Growing a Collaborative CSA
Small farmers and food artisans can thrive by banding together to bring a collection of harvests and hand-made goods to local audiences. Lauren Vitagliano of the Pine Barrens Post offers a how-to and also explains why this model is effective and needed.
The Priceless Miracle
Stewards of bees and their hives, harvesters of the precious crop of honey that is bequeathed by Mother Nature, the Garden State’s true beekeepers are committed to the processes that speak to terroir and uncompromised purity. Lauren Vitagliano, founder of Pine Barrens Post, explains why she is proud to be one of them.
Drinks that Suit Summer to a T
Herbs from the garden are awash in possibilities to make iced drinks that do more than refresh. LOTF columnist Kate Munning raises a glass to the season’s teas at her homestead on Schooley’s Mountain.
Grasp the Nettles
Protect yourself from the sting of the wild herbaceous perennial when picking its leaves, but then let it protect you through its valuable nutrients and anti-allergen properties. Kate Munning explores the generous benefits of a plant too many fear.
Cheesemaking Does Not Stand Alone
As an integral part of a sustainable food system, the craft and its products are culturally valuable, nutritionally valuable and an intrinsic part of social and ecological landscapes everywhere. The guest writers of this special Life on the Farm column are committed to small-scale farmstead cheesemaking, practicing it year-round at their acclaimed Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse in Holland Township.
Horseradish Power
It’s the cure for the cold weather common at this time of year and LOTF columnist Kate Munning has the prescription for its many uses.
Mugolio: ‘Made with a Piece of the Pines’
A magical combination of earthy and sweet, the pinecone syrup that has pro chefs bewitched is never better than when made from a harvest in our Pine Barrens. Lauren Vitagliano forages, macerates, waits – and then celebrates with a pasta dish that makes any day a holiday.
Sumac, a Singular Source
When much else is turning brown in mid-fall, count on this crimson berry to blaze a trail to possibilities in the kitchen. LOTF columnist Kate Munning reports from field and brew pot on its vinegary, tart and citrusy soul.
Hydro-powered Beverages
Experimentation and collaboration are teaching LOTF columnist Lauren Vitagliano that it takes only a spray of intensified herb to up the flavor ante on a drink of choice – “mock” or not. Here’s to your health!
Beauty of the Bounty
High-summer’s crops are in their glory right now, as TPW’s backyard farmer Alessia Eramo finds herself in constant harvest mode. Catch tips for making the most of what once was a lawn, as well as a recipe straight from Italy, in her latest dispatch.
Paying Respect to the Elderberry
What tastes good can do good, and that’s why this particular berry charms and astounds our Schooley’s Mountain-based homesteader.
Looking Back to Get to Today
TPW’s backyard farmer Alessia Eramo analyzes her four years of growing in her own yard in Clifton, takes stock of what’s sprouting right now, and shares plans and tips for the season ahead in another primer on turning lawn into a food-producing farmette.