What an exciting time it has been, in the snow on the farm. We all knew that last week was a sign of springs good faith but that we would be back to the depths for a little longer. But really winter. Really? Quite the chill in the air indeed. Because of the low temperatures we decided to hold off until this coming Saturday to turn on the greenhouse.
To note:
Our markets this week:
Friday: Stockbridge Winter Pantry Market from 5:30 pm to 7 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Stockbridge, 101 S Center St, Stockbridge, MI 49285
Saturday: Ann Arbor! Eastern, and Royal Oak!
Still couple more slots for crew this year! We are looking for people that want to join our team and grow great food. It is a hard job but it is extremely rewarding. Check out our work with us page to see if you match the description.
CSA Y'all- We accept members on a rolling basis through the season. However! This is the time that signing up to be a member of our farm has the greatest positive effect on your farmers! CSA's help share the burden of cashflow variability and seasonal unpredictability with the farmer. For us, it makes a huge difference to know that people are committed to eating our vegetables and the early investments take some of the stress out of all the early season improvements that we are making. So what is the CSA? In short, members open an account with us, receive a bonus for their commitment, and then use their accounts at market just like cash. You can find more details here. And let me say, if this is something you are considering, now is the time! We won't let you down!
Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far! It is really making a difference for us!
RECIPE: CLASSIC MASHED RUTABAGA
What does one even do with Rutabaga? I love to mash them. These beautiful roots are sweeter than a turnip, and mashing them really brings the flavor to your plate. Pro tip: you can save the prepared rutabaga in the freezer for up to a year! I put them in a ziplock and squeeze all the air out and flatten it so it thaws quickly.
INGREDIENTS
- 2-3 lbs rutabaga (2 of our pints)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- Black pepper to taste
- Peel and chop the rutabaga into chunks
- Put in a sauce pan and cover with water
- Add 1 tsp salt
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover and simmer for 25-30 mins (until tender)
- Drain them!
- Mash with the butter, the rest of the salt and some pepper
Food for thought:
We are on the cusp of March. This is when changes begin picking up speed. We will start this month with a greenhouse, partially full of flats and no green in sight. By the end of them month, the greenhouse will be overflowing with healthy green transplants eager to be planted. We will have sprouted potatoes and sprouted ginger angling for spots in the earth. The daylight hours will increase and there will be more people on the farm every day. And birds too! They will come back by one, then two, then by twenty. The animals will begin waking up. They will sing and forage. The trees will guide us into spring with their bursting buds and the smell of the earth will rise to meet our noses. I can't wait for all of it.
Not that I have romanticized it at all. I mean, does it really need us too? In this business, we are aligning our posture with nature, following the cues for pace and activity. It may be hard sometimes (wet springs, dry summers, cold winters) but it is an honor to work alongside the earth. I am officially encouraging all of you to lovingly search the spaces around you for signs of spring in nature. Take one step closer to the earth that sustains us. Its awesome and complex systems that create wind, rain, heat, and cold and all the creatures that we share it with. The bats that eat the mosquitoes, the pollinator bees, wasps, moths and others that bring fruit. The complex communities of life in wetlands that filter our water.
I am also going to be taking some time to see in what ways we can improve our treatment of this fabulous, mystical orb we've all been marbled into. I invite you to do the same.
Onward and farmward.
Helen (email body), Jim (photo captions), and Lizz (recipe) 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.
- 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.
Greens:Kale
SpinachAll manner of deliciousness:Cabbage
Carrots- (From or farm friends at Tantre- at Eastern and Royal Oak only)
Kohlrabi!
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
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!
Potatoes - (From or farm friends at Tantre- at Eastern and Royal Oak only)
Purple top and golden roasting turnips- Excellent for roasting!Herbs:Cilantro! SOOOOO DELICIOUS! Seriously. So good.Coming soon:Parsley- 2 weeks out
Microgreens- 1 to 2 weeks out depending on how much daylight we get!
Pea shoots- 1 to 2 weeks out depending on how much daylight we get!
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This weeks MarketsSaturday: 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.
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