LDF News: Still not at market :( But probably back next week!

​Here comes the sun, rising in the east, shining through these reptilian scales. Ice collects on the warmer more humid side of our greenhouse plastic.

Pictures: Helen

​Cold times call for drastic measures. We have a frost free hydrant. That means the hydrant itself doesn't freeze when the water is running or off in below freezing temperatures. However! There are fittings attached to our hydrant that aren't so evolved. Hence the creation of yet another interim solution: the ole heater and a tarp. I've used this to thaw soil, warm a tractor, keep vegetables from freezing, and here it is saving the day in this continuously below freezing winter we are having.

​Picture: Helen

​You can see our greenhouse there, down the hill. It takes two 75 foot hoses to get from there to the hydrant. 

For all its trouble, I'm grateful for the cold. Hopefully it is resetting some of the disease and pest cycles for an easier year. It sure does make a lot of extra work though!

Picture: Helen

​There is our greenhouse. You can see it is quite a ways from the hydrant. Another extra chore the winter offers is hauling the hose in and out of there every day. We drag it into the warm(er) greenhouse so that there's no ice blocking the flow when we need to use it.
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Picture: Helen

Ahoy!

So sorry to have not sent this during the week to keep you apprised of our comings and goings. Like everyone else, we have been rocked with various virus' and this past week was no exception. We are, obviously not at market this week. It looks promising that we will be back next. We are looking forward to seeing you there. In the meantime...

• WE ARE HIRING! Visit our Work With Us page for more info. Please share it with people you think fit the bill. 
• Eastern and metro Detroit customers:
  • Now offering $100 CSA memberships with a $10 bonus. Please email for more info. 
  • If you shop with us regularly, consider signing up for our 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. 
  • If you love our produce, consider giving the gift of food to someone in your family or friend. We are an especially good match for people that want to eat local fresh food but don't know how to get started. I love talking recipes, environmentalism, telling animal stories, and eating raw vegetables on the spot.

Here is that list again. It lays out what we will be doing this year. I put it in last weeks email but want to leave it in here, in case some missed it. 

Our plans are this year. 

• Growing food for Stockbridge Community Outreach, a community building and support organization right in my own town. I have been trying to figure out the best way for our farm to contribute to the health of our community and this may be it. In the coming weeks, I plan on putting up a gofundme to raise the money to offer vegetables to Stockbridge Outreaches's weekly food distribution. I am still working out details. If you want to be involved, or have any good ideas, please don't hesitate to let me know.  
• We will be at Eastern, often in the winter months and always once May rolls around. We may even attend some of their Tuesday markets. We aren't heading to any other markets this year. 
• We will continue growing food for the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Last year we delivered to them every other week from June onward, culminating in thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables available at food pantries. The Greater Lansing Food Bank is an awesome organization dedicated to distributing food to as many people in need as possible. They are a food pantry for food pantries! We are proud and grateful to work with them.   
• Contribute to Collaborative CSA programs of The Farm at Trinity (Ann Arbor) and Allen Neighborhood Center (Lansing.) Both of these organizations are community minded and oriented towards health and healing through a connection to growing and eating nutritious food. We have worked with Allen Neighborhood for several years and are now adding in The Farm at Trinity.
• Clare is raising egg laying chickens, right here at the farm! I have never been involved in animal husbandry (besides these doggies haha) so I am excited and offering as much support as I can.
• Tyler and Hailey are starting their own farm! They are still figuring out where they will be selling this year but check out their website here: Turnip The Beets Farm! They still plan on moonlighting at Lake Divide, never fear, you haven't seen the last of them yet!

You can count on us to keep stewarding this piece of land, minding it for ecosystem health, while raising vegetables to feed our community, whether in Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit Metro, or right here in our town. Lots of love to you. Thank you for your support over the years and hopefully for years to come. 

Party on (and show up to 50501!

Cheers,
Helen
she/her/hers
 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Notes for members (or potential members!):
    • Find a copy of the 2025 membership agreement here.
  • 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.  
• Market Details:
  • Not at Market this week ​