We brought our first round of vegetables to Stockbridge Community Outreach!
Purple Daikon, a crunchy radish with a mild, sweet flavor and a long shelf life. Thank you to everyone that is helping us bring food to local families.

Thank you to all the people who have donated to make this possible. It isn't too late to contribute to our fundraiser. Below is a recap of how the plan came about. Follow this link for more details and to donate:
https://gofund.me/a4216e87

"In January, when I heard the first hints of federal support of food programs being pulled, I was really upset. Those programs are important. They help food banks and pantries have access to healthy food to distribute to people that need it. And they help the people in all our communities eat better and live healthier lives. I believe in helping each other out in our tough times. Everyone goes through them. That's what community is all about. 

I was feeling really powerless and had the lucky shift to consider what I could do to help rather than spinning out in despair. Because growing vegetables is in my wheelhouse, this is what I figured I could try. The money raised through this gofundme goes directly to the cost of growing of vegetables for our community. If you have been considering contributing but have questions, please reach out. We are now at 20% of our goal! Way further than I really expected to get. I am invigorated by the support this venture is receiving and hope that we get closer to our goal yet!"

I caught a shot of Clare and Ben prepping our seed potatoes to green sprout before we plant them. If only there were more things like potatoes. You want more? Put what you have left in the ground and wait. I plant some peace of mind.

The snap peas are in the ground with trellis to climb on. Some were already flowering so I expect peas to not be too far off. The deer fence seems to be doing it's job so, fingers crossed, those four legged vegetable processors don't find out about these lush little plants. 

I'm not sure if you can tell the difference but the garlic got saved! Hooray! And in the process, we remembered that we planted a full bed of green garlic for this year's harvest, so get ready for some spring garlic in about a month.

​Last week I mentioned rookie mistakes. Let me say that I am so grateful to have a buoyant that is able bop along despite my errors. Nothing but kind words and good attitudes here. I am feeling grateful. Everyone has been trained on watering the greenhouse, the basics of our irrigation system, and most of washpack protocol. We even fit in a little tractor training here and there. We're really on our way now. 

And we checked some stuff off! Not least of all, saving the garlic from certain doom. I am so excited to be growing our own garlic again. Here's to hoping we don't fall off the garlic wagon again. We have enough planted this year that saving enough for seed for next year's crop shouldn't be a problem.

Our first big planting is finally in the ground- about 3 weeks late but no matter. Those transplants were big and healthy and I expect they will thrive. In the ground we now have: radish (which due to poor germination looks like it needs to be reseeded), sweet turnips (beauteous germ!), bok choy, kohlrabi, beets, spinach, peas, cabbage, kale, sprouting broccoli, and onions! We are close the spring-summer crop gap but we will still have lots of tasty vegetables to keep your power bowls packed.  

Next up to get down in the ground? Onions, scallions, potatoes, and our first round of hoop house tomatoes! Despite the warm weather around here, I think we won't get to heavy harvesting until late spring. Like I mentioned, we are about 3 weeks behind on planting, which means the plants will be about 3 weeks behind on maturing to harvest. In great new though, and despite the pessimist in me, we are catching up! Yet another reason I am impressed with our small but mighty crew! Go team, go!

Hope to see you at market This week!

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

• Generally important notes
  • We are looking for moonlighters! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus.
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • Consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. It's a great gift for those that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. 
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Purple Daikon Salad

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Baby Bok Choy
Head lettuce
Micros: Dill! Kale, Radish, mustard mix!
Pea shoots
Spinach

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Pinata, and Modi From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon: Purple and White
Watermelon Radish
Purple Top Turnips

Coming Soon
Chives
Spring Radishes

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

Purple Radish Salad

​From: It's a veg world afterall!
 
 
A simple and delicious daikon radish recipe that requires only 10 minutes of prep.
Ingredients

• 1 purple daikon radish - sliced into matchsticks
• 1 carrot - sliced into matchsticks
• 2 green onions - thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey - sub with maple syrup to make vegan
• 1 lime - juiced
• 1 clove garlic - pressed or minced
• Toasted sesame seeds - for garnish, to taste

Instructions

• Wash and trim the radish and carrot. Use a sharp knife or a julienne peeler to slice the veggies into matchsticks. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the sliced green onions.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, lime juice, and garlic. Pour over the salad and mix until coated.
• Serve the salad right away or after chilling it for a couple of hours in the fridge. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

These are the fields that have been featured from the tractor in the last several emails. The closest field is called the Ditch because of how low it gets by the fence line. It is loaded with cabbage, kale, and broccolini. Hopefully before tomorrow's out, it's completely planted
Beyond that, you see Ben and Fergus in Downtown 1 planting bok choy. This year we decided to transplant a round so we would have it faster. There are 10 beds of radishes and sweet turnips under the cover. These will go to market as well as to our food banks and collaborative CSAs. To the West (right) in Downtown 2, you can see the tunnels from our over wintered greens. We are in the process of taking them down so we can put in cover crop. And just south of those in Downtown 3 is a field of garlic! Just under a half acre.

By the end of May, these fields will be bursting with plants: potatoes, wintersquash, tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, more!! SO much delicious food will come out of these fields.

Flat tire. Luckily the horrible shape of these tires won't stop me from limping along. They hold air long enough for a days work (kind of like me.) At the end of the day, I put a brace under the machine so the weight of the machine doesn't rest on the tire, and top it off with air before I use it again. 

We got a pheasant photo! Actually, Clare did. Do you see it down there, eyeing the truck suspiciously?
Cgah guch! (my best spelling of a pheasant call.)

A close up of those Cutie Cabbage in the ditch. We grew some beautiful transplants this spring. We gave them lots more leg room so they weren't cramped in their flats while waiting to get out in the field. 

Is it a germinated turnip seed? I felt confident in the field but now just at the picture, not so much. In any event, they're out there, getting ready for their debut as food.

Our garlic is over mulched. See that lime green leaf pushing through the straw? It is an unhappy garlic plant. I would say the majority of the plants have successfully pushed through the straw but if we want to see maximum success, we have to get out there and clear the way. If we get through the planting, that is what we will be doing all weekend. Want to Join?

Ahoy!!

I am making rookie mistakes left and right.. I buried our garlic too deep and now we have to get out there and help it a long. I suppose it is better than hand weeding it. Or mulching it after the plants are up? Anyway. We have to get out there and RESUCE this most nutritious and giving crop. It is actually a quite relaxing task. We nestle in the straw, listen to birds, and reposition straw around young plants. 

Another rookie mistake? I made those beautiful beds too close together! This means we can't use the big tractor over the beds without running over neighboring beds. Luckily, our cultivation tractors can still hang, so the weeds better get ready to suffer. Unluckily, it means we can't use our mounted transplanter for those sections. 
And on that note, new equipment. I love it. I hate it. Using a piece of equipment I know is relaxing. Adding a new piece to the system, no matter how big the upgrade, is stressful. I need it to work right, but the way I learn, I have to use it in context. This means lots of trial and error until it fits into place with the fleet.

I know I haven't been very vocal about my opinions on the state of our country. I'm sorry if I am letting you down in that sense. I am not giving up, I am just not able to be articulate enough in the time frame allotted for these emails. What I am doing? Staying apprised. Using the tools I have to contribute. I am building community. I am trying to make sure our community is food secure. I am searching for other things I can do to resist and effect change. Thank you to everyone doing their best. 

No one can do everything but we can all do something. 

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

• Generally important notes
  • We are looking for moonlighters! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus.
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • Consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. It's a great gift for those that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. 
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change. Keep your  chin up. 
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Fresh From the Field- 

Greens:
Head lettuce
Kale Raab
Micros: Dill! Kale, Radish, mustard mix!
Pea shoots
Spinach

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Gala, Pinata, Modi, and Ida Red. From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon
Watermelon Radish
Purple Top Turnips
Fall Squash: Autumn frost- Last week!

Coming Soon
Chives
Baby Bok Choi

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

​Garlic Sauteed Spinach 
From: Downshiftology
 
The best sautéed spinach! In less than 10 minutes you can transform a large bundle of spinach into wilted, garlicky, flavorful leaves. It makes for the perfect side dish and it’s welcomed as a “super greens” addition to a variety of meals and recipes.Ingredients

• 1 pound baby spinach (3 bags of our spinach)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds. You don't want the garlic browning too much.
• Add the baby spinach to the pan. It will be a big mound, and you can use your hands to pack it in. Use tongs or a spatula to carefully flip the spinach over, so that all of the pieces get covered in oil and garlic.
• Cover the pan for a minute to let it steam, then stir again. Repeat this process until the spinach is wilted down, about 5 minutes later.
• Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

Notes:

• You can add vinegar or lemon juice for a zippy twist!

​
Here's our little rototiller doing the next round of field prep. Fergus and Ben, our two newest crew members spread pelletized chicken manure into the field, one bucket per bed. I drove over the beds and incorporated it with this little piece. 
Hopefully by the next round of amendments, I will have finished repairing our drop spreader, then the tractor can do the whole job, saving time and wear and tear on our bodies.

​And here are the final steps in one:
Bed mark out with our basket weeder. This way our rows are nice and straight for mechanical cultivation. 
Planting! What you see to the left is the first round of outside plants for 2025! Let the games begin! Carla is doing a decent job in a supervisory role. 

It snowed! Actual snow accumulation! Lucky for our spinach, it is tucked away safely in one of our caterpillar tunnels.

Animal Sign!
An owl pellet? Or one from some other bird? I'm not sure. But what I do know that this is evidence of some wondrous bird helping us to manage field pests. Thank you birds! 

And more bird sign?

​A track! Ground birds don't have the back toe found in song birds and perching birds, making their tracks distinct!

Evidence of the night bird hunting for worms.

Fergus has lots of knowledge about animal sign and pointed out this evidence of a Woodcock hunting in our field. If you have time, I highly recommend watching a video of these silly birds. Here's one Fergus shared with me. I will add that they likely don't think of themselves as silly, who am I to designate them as such?

Ahoy!
Another week gone by and we are almost back at market time. This week we will have delicious tender lettuce to add to our collection of offerings. And yesterday before the snow we got turnips and radishes seeded, along with our first bit of cabbage. We have a lot more cabbage to go! 

This year feels like getting an old ship back in shape. Imagine the creaking you imagine when thinking about a ship. That is what I feel like. That is what my equipment feels like. Am I the ship or is the farm? These are the deep questions I get to ask myself while sitting in the dark waiting for my baby to fall asleep. Or sitting on the tractor, traveling back and forth across the field slower than walking pace. 
Whatever the case may be, were creaking and cracking as we get back up to speed. 

Everything is broken or in disrepair. It makes sense. I haven't been boots on the ground since 2021. But man oh man! It is a lot to catch up to. Take the tractor (an Allis G) we use for basket weeding as an example. It is one of our main tractors. We use it weekly and call it OG for "original G." It had a split side wall on one of the rear tires, extremely low gear oil in the case, the chain on the basket weeder (its main implement) was too long, the front tires were rubbing the frame of the implement when turning, and a bolt interferes with the lifting and lowering of the baskets, causing the implement to get stuck and clog up. The tractor functions through these ailments, so an operator may not notice they need attention but over time, each of these will cause a bigger problem: a flat tire; broken chain; worn gears; worn bolts. Most of these issues decided that this April was the time to come to a head! Each implement and machine has had its own set of like problems. Checking 'em off one by one is the only way forward!

Here is a repeat about our fundraiser for Stockbridge Community Outreach.  In January, when i hear the first hints of federal support of food programs being pulled, I was really upset. That money is important. It helps food banks and pantries have access to healthy food to distribute to people that need it. And it helps the people in all our communities eat better and live healthier lives. I believe in helping each other out in our tough times. Everyone goes through them. That's what community is all about. 

I was feeling really powerless and had the lucky shift to consider what I could do to help rather than spinning out in despair. Because growing vegetables is in my wheelhouse, this is what I figured I could try. The money raised through this gofundme does directly to the cost of production of vegetables for our community. If you have been considering contributing but have questions, please reach out. We are now almost at 20% of our goal! Way further than I really expected to get. I am invigorated by the support this venture is receiving and hope that we get closer to our goal yet!

No one can do everything but we can all do something. 

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

• Generally important notes
  • WE ARE HIRING! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus. Please email for more info. 
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • If you love our produce, consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. We are an especially good match for people that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. I love talking recipes, environmentalism, telling animal stories, and eating raw vegetables on the spot.
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Patty's Mashed Turnips!
• Member Info- 
  • Royal Oak members: If you haven't received an email from me regarding any remaining balance you have, please send me an email and I will get it to you.

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula Raab
Head lettuce
Kale Raab
Micros: Dill! Kale, Radish, mustard mix!
Pea shoots
Spinach

All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Gala, Pinata, Modi, and Ida Red. From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Potatoes from Yoder Farms
Purple Top Turnips
Fall Squash: Autumn frost

Coming Soon
??

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

Patty's Mashed Turnips 
From: All Recipes
These hot buttery mashed turnips always reminds me of the holiday season when my grandmother prepared this dish for the family.
 Ingredients

• 7 large turnips (that's about 2 quarts of our turnips)
• 1 cup milk or to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook turnips until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Strain and rinse.
• Mash turnips with a potato masher in a large mixing bowl. Add milk and butter.
• Mash to desired consistency and season with salt and black pepper; serve hot

​We got to do more tractor work last Saturday! It was a good thing Tyler went to market instead of me Because of that choice, I was able to move forward our ground preparations. About 2.3 acres are bedformed and ready for the final round of preparation before planting.

​

​We took some of the rainy days to move forward our greenhouse work. Our first round of tomatoes are potted up. This means we moved them from smaller pot sizes to something a little more roomy. They'll have lots of room to grow before we get them out into a hoop house at the end of the month. We also got the ginger greensprouting, thinned the celery, and got all caught up on greenhouse seeding.

​We've been working on our deer fence and it is coming along nicely. I don't expect to prevent 100% of deer farm visits, but hopefully a good portion. Here's the view from the fence line. The birds are making a true racket. We here mostly blackbirds now, with killdeer, pheasants, and sandhill cranes mixed in. 

​Here's the trusty bedformer. This implement doesn't look complicated but it took a little while to get used to. There are several opposing forces that have to be balanced for it to work well. The "thrower discs" need to be lined up so they pile soil onto the beds. The furrowers need to be lined up so they follow the aisles and the edge of the shaper pan. They also pull the machine down the severity of which depends on the the tilt of the whole frame. This will affect how much soil gets piled (how high our beds go), and how easily the implement can be pulled through the soil. And the shaper pan is in the back. It presses down on top of the soil pile and (hopefully) makes a smooth bed top.
I say it every year but we do this not just cause it looks pretty but also because it creates a deeper seed bed, warms the soil, and provides better drainage for our crops. Added bonus? It helps our machines track through the field. This is really helpful when we are planting or cultivating.

Ahoy !

I hope you weathered the storm without too much damage. Amazingly, we came out ok, despite all our metal frames covered in loosely affixed plastic.
Even with all the hustle, we will be planting about a week behind, and that's if the weather holds. We've gotten at least 2" of rain this week already and are due for another storm tomorrow. All this water, all at once isn't ideal. On the plus side,  you can see some cool water fowl in some unusual places!

Hopefully the fields dry out in the coming week and we get a chance to seed our turnips and radishes, as well as plant all these lush brassicas we have growing in the greenhouse. I'm trying to adopt a stress-free mentality.  We try for the best case and relish the possible case. As in: We aimed for getting our plants in the ground on time, it wasn't possible because of several factors outside of our control, including weather and the unfortunate timing of some required repairs. I am going to refuse to lament. What purpose would it serve? This year, doing my best has to be enough. Join me?

I wanted to also mention a little about our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project.  In January, when i hear the first hints of federal support of food programs being pulled, I was really upset. That money is important. It helps food banks and pantries have access to healthy food to distribute to people that need it. And it helps the people in all our communities eat better and live healthier lives. I believe in helping each other out in our tough times. Everyone goes through them. That's what community is all about. 

I was feeling really powerless and had the lucky shift to consider what I could do to help rather than spinning out in despair. Because growing vegetables is in my wheelhouse, this is what I figured I could try. The money raised through this gofundme does directly to the cost of production of vegetables for our community. If you have been considering contributing but have questions, please reach out. We are now almost at 20% of our goal! Way further than I really expected to get. I am invigorated by the support this venture is receiving and hope that we get closer to our goal yet!

No one can do everything but we can all do something. 

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

• Generally important notes
  • WE ARE HIRING! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus. Please email for more info. 
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • If you love our produce, consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. We are an especially good match for people that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. I love talking recipes, environmentalism, telling animal stories, and eating raw vegetables on the spot.
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Roasted Potatoes and Carrots!

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula Raab
Kale Raab
Micros: Broccoli, Radish, mustard mix!
Pea shoots
Spinach
Tatsoi Raab


All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Gala, Pinata, Modi, and Ida Red. From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Potatoes from Yoder Farms
Purple Top Turnips
Fall Squash: delicata, long pie, butternut, autumn frost, black futsu

Coming Soon
Lettuce!

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots 
From: Well Plated


Perfect Roasted Potatoes and Carrots with rosemary, spices, and honey. Tender, caramelized and absolutely delicious, this easy side pairs with any recipe!
 
Ingredients 
For the Roasted Potatoes and Carrots:

• 1 pound carrots peeled, halved lengthwise if thick
• 1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes halved
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper omit if sensitive to spice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

For the Honey Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey

Instructions

• Place a rack in the lower third of your oven, then preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat the foil with nonstick spray.
• Place the carrots and potatoes in the center of the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and honey, then sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne. Toss to coat, then spread into a single layer.
• Bake in the oven’s lower third until vegetables are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife, about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Sprinkle with rosemary and toss to coat.
• While the vegetables bake, prepare the honey yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt and honey. Transfer the vegetables to a serving plate. Serve warm with big dollops of yogurt on top and extra yogurt on the side.

Here's the view of the disc from the tractor. It kinda looks small in that big field. You can see three 150' foot fields in this picture. A lot of what you see will be planted within the next 2 weeks (hopefully.) Most of it will be brassicas: kale, cabbage, radish, turnip and the like. 
​We've got some great vegetables coming for ya this year.

​A roller bearing, it makes stuff turn! Our bedformer had some crunchy bearings that were too worn to allow the shaper disc to do its work. Luckily, the company we got the piece from sent us to new ones on the house without batting an eye. They are back in and ready to work now. And I can add hub bearings to my collection familiars.

The garlic is mega mulched! Hopefully it can get through the carpet we laid. 

Ahoy!

I am busier than I have ever been before in my life, and that is saying a lot. Between kids and farm, home and mind, I'm swamped and running. Literally running. Remember this spring when I mentioned that Tyler and Hailey were starting a farm but would still be working with us? Well, as to be expected, their farm is demanding and it ended up making more sense for them to focus on their budding business. I am so excited for them and am looking forward so seeing all the great farming they will do. Tyler will be at Eastern tomorrow, possibly for his last time as a Lake Divider. If you see him, wish him luck on his venture.

The shift has left me tying to get my sea legs. Tyler sure did a lot around here and I am feeling the absence. It seems I have found enough people to work with us this year, so we have been working on acclimating, scheduling, and training. The other big learning curve I've been riding? Repair work. I have been working really hard to get our equipment back in fighting shape. I am so lucky to have connected with my neighbor Terry, who has a wealth experience he is willing to share with me. It is such a relief to work with him. Instead of a 20 minute internet search followed by internal uncertainty while I do the work, I just ask- hey, can I break this using this approach? Is this the best tool for this? Is this the next step? I am learning so much. And we are having a lot of fun. 

We got enough implements in shape just in time to sneak in a bit of field work before it rained today. It wasn't much rain so here's to hoping I can get back out there tomorrow and get us a little more on our way to set up. I am feeling the great spring relief to have done the first big round of soil moving. 

And you should know, I saw a tree with 18 turkey vultures in it! You read that right! EIGHTEEN!! It was awesome.  

If you didn't see it yet, we launched the GoFundMe for our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project. We are growing vegetables for our local food pantry and are asking for donations to cover the overhead. I appreciate any support you have to offer, even if it is sharing it with a friend or on your social media, so please, share with abandon! We are just over 10% of our goal!

No one can do everything but we can all do something. 

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

• Generally important notes
  • WE ARE HIRING! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus. Please email for more info. 
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • If you love our produce, consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. We are an especially good match for people that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. I love talking recipes, environmentalism, telling animal stories, and eating raw vegetables on the spot.
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Kale rabe pasta!

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula Raab
Bok choy shoots
Kale Raab
Micros: Broccoli, Radish, Arugula!
Pea shoots
Spinach
Tatsoi Raab


All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Gala, Pinata, Modi, and Ida Red. From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Potatoes from Yoder Farms
Purple Top Turnips
Fall Squash: delicata, long pie, butternut, autumn frost, black futsu

Coming Soon
???

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

Kale Rabe Pasta!
From Kale + Compass

​Ingredients

• 1 large bunch kale rabe, tough ends removed
• 1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
• 3/4 lb small pasta (we used campanelle)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 heaping tsp anchovy paste
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• pepper

 Instructions

1. PREP: Chop kale rabe into bite-size pieces. Peel and smash garlic. Roughly chop mint and pumpkin seeds. Zest lemon.
2. ROAST: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss kale rabe with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until tender and charred on the edges.
3. BOIL: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
4. SAUCE: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, anchovy paste, golden raisins, pumpkin seeds and stir to combine. Add the cooked pasta, fresh mint, lemon zest, Romano cheese and kale rabe to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined. Add in some pasta water to thin sauce if necessary.
5. SERVE: Portion pasta into 4 bowls, top with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and more grated Romano.

Notes
If you can't find kale rabe, feel free to use broccoli or broccoli rabe instead. (or tatsoi or bok choy rabe!!)
You can substitute Parmesan cheese for the Romano.

​Some of the last gray skies over brown ground of the year. Soak it up! That's right, green is rising. 
Between now and the last time I wrote, we all experienced some significant winds. We didn't get whipped as hard as we could have, thank goodness. All remains intact. We also didn't get quite as much rain as was predicted. I am grateful for that too, given I would like to get some ground prepared for planting. 

​Here an army of kale waits to head out to the field, getting stronger every day. 

​Clare's chicks are here, hiding in the greenhouse, with there chorus of cute peeps and their soft fluffy feathers. Some of us can't get enough of holding them. 

Welcome to spring! The frogs are singing, the ducks are passing through, the buds changing the hue of the woods. We have only 10 days before our first plants are supposed to get out into the field. Will we meet the deadline? It depends. 

Will our equipment be ready to go? While there are still some things to check off, we could hobble out there right now if the soil conditions were right, so I would say yes. Will the weather be favorable, allowing the ground to dry out enough? That part we have no control over. My guess is the earlies chance will be next Thursday. But that changes with the wind so I will continue to surreptitiously check the weather. Will our plants be ready? Well, we did start some of them a little later than we wanted but the plants are growing faster and faster with the increasing sunlight.

If you didn't see it yet, we launched the GoFundMe for our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project. We are growing vegetables for our local food pantry and are asking for donations to cover the overhead. I appreciate any support you have to offer, even if it is sharing it with a friend or on your social media, so please, share with abandon! We are just over 10% of our goal!

No one can do everything but we can all do something. 

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

• Generally important notes
  • WE ARE HIRING! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
  • A link to our Stockbridge Community Outreach Project
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
    • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus. Please email for more info. 
    • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our farm membership (CSA). This is the perfect time to do it as it offers maximum support to us and the most opportunities to use your balance over the course of the year. 
    • If you love our produce, consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. We are an especially good match for people that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. I love talking recipes, environmentalism, telling animal stories, and eating raw vegetables on the spot.
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh From the field
• Recipe: Stir-fried bok choy rabe!

​
Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Arugula Rabe
Bok choy shoots
Micros: Broccoli, Radish, Arugula!
Pea shoots
Spinach
Tatsoi Rabe


All Manner of Deliciousness
Apples: Evercrisp, Gala, Pinata, Modi, and Ida Red. From Almar Orchard (Eastern only)
Cabbage
Carrots by Yoder
Kohlrabi
Potatoes! Yum!
Daikon
Watermelon Radish
Rutabaga!
Sweet Potatoes from Yoder Farms
Purple Top Turnips
Fall Squash: Autumn frost

Coming Soon
Kale

Farms we are collaborating with:
When something sold by us is grown by another farm, we will always label both to support them and so that you can make informed decisions. 

Not all the farms we are working with are certified organic. If they aren't, you better bet we know them well enough to trust their growing practices. This is both because we have asked them about how they care for their land and what materials they use, but also because we are friends. We have asked each other questions and shared information and resources over the years. We know most of them well enough to have had dinner together and to call to share family news. This collection of family farms are our community and our colleagues. We are proud to know them and to work with them. 

Almar Orchard, Flushing, Certified Organic
Cinzori Farm, Ceresco, Certified Organic
HillTop Greenhouse and Farms, Ann Arbor. They supply the eggs from free range, happy chickens.
Jacob's Fresh Farm, Dexter
Sunnyside Produce, Homer, Certified Organic
Titus Farms, Leslie 
Yoder Farms, Leslie

Stir fried Bok choy rabe

From CSA Boxing Day

​Ingredients

• small bunch of bok choy rabe (mine was about 8 oz), washed and dried
• knuckle-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and slivered
• 4 scallions (white and light green parts chopped into 1-inch pieces,  plus some finer pieces of the dark green tips)
• 1 tbsp peanut or grapeseed oil
• 1/2 – 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, to taste

Directions:

Start with a smoking hot wok or large skillet. Swirl in the oil, and get it good and hot.
Add the scallions (reserve the tops, though) and stir-fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the ginger, and keep everything moving for another 30 seconds. Add the bok choy, and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes, depending on how soft you like it. I like to retain some crunch, so I definitely err on the short side.
Before you plate, sprinkle in the scallion tops and toss the greens with a bit of soy sauce.