Spring greetings, and happy holidays! A few logistics to start things off:
First of all, we had some requests last week for lower minimum order amounts for these Farmstand boxes. I am happy to announce that the new minimum order size is $49. Thank you for the feedback!
Secondly, we've added 4 more pickup locations to make these Spring season Farmstand boxes easier for you to grab on your way home from work. They will now be available at United Presbyterian Church in Superior, the Bayfield Rec Center and Madeline Island Ferry Line in Bayfield and White Winter Winery in Iron River in addition to our regular Trinity Lutheran Church Duluth site and the Chequamegon Food Coop in Ashland. Thanks to our generous site hosts for being willing to open their doors during this Spring season!
Third, we're now offering a Microgreen Sampler Box as a stand alone item that you can purchase any week. Weather you are curious about trying microgreens, or already love micros and want to save money by buying in bulk, this box is for you. Each Microgreen Sampler Box will contain 5 clamshells of Great Oak Farm certified organic micros. The varieties in each sampler box will vary from week to week depending on availability, but 4 of the 5 varieties will always be different, chosen from the following list: broccoli, pea shoots, radish, mild micro mix, spicy mustard mix, red cabbage, or kale. The price for these micro sampler boxes is $16.88 (which boils down to less than $3.50 per clamshell!) Here's an example of what a microgreen sampler box might look like:
Here on the farm, we've been busy getting hoophouses ready for spring transplants, broadforking the soil to manually loosen it for planting, adding compost and minerals, and raking the surface smooth. In any hoophouse that did not have spinach seeded in the fall, the preparation process began last fall. We cover the soil inside with a huge tarp, black side up, white side down. This UV stabilized tarp is reusable for many many seasons. It warms the soil and creates an ideal environment for weed seeds to germinate. Once they sprout, however, they are doomed - without light, the seeds cannot continue to grow. This is a great way to clean the weeds out of the beds in our hoophouses during the winter months, killing weeds organically before we plant (instead of having to hoe them out later once our plants are growing.) It also encourages earthworms and soil microbes to thrive under warm, protected conditions. Scallions, swiss chard, collard greens, and early beets will all likely be transplanted in one hoophouse or another by the time you read this. Here's a picture of what the tarp looked like earlier this winter.
In other hoophouses, the overwintered spinach continues to shine with these warm days and cool nights, so enjoy it while it's at it's seasonal best! So. Much. Spinach. Crawling down those long beds of spinach when harvesting takes some time, and I am starting to feel the years creeping up on me - when I stand back up it takes me a little longer than it did last year to get straight again! But spring will be gone before we know it, and I am thankful to have Farmers Alex and Ryan here to help get all those delicious leaves picked, packed, and headed out your way.
Now that it's not so cold on the fingers, it's also a good time to catch up on repairs and maintenance here around the farm. Last fall, our 1960's era Allis Chalmers field tractor had some problems with the 3 point attachment mechanism on the back - the place where we hook up all the implements that it pulls, such as a plow, transplanter, etc. This week, new parts arrived, and I was able to disassemble the broken lift arm only to find out the new parts did not fit correctly... After a call to a salvage yard down state, I think we've located some used replacements that will do the trick, and hope to have the old Allis 180 field ready for action once they are installed. It won't be too much longer until we'll need to start working up the fields. This picture is of Farmer Eric from 2 years ago, rolling spring carrot beds with our "Legendary 180!" It's not a fancy tractor in any way, shape, or form, and despite those rustic "work clothes" it's been a pretty reliable machine here on the farm, and we'll be glad once it's back in action again.
Oh, and one more exciting bit of news: on Thursday, we planted some top secret seeds sent to us by a seed breeder friend. I am REALLY excited about this one, and I hope you are too! We'll keep you posted on how they grow, but this really could be the pinnacle of my farming career.... ;)
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Okay, okay - April Fools aside, here's a quick note from Farmer Brian at Northcroft Farm, and a 1 pot meal recipe for simple stovetop hash.
With the weather warming up, all the little green things are starting to sprout. Great Oak Farm already has spinach up and ready. At Northcroft Farm we are planting the first salad greens this week and the carrots are just starting to sprout in the hoop house. At Wild Hollow Farm Melissa is busy getting ready for the season. The spring Tulips are just breaking through the ground in the hoop houses and will be ready for delivery in late April. Hauser's Superior View Farm is wrapping up the pruning season and getting their potted plants ready for sale. The perennial plant boxes will be ready in May and there are a variety of options including a special pollinator mix and a home herb and vegetable box. Check out our website for ordering and delivery details for Melissa's Tulips and Hauser's plant boxes.
TURKEY REUBEN HASH (you can sub in a different meat or go vegan and add roasted beets or squash, beans, seitan, mock duck or tofu instead of turkey.)
One pan meal!
3 T. olive oil
1/2 small onion chopped
1 potato coarsely grated
In a cast iron skillet cook above ingredients over moderately high heat for 8 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add: 2 cups roasted turkey (or substitute)
2 chopped scallions
1/8 t. caraway seeds
1 cup drained Spirit Creek Farm Kraut (or Kim Chi, Curtido, Green, Purple or Mustard Kraut)
Cook on low heat for 3 minutes then dish up and enjoy!
On behalf of all of the farms and food producers in our Bayfield Foods Cooperative, thanks so much for eating locally!
In community,
Farmer Chris
Great Oak Farm
