Drifting snow outside and stoking the wood stove inside means it is time for stew.

Staying warm is part of the season, as is farm planning, accounting, choosing breeds and feed, and prepping for a whole year of farm projects, including permaculture classes and internships.

But back to winter stews… Cayuta Sun Farm has plenty of pork, plus whole and whole split chickens, both perfect for soups to warm your belly and your kitchen.

Heritage Poultry

We have Cornish Cross broilers and Dark Cornish, a heritage breed. Kelly and I prefer the rich dark leg meat of the Dark Cornish in our soups. After stewing a whole bird, we typically remove the thick and tender breast meat for a first meal. We add veggies, herbs and stew the rest of the chicken a bit longer before removing the bones. We’re then all set for a couple more meals. If you missed it, check out our post on the farm website about the nutritional benefits of cooking whole birds with the bones. Read it at:

https://cayutasunfarm.com/2014/01/02/pastured-chickens-make-the-tastiest-healthiest-broth/ 

Forest-Fed Pork

Our small herd of big hogs are in the freezer. If you desire high quality pork, this is it. These pigs were raised in a forested pasture and fed grain plus about 800 gallons of milk whey (thanks to Lively Run Goat Dairy), several truckloads of squash (thanks to Silver Queen Farm), hickory nuts in our woods, a truckload of walnuts (thanks to Barb & Paul Salon), and small mountains of apple pressings (thanks to Nicole Costa and Little Tree Orchards.) Visit our website to see the cuts we have in stock, including: spicy Italian sausage, smoked bacon, smoked half-hams from 5 to 12 pounds each, pork chops and roasts (butt, rib and loin). We are sold-out of tongue, heart, and liver… but have plenty of pork skin left (make an offer!).

Markets

This winter Cayuta Sun Farm has been selling poultry, pork and shiitake logs at the Corning Winter Farmers Market, held every first and third Saturday inside the Corning Information Center at One West Market Street. If you live near Corning, you can order products online and pick them up at the market. If you are not in the habit of attending the market, we’ll encourage you with this coupon: 
https://cayutasunfarm.com/purchase/corning-farmers-market-discount/

Soon Cayuta Sun Farm will be selling at Ithaca Farmers Market. We expect our stock of pork and poultry to shrink a bit once we’re in this busy market. If you want to stock up, now is the time. Residents of Catharine, Mecklenburg, Enfield, Newfield, or Ithaca still enjoy free delivery.

Gratitude

Kelly and I are very thankful for those who helped the farm grow this past year. This especially includes intern Nicole Costa, who significantly developed our shiitake mushroom production, tended hundreds of chickens, gardened, tied together many loose ends, kept laughing, and befriended our dog and cats. Rarely did we find Nicole in the mushroom yard without any or all of the pets hanging out with her. Her focus, attention to detail, and thoughtfulness are comparable to her great work ethic.

We are thankful to others who also lent a hand or opportunities, including Jake Delisle, Elizabeth and Steve Gabriel, Aaron Munzer and Kara Cusolito, Hannah Scott, Melanie Alexia, Robert Massar, Matt LeRoux and Tarynn Hubbard of the Meat Locker, Cathy Halm and Spencer Carter of the Corning Winter Farmers Market, a steady crowd of mushroom inoculation party-goers, a handful of New Roots Charter School students, and dozens of Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute students who pampered our pigs with food scraps.
 
Sincerely,
Michael Burns and Kelly Dietz