8 January 2019 Donaldson Farms Healthy Bites Buying Club CSA

Donaldson Farms Healthy Bites Buying Club CSA

January 8, 2019 By

Donaldson Farms (https://donaldsonfarms.net) is one of my very favorite places to visit in New Jersey. The farm is simply gorgeous, the staff is friendly and helpful and I visit throughout the summer, especially during ‘you-pick-it berry and apple season.

Photo by Donaldson Farms.

It’s the New Year and many of us are looking to implement healthier eating habits in 2019. A great way to help with this is to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

What is a CSA

The concept of a CSA is that a farmer grows for a group of members who have purchased “shares” in the harvest. Members pay at the beginning of the growing season, when funds are needed for seeds and planting materials and tools. When the crops start coming in July, the farmer delivers a weekly assortment of vegetables, herbs, fruits and/or other farm staples.

Photo by Donaldson Farms.

The Donaldson Farms CSA Program

The Donaldson Farms Healthy Bites Buying Club is a 16-week local produce membership CSA program featuring the freshest fruits and vegetables each week. Weekly, members receive a premium selection of produce that is just the right size for their households. All of the fruits and vegetables grown on the farm are non-GMO. Donaldson Farms has been awarded an ‘Environmental Stewardship’ certificate by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for its “Voluntary and proactive measures taken to go beyond compliance in an effort to improve the environment and ensure a sustainable future”. 

Other benefits of joining the Donaldson Farms CSA: a member picnic, photo contests, inspiring recipes to share, access to the exclusive social media site and more!

Photo by Donaldson Farms.

How to Receive your ‘Bite’

Option 1: Pre-packed – Donaldson Farms does it. Pre-packed is ideal for members on-the-go who and those who like having market staff choose from them.

Option 2: Pack-Your-Own – members do it. Pack-Your-Own is ideal for members who prefer the flexibility of choosing their own items. Members visit the farm each week to select from the seasonal list of available produce and goodies on their scheduled pickup day.

Option 3: ‘Healthy Bites Buying Club’ Delivery Service: Donaldson Farms does it AND delivers ($5 delivery fee/week). Farm fresh goodies will be delivered to members’ doorstep every Thursday between 1pm-4pm. Customers need not be present, Donaldson Farms will drop off in a designated spot.

Pick-Up Day Options:

Tuesdays, noon to 6pm (Pack-Your-Own)

Thursdays, noon to 6:30pm (Pre-Packed)

Sundays, 10am to 2pm (Pre-packed and Pack-Your-Own)

Delivery Service:

Thursdays 1pm – 4pm (available within a 5-mile radius of our market)

2019 ‘Bite’ Size Options:

Full Bite (one bushel) – Recommended for 4 or more people (Early Enrollment $700 by March 15 or $775 after March 15)

Half Bite (half of a bushel) – Recommended for 3-4 people (early enrollment $500 by March 15 or $560 after March 15)

Single Bite (quarter of a bushel) – Recommended for 1-2 people (Early Enrollment $325 by March 15 or $350 after March 15)

Early Bird Offer

An ‘Early Bird’ sign up incentive applies to CSA programs paid in full by January 31, 2019. Clients who sign up and order by January 31, 2019 receive 10% off local sweet corn or peaches throughout the NJ sweet corn and peach season!

Additional Options:

Egg share half dozen eggs – $3/week ($48 total)

Egg share full dozen eggs – $4.50/week ($72 total)

Local cheese sampler share $4.94/week ($79 total). Cheese are sourced from our local and regional dairy partners to bring you a sampling of the area’s most delicious cheeses. Members receive one cheese item per week for 16 weeks. Cheese varieties will range from hard cheeses (Cheddar, Gouda, Monterrey Jack and more), Cheese Curds, Ricotta, Mozzarella and more.

2019 ‘Bite’ Season

The 16-week program starts on July 9, 2019 and runs through November 3, 2019. This includes a one-week vacation date pre-selected by each ‘Bites’ member.

Sign Up

To sign up for the Donaldson Farms Healthy Bites Buying Club CSA, CLICK HERE.

Donaldson Farms – 358 Allen Road, Hackettstown, New Jersey 07840. 908-852-9122.

Here’s to a healthy 2019!

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , , ,
4 August 2018 Eat with Dan Easy Strawberry Jam

Eat with Dan Easy Strawberry Jam

August 4, 2018 By

Oh how I want to make my own strawberry jam. I’ve taken classes on canning and I’m still uncomfortable with the whole process. Will my jars be airtight? Did I sanitize the jars long enough? Will I poison everyone around me with contaminated canned food? All questions that I ask myself when I’m tempted to try canning.

Photo by Danny Chin

Last week, I took my foodie brother Danny Chin, of Eat with Dan, to brunch and he surprised me on HIS birthday with homemade strawberry jam. What a guy! He told me the process of making the jam is simple and I shouldn’t be intimidated. The key to success to good strawberry jam according to Danny? “Pick ripe strawberries that have that bright strawberry flavor”. We both pick our berries at the amazing Donaldson Farms in Hackettstown, NJ – the place is gorgeous and its produce is outstanding.

This delicious jam is bursting with strawberry flavors and isn’t too sweet. It requires no candy thermometer or expensive equipment. It’s perfect on a hot English muffin.

Connect with Eat with Dan

Have I mentioned that Danny’s a very talented photographer specializing in fashion and food? For amazing, drool-worthy food photography, do yourself a favor and follow Danny on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram.

Ingredients:

  • 2 quarts ripe strawberries
  • 1 1.75-ounce box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
  • ½ tsp. butter
  • 7 cups granulated sugar, measured into separate bowl

Directions:

  1. Bring large pot/canner half full of water to a boil over high heat.
  2. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan on the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
  3. Destem and crush strawberries thoroughly. Place exactly 5 cups of crushed strawberries into 6- or 8-quart pot. Add the pectin to the berries in pot and stir to combine. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim any foam with metal spoon. 

    English Muffin with Jam

  4. Immediately ladle the mixture into prepared jars, filling to within ¼ inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Carefully lower jars into the pot of boiling water or canner. Important: Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches – add boiling water to the pot if needed. Cover the pot and bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.
  5. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lids with finger – If the lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary (up to a month).

Note: you can expect properly-sealed jars of jam to last about two years when stored in a cool, dry place. Once opened, keep your homemade jam in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Yields about eight (1-cup) jars.

Recipe based on this.

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Desserts, Fruits, Sides Tagged With: , , , , ,
9 June 2017 Easy Ultra Moist Strawberry Bread with Lemon Icing

Easy Ultra Moist Strawberry Bread with Lemon Icing

June 9, 2017 By

Strawberry Bread

I live in New Jersey, in the true “Garden State” area of the state and as such, there are farms and farmers markets all over the place. Last weekend, I visited my favorite NJ farm, Donaldson Farms, where strawberry self-picking season was in full force.

I left the farm with a trunkful of gorgeous, ripe, juicy strawberries, way too much for a family of two to eat fresh, so I opted to make strawberry bread with lemon-flavored icing with some of the berries. This bread is ultra-moist, berry-packed and delicious on its own or used in a strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, as we did.

Bread ingredients:

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 3-ounce container of strawberry Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries

Icing ingredients:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. milk

Bread directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Coat a 9”x5” loaf pan with cooking spray (or grease).
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, egg, oil, yogurt and milk on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, incorporate the strawberries – don’t overmix, you want big strawberry chunks in the bread.
  4. Transfer the bread mixture to the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until no longer wiggly in the center of the bread (test 5 minutes before the proposed baking time of 55 minutes). Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack in the pan, then unmold onto a serving platter.

Lemon Icing

Icing directions:

In a small bowl, add all the icing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the bread.

8 servings.

Enjoy – Veronique

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , , , , ,