Good evening***
Sorry about being a few hours late with the inventory. We planted 25, 100 ft rows of peas and butterbeans this afternoon, and getting done with that task was all that was on my mind. I loaded up my dogs to go home, and dadgum remembered about the inventory going live. You'd think that after what seems like 6 months of continuous farm shares that I would have a routine!
This Week
Salad and Shoots Mix is BACK! I hope y'all are excited. We finally got a good batch of microgreens by making a few small adjustments, like starting all of them in the germination chamber.
We also have fresh peaches and cucumbers added to the shares this week! I met Louis Thompson at the Ruston Farmer's Market several years ago. He is an excellent farmer, and I am always impressed with his peaches. In celebration of the arrival of fruit season, (and perhaps provide you with a respite from leafy greens) I added 40 peaches to this week's shares instead of as extras. Next week, peaches will be an add-on or extra that will be available every week until the end of the Spring season. We acquired another 60 gallons of mayhaws this week, so we have been busy juicing and making jam. We bought a new chest freezer, but still had gallons of berries that didn't fit in the freezer. To make way for new batches, we decided to treat everyone, so this week mayhaw jelly will be added to shares, instead of as an exclusive add-on. Fort Sumner Hot Sauce is another great extra this week. Amy and Dan have a real demand for this fiery concoction these days, so grab a jar while we have some!
Next Week
Every vegetable in the inventory will make the shares next week, besides the bok choy. This is the last week of the season for that crop. We may see the first few pints of fresh blackberries, and blueberries are not far behind! Look for more jam flavors as extras. Hopefully, we can get our hands on some fresh corn from Joy-Walk!
Farm Update
With the increase in farm share members, it has made for some long days the past few weeks. I returned to the farm on Wednesday, from a long-weekend trip to central Arkansas with Emi, my fiancé. It was great to relax and spend time with her folks. Emi and I got to catch a live country music music show in Little Rock. Dylan Earl is one of my favorite country artists, and over the course of catching a few of his shows, it's unbelievable to now call him my friend! I jam out when I am working on the farm, and it's an incredible to be able to tell an artist how much their music means to you.
Everyday we are preparing for our Summer farm share season. With just over a month left in this season, there is a lot to get done over the next few months. I really am excited about the vegetable selection we have planned for all of you! We are growing lots of beans and peas, not just because they are a crop we think you will love, but also because they are an excellent cover crop. Growing these crops during the summer provides the soil with essential coverage and erosion control. Their roots add a lot of organic matter to the soil, plus their roots have a symbiotic relationship with soil microbes, which can take nitrogen from the air, capture it in the soil, and make it accessible for plants to use as food. These beans and peas are pioneering the way in our new field blocks, and after they are done, we will plant our fall crops like broccoli, kale, and cabbage in their place.
Several flocks of poultry remain on the farm from our "ranching" days several years ago. Several of our free-ranging geese, turkeys, and chickens have hatched clutches of eggs. It seems like every week as we walk around the farm, we will hear new baby chirps from recently hatched goslings, poults, and chicks. I just had to include this photo of a goose nesting under a muscadine vine!
Members
Thank you all for the incredible outpouring of support for our farm shares the past few weeks. We have approximately 15 share spots left until we reach our 100 share limit. If someone you know has been wanting to sign up, please let them know that spaces are filling up quickly!
To everyone who has recently received a share for the first time, thank you for supporting our farm! We believe the future of local food is online, and it really means a lot for you to support our vision and participate in changing local food culture. I'm sure that this is only the beginning of your new connection to local agriculture, and I can envision a future filled with lots of tasty, whole food meals, grown by a farmer you know!
I can only get through my busy days by meal prepping each week. Usually on Sundays, I spend a good deal of time in the kitchen getting lunch and dinners ready for myself and Miss Emi. This week, I made some BBQ and I love adding microgreens and our salad mixes to sandwiches. I really enjoyed the first good cooking of freshly-dug potatoes! My go to method is to parboil a batch to stick in the fridge. Then, I can take them out as needed and make some incredible hashbrowns or home fries.
Community
Catch us at the Flying Tiger Farmer's Market this Thursday starting at 6 PM! You can also enjoy our produce at Fiesta on Eighteenth, Delta Biscuit Company, Enoch's Irish Pub, Parish Restaurant, and Jac's Craft Smokehouse! (Yes, I'm hinting at where you should go out to eat this week!) It really does make a difference where* you spend your money. These other local businesses are supporting other locals, which closes the economic loop, by keeping those dollars circulating through our community. All too often, money funnels out of our community to farms in California, and through distribution and transportation corporations-never to return. Hopefully, we are at the cusp of a shift in mindset in where independent restaurants in NELA are looking to find local suppliers for their produce.
