Month: February 2018

Farm Field Update: Pruning

Posted on February 26, 2018 by

Don’t let the snow and chilly weather fool you. There’s still work to be done on the farm here at Bishop’s Orchards. In fact, one of the longest processes on the farm takes place during the winter – pruning. Because we have over 100 acres of apple trees, it takes time to prune them all, but the task itself can be rather fun. Currently apple pruning is ahead of schedule because of the lack of snow this winter and cold temperatures, but that doesn’t make it any less of a process. So let’s take a look at a simplified version of this winter task for those of you wondering how it works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When To Start
Pruning can be done in the winter, spring, or summer – it just depends on what your tree looks like and what you want the outcome to be. Naturally, winter is the best time of year to prune because the trees are dormant and have no leaves and foliage on them, so it’s easier to see what you’re doing and remove broken or diseased branches. But by pruning in the winter you will also invigorate the tree to produce and grow more during the spring and summer time. Pruning in the summer should be done when your tree looks overgrown. Then you can de-invigorate the tree, diminishing the growth. It’s important to make sure to avoid pruning in the fall, since new growth will be stimulated. If new growth begins once the cold and frost hit, it could lead to damage to the tree.

Why You Should
This annual practice allows you to direct the growth and shape the tree, which helps maintain the crop load for annual bearing and allows sunlight and airflow throughout the tree. Sunlight helps with the color and sugar development of the fruit, and airflow helps minimize moist conditions which support disease development.

What You Need
When pruning apple trees, you will need a few tools. Hand pruners, to remove small branches and twigs. Loppers, for larger branches. A Folding Saw for branches larger than three inches wide. And last but not least, you will need Pole Pruners to reach branches high on the tree that you might not have easy access to.

How it Works

  1. Decide the Tree Structure. When you first plant a tree, it’s good to prune away anything dead or injured immediately after planting. However, you should first analyze the tree and see what type of structure suits it. Decide if it’s going to have a central leader structure (when the trunk goes straight up) or an open center structure (when the branches split in the center and fan out to either side). Once this is decided you can begin to train it. But note that heavier pruning should be done minimally the first three years of growth until you achieve the tree shape you want.
  2. Clean Up the Dead, Damaged and Diseased. First, if there are little sprouts coming out of the trunk of the tree, they need to be removed. Because they originate from the root stock rather than the grafted fruit variety on the top of the tree, they can pruned off. If there are perfectly vertical or straight branches, called “water sprouts,” they are removed as well. And, when trimming these branches, it’s important to make sure they are flush to the larger limb and stubs are not left behind.
  3. Remove Competing Branches. Look for branches that might be growing towards the inside of the tree. By removing them, air circulation will be improved and it will eliminate the collection of water inside hollow branches that might lead to rot. Also, remove any branches that might be going downward – these won’t be able to bear fruit and will get in the way of branches that could be receiving the sunlight and nutrients they need.
  4. Prune Back the Outermost Branches. It’s important to make sure to never remove more than ⅓ of the wood and that the tree has one central trunk. If there’s a branch that seems to be taking over, it must be removed. By cutting back the rest of the branches, stems will thicken and get rid of extra weight on the tree. Lastly, step back and make sure the upper branches are shorter than the lower branches and looks like a pyramid.

So, here are a few basic takeaway tips for pruning. Prune from the bottom up, inside out, and make sure to make thinning cuts first, and outermost cuts last. Next on the list here on the farm, peach pruning. Which as always, depends on Mother Nature – but is currently set to begin in March. Stay tuned for more updates from the farm or visit https://bishopsorchards.com/the-farm/about/ for more information!

True Meaning of Comfort Foods

Posted on February 21, 2018 by

We all at some point have heard a reference to “comfort foods.” To everyone specific comfort foods can be different, but more often than not, these items tend to land on the “non-healthful” side. At Bishop’s Orchards our definition of comfort food is valued differently. We challenge our customers to find comfort in where their food comes from. Though often a personal decision, we urge all our customers to care about where your food comes from. Hesitation with this comes from worry of disrupting your lifestyle. However with Farm Markets like us, our goal and mission is to provide a comfortable shopping environment, with all the information you need to know where your food comes from.

Comfort in Farm to Table:

Improve your family’s relationship with food by educating and appreciating where your food comes from. Help yours kids understand how vegetables are grown, how cheese is made, how cows and chickens are raised and emphasize that eating is an experience, which also nurtures your body. Inside Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, not only will you find our own, locally grown produce and signature items, but you will also see a strong partnership with other local farms in our Cheese Department, Produce Department and our Specialty Fresh Meat Department. Our Fresh Meat Department, though small, stands out, featuring meat that is naturally raised, free range, grass fed, organic, natural and without use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

Comfort in What You Put Into Your Body:

Ever wonder why a bag of pre-cut & washed greens, is less expensive than unpackaged romaine hearts with dirt residue? How about a can of green beans verse the ones fresh from the produce department? When you bring home shelf stable and processed foods, this generally means you are buying a bunch of ‘add-ons’ that you may not want to be consuming. If you take a look at the ingredient list, you will see preservatives, hazardous trans fats, tons of sodium and sugars. Bishop’s Orchards carries a minimal amount of these foods for this particular reason. You can find comfort in what you are taking home from our market with fresh, made from scratch, and whole foods that depict clean eating.

Comfort in Supporting Local Economy:

What makes you feel most comfortable when feeding your family; knowing your fruit came from 5 miles down the road, or buying vibrant, perfect looking fruit from some farm in California? The true meaning of eating local is having a smaller carbon footprint. When your food doesn’t travel as far to get to your plate, it translates to less carbon emissions, which negatively impact the environment. Conventionally sourced produce can travel up to 1500 miles to get to your kitchen! Eating local also means your money stays in your local economy. Create a feeling of contentment when you purchase from local farms and markets because with your patronage, you are providing them with more opportunity to thrive and offer even more services and products to fit to your community’s needs and wants.

Back to Our Roots with Bishop’s CSA Program

Posted on February 19, 2018 by

Registration for the 2018 CSA Program at Bishop’s Orchards is officially open! For some, you might already know the benefits of being a part of this exclusive program. But for those of you who might not, here is a little background on what the CSA Program is and why you should join.

Our CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) program is designed to give customers an exclusive look into the farm side of Bishop’s Orchards by providing them with farm fresh products, information and news. It’s a way to show our customers what picking local and fresh truly means while exposing people to a side of the business that they haven’t seen before, and providing them with quality products throughout the harvest season.

In order to fit the needs of our customers, we have several different share sizes and options. From vegetables to fruits, cheeses and more, what you receive in your basket each week is always fresh, and locally grown from farms nearby. We also look for small farms that have unique products that add something to our CSA that’s different from any other. For example, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms – there’s a lot of unique products out there and we seek to expose people to not just the products but the farms that are growing them.

This year, we will have our full share (good for a family of 4) and medium share (good for 2-3 people) – both containing fruits and vegetables. We also have our Specialty Share (containing 2-3 Connecticut produced items), a Cheese Share, Egg Share, a Flower Share, and NEW this year, a Mushroom Share that will run for 10 weeks beginning in July. The mushrooms will be provided by Chatfield Hollow Farms in Killingworth, CT and includes varieties such as Maitake, Beech and Royal Trumpet.

Every shareholder will be given a weekly pick-up day and time of the week, where you will pick up your basket, take it home, enjoy what’s in it, and return it to be refilled the following week. AND, in addition to all these farm fresh items, you gain access to a community board. That way, if you don’t know what to make with the items in your share or proper storing, the community board allows you to chat with other local members, swap recipe ideas, and keep up to date on what to expect in your share each week.

Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? Whether you want flowers, mushrooms, fruits or vegetables, there’s sure to be a share option designed for your family and you. Space is limited, so if you’re interested in participating in our 2018 CSA Program, please visit http://csa.bishopsorchards.com/members/types to register today!

Featured Personality: Brad Isnard

Posted on February 19, 2018 by

Brad Isnard expected to spend his life out in California. But, when he moved to Connecticut in 1990, he took a job as an Orchard Foreman at Bishop’s Orchards, and over 20 years later he has a lot to show for his time here. He’s learned the ins and outs of the business and has become an expert on the production and caretaking of the land and crops grown on the farm. His time, experience, and expertise of the farm is what led to his recent promotion as the new Orchard Manager.

His role at the company allows him to oversee cider production and all packing and sales of Bishop’s items, in addition to activity and labor on the farm. When you think about winter on the farm, it’s easy to assume there’s nothing to do because it’s cold and there’s snow. But in actuality, winter is when all the pruning happens. “It’s the single biggest job we have on the farm,” says Brad. “But, in addition to pruning, we’re also buying seeds and are in the process of figuring out exactly what we’re going to grow for the coming year. From the squash you see growing out on the side of Long Hill Road, to tomatoes, asparagus and more. It takes a lot of time to get the seeds and plan for the season ahead, so the earlier we start the better.”

Brad also started the CSA Program (Community Shared Agriculture) here at Bishop’s Orchards. “I wanted to start the CSA Program because frequently the farm gets overshadowed by the store since it’s become such a substantial farm market. I thought the farm didn’t get the credit that it’s due. So, I wanted to create a program that showcased the farm and the products we grow while also allowing people to learn more about the farm since not many people know about agriculture. We also had a lot more land to utilize to grow more crops, so I wanted to find a way to bring people back to the farm so they could have a unique and exclusive experience.”

Working at Bishop’s has not only given Brad the flexibility he likes, but the atmosphere and the people give him a reason to appreciate coming to work every day. “The seasonal aspect of the job makes it all the more enjoyable. If there’s a job you don’t like, you don’t do it for long because there’s so many to do. And what makes working here unique is the fact that the owner’s are just as willing to “get in the ditch” as you are – I like the shared labor from top to bottom.”

5 Steps to a Successful Valentine’s Day Dinner

Posted on February 8, 2018 by

What better way to someone’s heart than through food! This Valentine’s Day instead of going out to an expensive restaurant, stay in and show your significant other how much they mean to you by making them their favorite dinner. Planning the perfect meal requires preparation and the most obvious part of all, knowing how to cook. Don’t stress if you’re not a pro in the kitchen, just follow these five steps and you’ll be sure to have a successful and romantic Valentine’s dinner right at home.

valentine's day dinner ideas1. Gather and Prepare the Necessities – Whether you’ve known your date for a month or for years, find out what they like to eat and what they don’t, that way you make something they’re truly going to enjoy. Also, if you’re making a meal from home, make it easy on yourself and find a market that has all the essentials you’ll need. If you’re good at cooking but are terrible at baking or making desserts (or vice versa), find a place like Bishop’s Orchards that has both prepared foods and desserts that will look the part, and taste even better. Need flowers? Bishop’s has these too – your roses are ready to go and we’ll even wrap them for you!

2. Start with Appetizers – You don’t have to dine out to have a tasty and romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Cooking at home can be just as romantic, if not more. At Bishop’s Orchards, you can do just that while also keeping things simple and stress free. With our heart shaped raviolis and heart shaped goat cheese brought in all the way from France, you’ll have the perfect appetizer before serving the main course.

3. Onto the Main Course – Italian is always a good way to go when it comes to making a romantic meal. As an added bonus, for those of you trying to save some money, it’s also inexpensive. Just grab the pasta of your choice, tomato basil sauce, and some fresh bread from Bishop’s Orchards and you’re good to go. You can even add a salad as a side and pair it with a wine from our selection here at the store.

4. Conclude with Dessert – And what better way than with some chocolate! Whether it’s a homemade dessert, or a tasty decadent pre-made one, you really can’t go wrong! If you want to do a little something extra, pair your chocolatey treat with a dessert wine such as our Hyland Red, pure raspberry wine. From chocolate covered strawberries to chocolate mousse, cake and even ice cream. Pairing it with a dessert wine will give your meal the perfect finishing touch.

5. Relax with Wine and Memories – A little bit of effort goes a long way. But, it’s important to have fun with what you’re making. You could even make the meal together as a fun and romantic way to enjoy each other’s company. As long as you’re creative and put some thought into it, your date is going to be impressed and you’ll end the night reminiscing on all the good times you’ve had together.

For more ideas on what to make for Valentine’s Day, visit our recipe page as well as our Pinterest page.