Balsam Farms
Address:
Balsam Farms - 293 Town Ln, Amagansett, NY 11930
History:
Balsam Farms, located on the South Fork of East End of Long Island, was founded by Alex Balsam in 2003. On Alex Balsam’s thirteenth birthday, he used his forest tractor and soon after began farming in Amagansett on a one-acre piece of land. During his time at Cornell University, he became best friends with philosophy major Ian Calder-Piedmonte and convinced him to spend the summer farming for his farm’s second season in East Hampton. Today, Balsam Farms farms nearly 90 acres of land with 20 tractors, 2 greenhouses, a fresh Farm Stand, a barn, and lots of passion to top it all off.
The Team And Their Roles:
Alex Balsam: “The Clairvoyant”
Alex taps into his visionary senses to predict the crops that will thrive on Balsam Farms. When he wears his opal-encrusted spectacles, he is able to connect with the future and envision the next food craze of East Hampton. When the opal of the spectacles beams mint green rays, that indicates that he must focus on produce; violet rays signify a more extensive assortment of homemade pastries and dips. Alex will order the necessary seeds and baking ingredients and will arrange the crop rotation to fulfill his fortune-telling prophecies.
Ian Calder- Piedmonte: “The King”
Ian reigns over the Balsam Farms Kingdom. He holds a set of keys- each key contains a mystical gem- which all connect to his puissant spirit. A singular key is distributed to each member of the Balsam Realm. Through the means of the keys, he distributes the daily assignments of the kingdom, which appear on each kingdom member’s key precisely at the crack of dawn. King Ian is the most crucial taste tester of the balsamic dressing, to which he adds his own fundamental element- a zap from his mystical laser- which is then converted into great relish and reserved exclusively for this recipe.
Adapting Through The Years:
Alex Balsam and Ian Calder-Piedmonte established Balsam Farms in 2003. Their primary mission is to responsibly farm the land they have been entrusted with in order to produce locally grown foods to their customers; nearly all of their produce is grown according to the current organic guidelines. They also plant yearly cover crops in order to put nutrients back into the soil and to aid the prevention of soil runoff and loss from the elements.
Since its establishment, Balsam Farms has expanded its operation. Alex and Ian have gained support through growers and consumers of their farm by initiating their own Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). They have also partnered with local kitchens to launch their own line of jarred goods using their own produce, which can be found in their two retail stores; one in Amagansett and the other in Montauk.
The use of technology has helped to increase the efficiency of the farm’s enterprises. They have transitioned from the standard row plastic to biodegradable row plastic, which can be tilled into the dirt, thus saving them time. They have also implemented their Double Automatic Post Pounder, which is a setup that attaches to their smaller tractors that fit between their tomato rows. They drive these tractors to insert stakes beside their tomatoes and use gas-powered post-pounders, thus requiring less time and physical effort.
Balsam Farms cultivates hundreds of varieties of crops, such as 10 potato varieties, more than 100 tomato varieties, 7 eggplant varieties, and more than 30 types of herbs. They also cultivate various salad greens, including spinach, baby lettuce, arugula, and seasonal favorites, such as asparagus, strawberries, shelling peas, and okra. Their farm also produces edible flowers, winter squash, and peppers, and they sell a variety of products made by local businesses. Balsam Farms recommends drizzling their Balsam Vinaigrette dressing over a bed of their salad greens with their edible flowers, fresh radishes, cucumbers, and local feta cheese.
In 20 years, Balsam Farms anticipates a solid foundation within the local communities of Long Island. They aspire to expand their selection of food, continue to grow local favorites, and introduce their customers to exciting foods they may be less familiar with.
Dylan’s Nutritious Twist On Farms Recipe:
Salad
Ingredients:
Salad:
8 ounces kale, chopped
1 large cucumber, cut into slices
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup purple grapes, sliced in half
1/2 cup strawberries
1 cup grilled chicken
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
3 tablespoons grated Parmensan cheese
Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons mustard
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
Directions:
In a large salad bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, sald, and pepper together. Add in the chopped kale and massage it with the dressing.
Slice the cucumbers, avocado, grapes, strawberries, and chicken. Add it to the bowl.
Sprinkle salad with Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy the benefits of this refreshing summer salad.
Nutrition Info:
8 servings per bowl
Serving size 1 portion
178 calories
13 grams of carbohydrates
7 grams of sugar
13 grams of fat
6 grams of protein
4 grams of fiber
Health Benefits:
Strawberries may slow down glucose digestion and reduce spikes in both insulin and glucose.
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet because it is very high in nutrients but low in calories.
Lime juice is high in Vitamin C; it may promote healthy skin.
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) and fiber. They contain more potassium than bananas.
