{fundraiser} For Denison Farm & Kilpatrick Family Farm

From our intro-fundraiser post: Our second fundraiser is for two of the biggest certified naturally grown farms, with CSA Programs, in the area; Denison Farm and Kilpatrick Family Farm. These two farms are ALL over this blog as they feed most of our families on a daily basis and we tell ya all about it, all the time. Remember when we rambled on about our love for CSA’s? Or the time Erica was excited to receive her 1st CSA share from Denison Farm? Or the time when Michael called me at 7 in the morning to tell me he’d read my blog post, and found me a Christmas turkey? Since starting this blog, I’ve gone from casual, quiet repeat customer to proudly saying that Justine Denison & Michael Kilpatrick are my friends. And…well…Michael is now my boss. Its hard to say how much they lost in monetary dollars, especially because each day seems to bring them more, clearer information on what exactly is lost, but it looks like they have both lost around 4 acres of crops. For the Denison’s its current summer/early fall crops and for KFF it will be fall and winter storage crops. These two farms took BIG hits.

We want to help them, as they put food on our tables every week.

As of today, September 23rd, 2011 we are happy to announce that due to the outpouring of gift basket donations, we are extending the fundraiser through Saturday October 15th. Everyone who donates will be entered to win one of these gift baskets, with the exception of the “Dinner for Four at Beekman Street Bistro”, that is reserved for donations of $50 or more. The new gift baskets include: a basket of soups and bath salts from Willow Tree Soap, a $30 box of produce from Capital District Community Gardens’ The Produce Project and the formentioned “Dinner for Four at Beekman Street Bistro”. Read below for more information.

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DONATE HERE DONATE HERE DONATE HERE

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THE GIFT BASKETS

Gift Basket #1: Joshua & Stefanie Rockwood of West Wind Acres has generously offered a “Grilling Basket” featuring: 1 Pasture Raised cornish cross broiler chicken, 1 – package of 4 100% grass fed beef hamburgers, 1 – package of 8 all beef nitrate-free hotdogs, 1 – package of 2 pastured pork chops.  Approx retail value $40.00

I can’t say enough good things about what these new meat farmers are doing. I am WAY overdue on writing about Jillian & I’s tour of their farm. It was kinda life changing. Their Scottish Highland Cattle, and a particular dude names Barry, stole my heart. They are enchanting animals, I thought about them day & night for weeks….Frankly, I’m kinda obsessed. I am excited about their farm as they run a farm that is as humane, sustainable, and ethical and pure of a meat product that you can get. They also focus on raising and breeding heritage breeds. Their animals graze, without much human-interference, throughout their property. Joshua names the pigs & cattle, as a sign of respect and compassion, and even follows them through the slaughtering process.  This family loves and respected these animals as they will give their lives to become food. It is truly a magical place.

Find them on Facebook. Visit their blog.  Contact them to take a tour, like Denison & KFF they have nothing to hide and run on a transparency is best policy.

Gift Basket #2: Writer, teacher and homesteading guru, Amy Halloran covers farming and food for many news outlets including Food Safety News and locally, The Metroland. She wrote about FSC’s food swaps a few weeks back! She is a staple in the local food community, as she teaches food preservation classes for the Capital District Community Gardens, and writes extensively on her person blog, Home Economics. She has kindly offered two big bags of homemade pancake mix: 1 mixed whole grains and 1 cornmeal. In addition to her pancake mixes, there will be various non-handmade kitchen stuff that has been collecting dust in my “FSC giveaway” bag in my office dining room such as a cutsie Envirosac Market Bag, a cutsie kitchen towel from Target, To Market To Market, a children’s book on Nicki McClure‘s local farmers market and the vendors who sell there, a magnetic meal planning notepad by Mead and a magnetic pad of recipe cards. I had been planning to give this stuff away at various points but haven’t yet, so what better time than now?! *UPDATE 9/23/2011* We have two additional “swap type” items in this basket! Rebeca, Denison Farm Produce Manager is donating a jar of pickled beets and a pint of dried Principe Borghese tomatoes (both grown by her and the staff of Denison Farm). Kilpatrick Family Farm CSA Member, Trish Singer, has donated dilly beans, raspberry peach jam, and a double berry jam to the basket!

Gift Basket #3: This is the “swap” basket; filled with various food stuffs, canned jams & pickles and baked goods by FSC Contributors and Swappers. This basket might become huge by the end of the two weeks! I will be sending this box-o-goodies, 2-day or faster so you get the freshest product! I do NOT have a sexy photo of the goodies, just pic of one of my three boxes of canned goods and a picture of our “edible gift basket” giveaway during the holidays that then-reader-now-contributor, Jillian won!

Here’s what I know so far:
– Dianna is giving a bottle of their maple syrup (!!),
– Erika is giving a jar of her Heirloom Tomato Salsa & a jar of dried parsley
– Jillian is giving Blueberry Basil Jam, a straight Blueberry Jam and a baked good (egg, dairy & nut free),
– Swapper Tara is giving a baked good- probably a loaf of banana bread,
– Swapper Renee is giving a jar of Dilly Green Beans,
– Britin & Nick of All Good Bakers, will be giving a delicious product from their bakery,
– Becky is giving a jar of Tomato Basil Jam,
– Deanna is giving a bottle of Sweet & Sour Dressing,
– Liz is probably giving a peach jam with some english muffin bread and
– I will probably throw a handful of canned items in the basket as well, probably a corn relish, a ketchup and a jam of some sort!
and *Update* I am happy to announce that this gift basket will also include a jar of Local Kitchen’s IRENE JAM. It’s a blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, rhubarb jam that Kaela tossed together while everything was thawing during the hurricane.

*NEW* Gift Basket #4: Kilpatrick Family Farm CSA Member, Cindy Markham, owner of Willow Tree Soap, as offered a gift basket of 4 items from her current offerings: Lavender Sea Salt Scrub, Lemongrass Tea Tree Soap, Gardener’s Soap and Rosemary Spearmint Soap. This gift basket retails would retail for $26.

From Cindy’s website:
“Soap is a product that we use many times each day. Commercial soap is manufactured with many objectives not the least of which is cheapest price. Like many products these days, manufacturers use chemicals in place of natural ingredients when making soap. All of that just increases the chemicals we expose our bodies to every day. Those same chemicals present in many soaps, bath down the drain where they enter our water sheds.

Willow Tree soaps, lotions, and other products are made with all natural ingredients. Willow Tree uses essential oils to scent our products. These are not overwhelming so that bathing will become a pleasurable and therapeutically aromatic experience. Our exfoliants include cranberry seeds, ground oatmeal, cornmeal, and others to provide you with an all natural alternative. Our packaging has been carefully selected and recycled products are used wherever possible. 

All ingredients used are listed as some individuals may have skin sensitivity even to all natural products. The use of natural products gives you the peace of mind that you’ve minimized your impact on the environment.”

*NEW* Gift Basket #5:Capital District Community Gardens‘ The Produce Project has generously offered 1 gift basket filled with $30 worth of produce from their farm stand at the Delmar Farmers Market (estimated around 30 lbs.). Some of the seasonal crops that may be part of the basket might consist of the following (different varieties of each might be part of the basket): Radish, Potatoes, Kale, Chard, Spinach, Squash, Bok, and/or Pak Choi, Beets, Kohlrabi, Carrots, Braising Mix, Mesclun Mix, Romaine Lettuce, Various Herbs, Leeks, Garlic and Collards. FINE PRINT: This basket will need to be picked up either at their headquarters in Troy OR at their farm stand at the Delmar Farmers Market no later than November 5th. That will give the winner three weeks to pick up their basket-o-goodies!

About the Program: Troy High School students work with CDCG staff in operation of The Produce Project, an organic, year-round urban farm business built in the heart of the city. Working at our 8^th Street location in Troy, Corliss Park in North Lansingburgh, and our Livingston Ave field in Albany, after school and on weekends, youth tend their crops from seed to harvest.  They earn a small stipend and take some of what they grow home to share with their families.  Students farm using high tunnels—simple, unheated greenhouses—and use other innovative season extension techniques to grow produce throughout the school year.  By selling their crops to local restaurants and at farmers markets, students learn entrepreneurial skills while earning money that will help sustain the Produce Project. They learn how to grow fresh vegetables while improving their health and the health of their community.  Trainees participate in workshops with local farmers, chefs, and entrepreneurs, learning skills crucial to their future success.” Our current markets served are: Daisy Bakers in Troy (33 2^nd St), New World Bistro on Delaware Ave in Albany, The Governors Mansion, Honest Weight Food Co-Op, and The Saturday Delmar Farmers Market.

{I shot this last winter, 8th Street Garden, The Produce Project, Troy, NY}

Gift Basket #6 (minimum donation of $50 is required to enter): The best farm-to-table restaurant in Saratoga County, Beekman Street Bistro, has offered a dinner for four to one person with a $50 or more donation. This is extremely generous and I can tell you that ALL of us here at FSC wish we could enter this giveaway. I can tell you from experience, Chef & Owner Tim Meeney shops the Saratoga Farmers Market every market day, year-round without exception (Wednesdays & Saturdays) to grab the freshest ingredients. His passion for local seasonal food is bar none in the area. Its truly a fine dining experience. A very generous offer and we thank you Tim! FINE PRINT: This is our ONLY gift basket that has a minimum donation, which is $50. In addition, we request that you use this gift certificate before the end of 2011.

GIFT BASKET #7: Barefoot Books Upstate‘s Farm & Food Children’s Books w/ reusable bag. Amy M, of Barefoot Books Upstate NY contacted me with a gracious offer of these wonderful children’s books. As a long-time supporter of Kilpatrick Family Farm, she was determined to find a way to help.

A description of Barefoot Books:
Barefoot Books is an award-winning, independent children’s book publishing company. It was started by two mothers who were seeking books that inspired children’s imagination and creativity, while also instilling respect for other cultures and the planet. I sell their beautiful books, music, toys, and more online, at home parties, and at community events and fundraisers.

The Gift Basket Contains

Kids’ Kitchen card deck
Step into the kitchen for some child-friendly fun with food. The forty recipes in this colorful deck are based around the five main food groups, and offer a healthy and exciting way to learn about cooking.

Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon paperback
Meet Herb, the dragon who knows how to stay true to his values, even in the stickiest of situations. When he is captured by the castle’s knights in armor, vegetarian Herb is faced with a difficult decision: will he eat meat to save his own life?

Driving my Tractor paperback with singalong CD
Chug along with a farmer and his tractor on this multi-season animal adventure! A busy farmer picks up fifteen animals along his route, but when his trailer hits a stone, chaos ensues. This colorful book combines simple counting instruction with humor, repetition, and rhythm to encourage learning fun. CD includes song sung by acclaimed children’s musician, Steve Songs.

+ a Green reusable bag
= Total retail value: $39

Visit Amy’s Barefoot Books site, or the Facebook page or her blog.

FINE PRINT: Open to all donations, no minimum donation.

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DONATE HERE DONATE HERE DONATE HERE

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THE FINE PRINT

– The way these fundraisers will work is simple: donate ANY amount of money and you are entered to win one of the gift baskets.
– The gift baskets raffle are open to all U.S. Residents (international shipping would cost too much, sorry!).
– The fundraisers will run though midnight on October 15th- so tell your friends!
– If you would like to say something below, please do so! Whether it be a question, or a thought about life/tragedies or a kind word to Denison or KFF.
– When you click on the link, you will be directed to our blog’s paypal account. It should say “Fundraiser for the Farms” in your “cart”. You can either use your paypal account or forgo that and simply donate with a credit or debit card.
– The fundraisers end at midnight on October 15th (yes, its been extended). I will announce the winners of the gift baskets the weekend of October 17th. Hopefully I will also announce our totals and have pretty artsy pictures of the hand written checks to our recipients.

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For more information:
– Local NBC Station, Channel 13’s news story on Denison,
– The Post Star (mostly KFF)
– Metroland. (written by Amy Halloran, with both farms featured)
– Times Union has a great recap of “How to Help”
– Food Safety News article on the contamination issues with local farms
– Newest Metroland article written by Amy Halloran about fundraisers and current update on recovery (updated: 9/23/11)

For articles on IRENE & Farming:
– Grist
– Obama Foodorama
– AP’s story on “slim pickings” at the Greenmarkets in NYC

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DISCLAIMER: This fundraiser is low-tech. Donations are put into the Paypal account I have set aside for blog stuff. I don’t really know what I’m doing- if there is a problem with your transaction, or the link above, PLEASE email me at fromscratchclub(at)gmail(dot)come. Thank you! -Christina