#plovgh

We’re offering up a more lively tradition this Thanksgiving with turkeys from Fitzgerald Farms in Upstate New York.   The turkeys, plucked just two days before delivery, are farm raised in an open-air environment and sustain a diet of all-natural and hormone-free feed from Connecticut Feed Co-Op. By the time of harvest, the birds will weigh a plump 15 pounds and can feed 10 to 12 hungry guests.   The farm is taking turkey orders on Plovgh through Friday, November 16. The birds will be delivered on Tuesday, November 20 – just in time to start that extra slow roast. Pickups can be made between 5 and 8pm at either Dandelion Wine in Greenpoint or Plovgh HQ in East Williamsburg.

We've heard a lot of interpretive pronunciations of Plovgh in recent months: “plov-gah”, “ploe”, “plahv”.  Our favorite questions so far have been: Does the “L-O-V” stand for “love”?  And, is Plovgh Russian for…(we’re not sure what)? 

Nope, none of the above.  In fact, the spelling was originally a function of the great URL conundrum that many startups face (see Svpply and Svbtle for prime examples).  But the concept behind the name is a bit more meaningful than that.

Plovgh, which is pronounced "plow", refers to a tool, an innovation that fueled a technological revolution in farming in the ancient world.  We aim to apply technology in a way that has an equally transformative effect for the current and future generation of farmers, not on their production but on the economics of their markets.  By eliminating the middleman, Plovgh producers and customers can both do better. 

For the non-agrarians among you, the plough is an agricultural tool that is thought to have emerged in the 6th millennium B.C. when people began using draft animal power. It was not until 1837 that the first steel plough was introduced by a blacksmith and manufacturer named John Deere. Its arrow-shaped head is used to this day to cultivate the soil in preparation for sowing seeds or planting.  Thus, the "v" in our name reflects the shape of the tool itself and calls on a rich history of humans working the land and forging new ground.

Last but not least, the plough had an impact on agriculture around the world, over the course of millennia.  That it is also a constellation and a yoga pose speaks to its universality, cultural significance, and enduring quality.  Our hope is that Plovgh too reaches hundreds of millions of farmers globally and has wide-reaching effect in reinventing markets for producers and people.

We gave into social media peer pressure and got an instagram account. All the better to connect with our lovely Plovgh community out there. Get ready, lots of farm photos are in your near future...

PLACE YOUR ORDER

Hudson Valley Harvest - Hudson Valley, NY Network of independently owned local farms 10 oz bags of vegetables harvested Summer/Fall 2011: Green beans - frozen : $5.00 Summer squash - frozen: $5.00 Tomato puree - frozen: $5.00 Butternut squash puree - frozen: $5.00 Kale puree - frozen: $5.00 Broccoli - frozen: $5.00 Collard greens - frozen: $5.00 Sweet corn - frozen: $5.00 Edamame - frozen: $5.00 Produce is from Taliaferro Farm, Evolutionary Organics, Amba Farms, Gill's Farm, Hepworth Farm, Veritas Farms and Bradley Farm. 1 lb Pork chops: $10.00 1 lb Bacon: $10.00 Pork is from Sugar Hill Farm and Sir William Berkshire Farm. Maple syrup: $20.00/16 oz Honey: $6.00/half pound, $10.00/lb

Rottkamp Farms - Glen Head, NY 50 acre, fourth generation family farm Broccoli: $2.00/head Cauliflower: $2.00/head Scallions: $1.00/bunch Onions: $0.50 each Parsley: $1.00/bunch

Partners Trace - New Paltz, NY Six acre farm, growers of practicing-organic, biodynamic flowers, herbs and vegetables Ginger tarragon pickles: $8.00/16 oz., $11.00/24 oz. Orange zest, chili pepper, pink peppercorn pickles: $8.00/16 oz., $11.00/24 oz. Sage allspice bitters: $12.00/4 oz what to do with this? Lavender licorice bitters: $12.00/4 oz what to do with this?

Fitkin Farms - Cedar Falls, IA Iowa family farm Yellow popping corn: $3.00/bag (2 lbs) what to do with this?

Plovgh mixed vegetable bag: $12.00/bag Don't know what to get? We'll pack a bag with a variety of provisions for you to pickup.