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.

Here's Clare making it happen! Sun setting, still smiling! 

​Yep, we're behind on hoop house clean out and planting but you can bet we haven't given up! Chasing the hope is the only way. Our tomatoes were in here all year. Now we are going to get it all cleaned up and planted with some winter greens. While they won't grow much between now and the beginning of February, they are resilient.​

​Snuggle company is important in the winter. These dogs are perfect for packing into the drafty spaces. 

Ahoy!! 
​
Ok. You may notice I didn't get this email out until the evening of Friday night. The night before market. Oh well!
We will be at market OUTSIDE tomorrow. With our heaters. And our warm gear. And hoping to see you there too. 

And i can't wait to tell you more about what we are up to next week!

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
• As of now, the funds are being used faster than the funds being donated, so the account is at a deficit. The balance is still well in the safe range.

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:

• SNAP resources
  • Community Account Balance $525
    • We used some of the balance to send turnips to Stockbridge Community Outreach
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Members Balance Check in
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is a link to our SNAP resources plan
  • 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: Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

​Food Resouces:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: $475.00

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

Farm members! It is now time to assess your balance. Check the email for your stats like current balance and spent per visit.

We have 3 more markets of the 2025 season. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Will you use your balance?
   • If they answer to this is Yes, carry on. You could chose to add to your account now for the following year or wait. You may want to contribute to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project either way. (See link below)
   • If the answer was no, go to number 2
2. Do you plan on shopping with us next year?
   • If the answer to this is yes, add to your account and your whole balance will roll over.
   • If the answer is no
     • You could choose to do your best to spend the remainder of your balance.
     • You could donate some or all of it to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project (linked above)
     • You could donate some or all of it to the "Community Account"

If you have any questions or worries, please speak with me at market or email me. I am more than happy to troubleshoot your specific situation. 

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula
Tatsoi
Pea shoots!

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples!
Acorn Squash
Autumn Frost
Beets
Butternut squash!
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: personal and LARGE for your kraut needs
Cone Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage
Red Cabbage
Carrots!
Delicata Squash
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Garlic
Kabocha squash!
Onions
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish
Daikon radish: Red, white, and purple
Rutabaga
Purple top turnips
Rutabaga

​Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

From Cookie and KateThis vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe is beautiful and delicious! The cheesy quinoa filling develops an irresistible crispy top in the oven. So good!Ingredients

• 2 medium acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• ¼ cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
2. To prepare the squash, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through it from the tip to the stem. I find it easiest to pierce the squash in the center along a depression line, then cut through the tip, and finish by slicing through the top portion just next to the stem. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and discard those pieces.
3. Place the squash halves cut side up on the parchment-lined pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the squash, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Rub the oil into the cut sides of the squash, then turn them over so the cut sides are against the pan. Bake until the squash flesh is easily pierced through by a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes. Leave the oven on.
4. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Cover, and let the mixture steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
5. In a medium skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
6. Pour the fluffed quinoa mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Add the toasted pepitas, chopped green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary.
7. If the mixture is very hot, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the Parmesan cheese and goat cheese. Gently stir the mixture to combine.
8. Turn the cooked squash halves over so the cut sides are facing up. Divide the mixture evenly between the squash halves with a large spoon. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheesy quinoa is turning golden on top.
9. Sprinkle the stuffed squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve warm.

Notes

• Squash filling adapted from the stuffed sweet potatoes in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 144).
• Change it up: You can add more protein to this dish by stirring 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas), into the quinoa mixture. You may have some of the mixture leftover—it’s a great quinoa salad on its own.
• Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit both varieties of cheese. You might want to add chickpeas (see above) to fill out the stuffing mixture. Top the baked squash with dollops of vegan sour cream, and you could even finish it off with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan.
• From Helen: I made a version of this over the break using autumn frost squash and a homemade bread stuffing. It was so dang good. One of the best parts was eating the whole thing, squash skin and all. I bet you can do that with the acorn squash as well. Just a thought. 

​I have to say, what a haul!  This is the most cabbage we have ever grown and I am entirely hooked. It is so fun! This whole trailer full was sent to the Greater Lansing Food Bank and will be distributed before a week has passed. It isn't even half of our fall harvest! We have 2 more wholesale orders, and have a generous amount set aside for winter markets. 

Lots of vegetables going out to food pantries! All that cabbage is heading out through the Greater Lansing Food Bank. The wintersquash you see is headed out in boxes distributed by the Farm at St. Joes farm share program, which includes a farm share assistance program for folks struggling to afford health food. 

Those two fellas in the top picture were total sports about loading Lake Divide's cabbage the silly way. One day (maybe soon!) I will have a loader with forks so I can heft the pallets up. Until then, I will rely on a more delicate application of physics. We did it though. And they were late when they were leaving. But still smiling! 

And look at the crew of folks packing boxes for Farm at St. Joes Double Distro week! That wasn't even everyone there! They were all hustling packing boxes, I was amazed the let me take their picture! 

I send deep thanks to both organizations for the work they are doing and for helping Lake Divide be part of it. ​

​Tractor work is destructive to the local lives. This mole was not happy about the situation. Luckily I spotted it trying to burrow back down after being turned up and was able to relocate to a different, safer area. What a different world they live in. They mostly eat insects. Eat all those pest grubs my little velvety friend!

Ahoy friends!!

​The hustle continues! And we have done so very much already. Of the bulk harvest, only 4 beds remain: two of watermelon radish and two of fingerling potatoes. That is hard to believe really, as there was so much looming just two weeks ago. The garlic beds have miraculously been prepped! All that cabbage and squash has reached the homes of its destiny. So after getting those remaining items out of the field and finishing our market prep, we will plant our garlic and then take our week off. That said, after this weeks market we will take November 29th off, but we will be back the following week.

Despite all the items checked off, our fall list is certainly going to overflow into winter: Planting, building tunnels, mulching, cleaning. And I am ok with that! I am so proud of all our mighty team has done this fall and this year overall. We have worked so hard and it truly show. Clare and Fergus have been here the whole time, working, learning, growing, building. They have put so much energy and good work in to getting everything done. And quite a few people have passed through. Each one has contributed to the farm's success this year. I haven't felt this happy in November since 2019. Thank you team. Thank you so much. We are the farm together. 

And, since SNAP is back, we will do as we planned. We will keep our Community Account Open and use some of the funds to send produce to Food Pantries. Between all the SNAP pause 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:

• SNAP resources
  • Community Account Balance $525
    • We used some of the balance to send turnips to Stockbridge Community Outreach
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Members Balance Check in
  • Check out the email!
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is a link to our SNAP resources plan
  • 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: Roasted Cabbage

SNAP RESOURCES:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: $644.00

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.
• Sign this United Way Southeastern Michigan petition to protect food benefits for Michigan’s struggling workers, children, seniors and veterans during the shutdown.

• Print and share the resources above (Printable flier)
• 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

Farm Member Balance Check in:Farm members! It is now time to assess your balance.
​Here are your stats:
Check the email for your stats!

We have 4 more markets of the 2025 season. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Will you use your balance?
   • If they answer to this is Yes, carry on. You could chose to add to your account now for the following year or wait. You may want to contribute to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project either way. (See link below)
   • If the answer was no, go to number 2
2. Do you plan on shopping with us next year?
   • If the answer to this is yes, add to your account and your whole balance will roll over.
   • If the answer is no
     • You could choose to do your best to spend the remainder of your balance.
     • You could donate some or all of it to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project (linked above)
     • You could donate some or all of it to the "Community Account"

If you have any questions or worries, please speak with me at market or email me. I am more than happy to troubleshoot your specific situation. 

Roasted Cabbage

From Trial and Error

Ingredients

• 1 big a$$ cabbage (or a few little ones!)
• A few glugs of oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the over to 450
2. Slice cabbage into wedges, trying to keep some of the stem attached to each wedge
3. Distribute them on a pan
4. Pour oil over them, wiggle them around and then flip them and wiggle them again, so oil is all over them.
5. Sprinkle some salt and any other seasoning you would like
6. Roast for 20 minutes on one side then flip and 20 more on the other side

Notes

• Each cabbage wedge is almost like noodles when its done. It tastes great with actual pasta, rice, or on their own. I'm certain there are many delicious combinations with ingredients as yet unnamed. 
• I did eat this cabbage in a rice bowl with the lime/soy sauce daikon and some homemade hot sauce and it was fabulous. 

Covering these unruly daikon, radish, and turnips on a windy day with ancient holey frost blankets and silage tarps was grueling endeavor. Clare and Fergus put in their darndest efforts throughout the day on Wednesday to no avail. When the wind doesn't cooperate, there are limits to what can be done.

We were lucky enough that the wind completely died in the evening and I was able to go out and get covers settled before the temperatures dropped below freezing. My task was exponentially easier because we expect to have all the roots out of the ground before the next temperature drop and the wind was so calm. This meant I didn't have to use any sandbags! In the light of day, I almost felt like I need to apologize for how easy it was, consider how long Fergus and Clare rode the struggle bus the day before. 

The reason all the effort? Freezing temperatures and massively decrease the storage longevity of these crops. We will never know if the unique micro climate on Wednesday night would a damaged our roots to that extent but it wasn't a gamble any of us wanted to take.  
Lake Divide Farm
A window into your food's journey!

Going out at night in the crisp air, with the light of the full moon wasn't all bad. It rarely is. But this night was extra specail because I saw the northern lights! I had never seen them and was so blown away when I looked up to the sky. Dancing light! It's hard not to assign existential meaning to a phenomena so magical. In the end, all that is left is gratitude.  ​

Ahoy Fellow Human!

We have been HUSTLING to get all of our crops in before the deep freeze this coming Sunday night. We will still be at market this week but may leave a little earlier than usual. By we, I have to admit, I mean Clare, Fergus and the rag tag of community members that have showed up to help. I have been stuck inside with sick kids all week, which has challenged my whole identity. But that's another story. 

In other great news, all SNAP benefits will be released! 

Michigan is now releasing full SNAP benefits for November 2025 following a federal court order. Recipients who normally get benefits on the 3rd, 5th, or 7th of the month should receive their full allotment within 48 hours of the state receiving federal funds, which was expected to be no later than November 7, 2025. All other recipients will receive their full payment on their normally scheduled date. 

• Action: Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has directed its SNAP EBT vendor to issue full benefits as soon as federal funding arrives.
• Reason: A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the USDA to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.
• Timeline:
  • For those whose benefits are normally received on the 3rd, 5th, or 7th, the full payment should be issued within 48 hours of the state getting the funding.
  • For all other recipients, full benefits will be issued on their normal, scheduled date. 

As planned for in this event, we will keep our Community Account Open and use some of the funds to send produce to Food Pantries. Between all the SNAP pause 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:

• SNAP resources
  • Community Account Balance $644
  • How to use
  • How to contribute
  • Other resources
• Farm Membership! What it is and how to sign up!
• CSA Members Balance Check in
  • Member Info- 
    • <<Your Balance>><<Balance>>
    • Times attended: <<Times Attended>>
    • Spent per visit: <<Spent/Visit>>
• Links
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project 
  • Here is a link to our SNAP resources plan
  • 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: Spicy Butternut Squash Chili With Greek Yogurt and Lime

SNAP RESOURCES:

Community Account, available to Eastern Market Customers that need food assistance
Current Balance: $644.00

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
• We accept Produce connection. The program runs until November 11th. (This is the last week)

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.
• Sign this United Way Southeastern Michigan petition to protect food benefits for Michigan’s struggling workers, children, seniors and veterans during the shutdown.

• Print and share the resources above (Printable flier)
• 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 idea

​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

Farm Member Balance Check in:

Farm members! It is now time to assess your balance. Find your stats (current balance, times attended, average spent/visit) in the market email!

We have 6 more markets of the 2025 season. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Will you use your balance?
   • If they answer to this is Yes, carry on. You could chose to add to your account now for the following year or wait. You may want to contribute to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project either way. (See link below)
   • If the answer was no, go to number 2
2. Do you plan on shopping with us next year?
   • If the answer to this is yes, add to your account and your whole balance will roll over.
   • If the answer is no
     • You could choose to do your best to spend the remainder of your balance.
     • You could donate some or all of it to the Stockbridge Community Outreach project (linked above)
     • You could donate some or all of it to the "Community Account"

If you have any questions or worries, please speak with me at market or email me. I am more than happy to troubleshoot your specific situation. 

Fresh From the ​​Field- 
Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choi
Kale
Mustard
Pea shoots
Tatsoi

Herbs
Parsley

All Manner of Deliciousness
Acorn Squash
Autumn Frost
Beets
Broccoli (may be last week)
Broccolini
Butternut squash!
Napa Cabbage
Cabbage: personal and LARGE for your kraut needs
Cone Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage
Red Cabage
Carrots!
Delicata Squash
Eggs!! From Hen House Farm- Clare!!
Garlic
Kabocha squash!
Onions
Fingerling Potatoes
Watermelon radish
Daikon radish: Red, white, and purple
Purple top turnips


Coming Soon
Rutabaga

Recipe: Spicy Butternut Squash Chili With Greek Yogurt and Lime

From Dishing up the Dirt

Ingredients

• 2 TBS grapeseed oil (or oil of choice)
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño Pepper, seeded and diced1 medium sized butternut squash. Peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
• 2 (15 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes with their juices
• 4-5 cups veggie stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

• A few dollops of greek yogurt
• Juice from 1 lime
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Diced cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño pepper. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add butternut squash, spices, salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 more minute stirring often.
2. Add beans and tomatoes. Stir. Add veggie stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.
3. Taste test and add any more spices you think necessary. (The longer the soup simmers the stronger the flavors)
4. Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Notes

• Use this recipe as a guide. Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.