Pendragon’s Bouquet: Over a decade of local service

When Jonathan Bernstein, owner of Pendragon’s Bouquet, started his farm off State Route 227 in 2010, he aimed to share his love of flowers with the Trumansburg community.

“The farm is certainly a work in progress,” Bernstein said. “I started to get the idea to grow flowers in 2010. I realized a lot of conventional flowers were edible, and at the time, I was the only person at the Trumansburg Farmers Market working with flowers.”

After establishing and working his farm throughout 2010, Bernstein was ready to present his goods at the Trumansburg market in 2011.

“I had been a baker in a previous life,” Bernstein said. “I decided it would be useful to have a multiplicity and decided to add shiitakes and mushroom galettes to sell as well.”

Having been a commercial baker since 1975 and a founder of Clever Hans Bakery of Ithaca, Bernstein decided to use his skills to make gluten-free cakes and mushroom galettes, using eggs from his free-range chickens.

“I built a movable chicken coop and rotated it to one of the three pens I have built,” Bernstein said. “The pens are protected by fencing and two hot wires to discourage foxes. It is cleaner than your stationary options and provides a free-range lifestyle that affords them fresh bugs and greens. I have a dozen chickens and one rooster, and I use the eggs for making my cakes and baked goods.”

When Bernstein decided to add shiitakes to his collection of delicacies offered at the market, he received permission to forage red and white oak logs from properties throughout Tompkins and Schuyler counties.

“I use a hand plunger inoculator tool to drill about 120 holes in the logs and then put shiitake spawn in them and fill them with hot wax,” Bernstein said. “You have to colonize the wood. They sit for about a year to produce. Some have been around for five years.”

The name shiitake comes from Japan, where the mushrooms were traditionally cultivated. “Shii” is the name of the tree that’s most commonly used as the medium to grow them, a close relative of oak and beech trees, while “take” is Japanese for mushroom.

“I soak logs in my water tubs for 24 hours for forced fruiting,” Bernstein said. “I have three large metal basins used for soaking.”

Along with growing shiitake mushrooms and flowers, both edible and ornamental, Bernstein uses his fully organic and naturally sustainable 1-acre farm to grow blueberries, hydrangeas, roses, eucalyptus and a collection of native flowers, grown to assist pollinators in the region. Bartlett pears, Empire apples and peaches are also grown on the farm and used in his gluten-free culinary creations.

“The problem with commercial growers is that they use pesticides and carcinogens to control pests and weeds, which also has their staff exposed to and handling those chemicals, spreading them around as well,” Bernstein said. “Because everything I grow is used in food and to be consumed, I ensure that no chemicals are used at the farm. I grow rosemary, which I make rosemary oil from. It is an organic, natural deterrent used in the growing and on the plants to control pests and weeds. It makes everything consumable safe.”

Having an interest in sustainability, Bernstein utilizes solar panels to control the temperature of his greenhouses and has a 650-gallon cistern that uses a trough system to fill, utilizing rainwater from the roof of his home and garage.

“I have eight compost bins that I lasagna-layer with leaves, manure and wood ash, leading to good-quality soil that is all organic,” Bernstein said. “Years ago, I found blank newspaper stock available, and I use three layers of it as well as wood chips and ground eggshells that I repurposed and utilized after I use the eggs in my baking. The paper disintegrates and is organic and is wonderful for suppression of weeds. It keeps more plastic that is traditionally used out of landfills. The eggshells help control slugs and other pests.”

In addition to the gluten-free cakes and galettes that Pendragon’s Bouquet offers at the Trumansburg Farmers Market, Bernstein also offers cakes made to order for special occasions and holidays.

“I don’t usually use other people’s fillings unless it’s organic and requested,” Bernstein said. “I make things for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving and for special events. Everything is 100% gluten free. I make everything here in my home, which used to be a one-room schoolhouse and one of the oldest in Perry City. Everything I make, including the edible flowers the cakes are decorated with, comes right from here and [is] organic. I make every single thing from scratch.”

Pendragon’s Bouquet can be contacted at loosegoose4@ottcmail.com, and information and updates can be found on their Facebook page at facebook.com/jonathanabernstein.

Trumansburg Connection appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.