changes ahead

I didn't get on here to update, not sure how I missed it. I am slowly working on transferring info to a new blog.

We are working towards removing the family name from the internet as much as possible, to come in line more with their faith.

Please look for the new blog at:

http://fertilefamilyfarms.blogspot.com/

I posted the new 2011 Season pricing on there, too!

Stacy

Planning ahead...

We are working on next season's planning. One of the big things to address is that the family has asked that I work on removing their name from the internet completely. I will be sending out a message with updates as soon as we come up with a new name that is both suitable to them, and available yet on the internet.

Thank you for your patience!
Stacy

Post season ponderings....

It seems like fall is finally here. This week sure was different, not having to rush around getting all the boxes delivered. There are very few leaves left on the trees as I look out my window, I am finally realizing that I am ready for a rest. Maybe I could even hibernate for the winter! Well, maybe not, but it feels cooler today and the skies are gloomy, so it sounds like a good day for a nap.

With so many great things in our boxes, I spent a lot of time trying to make use of things for my own family, and didn't get as many recipes posted as I would have liked. I did get a great recipe for coleslaw from a friend, though, in case any of you have some of that delicious red cabbage left to use up. I have had it a few times at their house, AFTER it came out of the freezer, and it is delicious! It is still crisp, not at all mushy, and I couldn't tell that it was not fresh. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do!

Stacy

Freezer Coleslaw

1 Medium Cabbage shredded (Approx. 5 c.)

2-4 Carrots (approx. 2 c.)

1 Pepper chopped

1 Tbsp. salt per head of cabbage

1/3 Onion ( or 1 whole onion for 3 batches)

Mix salt with cabbage. Let stand 1 hr. Squeeze out excess water.

Add carrots, pepper, & onion.

Dressing

1 C. vinegar

2 c. sugar (or 1 1/2 c. honey)

1/4 c. water

Boil & cool til warm. Pour over slaw.

Add 1 tsp. whole mustard seed.

Put in containers & let stand overnight, then freeze. Can be frozen in bags.

Season Finale! October 12th!

Greetings Friends!

We made it! Here it is week 20, and we are planning our final drops of the season. For those who didn't catch it, we are doing all of them this week on Tuesday! We hope to have a driver in Thief River Falls at about 10:30am at your usual meeting point.


As for the contents of the box this week, it will be a total surprise! Being the end of the season, the quantities are not as large as they are in the peak of the season, and we are trying to not have any waste. Usually, the boxes are exactly the same, according to the size of share, but this week, the boxes will be loaded with items as they are available. We will be starting at one end of the row, filling with amounts that seem reasonable for each box, and going back and forth until items run out. This means that each box should get a usable amount of each item that they do receive, but may not receive as many items as we would usually put in the boxes. We hope to have a variety of things that will last you a bit longer.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Stacy! We are looking forward to next season already, and would love to hear your feedback before the big planning starts. Drop a letter in the mail (if you haven't done so already!) or send an email, and we will take your words into consideration. We have quite a few who have shown interest for next season, and that is encouraging to us. This season was full of learning experiences for all of us and are hoping for an even better year next year.

The blog will continue throughout the off season with updates as we have them. I will share news of things we plan to do, things we want to change from this season, and odds and ends news about all of us involved. I also hope to continue to add recipes and even start finding nutritional information so that everyone can understand why we choose to offer many of the items that are grown on the farm.


Don't forget to bring all of your empty boxes to your drop points tomorrow and to use a container/box/bag from home for your produce!


Stacy

Weekly Update October 5/7

A little late, but here goes:

Next week will be our last week for the season. That will make it 20 weeks for us! We are thrilled! Admittedly, we had a few rough spots this year, but we are learning and growing.
We hope you have enjoyed your food as much as we have.

Please return all of your boxes next week, and bring a bag, basket or other container to empty your full box and leave it where your pick up location is, so that we don't have to shuffle and track them down later. We hope to assess the condition, how long we can reasonably expect them to last, if any can be re-used for other purposes, which boxes held up the best, etc.



Now, for the contents of the box this week:

POPCORN! It may need to dry a bit more, but it is 100% edible! If you aren't that brave, just use it for a great decoration

Swiss chard
Dried Beans
Red Cabbage
watermelon
butternut squash (or other winter variety, some substitutions are possible)
carnival squash
beets
carrots
celery (just a small taste of it, this stuff is stronger than the stuff you will find in the store, but it is also a bit difficult to grow in large quantities and have it turn out well)



I got some great recipes today from a CSA Member, I am excited to share them with you! I love getting new recipes to share with everyone, especially "tried and true" recipes, rather than the ones I dig up online for everyone.

Pot Roast:

1 Roast Beef – any size or cut you like. Can be fresh or frozen.

I usually put a tablespoon or so of oil in a pan – heat until hot and sear the roast good on all sides (or as best you can).

Select a kettle for the oven and lightly spray with pam or olive oil. Slice 1 large onion and lay in bottom of pan. Lay seared roast on top of onions.

Season the roast however you prefer – you can use your favorite fresh herbs or spices. Sometimes I sprinkle a packages of Lipton’s dry soup over the top.

Next add whatever vegetables you like – I usually use whatever combination from the following – depending what I have on hand:

Potatoes, Rutabagas, Parsnips, Turnips, Carrots, Celery stalks (for flavor), Fresh mushrooms, and always more Onions (cut in ¼’s).

Leave the vegetables in large pieces.

Depending on the size of your roast and how long you leave it in the oven or crockpot – you can either put the vegetables in the same pan as the roast or cook as follows:

Roasted Root Vegetables:

• 2 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound turnips, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon each fresh rosemary and fresh thyme leaves
• 1 red onion, sliced

You can do just about anything …… you can add garlic, a little beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, etc. You can even sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour on your roast before searing. It’s up to you.

You can either serve the roast with the whole vegetables on a platter or you can mash some of the veggies together and serve.

Make your favorite gravy with the juices from the pan and enjoy!

For Roasted Root Vegetables:

One hour before the pot roast is done cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add all the vegetables to a large bowl and add the canola oil, rosemary, thyme, and onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and arrange on a sheet tray. Roast for 30 minutes, then toss and roast another 30 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

(Thanks, Sherry!)

Weekly update, September 28/30

Wow! Time is flying. Fall is surely here! Orange pumpkins are everywhere, including at the farm.

I need to apologize, apparently, I have lost last week's blog post. I had a couple of people point out that they hadn't seen any recent updates. Wellllllllll, I am still a rookie at some of these things and make mistakes. I am just not sure what happened to them. I have a couple of great recipes shared by members that I had on there, along with the plan for the end of the season.

This week, look for more root crops in your boxes...potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, rutabaga, parsnips... along with some goodies like a pumpkin, one last watermelon, and a few other items that I will find out about when I get to the farm.

We hope to have the details for the end of the season hammered out today. This is week 18!!!! Our sprouting little CSA has grown quite well this season, we hoped to get at least 15 weeks, but it looks like we may really see a full 20 week season! This is the number that it seems most CSAs in the Upper Midwest shoot for, but with our unpredictable weather, it isn't always a reality. We are all thankful for the great season, even with it's ups and downs!


Hope to update later today!

Stacy

weekly update September 14th

The season is getting a bit cooler, but there boxes are still filling up fast! This past couple of deliveries have left the boxes "too" full! Please, look for crates of extra items if you have a drop point...there are often items that we set to the side for you to pick out for yourself because we just can't possibly put them in the boxes.

Speaking of boxes....we have had a large number of them that are not getting returned the past few weeks. Please do your best to return them. If you are not able to do so, please consider leaving the box and bringing bags/boxes/baskets to transport your produce home from the drop points. Also, at the drop points, it has been asked that you please fold down your boxes and stack them neatly to save space and make the delivery areas safer for those walking in those areas.


Many plants are slowing down and dying for the season and the rain has kept the gardens quite muddy and messy. Cleaning produce has been a lot of work these past few deliveries. The days seem so short until the we reach the end of the season, but we are already starting (very simple, early) talks of next season and missing all of those abundant greens from the first several rounds of deliveries. They seem so distant on these cool mornings!

I haven't had time to rustle up some new recipes for this week, they will be my task to complete by Friday.

Expected contents of the boxes:
potatoes
delicata squash
spaghetti squash
gourds (not edible, but fun for decoration!)
brussels sprouts
2 kinds of kale
2 kinds of carrots (PURPLE will be one of them!)
beets
lima beans
dill
parsley
sugar baby watermelon (PLEASE take one from the crates, they won't fit in the boxes!)
swiss chard
bell peppers
yummy mix peppers
onion
and hopefully, a bit more spinach...[note here: this was the mystery item in the box last week that I was unsure of for those who contacted me.]

Stacy

ok, what are those crazy things?

For most people, there are 3 different squash in your box this week.

Carnival- this one is the round-ish one with speckles that is somewhat shaped like a pumpkin. An interesting tidbit from one of our seed catalogs notes that "hot weather promotes more green tones and less yellow/orange". The one I have sitting here with me tells me that it was probably a hot summer!


Delicata- this one is the striped, oblong one
It is excellent for stuffing and baking. It has a very sweet flavor.


Uchiki Kuri (yep, that one is a mouthful!)- also known as a "Red Kuri" is somewhat pumpkin-looking.
Here is a bit of info you can read on the Wikipedia page about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_kuri_squash

All three of these squash are great for long term storage if they can be kept in a cool, dark place, away from any pests. Winter squash tend to be high in beta carotene.

I found a great website (University of Illinois Extension) that has some more great info to help navigate some of our squash questions.
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/wsquash.cfm




One of my favorite websites for squash identification is found here:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm


And after a bit of research, I let the Yellow Crookneck Squash slip through last week without notice. It is still a summer squash, with more of a winter squash flavor and texture.

Don't ever feel shy about asking questions! Some of these veggies are new to many of us, so it helps to learn from others. I learned a few of these last year, but am learning along with you.

I am not sure how many others will find this interesting, but I learned last year that most winter squashes can be used the same as pumpkin for pies, baking, cooking. Many have either a better color or stronger flavor that make them even a bit more appealing than a regular old pumpkin. SO, if you aren't brave enough to try a fancy new recipe, you have an option to "hide" it in your old favorites.


A favorite recipe from the farm, with some variation:
Delicata squash is cut in half, to make a "boat".
Scoop out the seeds. Place in a cake pan or on a baking sheet.
Add your favorite meat, a bit of ground beef or roast work well, top with cheese and bake until done!
You can add a bit of tomato sauce or cream sauce if you like for even more flavor.
Serve while warm.


EDITING NOTE: On Thursday, there were some shortages, and Turk's Turbin squash were substituted for some of the kuri squash. All of this rain has caused a bit of difficulty in the gardens, and there just weren't enough that were ripe and in good condition to give to everyone.

what's in the box?

Well, there are a few unique items in there. I will get to the list tomorrow to help you with some recipe ideas. I am sorry I had some oddities slip by me last week. I am working on getting details of those things as well.

Weekly update: September 7/9 deliveries...

Wowzers! Where has the summer gone?!?! This is week 15 of the deliveries already! Some have asked when the last box will be coming, because according to our brochures, we stated a minimum of 15 weeks. Well, that was our goal to have no less than that. We are shooting for a full 20. That makes this week plus 5 more deliveries if the weather holds out. Should the weather take a drastic turn for the worse (cold!), the crops will drop off, and the boxes will become more empty again, but there will still be items in them such as potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, etc. that can handle the cold that will be available for the boxes if they continue to be hardy and free of other damage.

Things have settled down at the farm, but with school starting, it will be interesting to see how we do on our timing, especially on Tuesdays. As always, I intend to get the boxes to their destination within the times scheduled, but it is not a precise measurement. We have learned a lot this year, and timing is one of the hardest things to pin down. There are just so many variables, it is amazing we can keep a schedule at all sometimes.

Contents of the box are once again a bit of a mystery to me. With the holiday weekend, I haven't been to the farm and we haven't had time for a letter to reach me. I expect that it will be many of the same items you have seen the past few weeks, without much variation.

I haven't had any new recipes shared with me this week, so I will have to do some digging of my own. I hope you all found great ways to use the eggplants that you had last week! I know some of you tried them in new recipes.

See you all soon!

Stacy

Interesting tidbits for the day....

*The contents of the boxes were overwhelming, it took 9 extra crates to haul all the melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes...

*It helps the crew to remain on time if the driver remembers that boxes need to be returned before delivery day...OOPS! Yep, with the wedding last week, I kept the boxes at my house so as not to add "one more thing" for the family to have to work around with all the company. Yeah, that doesn't work so well when produce is picked but can't be packed in the normal time! This was just one factor in my tardiness today, but goes to show you all that even we make mistakes and forget to return our box(es!).

*Those "strange" white objects in your boxes are 1 of 3 things...there are rutabaga, white radishes, and white eggplants in there! You should be able to figure out which is which with a slight bit of investigation. I hadn't seen the radishes or white eggplant before, so they are a nice surprise for me as well as you.

*If you have recipes to share, send 'em my way. With some of these foods, I am as clueless as you, and sure, I can go look up recipes, but they just aren't the same without a story of "my kids loved this" or "my husband won't save any for anyone else!". Those things just make a recipe worth trying, in my opinion :o)

*Wondering what that funky little light green thing is that looks like it has legs? [if you have children in your life and have had the chance to watch a movie or two, my family thinks it looks like one of the characters off of Monsters, Inc.] Well, if you knew what it was, great! You are farther ahead than many. If not? Don't feel bad, until this year, I didn't know either. It is kohlrabi. I have heard of people eating it raw, frying it, or just looking at it, wondering what it is supposed to be. It is quite the nutritious food. I will let you look it up for yourself, but also tell you that according to one source I found, a 3.5 ounce serving has more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C! Pretty cool, huh?! I thought so, anyway.

Ok, enough for now. I am off to bed for the night, recipes and pictures are on my priority list for tomorrow...

Stacy


P.S. This isn't so much of a tidbit, but for the folks that pick up their boxes at Amazing Grains, it has been asked of each of you, via a bright pink sign in the box area, to PLEASE fold down the boxes and stack them neatly so as to keep that area safe. Empty boxes stacked together become quite a hazard with little effort.

Also, please do not leave boxes there, empty or otherwise. Their storage space is very limited, and imposing our things on them could easily become a burden. They are great hosts, and we all appreciate the convenience of their service to us.

Updates for week of August 31...

And now....back to our regularly scheduled program. All delivery times and locations will be back to normal, except Thief River Falls, I have to talk to you guys about where... look for an email shortly!

I am not sure of the details of the boxes this week, I didn't get to the farm this weekend to discuss plans, as I was out of town.

This week, your boxes should be "back to normal". Last week was quite an adventure, and many things were not as they should have been, but everyone got a taste of produce, and it didn't rot in the garden. We have learned many lessons and can only improve. We hope to never have to repeat a week like that one.

I have to share a comment that someone told me earlier this summer... "make all the mistakes you can the first summer so you don't ever have to make them again". I have a new appreciation for that comment, I just wish I could remember who it was to give them the proper credit!

If you have comments for us from last week, please pass them along to me as soon as you can. It is our goal to make sure we do the best we can, and we want to work to correct some of the mistakes that were made.


Stacy

P.S. I will hunt for some new recipes once I find out what is in the boxes this week!

Weekly update for August 24th...

We finally have the schedule pinned down as much as we can! Sorry this is so late, I sent it from my phone earlier and apparently did something wrong as it isn't showing up here :(

I expect to be an hour or less late for Crookston and Grand Forks deliveries for this week.

Farm pick ups will be as normally scheduled, except for they will be on Tuesday (tomorrow) instead of Thursday.

The TRF deliveries, we are shooting for delivery between 10:30 and 11.

None of our times are exact, they are all truly a "best guess". If we are really on the ball, we may even be closer to our normal times, but we are not counting on that. When in doubt? Call me (Stacy)!


Interesting tidbit from last week: John weighed one of the full share boxes...and it came in at 26 pounds of produce! Imagine what that would cost in the store or at the farmer's markets! [Note here for those who don't know me well... I am very "frugal", aka CHEAP! I love good, wholesome, natural foods, especially locally grown, but I don't like high cost. ]

In the box this week:

expect it to be a repeat of last week, but we are hoping to add a special item this week...


Stacy

Weekly update for August 17/19th deliveries

IMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE:

The Lambrights have a wedding in their family the week of August 23rd. Due to the number of demands on them all next week, there will be some changes to the deliveries. We have deliberated all summer as to how to handle this week, but the final decision is that the produce won't wait, so we might as well pick and ship as usual...mostly.

1. We are doing all the deliveries on Tuesday. We have to hammer out the times yet, they will be later than normal. Please call Stacy with any questions. I hope to update the blog later this week with the best details we can provide.

2. Because of the wedding preparations, the normal crew will not be picking. It will be a crew of visitors. We are not expecting them to be as diligent with picking and cleaning as they will be arriving after traveling all night, and will commence picking almost immediately. There may be items that slip by that normally wouldn't make it to the boxes.

3. We are not counting on everything running quite as smooth as normal, even though that is our deepest wish. We are expecting the produce to be a bit dirtier than normal, as the process will be hurried, and we will have to take some short cuts to make the day go as smooth as possible.

4. The times we set our a "best guess". They are not exact times. Please be patient with us as we try to meet the deadlines of that day, it will be a scramble to get it all done smoothly.

5. I apologize for the duplication of information, but I will be doing my best to make sure no one misses these changes. I will be working on an email when we have times pinned down a bit better.

****************************************************************

Now, for the regularly scheduled info:

The corn took a beating in the high winds last week, many of the stalks were laying over. We are hopeful that we will get a good taste of corn before it is too late.

The gardens are quite wet with all the rain the last several days, and picking is a bit more tedious than usual.

We will have extra items with us and available for purchase separately these next several weeks, as the gardens are plentiful. Look for cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and beets as the likely items.


For those who have been returning your empty boxes each week, thank you! For those who forget, please do your best to return them soon or get back to me with the details. A box does fall apart from time to time or get recycled accidentally. That is part of life, but it helps us keep costs down if they are all accounted for at the end of the day.



The box contents this week, if all goes as planned:

Cherry tomatoes
Tomatoes
Dill
Cucumbers
Zucchini
2 kinds of kale
radishes
peppers
bunching onions (these are the small ones again)
corn
Swiss chard
Beets
Carrots

Thank you for all the great feedback these past few weeks! I am looking for new recipes from anyone who has them :o)

Stacy

Even more recipes!

These recipes were all shared by some very special members of LFF CSA. They are almost like grandparents to my children. Always a story to tell and a cookie or treat to share with the little ones (ok, big ones too!). I trust that these recipes are wonderful, I haven't tried them yet myself, but if it comes from their kitchen, I am all for it :o)

Stacy

ZUCCHINI PIE

4 Cups thin sliced zucchini

½ cup chopped parsley

1 cup chopped onion

¼-½ cup butter

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

3 eggs

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon basil

¼ teaspoon oregano

1 8 0z. Tube Pillsbury crescent rolls

1-2 teaspoon Grey Poupon mustard

Cook and stir zucchini and onions in butter for 10 minutes. Stir in Parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano.

In a separate bowl, combine 3 eggs beaten and cheese. Stir into zucchini mixture.

For the Crust:

Line a 10 in pie pan with crescent rolls. Spread mustard over crust.

Pour zucchini mixture into the prepared crust. Bake @ 375 ° for 18-20 minute. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Note: Foil may be added to cover crust only for the last 10 minutes of baking time to prevent burning.

Cabbage/Carrot Dish

2 cups carrots

1 cup celery

1 cup onions

3 cups cabbage, chopped

1 Tablespoon sugar

¼ cup salad oil

½ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Stir together and boil 12-15 minutes

Serve hot

Zucchini Medley

¼ pound ground beef

¼ cup butter

1 onion, sliced

1 pound zucchini, sliced into rounds

1 small pepper, cut in strips (red or yellow)

1 large tomato, cut in wedges

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon allspice

Shredded cheddar cheese or any kind you like

Brown hamburger In another pan cook until tender the butter, onion, zucchini, pepper and tomato;.

Add salt, sugar, pepper and allspice and cook a bit more. Add browned hamburger and put shredded cheese on top.

This is a pretty forgiving recipe. I made it without ground beef and cheese and put in a little kale, used a little more tomato.

　

Grilled Veggies

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

1/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch slices

4 medium yellow squash, cut in 1/2 inch slices

2 medium red onions, quartered

1 large sweet red pepper, cut in 2 inch pieces

1 large sweet yellow pepper, cut in 2 inch pieces

Mix first 7 ingredients. Marinade veggies an hour or more. Grill or bake in oven.

Art/Viola

had enough zucchini? I have a new recipe for you to try!

This recipe comes from a dear friend of mine who lives in the wonderful state of California, where green happens all year long. She is also the mother to a large family, so this recipe has been "tested and approved".

Zucchini pancakes
by P.M.

1/3 cup milk
2 cups zucchini cut up
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar or other sweetener
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I sometimes sub half rolled oats)
2 tsp baking powder

Place milk, zukes, egg, salt, sweetener, cinnamon and allspice in the blender. blend for 10 seconds with VitaMix (may need more or less with your blender). While blender is still running, add flour and baking powder. run for 5-10 seconds until mixed. Cook at usual. If batter is too green (mine usually isn't green at all), you can peel the zukes first.

URGENT NOTE FOR THURSDAY DELIVERIES!

The deliveries *WILL* happen, but they will be several hours late, due to the rain. I am trying to call everyone, but hope that many will check here on their own. The produce is so bountiful right now, that some of it HAS to be picked or wasted, so they are not skipping a day at the farm. They are just giving the rain time to settle before stepping into the mud.

Weekly update for August 10/12 deliveries.

It seems we have the right weather for produce now, hot and humid. After a brief talk with Edna this morning, she said there are almost too many things to fit in the boxes! I know this is welcome news after the first several weeks of light weight boxes.

I mis-spoke last week when I said the weather had been great. I missed that the farm had had VERY heavy rains, and that the tomato plants were terribly damaged and have now all blighted. The tomatoes are still hanging on, we are hoping they can ripen before they spoil. They are plentiful, so we are not yet worried about the crop, we are just cautious about the typical "overflow" of tomatoes that is so common. There just may not be as many as we all would have liked.

For those who wanted canning or "bulk" shares of cucumbers, beans, or tomatoes, please contact me ASAP so that we can plan for them. Between the two farms, there are more than we could ever fit in the CSA boxes in a week. There isn't enough that everyone could get 50 pounds of something, but we will work through this, first come, first serve, and do our best.

Prices are:
Cukes-
3 for $1.00 or .50 per pound for the larger size for spears and slices
Pickling cucumbers (under 6 inches long) $1.00 per pound

Beans-
If you pick them, $1.00 per pound
If we pick them, $1.50 per pound

Tomatoes-
canning/paste tomatoes .50 per pound
slicing tomatoes $1.00 per pound


Now, for the boxes this week. We expect to find:

cucumbers
zucchini
summer squash
beets
carrots
Walla Walla onion (just one for now)
green beans (they are getting big and woody fast, this may be the end of them already :( )
peppers
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
Ithaca lettuce

and we are hopeful, but not counting on:
eggplant
yellow beans
and possibly, just possibly...our first taste of sweet corn!!!

See you all soon!

Stacy

P.S. YIKES! I almost forgot! Poultry Acres has informed me that their young pullets have started laying eggs! For those who would like to get farm fresh eggs, you can start ordering them now. They also have plenty of chickens ready for butcher.

wondering what to do with those rutabagas???

I have been wondering myself! They are a new addition to our diet (as well as the Lambright's!). A bit of research has told me that they are a cross between cabbage and turnips. They have been dated back to the early 1600's! Interesting, huh? These wonderful root crops are a great long term storage item, as long as they can be kept cool. That works great for those who just aren't ready to try them yet. A few ideas have been shared by members of the CSA, so I thought I would take a moment to pass on what I have learned:

you can boil them and mash them the same as potatoes

you can cube them and add them to soups, stews, or hot dishes/casseroles

you can mix them with mashed potatoes if you don't much care for the flavor on their own

according to Wikipedia, you can make a traditional Scottish dish called Clapshot by combining mashed potatoes, rutabaga, chives, butter or drippings from your meat, salt, pepper, and sometimes onion

another suggestion on Wikipedia was to mix them with carrots and mash...the picture had a beautiful color!

Edited to add: oh yeah! I almost forgot the one that really is common around here in the fall...PASTIES! I have only seen them with potatoes, but there are recipes all over the internet that use rutabaga in them. Who knew?!?!

beans, beans, everywhere!

Just a fast note to everyone...the green beans out at the farm are growing wildly. There are extras that can be purchased for $1.50 per pound, or if you are frugal and hoping to save some money.. you can go out and pick them yourself for $1.00 per pound!

If you want to do some canning or freezing, they do have to be picked F.A.S.T. As in probably before Saturday evening. These will NOT last until the regular delivery day on Tuesday, they are getting very large already.

Should we hit the point that there are more requests than beans, there are other farms in the Amish community who are also overflowing with beans. We should be able to meet your needs.

Stacy

mobile blogging test

Checking to see if I got things all in order to update and send pictures from my phone.

Summer is busy

I am working hard to catch up to all the requests, but it is taking longer than I expected. I am working on recipes, I will add them to this main page of the blog as well as the recipe page as soon as I can get it done. If you have a favorite recipe, please share it. Many people are asking for new recipes. I have gotten a lot of great ideas, I just need time to type them out :o)

I am off to can my own green beans today.

Stacy

Updates for the week of August 3rd..

Short and sweet this week!

Things are looking pretty good in the garden. There are still some stragglers, but most items are growing well. The bugs have been tamed, or so it seems, for now and the weather has been favorable this past week.

In the box this week, we expect:
Green Beans
Yellow Wax Beans
Cucumbers
Dill (may be baby stuff again, but we have to have some for all these cukes!)
Zucchini
Buttercrunch lettuce
Curled Kale
Potatoes
Rutabaga
Cherry Tomatoes!


Now, just to give everyone a "head's up".....the Lambright family has a wedding the week of August 23rd. We are hoping to get all deliveries and pick ups done on Tuesday that week, as they will have a lot of company and work to do with the wedding being on their farm on Wednesday!


Now, I have been slacking with recipes, but please check out the recipe page for some fun ideas for the zucchini.

Stacy

P.S. I haven't forgotten the pictures, I still haven't learned all the details of my camera.

Weekly update, July 26th, 2010

WOW! We had a wonderful turnout at farm day on Saturday, a huge thank you to all who attended. I got some great pictures, I have to figure out how to get them from my phone to the blog now. Maybe later today when I have my hubby to play tech support.


The potato bugs are in full force at the farm, munching happily away on the egg plants. The family is working hard to keep them down. They have been hand picking, but it appears it may be time for more drastic measures. Some of our visiting members gave some great suggestions on how to deal with pests this week, it seems they might be worth a try. As a last resort, there is an organic chemical on hand at the farm that can be used if all appears to be at risk of being lost. The potatoes weren't overwhelmed just yet, but had a few bugs started.

The list of items for the boxes this week was given to me verbally on Saturday as we toured the gardens. I am sorry, but I can't remember it, for some reason. I should have written it down.

I know that these items are very close, and likely to be in the box:

Zucchini
Summer Squash
a bit more salad greens
*maybe* tomatoes...the first ones are turning, the question is whether there are enough for everyone just now
cucumbers!
green beans


Sadly, the peas are about done. There probably won't be anymore this year. They were plentiful when in season, though!


For those who missed farm day, don't be too sad. We are discussing the option of another one... not sure how seriously, though, as the Lambrights have another wedding coming at the farm. We thought it might be fun to have one during watermelon season and have fresh watermelon for a treat! You are also welcome to plan a trip to the farm any time, just give me a call or send me an email.

Lastly, the Lambright's oldest daughter at home, Katie has let it be known that since she will be getting married in just a month, it is time for her to do something to get her and her husband to be started. She is offering fresh baked bread and a few other items that you can order through me each week, for delivery the following week. I will have to get prices and details tomorrow.

Hope to see many of you this week!

Stacy

Weekly update: July 20th

Greetings dear members and friends!

This week is going to be a very busy one! Farm day is this Saturday, we hope to see you all there! If you need directions or info, please call me or email me (Stacy!) this week. I will be gone most every day, so be patient if you send me an email.

I am going to keep the words very short this week, so that I can get to bed early.

The Lambright Family thanks you all for your patience these first many weeks! The garden that has been giving everyone (a total of 50 boxes now!) their great green foods these past weeks was planted in the *very* early spring, intended for their family, while we still had just a handful of members signed up. The frost never came as we all feared, and the garden continued to grow. At some point, it was decided there was plenty there for the shares that were signed up and paid at about that time (May 1st, if you will remember) plus the family's needs. NEVER did we expect to to reach 50 members in our first season. These past boxes have been lighter than we would expect, but it was decided that since the weather was good, and the garden was bountiful, the food had to be shared rather than wait for the big planting. Interestingly, John mentioned recently that almost half of our members paid AFTER May 1st, so planting was a bit tricky this year, not knowing how much would be sold. We are just now seeing the first planted crops that were planted according to the size of our CSA! The green beans are in full swing. The zucchini are expanding constantly as they soak up the sun and rain! The cucumbers are just about there. Tomatoes are closer.

We are thrilled that you have held on through these lean weeks. There are some disappointments, as we mentioned last week with the broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kohlrabi. The family is looking into whether this was a seed issue, or something with the soil. They have more planted that looks great, so we won't lose out for the year, but won't have as much as was originally hoped.

This week, the boxes are likely to have:

cabbage
green beans
kale
onions
more potatoes?
a bit more lettuce
peas (we are getting to the end of some of them, sadly)
zucchini?
yellow squash?
first peppers?

as you have noticed, a few items have question marks. They are items that are hoped for, but may not have enough to fill all the boxes, and may have to be dropped until next week or the week after.


We would love to hear from you if you are considering attending the farm day!


Signing off for now!

Stacy

Check out the new pages...

I have added an events page, and a "visit the farm" page.

Stacy

Weekly update

Well, since we got off schedule last week with the update due to the 4th of July holiday carrying over to Monday, I have a bit more length to the update this week!

This week, the boxes should start feeling a bit heavier! The first green beans were ready on Friday of last week in the garden, we are hoping there are enough to give everyone a good, healthy handful each for this first week. Last week, it appeared they were going to be a few weeks away yet, we have been pleasantly surprised. Zucchini are also peaking out from under those big leaves, ready to make their grand entry.

With the picking of the beans being a bit more time consuming, there *MAY* be delays this week. I hope to do my best to get on the road quickly, but picking sometimes takes longer than my driving can make up for.

We can't thank you enough for all of your patience and kindness these past few weeks. Things are looking brighter for the coming weeks, as long as the weather cooperates!

DON'T FORGET THE FARM DAY! July 24th, from 1-4pm, at the farm! Look for a flyer in your boxes!

Stacy

and the note from last week that came after our first deliveries:

From the Gardens,

Another sweltering day full of haying. Yes, summer is here in all its warmth and deadlines. Haying is taking a lot of our time these weeks and the weeds will have to wait.

Things are growing! Summer squash are beginning to bloom. Green beans are almost there. Cucumbers and cauliflower are almost mature. Raspberries are ripe.

Our first planting of cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage was a total flop. We're puzzled as to what would have cause our problems, but are hearing more whiffs that the seed source was not true on a few of these items. Cabbage didn't form any heads, and the broccoli went from leaves to bolting in one leap, with no heads formed. The next planting looks better.

Expect the produce to have a more limp, wilted look with the transportation as the weather gets warmer. Chill it to revive it if necessary.

John

We hope to have the following items in the boxes this week:
(remember, the contents may not be exactly as listed due to last minute changes or reduced production)

*Green Beans
*Zucchini
*Spinach
*Lettuce (both loose leaf and head, hopefully!)
*Onions
*Peas (snap and shell, hopefully!)
*Cauliflower
*Raspberries

**we are watching closely for the first young potatoes, they may not be this week, but hopefully soon! Last week they were roughly the size of ping pong balls.

Weekly Update, July 6th!

Due to the holiday, most of the update from the farm will be late. My letter should arrive today, after I pick up the boxes for today's delivery.

I walked the gardens last week with Edna, many of the plants are looking great. Small tomatoes are formed, teeny tiny cucumbers are starting, there are buds on the green bean plants! All is not so pretty and bright in the garden, though, the broccoli and first cabbages seem to be growing plant, but not any "fruit" yet, and we are cautiously waiting signs of real growth. The radishes are about at their end, there are so many worms popping up. This is part of the life cycle of radishes once the weather is warm, sadly.

***Thursday deliveries, please note: Due to family needs, our host family will be out of town, and has arranged for a substitute to help with that location. We are working on an EARLIER pick up time for that day only! Watch your email for details!


That's all for now, I have no idea what is in the boxes this week until I see them :o)

Stacy

Weekly Update, June 28th

Thank you for all the well wishes, kind words, and speedy return of missing boxes! Your help is greatly appreciated! My words this week are short, the letter from the farm covers it all well. Look for a new recipe on the recipe page soon, as well as some additions to the Kale section :o)

Stacy

And from the farm:

Up until now, you have been eating from what we were inspired to sow in March and April when the weather was so nice and warm we couldn't resist working the soil and putting seeds into our small garden plot in our yard. We really expected for a freeze to come along and kill our early efforts. The Good Lord has blessed us and allowed all these early seeds to grow and prosper. At that time, we did no know we would have a 50 member CSA. This has also been a blessing, except that you have been sharing the small portion we planted. Later now, we have plowed up our 2 acre plot and planted it full, plus planting another 2 acres at our daughter's farm. Thank you for being patient with the small portions. It is only a start. The main crop is lots larger and your shares WILL become bigger.

July 24th is our Farm Day! Come for a walk through the gardens from 1-4pm. We would like to meet the families that are eating out of our gardens. More information coming in the next few days!


A few very light weeks between our 1st and 2nd plantings:

2 kinds of kale (that curly green stuff! see recipe section for ideas!)
lacinato kale is the new one
more peas
We're looking for a few more items to add a bit more "spice" to the boxes.

See you next week!
-The Gardening Mom
-Edna

Weekly Update

First of all, I want to thank everyone for the great contact with me! Second, don't forget those empty boxes! Thank you for the notes from those who missed them in previous weeks, your attention to my requests is very much appreciated! Lastly, the schedule. It seems we have gotten into a bit of a routine that works. I haven't heard any comments on the schedule as it is, so I believe this may be how it should be for the rest of the season. If it doesn't work for you, please let me know.

Unless there is something out of the ordinary, I don't see any reason to remind everyone of the pick up days or times. If you have questions, feel free to ask!

On Tuesdays:

I expect to be at Tri-Valley in Crookston at 10:30, I hope to leave again by 10:45-10:50, and drop the remaining boxes at the private home.

IF that timeline holds, I can usually expect to be at Amazing Grains at about 11:30, there may be times when it is closer to 12 noon. I will be back to pick up the empty boxes between 6 and 6:30pm.

On Thursdays:

I expect to be at our designated meeting location at 9:30am for Thief River Falls.

Farm pick ups are arranged, please notify the family if you need to make any changes.

OH! and as always: BE SURE TO WASH YOUR PRODUCE! It only gets a quick rinse to remove the obvious dirt, it is not thoroughly cleaned. It is not sprayed with any chemicals, and it is possible that you may find a reminder that this produce is fresh and came straight out of the garden to you!


Stacy


Now, the weekly note from the produce patch!

And then it rained! What a familiar phrase these days! Right now a slight cool mist falls outside. It becomes a challenge to plan your cultivation and harvesting between showers but we plan to be thankful even with rain on our faces. :o)

One thing (or a few) that grow good in this weather are the radishes and peas. Another planting of the radishes is starting now.

ASPARAGUS LOVERS: There's light on the horizon for you! Our family doesn't each much asparagus, but on the behalf of our customers (YOU!), we purchased about 100 asparagus crowns to start a large asparagus bed which should produce in the next few years.

Our greenhouse was (empty) only for about a week. Now, it is again overflowing with approximately 5,000 late red (purple) storage cabbage transplants that should provide LOTS of eating for someone next winter when the winds howl.

As you all found out, we aren't always able to put in the box exactly what we estimate in the newsletter. Last week, we added strawberries at the last minute and dropped loose leaf lettuce. It is our best calculation, but sometimes, things turn up that we have no control over.

This week, we hope to put the following items in the boxes:

*peas
*french breakfast radishes
*loose leaf lettuce
*baby green onions
*strawberries
*rhubarb

Keep up your umbrella and stay dry....
till next week, Gardener John


P.S. From Stacy: I promised more pictures, but I am finding it impossible to get any good ones with all the rain every time I get to the farm. I do hope to get some again SOON!

the rough weather

Our thoughts are with the families who suffered damage and death today during the terrible storms today.

I just wanted to post a note, since some have asked. The farm, the Lambright Family, and my family are all unharmed by this brutal act of nature. We hope the same is true of all of our members and their families.

Stacy

We need your help!

Each week, we need the boxes to be returned when you get your new box. We only have a limited quantity of boxes, and have already had to replace several. There was an extra amount calculated in the beginning to replace those lost to wear and tear and the incidental loss. Last week, I did not check at the end of the day, and found out this morning that we were missing more than we accounted for, and have already dipped deeply into our reserves for the year.

If you happen to lose one or forget, it isn't the end of the world, but please do your best to help keep costs down, and to keep our waste to a minimum. If you would like to take your items out of the box at the drop point, you are welcome to do that. We have a few members who do that and it seems to work well for them.

Also, your input is important to us! If you find something that we have said should be in your box is NOT in your box, let me know asap! Mistakes are made, accidents happen. There are dozens of boxes lined up in a row, and packing them seems easy, but when looking at bags of green, it isn't always easy to see at a quick glance *which* green it is, and mistakes happen. We do not want you to miss out on a single thing if we can help it.

Let's hope for no rain next week!

Rain, Rain, go away

It has turned out to be another rainy morning..... I haven't received a call from anyone at the farm saying deliveries are canceled for today, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do venture out to find a phone. It is very wet here at my house, and I am guessing, by looking at the weather maps this morning that the farm is very wet as well. I will update if there are changes. If you don't hear from me? No news is good news! It means all is going on as planned and I am not home to update the message :o)

Friendly reminder:

Tuesday, June 15th is delivery day! Bring your empty boxes.
Crookston- meet me at Tri-Valley between 10:30 and 11am or pick up before 7pm at private home drop. Grand Forks- Amazing Grains- I hope to be there about 11:30. Please pick up all boxes before 6:30pm. As always, contact me if other arrangements need to be made :o)

Greetings from the produce patch!

This message was written by J.L. of LFF on Saturday, June 12th.

Greetings from the produce patch...
on another dripping wet day. One of the many wet ones this week. All the moisture and minimal sunshine brought produce growth to a bare minimum. Yet, we'll be glad for every drop later in the summer.
It looks like next week will be a lighter week for the boxes, catching us between the early greens and the 1st of the main season run.
The PEAS (shelling variety) are showing their 1st plump pods and are loaded with small ones and blossoms. Look for the 1st ones this week. There will probably be just enough to give everyone a little taste.
STRAWBERRIES are showing red ripe ones, but don't look for them in your boxes quite yet.
The TOMATOES hang full of green bulbs which promise for a good crop if weather permits.

The last things are now going out of the greenhouse, with about 300 late planting heirloom tomato plants and 500' of late potatoes going in the ground yesterday (Friday, June 11th!).

Many more exciting things on the forefront, but time doesn't permit to name them all.

Let's hear your comments/questions/complaints, or whatever you might have! We're growing for you!

We hope to have the following items in the next boxes:
1st peas (shelling variety)
rhubarb
kale
and a little of each of the following:
head lettuce
leaf lettuce
spinach


Happy Eating!
John!

a few pictures to tempt you...

Weekly update short version, June 7th

Just a short update, I had hoped to send out the newsletter by email today, but have learned that I am going to have to just post it online for those who want an electronic copy, and print one out for those who need a paper copy (if you get a chance, please let me know your preference!). I sent out the first dozen or so, and by then, Yahoo had blocked my outgoing emails for "spamming" again. I had answered several emails earlier, but apparently that was just too much.

There will be a paper copy in boxes this week again, if I can pull it off with the schedule in the morning. After this week, unless you tell me you need a printed copy, I will only be posting the regular info online. Any important things will be both printed and posted online.


For the delivery schedule, I have set the times, based on my own thoughts and plans. If they do not work for any of you, PLEASE speak up so that I can adjust as needed. It has been pointed out to me that at least one member would prefer longer hours in Grand Forks, so that is already in the works. I figured that would be a likely need, and am doing my best to stay flexible.

Ready or not, here we come!

It has been a busy week for all of us! The last of the big planting has been done. Drop point details have been a work in progress. For Crookston members, you may meet me at Tri-Valley, or you can pick up at a private home drop point.

The details of the private home will only be given to those who have to use that option, for the sake of privacy ;) I have talked to several businesses about hosting a drop site, but so far, no one has responded.

Drop times are being planned, we are shooting for 10:30-11am at Tri-Valley where you can meet us to pick up your box (it will NOT be left there, we will only be in the parking lot), and 11:30 to 12:00 for arrival time in Grand Forks. These times will be more solid once we have had a few practices and can predict how the mornings will go for us.

For those who are going to Amazing Grains, I hope to have all of the boxes picked up by 5pm. We cannot leave boxes there overnight, as some were used to doing in the past, so if this time does not work for you, please make arrangements or let me know so we can work something else out! Any boxes left will go home with the delivery person that week.

The times and details are going to be a bit of a work in progress as we try to get into a groove this first growing season. They may be adjusted if we find they just don't work well for most people.

For Crookston and Grand Forks members, we hope to see you all on Tuesday, June 8th! For the Thief River Falls group, we hope to see you on Thursday, June 10th!

Stacy

Delivery Schedules

There are NO deliveries this week.

We will begin with our regular weekly deliveries, starting on Tuesday, June 8th, weather willing.

This week, I am finalizing our enrollment numbers and planning times. I am still working on the main drop point for Crookston. I hope to have that arranged by Thursday.

Watch for a few more updates this week!

Stacy

Thank you, everyone!

We had a fairly good day today! Even though we had thunder, lightning, rain, hail, and high winds, we got the job done. We were late to start, but we didn't miss anyone that I know of..

We now know our weaknesses and where we need to improve. I can't thank you all enough for all of your kind smiles, friendly faces, and patience as we trotted along today.

Hope to get some pictures uploaded this weekend, but for tonight, I am taking a much needed rest :o)

Stacy

Delivery Day!

Hope to see or hear from all of you today! I can't wait to have a picture of those first boxes for all of you!

Stacy

The mad dash to the finish!

I have spoken with several of you by phone or have had rapid emails back and forth the last couple of days. We are just about done with all the behind the scenes preparations, and are working out the final kinks of our "logistics".

Here are the details that we have solidly formed:

Crookston and Grand Forks will get their regularly scheduled boxes on Tuesdays every week, beginning with June 8th. There will be the Sneak preview on May 28th, but there is just not enough ready right now to do 2 weeks in a row.

In Crookston, we have one work place delivery set up, as we found a good number of our members happen to work at the same place. What a treat!!

We don't have a regular time set yet, as the farm stuff has to be worked out. Right now, the hope is to have all the produce picked, washed, and packed by 10am to be transported to its destination. With this sneak peak preview, we will see how realistic that is going to be for the long haul.

Grand Forks' drop point will be Amazing Grains. We do not have a set starting time yet (see above), but they have told me that we MUST have all produce gone by closing time. If you cannot pick up your box, you will have to forfeit it unless you find someone to pick it up for you. I do not plan to stay that long, so I would like input from our Grand Forks area members about the time frame that works for you.


Thief River Falls will be dropped on Thursdays. The location has been shared with those who have already paid. It is a member's home, so for their privacy, it will not be publicly announced. The plan for there is early mornings, the exact time for future deliveries is still in the planning, as the others are. Regularly scheduled deliveries will begin on June 10th.

The Fertile area members are mostly picking up at the farm. We will discuss the best days on an individual basis. The times are also yet to be determined.

If I have left anything off, don't hesitate to send me a reminder by email!

S.

Friday is the day!

The lettuce and spinach really took off because of the rain and warm weather as of late, and can't wait any longer. That means, our first box will be going out this Friday. This is NOT the regularly scheduled day, but we want to get these items picked before they get too big! The Lambright family was hoping to hold out just a bit longer so that we could add onions and peas to the box, but they will be starting with a couple different lettuce varieties, spinach, radishes, and rhubarb at this point.

I am spending today and tomorrow working on delivery arrangements. If you have not signed up, but would still like a share, please let me know ASAP and I will be sure we have a box ready for you. You can pay when you pick up your box.

Fresh produce, coming soon to a location near you!

I hadn't brought my camera along to the farm today, due to the heavy rain, but when we got there, there was a break in the rain, and I couldn't resist. These pictures are from my phone instead, so please excuse the poor quality. Whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words obviously didn't have me working the camera.

The front garden is looking wonderful! A lot of bright green and deep red is showing through these days. The lettuce is ready, along with spinach, radishes, rhubarb, and I believe some kale. The first peas are flowering already, too! The first picture is of 4 of the rows of lettuce, the second is a wider view of the entire front garden. This garden is small, but with the careful planning and succession planting, it has been a great producer!

Before the rain hit hard and heavy mid morning, the sweet corn was going straight into the ground, as were the cucumbers and another item or two.

We were talking about having our first delivery later this week, but the rain may have put us off until next week. Stay tuned for more info!!!

My tasks for this week include finalizing a drop point for Crookston, updating all of our database info, and planning the routes for delivery. The boxes are going to be marked at the farm, more items will be planted (if the weather cooperates!), and the transplanting of the younger plants will continue as it has for the last couple of months.


For those who might be interested, we had a front page article in the Fertile Journal last Wednesday. Twylla did a WONDERFUL job sharing about our operation! Please thank her for a well written story if you have a chance, we appreciate great news articles!

"See" you all again soon!

Stacy

Welcome to May!

I am not sure what to think of the weather out there today. As I sit here at the computer, my little gadget at the bottom of my screen tells me that it is 48 degrees out there. In May. Yep, we are in Minnesota, but sometimes we get a little spoiled by spring weather that has been as nice as it was the last few weeks. This rain has been great for the crops, though, so while I might be a little grumpy today, I know it is still a good thing :o)

May 1 was the deadline for memberships printed on the brochures, and that date has come and gone. We will not turn anyone away because that date has past, but it is a nice date to use so that we get the planting sorted out early. Due to the rain, the big planting will be delayed a bit longer, so there is still plenty of time to get those later memberships in the mail as soon as you can. We are getting closer to our limit of 100 members, but we have not yet reached it!

In the coming weeks, I am going to be sorting out routes, delivery times, etc. If you haven't signed up and designated which town you would like to go to for your box, please send me an email (Stacy). Right now, we have Crookston, Grand Forks, and Thief River Falls. It seems likely that we may have a stop at Fisher and Red Lake Falls on the day that we go through them.

Stacy

Green and growing!

Look at that lettuce!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, this one just made me hungry!

To the bottom left, that is onions that were started from seeds. My batteries died on the camera right after that.

Radishes, peas, lettuce, and spinach are all growing well in the greenhouse and on the ground. The rhubarb is up, and it seems that the strawberries might be peeking out any day now.

If things continue with the good weather and favorable growing conditions, the first share boxes might be ready the second week of June! Stay tuned for updates. It is a bit dry out there, and I must say that we aren't taking these dry conditions lightly, but so far, so good. There is nothing like a good, healthy rain to keep crops growing well.

For those who wonder what to do with kale, I learned a trick this last week while visiting with a dietitian. I have to get the recipe from her yet. She uses dried kale in her BROWNIES to add "good stuff" to the average diet. Pretty clever, I must admit. As soon as I get the recipe, I will post it for all to see!

Sproutin' around last week on Lambright Farm

This was supposed to be a view of the garden with the little pinwheel blowing in the wind (almost exact center of the picture above), but I was too far away. I am told that the pinwheel will spin, and cause the stick to vibrate the ground, keeping away many of the small garden pests such as moles.
The view of the garden that is tilled and planted with peas. It now has 2 rows of row cover (hidden in the blue wrapper), and looks much different, but it was so refreshing to see freshly tilled soil. You can see from the color of the soil that this garden is rather sandy. It drains well and is the first to be ready in the spring.

Inside the greenhouse, a few flats of plants, I didn't take the time to record the varieties.

A view of the barn window that helps heat the greenhouse when needed. At the bottom, to the left, you see a bit of the kerosene heater that helped on the coldest of days to keep the temps just right.

The door propped open to actually cool off the greenhouse! It was getting too warm.


I haven't gotten around to getting any more good pictures at the farm this week. It seems that when the sun shines lately, the wind is so rough. It is so hard to get good pictures when it is windy (at least with a simple camera, anyway).

The latest update around the farm:
Items planted so far include kale, celery, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, onions, peas (in the ground!)...... and probably a few more since it has been a couple of days since I have been over there. Things are being planted and transplanted every week, and in some cases, every day. I don't expect I will be able to keep up to that exact detail, but I sure will try to keep the higher points for all of you.

The ground is drying up nicely, the grass is nice and bright green. The raking has spruced things up nicely.

There are several rows of things planted in the garden with row covering on them, similar to our blankets in the fall or a "mini" high tunnel. They keep the plants covered and warm, while growing them directly in the ground. I saw this in action last summer, and it did extend the growing season a bit.

We have had a few request regular monthly meetings for CSA members to share recipes and ideas, as well as other healthy topics, we are working on plans to facilitate those soon. It has also been suggested that we have a spot at the farmer's markets. We are considering that, but have not yet made any decisions, more input is surely welcome.


We have added several new members to the CSA this past week, and are filling up fast, so if you know anyone who has been thinking about it, now is the time to act!

Spring has sprung! Let's grow!

It is a busy week for us all, working behind the scenes for LFF!

Today, we spent our time in McIntosh, MN learning about how to connect with food service people to get farm fresh foods into the cafeterias of schools, nursing homes, and hospitals! Ok, so the exclamation point makes it sound exciting, but it really was an amazing learning opportunity. Did you know that you could purchase a share of garden produce and DONATE it to your favorite "lunch lady" to serve to her people?!?!? I had no idea it was legal, much less approved and even ENCOURAGED! The University of Minnesota put this whole workshop on for local producers today, to talk about the whole thing. Apparently, it is the new movement in the whole foods "realm" (what? I didn't tell you that there is a whole 'nother world in here?! You have just barely gotten started ;0) )

Just a reminder, we have 2 membership meetings this week. Bring yourself, bring a friend or two!

We hope to see you there!

Crookston. Wednesday the 24th, from 6-8pm, at Happy Joe's in the back room.


Thief River Falls. Thursday the 25th, from 4-8pm, at the Northwest Regional Library.



Stacy

Poultry Acres

Raising high quality chickens (fryers), turkeys, and fresh eggs.
Taking orders mid-March until they are gone, first come first serve!
The first Fryers will be ready about the first week of May, continuing every Friday through the middle of November!
Turkeys will be available between August and November, in limited quantities.
The young hens should start laying eggs by the middle of August.

For more info, write:
Poultry Acres
3222 430th St.
Fertile, MN 56540

(note here: the author of this blog has a limited number of flyers, so you could contact me as well, to get the new season brochure!)

additional editing note: Poultry Acres is owned and operated by one of the adult children of the Lambright Family. This post was meant for the locally grown resources page, but this editor hasn't yet figured out all these great things ;)

Come out and meet us!

Members of the Lambright family and myself will be at:

Happy Joe's in Crookston, on Wednesday, March 24th, from 6-8pm for an open house meeting for past, present and potential new CSA members. Come with your questions, comments, concerns for this growing season and the transition to a new gardening operation!

Northwest Regional Library in Thief River Falls on Thursday, March 25th, from 4-8pm, for an open house meeting there, same details.

We will use these nights for planning our drop off site details, routes, special offers, and farm visits. We will also be discussing other items that may be available to you throughout the growing season, as well as what we have started, what the Farm goals and strategies are for this upcoming season, and hopefully much more!

Come and join us!

The greenhouse is done! (almost)

First, a picture of it in progress (notice the buggy behind the greenhouse, you can vaguely see it through the plastic, as well as the wheel to a cart on the left):

Next, you can see it in place:


And finally, a view to show its position. What you can't see from these pictures, is that there was a special venting "window" in the back of the greenhouse that lines up perfectly with a window in the barn. Now, you may be wondering why such a thing was done. I will tell you. That barn is full of cows and horses, and maintains a rather constant temperature of about 40 degrees, even in the dead of winter, on the coldest of nights. As the days get warmer outside, the temperatures in the barn will rise as well. That will get the greenhouse heated without the use of extra equipment and work.



A few things to note:

The plastic is actually in two layers, one on the outside of the frame, and one on the inside. The principal behind this was based on the works of Eliot Coleman, as written in his books about winter gardening in colder climates, along with research from many others who have worked with high tunnels and greenhouses in northern climates. The two layers provide a better insulation against the cold winter temperatures.

There will be shelves built into the greenhouse, in fact, I haven't been to the farm yesterday or today, so they may already be in place.

I didn't think to ask dimensions of the greenhouse, so if that is of interest to you, please accept my apologies, you will have to wait a bit to find that information.

For those who don't know, the purpose of this greenhouse is not to grow plants to maturity, but just to get them started until the weather and soil conditions allow for plants to be put in the ground. At some point in the future (near or far, we have not yet determined), the LFF hopes to put up a high tunnel or two so that growing may be done "under cover" and in the ground at the same time, and hopefully extend the season even more.

For those interested, I have started a Facebook page for the Lambright Family Farm. I am hoping that communicating through these various venues will meet the needs of all of our members and friends.

Stacy

Spring is coming fast!

We had a good, long visit to the Lambright Farm today. Things are getting busy for spring! They are building their greenhouse and making plans for how to best utilize the space inside it. The first big seed order is expected to arrive in the next few days. An indoor window box has been made and the first greens have been transplanted into it. Son #3 is ready for some fresh lettuces, so he started the seeds a week or so ago, and they sprouted better and faster than anyone imagined.

For those who don't know, or aren't feeling the spring season just yet, many of the plants for the gardens must be started in March so that the produce can be ready at the expected time of the season. Tomatoes, peppers, some of the squash, melons, and a few other items will be among the first things planted. If you haven't already noticed, you may not want to look at the calendar, March has crept up on us and makes its grand appearance next week! I am starting to wonder where the winter has gone.

As for the business side of things, it is our hope to have an informational meeting in each of our three major communities, Thief River Falls, Grand Forks, and Crookston in the upcoming weeks so that we may grow this CSA to its full potential. We also hope to meet each and every member so that we can all share ownership of this CSA.

Just getting started

Greetings friends and members of the Lambright Family Farm CSA! It is my hope that this blog will serve as a communication tool for all of you, as well as a record of the goings on of the gardens, and a reference for those interested in whole, fresh foods.

This blog will be written by myself and my family. We are not Amish, but are working closely with the families that are producing the foods that you are hoping to buy.

Stacy