What is Winter Sun Farms?
Winter Sun Farms, based in New Paltz, NY, is a company that began with an original idea to preserve the local harvest. In 2006, founder Jim Hyland started reaching out to local farmers to purchase farm fresh vegetables and fruit, and then froze and packaged those items for distribution as a winter share. Since then, Winter Sun Farms has been distributing winter shares in the Hudson Valley and expanding each year into the wider region.
In the spring of 2011, Sara and Adam Gordon of Bucks County, PA founded a company based on the same mission of bringing these products and their benefits to the Greater Philadelphia region.
In the spring of 2011, Sara and Adam Gordon of Bucks County, PA founded a company based on the same mission of bringing these products and their benefits to the Greater Philadelphia region.
Where does the produce come from?
This season, all of our frozen items will come from Winter Sun Farms who purchase produce in season from over a dozen local and regional growers and freeze it using IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) technology at their processing plant in Kingston, NY. IQF technology results in a high-quality finished product which is frozen in individual pieces instead of block frozen, making it easier and convenient to use all the while giving it a better texture than home frozen items.
Kingston, is 150 miles from Doylestown, PA and 177 miles from Philadelphia.
A list of the participating farms Winter Sun Farms works with is available here.
Kingston, is 150 miles from Doylestown, PA and 177 miles from Philadelphia.
A list of the participating farms Winter Sun Farms works with is available here.
Why doesn't the produce come from Pennsylvania?
We love Pennsylvania farmers and the food they grow. In fact we love it so much that we want to help make it available all year long. But this will take time, planning and persistence.
One of Winter Sun Farms Greater Philadelphia's key objectives is to establish a processing plant in our region so that we may all utilize the wonderful bounty that our own local farmers produce. Unfortunately with the current industrial food system the way it is, local and even regional food processing units are few and far between. There are many components needed to make our key objective come to fruition. These include a processing plant, cold storage facilities and a transportation system. These may seem like lofty goals but we believe in them and we believe in our region. As someone much wiser than us once put it - "The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are!"
We believe that growing in a more measured way offers a better product to customers immediately from the region while we develop a suitable local infrastructure, apply for grants, seek out investors and continue to forge working relationships with local farms. This time will also allow our farmers to increase their growing capacity and experiment with new varieties specifically for freezing, storage, and extended season harvest.
In the meantime in order to offer our customers the best quality and variety for our first winter subscription we will be offering frozen items from Winter Sun Farms's current network of farmers in the Hudson Valley. Those of you that are interested in good, sustainably produced, healthy vegetables and fruit will help us to establish the marketplace here in the Greater Philadelphia region by purchasing a subscription today!
If you are interested in viewing our business plan or discussing other ways to help bring about our vision, please contact us.
One of Winter Sun Farms Greater Philadelphia's key objectives is to establish a processing plant in our region so that we may all utilize the wonderful bounty that our own local farmers produce. Unfortunately with the current industrial food system the way it is, local and even regional food processing units are few and far between. There are many components needed to make our key objective come to fruition. These include a processing plant, cold storage facilities and a transportation system. These may seem like lofty goals but we believe in them and we believe in our region. As someone much wiser than us once put it - "The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are!"
We believe that growing in a more measured way offers a better product to customers immediately from the region while we develop a suitable local infrastructure, apply for grants, seek out investors and continue to forge working relationships with local farms. This time will also allow our farmers to increase their growing capacity and experiment with new varieties specifically for freezing, storage, and extended season harvest.
In the meantime in order to offer our customers the best quality and variety for our first winter subscription we will be offering frozen items from Winter Sun Farms's current network of farmers in the Hudson Valley. Those of you that are interested in good, sustainably produced, healthy vegetables and fruit will help us to establish the marketplace here in the Greater Philadelphia region by purchasing a subscription today!
If you are interested in viewing our business plan or discussing other ways to help bring about our vision, please contact us.
What does regional mean?
While there is no definitive definition of regional, Winter Sun Farms Greater Philadelphia defines 'regional' as greater than 100 miles. In our first year of operation all produce provided by Winter Sun Farms of Greater Philadelphia will come from within 200 miles of Philadelphia.
What does local mean?
While there is no definitive definition of local, Winter Sun Farms Greater Philadelphia defines 'local' as within 100 miles. Our key goal is to purchase and process all our produce from within the 100 mile food-shed.
What can I do with the frozen produce?
Most of the items in your subscription share will work as additions to common winter meals, such as soup, chili and stews, etc. But they're also great as stand-alone vegetable side dishes, such as green beans, kale, butternut squash puree, broccoli, sweet corn and edamame. Berries brighten pancakes, muffins, smoothies or just eat them out of hand. Diced peppers are delicious in stir-fry, omelets or frittatas and our tomatoes also make the best homemade sauce! See our Recipes & Cooking Tips page for more ideas.
What does 'pot-ready' mean?
It means just that...ready to go into the pot. All vegetables and fruit are washed, snipped, peeled, cored, chopped and diced before freezing, making them an easy 'fast' food that is healthy and nutritious.
Is the produce organic?
The farms we work with are primarily certified organic or non-certified organic, but we do not claim that the share is fully certified "organic." Instead, we publicize the names of the farms on our website, and we label each package we distribute with the name of the farm at which it was grown. We do this to foster a connection between farmer and consumer and believe our members will appreciate this transparency.
What is a CSA and How Does Ours Differ?
Our program works much like a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) model where customers pay in advance for a share of the crops produced on a specific farm and then pick-up a box or bag of produce each week for a certain number of weeks. Our program operates on a similar principle, with a few differences:
- We operate during the colder months only - December through April
- We distribute food to a pick-up site once per month
- Because the food is frozen, you don't have to worry about using it before it spoils!
Additionally, in a CSA, you are sharing in the risks and rewards in farming, so if the farmers has a good year you may get a lot but if they have a bad year you may not get as much. Because we are purchasing produce to freeze, we will purchase the best of what is available each season. Although specific crops available each year will vary, when you sign up, you will know how many items to expect and have an approximate idea of the quantities they will come in.
- We operate during the colder months only - December through April
- We distribute food to a pick-up site once per month
- Because the food is frozen, you don't have to worry about using it before it spoils!
Additionally, in a CSA, you are sharing in the risks and rewards in farming, so if the farmers has a good year you may get a lot but if they have a bad year you may not get as much. Because we are purchasing produce to freeze, we will purchase the best of what is available each season. Although specific crops available each year will vary, when you sign up, you will know how many items to expect and have an approximate idea of the quantities they will come in.
What is the difference between a share and a subscription?
A subscription is your 5 month purchase in total. A share is your individual monthly pick-up.
What is a bonus fresh vegetable or fruit item?
This will depend on the availablity during the winter subscription months but items you may see are: pea shots, micro greens, winter greens or storage vegetables. We are working with our Greater Philadelphia producers now to see what they can offer.
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