Greetings from the near future! The year, still 2018, the month,  perplexingly,  December! The past few weeks have found my focus firmly fixated (allusion to affinity for alliteration) 2 months into the future. Will winter production/storage go as planned? Will we make enough money to have a great 2019 season? How cold will it be this winter? I wanted to know the answers to these questions so badly that I succumbed to my traditional impatience. I've chosen to blur the lines between the present and the future! It has been rather illuminating! Sadly, December has been colder than I expected. Not so surprisingly, things didn't go as well as I had hoped, but not as badly as I had feared. It's been a mixed bag, some crops couldn't survive the cold, other more cold-hearty varieties managed to assert themselves just fine. All in all, life continues on in a not too unexpected fashion. Ahhh, how sweet it would be!
Those are the types of thoughts you hope to have in hindsight. In October, you have many unanswered questions, but the one thing you know for sure is that If you hope to experience even mixed feelings on how your off-season production went come December, you had better be working for it RIGHT NOW!
Agriculture shifts ones focus from the present, to the nerve racking, possibly lower yielding than expected first harvest date. Variables float about in the primordial present as they aggregate  from a soupy "what if" into a well bounded "what is". With only one month left in the primary market season, we now have a general financial framework for the coming year. The "off season" (December to April) is the icing on the cake. Every little bit makes the next main season that much sweeter! To earn that icing, you plunge your hands into icy wash station water, roll up hoses each day to avoid icing and convert your cold storage to heated storage to prevent your precious storage crops from freezing solid. It is a mighty cold time, but it's also that special part of season that keeps me wondering until it's done. There's a lot to be done to get all the hoophouses ready for their off season crops, so I better get my hands out of December's icy wash station water and get them back into the wet October fields. Lots of new vegetables are coming out the field right now, classic and sweet turnips, specialty radishes, beets just to name a few. So get roasting and stewing because even though it's getting colder outside Lake Divide is bringing the heat! 
 See you at market!
Jim writing for the Lake Dviders 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Salad mix!!!
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard- limited while it reaches capacity
Herbs: 
Cilantro and Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Beets!
Beet Greens!
Cabbage
Celery
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness. Word on the street is that they are great raosted!
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent.
Purple Fingerling potatoes?
Peppers: Bells and friars
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano
Shishito peppers: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radish Classic
Watermelon radishes: Spicy and sweet! 
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

​Well, if you were dreaming of participating in the farmwork at Lake Divide Farm, wait no longer! We are currently looking for a part-time worker to help fill in with the fall haul. It involves lifting heavy things, some harvest, some construction, some weeding, and a lot of positive attitude. If you think this is something that you could be interested in and that you are ready for the physical challenge, send us an email and we can talk details. Additionally, if you know someone that could be up to the task, don't hesitate to pass along our information.
With that out of the way, let me say, all the cover crop we seeded a few weeks back came up! It came up before the rain of last Thursday! I was anxious about seeding it because at the time there was no rain forecasted for a week. And it was true, not a drop fell. But it was foggy so there was some moisture deposition. And the soil was moist. The words of a friend echoed in my mind reassuring me: Better to plant into moist soil with no rain forecast than dry soil before a heavy rain. Of course this leaves out all the other weather variations a possibilities but small comforts offer great ease. And then of course, there is the fact that it worked. I am going to wait until it is a little more manifested before posting a picture but it bodes well for the coming year.
This rain that we have been having is great for our greens. I was left with an amount of greens after markets came and went last week and decided to indulge. I made a massive batch of Saag! A common dish from "the Indian subcontinent" , it is one of the easiest and tastiest cook greens dishes that can be made. Minced onions and garlic, spices (ginger, cumin, turmeric, corriander, salt- really any of the spices that you like), some fat (oil, butter, etc), finely chopped greens of any type (mustard, tokyo bekana, tatsoi, mizuna, and/or arugula are all great choices). Heat the oil, add the onions and spices and cook until fragrant and soft. Add the greens, stirring as they soften. You may need to add a little water but I have found the greens release plenty of water to keep things from sticking. After the greens have cooked down, simmer for at least ten minutes. You can pulse the mixture in a food processor or a blender to smooth it a little. It can be eaten with bread, cheese, meat, etc. This is how I was taught to make it at market, like most things I learn to cook. I love it because it it easy and delicious and healthy. We have almost all the things you need to make it.
On the farm we are working on winter preparations. We are pulling summer crops from hoop houses so we can get those winter plantings in. These decreased daylight hours mean less time for work for us, but also for the plants. A week late planting now could mean a month or two late harvesting in the winter, unlike the lax summer months. But the good news is, although we have to keep our hustle up, we are on track!
We are also working on pulling our sweet potatoes from the ground. They are looking great! We planted three varieties this year. Garnet with red skin and orange flesh, best described as succulent. Murasaki, a Japanese variety with purple skin and white flesh, has dry meat and a nutty flavor. And our old favorite Orleans, with its rose skin and bright orange flesh. I know this variety well and it is sweet and wonderful. The others, I have yet to try and as usual, I will be looking for feedback from you! So, come try them at market. They aren't ready yet though. Before they become the sweet candy vegetable that we know and love, they must cure for 7-10 days in a warm, humid environment. How inconvenient for a fall harvest right? Just more proof that this is a Southern plant with warmer preferences than our Mitten usually offers. Even so, we have done what we can to make them feel at home and you should start looking for them at market in two weeks time!

And with that, we're off! See you in the future!
 See you at market!
Jim writing for the Lake Dviders 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Salad mix!!!
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard- limited while it reaches capacity
Herbs: 
Cilantro and Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Beets!
Beet Greens!
Cabbage
Celery
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness. Word on the street is that they are great raosted!
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent.
Purple Fingerling potatoes?
Peppers: Bells and friars
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano
Shishito peppers: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radish Classic
Watermelon radishes: Spicy and sweet! 
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 
​
Markets, always rain or shine!
​Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

We had a few more surprises this week, and ended up backed into an email-punting corner. Our "new" market vehicle, a delightful 2004 Dodge Sprinter, is in the shop again. When we purchased it earlier this season with just under 200,000 miles, we anticipated that there would be a few mechanical hiccups with it this year. So far: new harmonic balancer, 1, no 2, wait, 4, yup 4 new brake lines, new pads and rotors on the rear as well as one caliper replaced. While that isn't the shortest list of repairs, it still felt like it was within our repair expectations for a used work vehicle with that many miles. The part of the situation that we're less jazzed about, is having to play musical market vehicles with such frequency! The brakes have been particularly problematic, as we repaired one damaged line, another line would spring a leak a few days later. It led to a roller coaster ride of, "Hey the vans fixed", "Oh wait maybe not", "Alright, now it's definitely fixed!", "Maybe I should just stop making such declarative statements regarding the van". Each hill and loop of the roller coaster translated to a frantic change in plans and the shuffling of lake dividers between the weekly markets. Of course, this is what you have to accept when you don't have redundant vehicles, and honestly, despite the hiccups, we really love the "new" market vehicle. In a day or so it will have a new master brake cylinder, essentially leaving us with a wonderful older van with a brand new braking system. Until then, Ann Arbor is getting a double dose of Helen! That's right she'll be there Wednesday and Saturday this week, have a blast! Oh that reminds me! We wanted to mention to you that we get shuffled around week to week in Ann Arbor, so we're not always able to set up in the same spot, but I can GUARANTEE you that we are there. If you ever have trouble finding us or any other vendor at the Ann Arbor market, we're likely there, but in a different spot. The good folks in the main office can tell you where to find us, or any of your other favorite vendors. Well guys I have to cut it short, so that I send this email out at a quasi-reasonable time. Don't forget to take advantage of the season of abundance! We have plenty of delicious tomatoes still (full trays and sale prices still available), lots of greens, soup vegetables, peppers, garlic, herbs. Tis the season to east fresh! Have a great weekSee you at market!
Jim writing for the Lake Dviders 

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Salad mix?
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard- limited while it reaches capacity
Herbs: 
Cilantro and Dill- coming back shortly
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Beets!
Broccoli
Carrots- perhaps
Cabbage
Celery
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness. Word on the street is that they are great raosted!
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent.
Potatoes- thin, thin skin- you barely have to cook these delights!
Fingerling potatoes?
Peppers: Bells and friars
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano
Shishito peppers: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radish Classic
Watermelon radishes: Spicy and sweet! 
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dviders (Jim's punt makes my punt look meager.)

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Salad mix?
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard- limited while it reaches capacity
Herbs: 
Cilantro and Dill- coming back shortly
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli!
Carrots- perhaps
Cabbage
Celery!
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness. Word on the street is that they are great raosted!
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent.
Potatoes- thin, thin skin- you barely have to cook these delights!
Fingerling potatoes?
Peppers: Bells and friars
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano
Shishito peppers: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radish Classic
Watermelon radishes: Spicy and sweet! 
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

Hey all! So, last week Helen had to punt on the email. We really don't like doing it, because we value the opportunity to speak with you, and tell you about all the adventures down on the farm. So, generally it's something we only do when we're really inundated with work, and it's something we try to never do twice in a row. Unfortunately, this week is proving to be even more jam packed than last week! Helen came to me and said "there's just no time to write the email, there's not even enough time to keep up with the weeding. I can't punt on the email again, I just did that last week!" So, at about 10:30 last night, I replied to my exhausted wife "You're right, you can't punt on the email... I'll have to do it. I haven't used my punt for 2018 yet". Does it really count as two punts in row by Lake Divide? Or is more a case of two independent punts that just so happen to be sequential? I hope you'll join me in embracing the latter perspective! 
Email punting aside, we are very busy this time of year. I usually refer to September as the third wall. You hit this wall particularly hard. Harvest is in full swing, as is weeding and planting but the key difference when dealing with said third wall is that you've already used a lot energy earlier in the season to break through the first two walls (April and July). We expect lots of different tasks to fight for our attention this time of year, and we expect some unexpected tasks to deflect us from our plans (the exploded faucet in the camper comes to mind). In years past we've dealt with this in various ways: 

1. Soldiering on, ignoring the exhaustion
2. Turning on each other and fighting well into the night
3. Email punting (this one hardly counts)

This year we're adopting a new strategy. We've decided to take vacation, at least mentally! Helen and I invited the rest of the Lake Dividers to join us, and it ended up being a group vacation! Our destination: A beautiful Organic farm in Stockbridge called Lake Divide. It's been wonderful, we get to do all the things that we enjoy doing, but in a low stakes vacation setting. Whenever things get a little too hard, we loudly exclaim "WE'RE ON VACATION!" and the frustration and exhaustion just rolls right off (at least momentarily). It's been great taking a break from the grind, really restorative. I just wish we had figured this out years ago: Vacation is a state of mind. 
Helen decided to use some of her "vacation" time to attend the Ann Arbor Wednesday Market with the newly repaired van! That's right! Ann Arbor is getting a double dose of Helen this week, and double Helen = Double the fun! I know what you're thinking, she should be at the farm working in the field! Well, yeah that's true, but it's vacation rules right now, anything goes! Well guys, I best get back to vacationing: I'm planning on taking a super fun trip to the gas station to get fuel for our various vehicles! Who knows what fun "vacation" adventures I might get into along the way?! Have a great week and please feel free to join us in our vacation state of mind! 
 See you at market!
Jim punting for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Arugula
Mizuna
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly- Our first harvest from the fall planting. 
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Cilantro and Dill- coming back shortly
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli!
Carrots
Cabbage
Celery!
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds!
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness. Word on the street is that they are great raosted!
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent.
New Potatoes- thin, thin skin- you barely have to cook these delights!
Peppers: Bells and friars
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano
Shishito peppers: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Watermelon radishes: Spicy and sweet! Classics coming back next week.
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!!

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

Lake Divide Farm Newsletter:
A window into the production path of your food.


​Darkness is upon us. In the morning I mean. I said it would happen and now it is. The sun rises at 6:58 am. We are going to have to start a little later in order to be able to see what we are doing. But that doesn't mean there is less to do! 
Care for plants weeding and thinning, watering and seeding
Harvest harvest harvest- did you know last week we harvested over 250 pounds of delicious cabbage, along with around 1,000 pounds of tomatoes, a couple hundred pounds of kohlrabi? And that is just the big stuff. 
Finish ground prep and seed our cover crop!
Order our seed garlic and prepare to plop it in the ground.
So much weeding (yes, it is on the list twice...)

I barely have time for canoeing!
Gotta go, burning daylight over here!​

See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Salad Mix: Limited
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil- getting close to the end of our basil season so get it while you can!
Cilantro and Dill- coming back in a couple weeks
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Carrots
Cabbage and Napa cabbage
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Last week before a break in the fennel action.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness.
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent. FYI most of our onions are going to be on the small side this year. They are perfect for roasts, salsas, pickling, sandwiches, salads, and of course, for eating.
Peppers: Green bells and friers along with some colorful ones coming along.
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, and poblano
Shishitos: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radishes: red, pink, and french breakfast! We have had these all along and forgot to keep them on the list!
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!
​Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Salad Mix: Limited
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil- getting close to the end of our basil season so get it while you can!
Cilantro and Dill- coming back in a couple weeks
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Carrots
Cabbage and Napa cabbage
Eggplant: Roast, stirfry, sandwich
Fennel: Last week before a break in the fennel action.
Garlic
Ground Cherries: Little lanterns of deliciousness.
Kohlrabi- big and little
Onions: petite and pungent. FYI most of our onions are going to be on the small side this year. They are perfect for roasts, salsas, pickling, sandwiches, salads, and of course, for eating.
Peppers: Green bells and friers along with some colorful ones coming along.
Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, and poblano
Shishitos: Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radishes: red, pink, and french breakfast! We have had these all along and forgot to keep them on the list!
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

​Lake Divide Farm Newsletter:
A window into the production path of your food.


Time flies! The tomatoes are at long last in abundance enough to merit a tomato sale! If you get more than five pounds, the price drops to $2.50 per pound. If you get more than 10 pound the price plummets to just $2.00 per pound! Get a tray to can or freeze. Roast a batch and make a soup. Make some a family sized batch of salsa! Eat decadent tomato sandwiches on boats with friends! 
Meanwhile, we are still busy in the field. Another round of planting happens this week- more storage radishes, kohlrabi, broccoli, greens. All the good things that we love about fall. Our storage carrots are coming along nicely. We flame weeded them just before their cotyledons poked through the soil. We then weeded them again (ongoing) to keep them in good, uncrowded shape. Hopefully, if all goes well, we will have carrots through the winter.
We have also finally started harvesting our potatoes. They were planted so late due to wet weather in the spring. I know it is hard to remember that! This shuffled all the potato timing forward. We had a touch of new potatoes at market last week. Hence forth we shall be flush with potatoes. 
I had a conversation last week about farming practices and regenerative agriculture. There is huge focus on caring for the soil and the biodiversity within as a means to grow food. As our overarching goals of ecological farming and spaces shared with the wild rose to the surface, I was momentarily dismayed. I couldn't shake the feeling that we weren't achieving a balance and were not working with the natural systems that exist on our farm to reach our goals but rather trampling over them, especially after doing all that plowing. It is so important to me that we cultivate a safe haven for wildlife big and small. But I was rejuvenated as the idea crept back in that we are on the path. We are learning and won't be complacent. This is my life's work and there will be no plateau. A friend of mine sent me a snippet of Wendell Berry's poem "The Farm". In fact it was a poetry bomb, sent by text and unexpected but it brought me to tears, being aligned with my musings of finding a place within the elaborate systems of the natural world and the reality of the extent of my individual power. You can read the whole poem here, below is the snippet that I found so moving: 
 
And you must walk the fields
With hoe in hand, to cut
The thistles and the docks.
There is no end to work — 
Work done in pleasure, grief,
Or weariness, with ease
Of skill and timeliness, 
Or awkwardly or wrong,
Too hurried or too slow.
One job completed shows
Another to be done. 
And so you make the farm
That must be daily made
And yearly made, or it
Will not exist. If you
Should go and not return
And none should follow you,
This clarity would be
As if it never was.
But praise, in knowing this, 
The Genius of the place,
Whose ways forgive your own
And will resume again
In time, if left alone.
You work always in this
Dear opening between
What was and is to be.
And so you make the farm,
And so you disappear
Into your days, your days
Into the ground. Before
You start each day, the place
Is as it is, and at
The day’s end, it is as
It is, a little changed
By work, but still itself,
Having included you
And everything you’ve done.
And it is who you are,
And you are what it is.
Reading this reminded me of several things. If offered me comfort knowing that I am small drop in the bucket. The farm is including me in its life and I am including it. Time is perspective. All of these abstract things. But another more concrete thing that this poem offered me was this: I love reading. This time of year, I am deep in the madness of work, so much so that finding an interesting book to read is sometimes beyond my ability. If you feel inspired to send me suggestions, please don't hold back. I have a library card and am not afraid to use it!

Hope you are eating well and enjoying life! See everyone at markets this week!

See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Salad Mix!!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil- it is still pesto time!!
Cilantro
Dill and dill flowers
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Carrots
Cabbage and Napa cabbage. Have you ever made a stir-fry with napa cabbage? I really recommend it.
Garlic nice and fresh
Eggplant: LIMITED- Still coming to its full potential.
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Onions: petite and pungent. FYI most of our onions are going to be on the small side this year. They are perfect for roasts, salsas, pickling, sandwiches, salads, and of course, for eating.
Peppers: Green bells and friers
Hot peppers: LIMITED - hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, and poblano
Shishitos: LIMITED - Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radishes: red, pink, and french breakfast! We have had these all along and forgot to keep them on the list!
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

Lake Divide Farm Newsletter:
A window into the production path of your food.

​We had our organic inspection this past Sunday. It wasn't so bad and it was nice to see that all of the work we have put in to record keeping is working. The documents that I put together over the winter when the organic management plan was turned in still make functional sense! 
It rained for real! We got 1.75" inches of rain! Hooray! Much needed. Everything is happy. There is nothing like a good rain.
We went to a farm tour and potluck at the Student Organic Farm at MSU. It was wonderful to see all the great work that is being done over there and to take some time to eat food with friends and farmers alike.
We voted! I hope you did too!

See everyone at markets this week! See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Salad Mix!!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: Sunflower and pea!
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil- it is still pesto time!!
Cilantro
Dill and dill flowers
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Carrots
Cabbage and Napa cabbage. Have you ever made a stir-fry with napa cabbage? I really recommend it.
Garlic nice and fresh
Eggplant: LIMITED- Still coming to its full potential.
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Onions: petite and pungent. FYI most of our onions are going to be on the small side this year. They are perfect for roasts, salsas, pickling, sandwiches, salads, and of course, for eating.
Peppers: Green bells and friers
Hot peppers: LIMITED - hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, and poblano
Shishitos: LIMITED - Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Radishes: red, pink, and french breakfast! We have had these all along and forgot to keep them on the list!
Tomatoes: Hierlooms, slicers, beefsteaks- all tasty!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.

​See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers

Fresh From the Field!

Greens:Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. 
Shoots: LIMITED- Sunflower shoots. We ran out of seed and so will miss one week of harvest. But never fear! They will be back big time next week. In the meantime, if they are one of your must haves, I recommend getting to market early.
Swiss Chard
Herbs: 
Basil- it is still pesto time!!
Cilantro
Dill and dill flowers
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Broccoli: LIMITED
Carrots
Cabbage and Napa cabbage. Have you ever made a stir-fry with napa cabbage? I really recommend it.
Garlic nice and fresh
Eggplant: LIMITED- Still coming to its full potential.
Fennel
Kohlrabi
NEW Onions: petite and pungent. FYI most of our onions are going to be on the small side this year. They are perfect for roasts, salsas, pickling, sandwiches, salads, and of course, for eating.
Peppers: Green bells and friers
Hot peppers: LIMITED - hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, and poblano
Shishitos: LIMITED - Toss in hot oil with the lid on while the pop, remove from heat and toss in salt, then eat the whole thing minus the stem!
Tomatoes: Really coming into their own this week. Tomato sale season will be upon us before we know it!
Cherry Tomatoes!! 
Summer squash- May be limited

​Markets, always rain or shine!Wednesday: Ann Arbor
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 to 3 pm.

Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 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 to 7 pm

Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
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 to 3 pm.

The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.

Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.