Hopestill Farm Recent News

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 15:26:00 +0000

Tag now for the best selection!

Once again Hopestill Farm is offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Join us to begin or continue a family farm tradition.

Despite the drought, our trees grew well this summer, and we look forward to another good harvest season. Our trees are mostly white spruce plus some blue spruce, with many to choose from in the 6 foot to 7 foot range, along with some bigger bargains as well. Like all our produce, our trees are certified organically grown. All trees are $60.

Deposits
We ask for a $20 deposit once you tag a tree.

Organic Gifts for the Holidays!
We will again be offering our unique garlic Christmas tree ornaments, and our dried tomatoes, for all the food lovers on your list.

Our tagging schedule is:

Tuesday November 1 through Friday November 11: Open by appointment.
Saturday November 12 through Thursday November 17: Closed.
Friday November 18 through Wednesday November 23: Open by appointment.
Closed Thanksgiving Day
Friday November 25 through Sunday, November 27: open 10-4; no appointment needed.
Monday November 28 through Friday December 2: open by appointment.
Saturday December 3 through Sunday December 4: open 10-4, no appointment needed. We are likely to be sold out by the end of this weekend, if not before.

To make an appointment, just call us at 508-653-5421, text at 774-279-0814, or email us at farm@hopestill.com.

Cutting
You are of course welcome to cut your tree at the same time as you select it, or come on one of the weekends we are open, or make an appointment for a different day and time. We will also be open December 10-11 and December 17-18, 10am-4pm, which are popular weekends for cutting. We have handsaws, or you are welcome to bring your own. No axes or chainsaws, please. We also have twine for tying your tree on your car.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 23:14:00 +0000

SOLD OUT! Thanks to the many families who tagged early this year, we are sold out for the season.

If you would like to receive our email notice in the fall for early tagging, please let us know by email: farm@hopestill.com, and we'd be happy to put you on the list.

We truly appreciate the overwhelming interest in our trees. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 01:54:00 +0000

Tag early for the best selection!

Once again Hopestill Farm is offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Join us to begin or continue a family farm tradition. Our numbers are a bit down this year, but there are still plenty of beautiful white spruce and blue spruce to choose from. Like all our produce, our trees are certified organically grown. All trees are $60.

Our schedule is:

Tagging
Monday, November 16 through Wednesday November 25: open by appointment.
Closed Thanksgiving Day
Friday November 27-Sunday, November 29: open 10-4; no appointment needed.
Monday November 30-Friday December 4: open by appointment.
Saturday December 5-Sunday December 6: open 10-4, no appointment needed. We are likely to be sold out by the end of this weekend, if not before.

To make an appointment, just call us at 508-653-5421, or email us at farm@hopestill.com.

Deposits
We ask for a $20 deposit once you tag a tree. Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards.

Cutting
You are of course welcome to cut your tree at the same time as you select it, or come on one of the weekends we are open, or make an appointment for a different day and time. We will also be open December 13-14, 10-4, a popular weekend for cutting. We have saws, or you are welcome to bring your own. No axes or chainsaws, please. We also have twine for tying your tree on your car.

Organic Vegetables for the Holidays!
While you are tagging or cutting, check out our winter produce! We should have a good supply of buttercup squash, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Buttercup is, in our estimation, the best winter squash there is, far superior to the standard butternut. Quartered and steamed, it is excellent as a vegetable dish, and imparts a rich, sweet taste to breads and pies. Also check out or garlic tree ornaments, dried tomatoes, and potatoes, all certified organically grown.

Strawberries are Sold Out

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:37:00 +0000

Thanks for your interest!

At the stand this week:
--lettuce
--spinach
--arugula
--zucchini
--cukes
--snap peas and snow peas
--kale

coming soon: cherry tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:00 +0000

Spring is Almost Here!

Tomorrow is the first harvest for our Spring Salad CSA, which will start out with our overwintered crunchy, sweet spinach. In the coming weeks, we'll be adding lettuce, arugula, carrots, kale, and Asian greens.

Meanwhile, tomato seedlings are coming up in the seedling room, and we are getting ready to cover our third hoop house, which will double our indoor growing space.

Look for the farmstand to open in early April. Watch here for more details, or call us at 508-653-5421.

SOLD OUT!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:18:00 +0000

SOLD OUT! Thanks to the many families who tagged early this year, we are sold out for the season.

*If you cut a tree at Hopestill Farm last year,* and had your heart set on returning this year, please call us--we do have a few trees set aside for our most loyal customers. 508-653-5421

If you would like to receive our email notice in the fall for early tagging, please let us know by email: farm@hopestill.com, and we'd be happy to put you on the list.

We truly appreciate the overwhelming interest in our trees. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Tag early for the best selection!

Once again Hopestill Farm is offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Join us to begin or continue a family farm tradition.

It has been a good growing season for our trees, and we have hundreds to choose from. Our trees are white spruce, plus a few blue spruce, with a terrific selection up to 7 feet, and a few bigger bargains as well. Like all our produce, our trees are certified organically grown. All trees are $60.

You are welcome to tag your tree in November for the best selection. Our schedule is:

Tagging
November 2-27: Open by appointment. Closed November 13-19. November 28-30, Friday-Sunday: Open 10-4; no appointment needed. Dec 1-5, Mon-Fri: Open by appointment Dec 6-7, Sat, Sun: Open 10-4; no appointment needed. If the past couple years are an indication, we will likely sell out on this weekend, if not before.

To make an appointment, just call us at 508-653-5421, or email us at farm@hopestill.com.

Deposits
We ask for a $20 deposit once you tag a tree.

Cutting
You are of course welcome to cut your tree at the same time as you select it, or come on one of the weekends we are open, or make an appointment for a different day and time. We will also be open December 13-14, 10-4, a popular weekend for cutting. We have saws, or you are welcome to bring your own. No axes or chainsaws, please. We also have twine for tying your tree on your car.

Organic Vegetables for the Holidays!
While you are tagging or cutting, check out our winter produce! We should have a good supply of buttercup squash, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Buttercup is, in our estimation, the best winter squash there is, far superior to the standard butternut. Quartered and steamed, it is excellent as a vegetable dish, and imparts a rich, sweet taste to breads and pies. Also check out or garlic, dried tomatoes, and potatoes, all certified organically grown.

About Hopestill Farm
Hopestill Farm, at the corner of Mill and Hollis Streets in Sherborn, has been a working farm since it was established in the early 1800s, by descendants of Henry Leland, one of Sherborn's founders. We have farmed it organically for over three decades, and in 2010, we received our USDA certification as an organic farm. We grow all our produce without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. More importantly, we focus on building healthy soil, using compost, cover crops, mulches, and crop rotations. We believe the healthiest and most delicious food comes from the healthiest soil.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 23:23:00 +0000

SOLD OUT! Thanks to the many families who tagged early this year, we are sold out for the season.

*If you cut a tree at Hopestill Farm last year,* and had your heart set on returning this year, please call us--we do have a few trees set aside for our most loyal customers. 508-653-5421

If you would like to receive our email notice in the fall for early tagging, please let us know by email: farm@hopestill.com, and we'd be happy to put you on the list.

We truly appreciate the overwhelming interest in our trees. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:57:00 +0000

Once again Hopestill Farm is offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Join us to begin or continue a family farm tradition. It has been a great growing season for our trees, and we have hundreds to choose from. Our trees are white spruce, with a terrific selection up to 7 feet, and a few bigger bargains as well. Like all our produce, our trees are certified organically grown. All trees are $55.

You are welcome to tag your tree in November for the best selection. Our schedule is:

Tagging
November 2-27: Open by appointment. Closed November 8-13.
November 29-December 1, Friday-Sunday: Open 10-4; no appointment needed.
Dec 2-6, Mon-Fri: Open by appointment
Dec 7-8, Sat, Sun: Open 10-4; no appointment needed. If the past couple years are an indication, we will likely sell out on this weekend, if not before.

To make an appointment, just call us at 508-653-5421, or email us at farm@hopestill.com.

Cutting
You are of course welcome to cut your tree at the same time as you select it, or come on one of the weekends we are open, or make an appointment for a different day and time. We will also be open December 14-15, 10-4, a popular weekend for cutting.

While you are tagging or cutting, check out our stocking stuffers for the cooks on your list: dried tomatoes, garlic, and garlic braids, all certified organically grown.

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:57:00 +0000

SOLD OUT!

Thanks to all for a great Christmas tree season. If you have tagged a tree already, please let us know when to expect you. We open for 2013 just after Halloween, if you would like to tag early.

It's Time to Tag a Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:38:00 +0000

Once again, Hopestill Farm is offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Join us to begin or continue your family holiday tradition.

What: Our trees are almost all white spruce, with a few lovely blue spruce as well. The white spruce is a fragrant tree that needs little pruning during growth. As a result, each tree grows full, well-formed, and unique. All our trees are certified organically grown, and range from babies to about 8' tall, with a very large selection in the 6-7' range.

When: You can tag by appointment any time, beginning right after Halloween. We'll be open regularly Saturdays and Sundays 10-4 beginning right after Thanksgiving; no appointment needed on those days. Tag early for the best selection!

To make an appointment, call us at 508-653-5421 or email to farm@hopestill.com

How: Bring your own saw, or we'll provide you one here. No chainsaws or axes, please. We have twine to tie it on your car, and we can help you load it up as well.

How much: All our trees are $55. Cash is preferred. We cannot accept credit cards.

SOLD OUT!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Thanks to all of our great customers, we are sold out of Christmas trees for the 2011 season. If you've already tagged a tree, we are open to cut it Saturday and Sunday 10-4, or by appointment.

Keep us in mind for next year: We open for tagging in 2012 right after Halloween.

Thanks for a great year!

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Great Trees Still Available!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:13:00 +0000

We had a lot of happy customers this past weekend, but we have many great trees still available. You'll find a few above 7 1/2 feet, a good selection at 7 feet, and lots to choose from between 6 and 7. We are open Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4, or during the week by appointment.

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Tag Your Tree!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:09:00 +0000

One again, we are selling cut-your own Christmas trees this holiday season. You can tag a tree by appointment any time after Halloween (call or email to set up a time). We'll be open weekends after Thanksgiving 10 AM-4PM for tagging or cutting. We have white and blue spruce, up to about 8 1/2 feet in height. Spruces have a lovely, open shape that requires no shearing, so they develop a much more natural look than the "gumdrop" balsam fir. Their stiff branches are perfect for holding ornaments, and they have a fresh forest aroma. And speaking of fresh, a tree you cut yourself will last for many weeks longer than a pre-cut tree. Do you like to put your up the day after Thanskgiving? No problem--properly watered, your tree will stay green into January and beyond.

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STRAWBERRIES!!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:29:00 +0000

The strawberries are in, and we are featuring them at the farmstand. Look for them just about every day, weather permitting.

Also at the stand:
--Lettuce. Many kinds of sweet, crunchy lettuce are at their peak right now.
--Kale
--Swiss chard
--Snow peas

Tomato report: Our hoophouse tomatoes have been in the ground since early April, and have grown to almost 5 feet. They are sporting green tomatoes bigger than golf balls right now. Stay tuned!

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We're Open!

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:49:00 +0000

The farmstand is open again! We're stocking fresh lettuce from the hoophouses, and will soon be adding kale, peas, arugula, and other cool-weather crops.

We're open daily from 3 PM. You can also call for a special pick-up at other times.

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It's Cold, but not Too Cold for Spinach

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:56:00 +0000

We are experiencing near-record cold, but the spinach in the hoophouse is still happy. The outdoor temperature hit -8 F last night. Inside the unheated hoophouse, the temperature was 9.5 F, and under the row cover, it remained at least 15, probably a little bit higher. We are looking forward to a spinach salad this evening.

We are also looking forward to spring--we've got lettuces and chard started in the basement seed room, and will be transplanting them out in mid-February.

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Christmas Trees No Longer Available

noreply@blogger.com (Elias) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:55:00 +0000

We have sold out for the season!

Hopestill Farm is now closed for Christmas trees, but we will have many more trees available next year starting around Thanksgiving. If you did not get a tree this year we encourage you to come early next year and tag a tree for best selection.

If you have already tagged a tree please give us a call for an appointment to pick up your tree.

Happy Holidays!

Tree Update 6 December

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:43:00 +0000

Our trees are topping out at about six feet, with a small selection of six and a half-footers. You are welcome to make an appointment to cut a tree during the week. We will be be open Saturday 10-4; Sunday TBA.

Other news: It is chilly outside, but still temperate inside the hoophouse. Lettuce and spinach are happy under their covers at night, and are thriving during the day in the relative warmth. Please give us a call to reserve your fresh salad greens. While it is a bit too cold to keep the stand stocked during the day, we are still harvesting, and would be happy to cut your order.

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Christmas Trees December 4-5

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 13:48:00 +0000

We are open for cut-your-own Christmas trees Saturday and Sunday 10-4. All our trees are white spruce, and they are topping out now at about 7 feet. All trees are $40; cash or check please--we cannot take credit or debit cards.

While you are here, check out our produce--we've got spinach, lettuce, kale, leeks, garlic braids, chili ristras, and bon-bon squash. Take home a squash and our recipe for squash bread--a farm breakfast favorite.

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Cut Your Own: Tag Early for Best Selection

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:56:00 +0000

We are open for tagging and cutting Christmas trees weekends from 10 to 4 beginning Saturday, November 27th. See our post below or our Christmas Tree page for more information.

Spinach and Lettuce in Our New Hoophouse

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:58:00 +0000

We are now harvesting spinach and lettuce from our new hoophouse. Both are really tasty--we think you'll love them. At the farmstand now:

--lettuce

--spinach

--kale

--Swiss chard

--leeks

--bon-bon winter squash

--fall decorations

About our hoophouse: A hoophouse, or unheated greenhouse, or high tunnel, is a prime way to extend the season. With no heat other than the sun, the temperature inside is anywhere from 10 degrees to 30 degrees warmer than outside. That moderation of temperature, along with protection from drying and damaging winds, allows cold-hardy plants to survive through much colder periods than those left outdoors. As a result, we'll be harvesting spinach and lettuce for many weeks later into the fall than otherwise possible.

During the coldest months, we'll protect the plants by drawing another layer over them (the white fabric in the picture). Even as the light weakens and growth slows down, our spinach will remain healthy, going dormant but ready to begin growing again in February and March.

In order to maximize our production from our hoophouse, we have chosen to use a "Rolling Thunder" house, from Rimol Greenhouse Systems . As the name implies, the house rolls on tracks, allowing us to cover different crops at different times of the year. We are beginning with a two-crop rotation. As the spring progresses, we will replace the spinach with an early planting of tomatoes. Meanwhile, in the adjacent plot outdoors, we will plant fall spinach beginning in August. As the tomatoes finish up and the weather cools in October, the whole house will be rolled over the new spinach crop.

The rolling greenhouse provides two major benefits. First, it allows the house to be used throughout the year, without having to rip out a crop (such as the tomatoes) that is still producing. Second, and perhaps just as important, it allows soil within the house to be exposed
to the elements every other year, reducing buildup of disease and salts in the soil.

Mobile greenhouse systems have been pioneered by Eliot Coleman, of Four Seasons Farm in Maine.

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:55:00 +0000

Once again we are offering cut-your-own Christmas trees. Please join us this year as you continue, or begin, a warm family tradition.

All our trees are white spruce (we have some blue spruce growing up for next year and beyond). White spruce have a pleasing natural shape, stiff branches and needles, and a terrific aroma. Unlike pre-cut trees, which have usually been sitting out of water for several weeks at least, a fresh-cut tree from the farm will stay fresh and green for many weeks.

All our trees are $40. We supply the handsaw, or you can bring your own (no axes or chainsaws, please). Dogs and other pets must remain in your car, out of consideration for other customers. You are welcome to walk with your dog on Hopestill Reservation, a Sherborn conservation site right next door.

We are open for tagging or cutting weekends 10-4 beginning November 27th. You are welcome to tag before then, or during the week, by appointment--just call or email to reserve a time.

While you are at the farm, take a look at our chili ristras--bright red, fiery hot, perfect for holiday decorating.

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Fall Crops

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:49:00 +0000

At the farmstand this week:

--Juliet tomatoes
--sweet peppers
--hot peppers and chili ristras
--gourds
--pie pumpkins
--parsley
--lettuce
--Swiss chard
--broccoli
--Bon-Bon buttercup squash. If you haven't tried it, you should--it has a rich, sweet squash taste that is better than any other we've tried. Try roasted squash in stir-fry. We don't use pumpkins for breads or pies any more--we use Bon-Bons.

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Fall Crops Are In

noreply@blogger.com (Hopestill Farm) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 19:12:00 +0000

It's late September, and still no sign of frost. At the farmstand, we've got:

--lettuce
--leeks
--green beans
--beets
--broccoli
--Swiss chard
--basil
--parsley
--tomatoes
--sweet peppers
--hot peppers
--zucchini
--flower bouquets
--chile ristras
--winter squash
--pumpkins, lots and lots of pumpkins
--gourds
--raspberries

Raspberries look like they will hold on for another week or two, or until we start getting steady frosts.

Juliet tomatoes will keep producing for a few more weeks, or until the frost, and then we will have them for a week or two after, so look for the Juliets at least until mid-October. Pink beauties are likely to be done in a week.

Zucchini are fading fast.

We have a nice crop of fall broccoli on the way--big heads, as well as side shoots.

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