Thursday, October 11, 2012

Humanely Raised Meat and CSA Information--Indiana, PA

Sylvia & Mervin Allgyer*
  • Amish chicken/beef farmers.  Has a stand at the local farmer's market where they sell their meat/poultry. 
  • Sell chickens by whole or whole cut up at $3.25/pound.
  • Sell beef as quarter, half, or whole cow at $2.75/pound or they sell pieces frozen like ground beef, steak, chuck roast, etc. at variable prices.
  • Beef is GRASS-FED!  You can call and leave them a message with what you want, or go to their farm and check out the product before you buy.  (Call before you go)
  • Woman was SUPER friendly, definitely think I will be buying from them!
Contact:  (724) 479-2095
Location:  202 Hoffman Road, Indiana, PA (Brush Valley)

Pucker Brush Farm--Pam Byran*
  • Is a member of the Penn's Corner CSA, but you can also buy meat directly from her.  She can drop her meat off at Yarns (a store on Philadelphia St) where you can pick it up from on Thursdays (I believe).  
  • Has grass-fed (the BEST and HIGHEST quality) beef, lamb, and goat that she sells by pound.  
  • Also gets chickens from an amish man.  Waiting to hear prices for her meats.  As of now she only has ground beef in her freezer left, and one steer that is not ready to be butchered (maybe spring 2013).
  • Planning on starting her own Indiana based CSA in 2013.  Will deliver pamphlets to Yarns in January/February 2013.
Contact:  (724) 726-0435

Penn's Corner

  • During spring, summer, and fall have a weekly CSA box delivered to Yarns (Philadelphia St) with approx. 7-10 items per box (produce, sometimes cheese, eggs, honey, soaps, etc).
  • Winter CSA is every other week with a larger quantity in each box.
  • Farmer's Friend Share--32 weeks--mid-April thru mid-November--$800--$25 per week
  • Harvest Share--24 weeks--mid-June thru mid-November--$610--$25.42 per week
  • Cabin Fever share--8 weeks--mid-April thru mid-June--$220--$27.50 per week
  • Winter 2012 CSA's are all booked; however, you can get on their waiting list by sending an email csa@pennscorner.com informing them of your interest in winter CSAs. (Chloe is interested in combining a winter CSA if I get it with another family to save money and not waste food).
  • If you sign-up for their emails you will be notified of when you can register for spring 2013 CSAs.  They will inform you of sign-up time (was told it is approx in January).
  • There are farm stands in Pittsburgh where you can purchase a la carte CSA box items that you order ahead of time. They have meat at the farm stands; however, they are only in 3 locations in the city...

Yarnicks
  • Beef and pork are raised on their farm, grain-fed, butchered by Cunningham's meats.  
  • Woman who worked at the market was very unfriendly and unhelpful when she was asked questions about the quality of her meat...
  • Produce in the market was NOT all from the local farm.

Dixon Meats
  • Beef comes from local farmers in Indiana. May be raised humanely, but was not given a list of the farmers.
  • Chicken comes from large Amish farm in Ohio, not sure of humaneness.
  • Pork comes from the state of Indiana, not sure of humaneness.
  • Fish comes from Icelandic fishermen. Caught fresh and frozen on the boat. Unsure of their sustainability practices.

Cunningham Meats
  • They do not know where any of their meat they sell comes from, they purchase from an auction. Could be small, local farmers or large factory farms.  Not very helpful when on the phone with them.
Overall:  In my opinion the local farmers (Pucker Brush Farm, Amish) are they way to go while shopping for humanely raised, healthy, happy meat and poultry.  Maybe driving to Pittsburgh once in a while to stock up on other types of meats may be an option! (Or Olivia could possibly bring meat/poultry home from Pittsburgh when she travels home to Indiana).  
Hoping Pam Bryan's CSA with Indiana farmers happens this spring.  I would be interested to sign-up for the spring, fall, winter CSAs (summer I have my own produce).  

*Note* Once I receive a call back from Pucker Brush farm and the Amish family, I will list the prices and products available.  

(Almost finished with the book "Eating Animals" lent to me from Kristen's mother, if anyone else is interested in this eye-opening read let me know! (Also, "Omnivore's Dilemma" is another educational read.))

-Guest Blogger, Chloe :)
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Pastured Meat, Pittsburgh options:



Restaurants with Local Suppliers: 
  • Cure:  (Website)BYOB, very committed to humane farming practices and local ingredients
    5336 Butler Street
    Pittsburgh, PA
  • Legume (Website)Heritage and Jamison Farm meats
    214 North Craig Street
    Pittsburgh, PA

Stores selling happy, pastured meat:  
  • Crested Duck Charcuterie
    1603 Broadway Avenue
    Pittsburgh, PA 


Farmer's Markets:
  • Heritage Farm (beef, poultry, eggs, pork, produce) makes weekly deliveries to Pittsburgh. They send out a weekly email stating all that is available that week. To join their Buying Club Email List, send an email to buyingclub@burnsheritagefarm.com.
  • The Mall at Robinson Farners Market
    Thursdays, 3:30-6:30pm, June–October
    100 Robinson Centre Drive (outside Macy's)
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Burns Angus Farm 

  • Farmers@Firehouse
    Saturdays, 9am-1pm
    2216 Penn Ave
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Paradise Gardens and Farm


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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Controlling Pests

Beneficial insects are those that feed on pests like aphids and beetles.  The key to keeping beneficial insects is to avoid use of pesticides which kill the good with the bad (and are frequently bad for humans).  For instance "if you consider that an adult ladybug eats about 50 aphids a day, you'll see that the accidental poisoning of even one beneficial sets your cause back a good way." (Urban Homesteading).

CTG504300.jpg.rendition.largest.jpgThe following plants attract beneficial insects:

  • Bee balm (Monarda sp)
    • Perennial in zone 6
    • Likes full sun and moist well drained soil
    • Pink flower in photo to the right
    • BHG growing guide
  • Cilantro
  • Evening primrose
    • Perennial in zone 6
    • Likes full sun
    • Mexican evening primrose has less problems with invasiveness (Oenothera speciosa var.childsii)
    • BHG growing guide
  • Mustard
  • Parsley
  • Thyme 
    • French and Lemon thyme are perennials in zone 6
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Green Driveways



 Having driveways that allow drainage are better for your land.  This allows the water to enter deep layers of earth and groundwater rather than washing down your driveway into your yard, the street and gutters.  Green driveways can be more attractive than asphalt as well, actually becoming a desirable feature whereas many driveways are an eyesore.



"Home Grown

A mix of hardy ground covers and paving bricks creates a tidy driveway that melts into the surrounding landscape. Solid brickwork forms tracks outlined with tough-as-nails ground covers that can take an occasional misplaced tire. Rugged ground covers include blue star creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) and Corsican mint (Mentha requienii).



  














A Truly Green Driveway

Durable porous pavers are concrete or plastic blocks designed with holes that let you plant vegetation inside the blocks, creating a “living” driveway. Porous pavers are an environmentally friendly choice: They let rain pass through to the ground underneath, reducing runoff that makes your yard soggy and carries pollutants to waterways.
Credit: Green Innovations

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/photos/landscaping-gardening/cool-driveways-are-smart-approach/#ixzz24yLfX3Vw"
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Landscaping

Planting for beauty and utility is the goal.  Perrenials, fruit trees, vines and bushes are a must.  

Buying from a local nursery is best because they have plants well suited for your climate area, they will also be able to offer specific advice and help you if you're running into problems.  Some local sources near Indiana, Pa include:


Planning:

  • Pictures

    Take pictures of the area you want to landscape. If possible, take the pictures from a second-floor window to achieve a "bird's eye" view. Enlarge the pictures on your computer for printing out. You can then draw or apply to the picture some scaled cut-outs of plants, trees or other landscape elements to determine what works best. At a minimum, pictures you take of your landscape will become your "before" view. Take two sets of pictures from the same angles, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon to see where sunlight hits the landscape. Use that information to select plants with sunlight requirements that meet the amount of sunlight available.

  • Measuring and Layout

    Measure the area you want to landscape and write the figures down to use to determine volume of products needed like mulch, stone or cement for walkways and plants. Mark off where walkways or flower beds will be by using stakes and strings, spray paint or a garden hose.

  • Soil Test

    Samples of soil taken from different areas of the landscape can be tested to determine if the soil needs additional nutrients to adequately support plants, helping you plan the proper vegetation for conditions in your yard.
    Read more: Landscape Planning Tools | Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/74667-landscape-planning-tools.html#ixzz24siCJWUd

Basic Edible landscape design and tips:


  • Combining Edibles and Ornamentals

    Edible plants can be combined in many creative ways-with other edibles, or with ornamentals. For instance: try a cool-season border of lettuces and spinach interplanted with dwarf nasturtiums. All types of pepper are striking when combined with dwarf marigolds or a background of tall red salvias. In shady areas, try a border of alpine strawberries and curly parsley under a hedge of currants. For your dwarf fruit trees try planting them in geometric beds surrounded with a border of culinary herbs; or plant them along the driveway instead of the usual privet or junipers.

Find local county extension office to discuss planning with a master gardener:

  • Indiana, Pa Office (website) Information

    Address

    827 Water Street
    Indiana, PA 15701-1755

    Contact

    Phone: 724-465-3880
    Fax: 724-465-3888
    IndianaExt@psu.edu

    Office Hours

    Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

  • Ask the Master Gardener 

    We would be happy to answer any gardening question that pertains to Indiana County..

    Please remember that the Master Gardeners are all volunteers. We will do our best to answer your question quickly; however, it may take time to thoroughly research your inquiry. Please call the Indiana Cooperative Extension office at 724-465-3880.  Be sure to include your name, phone number, and e-mail address so that we can contact you with a response. Also, if you are writing about a specific problem, please try to be as detailed as possible with your description. Include information about the plant species, growing conditions, exposure to light, and access to moisture. It will also help if you let us know how long it has been since you first noticed a problem with your plant, and any unusual circumstances that may have occurred at the same time. The more information you provide, the better our assessment and recommendations will be.
     email address:  rcp3@psu.edu

Planning should take into account hardiness zone and exposure.  Indiana, Pa is in hardiness zone 6:








  • Huckleberry:  foundation planting or shrubbery, better with cross pollination
  • Rosa rugosa:
    • Rosa rugosas are the easy to grow roses. Plant them in full to partial sun. The more sun they receive, the happier they will be. They are cold hardy, will survive on even the poorest of soils, including sandy soil and are disease resistant. Most all rosa rugosa 
      4879797.jpgvarieties grow in the 4-6 foot tall range with a spread of about equal amount. After the 
      first couple of years, a pruning in late winter/early spring will keep them looking neat. 
      Just cut back the oldest canes and any broken/damaged canes at ground level. Rosa 
      rugosa’s don’t typically like any chemical products. They prefer organic matter to 
      fertilizing. When watering them, it is safer to err on the less side. It is easy to over water 
      them. Let the soil dry out a couple of days between watering.

    • Not quite a berry, but everyone loves roses in their yard--why not have ones that produce edible rose hips?  Unlike hybridized varieties, these roses smell splendid and produce rose hips high in vitamin C.  About the only bad thing about the Rugosa Rose is that it spreads quickly--of course if you like them that's not a bad thing at all!   
    • USDA Cold Hardiness Zone: 2~7
      Sun: full sun
      Water: dry, moist
      Soil: acidic-neutral
      Height & Width: 4~6 ft tall, can spread more than 8 ft wide
      Uses: edible flowers & hips
      Functions: pollinator attractor, beneficial wildlife shelter, beauty
      Growth Pattern: fast, spreads by suckers


Shrub Planting:

  • Many shrubs and roses can be planted 2-4 feet apart depending on the variety width at 
    maturity.
    Preparation: 
    If you have hard/clay soil you may want to add sand and/or organic matter to the soil that 
    you will be putting back in the hole. This will lessen the compacting of the dirt around 
    the root system after planting. Should your soil be loose/sandy soil, adding topsoil and/or 
    organic matter will help to build the quality of the soil going back into the hole. After 
    planting apply 2-3 inches of mulch forming a well around the base of each plant during 
    spring/summer to help minimize weeds and keep the plants cooler and moister. In fall, 
    apply more mulch to give the plants at least 3 inches deep to help blanket the root system 
    over winter.  
    Clip any broken or damaged tips/branches that may have occurred during transit or while 
    waiting for planting. 
    Fertilizing: 
    Don’t fertilize during the first year in the ground. Applying aged compost or other 
    organic matter will be more beneficial to the plants than any fertilizer. The second year, 
    wait for the shrubs to begin to leaf out before beginning any fertilizing program. Check 
    with your local hardware store for their recommendations on the plants that you are 
    growing. A time release formula is great.  Follow the directions on the fertilize package. 
    Many abuse easy mix and liquid fertilizers such as Miracle Gro. Studies have shown that 
    over use of these types of products will build up a high level of saline in the soil.  Plants 
    in the fertilized area will die as well as any future replants. It takes 3-5 years for the 
    ground to become plantable again. 



Fruit in the Northeast:

    File-Fan_fruittreeform.JPG.jpg
  • These require full sun, and most like well-draining soils
  • Most require cross-pollination with varieties that bloom at the same time
  • Cornell fruit tree EVERYTHING guide
  • PSU berries guide
  • Espaliers of pears or apples (goldrush variety) on the sunnyside of house
    •  A Liberty scion grafted to a MM109 rootstock could be just the ticket for a background plant, or an espaliered tree along a wall.  (Cornell edible planting guide)
  • http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/3304/2/Minor%20Fruits%20in%20New%20York%20State.pdf

Non-edible perrenials:


Something to remember:

Before you start, go a walk around your neighbourhood and look at what grows best there, in the parks, the community areas etc, as your not too sure what plants will look good together and the different textures that are an asset to the structure of a garden.

I suggest you go to your local library or book store to search through all the gardening books suitable for beginners and landscaping designs as these will give you lots of ideas before you make any costly mistakes, they will also show pictures of fully mature beds and borders and this will give you the timescale needed for plants, shrubs and trees to reach some maturity before they look like they were growing well as the conditions are right for these plants, they also show colour schemes, textures, evergreen beds and borders that dont require a lot of attention if your busy at work all the time.

You can use the Autumn time to get the beds and borders well prepared for your plantings as well as what you need to buy to make the kind of garden you require, Autumn or spring are the best times to plant anything as the hot sun has not really reached the stage where plants are struggling to cope, this time of year also gives you the time to dig out the shapes and sizes of the beds you like and then prepare the soil before winter sets in for real.

The best way to find the right shape of beds and borders is to lay your garden hose along the ground, curve it or whatever shape you like, then step back to look at the shape from all angles, even from the windows of your house if you look onto this from the window, rearrange it till you are happy, then dig out the turf for the beds you want planted up.

So as you can see, it all takes time to get the garden you want and some prep work too, so take your time, do the job right from the start to save you lots of expense and heartache from the start, starting off a garden ain't cheep, but patience cost you nothing, plants will flourish for you if you get the conditions right and you will be a much happier garden owner if you do it a bit at a time, that way you gain experience quicker rather than be disheartened when things go wrong as they do when you first start out, good luck. 


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