​This is the time of year when we start doing all of it, all the time. We're planting into the field, prepping ground for this year's plantings and next year's as well. We are harvesting in bulk and for market. And we are still seeding like crazy. All that fall and winter cabbage is coming for us. Here's Max catching us up on the broccoli that we were behind on. Go team, go!

It continues to be wonderful working outside in nature. Here is a red-spotted admiral. or so says the ap.
And another killdeer nest! I think the first clutch didn't survive. I never saw them. But try again! Another wonderful lesson from nature. 

​Ahoy!

Too late to say much more than nothing at all. See ya in the morn.

We'll be in our usual spot, Shed 2 at Eastern, with delicious vegetables.

Love ya!
Helen

Come out Saturday and get our delicious vegetables!

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market!
• Links
  • Food Resources from our farm, including details about our community account.
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field 

Farm Membership!

Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Bok Choy
Kale
Microgreens
Parsley
Mint
Sage
Chives (with flowers!)
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Broccoli Raab
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Green garlic
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Scallions
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips

Coming soon:
Swiss Chard
Head Lettuce
Salad Mix
Squash

The plants are coming along out here! The potatoes are up, thank goodness. I checked them in the morning. Their shoots were pushing up through the soil. I checked them at the end of the day, and leaves were unfolding. Now to strip the embellishment away, they were different varieties and the one I check in the morning was still under there at the end of the day. But!! Amazing progress potatoes! Thank you! Let us have the potato year of our dreams.

Cucumber seedlings continue to be one of the cutest around. These will be planted out soon and then before we know it.... CUCUMBERS!

The last of the red russian kale until next winter. We love this tender variety. It is so good in salads and so soft when cooked.  ​

Beauty abounds! The sky is big and bright this time of year!

Carla made a nest in some leftover straw. Shortly after I took this picture, Rhys came over.
"Carla. Move. Me. Picture." 
Yes, he saw the photo op and wanted it for himself!

We'll take our rain showers with a healthy dose of rainbows, please.
Baby bunnies are cute. 
So are Clare's chickens! ​

These silly robins. Every year they build a nest in this tractor. I moved it as gently as I could but I don't think they have taken up caring for it since. Maybe next time I will try moving the next back and forth. 
I parked this tractor and 9 days later there was nest with eggs! If no other silver lining, at least  I know they will be able to build another one quickly. 

Speaking of nests, 3 of our nest boxes having nesting bluebirds! One set is about to fledge!!!
And the tree swallows have really moved in too. I have a baseline of exuberance just for the increased habitat for these birds. On top of that, I am excited to see if their insect predation decreases pest pressure on our farm. I mean, they've gotta feed all those babies!!! Fingers crossed they like cucumber beetles and cabbage butterfly larva. ​

​Ahoy!

Memorial Day is upon us. Lets remember and appreciate the people that gave their lives in service to our country and to the families that still carry the sacrifice. Wishing you a reflective and meaningful Memorial Day. 

We'll be in our usual spot, Shed 2 at Eastern, with delicious vegetables.

Love ya!
Helen

Come out Saturday and get our delicious vegetables!

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market! 
• Links
  • Food Resources from our farm, including details about our community account.
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field 

Farm Membership!Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula
Chard!
Kale
Microgreens
Parsley
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Green garlic
Salad Radish
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Scallions
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips

Coming soon:
Head Lettuce
Bok choy
Broccoli raab
Salad Mix

In May I don spring sweaters that've been crumpled in the back of the farm truck since last year. I reach into the pockets, often finding some relic of seasons past. A shriveled soft carrot. A smooth stone. An irrigation fitting. A washer and a bolt. Imagine my delight when, on mother's day, I reached into my grandma's orange sweater and scooped out a palmful of perfectly dried violets my older child had given me last spring. So purple, so orange, still green stemmed.

With the evening sunlight shining on them and my kids attention caught in kazoos and sand piles, I felt it. The disembodied happiness that can only happen one moment at a time. I hope all you mother's out there had a chance to float untethered into a moment, with no consideration the details. ​

Here you can get a nice view across the fields. The closest field (the ditch!) is where the solanaceous crops will go (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant). 
Downtown one is up next with garlic, onions, and scallions. In this picture, the onions and scallions weren't all planted but you can see the beds that were done already.
Downtown two holds all the brassicas of your dreams: Cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, sprouting broccoli, and bok choy! 

None of these fields are all the way full yet. We plant them from dry side to wet side. With this dry spell, we are on our way to having it worked up. 

The onions are in the ground! Here they are on the way! We have just under a quarter acre of them tucked as neatly as ever into the ground. Because we have had such a run of poor onion crop, I won't count 'em till the bulb, but I've got a good feeling about them this year!

The tomatoes are in the hoophouse and settled in. They look vibrant. The head lettuce that is planted around them is looking good too. Everything is a little slower, considering how cold it has been. But all that is going to change in the coming weeks. 

Irrigation. And now, it is dry. We have been irrigating something every day. And our irrigation system is getting set up as we go. Clare has been working on it continuously. Hose clamps, drivers, insert fittings. ​

Ahoy!

We've just been plugging away and we will keep at it! All the potatoes, onions, next lettuce, fennel, celery, and scallions are in. We did a bonus round of dill and more sweet turnips and radishes. Next up! Squash, parsley, basil, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, eggplant! It's go time plant people! 30% of another frost. Yes, it can happen. I remember covering everything last year close the the 31st of May. Let's hope we don't go that route again. 

Be bold and plant on folks!

Love ya!
Helen

Come out Saturday and get our delicious vegetables!

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market! 
  • Member Info- 
• Links
  • Food Resources from our farm, including details about our community account.
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field 

Farm Membership!Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula
Chard!
Kale
Microgreens
Parsley
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples
Beets
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Green garlic
Fingerling Potatoes
Salad Radish
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Scallions
Purple top turnips


Coming soon:
Lettuce
Bok choy
Sweet turnips
Broccoli raab


Copyright © 2026 Lake Divide Farm, All rights reserved.


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This season is bringing lots of field walks with kids, bikes, and dogs! ​

The greenhouse is packed with so, so many beautiful plants. We are about a week behind, planting wise, but we are right on schedule for seeding in the greenhouse. This means a full house! Hopefully after this next bit of rain, the fields dry out and we are planting by this time next week. In the meantime, these plants are bursting with healthy and growth. ​

Warm, wet, spring nights bring out the amphibians. Please enjoy this terrible picture of a frog the size of my thumbnail. The kids and I (with Clare too!) happened to be driving home from a dinner on Tuesday night and allllll the frogs and toads were out. I went so, so slow. We pulled over multiple times to get a closer look. I saw several toads walking across the road, which is not the mode of transportation I typically imagine for them. It was so cool. And also I worry so much about them on nights like that. 

But, I think most of them made it. 

Cilantro Sauce Recipe for Tacos, Nachos, and More

From Umami Girl

This is the cilantro sauce you've been waiting for. Even if you didn't know it. A fresh, tangy sauce for Mexican food, from tacos to nachos to quesadillas and more.

​Ingredients 

• ⅓ cup (78 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of one lime, 2 to 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large bunch cilantro, about 4 ounces/114 grams, washed well, including stems

 
Instructions

1. Roughly chop cilantro. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, stopping to push cilantro down into the blades as necessary.

Notes

1. A reasonable extra-virgin olive oil from the supermarket is a good choice. The flavor will definitely come through, so choose something that you like. But there's no need to tote out your fancy unfiltered versions with the perfect level of astringency.
2. Plenty of freshly squeezed lime juice and fine sea salt work in tandem to create just the right balance of flavors. (That said, salt preferences vary a lot from person to person, so if you're sensitive to salt, you can start with less and adjust as you go.)
3. Fresh garlic is essential to bring together the flavors. You can vary the amount to suit your preference.
4. The recipe calls for a generous amount of cilantro. Some varieties have a fairly aggressive flavor while others are positively mellow, so taste yours before buying if possible, and make sure you like its specific flavor profile. You'll use both the leaves and stems in this recipe.
5. Store cilantro sauce in a tightly sealed jar in a nice cold fridge for up to a week. The flavor will mellow a bit, but the generous amount of lime juice will prevent the cilantro from oxidizing too much. I sometimes like to store it with a thin layer of additional olive oil on top to create a seal.
6. Or freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer to an airtight container, and keep in the freezer for up to a year. That way you can defrost it in small portions if you like.

Ahoy!

It was so windy for so long, its absence is palpable. I'm so glad for the peace that comes with the relative still. 

The spring equinox is here. The pace rises from ebb to full flourish. From here to the summit, the days are longer and the ice keeps melting. I heard the peepers last week. I've seen the crowds of turkeys vultures this week. I smelled the soil and saw tips of green peeking through.

Welcome spring with us. Appreciate the earth and its balance, graciously resilient but still calibrated. I am so glad to welcome the sun back. Everything is better outside. 

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

​A reminder about our Farm Membership!
Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

​
Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers​

Cilantro Sauce Recipe for Tacos, Nachos, and More

From Umami Girl
​
​This is the cilantro sauce you've been waiting for. Even if you didn't know it. A fresh, tangy sauce for Mexican food, from tacos to nachos to quesadillas and more.Ingredients 

• ⅓ cup (78 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of one lime, 2 to 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large bunch cilantro, about 4 ounces/114 grams, washed well, including stems

 
Instructions

1. Roughly chop cilantro. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, stopping to push cilantro down into the blades as necessary.

Notes

1. A reasonable extra-virgin olive oil from the supermarket is a good choice. The flavor will definitely come through, so choose something that you like. But there's no need to tote out your fancy unfiltered versions with the perfect level of astringency.
2. Plenty of freshly squeezed lime juice and fine sea salt work in tandem to create just the right balance of flavors. (That said, salt preferences vary a lot from person to person, so if you're sensitive to salt, you can start with less and adjust as you go.)
3. Fresh garlic is essential to bring together the flavors. You can vary the amount to suit your preference.
4. The recipe calls for a generous amount of cilantro. Some varieties have a fairly aggressive flavor while others are positively mellow, so taste yours before buying if possible, and make sure you like its specific flavor profile. You'll use both the leaves and stems in this recipe.
5. Store cilantro sauce in a tightly sealed jar in a nice cold fridge for up to a week. The flavor will mellow a bit, but the generous amount of lime juice will prevent the cilantro from oxidizing too much. I sometimes like to store it with a thin layer of additional olive oil on top to create a seal.
6. Or freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer to an airtight container, and keep in the freezer for up to a year. That way you can defrost it in small portions if you like.

The beginnings of our root washer!  We were hoping to get one this winter but our budget had other ideas. Luckily for us, my wonderful friend Kirk got the bug to build it bad. It is well on it's way to a long useful farm life. I can't wait to see this thing in action.  ​

Ahoy!

​Too late to say anything other than come to market and see Rachel and Aaron tomorrow. The I'll be there with the kids for a little bit in the morning.

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

​A reminder about our Farm Membership!
Our Farm Membership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

​
Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers

Arugula Beet Salad with Candied Walnuts

From Something Nutritious

A simple arugula beet salad that’s perfect for those summer meals! Serve it alongside your favorite protein for the ultimate side salad. Arugula Beet Salad The warmer temperature definitely has me craving more fresh salads. This delicious arugula beet salad is tossed with chopped beets, feta cheese, and 5 minute candied walnuts! It’s mixed with…

Ingredients 

• 7 oz bag arugula
• 4 -5 precooked beets, or 2 large beets peeled and boiled for 30 minutes
• 4 oz feta cheese or goat cheese
• Optional: 1 blood orange

Sweet walnuts

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cinnamon

Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 lemon juice
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Starting with the walnuts, add the butter, sugar and spices into a small saucepan and stir together over a low flame until thick, for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Once thats smooth, stir in your walnuts and let them cook in the mixture for another 2-3 minutes on low flame. Set that aside while you prep your salad.
3. Toss your arugula, beets and cheese in a large bowl. If adding a blood orange, use a sharp knife to peel around the orange, then slice into segments
4. Prepare your dressing by whisking the vinaigrette ingredients together.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad, add in your sweet walnuts and serve with your favorite protein.

Notes

People always talk about all the hard work of farming. It is hard work with lots of unpredictability. However. A major bonus to growing vegetables and knowing other plan producers? Warm sunny environments in the winter. Me and the kids spent an awesome afternoon at a friend's greenhouse enjoying the warmth and sun, eating snacks and playing. ​

Ahoy!

​Another week down. I kinda wish they would slow down a touch. We are creeping up on the main season and I am still doing winter stuff. I hope it's one of those things where I've been moving a few boulders at once and they will all summit at once. Cross your fingers for me. 

• Last weekend while I was at market, Clare seeded a boatload of carrots, beets, and greens. It was really just in time for this warm up and rain. Hopefully they are germinating and not rotting in the ground and in a few short (long) months, we'll be munching and crunching away.
• We used our community account to send 110lbs of purple daikon to the Stockbridge Food Pantry. I love that we are able to do that with the support of our wonderful customers. 
• Our cooler broke. We fixed it. It broke again. Oh my goodness. Determination is one of the required traits of a small business owner. Of a farmer. Of a human
• I've been gathering the supplies to do the maintenance and repairs on our fleet of machines. It is a little overwhelming and as much of a learning curve as it ever was. I will say that today when I didn't have the tool I needed, I had the ability to make something that would work. So apparently, even though it doesn't  feel like it, I learned a thing or two since last year.

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Between all the community resource info and the farm membership promotion, there is a lot going on in this email. Please see the "table of contents" for easy navigation to what you are looking for! You can click on the links there and it will take you where you want to go within the email. 

And here I am in my own dome, doing what I do, with worries about the world. 
Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Food Resources
  • Community Account Balance $636
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market! 
  • Member Info- Balances will be updated for next week.
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Daikon Soup

Fresh From the Field- 
​
Greens:
Microgreens!
Arugula!
Coming soon: Spinach, cilantro, pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples:

• Honeycrisp: Our Best Seller! Crispy, Sweet/tart and slow to brown!
• Mustsu: A large yellow-green apple from Japan, known for its sweet-tart flavor, crisp texture, and excellent storage quality, making it great for fresh eating, baking, and cooking.
• Empire: Balanced sweet/tart flavor, crispy & juicy. Great all purpose apple
• Enterprise: Sweet, juicy. Lovely flavor all purpose, stores well. Deep red skin, pale flesh.

Beets
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: red, cone, round green
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!! And Hill Top (David!)
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Rutabaga
Sweet turnips from the tunnels! These have a softer texture than normal because of the deep freezes they've been through
Purple top turnips

Daikon Soup

From I heart UmamiThis Taiwanese style daikon soup (蘿蔔湯) tastes light, savory, yet subtly sweet. Ready in 30 minutes, it'll keep you warm and healthy all winter long.

Ingredients 

• 16 oz. Daikon 1 large
• 3.5 oz. carrots 1 medium
• 0.3 oz ginger sliced, half of one small thumb size
• 3 bulb scallions sliced, separate white and green parts
• 1 tbsp neutral flavored oil
• 3 cup chicken stock
• 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
• 0.5 tbsp Toasted sesame oil or to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce or more to taste
• Small dash ground white pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the daikon: Rinse and scrub the daikon. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the outer layer skin. Make a small slice to trim away the tip ends. Dice it into rounds, about 0.5-inch (1.27 cm) thickness then stack a few rounds and slice them into half moon shape.
2. Prepare carrot: Do the same with the carrot: rinse, peel away the outer layer, slice into 0.5-inch thickness rounds.
3. Saute aromatics: In a large 4-quart size soup pot, saute the ginger and white scallion parts with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 1.5 minutes.
4. Add the daikon, carrots, and stock. Cover with a lid. If the lid doesn’t have an air venting hole, leave the cover slightly ajar to prevent the soup from spilling over.
5. Simmer daikon: Simmer the soup over medium heat until you can easily poke through the radish with a chopstick without much resistance, about 15-20 minutes. To tell when the daikon is cooked through, besides inserting a chopstick, the daikon color also turns from pale white to a more translucent color yet the texture is still firm and not mushy.
6. Taste & Season: Taste the broth and season with salt, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Taste and adjust.
7. Garnish & Serve: Garnish with green scallion parts. Ladle the soup to individual serving bowls. Serve hot.

Notes

• Vegetarian-Friendly Flavor Boost: If you’re using vegetable stock, add a few teaspoons of shiitake mushroom bouillon powder or Vegetarian dashi powder to enhance the broth’s depth and umami flavor.
• Storage & Reheating: Store the soup in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days. When reheating, use the stovetop over medium heat or a microwave until it’s warmed through. You’ll notice the daikon turns more translucent with each reheating, and the flavors become even milder and naturally sweet.
• Daikon Soup Flavor Profile: This soup is light, aromatic, and subtly sweet—like a comforting home-cooked meal straight from your mother’s kitchen.
• Daikon substitute for soup: White turnips can replace daikon in soups, especially in hearty broths. They have a slightly spicier, earthier taste compared to daikon’s mild sweetness. For a milder flavor, soak the slices in room temperature water for a few hours before adding them to your soup to reduce their spiciness.

​ Ahoy!

Time is flying. The blackbirds are back and noisy as ever. We're wailing on our lists. We have a three person crew. We will give them a proper introduction, but for now, let's just say welcome Conner and Alex!

This week:

• We got our new to us a tractor home! 
• Clare and Conner built three more tunnels
• We seeded all our onions, the first round of tomatoes, so much cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and more!
• The next boxes are in!
• I cleaned up the bobcat project from last year and am deep in preparations for some integral repairs for this season.

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Between all the community resource info and the farm membership promotion, there is a lot going on in this email. Please see the "table of contents" for easy navigation to what you are looking for! You can click on the links there and it will take you where you want to go within the email. 

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Food Resources
  • Community Account Balance $636
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market! 
  • Member Info- Balances will be updated for next week.
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Ginger Daikon Radish "Rice" with Gochugaru and Fried Egg

Food Resouces:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: Updated balance available at market

HOW TO USE our Community Account (only at Lake Divide Farm’s Stand)

• No proof requirement
• Look for Community account sign or ask a Lake Divide market attendant if the Community Account is open.
• Select what you need
• $20 limit per person, with some exceptions. 
• Say to the person checking you out “I am using the Community Account”
• Available as long as there is a balance in the Community Account.

Additionally:

• We accept Cash Value Benefits at our Eastern Market stand

More about the Community Account here. 
Want to help:

• Please contribute to our Community Account. This is best done at market. If you know you are going to contribute, please email me so I can match your contribution in advance
• Share this plan with others
• Understand that funds contributed to this account may be used to send produce to food pantries.

Resources for people that want to help:

• Talk to the people in your community and see how you can offer support.
• Donate money or time to a foodbank or food pantry
• Contribute to either of our programs
  • Stockbridge Community Outreach Program
  • Community Account (Eastern Market)
    • Talk to me at market or email me at lakedividefarm at gmail dot com if you have questions or ideas

Farm Membership!

​Our Farm mMembership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Coming soon: shoots, micros, possibly turnip greens, spinach!

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples:

• Honeycrisp: Our Best Seller! Crispy, Sweet/tart and slow to brown!
• Mustsu: A large yellow-green apple from Japan, known for its sweet-tart flavor, crisp texture, and excellent storage quality, making it great for fresh eating, baking, and cooking.
• Empire: Balanced sweet/tart flavor, crispy & juicy. Great all purpose apple
• Enterprise: Sweet, juicy. Lovely flavor all purpose, stores well. Deep red skin, pale flesh.

Beets
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: red, cone, savoy, round green
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!! And Hill Top (David!)
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, Korean White Daikon, and purple, Chinese White Daikon
Rutabaga
Sweet turnips from the tunnels!
Purple top turnips

​Recipe: Pickled Radishes with Ginger

From Supper in the Suburbs

Preserve crunchy radishes in a spicy vinegar with this recipe for Pickled Radishes with Ginger.

Ingredients (converted from metric for convenience)

• Radishes: 1.1 lbs (approx. 1 lb 2 oz) (about 1/3 quart)
• Sea salt: 4.5 tbsp
• White wine vinegar: 1.7 cups (approx. 13.5 fl oz)
• White sugar: 6 tbsp
• Mixed peppercorns: 1.5 tsp
• Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 0.5 tsp
• Chilli flakes: 0.5 tsp
• Allspice: 0.5 tsp
• Root ginger: 2 inches (peeled and thinly sliced)

Instructions:

1. Top and tail the radishes and cut to your preferred shape / size (see note 1).
2. Add the prepared radishes to a bowl and sprinkle over the sea salt. Leave them to rest for 30 minutes during which time the salt will draw the moisture out of the radishes helping them to stay crisp while pickling.
3. Once 30 minutes is up, drain away any liquid that has collected in the bottom of the bowl.
4. Pour the vinegar into a saucepan along with the sugar and all of the spices except the ginger.
5. Gently heat the vinegar for 10 minutes or until it begins to simmer.
6. Pack the radishes and ginger slices into sterilized jars (see note 2) and pour over the infused vinegar.
7. Seal the jars and allow them to cool (you will know they have cooled when the lids make a "pop").
8. Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Once opened, store in the fridge and eat within 2 weeks.

Notes:
Slicing your radishes thinly makes them more versatile for adding to dishes like burgers, salads, sandwiches etc. I like to do one jar thinly sliced and a second jar "chunky" with the radishes simply halved or quartered depending on their size. These chunkier pickles are great for adding to grazing boards and other snacking platters. 

There are a couple of different methods you can use to sterilize your jar. If I'm in a rush I will use a food-safe, chemical sterilizer but the best method is to simply wash the jar with hot, soapy water and rinse (but don't dry) them. Next, place the jars into your oven for 10 minutes on a low temperature (160C/320F/gas mark 3) or until they are dry. 

Strange skies. So many lovely mornings, with the sun glinting off the snow in the air. On the way to school drop off this morning, I pulled over to help my oldest work through the disappointment of having to go to school, yet again. We turned the car off and rolled down the windows. It is quiet on a country road. And quieter still, with the snow smoothing out the edges. We listened to the quiet, so full. It was soon interrupted by birds. We heard a woodpecker drumming. We smelled the fresh, cold air and felt it on our faces. We saw the snowflakes in the air. And he eventually tasted some of his breakfast. 

I never would have paused but for his need for reckoning, but I am so glad we did. I was rushing and not focusing. I was already impatiently waiting for the next thing. The next solution. I have to take these moments. They are what "it's" all made up of. It. Life. It. Whatever it is.

And I have to give myself the gift of feeling ok in a moment. Many things can be true at once. Being ok in a moment doesn't erase anything. It doesn't dissolve grief or injustice or struggle or even other joys. Anyway, I just kept on digging! But it wasn't the worst hole to end up in. ​

I picked up a lot of apples. I didn't use the huge backseat of our new truck. I was driving back from looking at a tractor. (We bought it!). But apples! So many, I don't think the folks at the orchard thought i was going to fit them all into the focus. 

The sweet turnips in the tunnel are alive! Whether they are tasty, we'll find out next week when it FINALLY goes above freezing. 

And those rutabaga, still looking good. ​

We delivered our large orders of vegetables with our new truck. It was so nice to just do it. I am so grateful to my neighbors for lending me their vehicle while I looked and looked for a good deal on a good truck. Their generosity is what let us find that. 

We intended to take a picture of the backseat of the truck loaded with crates and crates of vegetables. We forgot! But i think this shot is even better! It fits a whole sprawled Clare!! 

Ahoy!
​
​It was so fun at market last we, we decided to go again! Of course we were going to go anyway, but after being back last week, I am loaded with enthusiasm. I am so grateful to be part of such a consistent, genuine community of people. 

So many big things happened in the last week:

1. We bought a truck! This happened last Friday. By now we know that all the stuff that made the truck affordable was minor and we did a good job!
2. We bought a tractor!! Finally we will have a front end loader and pallet forks. This means so many things for us but in short? Way less labor across the board! Less moving many small piles, more moving fewer large piles! Less borrowing, more jsut doing! I'm hoping to pick it up next week and I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.
3. We hired two new people! We have room for one more but can make it a good ways into the season without missing an extra!
4. We finished our crop plan and shared it with some of our biggest wholesale customers. They said they're in! It is late to have finished our crop plan. This will be the new "latest I've put in my seed order" but so far it seems to no great loss. The seeds have been available. 
5. And then of course all the regular stuff: getting ready for market, cleaning things for the coming season, fixing things for the coming season. But can someone please tell me how in the world is it already February?

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Between all the community resource info and the farm membership promotion, there is a lot going on in this email. Please see the "table of contents" for easy navigation to what you are looking for! You can click on the links there and it will take you where you want to go within the email. 

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers

​Food Resources:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: Updated balance available at market

HOW TO USE our Community Account (only at Lake Divide Farm’s Stand)

• No proof requirement
• Look for Community account sign or ask a Lake Divide market attendant if the Community Account is open.
• Select what you need
• $20 limit per person, with some exceptions. 
• Say to the person checking you out “I am using the Community Account”
• Available as long as there is a balance in the Community Account.

Additionally:

• We accept Cash Value Benefits at our Eastern Market stand

More about the Community Account here. 
Want to help:

• Please contribute to our Community Account. This is best done at market. If you know you are going to contribute, please email me so I can match your contribution in advance
• Share this plan with others
• Understand that funds contributed to this account may be used to send produce to food pantries.

Resources for people that want to help:

• Talk to the people in your community and see how you can offer support.
• Donate money or time to a foodbank or food pantry
• Contribute to either of our programs
  • Stockbridge Community Outreach Program
  • Community Account (Eastern Market)
    • Talk to me at market or email me at lakedividefarm at gmail dot com if you have questions or ideas

Farm Membership!

Our Farm mMembership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

​Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Coming soon: shoots, micros, possibly turnip greens

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples:

• Honeycrisp: Our Best Seller! Crispy, Sweet/tart and slow to brown!
• Mustsu: A large yellow-green apple from Japan, known for its sweet-tart flavor, crisp texture, and excellent storage quality, making it great for fresh eating, baking, and cooking.
• Empire: Balanced sweet/tart flavor, crispy & juicy. Great all purpose apple
• Enterprise: Sweet, juicy. Lovely flavor all purpose, stores well. Deep red skin, pale flesh.

Beets
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: red, cone, savoy, round green
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, white, and purple
Rutabaga
Winter squash
Purple top turnips

Quick Pickled Beets

From Cedar Circle Farms

​Make your own pickled beets! It’s easier than you think.

Ingredients

• 1-2 bunches beets from 1 to 2 1/2 inches wide, washed trimmed tops & roots to 1 inch
• 1/2 cup onion sliced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorn whole
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cover beets with boiling water and simmer just until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and discard the liquid.
2. Run under cold water to cool, then remove the stems, roots, and skins. Leave baby beets (under 1 1/2 inches) whole. Quarter or halve larger beets.
3. In a medium-sized pot, combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add beets and onions to the liquid and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Remove from heat. Add to glass jars and cover. Let cool, then refrigerate.

Clare loading the last crate onto the truck. We washed these roots in the greenhouse to avoid the freezing temperatures. The farm truck didn't even want to go in this weather. We had to jump it several times to gain cooperation. That definitely indicates bigger problems. We'll figure it out! ​

Ahoy!
​
​Come welcome us back to market! We haven't been there for the longest time I've taken off in the better part of a decade. What did I use the time for? I did do some of that sleeping we talked about. I did do some repair work, but not as much as I'd hoped. I did go sledding. Eat snow. Walk around in the dark woods and think about life. 

And I looked for a truck for an eternity. Made crop plans. Put in orders. Made plans to build things. 

I am glad to be heading back to market. I've missed the bustle and your faces. See you tomorrow!

A reminder about our Community Account: 

• It is open to those who need it, no questions asked.
• We will also use it for our local food pantry if the funds don't seem to be being used.
• Please feel free to donate to it when at market

Between all the community resource info and the farm membership promotion, there is a lot going on in this email. Please see the "table of contents" for easy navigation to what you are looking for! You can click on the links there and it will take you where you want to go within the email. 

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Food Resources
  • Community Account Balance $636
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Balances- find your balance at market! 
  • Member Info- Balances will be updated for next week.
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is link to a list of resources to aid in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
  • CSA Flier for 2026
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Cabbage and Noodles

Food Resouces:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: $636.00

HOW TO USE our Community Account (only at Lake Divide Farm’s Stand)

• No proof requirement
• Look for Community account sign or ask a Lake Divide market attendant if the Community Account is open.
• Select what you need
• $20 limit per person, with some exceptions. 
• Say to the person checking you out “I am using the Community Account”
• Available as long as there is a balance in the Community Account.

Additionally:

• We accept Cash Value Benefits at our Eastern Market stand

More about the Community Account here. 
Want to help:

• Please contribute to our Community Account. This is best done at market. If you know you are going to contribute, please email me so I can match your contribution in advance
• Share this plan with others
• Understand that funds contributed to this account may be used to send produce to food pantries.

Resources for people that want to help:

• Talk to the people in your community and see how you can offer support.
• Donate money or time to a foodbank or food pantry
• Contribute to either of our programs
  • Stockbridge Community Outreach Program
  • Community Account (Eastern Market)
    • Talk to me at market or email me at lakedividefarm at gmail dot com if you have questions or ideas

Farm Membership!

Our Farm mMembership is based on the ethos of Community Supported Agriculture. It allows the community to support their food producers through the variability of the growing season. Members pre-pay for their vegetables, receive a bonus, and then use their account through the season.

Here is the sign up sheet for perusal or use.

A couple key features of our Farm Membership:

• Select the produce you want at Eastern Market
• No requirement to come every week
• From October onward, signups rollover to 2026 and won't expire until December 31st 2026
• You can use your balance right away!
• You can share your farm account with friends and family

​Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Check back next week!

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples!
Beets
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: red, cone, savoy, round green
Carrots!
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish (not pink inside)
Daikon radish: Red, white, and purple
Rutabaga
Winter squash
Purple top turnips

Sautéed Cabbage and Noodles

From Vegetable Recipes

​Cabbage and Noodles flavored with little more than butter and a bit of pepper is going to impress you in its simplicity. This an old-fashioned dish that has become a regular comfort food in our household.Ingredients

• 8 ounces medium-wide egg noodles
• ½ cup butter divided
• 1 large onion sliced thin
• 1 small head of green cabbage cored and sliced into ½-inch ribbons, about 8 cups
• ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles until tender but still slightly firm, about 6-7 minutes. Drain well and rinse in cold water until cool to stop the cooking process.
2. Melt ¼ cup butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, stir and cook until they begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage to the pot with the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, allowing the cabbage pieces to brown a bit while the cabbage softens, about 8-10 minutes. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and allow to melt. Add the cooked noodles to the pot and toss well to coat with butter. Taste again and add salt, as needed. 

Notes:
The flavors here are simple but delicious. Take care to salt and pepper generously and taste as you go. If you do not use enough salt, this will become a bland dish that you may not love as much as you might if it’s seasoned properly.