Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Oak Knoll Farm CSA 2014

We will be delivering to Albert Lea, Austin, Mason City, Owatonna & surrounding areas in 2014..  For the latest news check out our page on Facebook..https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oak-Knoll-Farm/107077162717139?ref=hl

Or email us oakknollfarms@yahoo.com

Our Blog has been discontinued..

Thursday, February 21, 2013

 Oak Knoll Farm CSA 

2013 CSA Season

Winter Garden from top of grain bin
Summer Garden from top of grain bin

This year we have enrolled in the USDA Transition to Organic program.  We are committed to sustainable farming.  

Our CSA season is 18 weeks June-Oct.  A Full share will contain approximately 1/2 a bushel of produce that is ripe and delicious each week. The full share should feed a family who eat a moderate amount of fresh produce. The share will contain different produce as the season progresses.  

Crops you might find in your share over the season include:  Early season box: asparagus, chard, greens, kale, lettuce, mizuna, peas, radishes, spinach, and spring onions:  Mid Season box: basil, chard, beets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, garlic, green beans, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, onions, potatoes, summer squash, and tomatoes: Late Season box: apples, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, tomatillos, tomatoes, watermelon and winter squash.

CSA members will PICK-UP their CSA boxes weekly June-Oct at designated sites in Albert Lea, Austin, Mankato, Rochester, and Mason City.    

If you can’t pick-up your share you can have a friend or another CSA member.  Albert Lea site- Tuesday 4-6pm K&K bakery, S Broadway.  Austin site-Thursday 4-6pm The Hardy Geranium, 4th St SE.

Members will have option to purchase additional items at pick-up site not included in CSA shares such as Free-Range chicken/eggs, honey, maple syrup, and pastured pork all from our farm.  Our happy animals enjoy the sunshine and never given hormones or antibiotics.  

We raise French Freedom Ranger chickens that produce slow growing broilers.  The genetic stock is derived from the American and European old heritage breed of chicken and was developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, the Freedom Ranger genetic stock is used by most non-factory farm production models (alternative) all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken - just like the "oldies", healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.  Most poultry producers use fast growing breeds (hybrid white synthetic Cornish crosses).  e strongly believe in traditional and environmentally friendly farming methods, and we are convinced that allowing the chickens to do what comes naturally ensures an incredible meal for your table!  

Chickens $3.40lb 3-6lb avg

Freedom Ranger Chickens



Reserve your Thanksgiving Turkey before their gone.  We only raise 50 turkeys a year.  They are pastured and feed organic feed.
$3.00lb 18-25lb avg
 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Farm Fresh Eggs, Honey, range Chickens

Araucana eggs(rainbow layers)
We are taking orders for our range chickens now.  Our chickens range under the oak trees grazing and eating greens from the gardens. When ready these chickens will be processed by a state-inspected  poultry processor and then  fresh frozen before delivery.  Our neighbor John and Carol Jacobs members of the Albert Lea Farmers Market raise free range Black Star, Red Star, Araucana, and New Hampshire Reds.  Their chickens free range the farm and pastures daily returning to their coop nightly.  The free range grazing adds to their diet and overall health and benefits you with more vitamins, less cholesterol and saturated fat.  The Araucana lays  colored eggs  that range  from turquoise  to deep olive to shades of  brown.  John and Carol are also offering honey from their  farm.  If any CSA members are interested in ordering  eggs, honey, or  chickens please contact me bye email or phone and they will be delivered along with CSA shares.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Early Season 2nd week shares

It has been a very busy time on the farm lately.  We have transplanted the first planting of tomatoes and peppers are going in this week.  I have set up a drip irrigation system for the tomatoes and peppers while other crops are hoping for rain in the forecast.  Weeding is a never ending task that goes on in between the many other projects taking place.  The baby chicks are growing fast and will be moved to a fenced in area near the gardens in the next couple weeks.   Walking through the garden  I see the first plantings of broccoli and cabbage have started forming heads,  the head lettuce is just waiting on rain to fully mature, and the potato plants depending upon variety are more than  foot tall and will soon be hilled.

This weeks Early Season shares will include Red Russian Kale, Rhubarb, 3 types of radish(Rover, D'Avignon, White Icicle) some asian greens Purple Mizuna, Tatsoi, and Hon Tsai Tai.

Monday, April 30, 2012