The new hydrant isn't joking around. We are going to be able to cover a lot more ground in the same amount of time. Here Malcolm braves the mist for the benefit of the farm! Aye aye irrigation captain!
Here it is! The first frost right on schedule! If you don't get up early enough, you will miss the magical crystals of the night and see only wilting leaves of tender crops as evidence. We had our morning meeting and as I talked (for a long time it felt like) I watched the field change colors. It started completely painted white, with an undertone of green. As the sun crested the hill and its rays began to fall directly upon the frost kissed ground, the color changed from muted greeen to bright, with reds and oranges returning. By the time I got out to take my ritual frost pictures, only the shady side showed evidence. But what evidence it was!
Ahoy!
Our first fall frost rolled through and blanketed our farm Tuesday morning. Thank goodness for the Monday crew! While I whittled away on our taxes, buried in paperwork at the dining room table, they labored to heft sandbags and blankets to cover our most tender crops- Lettuce, chard, celery, and some of the herbs. They bulk harvested peppers, which we will store to bring for the next few weeks. The last tastes of summer are blown away by the winds of fall. It isn't your imagination. It really does get windier
To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! Ahoy! We are there! I don't know where but we will be there shining and vegetabling! Ginger! Carrots! Brussel
Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor- Goes
Thursday: Northville- Just two Northville markets left! Get out there and wish Janet a happy off-season!
Friday: Stockbridge- Just 2 Stockbridge markets left! Head over and say happy off season to Malcolm!
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Chelsea- only 2 Chelsea markets left! Get out there and snag some vegetables and say temporary farewells to Cody!
Recipe:
Soup season is upon us and I want to kick it off with this simple concoction. All the flavors of fall blended into an energizing joy of a meal. If I was going to balk it up, I may cube and add a few potatoes...
Carrot and Fennel Soup with Ginger from Food 52
INGREDIENTS
Food for thought:
The seasons are changing and you can feel it in the air- literally! It is WINDY! Why? The short answer that the greater temperature variation in the fall brings greater pressure differences, bringing greater gales! The earth desires balance! Here is the hilarity of what this means on the farm. Every fall we gather our strength and haul tons of vegetables out of the field. What we leave out there- hardy greens and some more tender- must be covered with frost blankets. These have varying weights and varying widths (from 9 feet to 30 feet- some farms have even wider) and lengths (most of ours are 150 feet long- the length of our beds). The most common size for us is 14 x 150 feet or about 2100 square feet- as big as a HOUSE! The time of year we do the most work with this house sized sails is during the windiest part of the year! We take these big fabric rolls out into the field in the wind and sand bag them down. It takes more than an errant gust to sweep them from our deft hands though. We hang on tight despite the threat of being swept away with it.
This year we were slightly ahead of the game, putting covers down in daylight before a big wind. In years past, I recall frost forming on the ground, the fabric becoming stiff in my hands, as we tried (and succeeded) saving our tender crops from the bite.
There is still so much to do. Big harvests. Regular harvests. Building caterpillar tunnels (movable hoophouses). Today we hope to bend hoops and install them in the field. We may save the part with the big sheets of poly for a less windy day. I hear there are supposed to be gusts of 40 mph this afternoon! Hold on to your hats, folks!
I do have a piece of woeful news. We may not have sweet potatoes this year. OR they may just be limited. We struggled this year to protect them from the deer and surprisingly, without the leaves running their engines for root production and instead focusing on regrowing their leaves, very little roots get produced. We will see.
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.
Our first fall frost rolled through and blanketed our farm Tuesday morning. Thank goodness for the Monday crew! While I whittled away on our taxes, buried in paperwork at the dining room table, they labored to heft sandbags and blankets to cover our most tender crops- Lettuce, chard, celery, and some of the herbs. They bulk harvested peppers, which we will store to bring for the next few weeks. The last tastes of summer are blown away by the winds of fall. It isn't your imagination. It really does get windier
To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! Ahoy! We are there! I don't know where but we will be there shining and vegetabling! Ginger! Carrots! Brussel
Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor- Goes
Thursday: Northville- Just two Northville markets left! Get out there and wish Janet a happy off-season!
Friday: Stockbridge- Just 2 Stockbridge markets left! Head over and say happy off season to Malcolm!
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Chelsea- only 2 Chelsea markets left! Get out there and snag some vegetables and say temporary farewells to Cody!
Recipe:
Soup season is upon us and I want to kick it off with this simple concoction. All the flavors of fall blended into an energizing joy of a meal. If I was going to balk it up, I may cube and add a few potatoes...
Carrot and Fennel Soup with Ginger from Food 52
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1 bulb fennel, chopped (fronds reserved)
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup half & half
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot.
- Add garlic, onion, celery, fennel, carrots and ginger. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes, until all vegetables are soft and tender.
- Remove from the heat. Add coriander, ginger, crushed red pepper and honey. Let cool slightly.
- Puree soup in batches in a regular blender until very smooth. Return to pot.
- Add half & half, and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt.
- Serve in bowls or mugs with a garnish of chopped fennel frond. (You can also make a fabulous fennel frond pesto- link)
Food for thought:
The seasons are changing and you can feel it in the air- literally! It is WINDY! Why? The short answer that the greater temperature variation in the fall brings greater pressure differences, bringing greater gales! The earth desires balance! Here is the hilarity of what this means on the farm. Every fall we gather our strength and haul tons of vegetables out of the field. What we leave out there- hardy greens and some more tender- must be covered with frost blankets. These have varying weights and varying widths (from 9 feet to 30 feet- some farms have even wider) and lengths (most of ours are 150 feet long- the length of our beds). The most common size for us is 14 x 150 feet or about 2100 square feet- as big as a HOUSE! The time of year we do the most work with this house sized sails is during the windiest part of the year! We take these big fabric rolls out into the field in the wind and sand bag them down. It takes more than an errant gust to sweep them from our deft hands though. We hang on tight despite the threat of being swept away with it.
This year we were slightly ahead of the game, putting covers down in daylight before a big wind. In years past, I recall frost forming on the ground, the fabric becoming stiff in my hands, as we tried (and succeeded) saving our tender crops from the bite.
There is still so much to do. Big harvests. Regular harvests. Building caterpillar tunnels (movable hoophouses). Today we hope to bend hoops and install them in the field. We may save the part with the big sheets of poly for a less windy day. I hear there are supposed to be gusts of 40 mph this afternoon! Hold on to your hats, folks!
I do have a piece of woeful news. We may not have sweet potatoes this year. OR they may just be limited. We struggled this year to protect them from the deer and surprisingly, without the leaves running their engines for root production and instead focusing on regrowing their leaves, very little roots get produced. We will see.
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.
Brussel sprouts are serious about being delicious. Get out and get them! This is the first year they are looking as fabulous as this. Hopefully the first of many.
Fresh From the Field!
Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choy!
Collard Greens- Still loving this recipe
Head Lettuce
Kale
Microgreens! They may be limited or they may be back in a week.
Mustard!
Spinach- Limited but it will be back in full force in a few weeks
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana! Loose leave bok choy lettuce
Pea Shoots- Back in 1 week
Swiss Chard
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts!
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots
Baby Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Ginger- Fresh, delicious, smooth. Lovely
Kohlrabi- we welcome the petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized.
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes
Peppers- friers and bells- a few more weeks. Get 'em, freeze 'em, pickle 'em. LOVE THEM
Hot peppers: Likely the last week. Hungarian hot wax, Jalepenos, and Poblanos
Shishito Peppers: Delicious Japanese friers- Last week!
Snack peppers!- Last week
Scallions
Daikon Radish!
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash! Not just for winter- Delicata, dumpling, and acorn!
Butternut Squash!
Herbs:
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Parsley
Coming Soon:
Cone cabbage!
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.
Thursday: Northville
The Northville Market is located at the corner of 7 Mile and Sheldon Roads. It runs May thru October, 8 am - 3 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 - 7 pm
Saturday: Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Detroit's Eastern Market, The White Lotus Farm Cart 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 Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the Palmer Commons at 304 S. Main St.. It runs May thru October (then moves inside thru December!) from 8 am - 1 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.
Greens:
Arugula
Bok Choy!
Collard Greens- Still loving this recipe
Head Lettuce
Kale
Microgreens! They may be limited or they may be back in a week.
Mustard!
Spinach- Limited but it will be back in full force in a few weeks
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana! Loose leave bok choy lettuce
Pea Shoots- Back in 1 week
Swiss Chard
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts!
Cabbage
Napa cabbage
Carrots
Baby Fennel
Garlic- For me, these juicy cloves go in just about EVERYTHING!
Ginger- Fresh, delicious, smooth. Lovely
Kohlrabi- we welcome the petite treats back along with the staple economy-sized.
Onions- All types, sweet and pungent, yellow and red!
Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes
Peppers- friers and bells- a few more weeks. Get 'em, freeze 'em, pickle 'em. LOVE THEM
Hot peppers: Likely the last week. Hungarian hot wax, Jalepenos, and Poblanos
Shishito Peppers: Delicious Japanese friers- Last week!
Snack peppers!- Last week
Scallions
Daikon Radish!
Watermelon Radish
Sweet Turnips
Purple top turnips- Excellent for roasting!
Wintersquash! Not just for winter- Delicata, dumpling, and acorn!
Butternut Squash!
Herbs:
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Parsley
Coming Soon:
Cone cabbage!
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.
Thursday: Northville
The Northville Market is located at the corner of 7 Mile and Sheldon Roads. It runs May thru October, 8 am - 3 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 - 7 pm
Saturday: Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Detroit's Eastern Market, The White Lotus Farm Cart 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 Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the Palmer Commons at 304 S. Main St.. It runs May thru October (then moves inside thru December!) from 8 am - 1 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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