​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Cut greens:Salad mix!
Greens:
Head lettuce: Butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, summer crisp, and romaine!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. I had some on spaghetti this week and it was one of the best decisions I made that day
Shoots: May be limited toward the beginning of the week and more bountiful as the week goes on.
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley-basically good in anything and very nutrient dense
Sage
Thyme
Roots: 
Baby carrots by the bunch- Limited- There are only enough for the beginning of the week. But never fear, that was from the winter planting! We have the whole spring planting yet to come in!
Radishes
All manner of deliciousness:
Cucumbers- just coming in. Expect them towards the end of the week in limited quantities.
Cabbage! It's baaaack! I love cabbage! Regular and we have the delicious caraflex (cone-shaped) type too!
Garlic scapes- pesto, pickles, stirfry, roasted, is there anything these delightful flowering stalks can't make deliciously?
Baby Fennel
Kohlrabi: Delicious, juicy, and crispy! The only vegetable apple. Great raw or roasted. These delectable varieties can be eating with the skin on when cooked. 
Peas: snow and snap!
Radish Whippers- spicy seed pods from the radish plant!
Summer squash- yellow, green and striped zucchini, plus patty pan and yellow summer squash

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 pm

Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

High noon of the year is fast approaching and all the plants are growing like mad. Summer solstice is when the tables turn and daylight hours decrease. I love the ebb and flow of daylight on the shores of our farm. As the hours increase, I find myself lost in the world of getting things done. And as they withdraw, I am relieved to gather back into myself. I am grateful that it isn't an abrupt change however, because with out there is still so much to do. 
All this daylight, and these daily rains, have the plants going wild. New to market in full force we have swiss chard, fennel, kohlrabi, garlic scapes and a slue of herbs. And to top it off, it looks like cucumbers are going to have their first touchdown at the end of the week. I have a mind to chop some peas and mint and toss them together with a little lettuce and lemon juice! Hooray for the season of vegetables!
And if our vegetables are going wild, our weeds are going wilder. It feels like this is the time of year that I always mention weeds. But they are undeniable. The thistle that we are battling now, we will likely battle for years to come. It is now as tall as me and ready to flower. This is the perfect time to mow it down, reducing the strength of its indomitable underground root and rhizome network. Another solid contender for most vicious weed is curly dock. Now this plant, we are leaving standing, watching sadly as it produces a disgusting number of weed seeds to add to the seed bank. Why do we wait? For the nesting birds. I can't and shouldn't help it. I was so worried that when our birds, redwing blackbirds, song sparrows, robins, blue birds, gold finches, and warblers to name a few, came back, they wouldn't like what we had done with the place. After all, they have been carrying out their lives here longer than we. Luckily, they appear not to mind what we have done with the place. Honestly, I would have loved to have turned over curly dock city before all the birds settled in, but it was so wet, the ground was untouchable. We also have a killdeer family again. Three young ones guarded by their never faltering parents. I love seeing them skittering across our cultivated land. And there is  certainly pheasant out there. Although not native, they aren't considered invasive, and have a welcome spot on our farm. I love to see them run in a line. 
Along with all this farming, we are still learning to farm and have been enjoying visiting other vegetable growers around our area to pick up some tips. Two weeks ago we visited Black Oak Farm. It was extremely informative. Most of their vegetables go to wholesale, in stark contrast with our primarily direct (to you!) market sales. Because of this, our crop lists differ greatly- we grow many crops and many varieties, while they focus on fewer, simplifying management and allowing the potential for more efficient production. The farmer also offered up an insightful way to look at irrigation. He invited us to visualize a crops overall water requirements as a cup with the size of the cup defined by the rooting depth and how much water that crop needs (evapotranspiration rate). Now place a cup under each plant with your mind. For each crop, there is a water level of the cup at which the plant will begin to suffer, so the cup must be kept at least that full for optimal production. Of course, weather, practicality, and soil type all play a role, but this analogy gave me a wonderful visual to go along side my continuing irrigation education. 
This week, we went by Titus farm, one of our farm neighbors. They grow diversified vegetables primarily for CSA sale, although they do a few markets as well. We got to see their awesome winter storage, as well as their beautiful, flowing farm. They have buried shipping containers for their winter storage. The temperatures stays around 35 degrees and they don't have to turn on a heater, even in our bitter cold Michigan winters. This really impressed me. They also have a magical mushroom forest that has been going steady and producing amazing mushrooms for eight years now. It really has me thinking...
We have already visited two previous farms this season and will be visiting several more after a hiatus for, you know, the height of the vegetable season, no big deal. One of the biggest lessons of visiting all these farms though, is that every farm is as unique as a fingerprint. We all start out with circumstances, reasons, various resources and goals, and we work within these variables to build our local foodshed together. I am so glad we are getting to know our partners in local food production.

Farmward and farmward ;)

​

​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Cut greens:Salad mix!
Greens:
Head lettuce: Butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, summer crisp, and romaine!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild!
Shoots: Sunflower (bountiful) and Pea (limited)
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley-basically good in anything and very nutrient dense
Sage
Thyme
Roots: 
Baby carrots by the bunch- I still can't believe how sweet they are.
Radishes
All manner of deliciousness:
Cucumbers- just coming in. Expect them towards the end of the week in limited quantities.
Garlic scapes- just coming in but boy oh boy!
Baby Fennel
Kohlrabi: IT'S BACK! Delicious, juicy, and crispy! The only vegetable apple. Great raw or roasted. These delectable varieties can be eating with the skin on when cooked. 
Peas: snow and snap!
Summer squash- yellow, green and striped zucchini, plus patty pan and yellow summer squash

Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 pm

Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

Our crop list is growing and it feels great. Although some of the items are only just beginning to trickle in, they are coming and we couldn't be happier. We finally had our first zucchini harvest yesterday after watching them freeze in time, staying forever the exact same size. We also had our first pea and garlic scape harvest yesterday. All of these crops are coming in gently but in a moments notice, we will be buried in them, so get ready! The herbs are coming in too: basil, cilantro, dill what!. Flavor! Crispiness! And our head lettuce is still abundant and as delicious as ever. We also have our first round of sunflower and pea shoots. They ares so delicious. Those sunflower shoots in particular, I don't know how I lived without them! They have a nutty flavor and a very satisfying texture.

I don't want to jinx it but so far our crops are looking good this year. A little (a lot) weedy because with all the water we missed some early weeding opportunities, but still growing nicely. Some of the crops coming in, and some of those still thriving in the field, are crops that struggled or even failed last year due to the perfect storm of variables. We hardly brought herbs to market, no peas, no onions, no spring carrots, almost no head lettuce to speak of, our pepper plants and eggplant plants at this time were struggling like a giant stone toad was sitting upon them. I have been holding handfuls of vegetables up to Jim and saying "See, we do still know how to farm!" I can tell you, the stone toad is climbing off of my heart. 

What is the difference, you say? There are so many factors that changed, it is impossible to pin point: we improved our potting mix and greenhouse procedures, we have a full time staff, this is our second year here so we understand the land a little better, the seed maggots didn't eat all of our carrots. One of the biggest things is, we were able to get our feet under us a little this winter. I will admit I am tired but I am experiencing nothing like the depletion of crash landing here and sprinting out of the smoldering embers.

Let's see, what is going on this week. Weeding, big time. We are slowly chipping away at the weed populations in our carrots, onions, celery, and celeriac. Bed by bed they are being cleared. Of course we are still planting. Hopefully this week we get those Brussels sprouts in, our last round of tomatoes go in this week, our second and last bout of melon and cucumbers, along with more successions of the greens we all love and depend on. And harvesting is picking up. 

You may note we are light on salad mix. We are struggling with some deer and lettuce is their FAVORITE (among sweet potato leaves, carrot tops, and of course anything else when those aren't available.) Our electric fence was malfunctioning and I fear that baiting it just drew a couple in. It is repaired and functioning now but it is a little late. Because the fence depends on training the deer and these deer have already learned it is safe to come through, our choices are limited. I have been going on late late night drives around the farm, weeding at dusk in areas close to where we have seen damage and tracks, and rebaiting the fence but it feels like a waiting game in which we most certainly lose our lettuce in the end. We are hoping to get an off-season permit so we can defend our livelihood. Of course, venison is never turned away either. Wish us all luck!
Onward and upward, spiraling into the future!Of course look for us first at all of our markets (see listed below) but if you miss us at market, be sure to look for our gigantic head lettuce at Argus Farmstop in Ann Arbor See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Cut greens all limited:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo bekana
Salad mix!
Herbs: 
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley-basically good in anything and very nutrient dense
Roots: 
Baby carrots by the bunch- I still can't believe how sweet they are.
Radishes
Greens:
Head lettuce: Butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, summer crisp, and romaine!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Turnip greens
All manner of deliciousness:
Garlic scapes- just coming in but boy oh boy!
Peas: snow and snap!
Shoots: 
Sunflower
Pea
Summer squash- yellow, green and striped zucchini and yellow summer squash
Although we don't have them early in the week, microgreens may be returning to the table by the end of the week or the beginning of next week. We needed a minute to recalibrate. 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 pm

Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

I would say that the weather is being generally more cooperative. The temperatures are a little cold at night but delightful during the day. And last week, believe it or not, and this may be the only time I ever say this, we got just about the perfect amount of rain at the perfect time! It is easier to say this because we managed to get most of the important field work done before it hit too hard. The cover crop that we worked so hard to get in before the rain last week has germinated and sprouted. I am so looking forward to the waving fields of buckwheat. Cover crops always look so nice when we get a good stand, which we are hoping to get. 

Yesterday we planted our final pepper and eggplant out. Jim lovingly tended the from March until now, and they looked great! I think they will settle in just fine. In the meantime, the peppers we planted out at the beginning of the month are looking like they have adjusted to life in the real world, with dark green leaves and roots extending out into the surrounding soil. We have a couple direct seedings to accomplish this week, as well as the getting the brussel sprouts out into the world. It seems so early but this is the time we plant those long season buds for fall harvest. I am looking forward to them.

And with any luck the sweet potatoes will arrive today, just as we are finishing their beds. This year we are growing three different types and we have more than tripled the size of our planting. We buy them as slips- little stems with a leaf or two- and we get them from a certified organic family farm in North Carolina. The slips are crammed into boxes and shipped here in a truck. When they get here (hopefully in an hour or two) we will get them out of the box and into the ground as quickly as possible. We will run the irrigation daily, despite the fact that it is already wet, so that the rootless stems of the sweet potato slips will have no trouble getting going.  I have high hopes that we will be enjoying their sweet flavor in stews well into the winter.

That really is a funny thing about farming. The grower really does have to be continuously living in multiple times and realities. We are planting now for what we will eat in the winter, and in the winter we planned for what we would eat now. We have to remember how much we like sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts now so that we can enjoy them later. And we must straddle optimism and pessimism. We have to hope that all factors will coalesce in our favor- weather, market attendance, health- but be prepared for at least some of the swinging variables to land poorly - the field to flood, all manner of vermin, rainy market days. It leaves us floating around in a soup of reality and daydreams but it really is the only way to be prepared. ​

Produce List:
Arugula
Mizuna (limited)
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekanna (limited)
Mustard: Ruby Streaks (limited)
Head Lettuce (delicious and giant)
Radish
Salad Mix (first cut from the new planting!)
Kale
Microgreens: Spicy
Microgreens: Mild


Of course look for us first at all of our markets (see listed below) but if you miss us at market, be sure to look for our gigantic head lettuce at Argus Farmstop in Ann Arbor
​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 pm

Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.




​