It’s no secret that an integral part of any good farm succession plan is preparing for the next generation of leadership. Planning and outlining action plans with the management team coupled with advice from trusted industry advisors has helped this family farm create a solid strategy for the future. This revolves around family members inheriting the …
Early Winter is a time on our farm when many important things are happening, one of those is caring for our soil. We take time to add composting material to our soil all year through and also when our crops have completed their growing cycle this time of year. This provides a ground cover keeping …
Hard Cider is apple cider that has been naturally fermented into alcohol and goes long back to our pioneer roots. Apples and hard cider have a long history, eventually making their way to New Jersey with the early settlers. Apples were primarily used in our region for cider and hard cider, (aka Apple Jack), as …
Popping corn is a special variety of corn named Zea belonging to the corn family. Other types of corn are Dent, Sweet and Flint Corn. Dent corn, aka field corn, is primarily used as grain corn for animals. Sweet Corn is the delicious corn on your table or seen at farmers’ markets during the summertime. …
The Alstede Farms cider mill was started in 2015 and we are proudly going into our 8th year of pressing apples. Having a cider mill on an apple farm means that nothing goes to waste on this sustainable-focused, regenerative farm. The cider mill produces fresh apple cider using an antique rack and cloth press from …
Turnips and Rutabagas are categorized as an Itsy Bitsy crop on our farm. Itsy Bitsy crops mean they are a tinier crop in size by definition. They also occupy smaller acreage and are all planted using the same machine making them an overall smaller crop that gets categorized into this grouping. Other Itsy Bitsy crops …
Align closer to the season by making sure to keep your pantry stocked with essential items that make mealtime fun and easier. Our culinary and education specialist, Miss Jenn, has put together her top picks to help you cook with ease and obtain optimum nutrition this Winter. Basic essentials are items that you should have on …
Carrots and parsnips are cool-season, root veggies that we plant in early spring and fall. Carrots that have been planted in spring will be available typically from June through November and then longer with cold storage. Parsnips are available, typically, in April & May and then again in October through December. Root vegetables are low …
All of a sudden we shifted from our summer harvest to fall harvest which includes root crops, such as beets & carrots, along with tuber crops, such as potatoes. We grow six different varieties of potatoes on approximately 6 acres of farmland, varieties include russet, red, white, Yukon gold, purple, and fingerling. It’s no mistake that …
Pumpkins are synonymous with autumn and they are more than just a feast for your eyes. Pumpkins are an extraordinary healthy food that is so versatile and nutritious. Central to fall celebrations, you can consume so much of the plant including the flowers, the flesh, the seeds, and the leaves. Commonly harvested around October, they …
Apples have a long history, eventually making their way to New Jersey with the early settlers. Apples were primarily used in our region for cider and hard cider, (aka Apple Jack), as this area provided the right climate for growing apples for the early settlers, more than growing wheat, barley, or hops. Apple production was …
Onions are an aromatic root vegetables and are in season now and that makes us so happy. We grow several varieties of onions here on 3 acres on our farm including; red, yellow, white and shallots. We start onions from seed in our greenhouses in late winter. They sprout and grow and when temperatures are …
