EverGreen Farm

CSA Newsletter #11, July 14

This week you'll be receiving:

• Romaine Salad
• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Cilantro
• Garlic Scapes
• Napa Cabbage

Shain asked me to explain to our farm CSA members that for this and the next few weeks you will be receiving a lot of greens in your shares.  After that we will be moving into some of the other crops you are looking forward to, such as:  carrots, beets, peas, etc.  Fortunately the weather has been ideal for our greens, not too hot which makes for not too buggy.  Enjoy the greens while they are in their prime.  They'll be gone soon enough.  Everything in it's own season.

 

This is a picture of some Napa Cabbage we harvested for you today.  It is starting to form a nice head inside all those outer leaves.  I thought it would be interesting to show you a picture of the Napa Cabbage the way we prepare it for you versus the way you've most likely seen it in the stores.  On the left is a washed and cleaned head of Napa Cabbage, only a few of the most damaged outer leaves have been pulled off.  The outer leaves do have some holes in them from the bugs, but overall it doesn't look too bad.  The size is quite impressive and it made a large contribution to this week's bag of produce.  On the right is a Napa Cabbage that has had most of it's outer leaves pulled off.  This is basically the inner core of the head.  You can see that the size is considerably smaller.  Yes, there are now no signs of bugs and the final product is more recongnizable, but we feel it is such a waste to discard so much of the cabbage head only to make it "look better".  So we'll leave the choice up to you.  If you don't like the outer leaves, take them off.  Otherwise, you can enjoy the entire head and have about twice the amount of food.

It seems to me that all the garlic scapes are coming on at once this year.  It would be nice if one garlic variety would grow them, and then the next, and so on.  Then we could spread out the harvest better, giving you a small bunch each week over a longer period of time.  But it doesn't look like that will happen.  Garlic scapes are only young and tender for a few weeks at the most.  Then the curls gradually straighten out and get more fibrous, making them inedible.  It's also important that we remove the scapes off the garlic plants to grow a bigger and better garlic bulb.  So, it looks like a big majority of the scapes will be going to the pigs this year (pre-seasoned pork!).  If anyone wants some extra garlic scapes, please don't be shy.  Come to the farm and pick as many as you'd desire. 

Garlic scapes store very well.  We've left some out on the counter top before for nearly a week and they remained fine for cooking.  I've accidentally left a bunch in my refrigerator crisper drawer (inside a plastic bag) for a month without any change in texture or flavor.  However, the best way I've seen to preserve the garlic scapes is to make them into a pesto type paste.  This makes an incredible spread for pasta, breads, pizza, crackers, meat and so much more. 

Some other ideas for galric scapes are to put them in mashed potatoes, stir fry, sauteed in with your greens, mixed in to a hamburger patty or meatloaf, cooked whole on the grill, sliced into long strips for cooking or eating raw, chopped fine for salads and ommlets, steamed with other vegetables, etc.  This is truly a versatile vegetable, despite it's being relatively unknown.

Last Saturday was our first Farmers Market of the season in Jackson Hole.  It was a big success and we were very happy to sell 100% of the produce we took up.  The Farmers Market is an essential part of our business.  It's how we earn money to make our land payment each year.  For this reason, there are some crops we work extra hard to grow very early so we can get them to market before other vendors, ensuring extra income.  If you ever see us selling something at market which isn't going to the CSA (yet!) don't be too disappointed with us.  We are very devoted to our CSA members, but we need to pay the bills. 

Have a great week and enjoy your veggies!

Tara

CSA Newsletter #10, July 7

This week you'll be getting:

• Salad Mix
• Spinach
• Garlic Scapes
• Radishes
• Kale

A new recipe that I've read on several blogs lately is something called Kale Chips.  Basically it's seasoned kale cooked in the oven until crisp.  A healthy alternative to the potato chip.  It sounds interesting and I want to try it. 

I also posted a new recipe for Garlic Ginger Colcannon, provided by a CSA member.  The ingredient list includes spinach and garlic scapes, which are both in your share this week.

If you are new to our CSA, you may not be familiar with garlic scapes.  I've written about them several times on this blog in years past: in 2008 and 2007.  We have more explanations and several recipes here.  

This past week we finally got the chicken tractor fixed up and put into use.

Shain explains the benefits of using a chicken tractor in an article he wrote last year entitled Soil Fertility (scroll down to the subject line "Management Intensive Grazing".)

One of our handy CSA members built this for us last year.  But it ended up being a too large and heavy for us to move around very easily.  So it was parked near the chicken coup and there it stayed.  Until now.  This weekend this chicken tractor got revamped and put into use.  Here, the tractor is situated above an old row of salad greens.  Each day it gets moved down one length to a new section of greens.  The chickens then eat the greens, weeds and bugs in that area.  All the while they are fertilizing the soil with their droppings.  It is difficult to see in the photo, but to the left of the tractor is the section of greens they have already demolished.  To the right, is the salad bed we've already harvested from for a few weeks which is now too big and bitter for our liking.  In 24 hours the chickens will eat everthing inside their movable coup down to a stubble.  

We have another version of a chicken tractor being made for us this week.  It will be smaller and lighter to move around.  If this new design works, we'll have several more made.  We'll also have some very happy chickens and incredible tasting eggs. 

Shain taught me something new this week that I thought I'd pass on to you.  Are you aware of the affect lightning has on the growth of plants?  We all know how well outdoor plants grow after a good rain, but it's the lightning storms that can really make the plants grow.  Here's your lesson for the day:  (I took much of this information from the internet so I could explain it to you accurately.)

1.  Plants need nitrogen to grow well.  In fact, it is a primary nutrient for all green plants. 

2.  Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the air around us.  However, it is in a form plants can't use, it must be modified to be made readily usable to most living systems.   

3.  Lightning changes nitrogen in the air into a form plants can use.

4..  The enormous energy of lightning breaks nitrogen molecules and enables their atoms to combine with oxygen in the air forming nitogen oxides.  These dissolve in the rain, forming nitrates, which are then carried down to the earth.  This process is called atmospheric nitrogen fixation.

Interesting.  At least is was to me.  And now you can say you learned something new today.

Have a great week and enjoy your veggies.

Tara

CSA Newsletter #8, June 23

This week your share includes:

• Salad Mix
• Spinach
• Radishes
• Pac Choi
• Chinese Cabbage

I was fortunate to experience a beautiful full rainbow shining over EverGreen Farm this past week.  It was so close and the colors were so vivid.  Is it telling us the rain is over?  

This week you are getting several new items in your share, including some Asian greens called Chinese cabbage and pac choi.  Soon after we transplanted our first batch of these plants they were attacked by flea beetles.  The leaves looked awful and the plants were bolting before they were large enough to harvest.  So the rows were tilled under and we will plant the area with another crop.

The second batch of Chinese cabbage and pac choi did a little better, at least they weren't eaten completely by the bugs.  However, once again the plants are bolting before growing to their optimal size.  The Chinese cabbage is a real disappointment.  Instead of growing large frilly leaves, the plants produced a stalk up the center and small leaves growing from the stalk.  We decided to go ahead and cut down the entire row because the plants would only get worse in this week of sun we'll be having.  Your bag of Chinese cabbage doesn't look so great, but it's all we'll be able to give you this year. 

You are also getting a bag of pac choi this week.  Unfortunately this crop is also bolting, though not as bad.  We harvested all the plants that had to be cut and it looks like there will be enough to give you one more bag just like it next week.  

Our family's favorite recipe for using up the Asian greens is to make egg rolls.  We have a recipe here on the website, but I don't follow the ingredient list too specifically anymore.  I use lots of substitute ingredients, whatever we have on hand. Egg roll mixture freezes very well.  It is one of our winter time staples. 

Looks like we'll have a few days to dry out from all the rain that has been pouring down on us the past two weeks.  I like rain, but sometimes it causes problems for us.  First, the ground gets too soaked for Shain to get his planting done on schedule.  Second, on some rainy days it's nearly impossible to work outside so we get behind on farm projects.  Third, weeds.  We'll be weeding now like crazy because of all this moisture.  Good thing my dad gave us a Weed Wacker for Christmas last year.  It's not an ideal way to deal with weeds, but there is no way all this weeding could ever be done by hand.  Another new tool my dad gave us is a propane torch/weed burner. (Insert manly "tool loving" laugh here.  Arh har har har.)  My dad gives the best presents.  Unfortunately there is not a tool to do the weeding when it's mixed right in with the vegetables.  Back to hands and knees.

Speaking of weeding, here's the garlic.  A before and after shot as we've been working on it this past week.  And I admit, the rain made this project easier!  Trying to look on the bright side.  :)

 

The garlic is growing very well.  I'm looking forward to the garlic scapes that will be coming on soon.

It's been 2 weeks of crazy scheduling for our family with short trips to Utah, daughter at music camp, school certification conference, family reunions and rain.  The kids have forgotten what it's like to do chores.  (Not for long.)  Whew.  But we are back now and ready to harvest all the new crops that are just about ready.  Next week?  Kale!

Have a good week and enjoy your veggies.

CSA Newsletter #5, June 2

This week your share includes:

• Japanese Turnips, a big bunch, remember to also enjoy the turnip greens (get creative, find a new recipe!)
• Radishes 

I harvested a new variety of radish this week.  They are called Shunkyo Semi-Long, "a distinctive specialty radish from North China".  Aren't they beautiful?  Shain picked this variety because they are described as "slow bolting".  And so far, so good.  Even in the heat of the greenhouse.  I hope these last a few weeks longer because they are a joy to harvest.  They look like little carrots, and the color is incredible. 

We have some new additions to EverGreen Farm!

About 2 weeks ago Daisy, one of our Saanen dairy goats, had her kids.  Triplets! 

 

Then just a few days later our oldest doe Trinidy had her twin babies.  (Sorry, no pictures to show of the second batch of babies.  Isn't that typical?  Mom takes lots of pictures of the first born, but not the kids that follow.)  All goat mamas and kids are doing well to my great relief.   The kids are eating well, and running and jumping around.  It has been so much fun to watch.

What is it with baby farm animals?  Tell me!  Are these piglets not the cutest little things you've ever seen?

These four little guys came to the farm just yesterday.  They have a big job to do and will enjoy every minute of their lives on our farm.  I don't think there are many pigs that eat better than the pigs at EverGreen Farm.  They have a new job description:  Expert Compost Maker. 

 

My son Eli was very excited about the arrival of the piggies.  As soon as he saw them he said "Hey guys!  We are going to have a lot of fun together this summer!" 

Watch out little ones!  Eli's coming!  (Extra points if you know the name of the band that sang this 1969 hit song.)

A lot of work has been accomplished on the farm in the past 2 weeks.

In the evening on Friday, May 22nd Shain decided to start planting the potatoes.  (Some Friday night fun.  We are strange.)  It was a nice evening, not too hot.  I thought we'd get one row planted, maybe two.  Shain made the potato furrows with his walking tractor and then we started placing the potato seed down the rows one at a time, spaced approximately 1 1/2 feet apart.  Then a few workers came to help and we started raking dirt up over the potatoes to create long mounded rows for hundreds of potato plants.  Raking is the hard part.  This job requires A LOT of raking! 

Did I mention we plant potatoes by hand?

Then a miracle happened here on EverGreen Farm.  Because within a few hours all 400 pounds of potato seed were in the ground and covered with dirt!  That's 1,800 row feet of potatoes.

This year's potato planting was by far the easiest we have ever experienced.  I was amazed!  Shain says that this was due to the soil being "just right".  It also helped to have some incredible help.  Pictured above is Clark, husband to Nicole, one of our workshares.  He will now be affectionately referred to as Superman.  This man can RAKE!

Now - lets again discuss those *$@$ flea beetles.  Remember the tiny turnip leaves I showed you in my last newsletter?  They were in the process of being eaten by tiny little black specks.  Really, how much damage can be done by a black speck?  A lot.  This is all that's left.  (And this is even a picture of a "good" section, because in most places down the row there was nothing left to photograph.)

Flea beetles also like Chinese Cabbage.

 

These starts were transplanted out into field #1 a few weeks ago and they have been hit hard, despite Shain's efforts of crop rotation, spraying with insecticidal soap and using row covers.

This can be discouraging.  But from every "failure" we learn something.  We know this farm has a problem with flea beetles and we even know what crops they love to eat (mostly the brassicas).   We can either give up growing all these wonderful crops ("NO"), keep trying to fight against or out trick the bugs (not really working), or we can learn to work better with mother nature to avoid the flea beetle problems all together.  Shain has been taking detailed notes and he has some good ideas for next year.  We are thinking that new greenhouse will be put to use quite well next spring.

We do have a second planting of Chinese cabbage that haven't been attacked yet, so I'm still hoping for a harvest.  We'll see.

Growing just 2 feet away from the all-but-gone turnips is our first out door crop of salad lettuces.  (Interesting how some bugs will literally ignore a crop growing just inches away from their favorite.)

These 2 salad rows are coming along nicely, but have been in desperate need of attention.  Call out the weeding crew!  Compare:  left - not weeded, right - beautifully weeded.  (And as of today the row on the left is weeded too!) 

You'll have salad mix again in next week.  :)

 

So, what ya been making?  Any good recipes?

I always love a good early summer salad, especially with strawberries, carmelized onions and a nice vinaigrette.  Simple and delicious.  

Shain made some incredibly tasty stuffed mushrooms last week with our turnip greens, sun-dried tomatoes, onions and Parmesan cheese. 

  

Today on my drive home from delivering the CSA shares, my mind was running wild with all my typical worries about money, children, home, farm, etc.  As I came up over a small ridge I noticed the sun shinning down through a break in the clouds.  It's rays turned the scenery into magic.  Fields of dandelions were transformed into a blanket of gold.  I saw lush green pastures dotted once again with cows, baby lambs and teenagers changing pipe.  Homes of friends, neighbors and long time Star Valley residents sparkled from the drops of a recently passed cloud burst.  I was overcome with joy and quickly my troubles turned to feelings of contentment, belonging, and peace.  I love living here. 

Have a great week and enjoy your veggies!

Tara

CSA Newsletter #4

This week your share includes:

• Salad Mix
• Arugula, another big bag, the LAST harvest of the season
• Radishes
• Japanese Turnips, this is a 2 for 1 vegetable, remember the turnip greens are also edible (think stir fry, wilted greens, etc.) 

First thing I need to tell you is THERE WILL NOT BE A CSA FOOD DELIVERY NEXT WEEK, MAY 26TH.  The reason is both simple, and complex.  Simply put, there is no food to give you next week.  Shain is even doubtful about the following week but I will let you know as that date gets closer.

The more detailed explanation for this "off week" is that we are experiencing the effects of extreme temperature fluctuations. 

The crops you've been enjoying the past few weeks are grown in the greenhouses.  They are "cold weather" crops, meaning they can and will grow just fine during the colder weather, and the little extra warmth of the greenhouses and row covers helps pull them through the freezing nights.  However, when the sun comes out like it has the past few days, the temperatures in the greenhouses are far too hot for cold weather crops.  These plants react to the heat by wilting, bolting (growing rapidly with undesirable long stems), and going to seed (developing seed stalks and pods) instead of growing into a nice tasty vegetable. 

Ideally we would transition immediately into harvesting from the crops growing out in the fields.  (And let me assure you, there is SO much growing out in the fields.)  But a smooth transition between weather seasons doesn't happen very often in Star Valley, WY.  Thus interrupting the transition in our growing season.

As soon as the snow melts, it's a race to get the fields prepared and planted, taking into consideration the ideal growing conditions for the various plants we want to grow for you.  We plant, we plant, we plant and then wait for the plants to grow.   I guess you could say we are still waiting.  ("Wait" is probably not be the verb I should use to describe our activity level over the past few months.)

I could give you even more reasons why the outside crops aren't ready yet, but I'm still trying to process the scientific explanation Shain gave me the other night.  Frankly folks, let's leave him to take care of those details.

I know some of you are saying "The LAST of the Arugula?"  Sadly, yes.  Here's why:

 

Flea Beetles.  Can you see the little black specks?  They came out a few days ago when the heat turned on.

 

Notice the damage they are doing to the very tiny plants.  THAT'S what they would do to any arugula we try to grow in the summer.  The flea beetles would eat the tiny baby greens to a stub.  The plants in these pictures are very young radish leaves, and since we don't eat the radish leaves we plant them despite the flea beetles. 

I posted two new recipes to this website today.  Two arugula recipes.  Yummy.

    

Arugula Basil Pesto and  Arugula Salad

edited:  I just added another recipe sent by a CSA member.  Arugula Pesto with Mint

If you have any recipes to share, please send them to me.  Pictures not required.

But you know how I like pictures.  I took these just yesterday as we were preparing your share of produce.  Vegetables can be so beautiful.

 

A nice pile of radishes.  The colors are amazing. 

 

Japanese Turnips are a personal favorite.  They are sweet, mild, and crunchy.  I love them thinly sliced on a toasted bagel sandwich with creme cheese, turkey and lettuce. 

You all know we have chickens and those "ugly" guineas.  They are quite active now that they have free run of the yard, the compost piles, the pig pens, and the goat barn, etc.  The chickens do an incredible job pecking around eating bugs everywhere.  The birds here are truly "free range".  Problem with that is finding the eggs.  Those sneaky birds, always hiding their eggs.  At our place we know the TRUE meaning of going on an egg hunt. 

With the new hay shed, and Shain's nicely stacked pile of hay, there's a new place for the chickens to hide their eggs.  And with the kids still in school, part of the egg collecting job falls to me.  So while the kids may think it is great fun to climb to the top of the hay stack to check for eggs, I'm not so sure.  That's 7 bales high here!  As high as the top of the tractor. 

But if I don't collect the eggs, some ill tempered chicken will likely come along and peck her "rivals" goods.  (Is that what they mean by the phrase "hen pecked"?  I think I'm understanding this.)  So up I go, which isn't so bad.  Coming down is another thing. I try to do it while no one is looking.

Our first yellow tomato blossoms (with companion basil plant).  The plants look healthy, the blossoms are coming on fine, and I've seen no sign of rodent damage.  Happy days out in greenhouse #4.

Have a good week and enjoy your veggies!

Tara

CSA Newsletter #3

This week your share will include:

• Arugula
• Salad Mix
• Radishes

Greenhouse #3 has been replanted with tomatoes and basil.  The tomato plants are doing well under their pop bottle barriers.  So far, this idea is working.  It's been one week and no plants have been eaten or chewed down.  The rodents are even leaving the basil alone.

Thank you for sending the bottles.  I had this idea to turn our bottle collection project into a competition, you know - like they do at the elementary schools when the goal is to see which classroom can collect the most *whatevers*.  But I won't.  Would you like to know who would be winning IF I DID make this into a competetion ('cuz I'm not), it would be the folks at the Etna pick up.  Yep.  They've sent the most bottles so far.  Pretty impressive considering there are only have 5 CSA members picking up at that location. 

Please keep the clear plastic bottles coming.  We have one more planting of tomatoes in a few weeks that we'd like to protect, just in case.

Greenhouse #5 has a cover on it.  It's far from done, but one step closer.

The big project Farmer Shain put me in charge of recently has been transplanting.  He estimates that in the past week we have planted 7,000 seedlings and starts.  They include:  leeks, red onions, yellow onions, pac choi, Chinese Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, tomatoes, basil, and kale.

With all this transplanting, there has been a lot of crawling around here on the farm lately.  My knees hurt.  It takes a while to develop tough knees.  (Sadly, short skirts are not a part of this farm girl's summer wardrobe.  Bruised and calloused knees are one of the hazards of the job.)

This is a Red Russian Kale transplant.  I think it's pretty.  Grow little guy.

And with the help of row covers, plants like the kale, cabbages, and pac choi will grow quickly.

Here are the four 150 ft. rows we put in on Saturday.  Shain started us out by tilling a nice long section of ground and laying out the drip tape.  Then we brought the seedlings out of the greenhouse and made holes with proper spacing depending on the crop.  Next, the seedlings were removed from their tray, placed into a hole, and firmly "tucked in" to the soil.

After a row of seedlings were transplanted into the ground, the row was "hooped" and covered with long white row covers. 

This is a picture taken (on my hands and knees, again) under a cover looking down a row of pac choi.

Row covers, also called agricultural fabric, do several things.  They act as an insect barrier and frost protector.  They also provide a little shade, shield plants from wind, and keep the soil from drying out as quickly.  And most importantly, row covers accelerate the growth rate of the plants growing underneath.  We have done side-by-side comparisons and the difference is incredible.  (Sometimes we'll run out of row cover for the last few plants in row and they'll get left uncovered.  When this happens we can observe the two identical crops growing side by side, one covered and one un-covered.  The difference can be as much as a few weeks to a one month delay in growth size for the uncovered plants.  Amazing.)

Have a good week and enjoy your veggies!

Tara

CSA Newsletter #2

Thank you for all of the kind words I received last week about the first harvest of greens.  I only heard good things, so I'm relieved to think there were no mix ups with any of the food pick-ups. 

One thing I did forget to tell CSA members is that if you are ever unable to personally pick up your share of veggies (out of town, on vacation, etc.), you are welcome to have someone else pick it up for you.  Just make sure you tell them all the "rules" we have for making our pick-up routine hassle-free.

This week your share includes:

• Arugula, another big bag
• Salad Mix, not much of a "mix" really, there are only 2 salad varieties the rodents don't seem to like as much
• Radishes

Let's start off this newsletter with a cheerful picture!  Hello Garlic!

Seeing the garlic each year is such a pleasant sight.  Garlic is planted in the fall, one clove at a time.  It is a time consuming, back breaking job.  But its all worth it in the spring to see rows and rows of garlic shoots breaking their way through the soil. 

Shain worked very hard this past week putting our hay, tools, machinery, and equipment into the new hay shed.  Have I mentioned to you yet how happy I am to have this project completed?  Thank you Shain.

And speaking of projects, there is still one more building to finish - greenhouse #5. 

On Saturday, we had another crew of family and workshares out to the farm.

But the weather was not cooperative and by the afternoon we were rained out.

They did manage to get the side boards mounted and the two ends installed. 

All that's left is to pull on the cover, install the roll-up hardware, and then finish the sides. (I make it sound so simple.  It's not.  THANK YOU DAD, GP, VERN, CAL, GREG, LACY'S DAD, ANDY, STEVE and all the others who have helped with these very big endeavors!)

The pig pen got cleaned out this weekend.  (The man we hire to do this job deserves "combat pay"!  Pee-ew, gag, cough!  Trust me.)  The pile above, furthest to the left, is the compost pile we started last spring.  It started out as a heap of muck from the goat pens, pig pen, and chicken coups plus a lot of rotten hay, leaves, and garden waste.   Now it is a pile of rich, decayed organic matter. 

And this spring we start the process over again with the new mound in the center.   

While the men kept busy on their projects, I had the kids working with me.

Here we are planting this year's crop of leeks.  It's also a time consuming job.  First, Shain tilled the ground to get it ready for planting and then he laid out a long row of drip tape.  Next, we punch holes in the ground right up next to the tape.  Megan is using a special tool made especially for this job.  It spaces out the holes just right for leeks.   

Eli and Simeon are following down the row putting a leek start (looks similar to a scallion, but much thinner) into each hole.  I am further back down the row filling in the holes with dirt and "tucking in" the leeks to ensure firm soil contact.

We planted several hundred leeks before the rain made the soil too muddy to work in. 

I feel I must warn you about this next photo.  It is not for the faint of heart.  It is a sad sight, especially for those who love tomatoes and basil like me.

This is the inside of greenhouse #3.  A few weeks ago we filled it with tomato and basil transplants.  Most of those plants are no longer living.  (Please pause for a moment of silence.)  Over the past few weeks the mice and voles have eaten very well and now, unfortunately, we must declare this planting a total loss. The surviving plants will be moved into another greenhouse and we will start all over again. 

In the photo above, I tried to point out the 6 remaining tomato plants with red arrows (Shain has covered them with pop bottles and milk cartons), the few basil plants are marked with black arrows, and all the white arrows are pointing towards the stub of where a tomato plant once stood.  Most of the green you see down the rows are merely weeds.  (There were many more plants in this greenhouse than indicated with arrows.  These are only the ones I can still identify.)  The strips of red plastic you see down two rows is a "tomato mulch" we wanted to try out.  It claims to help the plants grow bigger and faster and increase tomato yield.  So much for that.)

Here is a close up of Shain's idea to make plant guards out of pop bottles.  One thing we are still trying to figure out is how the plastic barriers will work with drip tape irrigation.  I'll keep you posted.

Now for a joke, we'll it's not really a "joke" but with all the rodent problems we are having, you have to find a way to laugh occasionally.  Here you are.  Go a head and laugh at this one.

Today I was out in greenhouse #3 (the one pictured above) and noticed this collection of traps.  At first I thought it was just a place where Shain had put them to the side to get them out of his way while he worked.  Then I noticed that all of these traps are loaded and set!  If you look closely, you'll see he has them strategically placed by some rodent holes.  Now THAT'S WAR!  It's not funny, but I still had to laugh.

This is my contribution to destroying the plant-eating-buggers.  Alow me to introduce you to "Dr. Pepper" one of our new cats.  At least I think this one is Dr. Pepper.  His sister looks just like him, only a little smaller.  Her name is Pepsi.  (I didn't name them.  I'm told their mother's name is Sprite.)  They seem happy here.  They especially like the hay shed and taking cat naps in the hay pile.  Now that I think they won't run away, I'm going to start taking them "to lunch" in the greenhouses with me.  (Insert evil cackly laugh here.)

Have a good week and enjoy your veggies!

Tara

CSA Newsletter #1

Hello CSA Members!  We are excited to get this season underway.  I hope all the details of this week's first pick-up go smoothly for everyone.  And I especially hope you enjoy your greens!

This week your share will include:

• Arugula, a nice big bag
• Salad Mix, not our regular mix, I harvested what was available

Up until about a week ago, most of the farm work we could do was limited to inside the greenhouses.  I think we were all getting a little stir-crazy waiting for Mr. Sun.  And finally the sun did shine on EverGreen Farm.  And the snow began to melt.  And there were all the fields, just where we left them.  Although they aren't looking so great just yet.  No worries.  Farmer Shain will have them spread with compost and manure in no time.  Then he'll get them all tilled and planted.  Just like he's done here with a section of Field #1. 

Here's how it happened:  The sun came out for a few days, just long enough to trick us into putting away our winter coats, and melted the snow off field #1.  Then the warmth and gusty breezes helped dry out the ground enough for Shain to spread a layer of compost, get the ground tilled, and sew a planting of salad mix and spinach.  Yes, all in a days work.  Except Shain is still teaching school, so it was all in a 3 days after work for him.  But he got it done, and just before the storms came in to get the ground soaked and muddy again.  Which meant I didn't have to do the watering.  :)

Shain asked me to take this picture above.  On the left is the south half of Field #1 which he has been tilling to prepare for planting.  But what he wants me to show you is the green area on the right.  This is what's left of a cover crop which was planted last year.  Cover cropping, also know as "green manure", is an essential part of sustainable agriculture.  It fixes nitrogen back into the soil and adds organic matter.

This area is where we planted last year's crop of garlic.  Once the garlic was harvested (in about the middle of August) , Shain planted it with cereal rye grass and filed peas.  We watered the section for the remainder of the season allowing a lush green growth to take over.  Then the grasses and peas are allowed to "winter kill" which basically means we leave them as is to be snowed on and start breaking down all winter long.  Now in the spring, the area is enriched and ready to plant again.  

And NOW, I am MOST happy to announce the completion of a big project that I've been looking forward to for a few months.  This is the "hay barn".   The metal frame was put up late last fall and into winter.  And there it sat.  And the snow got deep.  And putting on the cover got moved to a spring project.  And now it's spring!  Yeah!  I was so exited I almost forgot to take pictures.  There I was, pulling on a rope with the men, when I realized my duty to MY READERS.  "I have to take pictures of this."  (Somehow they managed to pull over the cover without me.)  It was really a cool process to watch.

They make it look so easy.

Question:  How many Engineers, Masters Degrees, and Ph.D's does it take to pull the cover over a hoop house? 

You don't want to know. 

TA DA!  Our new hay shed.  Home to our tractor, manure spreaders, lots of equipment and tools, Shain's drift boat, a few ton of hay, and some new cats (just as soon as I find some).  

While the men were working on this big job, a few women folk put their fingers to task on a more delicate project - thinning seed starts.

This is the first batch of Chinese Cabbage which was started back a month or so ago.  It was our assignment to thin the seedlings down to only two plants per cell so the (remaining) seedlings will have room to grow.

On the left is a tray of starts after thinning.  On the right is before thinning.  This process is a little time consuming, but no one complains as the workers get to take home and eat all the baby seedlings they pull.

Meanwhile, as some of the guys put the finishing touches on the hay shed, others went over to work on greenhouse #5.  This is also a project that got started at the end of last year.  It's another BIG hoop house, nearly 100 feet long.  This one will be a little different though, with roll up sides for ventilation. 

On Monday, April 27th we had a large crew of workers out to the farm to get ready for our first day of harvesting.  The food shed had acted as a storage shed all winter long and needed a good cleaning.  Everything got scrubbed down, top to bottom.  It is nice to see parts of the farm getting cleaned up and organized again.  I like clean.  I like organized. 

And now here I am, on Tuesday afternoon.  I just got in the house after harvesting, washing, and packaging your first share of produce.  I have a few minutes to finish this blog post and then eat some lunch and go make deliveries.  It was a good day.  There was just enough salad to get you an 8 oz. bag, and plenty of Arugula.  It's good to be back.

Have a good week and eat your veggies!

Tara

CSA deliveries start NEXT WEEK, April 28

Good News:  The CSA will gets it's first delivery of produce one week earlier than planned.  We will start harvesting next week!  Your first share of produce can be picked up at your designated pick-up location next Tuesday, April 28th.  (I'm still in the process of organizing all this.  More information to come.  Check your email!)

Bad News:  While we are getting out produce one week early, it's not going to be very much.  Arugula and some salad is ready now; however, a few other salad varieties normally included in our salad mix are way behind or have been eaten by rodents.  You'll get some kind of salad, just not sure what will be in the mix quite yet.  Also, the radishes and turnips we planted weeks ago are not on schedule and probably won't make it by next week either. 

Because of the inconsistent growth of some crops and the rodent problems, there is a possibility that we'll get the season started early but then need to take a week off not too far into the season.  We've decided to take this a week at a time.  In the event that there is a down week, I'll let everyone know by posting on this website and by email.

Good News:  The sun has started to shine on EverGreen Farm!  Much of the snow has melted and we are starting to work the fields.  Shain spread compost over one section of ground last night.  Tonight he'll till it.  Then it will be planted with more salad and spinach.  Hopefully it won't rain and he can get this all done in the evenings after he comes home from teaching school.

There is SO MUCH planted on the farm right now.  It's only a matter of time, and weather. 

Bad News:  Rodents are out of control here at the farm.  Last week I mentioned that the mice and voles are eating the baby greens, but that was just the beginning.  Now the buggers have taken out my tomato and basil plants.  It's all out war!  Seriously.  Shain has just about bought every mouse trap at our local hardware store.  He estimates to have killed 30 or so just in the past few days.  That's incredible.  I'm getting more cats.

Good News:  We are having a big work day here on Saturday, April 25th.  The plan is to get the cover up on the hay shed, clean out the food prep areas, and start working to finish greenhouse #5.  I'm calling out the troops to get all this work done (our family is even coming from Utah to help).  You are welcome to come get a little dirty with us.  The more the merrier.

I'll be in touch soon.

Tara

Still Here. Still Working. Still Growing. Still Snowing? Let's hope NOT on that last one.

Yikes!  The last time I posted a farm update was March 24th?  Well, that seems about right.  Just a few days later my computer stopped functioning.  It was a long 2 1/2 weeks without my beloved iMac.  Now I'm back with a new model and one of those pricey surge protectors made especially for computers.  If you don't already own one, I highly recommend making the investment.  Another lesson learned the hard way.

For those of you who know what an organization freak I am, the few weeks without my computer were extra frustrating because I usually have the CSA much more organized this close to the start of a season.  I apologize for not having all the details worked out.  Pick-up details will be out to your soon. 

Meanwhile, we've continued working on farm projects.  A lot of work has been accomplished over the past few weeks.  I took plenty of pictures.  Let me catch you up.

 

(Photos from March 28th.)  The goal of this workday was to start thousands of seeds, literally.  We followed the same method as I've previously explained, only this time there were many helping hands and the large job was done in a matter of a few hours.  On this day we started pac choi, Swiss chard, kale, and Chinese cabbage.  Look at those happy faces.  Proof that people of all ages enjoy playing in the mud.

 

Here are two more helpers working the soil in greenhouse #4 with broad forks.  It was snowing outside, but they worked up a good sweat inside doing this hard job.  I explained to these men that doing this job made them extraordinary.  There aren't very many people who have had the opportunity to work soil with a broad fork.  This method of deep tillage just isn't common in agriculture. 

Our Spring Break was 2 weeks ago.  Usually this is a time to get A LOT of farm work done.  But the weather was not in our favor this year.  I started keeping track of how many days in a row it had snowed.  I think I got to 12. Geesh!  It is reassuring though to know that these Spring snow storms have pushed the mountain snow pack levels up to normal or even above normal.  We should have plenty of water this summer.

 

This is the south side of greenhouse #2 on March 30th.  While it has been snowing, we have taken this time to prepare the soil and plant nearly all of our greenhouses.

 

We also have basil and tomato starts growing nicely in the house.

This basil was started on March 7th and is one month along.  It is ready to transplant.  Seeing these little seedlings growing over the past weeks in my home has helped me remember that Spring will come.

 

Remember all those trays we "just" planted a few paragraphs ago?  With the magic of the internet, here they are 2 weeks later.  Certain cold weather crops can germinate and start growing outside in a greenhouse.  We also cover them every night with a thick blanket of row covers to help them along.

 

Then again on April 11th we had a group of workers out to the farm to start the second batch of seeds.  These are also Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, kale and pac choi.  We start the seeds in 2 week intervals in hopes the plant's growth rates will also be staggered, bringing several weeks of harvest and ultimately a longer season of greens. 

This is a picture from the left side of greenhouse #2 that I took this morning while outside doing chores.  The arugula is growing quite well.  I'm looking forward to a nice arugula salad.  I enjoy taking the row cover off each morning and smelling the aroma of this fragrant green. Sometime I sneak a taste. 

The salad?  It's coming a long too...

 

...but not quite as well.

Here's a view from the right of the same greenhouse.  You can see better here how the salad is struggling.  One variety called Red Salad Bowl had nearly a 0% germination rate.  Shain hasn't figured it out yet.  It has always been one of our best growing salad greens.  There are some blank spots in the rows of the other salad greens too.  Some of this is could be due to poor germination, but we've also had some problems with voles (little mouse like rodents with big front teeth) eating the baby greens down to a stub. 

Just yesterday morning I found two voles running around under the row cover I was moving.  I screamed like a girl while trying to stomp their heads.  (Are those two things contradictory or what?)  My heart was pounding.  I looked around quickly and was thankful that my dog was the only one to witness the event.

There.  All caught up.  I'm glad to be back.  Have a nice week.

Tara