Here is Helen trying out the new basket weeder in the Fall planting. We went over the beds with the weeder before planting so we could see where the implement hits the beds. We refer to this process as "mark out" Once mark out is completed, you simply transplant or direct seed wherever the implement didn't disturb the soil. This process is aided by the raised beds; with the beds raised above the level of the aisles, the tractor is only able to fit over the bed one way. This results in easily repeated passes with cultivation implements.
The new mechanical cultivation tools that we have been using have dramatically reduce the amount of hand weeding that needs to get done, but it hasn't gotten rid of it entirely. Doug and Alic (as well as Cody and Sean, not pictured here) are hand weeding the Fall greens after the tractor has gone over them with the basket weeder. They are able to quickly take care of the remaining weeds that were just a wee bit too close to the delicate rows of seedlings for the tractor to nab.
And poof, like that, it is September. I am stunned. Every morning, it becomesmore likely that the sun won't rise before our 7 am start time. Daylight hours are being shed from the edges of our days. But regardless, fall is the new spring and there is never a dull moment! We are busy preparing for winter. Sowing storage crops, as well as the preliminary rounds of our winter greens, preparing to construct temporary tunnels to protect our winter crops, getting ground ready for garlic, and even getting ground ready for the spring of 2020! Last night, the crew stayed late seeding at late planting of kale and lettuce! We won't be eating that until February. Boggles the mind, this whole merry-go-round, boggles the mind.
To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! We can't know for sure, but it looks like we are going to get moved from our spot on the sidewalk. We plan to still set up our orange-legged tents and put up our sign. PLEASE LOOK FOR US! I promise, we are there :)
Tomatoes: Get 'em while they're hot, or while the weather is at least! As expected, the tomato crop has slowed down enough from these symptoms of fall that we are no longer offering the bulk pre-order. However! The sale continues! See below:
Delightful firsts!
If you get over 5 pounds, the price is $2.50/pound (three bursting quarts for $13-$14).
If you go over 10 pounds, the price is $2.00/pound (about six quarts!).
We also have seconds for sale, any amount for $2.00.
You could score a whole tray of delicious heirloom tomatoes for just $20! Get more than 2 trays, that price goes down to just $15/tray.
Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
Thursday: Northville
Friday: Stockbridge
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Chelsea
Recipe:
Are you ready to get to know collard greens? They are a rich in flavor and packed with nutrients. Ubiquitously found cooked with ham hocks or bacon, you may think this is the only way to eat them. NOT SO! They are stand alone deluxe. I love to make a big bowl of them for breakfast. Poach an egg, cut a thick slice of bread, and let the enjoyment ensue. Also great with beans! Or roasted hunks of delicata squash. A dish doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious and this recipe is true to that.
Here is a recepe from Cookie and Kate
Quick Collard Greens Brazilian styleINGREDIENTS
Food for thought:
The garlic is clipped and tucked in the barn. This marks the first year that we won't be buying in garlic seed. This means we grew enough to bring to market and set aside for next years crop. It is an exciting prospect! Not only does it save money (seed garlic can run up to $22/lb), it carries on the tradition of food independence. I am not able to to grow all our own seeds, that is an enterprise all its own (thank goodness for local seed companies like Nature Nurture Seeds, Ann Arbor Seed Company and Garden Hoard). However, saving garlic seed is so straightforward, we do it every year. This year we may have some extra seed garlic for your garden. If you are interested, send us an email and we will keep you posted. If you don't mind not having the most gigantic and perfect garlic, you can always just scoop some of our delicious bulbs up from market any time!
And on the heels of the garlic, the onions have moved into the greenhouse to cure. We were a little late getting them out of the field. They got rained on once while packed in their crates, waiting for space to lay down and dry out. I can thankfully say that after Malcolm carefully laid them out in the vacuum left by the garlic in the greenhouse, they are going to be okay! This is the best onion crop we have had since 2013, my first year farming back in NJ. With the acquisition of our new tools, I only expect them to get better.
The next storage crop to haul from the seas of the field to safety: WINTER SQUASH! Not just for winter anymore (well actually, never just for winter!) Slice one in half and roast it cut-face down. When you are scooping out delicious bites (with salt or honey or something fancier) relish the fact that you are indulging in one of the vegetables that originated in North America. This week you will see acorn, dumping, and delicata squash at market. Soon, a tidal wave of butternut, pumpkins and kobocha will crash upon your shores as well.
And while the mega harvests continue, we are also seeding, prepping, working, humming with activity, "we are the ant". Yesterday Lizz and I (mostly Lizz) sliced 3/4 of an acre of seeds into the ground- storage radishes, spinach, greens, lettuce, turnips, all the good stuff. This is our last big outdoor planting besides garlic (we don't plant that until the end of October). The rest will get planted and seeded under the protection of tunnels. As we were seeding, I kept imagining what it was going to be like to harvest these crops. Last year, many of them were plucked from the field from under a blanket of snow! Only time will tell what this winter will bring.
Honestly, I am nervous about our winter crops coming through. I surreptitiously look at the calendar and the count-down to our last 10 hour day- when most plant growth all but stops. I think we've got it. We are on schedule, but did I make the right schedule? I sure hope so.
Either way, it will be clear in a matter of months.
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.
To note:
Saturday Ann Arbor Customers! We can't know for sure, but it looks like we are going to get moved from our spot on the sidewalk. We plan to still set up our orange-legged tents and put up our sign. PLEASE LOOK FOR US! I promise, we are there :)
Tomatoes: Get 'em while they're hot, or while the weather is at least! As expected, the tomato crop has slowed down enough from these symptoms of fall that we are no longer offering the bulk pre-order. However! The sale continues! See below:
Delightful firsts!
If you get over 5 pounds, the price is $2.50/pound (three bursting quarts for $13-$14).
If you go over 10 pounds, the price is $2.00/pound (about six quarts!).
We also have seconds for sale, any amount for $2.00.
You could score a whole tray of delicious heirloom tomatoes for just $20! Get more than 2 trays, that price goes down to just $15/tray.
Our markets this week:
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
Thursday: Northville
Friday: Stockbridge
Saturday: Eastern Market, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Chelsea
Recipe:
Are you ready to get to know collard greens? They are a rich in flavor and packed with nutrients. Ubiquitously found cooked with ham hocks or bacon, you may think this is the only way to eat them. NOT SO! They are stand alone deluxe. I love to make a big bowl of them for breakfast. Poach an egg, cut a thick slice of bread, and let the enjoyment ensue. Also great with beans! Or roasted hunks of delicata squash. A dish doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious and this recipe is true to that.
Here is a recepe from Cookie and Kate
Quick Collard Greens Brazilian styleINGREDIENTS
- Olive oil
- Garlic minced
- Collards
- chili flakes
- Lime, salt, pepper to taste
- Cut the thick central ribs out of the collard greens, and stack the leaves on top of one another. Starting at one end, roll them up into a cigar-liked shape, then slice across the roll to make skinny rolls of collard strips. Use a sharp chef’s knife for this, and make your slices as thin as possible—ideally about 1/8-inch wide. Give the collards a few extra chops to break them apart.
- Warm a large, heavy-bottom skillet (cast iron is great but not required!) over medium-high heat. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil (the oil will later help your body absorb the nutrients in the greens). Then add the greens and some salt. Give the greens a good stir so they’re all lightly shimmering from the oil and turning darker green.
- Let the greens cook against the pan in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Thanks to the hot oil in the hot pan, some of the collards will eventually develop crisp, browned edges—these taste so good!
- Once you see a little browning action, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. I suggest adding the garlic at this point, rather than before, because otherwise it’ll burn by the time your collards are done.
- Transfer the collards to plates so they stop cooking. Serve with a wedge of lemon, and you’re done.
- Heat oil in pan and toss in onions and garlic, herb you like (oregano anyone?!) and hot pepper if using. Cook until onions are soft.
- Stir in water or broth and then toss in the tops! Cook with lid on until they are the texture that you like. Anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
- Toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Food for thought:
The garlic is clipped and tucked in the barn. This marks the first year that we won't be buying in garlic seed. This means we grew enough to bring to market and set aside for next years crop. It is an exciting prospect! Not only does it save money (seed garlic can run up to $22/lb), it carries on the tradition of food independence. I am not able to to grow all our own seeds, that is an enterprise all its own (thank goodness for local seed companies like Nature Nurture Seeds, Ann Arbor Seed Company and Garden Hoard). However, saving garlic seed is so straightforward, we do it every year. This year we may have some extra seed garlic for your garden. If you are interested, send us an email and we will keep you posted. If you don't mind not having the most gigantic and perfect garlic, you can always just scoop some of our delicious bulbs up from market any time!
And on the heels of the garlic, the onions have moved into the greenhouse to cure. We were a little late getting them out of the field. They got rained on once while packed in their crates, waiting for space to lay down and dry out. I can thankfully say that after Malcolm carefully laid them out in the vacuum left by the garlic in the greenhouse, they are going to be okay! This is the best onion crop we have had since 2013, my first year farming back in NJ. With the acquisition of our new tools, I only expect them to get better.
The next storage crop to haul from the seas of the field to safety: WINTER SQUASH! Not just for winter anymore (well actually, never just for winter!) Slice one in half and roast it cut-face down. When you are scooping out delicious bites (with salt or honey or something fancier) relish the fact that you are indulging in one of the vegetables that originated in North America. This week you will see acorn, dumping, and delicata squash at market. Soon, a tidal wave of butternut, pumpkins and kobocha will crash upon your shores as well.
And while the mega harvests continue, we are also seeding, prepping, working, humming with activity, "we are the ant". Yesterday Lizz and I (mostly Lizz) sliced 3/4 of an acre of seeds into the ground- storage radishes, spinach, greens, lettuce, turnips, all the good stuff. This is our last big outdoor planting besides garlic (we don't plant that until the end of October). The rest will get planted and seeded under the protection of tunnels. As we were seeding, I kept imagining what it was going to be like to harvest these crops. Last year, many of them were plucked from the field from under a blanket of snow! Only time will tell what this winter will bring.
Honestly, I am nervous about our winter crops coming through. I surreptitiously look at the calendar and the count-down to our last 10 hour day- when most plant growth all but stops. I think we've got it. We are on schedule, but did I make the right schedule? I sure hope so.
Either way, it will be clear in a matter of months.
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.
Boomer is really settling in to a good life here at Lake Divide. He spends all day racing around the farm protecting it from all manner of threats. He is the first guy to clock in and the last guy to clock out! By the time he finally calls it a day, he is sooo fully exhausted that he enters an altered state that we call "Dumpling Mode". In Dumpling Mode, Boomer's movements slow, his ears drop down and back to achieve maximum cuteness. He then uses that cuteness to infiltrate our laps for comfort and warmth.
The onions are all harvested now! The crew braved a mighty stand of ragweed to exhume them from their once nicely weeded beds. Bravo Lake Dividers! It was a great haul, and has since been laid down to cure in the greenhouse.
To make room for the onions to cure in the greenhouse, we had to first clip and sort all the hardneck garlic that had been renting greenhouse space from us the past month. Doug and I are pretty fast though, using an enhanced-for-two-people version of my classic "Save the Farm" technique we were able to finish it all in just over 32 minutes.... OKAY OKAY! Maybe that's not EXACTLY how it went down, there may have been more people involved (the entire crew) and it may have taken all day. It would be very difficult to confirm that though, as all the other pictures of the project have mysteriously disappeared. heh
Fresh From the Field!
Greens:
Brussel sprout tops! See our recipe from last weeks email munching tips.
Collard Greens
Salad Mix!
Kale
Microgreens
Pea Shoots
Swiss Chard!
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli- coming in!
Cabbage
Napa cabbage is back!
Carrots
Celery- Honestly, try it in anything. I have been putting it in my standard greens sautee and it adds so much.
Celeriac
Cucumbers- limited but a new planting is on the cusp!
Eggplant
Garlic
Ground Cherries! Nature's candies wrapped in a husk. You tell us what they taste like!
Kohlrabi- Economy-sized and tender apple sized.
Onions- Cippolinis and tasty reds
Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes
Peppers- friers and bells!
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, Jalepenos, and Poblanos
Shishito Peppers: Delicious Japanese friers. Great on the grill, great blistered in a pan, great roasted. Eat the whole thing but the stem!
Snack peppers!
Zucchini: Green and Yellow
Cherry Tomatoes
Tomatoes!!!!!
Wintersquash! Not just for winter- Delicata, dumpling, and acorn!
Herbs:
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming Soon:
Rosemary
Sweet turnips! It won't be long now!
I didn't even get to put wintersquash and collards on here! They just jumped right onto the list!
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:
Brussel sprout tops! See our recipe from last weeks email munching tips.
Collard Greens
Salad Mix!
Kale
Microgreens
Pea Shoots
Swiss Chard!
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli- coming in!
Cabbage
Napa cabbage is back!
Carrots
Celery- Honestly, try it in anything. I have been putting it in my standard greens sautee and it adds so much.
Celeriac
Cucumbers- limited but a new planting is on the cusp!
Eggplant
Garlic
Ground Cherries! Nature's candies wrapped in a husk. You tell us what they taste like!
Kohlrabi- Economy-sized and tender apple sized.
Onions- Cippolinis and tasty reds
Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes
Peppers- friers and bells!
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, Jalepenos, and Poblanos
Shishito Peppers: Delicious Japanese friers. Great on the grill, great blistered in a pan, great roasted. Eat the whole thing but the stem!
Snack peppers!
Zucchini: Green and Yellow
Cherry Tomatoes
Tomatoes!!!!!
Wintersquash! Not just for winter- Delicata, dumpling, and acorn!
Herbs:
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming Soon:
Rosemary
Sweet turnips! It won't be long now!
I didn't even get to put wintersquash and collards on here! They just jumped right onto the list!
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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