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 veggies and berries, 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 NYC regions each winter.
Where does the produce come from?
Winter Sun Farms purchases produce from over a dozen different farms in the Hudson Valley region. In doing so, we are able to offer a nice variety of vegetables and berries--truly the best of the Hudson Valley. We have provided an additional source of revenue for many local farmers. See our Participating Farms page for a list of farms we buy from.
Is it organic?
The farms we work with are primarily certified organic or small farms that grow without the use of any chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, but we do not claim that the share is "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. Our members appreciate this transparency.
What types of produce are in a share?
The share includes broccoli, sweet corn, mixed peppers, green beans, pureed butternut squash, kale, blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes, fresh pea shoots, and even edamame. See our What's in a Share? page for a full list.
How much is in a share?
One share is enough to supplement the meals of a small family (3-4 people). Each month's share includes 6 frozen items and 1 fresh (greenhouse pea shoots). Some families who do a lot of cooking with vegetables sign up for 2 shares. See approximate amounts and weight of each item in the list on our What's in a Share? page.
What can I do with the frozen produce?
Most of our items will work as additions to common winter meals, such as soups, chilis, stews, etc. But they're also great as stand-alone vegetable side dishes, such as green beans, kale, butternut squash puree, broccoli, sweet corn, edamame. Berries brighten pancakes, muffins, smoothies or just eat them out of hand. Diced peppers are delicious in omelets or frittatas. And our tomatoes make the best homemade sauce! See our Cooking Tips page for more ideas.
Do you offer group pricing at a discounted rate?
Yes, please email us at info@wintersunfarms.com for our Group Pricing informational sheet. We're happy to help you create a winter distribution for your group!