Ann Arbor folks! Wednesday! At the Kerrytown market! Be there! We will be! Or, Jim rather. The day before the feast you can count on us to bring greens galore, and squash. And so many roots. Uhm, rutabaga? I just fell in love. 

To note:
We are taking our annual season fall break: For all my years of farming, we have taken the week after t-day off. Let this be no exception. We will see you this Wednesday (11/27) in Ann Arbor and will then return Saturday December 7th.

Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor

We are hiring again! We have positions for farm crew, markets, and weeder harvesters. Check out our ads on indeed for more information. 
Recipe:
RUTABAGA! Butter yellow on the inside and full of flavor, these brassica roots pack a nutritional punch. They are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, as well as potassium! And they don't lack in the flavor department. I think they are climbing up the ladder onto the platform with cabbage as my favorite vegetable. 
Rutabaga Hasselback (you can also mash them, roast them, and put them in soups.)
Ingredients:

• Rutabaga washed with root ends sliced so they sit flat- you can select as many as you want for this recipe. One or two rutabagas per person is a good idea.
• Oil or butter
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Slice rutabaga 3/4 of the way through, being careful not to go all the way through. 
3. Mince garlic and sprinkle into the slices of the rutabaga
4. Drizzle the rutabagas with olive oil, being sure to coat the outside as well, and season with salt and pepper
5. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes until the rutabagas are tender and the the edges crispy. 

Yum. 
Food for thought: 
We got the garlic planted! I was so relieved that I realized how worried I had been! Thank you wild November weather for making space for our Alliums! Just under a half acre tucked into the soil.
And the other big even: The full-time crew had their final day on the farm last Friday. We carved out a little extra time for hot toddy's and reminiscence. I am just blown away by how lucky we were this year to have such a badass crew of wonderful, loving, friendly, hilarious, people. People that will work a grueling day and leave feeling accomplished rather than beaten down. Send a thank you out to them with your hearts!
And for Thanksgiving. Let it be about being grateful to be together and eating a thousand good foods. Fearlessly seeking truth and owning our paths. We love to be part of your day by contributing very delicious vegetables grown in a way that you can feel good about. We hope to see you at market and that you see your family's this week. All the love from the Dividers.   
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers!

Good for the Earth, Good for the Farmers, Good for the People. The Trifecta of sustainability. Good for the earth: Taking care of the natural world is a important, after all, it takes care of us; Good for the farmer: We believe farmers should have livable hours and livable wages; Good for the people: We believe in food equality and bringing our produce to market at an affordable price and keeping it accessible is important to us.

• HIRING
• Looking to join our CSA or renew your membership? Find more details here. The basics? Open an account with us, get a bonus, and use your account to purchase produce with us at any of our markets. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. 
• We are accepting workshares both on the farm and at market. Please email for details. 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Bok Choy!
Kale
Microgreens! 
Mustard
Radicchio- A delicious bitter green. Here is some info from The Spruce Eats. Great added to salads (our green variety is stand alone delicious). Ours are looser heads than you may have seen before, yet just as fantastic.
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana
Pea Shoots
Swiss ChardAll manner of deliciousness:Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots- Rainbow and regular
Sweet Baby Celery- it is small but so, so delicous!
Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Kohlrabi- petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized. 
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Peppers- friers and bells- Last week!
Daikon Radish- White- Chinese type and the spiciest of the three, Purple, and green Korean daikon
Watermelon Radish
Rutabaga: Purple and Green! Lovely texture. Great roasted. Great mashed. Great in soups!
Turnabaga: As sweet as a sweet turnip but with the texture of a rutabaga!
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash- Butternut Squash and pie pumpkins!Herbs:Cilantro
Dill
Parsley 

​This weeks MarketsWednesday: Ann Arbor

In the same location as the Saturday market, the Ann Arbor Wednesday Market is a little more laid back.  If you don't want to fight the crowds. come out on Wednesday and take the chance to talk with all your farmers, chefs, and artisans.The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI Find us there May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm.

This is our last full market week before our fall break. A pleasant tradition. See the details below. Come see us this weekend and next Wednesday to stock up and fill the ingredients needs for your feast. And come see us today for that matter!

To note:
We are taking our annual season fall break: For all my years of farming, we have taken the week after t-day of. Let this be no exception. Then expect us back Saturday December 7th.

Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! Ahoy! We are there! I don't know where but we will be there shining and vegetabling!

Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, and Royal Oak

We are hiring again! We have positions for farm crew, markets, and weeder harvesters. Check out our ads on indeed for more information. 
Recipe:
Butternut squash is so fabulous. I love how it can be sweet or savory. I love that it is filled with nutrients. I love that you can just roast it and eat it. It fills in for a meal without a lot of effort. Here is something that I love.
Roasted butternut squash with yogurt- Fancier version here
Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash (I like a big one because more meals! You don't have to do the same thing with all of it.)
• Oil or butter
• Salt
• Yogurt- I like the thick kind
• Honey or maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Slice squash in half lengthwise, apply oil, and roast cut side down for 45-90 minutes (until fork tender)
3. Flip and scoop a meal sized portion into a bowl and add yogurt, syrup, and salt.
4. You can add additional ingredients- cilantro, peppers, steamed carrots, thinly sliced watermelon radish, cubed sweet turnips, minced arugula, toasted walnuts... imagination and goals! It all starts with a roasted squash!

Food for thought: 
The snow was beautiful but it brought with it some disappointing results. Our 8 beds of greens under outside hoops were lost or partially lost (today will really be the day to tell.) That really is the game of November- no one can tell how it will manifest. Eight inches of snow and single digit temperatures did not agree with the comparably flimsy hoops and fabric we had out there to protect them. Mustard. Choy. Tokyo Bekana. Tatsoi. These are the things that we may have lost. We still have some that we managed to squirrel away when times were good so it won't be all gone yet. On the other hand, maybe there are still some out there. Either way, we have kale, chard, arugula, spinach, and lettuce coming along on inside tunnels. It isn't all ready now, but it will be...
In the meantime we are mega-grateful to have a window with melted snow and above freezing temperatures to get our garlic in the ground! That was a close one! It prefers to be planted earlier in November but I know that it can handle this late planting date. It is amazing to realize that when we were rushing to prepare the bed fields for this planting it literally was the last opportunity.
For me, garlic has always been emblematic of future hopes.  It goes into the ground in the most inhospitable of times. And through those times, it wakes from its dormant state and begins to grow. Every time I plant garlic, I focus on my hopes and dreams for the coming season and our greater community, and put them all in the ground with these little vegetative propagules, This way we are not the only ones holding them forward. Let our hopes grow with the garlic! Join me in thinking to the future and putting our hearts into it. 
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers!

Good for the Earth, Good for the Farmers, Good for the People. The Trifecta of sustainability. Good for the earth: Taking care of the natural world is a important, after all, it takes care of us; Good for the farmer: We believe farmers should have livable hours and livable wages; Good for the people: We believe in food equality and bringing our produce to market at an affordable price and keeping it accessible is important to us.

• HIRING
• Looking to join our CSA or renew your membership? Find more details here. The basics? Open an account with us, get a bonus, and use your account to purchase produce with us at any of our markets. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. 
• We are accepting workshares both on the farm and at market. Please email for details. 

​Fresh From the Field!

Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choy!
Collard Greens- Limited
Kale
Microgreens! 
Mustard- Maybe
Radicchio- A delicious bitter green. Here is some info from The Spruce Eats. Great added to salads (our green variety is stand alone delicious). Ours are looser heads than you may have seen before, yet just as fantastic.
Spinach- Maybe
Tatsoi-Maybe
Tokyo Bekana-Maybe
Pea Shoots
Swiss Chard

All manner of deliciousness:
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots- Rainbow and regular
Sweet Baby Celery- it is small but so, so delicous!
Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Kohlrabi- petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized. 
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Peppers- friers and bells- Last week!
Daikon Radish- White- Chinese type and the spiciest of the three, Purple, and green Korean daikon
Watermelon Radish
Rutabaga: Purple and Green! Lovely texture. Great roasted. Great mashed. Great in soups!
Turnabaga: As sweet as a sweet turnip but with the texture of a rutabaga!
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash- Butternut Squash and pie pumpkins!

Herbs:
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley 

Did you notice it is cold? Did you see that it snowed? Both of these truths hard to miss! And did you see the GIANT ice crystals?! They look the the world was dunked in a sugar water solution!With the bright, bright moon, and the many flat surfaces glinting, it looks, I don't know, MAGICAL! Yes, magical is the only word. Come see us at markets this week! Despite all this cold and snow, we are there with your fresh, delicious, locally grown vegetables. 

This email has less snow pictures than I would like. I promise to post some to our instagram and facebook so be sure the check them out! 

To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! Our winter set-up is officially on. Look for lights! See you there!

Saturday Eastern Market Customers! We are going to slightly shorten our hours at market and may leave the market as early as 2:30 pm. To ensure that you see us there, come during the first eight hours of the market 6 am to 2:30 pm)! If you are a CSA customer and this won't work for you, don't hesitate to respond to this email and let me know.

Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, and Royal Oak

​Recipe:
Just one more cabbage recipe. It is so my favorite right now. Roasted Cabbage. Sounds simple. Is simple.
Roasted Cabbage
Ingredients:

• Cabbage: 1-2 small heads
• Oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees
2. Slice one or two of our dense, sweet, nutritious cabbages into discs (or however you prefer, this is just my current favorite)
3. Oil/fat/butter and seasoning.
4. Roast for about an hour! I like to roast it until it caramelizes, flipping it once during cooking. If you spread it thin on the pan, the leaves become fabulously crunchy. If you pack the cabbage densely, the turn a golden brown and remain soft. 

A meal that warms your soul!

Food for thought: 
Well, we got most everything we could have hope to our of the field. We got some pleasant warm weather to work by in the beginning of last week. It made those sunrises in the field all the better. It seems every year, this is what to expect. Leave things in the field as long as you can- waiting for them to grow to perfection, then wildly marathon harvest for two weeks straight as soon as we see uninhabitable weather on the long vision forecast. It has worked so far, but it has me wondering, is there a better way? Maybe I should plan on having things mostly out of the field by the end of October rather than the middle of November. The conundrum comes from the consideration of balance: Optimal maturity of vegetables and latest harvest date for ultimate storage capacity vs potential for losses due to cold weather and inability to get the crops out of the field on time. It's a doozy! I will consult some of the group experience. 
This is the season we are getting into, the season of consideration. What are we doing, what have we done, and what should we do differently. I like plotting the course. It is one of the times I feel most optimistic- likely because without the sharp corners of reality, so many things seem possible. Even after extensive detail is incorporated, the idea and intention of a plan is still so different from its execution. But I will say that over time, our expectations are getting closer and closer to matching our reality. Sometimes that means expecting that we don't know exactly what to expect and staying ready like a goalie guarding the net. And that may be the only sports reference from me you will ever get...
Come see us at markets this week. It will be a little chilly but we will be there with all of the fantastic produce that we grow. 

Helen writing for the Lake Dividers: Jim, Lizz, Janet, Malcolm, Mattie, Cody, Sean, Alic, Doug, Kathryn, and Shana! 

Good for the Earth, Good for the Farmers, Good for the People. The Trifecta of sustainability. Good for the earth: Taking care of the natural world is a important, after all, it takes care of us; Good for the farmer: We believe farmers should have livable hours and livable wages; Good for the people: We believe in food equality and bringing our produce to market at an affordable price and keeping it accessible is important to us.

• Looking to join our CSA or renew your membership? Find more details here. The basics? Open an account with us, get a bonus, and use your account to purchase produce with us at any of our markets. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. 
• We are accepting workshares both on the farm and at market. Please email for details. 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choy!
Collard Greens
Kale
Microgreens! 
Mustard- Especially sweet this time of year 
Radicchio- A delicious bitter green. Here is some info from The Spruce Eats. Great added to salads (our green variety is stand alone delicious). Ours are looser heads than you may have seen before, yet just as fantastic.
Spinach
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana! Loose leaf bok choy lettuce
Pea Shoots
Swiss Chard

All manner of deliciousness:
Brussel Sprouts! (Maybe)
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots- Rainbow and regular
Sweet Baby Celery- it is small but so, so delicous!
Bite sized celery root
Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Kohlrabi- petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized. 
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Peppers- Likely the last week
Daikon Radish- White- Chinese type and the spiciest of the three, Purple, and green Korean daikon
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash! Delicata, dumpling, and acorn! Butternut Squash and pie pumpkins!

Herbs:
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley 

Coming Soon:
Rutabaga
Turnabaga! 

This weeks MarketsWednesday: Ann Arbor

In the same location as the Saturday market, the Ann Arbor Wednesday Market is a little more laid back.  If you don't want to fight the crowds. come out on Wednesday and take the chance to talk with all your farmers, chefs, and artisans.The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI Find us there May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm.

Saturday: Ann Arbor, Detroit's Eastern Market, and Royal Oak Market

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 - 3 pm.

The Eastern Market in Detroit is located about a mile northeast of downtown. It covers about 43 acres, bounded by I-75 on the West and Gratiot Avenue on the South. It runs year round from  6am – 4pm

The Royal Oak Market is an indoor market located at 316 E Eleven Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067. It runs year round from 7am - 1pm.

Ahoy!

If whirlwinds had jobs, they'd be us. We've been racing against the frosty stuff for weeks now. There is still a lot to get through, but there's also a lot that we have been through. We built 7 caterpillar tunnels, covered all the susceptible crops with row cover, filled a lot of sand bags, cleaned/sanitized the new shipping container, installed the AC unit, cool-bot system, lights, pampered Helen's truck with new fluids, tires and pitman arm (again, ugh) and we bulk harvested thousands of pounds of storage crops in preparation for the deep freeze coming Thursday night. The whole crew has been working overtime and overdays to help get the farm through this frigid bottleneck. Over the years that we've been farming, we've kept decent notes of what temperature various crops can endure. We've been using that knowledge to guide our finite efforts to maximize produce available after the frost. Generally, fresh greens will continue to grow in the hoop house and caterpillar tunnels while we supplement them with crops pulled from storage. Our hope is to have a reasonable variety of crops on our market tables all the way through the off season. Ya never know though, whether the weather will wither our wishes. We've done a lot to prepare, and will continue to work our way through the cold. This time of the season is summed up for me with a particular image that's been frozen into my memory: seeing your breath in the cold morning air being illuminated by the light of your headlamp. It's a far cry from seeing paradise by the dashboard lights, but I'll settle for seeing vegetables by my headlamp light. If nothing else, it's a herald of change, and change feels more and more like accomplishment to me. Our watersheds may be divided, but our wills are united. Do as you will winter, and we'll do as we will. 

To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! Ahoy! We are there! I don't know where but we will be there shining and vegetabling!

Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, and Royal Oak

Recipe:
Cabbage can store for a long time under the right conditions, because of it's incredible storage capability it is one of the few green things that we can guarantee to have on on our market table during the "off" season. As such, I'm always on the look out for new ways to enjoy winter's most dependable green. My uncle Joe taught me this recipe years back and it has become a regular in our winter dinner rotation. I hope you enjoy this warming comfort food as much as we do!
Uncle Joe's Cabbage and Noodles
Ingredients:

• Cabbage: 1-2 small heads
• Oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Large shell noodles or egg noodles

Optional:

• soy sauce
• chopped bacon
• crumbled sausage

Directions:

1. Cook 1 package of your favorite noodles 
2. finely shred your cabbage, drop it into a pan with hot oil, stir frequently
3. add a dangerous amount of salt and an equally dangerous amount of fresh pepper
4. The cabbage is done when it starts to brown, take it out and mix with your noodles
5. drizzle oil over the cabbage and noodles to your tastes/financial restrictions

• This recipe is frequently done with some form of pork mixed in, but I think the fried cabbage and oil really do a more than adequate job scratching this guy's savory itch, to each their own though.

Food for thought: 
With the looming cold weather we had to hit the brakes on planting the garlic. Bulk harvest has dominated our week in various forms, but once the preparations are done for the first real frost, we can get back on the garlic bandwagon. I'm really grateful that we seized the opportunity to work up the ground when we did (nice work Helen), now it's just a matter of finishing cracking the heads and getting those suckers in the ground. We're tired, please don't tell anyone.

​Jim writing for the Lake Dividers: Helen, Lizz, Janet, Malcolm, Mattie, Cody, Sean, Alic, Doug, Kathryn, and Shana! 

Good for the Earth, Good for the Farmers, Good for the People. The Trifecta of sustainability. Good for the earth: Taking care of the natural world is a important, after all, it takes care of us; Good for the farmer: We believe farmers should have livable hours and livable wages; Good for the people: We believe in food equality and bringing our produce to market at an affordable price and keeping it accessible is important to us.

• Looking to join our CSA or renew your membership? Find more details here. The basics? Open an account with us, get a bonus, and use your account to purchase produce with us at any of our markets. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. 
• We are accepting workshares both on the farm and at market. Please email for details. 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choy!
Collard Greens
Kale
Microgreens! 
Mustard- Especially sweet this time of year 
Radicchio- A delicious bitter green. Here is some info from The Spruce Eats. Great added to salads (our green variety is stand alone delicious). Ours are looser heads than you may have seen before, yet just as fantastic.
Salad Mix- the last week for a while
Spinach
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana! Loose leaf bok choy lettuce
Pea Shoots
Swiss Chard

All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli- Last week
Brussel Sprouts!
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots- Rainbow and regular
Sweet Baby Celery- it is small but so, so delicous!
Bite sized celery root
Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Kohlrabi- petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized. 
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Potatoes- May be limited
Fingerling potatoes- May be limited
Peppers- friers and bells- a few more weeks. Get 'em, freeze 'em, pickle 'em. LOVE THEM
Daikon Radish- White- Chinese type and the spiciest of the three, Purple, and green Korean daikon
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash! Delicata, dumpling, and acorn! Butternut Squash and pie pumpkins!

Herbs: Yet to be seen what herbs will be available.
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Parsley Coming Soon:Rutabaga
Turnabaga! 

This weeks Markets:

Wednesday: Ann Arbor

In the same location as the Saturday market, the Ann Arbor Wednesday Market is a little more laid back.  If you don't want to fight the crowds. come out on Wednesday and take the chance to talk with all your farmers, chefs, and artisans.The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI Find us there May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm.

Saturday: Ann Arbor, Detroit's Eastern Market, and Royal Oak Market

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 - 3 pm.

The Eastern Market in Detroit is located about a mile northeast of downtown. It covers about 43 acres, bounded by I-75 on the West and Gratiot Avenue on the South. It runs year round from  6am – 4pm

The Royal Oak Market is an indoor market located at 316 E Eleven Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067. It runs year round from 7am - 1pm.