WHATS UP AT THE FARM:
We're slowing down a bit with planting as we get closer and closer to fall. The days get shorter and the time frame to get crops sown/planted narrows. As we hit our last 10 hours of light per day also called the Persephone Period (at the beginning of November), crops go dormant and stop growth until more daylight resumes. When crop planning you have to plan to get crops in the ground 5 to 15 weeks before this date, otherwise nothing happens! As we've found out quite a few times in the past. So in the next 2 weeks we are hustling to get the last of the fall/winter crops in the ground. Spinach, Arugula, Choi, Mizuna, Radishes, Lettuces and Purple Sprouting Broccoli to name a few.
Other than that- it's full on for harvest! It seems that when one crops is ready- all others take a queue and hop on board to ripen and drop their fruit if you're not quick enough! The pears, plums, and a few apples are all ready. Peppers are starting to ripen- Patrick got his first 2 ripe Ghost Peppers this last week. Tomatoes are going crazy and we're still getting lots of squash. Cucumbers are slowing down a little. Our second sowing of green beans is looking good but still a few weeks away from producing. So currently we're getting some beautiful beans from Volehalla farm in Ridgefield. We're also still harvesting lots of potatoes!
FOOD SPOTLIGHT:
We were gifted a bag of Makah Ozette potatoes from Slow Foods SWWA a couple of years ago and have been growing them out every year to increase our seed and have enough for eating. These lovely little potatoes are a local Indigenous Variety that has long been cultivated by the Makah Nation near Lake Ozette, WA (on the Olympic Peninsula). All potatoes originate from South America and is thought that the Spanish brought this potato with them to the PCNW in 1790's. The Spanish abandoned the fort near Neah Bay because of the severe winter weather and the Makah people likely found it there growing "wild" and stewarded it for over 200 years. Slow Foods adopted this potato into the Ark Of Taste with permission from the Makah Tribe in 2004. The Ark of Taste travels the world to find traditional foods that are at risk of extinction so that we can continue to cultivate these special varieties! They also work to protect their natural ecosystems and traditional processing methods.
These potatoes are a fingerling type with a very delicious almost nutty flavor on their own! They work great for potato salads or are delicious pan fried. For recipe ideas check out the Seattle Slow Foods Website: https://www.slowfoodseattle.org/makah-ozette-potato
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: We've found some delicious local goat's milk!
Dennis Burlingame and his wife, Mary, have a small herd of dairy goats just outside of Oregon City, Oregon. Raised on pasture and high quality hay from southern Oregon, the mostly nubian ladies give the most sweet milk, heavy with cream and without that typical "goaty" flavor. Why? Because Dennis, at 72 years old, has been working with either dairy cows or dairy goats for the better part of 50 years! He has the science of goat milk down to a fine art! Dennis loves his goats, and they love him - one even requires a hug before she'll come onto the milking platform! Milk is always fresh, as he refuses to sell milk that is over 24 hours old to ensure customer satisfaction that it'll keep for a week. As he sells it straight out of the barn, you might even get to scratch one of the girls behind the ears!
Dennis is located off of Beavercreek Road between Oregon City and Molalla. It is a quick 10 minutes off of Hwy 205 (exit 10), and a pretty drive, too. Milk comes in half gallon glass jars, and is $7/half gallon, with an initial $4 dollar bottle deposit per jar. If you could bring your own container, that would be swell, as the half gallon jars are getting ridiculously expensive and sometimes people don't return them. Cash only, please.
To check availability and arrange for pickup, please call Dennis at (541) 788-0458.
Testimonial: Before stumbling across Dennis, I never liked goat milk. I wanted to, but every time, this involuntary look came over my face and EWWWWW came out of my mouth right after I forced myself to swallow the latest sample. One day, I was driving down Beavercreek Rd and saw a hand painted sign advertising "Fresh Goat Milk." I turned in, and impulsively bought a half gallon, on hopes that "fresh" would be the difference (and even if I didn't like it, my boyfriend and the cats would drink it) Boy, was I surprised! This goat milk is so smooth and so sweet that we drank a quart within a few hours and are now up a gallon and a half between the two of us (and the cats, if they are good), every week. It has totally replaced cow's milk in our diet, is cheaper than raw milk, and I get to support my local farmer, too! - - Lisa Marie
HELPFUL HARVIE TIPS:
Does it feel like you're getting a lot of the same items every week??? Did you know you can change your preferences to adjust what goes into your box? This step happens even before you customize your box- and when we don't have enough of one type of product for all 100+ members, it can make all the difference. The Harvie Algorithm uses preferences that you set in your profile to automatically "divvy" up items into your box. After this, you get an email about customizing where you can further change it up.
Link for more info about Preferences:
https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021794754-How-do-preferences-work-
Link for more info on how to Customize your box:
https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260802865550-Customize-Your-Share-Version-2
Let us know if you have any questions and definitely let us know what your enjoying most from your boxes right now! We hope you all enjoy the deliciousness this week!
Your farmers,
Kelly & the Flat Tack/Sprout & Blossom Team
