Welcome to the fifth Against the Grain Farm Stand where you can pre-order for pick up at either Boone Winter Farmer's Market or at the farm for Saturday, May 2nd. If you're reading this in an email, you'll see the items that we have to offer this week below. You can simply click on the yellow button "purchase from the farmstand" to reserve a box, make swaps and add extras to the base box that Harvie will put together for you. If you're reading this in the Harvie platform, navigate over to the "farm stand" to reserve your box.
The ordering period for Saturday pick-up closes at NOON on Thursday, April 30th.
If you have any questions about your box or the farm stand process, please reach out to Holly directly by email at atgfarm@gmail.com or by phone at 828-406-4439. If you are having any difficulties placing your order or would like to confirm the contents of your box, please reach out to Holly. Her job on the farm is to help trouble shoot and double check orders for Farm Stand Customers. It is part of our mission that the food produced on the farm be easily accessible to members of our community. The Harvie system has proved challenging for many, so please don't feel embarrassed if it's not working well for you. Holly is here to help as best as she can!
In other farm news, farmers and crew at ATG have been busy planting spring crops, including bok choi (pictured above), bulbing onions, lettuce, spring mix, broccoli and potatoes. If you notice a white dust on the bok choi in the photo, it's kanolin clay, a "sun screen" of sorts that farmers can use for their baby plants. Sometimes young transplants that come right out of the greenhouse and into the field can experience a bit of stress when their tender leaves are exposed to the strong light of the direct sun. The clay helps provide a bit of shade. It's also wonderful if you're worried about insect pressure on young plants. The farm typically uses physical barriers (in the form of row covers) to block insects from having unlimited access to young plants, but the clay can add an extra layer, at least until the rain washes it away. Apparently, the clay doesn't harm the insects but they spend more time cleaning their feet and less time feeding and reproducing. We don't typically apply multiple applications of clay, but it is super useful to give the young plants a little head start.
Thanks again to all who have braved the new Harvie system...they have assured us that they are working on improving both customer experience and farmer usability...time will tell!
Much love,
Holly, Andy and the ATG Crew
