farm land, is partnering with us by offering an incentive to our readers to share their stories. Share ways your family engages in our local food culture and the learning you glean from your experiences, and be entered to win a Small CSA Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm, a $420 value! Deadline to enter to win: March 29th, 2016, by 11:59pm (EST). Details on how to enter to win are below.
CRIMSON & CLOVER FARM
Crimson & Clover Farm is a community based farm located on the beautiful Northampton Community Farm in Florence, Massachusetts. They grow vegetables, fruits and flowers for a Community Supported Agriculture Program and for farmers’ markets. Welcoming and encouraging community involvement with the farm, they offer volunteer opportunities, farm celebrations and educational opportunities.
They are offering our readers a Small Farm Share ($420 value) which will feed up to two people. Their vegetable options change through the season, starting with more leafy greens in the early season and more roots and summer type vegetables as the season moves along. The Small Farm Share is a great option for smaller families, couples, individuals, or folks trying out a CSA share for the first time. In addition to a Small Farm Share the winning shareholders will have access to their Pick-Your-Own garden where families can pick many other crops like strawberries, cherry tomatoes, flowers and much more. Find out more about their farm shares at www.crimsonandcloverfarm.com.
HOW TO WIN
Winning a Small Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm in Florence, MA for the 2016 season will be super fun for all foodies and families who love to cook, eat and learn together! To enter to win simply:
- POST YOUR STORY AS OUTLINED ABOVE in the comment field below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us how Hilltown Families supports your family in your food, farm and garden-based interests. Also include your
- FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
- LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
- ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
- CONSIDER SHARING THIS GIVEAWAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK TOO by selecting the Facebook icon below (maybe if they win they’ll invite you over for a locally prepared dinner one summer’s eve!).
- FROM OUR FAVORITE ENTRIES (so make them thoughtful!) we’ll randomly draw a winner from those who have shared how Hilltown Families supports your family in your food, farm and garden-based interests and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, March 29th, 2016 by 11:59pm (EST).
Thank you to everyone for participating and for your wonderful feedback!
Congratulations to Brianyn MacLeod of Amherst, MA! Brianyn has won a Small Farm Share from Crimson & Clover Farm in Florence, MA for the 2016 season!
My name is Rebecca Martin, I am a single disabled mother of two. We have now been a part of the csa farm share program at Crimpson and Clover farm for two years.
The year my second son was born was our first year. I am very lucky that my sons first memories are filled with weekends spent walking up to the farm, being layed down in the feild as we picked fresh fruits and vegetables. Just being mesmerized by the world around him. He loved to hold and play with the kale leaves that were giant in his tiny hands. He loves also laying in the clover and watching the bees drink from white blossoms all around him.
Ayden my elder son and I had many adventures with many new vegetables. He would run home and investigate recipes for things like rutabaga and fennel. He learned that ruttabegga are better than banana for potassium and eat them hole heartedly as he is growing bones.
We got a large share and we gave extras to our neighbors in Meadowbrook apartments. The first year everyone looked at us like we were weird. Why is she giving us this? The second year a few neighbors were excited to have fresh greens and vegetables and looked forward to my visits. One nursing mom fell in love with collards. She said her three boys even started eating kale and squash. She and a friend are looking to split a share this year to try it out
Being outside, watching how things grow, harvesting has inspired this small family to try a garden of our own. We have a plot at the community garden. It has grown more weeds than food at this point but we are hoping to spend more time this year and plan some really useful plants. Ayden has a nack for pulling weeds and identifying the sprouting plants. Rowan has a nack for watering other people’s gardens and the grass.
Ayden has also entered a cooking contest. His video featured food from the farm and though he did not win he learned a lot about how to research, make a plan, make a time frame to get work done for a deadline. As well as the science and creativity of cooking. The best part of this project was how he looked at me in new light realizing I go through this process every day for each meal. It was a wonderful experience for the whole family.
We have had many health benefits as well. The boys and I have been sick much less these years. Winter sickness fly by without settling in. Aydens asthma has not acted up at all. My son’s seek healthy foods and actively stay away from sugar. They are clearer and more present. They are more active, inquisitive, and adventurous.
We are very greatful for these and all the wonderful adventures we have had the oppertunity to have because of this program and this local farm.
Haydenville. We Love use find out about farmers markets and events where we can buy farm fresh!
Hilltown Families is the place to read about all happenings in the area and to be inspired about food, farm, and garden topics, among many others. We have participated in the events promoted by Hilltown Families since my children, now 6 and 8, were toddlers. We went to Atlas Farms to harvest veggies to donate to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. We also attended a volunteer event where we made seed bombs and my children learned about food insecurity. Without this blog we wouldn’t have learned about this educational and meaningful events.
My husband and I try hard for our family to eat healthy and clean, to expose our children to a wide diversity of foods, and to reduce waste to a minimum, but sometimes it is hard because fresh, local food can be expensive, although we stretch our budget as much as possible. A farm share would be a wonderful gift for our family! Thank you Hilltown Families for this giveaway and good luck to everyone.
Rebeca Chaverri
South Hadley, MA
I like hearing about the local food festivals and activities; tomato festival, garlic fest, cider days, etc…
Dave Cahn
Cummington, MA
Brianyn MacLeod – Amherst, MA
Our family has actively been apart of the local food community for the last decade. It all started with a simple question at our dinner table. “Where does our food come from?” From there we started talking about where our food comes from, native environment, how to grow our favorite foods, as well as taking time to visit our local farms. We also actively took part in the installation of the permaculture gardens at Umass.
My two children ages 10 & 6 really appreciate feeling involved in the community through their food. Sometimes that means visiting farms or sometimes it means foraging for wild foods with friends. The many farmers markets have become a family adventure that we look forward to together. Cooking the foods we bought at the market are always a great way to spend time together and honor our bodies through healthy eating habits. Hilltown families has been a great resource for us over the years. We find out about so many wonderful events through Hilltown Families. These events are always a blast!
Thank you Hilltown Families for all that you do!
Maple time is one of my favorite reasons to live here! Our family has enjoyed visiting the different local places that produce that delicious sticky goodness! We’ve learned a lot about the hard work that goes into that sweet syrup we drown our pancakes in! Hanging Mountain Farms was an awesome visit where you can step inside to see the process of the syrup making, as well as their very interesting Straw Bale Cafe built with actual bales of hay. Their food is fresh and delicious too. South Face farm is also an awesome to visit. Bring your appetite because they have the best pancakes using local blueberries and of course fresh maple syrup. You can catch a peep at the sugaring process too. These are just two reasons the first signs of spring in our area are a fantastic way to get out and enjoy what this land has to offer.
Christa Figueroa
Holyoke, MA
We’d like to grow some of our own veggies this year. Last year we got a few starter plants from a local source and there was a blight on all of the items that grew. I’m guessing it was the soil they came in because that’s the only thing they had in common. It was a bummer because we were only able to get a few veggies off each one . We don’t want to quit though! We will have planters and boxes to grow our things in. We haven’t worked up to a full garden yet but the kids really enjoy taking care of the plants we do get.
My family and I love living in the Valley in part because of all of the opportunities for outdoor adventures and good food! We live in an apartment, so we don’t have access to a garden, but do enjoy local farmers markets and trips to various farms in the valley. Baking with freshly picked fruits in the summer is one of our favorite activities. We live close to Crimson and Clover and adding freshly picked veggies and flowers to our home would be such a treat!
I check in weekly with Hilltown Families to plan our weekend adventures and have found many of the Valley’s greatest places and activities on your site!
Liz Burnworth,
Northampton MA
We own a dog walking business and are in the woods every day through every season. My husband became ibterested in the wide variety of mushrooms he found whle on walks and taugh himself all about edible and medicinal mushrooms! Now every year Noam forages enough edible mushrooms to sell at the Tuesfay market to barter for other local food. It’s an awesome way to
Be invved in local food and it delicious!
Our family of 3 chore and two adults recently became vegetarian so we cold really use a farm share! Thank you
I am transitioning to shopping in Northampton at the co-op and smaller stores. It’s nice to spend less time driving and more time intentionally living. I choose the best produce I can afford, often organic and local. We’ve had some health challenges in the family, and we found we feel a lot better when we eat better. What’s the use of saving money on food, only to need medication when your health fails from poor food choices?
I treasure the local landscape, where I grew up and raised my daughter, which I share with my clients who need socializing and exposure to the outdoors in equal measure. Farms are not only necessary to our survival as a species, they help a community focus on keeping the water and soil quality good so we can all live healthier lives. Thanks for all you do!
When it came time to plan our older daughter’s bat mitzvah, we wanted the celebration of her becoming an adult to reflect our family’s values. All our produce was grown locally, mostly from Golonka Farm, and cherry tomatoes grown in our very first raised bed. We shared this value with our guests by featuring a delicious menu of locally and sustainably grown foods.
Amy Meltzer
northampton, ma
We grow our own pears, peas, tomatoes, herbs and popcorn and then head out to local farms for blueberries, maple syrup and root veggies.
Our family loves to visit all of the local farms in the valley. We go strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry picking at different farms each year with our young toddlers who are 2 and 4 years old. We enjoy canning and dehydrating the harvest and enjoying it year round. We are so blessed to live in an area where we can enjoy the harvest with our children.
Honestly, this will be our first year with a garden! My kids and I are so excited to finally be in our own house where we can have a garden!!! My 8 year old wants to plant carrots and my 6 year old wants sugar snap peas! And they want to help! A family project that will bring our emotionally drained family together! A farm share would be an added welcome not only financially but as a learning experience for my kids. Please consider us.
Our family consists of 3 right now with a 4th on the way. We enjoy the growing season and frequent the many farmers markets we are so lucky to have in our area. Buying produce is not the only thing we go for though. Our weekend trips to the markets are educational for our son. We meet and greet those we buy from and find out more about their lively hood. This puts faces to the food we eat giving it more meaning that we know the farmers who have grown or raised our food. We discuss the colors, shapes, tastes, and smells. We enjoy allowIng our son to help make healthy decisions about what goes into our bodies. Another great thing is purchasing seeds and seedling from local farmers. We take the time to read a little about our soon to be plants and how best to support their growth in our garden. We have grown everything from lettuce to blue Hubbard squash to jalapeños! The bounty we grow from these seeds and seedling is something we share with those around us. Where I work we have a table that people can give and take items for free. During the growing season our son helps us to pick the ripened veggies and fruit that we grow. We then portion out what our family will use and what we can give to someone else is need. This allows us to share what we have grown with others who may not have the opportunity to purchase their own homegrown fresh fruits and veggies. It helps to instill in our so. the nature of giving back and how important it is to share with those around us. We look forward to helping the local economy, providing a fun learning environment for our son, and helping others during the growing season.
Victoria Valenti-Triggs/Charlemont, MA
*The rest of my entry: Hilltown Families is where I check for the latest news on when ‘Maple Breakfasts’ are up and running (a true sign of a returning spring!) and our family has attended numerous farm events and vacation farm classes that we found out about through HF’s weekly newsletter.
Heather Polson / Northampton MA
I have older lads, 9 & 11, but we’ve belonged to CSAs since they were very little. It’s really all wonderful, there aren’t any negatives to heading to the farm every week to: see the same community of people; pick our own berries, peas, etc. to feast on then and there or to bring home; beautify our home with freshly picked flowers; give our meals extra zing with herbs we cut with our own hands; see the farmers be so engaged in the both the growing and tending, as well as the greeting and sharing.
It’s also a time when we go as a family to the farm and that’s special too. The hour together is a weekly ritual where we each connect with one another and the farm and it’s process (what’s newly planted or almost ripe or ready to enjoy RIGHT NOW).
We love the weekly sojourn to our farm share. It’s a social occasion as well as a nutritious one. We leave each week feeling a sense of community that’s different than the one we get shopping in town or at the grocery store. Knowing the daunting force that agri-business is, we love supporting a farm that’s part of the ever-expanding small farm movement. We share meals with friends and neighbors and make sure they know where we got the veggies. We’ve converted many (insert grocery chain here) customers to dedicated CSA members. Change happens slowly, sometimes one delicious batch of gazpacho at a time.
Jim Neill
Northampton
As a family with two children under age 5, it can be a challenge to eat healthy. But, we are blessed to live in the valley, where access to fresh, locally grown food is abundant. While we are unable to grow a great deal of our own food, we do make regular visits to local farms to pick our own berries, apples, beans and squash, and learn about maple syrup production. We also regularly visit local farm stands and farmer’s markets to buy fresh produce, discussing with our children where and how the produce is grown. Hilltown Families helps us support our goals of teaching our kids about sustainable healthy food sources by regularly including local grower events such as farmer’s markets, asparagus festivals, pumpkin festivals, and blog posts about pick-your-own or sugar shack locations. I was not familiar with many of these places before having children, and have learned a great deal through the other families in my community.
Shannon Dillard
Holyoke, MA
After recently going from a household of 2 to 3 to 4 this one is a little hard to answer honestly but I’ll try. When we were 2 we had a lot of fun nights out sampling the cuisine throughout the region, bringing home fresh veggies and products from the farm share, shopping at smaller boutique grocery stores, hitting up farmers markets for the latest this and freshest that. When we were 3 we did most of this except for the regularly dining out part. Now that we are 4 we only go out for special occasions, try to find what we’re looking for at the larger grocery stores, and make the farm share last a little bit longer. Our eldest Maddy loves to go to the farm with Mom to pick up our share, is a great eater, and will try most foods. We are blessed to have the opportunity to cook together and discuss these foods over dinners. Our children are 3 and 4 months and are experiencing the bounty of the region in these small but important ways. As they grow we will try to cook with them more and teach them the quality of the soil in this area and how blessed we all are to be able to eat food at it’s source.