Garlic scapes are in! Scape is the word for flowers in the onion family and these curly cues are the flowering stalk of garlic. We pick them to allow the garlic plant to put all of their energy into making a nice big head of garlic. But we don't mind the bonus crop! See this weeks recipe for garlic scape pesto. 

This is our beautiful summer squash and zucchini planting. It is so lush. The leaves shimmer! 

These aren't the cutest cucumbers, but they are ours. We finally got most of our cucumbers trellised up. And while the first round won't be the cutest, they are almost always the tastiest. Absence and the heart and all that. Find the first at market this week. 

Ahoy dear friends!
​
Just a reminder that our Farm potluck is THIS Sunday, June 29th!  (Information below)

Our potluck is this Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm. I am at the terribly nervous, why did I do this phase of planning. We are so busy trying to keep the weeds down, plant, prepare ground, and keep up with harvest. It makes it hard to imagine doing much to prepare for off world visitors. So if you ever wanted a very candid view of what we get up to, maybe more candid than I'd like, come on out! If you are planning on coming, Please RSVP via this form if you haven't already.

All that busy we have busying doesn't even account for managing all the needs of humans working in this kind of weather. Did anyone notice how freaking hot it is? We seem to be doing it in miraculously good spirits. The crew continue to wow me with their indifference to rain and acceptance of blazing heat. I am so grateful for them. 

Onward folks, doing the things we can do. 

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers

Potluck details!
Farm Potluck, June 29th!
Pleases come out to Lake Divide Farm and see where we are growing your vegetables. Hopefully most of the crew is here as well and you can meet the determined, lovely people doing the work. I haven't had a collection of people out to the farm for a long while and I am not the best host. What I know is that it's the people that make the party, so hoping you can come out, share a meal, and bask in the greatness of the summer light. 


Who is invited: Lovers of Lake Divide, along with their family and friends. It is a family friendly event!
No dogs please. I love them too.

Time: 4p to 8p
Address: 12638 Mount Hope Rd., Stockbridge, MI 49285
Parking: In marked areas. Carpool if possible.

Schedule:
Eating as hungry and as food arrives
Farm tour from 530p to 6p
Activities

• Bonfire
• Yard games
• Chit chat!
• Playing in sprinklers

What to bring:

• A dish to pass or beverage
• Your own bowl and cutlery- we will have paper plates and silverware available if needed (not to worry at all)

Things you may consider bringing:

• Camp chair
• Yard game
• kids bike
• Kids swim suit

Things to know:

• We are a working farm and have a lot going on! Kids should be attended.
• Stay on the two track and in the aisles.
• Don't go in the barns! They are not safe.
• There are great natural areas around here. Make a day of it and go to the Waterloo Recreation area.
• Stockbridge has a renowned "pump track" if you like to do that kind of thing. 
• Lots of great swimming lakes (Portage Lake, Silver Lake) and lots of great birding. 

 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Farm Potluck June 29th at 3 pm! RSVP here!
  • Our crew slots are all populated now, but 
  • 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 Scape Pesto

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Broccolini
Kale
Micros: Types to be seen!
Pea shoots

Herbs
Parsley
Mint

All Manner of Deliciousness
Beets
Cabbage
Cucumers
Garlic Scapes! 
Kohlrabi
Potatoes from the Yoder's. Keep them in the fridge.
Scallions
Snap peas (limited)
Summer Squash!
Spring Radishes!
Sweet turnips
Purple Top Turnips
Zucchini

Coming Soon
Basil
Cucumbers
Potatoes

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 Scape Pesto

From Three Acre Farm

An ephemeral flavor, garlic scapes are only around for the blink of an eye. Once you've eaten them, they will become one of the year's most delicious mile markers.

Ingredients

• 3/4 to 1 cup roughly chopped garlic scapes (about 1/4 lb of scapes)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano - Reggiano cheese (or any other hard cheese)

 Instructions

1. Combine the scapes, nuts, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
2. Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is running.
3. Stir in cheese (if using).
4. Store in the fridge for about 1 week.

Notes:

​The pesto freezes beautifully in ice cube trays. If you plan on freezing the pesto, leave out the cheese. You can add cheese after you have thawed the pesto cubes.

Just a reminder that our Farm potluck is on Sunday, June 29th then!  (Information below) That's not this Sunday but the following. If you have been hoping to see the farm and farmers' that grow your food, please come on out If you are planning on coming, Please RSVP via this form if you haven't already. I saw a firefly just the other day... 

We are busy on the farm and lots of new crops are coming in. Kohlrabi and cabbage to name two. Parsley, scallions, and some beets are hot on their trail. I am so looking forward to seeing you all at market this coming Saturday. 

And I also hope to see you at the potluck!

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers

Potluck details!
Farm Potluck, June 29th!
Pleases come out to Lake Divide Farm and see where we are growing your vegetables. Hopefully most of the crew is here as well and you can meet the determined, lovely people doing the work. I haven't had a collection of people out to the farm for a long while and I am not the best host. What I know is that it's the people that make the party, so hoping you can come out, share a meal, and bask in the greatness of the summer light. 


Who is invited: Lovers of Lake Divide, along with their family and friends. It is a family friendly event!
No dogs please. I love them too.

Time: 4p to 8p
Address: 12638 Mount Hope Rd., Stockbridge, MI 49285
Parking: In marked areas. Carpool if possible.

Schedule:
Eating as hungry and as food arrives
Farm tour from 530p to 6p
Activities

• Bonfire
• Yard games
• Chit chat!
• Playing in sprinklers

What to bring:

• A dish to pass or beverage
• Your own bowl and cutlery- we will have paper plates and silverware available if needed (not to worry at all)

Things you may consider bringing:

• Camp chair
• Yard game
• kids bike
• Kids swim suit

Things to know:

• We are a working farm and have a lot going on! Kids should be attended.
• Stay on the two track and in the aisles.
• Don't go in the barns! They are not safe.
• There are great natural areas around here. Make a day of it and go to the Waterloo Recreation area.
• Stockbridge has a renowned "pump track" if you like to do that kind of thing. 
• Lots of great swimming lakes (Portage Lake, Silver Lake) and lots of great birding. 

 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Farm Potluck June 29th at 3 pm! RSVP here!
  • Our crew slots are all populated now, but 
  • 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: Grilled Zucchini and Squash

​
Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Broccolini
Head Lettuce- last week
Kale
Micros: Types to be seen!
Pea shoots

Herbs
Catnip!
Chives
Mint
Oregano
Sage

All Manner of Deliciousness
Beets
Cabbage
Green garlic
Garlic Scapes! 
Kohlrabi
Potatoes from the Yoder's. Keep them in the fridge.
Snap peas (limited)
Squash!
Spring Radishes!
Sweet turnips
Purple Top Turnips
Zucchini

Coming Soon
Basil
Cucumbers
Parsley
Scallions

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

Grilled Zucchini and Squash
By Christina from The Whole Cook

This grilled zucchini and squash is unbelievably delicious thanks to an incredible (and incredibly simple) olive oil, herb, and seasoning mixture. It's an easy side dish that really wows during the summer months.

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 tablespoons dried parsley, can use dried basil or oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

 
Instructions

1. Slice your zucchini and squash into circles 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. (I would not go any thinner than 1/3 inch.)
2. Preheat your grill to medium heat.
3. In a large bowl add your vegetable slices, olive oil, and seasonings. Use your hands or a spoon to move around the veggies until they’re lightly coated.
4. Lay zucchini and squash slices on the grill. We'll use any remaining oil at the end so just leave it in the bowl. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side (8 to 10 minutes total) or until you achieve the desired softness. 
5. Remove from grill and plate. Drizzle remaining oil/herb/seasoning mixture over your grilled zucchini and squash.

Notes

• You can of course use all zucchini or all yellow squash in this recipe if you prefer.Move the rack in the oven to the lower middle position. Place the roasting pan in the oven.

A close up of our thriving onions. I never feel like we have enough but when harvest time comes, we're up to our chins. If you are going to be up to your chin in a vegetable, onions are a good one. They are a good first ingredient to most sautees. 

Ahoy!

​​Who want to come out and see where your food is grown? Come out to our Farm potluck on Sunday, June 29th then! We haven't done it in years but we are aiming to this year! It won't be fancy but it will be as beautiful as the wild world. Please RSVP via this form to help us get an idea if you will be here. If you forget to RSVP, please don't let that keep you from coming. 

In other news, there is a green heron building a nest somewhere close by. We've hear its song (lol) and seen it flying by with nest material. And I think the crow babies hatched too. So lots of new bird life happening around us. 

All the cover crop we seeded is up and that is wonderful. I can't tell you how good it feels to be back on the cover crop train. These last few years, I couldn't quite get the timing down to get it right. It seems like, despite everything going on, this is the year for some things and for me, cover crop success is one of them. Thank you world. 

Hope to see you at the potluck!

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers

Potluck details!
Farm Potluck, June 29th!
Pleases come out to Lake Divide Farm and see where we are growing your vegetables. Hopefully most of the crew is here as well and you can meet the determined, lovely people doing the work. I haven't had a collection of people out to the farm for a long while and I am not the best host. What I know is that it's the people that make the party, so hoping you can come out, share a meal, and bask in the greatness of the summer light. 


Who is invited: Lovers of Lake Divide, along with their family and friends. It is a family friendly event!
No dogs please. I love them too.

Time: 4p to 8p
Address: 12638 Mount Hope Rd., Stockbridge, MI 49285
Parking: In marked areas. Carpool if possible.

Schedule:
Eating as hungry and as food arrives
Farm tour from 530p to 6p
Activities

• Bonfire
• Yard games
• Chit chat!
• Playing in sprinklers

What to bring:

• A dish to pass or beverage
• Your own bowl and cutlery- we will have paper plates and silverware available if needed (not to worry at all)

Things you may consider bringing:

• Camp chair
• Yard game
• kids bike
• Kids swim suit

Things to know:

• We are a working farm and have a lot going on! Kids should be attended.
• Stay on the two track and in the aisles.
• Don't go in the barns! They are not safe.
• There are great natural areas around here. Make a day of it and go to the Waterloo Recreation area.
• Stockbridge has a renowned "pump track" if you like to do that kind of thing. 
• Lots of great swimming lakes (Portage Lake, Silver Lake) and lots of great birding. 

 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Farm Potluck June 29th at 3 pm! RSVP here!
  • Our crew slots are all populated now, but 
  • 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: Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes
• Member Info- 
  • << Test Your Balance >><< Test Balance >>

<< Test Special Note >>Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Broccolini
Head Lettuce
Kale
Micros: Types to be seen!
Pea shoots
Spinach

Herbs
Catnip!
Chives
Mint
Oregano
Sage

All Manner of Deliciousness
Green garlic
Kohlrabi
Potatoes from the Yoder's
Snap peas (limited)
Squash! (not yet!)
Spring Radishes!
Purple Daikon Radish
Sweet turnips
Purple Top Turnips
Zucchini

Coming Soon
Beets (?)
Cabbage
Parsley
Scallions

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 Hakurei Turnips and Radishes

From Just a little bit of Bacon

Sweet Hakurei turnips and young radishes are tossed with olive oil and roasted with their greens in this simple and satisfying side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 bunch Hakurei turnips, or other mild salad turnips
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Move the rack in the oven to the lower middle position. Place the roasting pan in the oven.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. Slice the greens off the turnips and radishes.
4. Scrub the turnips and radishes well to remove all the dirt and grit from the vegetables, and rinse the greens repeatedly until they are grit free. If you left a little bit of the stem on the radishes and turnips, make sure you clean around it well since dirt collects there. I find scraping around the stem as I wash cleans it up nicely.
5. Cut the turnips and radishes into wedges. Halve the small ones, and quarter or sixth the larger ones.
6. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Pour the vegetables into the roasting pan, arranging them so most have a flat side down in the pan.
7. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables at 7 minutes.
8. Dry the washed greens to remove most of the water. Roughly chop the greens into bite-sized pieces, then toss them in the large bowl with the rest of the olive oil and the salt.
9. Pull the roasting pan out of the oven, turn and stir the vegetables again and then make a space for the greens. Spread out the greens in the space and return the pan to the oven.
10. Roast for 5 minutes more

Notes

• What is a bunch? One bunch is about 1/2 - 3/4 of a pound of turnips or radishes.
• Choosing the Produce: Try to pick bunches with nice, green leaves since you will be eating them as well. Pick through the leaves once you have cut them from the vegetables and remove any yellow or brown leaves.
• Crispier Veggies: If you want the vegetables and greens even darker and crispier, roast for 2-3 minutes more, but watch the pan carefully since they can go from beautifully brown to burnt rather quickly at this point.
• Doubling: To double the recipe, use two roasting pans so you don't crowd the vegetables.

​Kids, onions, scallions, fennel, celery, celeriac. Buckwheat field to the south.   

Buckwheat, the beaky, little black seed. We used our farmall 140 and the hand me down seed spreader from Goetz Family Farm to fling the seed far and wide. Our thanks forever for the machine but also the morale support that comes with it. It seems we got a pretty good spread. I saw a few birds ou there snacking and had flash back to 2018, I think it was, when a huge flock came through and plucked every last one of our sudan grass seeds out of the ground. It was actually amazing. 

The seed was from last year and had a little mildew on it so that, plus the birds, plus worrying I planted it too deep had me thinking nothing would happen. While it is to be seen how good of a stand we get, you can see those pale green leaves are arising! 

I took the last picture while discing in the second field of buckwheat. This is where some of our storage cabbage, broccoli, and other fall brassicas will go. It is also where we are going to be growing plants for native seed production. Yep! Somehow that project is still underway!! If you look closely, you can see Ben way in the background cultivating the cabbage with the Farmall 140. 

So many good things are afoot at the farm right now. I am going to write a list:

1. The acre field I seeded with buckwheat last week germinated and sprouted! It looks lie an even distribution but we'll really get to see what kind of stand it is once it is all up. This gives me hope for the 2 acres of oats and peas and the additional acre of buckwheat I put down just Wednesday. 
2. We are still moving forward with the native seed production project! I am getting help selecting plants and it seems we are hoping plant in the fall. The ground should be well prepped by then. 
3. Our pollinator habitat plan is moving forward. The ground for this year's planting is about to be tarped, hopefully to be seeded at the end of the month.
4. We are excited to have some MSU folks from the Smith Birds Lab collecting data on our farm. They observing the birds and insects in our fields (kale and collards specifically.) Find out more about their research here. It is so cool to have these knowledgeable women come to our farm. Even with all I have going on, it's hard not to pester them with questions. I can't wait to hear about what they find. 
5. All that dry weather had its troubles, but it sure let us stay on top of the weeds! The onions are flying freer than they have in years. 
6. The potatoes are up!
7. This crew is on FIRE! I love working with them. Hustle and good attitudes abound. 
8. The Stockbridge Community Outreach project is going really well. I feel so grateful to have the support to be able to grow food directly for the people in my surrounding area. It gives me hope that I will fin even more ways to connect directly with community.
9. I worked in the field with both kids. That's right. I was able to scuffle hoe about 3 beds with both kids in tow. And everyone had a good time (mostly.)
10. This broccolini is DELICIOUS. 
11. There is one lone deer wandering our field. I gave her a scare or two and it seems to have warned her off. Send your anti deer vibes out this way.

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: Sauteed Broccolini

​
Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Broccolini
Head Lettuce
Kale
Micros: Types to be seen!
Pea shoots
Spinach

Herbs
Catnip!
Chives
Mint
Oregano
Sage

All Manner of Deliciousness
Green garlic
Snap peas (limited)
Spring Radishes!
Purple Daikon
Sweet turnips
Purple Top Turnips

Coming Soon
Beets (?)
Kohlrabi
Scallions
Summer squash

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


Sauteed Broccolini

From Love and Lemons

​This easy sautéed broccolini recipe is a perfect weeknight side dish! It's ready in minutes, and it's deliciously seasoned with garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon.


Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed, halved lengthwise if thick (about 6 ounces)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add the broccolini and salt and toss.
2. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the water, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until tender and bright green.
3. Remove from the heat, toss with the lemon juice, and season to taste.