After putting up that low tunnel and seeding salad and agrugula, Margaret and I took off for a week. What began as just the annual trek to MA for Passover became so so much more this year. We visited some of our favorite farmers on the eastern seaboard and got to see the amazing things they’re doing. Our friends are doing such cool stuff I thought I’d share:

Superstars Cara and Luke at Quincy Farm (Schaghticoke, NY) are doing 3 markets a week in the WINTER, adding another and CSA in the summer. The farm, which they bought a few years ago is big and beautiful with a stunning view of the Hudson river. Growing on 6ish acres, they’re rocking the local markets with gorgeous produce.

Miriam at Good Flavor Farm (Red Hook, NY) is selling CSAs through the Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School in NYC this year. It’s a super cool system that provides families with fresh produce for the beginning of the school year (Sept-Dec), which means they get the best of the summer and the finest of storage veggies for the winter. And   Miriam can do markets early in the season without worrying about CSA commitments.

Ashely Loher & co. at Sparrowbush Farm (Claremont, NY) are raising veggies and meat (mmmm that lamb was so gooood!). She’s focusing on greens for winter markets with hoophouses and tunnels. She’s also rotating animals and crops, making use of a fantastic barn and pond that come with the property.

Just down the road, Hearty Roots (Claremont, NY), our old employer, is now feeding 900 families in NY state and Brooklyn and has added chickens to their rotation, collecting roughly 450 eggs/day. This is the same farm that I started with in 2007 when it had around 100 CSA shares. BR and Lindsey are kicking it up on the farm and doing some phenomenal work with the National Young Farmers Coalition at the same time.

Our buddy KayCee is starting her first season at the South Pine Street City Farm (Kingston, NY) and she’s heading up Kingston’s new YMCA Farm Project. I can’t wait to see both of these projects in a couple years. Urban farming is incredibly important and Kingston is about to reap the benefits of having two awesome urban gardens.

Dana and Abbi of Darlin’ Doe Farm (Germantown, NY)just bought a gorgeous new piece of land for their meat goats. Along with the land, they got multiple out buildings for art studios and guest houses, and a good acre of mature asparagus (!).

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Not only did we get to see our favorite east coast farmers and their farms, we ate the best cakes (thank you Mikee at Tivoli Bakery and cousin Jancie). Also we were so so pleased to see Pocatello – seriously, Sasha, Willis, Liv, and Adam… that was the best gift. If you have a chance to hear them play, you’d be an idiot to hesitate. A few of these cats are part time farmers, all of them are full time awesome.

We loved being with friends and family last week, but as always, it feels good to be home. Back to our own space and our little farm, where spring is in full force (63deg today!?), and we’re diving into the 2013 season with planting, seeding, and plowing.