tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43253600394662626752024-03-05T01:30:42.754-05:00In Good Heart FarmTo say that the soil is in good heart is to say that it is healthy, in good cultivation, & in good spirit. To say that a person is in good heart is to say that they are cultivating wisdom, courage, & good spirit. Ben & I felt that our farm name should represent our vision & we couldn’t think of a better representation of what we want to do & what we want to be in our world than In Good Heart.patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-66082042963067698722014-03-03T14:13:00.001-05:002014-03-03T14:13:02.927-05:00New Website! Hi y'all!<br />
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We just wanted to let you know that we now have a new website! It's InGoodHeartFarm.com<br />
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Please check us out there! patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-32184789249448137412013-06-24T21:44:00.000-04:002013-06-24T21:44:39.543-04:00Farm It Forward, Week 4<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-691c4899-78fe-434f-abd0-bf74dfbe3fa9" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here's a post written by Billie & Brittany, the folks leading the cooking classes for Farm It Forward. We're visiting the class this week & really looking forward to it. Enjoy! - Patricia</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Farm it Forward Week 4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It
was another delicious week in the teaching kitchen at Wake Cooperative
Extension for our Farm it Forward class. Here’s a look at one share’s
worth of beautiful produce from In Good Heart Farm. </span><img height="467px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Mnk5EPuUIj-wOoEdMiGCbaW8ACfGLHloZ-aU72Tmd0diyNjKaT3LZtsQZD-WQxwLvnnJrT2y-BI1DIkLbWkK_a8itRld0e7OegmP-9JadNKyacz3cF1LKii08580fUskKg" width="623px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
started off as we do every class by introducing each new or unfamiliar
produce item and talking about its basic qualities and how best to
approach chopping/slicing it. This week, we also did a demonstration on
how to blanch and freeze vegetables for later use. (For all the
information you could ever need on freezing, canning, and more, check
out the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s treasure trove of a
website: http://nchfp.uga.edu)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Each
of our participating families then worked on one of four recipes
selected and pre-tested by the instructors to highlight the week’s
produce. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pasta with greens and white beans. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kale
and beet greens together with diced tomatoes, pasta, and cannellini
beans. A very nutritious dish with a classic Italian flavor that works
as a side or a meal in itself. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Below: a mother and son cooking team adds chopped kale to the pan for this dish.</span><img height="272px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nUWEXN7NYjVs8B0pwbXKz4IXJnRPd_kwmls9WT2KrthMGJAQDPGtqtmvEekawh5cIs8FZoKTnGZsxBVTjOHDyJ0gNDii0B7MzNokJLVMN-lpMrz5m4iougyAyEupraHqw" width="362px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kale slaw.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
Fresh kale, carrots, fennel bulb, and red cabbage all got shredded into
a big bowl and dressed with a simple vinaigrette for a very light and
tasty slaw that packs the whole rainbow into one bowl. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Photo by 10-year-old Justyn.</span><img height="289px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/JHswE0QA-vukxFRu_ACISHlJvbPaYxjFOf3hkKcYnHX-zLi6_hQkC5sO2T9yweTiR8F7DUmqExJbWoy_ymilUUWPuwLHul2aVJfzd1IlCuurlSCQ_RzsbRYqFejjLW73vA" width="385px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Salmon burgers.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
Canned salmon is an often-overlooked option that we wanted to highlight
in class because it gets you all the lean protein and much of the
omega-3 fat of wild Alaskan salmon in a form that’s far less expensive
than fresh or frozen. You can get it boneless and skinless, but after
canning the bones are soft and quite edible, and add lots of extra
calcium to the meal. We added grated carrots and squash, diced celery,
and lemon zest and juice to the original salmon burger recipe to add
color, flavor, and good veggie nutrition. We also made a quick herbed
mayonnaise with fresh parsley and fennel fronds in the blender to spread
on our burger buns for serving! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Below: Making the salmon mixture into burgers for baking. Photo by 10-year-old Justyn.</span><img height="309px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/y2V74q9hvd6itN9IwWSeIlV1vJsLuFeTKZ7YE2pTFBtizMLdYV3eEj0lXR2KIz8gPWzcLNZTgNPAIMYW1eOSxXcX1UsmkRDP5CKAkvkn5cDc2bTxevXFbPZ1QcAY0EkFpg" width="402px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Beet brownies</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.
Our class is full of cake and cookie enthusiasts, and they love recipes
for baked goods that use vegetables in unexpected ways. Adding a bunch
of cooked mashed beets to brownie batter adds deep red-purple color,
moisture, and sweet flavor, not to mention healthy vitamins and fiber.
But in the end, you just taste chocolatey goodness! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Below:
Team kale slaw in the foreground and team beet brownies in the
background, with instructors Brittany Crump (green sweater) and Kristin
Larson (white sweater) assisting.</span><img height="284px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IcPRlVPqwg6zfTmiQ1E5czyWgKFbpb0SiAJJMee0Ca1gUIeQZIkT8tXUDMNqxZn0HwCu6ZW-j7sqLaYEuzy4hOW55bjHJDxNlYh734BmSTRcDLigrCDiDqahwGIEHMSUsw" width="403px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bonus fridge pickles!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
Last week, we made a batch of fridge pickles with lovely cucumbers,
carrots, and turnips from In Good Heart farm, and left them in the
teaching kitchen fridge over the week to steep up and get tasty. We
enjoyed them this week alongside our salmon burgers. The purple carrots
turned the pickles and brine in some jars hot pink! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Photo by 10-year-old Justyn.</span><img height="281px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jzuOX0wjf4IgXMFPa13-jgIps-8Af7llWfuckVJyW8DHVmhHWSH_HJeyK4EScB99BTnlH9jUcXIwQPKRmhK9Q23j2oiny5n6Gai_CXXIKBiDJQ6DgVkmGxVtusPll9kqBw" width="344px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recipe: Salmon Burgers </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(adapted from this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-lemon-salmon-burgers/)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Makes about 6 burgers</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Freeze
leftover burgers in Tupperware or freezer bags, separating patties with
parchment or waxed paper so they won’t stick together.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ingredients: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 large (13 ounce) or 2 small (6.5 ounce) cans of salmon, drained and flaked with a fork (skin and bones OK!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or other – optional)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 small onion, finely chopped</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 celery stalk, diced</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 cup of other vegetables, diced or grated (optional – try diced bell pepper or mushrooms, or grated squash and/or carrots.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 teaspoon lemon zest <br class="kix-line-break" />2 tablespoons lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 teaspoon dried basil</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 pinch crushed red chili pepper</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Salmon burgers can either be pan fried or baked with excellent results!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
baking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and lightly grease a cookie
sheet or other large baking pan with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Or,
line the cookie sheet with parchment paper.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
</li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Flake
or mash the drained salmon in a big bowl, then add the eggs, onion,
herbs and spices, vegetables, breadcrumbs, and lemon zest and juice. Mix
well to combine.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
</li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Form the mixture into about 6 burger-sized patties with clean hands.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
</li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To
bake: space the patties out on a greased or parchment-lined cookie
sheet. Bake at 425 for 18 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip
each burger with a spatula. Put them back in the oven for 10 more
minutes to brown on the other side. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
</li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To
pan fry: lightly oil a griddle or frying pan, and fry each burger over
medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-51591993743314633232013-02-07T15:20:00.000-05:002013-02-07T15:20:07.070-05:00Another One by Liese: Nutty Weather<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaGDOx4DnuYovKTs_6wPxMehn_2UxbSQRomGGLKl8Q5HwEaT9p1tgNCQjaUDPf0DH-MlEhpAt3SYgCnX2FDFXYvnEYwqEmIY6t5oA-LsO1so6fbMDjB-_4MLtywnU6yekO-0bwvd6kME/s1600/mizuna+in+tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaGDOx4DnuYovKTs_6wPxMehn_2UxbSQRomGGLKl8Q5HwEaT9p1tgNCQjaUDPf0DH-MlEhpAt3SYgCnX2FDFXYvnEYwqEmIY6t5oA-LsO1so6fbMDjB-_4MLtywnU6yekO-0bwvd6kME/s320/mizuna+in+tunnel.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
The nutty weather this past two weeks has me reflecting on how
precarious our relationship to nature is. In some ways the history of
agriculture is the history of <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/A_History_of_World_Agriculture.html?id=5GpFT9NQS1gC">manipulating, working around, and bending nature to human needs</a>.
We depend so totally on the rhythms and cycles of our environment, and
yet often we feel at odds with it, struggling to produce lettuce in
January or <a href="http://ge-fish.org/about-ge-fish/">salmon with eel DNA</a> simply because we’ve judged what nature gives us unsatisfactory to our plans.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qdFkYTx_nDTUEI1GKBeNspFsAy4HD6yF5JRZHwiqx1TaDk_DpdlZQc6Q6n_4nmEuCKjzhOtKkzoLN1fqMbHtlik64v7uhCKdPys11NDyWzhSAPZbX2MIRSJ3qB_lQe7aKirfWy61vV4/s1600/frozen+farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qdFkYTx_nDTUEI1GKBeNspFsAy4HD6yF5JRZHwiqx1TaDk_DpdlZQc6Q6n_4nmEuCKjzhOtKkzoLN1fqMbHtlik64v7uhCKdPys11NDyWzhSAPZbX2MIRSJ3qB_lQe7aKirfWy61vV4/s320/frozen+farm.jpg" width="191" /></a>I took the first two pictures last January 25th and 26th. We
literally crouched inside the low tunnels, under the plastic, to protect
ourselves and the plants from wind and sleet. The next morning we still
went to market despite the icy roads, and it turned out that the
vendors who came were also Yankee ex-patriots. We christened it “White
Saturday.” <br />
<br />
By the end of that day, the sun came out and melted the ice. On
Tuesday January 29th, just three days later, the temperature was in the
70s and I worked on my mid-calf boot tan as I cultivated strawberries. A
cold front followed and brought steady winds around 20mph and gusts of
over 40mph. At Wednesday around 4pm, both of our high tunnels had been
blown over. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6XWthbRcRcF_DegHf3ryUZzhq81YRYOEVgJptZe3IcwTlGCqmxZJMnNLIPC2PLiNIPswZbERCEix-lyzD2GhB50ngAN_pXQ0EIjilGrphLlk1aiknfw8D5CLpNCFGuxgsGyiEDAOJ14/s1600/blown+hoops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6XWthbRcRcF_DegHf3ryUZzhq81YRYOEVgJptZe3IcwTlGCqmxZJMnNLIPC2PLiNIPswZbERCEix-lyzD2GhB50ngAN_pXQ0EIjilGrphLlk1aiknfw8D5CLpNCFGuxgsGyiEDAOJ14/s320/blown+hoops.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pIyHgQOUKUqyoLfyDSKeXezcj-GTtN22mtggR8iLzzlu0UQlmlY_0YqT14cazpGYy1WmFKZ_zqg5WSb6Xtj1D1OvbfmQKpz-3DMMddVYBV_G_esw0meHS2BmtvFVDYkwl3J3HpCL9KU/s1600/white+saturday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pIyHgQOUKUqyoLfyDSKeXezcj-GTtN22mtggR8iLzzlu0UQlmlY_0YqT14cazpGYy1WmFKZ_zqg5WSb6Xtj1D1OvbfmQKpz-3DMMddVYBV_G_esw0meHS2BmtvFVDYkwl3J3HpCL9KU/s320/white+saturday.jpg" width="191" /></a>In many ways, I think this variability is more challenging than a
consistent extreme. It certainly keeps us busy—on top of the usual farm
chores like harvest, we had to figure out a way to protect the plants
exposed by the torn-out wind tunnels because it froze, again, that
Friday night.<br />
<br />
Despite another cold market morning, we again saw many familiar
faces. There’s our consistent bright spot—good food, great friends. <br />
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-71360395124866246312013-01-22T13:19:00.000-05:002013-01-22T13:19:25.258-05:00Guest Post From Liese: Food Is The Reason I Got Into AgricultureHere's another great post from Liese :) You can access the original post at her blog <a href="http://sociophile.tumblr.com/post/41197167506/food-is-the-reason-i-got-into-agriculture-its" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<i>Food is the reason I got into agriculture. It’s
not the reason I stuck with it, but it was a scrappy farmers’ market in
Abingdon, Virginia that first inspired me to really think about how food
is produced in the United States. (I intend to edit this entry with more informational links. Until I
can, many of the arguments I make here are based on research using data
from the USDA, <a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy.aspx">found at this link</a>.) </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>So it’s appropriate that now, living on a farm, I eat more amazingly
fresh, delicious food than ever. I wrote a letter to my family about my
first few weeks on the farm, and I told them that “we might live like
peasants, but we eat like kings.” It’s a conscious choice and effort to
eat well—and when I say “eat well,” I want to be clear that while I
believe all food has morals and ethics, I am referring in this instance
to the money and time we spend on our meals, not that eating the way we
do is in any way “morally superior” to the way other people eat. I’ll
write about the problems of food ethics in another post. For now, I’m
going to talk about the labor and cost and source of the food we eat on
the farm. <br /></i><br />
<i>When I say we live like peasants, I mean that Ben and Patricia and I
spend a lot of time talking about what we really need in life to be
happy. One of the things we agree on pretty strongly is spending more
money and time on our food than most people would justify.<br /></i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAUlh7HfS03TgUoTrzwauV8plUoyY7RmPpWjjZaqBRwoX2oEuJNT2H9R8UHy-HGKUC-A-ARGIcWlKkDBM8FBK8OhRTZKW2SYRjN4DRofiPBhP4kYIzZMBXRWM24O-gccxdLXXxf_8ly4/s1600/food+blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAUlh7HfS03TgUoTrzwauV8plUoyY7RmPpWjjZaqBRwoX2oEuJNT2H9R8UHy-HGKUC-A-ARGIcWlKkDBM8FBK8OhRTZKW2SYRjN4DRofiPBhP4kYIzZMBXRWM24O-gccxdLXXxf_8ly4/s320/food+blog2.jpg" width="191" /></a><i>The photos up above chronicle three especially profligate breakfasts:
On Sunday, Patricia made Brussels sprouts with bacon (our sprouts,
local bacon), corn bread, locally ground grits, our eggs, fried catfish
(caught off the coast of NC), and fresh tomatoes (grown in a
biodiesel-fueled local greenhouse).<br /></i><br />
<i>On Monday, I made sausage gravy (local pork) and biscuits served with tomatoes and leftover Brussels sprouts.</i><br />
<i>On Tuesday—today—I woke up craving salad, so I tossed mizuna,
arugula, and butter lettuce with homemade balsamic dressing, baked
biscuits again and served them with local mozzarella and tomatoes and
eggs.</i><br />
<i><br />(Dinners are as complicated, but I am more likely to grab my camera in the morning.)</i><br />
<i>These are not cheap or fast meals. They require a lot of time and
effort to put together (usually Patricia’s) and they cost money. Local
meat and fish and dairy, especially, are not cheap—the animals are not
treated like factory inputs, and the people who care for them are not
treated like replaceable parts.<br /></i><br />
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<i>Many processed foods in the United States are heavily subsidized in
both obvious and subtle ways, and many, many people rely upon the
affordability and the ease of those processed foods. Given the cost of
housing and health insurance in our country, not to mention the steady
decline of wages, the increase in hours worked outside the home, and the
pressure to spend money on consumer goods, cheap, convenient food makes
sense for most people. It’s efficient, after all, right? Fewer hours in
the kitchen mean more hours to work.<br /></i><br />
<i>So it follows that it’s illogical and inefficient that Patricia and
Ben and I make veritable feasts two or three times a day. In terms of
gender, it’s unfair that Patricia does the most reproductive labor on
the farm. If we went out to eat or bought frozen meals, she could spend
more time working outside with Ben and I (she definitely wants to!). The
farm could make more money if we all worked more, we could all be paid
better, and we could buy more expensive food.</i><br />
<i><br />Maybe we could invest in someone who would turn local food
products into processed meals, so we could assuage some of our guilt
about not giving our money to our neighbors. It would be expensive to do
that, so we’d have to talk our neighbors into selling their products
more cheaply, but perhaps they could just pack a few more chickens into
the coop to make up the loss. They could eat a few less of their own
eggs, too, and maybe work an extra few hours on the weekend. If their
neighbor can’t compete and goes out of business, well, that’s an
opportunity to expand and make more money. Never mind if it’s a loss for
the community.<br /></i><br />
<i>Soon our local food frozen meals will take off, and we’ll be rolling
in cash. We’ll donate some money to charities to support our neighbors
who’ve been forced to sell their farms, but most of it we’ll keep for
ourselves. We’ll buy a flat screen TV, and maybe we’ll hire a personal
chef to keep making us delicious food. We deserve to be comfortable. We
worked hard, and sacrificed leisure time, and it paid off. Right?<br /></i><br />
<i>While my tongue is firmly in cheek, and this is a highly unlikely
scenario, I do think it embodies many of the choices—and lack of
choices—facing the middle and working class in America. Is there another
option?</i><br />
<i>For us, we work a little less so that we can savor our meals. We try
to share babycare so Patricia can participate more; I am trying to cook
more often. We make less money than we could, in theory; Ben says that
making money on the farm has as much to do with spending less money than
bringing more in. None of us has outside jobs; we don’t have health
insurance (we’d sure like it, if buying independently was more
affordable).</i><br />
<i><br />I like this life. I don’t think it’s without complications or
issues—we don’t buy exclusively local food, and I have a chocolate
problem—but I am happier with this simplicity than any moment in which I
had plenty of money and not enough time or space to enjoy it.
Illogical, inefficient, full of love and meaning and intention. I’ll
take it.</i></div>
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-23135526900618333832013-01-16T10:11:00.000-05:002013-01-16T10:11:55.191-05:00Lovely LieseHi y'all! It's been ages since I've (Patricia) been able to post much about what's going on here at the farm. As you know, we had a baby in July. He's taken up whatever spare time I would normally have for blog writing, hence the break in writing. Unlike most babies, this one hardly ever slept during the day (he's finally beginning to nap!), so I didn't have the usual break I hear about from other mamas. Anyway, it turns out our lovely apprentice, Liese, is writing farm blog posts already, so I've asked her permission to share them here as well (which she granted). You can learn about Liese in the "About Us" tab above. Here's her first farm post, written while we were still visiting family in Germany (you can read the original post <a href="http://sociophile.tumblr.com/post/39902100501/ive-planned-out-so-many-thoughtful-creative" target="_blank">here</a>):<br />
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<br />
<i>I’ve planned out so many thoughtful, creative,
official “first farm blog” posts, but I haven’t succeeded at writing
them down. So, in the name of words on the screen, I’ll barrel forth.</i><br />
<i>I moved onto the farm about three weeks ago. The first week was a
whirlwind. I had to get my body into the rhythm of early days and nights
and protracted physical labor, and my mind into the reality of
abandoning familiar surroundings and routines. There’s the shock of
leaving behind one of my cats and my dear, wonderful roommate and moving
away from friends I used to be able to pop down the hall or next door
to visit with. Then there’s moving into someone else’s space, and trying
not to be a bother to friends you adore, even though you’re living on
top of them. The last year, though, has been pretty constant change, so I was
better prepared for the transition—and since I’m planning on living in a
yurt, I ought to be amenable to a nomadic life. </i><br />
<br />
<i>With the help of a lot of neighbors and friends, we got the big
greenhouse built AND planted before Ben and Patricia and Elliott went
off to Germany. There wasn’t much to do in terms of preparing the farm
for their absence, other than giving me a refresher course on the
tunnels and a list of chores to accomplish. </i><br />
<em>Right before Christmas, Ben allowed a high school student to complete
his school project on the farm; C was required to do 15 hours of farm
work and write a report about it. Of those 15 hours, he probably spent
2-3 harvesting and 2-3 planting—in other words, about a third
of it was what you expect to do on a farm. The rest of the work involved
marking beds, pulling up drip tape, stakes, and string from the old
pepper and tomato fields (in our defense, the baby was born at the end
of pepper and tomato season!), washing and sorting produce, building the
greenhouse, building a high tunnel, and weeding.That’s exactly what I love about farming (and what scares me about
doing it on my own)—it’s so diverse, and there are constantly new
problems to solve. </em><br />
<br />
<i>While P&B&E (peanut butter and Elliott) have been away, I’ve
washed all the produce bins, cultivated carrots, turnips, and spinach,
washed racks to go in the walk-in cooler, washed the walk-in cooler,
washed and packed eggs, cultivated berries, fed the chickens lots of
leftover produce, cleaned the chicken yard, cleaned up the seedling
tunnel and watered seedlings, built a low tunnel, raised and lowered
tunnels as needed, got my truck stuck in the mud, got my truck out of
the mud with help from a neighbor, finished pulling drip take, lay drip
tape in the new greenhouse, et cetera! </i><br />
<br />
<i>I’ve also begun planning out my own agricultural ventures. In
addition to helping with what Ben and Patricia have already established,
I’m planning on adding flowers, mushrooms, herbs and my own chickens to
the mix. I’ve spent quite a lot of time poring over catalogs and
dreaming up the ideal chicken tractor—but, as of yet, I haven’t spent
any money. I’m waiting to consult with P&B, and I have a very
non-agricultural vacation coming up to worry about.</i><br />
<br />
<i>So far, I’m happy. I spend a lot of time laughing at Charlie, the
dog, and laughing or yelling at the chickens. (I planted bulbs around
the house, and it’s been hard to keep the damn birds away from them.)
It’s amazing to spend so much time outside, but also surprises me how
easy it is to not notice the nature around me. I have to remind myself
to stop and watch for bluebirds or the resident red tail hawk, because I
get so caught up in the work.</i><br />
<br />
<i>I’m ready for peanut butter and Elliott to get back. I miss hearing
the baby laugh, and I miss waking up to coffee and good company (I’m so,
so spoiled). I like hard, dirty, demanding work, but I like it even
better when it’s shared with people I love. Being alone is too easy, in
some ways.</i><br />
<i>Thinking of being alone, I listened and watched a few hundred
starlings whipping around the sky this afternoon. When I was a child, I
watched starlings at the bird feeder with my grandmother; as an adult,
they are the subject of one of my favorite poems, “Starlings in Winter”
by Mary Oliver. My family crest tattoo features a starling, for those
reasons and because, most importantly, starlings are never alone, and as
I watched the starlings today, I thought about how hard it is to be
afraid when you are surrounded by loved ones.</i><br />
<i>- - -</i><br />
<i>“Starlings in Winter” by Mary Oliver</i><br />
<i>Chunky and noisy,<br /> but with stars in their black feathers, <br /> they spring from the telephone wire<br /> and instantly<br /><br /> they are acrobats<br /> in the freezing wind.<br /> And now, in the theater of air,<br /> they swing over buildings,<br /><br /> dipping and rising;<br /> they float like one stippled star<br /> that opens,<br /> becomes for a moment fragmented,<br /><br /> then closes again;<br /> and you watch<br /> and you try<br /> but you simply can’t imagine<br /><br /> how they do it<br /> with no articulated instruction, no pause,<br /> only the silent confirmation<br /> that they are this notable thing,<br /><br /> this wheel of many parts, that can rise and spin<br /> over and over again,<br /> full of gorgeous life.<br /> Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us,<br /><br /> even in the leafless winter,<br /> even in the ashy city.<br /> I am thinking now<br /> of grief, and of getting past it;<br /><br /> I feel my boots <br /> trying to leave the ground,<br /> I feel my heart<br /> pumping hard, I want<br /><br /> to think again of dangerous and noble things.<br /> I want to be light and frolicsome.<br /> I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,<br /> as though I had wings.</i><br />
<i>(Source: <a href="http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2009/12/08" title="writersalmanac.publicradio.org">writersalmanac.publicradio.org</a>)</i></div>
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-12741977887470464242013-01-13T14:19:00.000-05:002013-01-13T14:19:11.461-05:00<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sign Up for 2013 Spring CSA is now OPEN! </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sign Up <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRTWjlxeGVzLTJzQUY4d3F6ZVZSR0E6MQ#gid=0" target="_blank">HERE</a> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">WHY JOIN<span style="font-size: medium;"> OUR</span></span> CSA? </b></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship
between us. By making an investment in our farm with a CSA share, you become a
seasonal farm member who shares the rewards and risks of the harvest season
with us, your farmers. This makes you a co-producer. Your investment allows us
to afford annual start-up costs, to pay ourselves fair wages, and to share the
risks of growing food. In return, we provide you and your family with fresh,
healthy, local vegetables, fruits an<span style="font-size: medium;">d eggs</span>. Our food not only tastes better
and keeps longer, i<span style="font-size: medium;">t</span> also helps us all nourish local agriculture, economy and
environment. Taste the difference!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Members Receive:</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About two grocery bags of 7-10 seasonal <span style="font-size: medium;">sustainably grown vegetables a<span style="font-size: medium;">n<span style="font-size: medium;">d herbs (more for large shares)</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A <span style="font-size: medium;">weekly<span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">email with produce information, cooking a<span style="font-size: medium;">nd sto<span style="font-size: medium;">rage tips, recipes an<span style="font-size: medium;">d segments about life on and off the farm. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Access to an o<span style="font-size: medium;">nline recipe sharing site.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Members Also Enjoy: </b></span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Conven<span style="font-size: medium;">ient pick up <span style="font-size: medium;">locations and times throug<span style="font-size: medium;">hout the week. </span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Access to our farm for volunteering, exploring and rela<span style="font-size: medium;">xing. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Invitations to on-farm events, such as our <span style="font-size: medium;">annual OktoberFEAST and Spring planting parties. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Making new friends who share your interest in good food a<span style="font-size: medium;">nd good farming. </span></span> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <b> </b></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>HOW IT WORKS</b></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Join In Good Heart’s CSA by
purchasing a share at the beginning of the se<span style="font-size: medium;">ason</span>. You then visit the weekly
pickup site to pack your own vegetables from the harvest table. We will post a
guide at the stand explaining what each share contains that week. You will
bring your own bags and pick out the produce for yourself “market-style”. <b>The Spri<span style="font-size: medium;">ng </span>CSA harvest season runs for 16 weeks
from April through July</b>. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Pickup Sites &
Times:</b><b> </b>We have three weekly
CSA pickup sites.</span></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Raleigh pickup is Tuesday evenings from 4:30pm to 6;30pm at the</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>Five
Points CSA site</b>, 1911 Bernard St., Raleigh 27608. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We als<b><span style="font-size: medium;">o </span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">we have <b>On-Farm </b>pickup<span style="font-size: medium;"> is</span> from 4pm to 7p<span style="font-size: medium;">m on Wednesdays</span> at 1000</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>McLemore Road in Clayton, NC 2752<span style="font-size: medium;">0</span>.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, <span style="font-size: medium;">we offer </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">limited pickup every Saturday morning
from 8am to 12pm
at </span><span style="font-size: medium;">the <b>Western Wake Farmers Market</b>, 1225 Morrisville Carpenter</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b>Rd, Cary 27519 </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><b> </b></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Share <span style="font-size: medium;">S</span>izes: </span></span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We offer three share sizes<span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Large Share<span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">($480)</span></span> is a suitable amount of produce for a large household of 4+ people, or a couple of hungry vegetarians, to eat for a week. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our
Regular Share ($320) is a suitable amount of produce for a small
household of 1 to 3 people, or 1 hungry vegetarian, to eat for a week. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Small Share ($2<span style="font-size: medium;">00) </span>is
the same size as the regular share, but the pick ups are every other
week rather than weekly. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Full Year CSA Discou<span style="font-size: medium;">nt:</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">W</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">e are offering a 5% discount
for folks who would like to pay for their Spring and Fall shares in full
early in the year. <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pleas<span style="font-size: medium;">e <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">inquire</span> for <span style="font-size: medium;">more details.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Payment and Sign Up: </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Please make checks payable to In Good Heart Farm<span style="font-size: medium;"> a<span style="font-size: medium;">nd mail to: </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1000 McLemore Road</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Clayton<span style="font-size: medium;">, NC 27520</span></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You may<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> pay by mail with check or in person with check, cash or card. <span style="font-size: medium;">Your early a<span style="font-size: medium;">nd full<span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span>support is import<span style="font-size: medium;">ant to <span style="font-size: medium;">us. <span style="font-size: medium;">Members who pay in<span style="font-size: medium;"> full by February<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>15th<span style="font-size: medium;">, pay the flat <span style="font-size: medium;">membership fees above. <span style="font-size: medium;">However, we realize that <span style="font-size: medium;">some of you may not be able to pay in full or before February 15th. As such,<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>we offer a payment plan and a late sign<span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">up fee<span style="font-size: medium;"> of $25<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>(details are contained withi<span style="font-size: medium;">n the sign up form<span style="font-size: medium;">). </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">To sign up for our CSA, please fill out the form <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRTWjlxeGVzLTJzQUY4d3F6ZVZSR0E6MQ#gid=0" target="_blank">here</a> and send along your payment. </span></b> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>O<span style="font-size: medium;">THER INFORMATION</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sharing with others:</b> Some
members find it enjoyable to split CSA shares with other families &
friends. We also like to share food and enjoy such arrangements. If you choose
to split a share, please let us know at the beginning of the season so we may
avoid confusion.</span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Communication:</b><b> </b><i>Our main mode of communication is email.</i> We will send you weekly emails usually at the
beginning of the week. Our emails usually include farm updates, a list of that
weeks veggies, a copy of the weekly newsletter, and any notifications regarding
pickup.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Please email us <span style="font-size: medium;">at In<span style="font-size: medium;">Goo<span style="font-size: medium;">d<span style="font-size: medium;">Heart<span style="font-size: medium;">FarmNC@gmail.com if you have any <span style="font-size: medium;">questio<span style="font-size: medium;">ns or concerns. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
</div>
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-32819511437686147612013-01-12T09:52:00.001-05:002013-01-12T09:52:38.280-05:002013 CSA Sign Up Open Monday, January 14th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-npUkyL9HScmI7fMI4eDxvlhhuE0KiY5OXQ4WdfOSucDTp5ypdaYyWNM8t_DyMTe5s3u7O4Lt6aak76Urmwy-MPwyXWEePsC0jfJ4aii_08nzWDVj3j76vQSRXjNNvpsU8Ywp1Mbp_I/s1600/coming+soon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-npUkyL9HScmI7fMI4eDxvlhhuE0KiY5OXQ4WdfOSucDTp5ypdaYyWNM8t_DyMTe5s3u7O4Lt6aak76Urmwy-MPwyXWEePsC0jfJ4aii_08nzWDVj3j76vQSRXjNNvpsU8Ywp1Mbp_I/s320/coming+soon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Happy New Year! We're back from our German vacation and we're getting back to work. The 2013 CSA sign up will be open by Monday, January 14th! Until then, the basics are this:<br />
<ul>
<li>The Spring CSA will begin early April and run for 16 weeks through July. </li>
<li>We are offering three share size options: large ($480), regular ($320) and small ($200). </li>
<li>We will offer three pick up locations: the farm, Western Wake Farmers' Market and Five Points (1911 Bernard Street) in Raleigh. </li>
</ul>
<br />patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-60828638584805458142012-09-26T17:12:00.003-04:002012-09-26T17:13:32.202-04:00Fall/Winter Shares Available<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sign Up for 2012 Fall CSA is now OPEN!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">If you are interested in joining our Fall CSA this year, please take a look at the Fall CSA brochure <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1DIFPsJmDW_WlhNX01HZGxTYjg" target="_blank">here</a>. If you have any questions, please send us a message at InGoodHeartFarmNC@gmail.com.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb3MuiEv735AxwvVJJ5s4GRZ0Jzm66fBjNiiuwZsRpQ0tDObd6lS5oLvLA3bmr6kPMsWzW-aNfT7S2NFWwQBf9149RkLdiuIBOca7EAjwRpDW9NvRDrpFmmmZJm7Pkf0gl3ptoY1cCOw/s1600/Fall+CSA+share.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb3MuiEv735AxwvVJJ5s4GRZ0Jzm66fBjNiiuwZsRpQ0tDObd6lS5oLvLA3bmr6kPMsWzW-aNfT7S2NFWwQBf9149RkLdiuIBOca7EAjwRpDW9NvRDrpFmmmZJm7Pkf0gl3ptoY1cCOw/s320/Fall+CSA+share.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here's a quick breakdown of the info contained within the brochure: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- our CSA runs for 10 weeks beginning in October</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- we have three drop sites (Western Wake Farmer's Market in Morrisville, Five Points in Raleigh, and the Farm here in Clayton)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- we have three CSA share sizes: small, regular and large</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Cool season vegetables you will likely
receive in your Fall shares include (there will be multiple varieties of
these veggies e.g., kale: winterbor and red Russian kale, radishes:
watermelon, French breakfast, Easter egg, and black Spanish, etc. - so
there is more variety than this list lets on): </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- kale</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- collards</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- arugula</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- chard</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- spinach</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- sweet potatoes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- winter squash</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- radishes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- lettuce</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- turnips</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- broccoli</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- cauliflower</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- fennel</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- bok choy</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- cabbage</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- napa cabbage</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- tatsoi</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- beets</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- carrots</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- rutabaga</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- scallions</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- leeks</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">- herbs </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">If you are interested in joining our CSA, please print out, fill out, and mail the <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1DIFPsJmDW_WlhNX01HZGxTYjg" target="_blank">brochure</a> to </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">In Good Heart Farm</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">1000 McLemore Road </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Clayton, NC 27520</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Please make checks payable to In Good Heart Farm. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-38922871009443877582012-08-30T09:08:00.000-04:002012-08-30T09:08:54.158-04:00Guest Blog: Life-Changing Vegetables<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Here's a guest blog written by our friend & CSA member, Emily Estrada (we <b>love</b> her enthusiasm!!!): </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj9L5MsL8UReal6MDqtuUj4JazNjLKpI2JI2VYDFpjh0qaQfWAsBoGVrDAp1xI-F4IIluCPsCiJyTUsAuTTCMbOnRJC8R_KXJhyphenhyphenJMwNm-OpF4tjVaTubKzkP6T-53PUCdJABM2HQV4UE/s1600/i-love-healthy-eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj9L5MsL8UReal6MDqtuUj4JazNjLKpI2JI2VYDFpjh0qaQfWAsBoGVrDAp1xI-F4IIluCPsCiJyTUsAuTTCMbOnRJC8R_KXJhyphenhyphenJMwNm-OpF4tjVaTubKzkP6T-53PUCdJABM2HQV4UE/s320/i-love-healthy-eating.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If I were to ask those who know me
well for an adjective that best describes my personality, I suspect words such
as dramatic and theatrical would be used often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve made my peace with this and can admit that from time-to-time I
have, in order to (try to..) captivate an audience, presented certain things in
a dramatic, theatrical and maybe on occasion, even exaggerated manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I write that becoming a CSA
member with In Good Heart Farm has been one of the most life-changing decisions
I’ve ever made, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I assure you that I am
not being dramatic, theatrical <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or
exaggerating in the slightest</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
the surface, one may think, “Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really?!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Having a vegetable subscription has changed your life…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes – that’s exactly right – joining the CSA
in spring/summer 2011 changed my core, and even deeper, challenged what I
thought I knew about myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before you
dismiss me, read on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdloRtrJdICp4EpQtDF_RA1N7UrDhNyXo9MISHQ9wH7VI6rWMXmhsSatgzt1-ntQ8Hoc1pxnq-Ii9H_lwqzcANPAA2y66CsFnkjQOWdTbjV5kdcSvfa2JWNigWN4ZLZCJkQVxePZosnvI/s1600/love-vegetables-592x362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdloRtrJdICp4EpQtDF_RA1N7UrDhNyXo9MISHQ9wH7VI6rWMXmhsSatgzt1-ntQ8Hoc1pxnq-Ii9H_lwqzcANPAA2y66CsFnkjQOWdTbjV5kdcSvfa2JWNigWN4ZLZCJkQVxePZosnvI/s320/love-vegetables-592x362.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
most obvious (and I suspect common!) change is simply that I eat many more
vegetables now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the CSA, I would
honestly go days…weeks…and maybe even….months without eating a fresh
vegetable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I average about four
servings of vegetables per day (and in some weird way, increasing my vegetable
consumption has lead to an increase in my fruit consumption…who would have
thought?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like this is the type of
food my body was designed to consume...weird<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span> ).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was 28 when we joined the CSA, when, up
until then I had always resisted eating vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about that: over two and a half decades
of thinking one way (1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Veggies are
gross. 2. We’re “suppose” to eat vegetables but could never actually taste
good.), changed so quickly by being a part of the CSA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it’s best not to think about it;
when I do, I become angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is it,
exactly, that I resisted eating vegetables for a very long time – without ever
even considering how great they could taste (and make me feel!)?!?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not rhetorical – I think I have some
answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, I was not raised in a
veggie-centered family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although we are
all much more concerned with healthy eating today, this definitely wasn’t how
it was back in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up my palette
much preferred battered, deep-fried meats and (limited) vegetable items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, as a grown up, eating that type of food
feels normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, moving beyond my
family, I recently caught a few minutes of a cartoon on Nickelodeon when my
nephew visited us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the segment I
watched, the “punishment” given to a kid (or baby fairy, actually) was to eat
beets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beets?!?!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i>,
is that a punishment<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, more importantly, what message are we
sending our children when we tell them eating beets <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>a form of punishment rather than the wonderfully root-y treat
they are?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My point is that growing up in
a family that was not veggie-conscious <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">coupled
</i>with living in<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>a society that
tells children vegetables are gross, and that instead, they need to pick up a
bag of those ever-so-cool triple-dipped toxic waste flavored cheese puffs, left
me veggie-disillusioned for the majority of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a CSA member, my wonderment and absolute
amazement towards vegetables has been restored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWRp3fwxo0ZIyfKVAKNJo7IqrpxTxdZmXnUr807Gtt0LBuELPgJRI6DZEcYNdzK499Ndi3LCreuN0nwVDGzLoyOMQUjWojFkZRfY9CuCzslmGZAOOhKYDz-CngCKyF91qUHcmSIIGAak/s1600/heart-with-vegetables-inside-293x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWRp3fwxo0ZIyfKVAKNJo7IqrpxTxdZmXnUr807Gtt0LBuELPgJRI6DZEcYNdzK499Ndi3LCreuN0nwVDGzLoyOMQUjWojFkZRfY9CuCzslmGZAOOhKYDz-CngCKyF91qUHcmSIIGAak/s1600/heart-with-vegetables-inside-293x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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Change #2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m eating more diverse types of vegetable;
joining a CSA probably introduces many new and exotic vegetables for even those
that have been life-long produce lovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The more adventurous vegetables I’ve tried through the CSA for the first
time include: kohl rabi, leeks, fennel (OMG
– fennel – I still get chills when I think about the first time I had it; I was
seriously <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">angry </i>that this wonderful,
joyous product only entered into my life when I was 29!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did I live before it??), purple potatoes,
garlic scape, and Daikon radish to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But, to express even further the change brought about by the CSA, let me
also list the more traditional veggies I tried for the first time with the CSA:
broccoli, cauliflower, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any </i>type of
green (collard, swiss chard, kale (again – OMG
– kale chips??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An existential question
of the vegetable variety:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can a life
before kale chips, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really </i>be
considered living?), beet greens), beets, cabbage, carrots (alright, yes, I had
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">baby </i>carrots before – but they were
those little tooth-pick shaped carrots that somehow get widdled down to
stumps…I’m talking about those amazingly beautiful purple, yellow, orange, and
white ones that look as though the ground was actually their home at some
point), and radish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the CSA I
was, flat-out, unequivocally a Grade A weenie when it came to trying all food,
but in particular veggies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The CSA has
made me braver<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love </i>getting
a vegetable that I’ve never eaten before; even better if I’ve never even heard or
seen it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost every week I play the
“Name That Vegetable” game with family back in Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I send a picture of the veggie and they
submit their guesses<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, the CSA has made me not only a much
more frequent fresh food eater, but a more adventurous one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now know first, what the heck kale is, and
secondly the difference between Red Russian and Winterbore varieties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Same goes for radish – I can spot and
describe different varities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Same goes
for potatoes…and on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five years
ago, I never would have thought that this discovery and knowledge would have
entered my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you CSA!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The last, and in
many ways, deepest transformation the I’ll write about concerns the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>realization that food is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so </i>much more than I ever thought it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always known that food tasted good and,
because of this, can make me happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
by saying that food is so much more than what I could have ever imagined, I
mean that the CSA has helped me realize the natural and social connections betweens
the food-production earth, the farmers that cultivate the food, and me – the
being that consumes it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve often joked
that until I met Patricia and Ben, I thought vegetables came out of the ground
in a can filled with a water solution, is because when vegetables did make an
appearance in my family, they usually came from a can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, I cannot express in words the
wonderment I felt the first time I saw a carrot pop out of the ground; my life
changed in an instant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing that
carrot come out of the ground reminded me that in many fundamental ways, I
depend on the earth and, likewise, when treated properly (as Patricia and Ben
very much do) the earth depends on us as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of the modern-day industrial food production systems and
messages that we’re surrounded by, it’s easy to forget how food connects us to
the natural world and, what’s more, it’s easy to ignore the relationship we
have with food, the earth, and the food producers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gaining this knowledge – the knowledge that
my time on earth is connected to a much larger phenomena – has helped me gain a
new perspective on life.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
weird to admit, but one of my favorite things to talk about are vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a friend joins the CSA, it’s all I can
do to stop myself from wanting to know how they’re going to store their
veggies, how they are going to prepare them, and how they tasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the first day of pickup this season, I
wanted to take a picture as in “First Day of CSA!” in the “First Day of School”
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next go-round, I think I may
actually do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
UNLESS they ate so much of the AMAZING Raw Beet Salad recipe Wake Cooperative
posted on facebook and got a belly-ache like I do, but that’s only because it
was super-yummy!</div>
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<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
And not only about trying vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For, I’ve recently discovered a fondness for shrimp – LOVE them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old Emily would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never </i>even entertain the idea of trying shrimp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4325360039466262675#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Admittedly, these submissions tend to be more comical than serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The garlic scape elicited a response of
“Freddy Krueger herbs” and…well, I won’t tell you what they came up with for
Daikon radish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-71901005394073852172012-08-14T16:52:00.000-04:002012-08-14T16:53:12.518-04:00Productive Sunday FUNdays Ahead! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s3AIdXBsj0SIFMScq4jVtffJzHVQmUHsOFONKWo4SlYq1BFnXMBd_2cnpNXw0g5No-45nI2Xe0F90Dp8TWGEiEgnDMrV135G75wfkaMOWCE9Y2LuAIPjubSpcbOvRgxE_6IWqb1KDnU/s1600/DSCF3909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s3AIdXBsj0SIFMScq4jVtffJzHVQmUHsOFONKWo4SlYq1BFnXMBd_2cnpNXw0g5No-45nI2Xe0F90Dp8TWGEiEgnDMrV135G75wfkaMOWCE9Y2LuAIPjubSpcbOvRgxE_6IWqb1KDnU/s320/DSCF3909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seedlings in the tunnel (thanks to Cate, Allie & Brandi for helping us seed these flats!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As you know, there’s always work to be done on the farm and
now is no exception. We’re working on getting our fall cover crops planted and
our fall produce seedlings in the soil. We’ll be transplanting LOTS of goodies
including, Brussels sprouts, green and red cabbage, white, yellow and green
cauliflower, collards, kale, purple and white kohlrabi, mustard greens, napa
cabbage, tatsoi, broccoli, beets, radish, and rutabaga. Many of you have
expressed a desire to help us out on the farm <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(many of you have already helped us SO much!) and
we thought it might be easier – and more fun – if we had something of a
planting party again. Only, this time around it’s a bit more difficult for me
(Patricia) to get a whole lot of food together for our post-labor feast, given
the new baby and his lack of desire to participate in baby wearing just yet.
So, we were hoping that folks could pack a small picnic if they wanted to and
we could provide some snack food (e.g., chips and salsa, cut up fruit, cut up
veggies, etc.). Anyway, the best time for us to have folks out – and we think
the best time for y’all – is Sundays. So we’d like to open up the next four
Sundays to planting party time – productive Sunday FUNdays, if you will<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span>.
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We’ll start around <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4pm</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> and spend a few hours each Sunday (8/19, 8/26, 9/2, and 9/9</b>)
transplanting seedlings and then we’ll hang out together in the shade enjoying
snacks, personal picnics, and refreshments (a nice glass of wine or a good beer
are definitely encouraged if you’re into that sort of thing <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>).
If you think you would like to come out to help transplant, please shoot us an
email, let Ben know when you see him at drop, or give us a call (919-800-8898)
so we know when to expect you. If you’d like to bring out friends or family,
please do – the more the merrier! Of course, dress appropriately (comfy clothes
and shoes, hats, sunscreen, etc.) and bring a water container of some kind. </div>
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So, if you’ve never been out here, it’s easy. If you’re
coming from the Triangle, just take I-40 East and get off at Exit 312. The <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1000+McLemore+Road&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&ei=C3MqULXJM-S16AHnhYCIDA&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg">Google
map directions</a> take you the rest of the way. Our address is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1000 McLemore Road</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Clayton</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NC</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">27520</b>.
When you pull into the driveway, please park so that you do not block anyone.
You will see a pretty white and green farm house and you’ll see a trailer.
Beth, Eric and the kids live in the house. We’re in the trailer (our mailing
address is 1000, but our physical address is 980) – but we’ll probably be
outside when you show up. If you have any questions, give Ben a call (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">919-800-8898</b>). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We hope to see you some Sunday afternoon! </td></tr>
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patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-77914720759424146272012-05-14T13:36:00.001-04:002012-05-14T13:36:34.838-04:00Ramble On<i>Here's the farm update from the CSA newsletter for this week (Week #4 May 14, 2012). </i><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ramble On</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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Last week was a nice cool week again and yesterday brought
us more rain - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with more to come in the
next couple of days. This is great for us and for the farm – although it does
mean we have to pick the summer squash and zucchini more often (as the rain
bulks them up quickly). We managed to get a lot of our tasks accomplished last
week between the days at market and CSA drops - but we do still have some left
over items to try to tackle this week, including thinning the green bean plants
and building the high tunnels. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL0ePX_56Ktr5ANHZLnjwx8eBIP_6kbwjk2ISnz6D8F83L_M1f3yM5Dsl93tNK1BIvil5EYljlsaVs0yNcAGJNgt3wONL_A3g3Qk6ms15KF5wo5ebh2aPsTdhlkPtQ-CQ0P8KnxwamnI/s1600/help+from+my+friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHL0ePX_56Ktr5ANHZLnjwx8eBIP_6kbwjk2ISnz6D8F83L_M1f3yM5Dsl93tNK1BIvil5EYljlsaVs0yNcAGJNgt3wONL_A3g3Qk6ms15KF5wo5ebh2aPsTdhlkPtQ-CQ0P8KnxwamnI/s320/help+from+my+friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our friend Liese came out to the farm Thursday evening and
helped us harvest all day Friday and attended Western Wake Market with me on
Saturday. She’s coming back to the farm with me this Tuesday and she’ll be
spending the week helping us attempt to get caught up with farm tasks. Our
friend (and intern), Meredith, came out Friday before she had to go to work to
help us harvest as well. And – Saturday our friends Andy and Craig came out to help
Ben put the roof on the lean to building (it’s what the walk-in cooler is going
to be built under)! We are SO, SO, SO blessed to have so many supportive people
in our lives! The farm may be managed mostly by Ben and I, but we couldn’t do
any of it without the help and support of our friends, CSA members, and market
customers. You are all truly co-producers and we are extremely grateful for
your efforts! </div>
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As I type, Ben is hilling up potatoes. The plants are
blooming and need more soil around them to grow more effectively. After that,
our friend Craig is coming back out (he took two weeks off work and is spending
some of that time helping Ben try to get the cooler up and running out here).
Ben and I harvested all of the squash and zucchini that was up to size this
morning. We have four 240 foot rows of summer squash (that’s almost 1,000
squash plants!), so it takes about 45 minutes to an hour for the two of us to
harvest. If we don’t keep up with them, particularly when there are rainy days,
they get huge and too bitter to bother with (except maybe large zucchini for
zucchini bread). We then wiped the sandy soil off each of the squash and graded
them (according to size and as “seconds”) to store them in our current cold
room (this is the room CSA members picking up at the farm go into). After that,
we washed all of our market bins. As we’re bringing more items to market, we’re
using more bins, so this chore has grown rather lengthy as well. It takes Ben
and I about 40 minutes or so to wash all of the bins and lids if we do it
together. </div>
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Tomorrow Sean Barker, of Part and Parcel Farm, is coming out
to check out our operation. Being a farmer, he understands that while we love
having folks out to the farm, pretty much the only way it’s possible for us to
visit is if someone works with us – so Sean offered to do a couple hours of
work with us during his visit. We’re very much looking forward to speaking with
him about what we do and learning more about what he’s doing as well. It’s
always nice to talk with fellow farmers. Also, tomorrow, CSA member and friend,
Charlotte, is coming out in the afternoon to help Ben do some much needed
transplanting and hopefully also stake and tie up tomatoes. The first round of
tomato plants are getting pretty big! Of course, I’ll be headed to the Five
Points drop to meet folks for the CSA pick up between 4:30 and 6:30.
Please remember that while I am completely capable of doing all sorts of farm
and off-farm tasks being over 8 months pregnant, I cannot pull out the tent and
set it up by myself (it’s just too heavy and cumbersome) – so, if you’re the
first person to drop and you’re willing, I’ll need your help with the tent. It’ll
only take a couple minutes. Thanks, Michelle, for helping last week! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>
</div>
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Alrighty! I suppose I’ve rambled enough for now. As usual,
let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. We’re here to help!
Thanks for keeping up with us and please let us know how things are going with
you. If you have anything you would like to share in the newsletter (e.g., how
you use your weekly shares, how you feel about being part of CSA or this CSA in
particular, what your thoughts are on the environment and health, book
recommendations, etc.), please send it our way (<a href="mailto:InGoodHeartFarmNC@gmail.com">InGoodHeartFarmNC@gmail.com</a>). I
could certainly use the help writing the newsletter and I think y’all might
like to hear from folks other than myself for once! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span> </div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-73978418841352827522012-05-14T13:17:00.002-04:002012-05-14T13:18:57.183-04:00Farm Time<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>Below is an entry from last week's newsletter for the CSA (Week #3; May 7, 2012). Read on if you'd like to know more about what Ben and I have been up to out here. </i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Farm Time</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3L7jUzePjQB_dj5wTKSpqywp0V8kbrMpZen7fIW7ieAlTysOtJoNO3cVOLxVgZCdFlfIPdlPXhdmMI44nHjb2ZzmRsxnVI6CJnXWswzcfvhx4r4yygbcNEuU5Fv5zH7aqcy2YSqOBHU/s1600/thanktheearth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3L7jUzePjQB_dj5wTKSpqywp0V8kbrMpZen7fIW7ieAlTysOtJoNO3cVOLxVgZCdFlfIPdlPXhdmMI44nHjb2ZzmRsxnVI6CJnXWswzcfvhx4r4yygbcNEuU5Fv5zH7aqcy2YSqOBHU/s320/thanktheearth.jpg" width="217" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The habit of looking to the
future and thinking that the whole meaning of the present lies in what it will
bring forth is a pernicious one. There can be no value in the whole unless
there is value in the parts.</span><br />
<div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">BERTRAND RUSSELL, <i>Conquest of Happiness</i></span></div>
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Whew! It feels great to have received some good, drenching
(and cooling!) rains! Last week was quite the hot and humid time. Tuesday and
Wednesday in particular, I had to give up working outside much past 10am. Instead I chose to do paperwork inside
and run errands with the car (which, unlike the truck, has air conditioning). </div>
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This week we broke down and transported the high tunnels we
originally built in October last year for use for the fall and winter crops to
the spring and summer fields. We’ll re-build the tunnels to use for some of our
summer crops – especially tomatoes. Monday, CSA member, Charlotte, came out and
helped us transplant tomatoes and peppers. Ben direct seeded green beans, dill,
and radishes and cultivated the spring garden. In the process of prepping a bed
for tomatoes, he managed to get some row fabric (which he used to cover the
closest crops to the tractor to keep them protected from thrown soil) caught in
the tractor implement (the rotovator). Not only did we lose about 250 feet of
row cover, we spent quite a lot of time working to get that stuff out of the rotovator
so Ben could finish prepping beds. After quite a lot of frustration, we
triumphed over the mangled row cover and high-fived each other for getting
through it! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>
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Last week, we also managed to keep ourselves pretty busy
with our daily chores and weekly harvest, wash, and CSA drop/market days. If
you came out to the farm today, you’d see that our “lawn” is in desperate need
of being mowed and we have every intention of getting to that task someday –
it’s just such a low level item on our already lengthy regular daily and weekly
chores list. Our spare time is spent working on the tasks on our weekly to-do
quadrant. This week we have a TON of transplanting to do. Also, the weeds are
catching up on us and we need to get out there and hand weed and cultivate
(with the wheel hoe and the tractor, depending on the crop). We also need to go
ahead and thin the green beans and stake the tomatoes. I don’t know about
y’all, but we can see July just over the horizon! We’re also going to finish
the transport of the high tunnels and re-construct them this week. And Ben
needs to get on that tractor and put in the cover crop on our fall/winter field
as well as the new, big field we added on this year. It’s going to be another
whirlwind of a week! See you soon! </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Time is an illusion.
Lunchtime doubly so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">DOUGLAS ADAMS, <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i></span></div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-15288030320818875392012-04-30T16:25:00.000-04:002012-04-30T16:25:07.464-04:00Farm News<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAuVhiYMYI2NdcEXk5k246uvUFM5UloiXGGjUn5d7lrzzPXgIlRt4z8w35_ShmfPW09lEuBP6-7HUZl3na-shx8cl3C0tFoNpLyyRax4i0PIyXl5xD99bMEMq5_8bat8lqdNkUdLwA-M/s1600/DSCF3653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAuVhiYMYI2NdcEXk5k246uvUFM5UloiXGGjUn5d7lrzzPXgIlRt4z8w35_ShmfPW09lEuBP6-7HUZl3na-shx8cl3C0tFoNpLyyRax4i0PIyXl5xD99bMEMq5_8bat8lqdNkUdLwA-M/s320/DSCF3653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Here's an entry from our Week #2 Newsletter for CSA members. </i> </div>
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Ben and I took our usual Sunday stroll through the garden
today and it looks like everything is about to go gangbusters on us! The
cabbage is beginning to head up, the squash is fruiting and blooming up a
storm, the garlic is producing scapes and the leaves are starting to go yellow/brown
(which is an indicator of when it’s ready for picking), the broccoli is full of
baby crowns, the potatoes are starting to bloom, and, of course, the plethora
of weeds are thriving as well! This week we’ll harvest scallions, tat soi,
lettuce, strawberries, arugula, herbs (flat leaf parsley, dill, cilantro, and garlic
scapes), kale, chard and beets for y’all. We picked the kale and the chard
pretty hard last week, so we’re going to offer you the option of kale, chard,
or beets for this week – which we’re calling the “choose 1 option”. Remember,
the early bird gets the worm – so if you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i>
want one of those things, it’s probably best to come to the pick up site as
early as you can. We’re also going to offer the herbs as a “choose 1 option” –
you get to pick between cilantro, dill, parsley and garlic scapes (or – if we
have enough garlic scapes to give to everyone, it will be an added extra and
you pick between the others). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bAac62pqw1VrGx98HIIVo4AIgTsuuWUdWGeTxAdJ9BymswcP0wmteb2icXggFdVoGy6cXoDF9mGldfwqfHeplcSmW6_MzLW4Ml5yhmrRjq8_ys2-j8KNKU8QnrchldtQDaSxLNF17oQ/s1600/DSCF3611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bAac62pqw1VrGx98HIIVo4AIgTsuuWUdWGeTxAdJ9BymswcP0wmteb2icXggFdVoGy6cXoDF9mGldfwqfHeplcSmW6_MzLW4Ml5yhmrRjq8_ys2-j8KNKU8QnrchldtQDaSxLNF17oQ/s320/DSCF3611.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last week was a good first week of getting into the swing of
spring things. We had a good first market at the Raleigh Downtown Market. We
met quite a few nice, new folks. We even met one of our neighbors. We also had
a nice time meeting new CSA members this week and catching up with returning
members. Everyone’s excitement has been infectious and has given Ben and I a
much needed second wind to get more summer crops in the ground and get the
cooler under way. Before we know it, it’ll be June! In between harvest,
washing, boxing, and delivering to CSA drops and going to markets, we’ve
managed to get some more things done on the farm. CSA member, Charlotte came
out this week to help us cultivate, hand weed, and transplant tomatoes. I
seeded up pumpkins and more tat soi and Ben direct seeded more mesclun and
cilantro. Ben spent some time replacing the bearings on the disk harrow and
disked up ground for late tomatoes and peppers. Earlier in the week, he got a
truck load of compost from the city of Raleigh
and spread it and then finish the beds to prep more ground for summer produce. Friday,
our friends Tarah, Meredith and Meredith’s friend, Liz came out to the farm to
help us harvest for Saturday’s markets and CSA pick up. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8mEMRa2PRFgPUiZL2BvyOAoMFqiT64hdTXxu6d1XS_X77zbgxkd57LYDY35bnO1BL8MPo10btCoiB_dsx3uw7b9tmS_PbsUEuZinZSZRIGiuyiGcOVE1vH77g-iFg07HeNPcdsKx6eI/s1600/DSCF3632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8mEMRa2PRFgPUiZL2BvyOAoMFqiT64hdTXxu6d1XS_X77zbgxkd57LYDY35bnO1BL8MPo10btCoiB_dsx3uw7b9tmS_PbsUEuZinZSZRIGiuyiGcOVE1vH77g-iFg07HeNPcdsKx6eI/s320/DSCF3632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the chicken tractor for the "tweens"</td></tr>
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Life on the farm means we work a lot, but it also means
we’re often entertained. The not-so-baby chicks (I think they might be
“tweens”) have provided a personal comedy show for us each evening this week.
Ben put a few roosts in the chicken tractor and they all try to roost on the
highest one. They wind up jumping on each others’ backs and struggling to push
each other off the roost and start all over again. Fittingly, it’s kind of like
they’re playing chicken. Charlie, our dog, also provides quite a bit of
entertainment. He likes to hop in tall grass like a gazelle – and no matter how
many times he does it, it makes us laugh. He’s an awfully goofy dog. He also
managed to get into it with a ground hog a couple weeks ago. I had no idea
ground hogs were so tough – Charlie finally met his match. By the time Ben and
I were able to figure out what all the commotion was about, we saw a ground hog
attached to Charlie’s face (more specifically, he had Charlie by the nose).
There was quite a lot of blood for a couple minutes or so, but the ground hog
and the dog left that match relatively unscathed. Charlie may have a scar on
his nose and hopefully, he’ll learn his lesson not to mess with wild animals –
or ground hogs, at least! </div>
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Well, I guess that’s all for now folks! Thanks for taking
the time to read this and find out a little bit about what’s going on the farm.
Let us know how you’re doing too! </div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-74441119931950938212012-04-12T17:10:00.001-04:002012-04-12T17:12:05.971-04:00Western Wake Farmer's Market Vendor Spotlight<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #2192e7;"><i> <span style="color: black;">Check out the spotlight on us in the Western Wake Farmer's Market newsletter. Thanks WWFM! </span></i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div><span style="color: #2192e7; font-size: 14pt;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">(http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Western-Wake-Farmers--Market-Newsletter.html?soid=1102557664784&aid=c7DCwLpwmrE)</span> </span></i></span></div><div></div><div><span style="color: #2192e7; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Vendor Spotlight: In Good Heart Farm</i></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"> </span><br />
<div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"> </span></span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><a href="http://bensproduce.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: grey; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">In Good Heart Farm</a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> (formerly Ben's Produce), owned and operated by Ben Shields and Patricia Parker, offers vegetables,</span><span style="color: grey; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><img align="right" border="0" height="261" hspace="5" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/421608_315529521837627_269543886436191_893872_425544074_n.jpg" style="text-align: right;" vspace="10" width="174" /></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> strawberries & flowers of the highest quality and taste in the Triangle from their farm in Clayton, NC. Their mission is to strive for healthier people, community, agriculture and planet by growing and sharing the best tasting food they can. Their farming practices meet and surpass organic guidelines but they choose not to be</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> certified because they are confident the reflection of their practices in the quality of their produce as well as their relationship with you speaks to their commitment to healthy food and holistic agriculture. 2012 will be their third year farming independently, though they have been farming with family and friends for many years.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Ben grew up farming and swore it off in early adulthood. After working a desk job in Manhattan, Ben realized he wanted to live a farming life. Patricia never imagined she'd be farming someday. She met and fell in love with Ben, realizing his dream was unexpectedly hers too. They farm because they love to grow goodness.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">To make their farm sustainable, Ben and Patricia add nutrients to the soil using cover crops and crop rotation. They also use compost. They are currently making their own compost with scraps from Pullen Place in Raleigh. They also plan to start using the chicken tractor to allow the chickens to clean up old areas as well as fertilize. They irrigate when th</span><span style="color: grey; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva; font-size: 11pt;"><img align="left" border="0" height="173" hspace="5" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/292262_337464842977428_269543886436191_950547_186749308_n.jpg" style="text-align: left;" vspace="10" width="231" /></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ere is not enough rain and when they transplant see</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">dlings. In terms of pest management, they begin by farm-scaping and planting crops that encourage beneficial insects with food and habitat (those critters that eat or otherwise kill the critters that eat the plants). They also work hard to improve their soil and boost the natural pest and disease resistance of the vegetables. The better the soil quality, the bet<span style="color: #7d7d7d;">ter their plants are able to fend off pests and disease.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Ben and Patricia are not only active on their farm, but also in our community. They feel very strongly that we need to grow more healthy food, more healthy communities, and more sustainable farmers so that we can all live good lives. They not only work to grow healthy food and relationships, but they also work to spread what they know and what they do as much as possible. Ben and Patricia co-founded </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Farm it Forward</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> with </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Advocates for Health in Action</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> and partners </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Wake Med</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">, </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Energize!,</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> the </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Inter-Faith Food Shuttle</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">, and </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">EFNEP</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> and </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4325360039466262675&postID=7444111993195093821&from=pencil" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">NC Cooperative Extension</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">. 2012 will mark their second year providing CSA shares to families in need who might not otherwise have access to sustainably grown produce. They are also involved in two agriculture-related working groups in the area. They take every opportunity to participate in local panel discussions, to speak with kids at schools, and they always invite folks to come out to the farm and learn more about what they do.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">Ben and Patricia love that they are able to complement each other so nicely in their partnership as farmers as well as life partners. "We are so lucky to be able to do something we believe in and something we know makes a positive difference, even if it's small. We love being able to form lasting relationships with the land and so many wonderful community members. "</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">They want you to know that you are MUCH more than a customer! Your participation makes you a co-producer. As Wendell Berry says, "Eating is an agricultural act." Never doubt your actions have ripple effects around you. Change doesn't have to be overwhelming - begin with baby steps. Together, we can all make the world a happier and healthier place!</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">So, why the name change? In Good Heart has a lot of meanings, but they decided on the new name based on the Old English use of the phrase. To say that the soil is in good heart is to </span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">say that it is healthy, in good cultivation, and in good spiri</span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><img align="right" border="0" height="156" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423129_312399178817328_269543886436191_885355_1885484895_n.jpg" style="text-align: right;" vspace="5" width="202" /></span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">t. To say that a person is in good heart is to say that they are cultivating </span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">w</span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">isdom, courage, and good spirit. Ben and Patricia felt th</span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">at their farm name should represent their vision and they couldn't think of a better representation of what they </span><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">want to do and what they want to be in our world than In Good Heart.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS,Geneva;"><span style="color: #007da1;"><span style="color: grey; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: grey;"><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">To learn more about In Good Heart Farm, visit </span> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/InGoodHeartFarm" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/InGoodHeartFarm</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> and </span> <a href="http://www.bensproducenc.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.BensProduceNC.com</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;"> or contact Ben and Patricia at </span> <a href="mailto:InGoodHeartFarmNC@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">InGoodHeartFarmNC@gmail.com</a><span style="color: #7d7d7d; font-size: 10pt;">, (919) 800-8898.</span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br />
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<img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/whims-div-2.gif" />patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-45246255807043719112012-04-05T19:15:00.000-04:002012-04-05T19:15:21.100-04:00Busy Bees<div class="MsoNormal">Boy oh boy – it’s been a busy year so far! The last time I posted, I posted the invite for the 2012 Onion Planting Party. It was a HUGE success! We managed to plant – not 1,500 but 6,000!!! onion plants! And we did it all in under an hour. We finished so quickly, I was thrown off guard and hurriedly got together the food from inside to put outside under the tents – with the help of mostly the female folk in attendance. The taco salad, burrito/taco bar food theme was also a success. I’ve struggled to try to come up with a good theme that allows me (and others) to easily have food to meet almost everyone’s food preferences (e.g., gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, etc.). Thanks go to my mom for coming up with the idea!<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span> By three o’clock or so, most folks had a chance to plant, party, and were on their way. It was a beautiful, semi-lazy Sunday and we got work done – that’s my kind of Sunday! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4qr5gOflPrK5QDLwczWPNPCZtJ0aJpSG2fpghG-uJkz7JwkWs0Rr71BmFDcmIzs2O3KKheMg6uHZth9vtuwogNig-TI3wwP23Y-1sLrOEgP-8rlfAr54ljuuPfhNOKO1sIGDVQI55V4/s1600/DSCF3371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4qr5gOflPrK5QDLwczWPNPCZtJ0aJpSG2fpghG-uJkz7JwkWs0Rr71BmFDcmIzs2O3KKheMg6uHZth9vtuwogNig-TI3wwP23Y-1sLrOEgP-8rlfAr54ljuuPfhNOKO1sIGDVQI55V4/s320/DSCF3371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Folks gettin down and dirty with the soil. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss8IINiPof91UtNQyTQ9frjhPwvAiWsUndrYz5ns868I6J6SU4ASr6oUbmwt-6fmu5axVsuMQn7p6eHFu3dB5N6VOhCvIfQZLoC_23uRDgUE9rqdpNOaHl4ysuAVMDZEQzkR6IYO4dgo/s1600/DSCF3376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss8IINiPof91UtNQyTQ9frjhPwvAiWsUndrYz5ns868I6J6SU4ASr6oUbmwt-6fmu5axVsuMQn7p6eHFu3dB5N6VOhCvIfQZLoC_23uRDgUE9rqdpNOaHl4ysuAVMDZEQzkR6IYO4dgo/s320/DSCF3376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZb24ZM0iGcRMaFGUWFrjmHww28kvZkJuJStC5pHr-U0G6XI-Uh8wliFiQU6RJSy3imIJFr5Tvz44J0ZwG4WCGqZxZ9h7yW-RRwIrzJgUUSDOMugqwAGwIMKnKs_XjZalwMbDJT7jd5dU/s1600/DSCF3379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZb24ZM0iGcRMaFGUWFrjmHww28kvZkJuJStC5pHr-U0G6XI-Uh8wliFiQU6RJSy3imIJFr5Tvz44J0ZwG4WCGqZxZ9h7yW-RRwIrzJgUUSDOMugqwAGwIMKnKs_XjZalwMbDJT7jd5dU/s320/DSCF3379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that gorgeous blue sky.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItDp-9_aXqUMS-hEv8OQCw_JpvgjmnthiHMyfo3d42xQWzvr_KO7s7fUU9lBzsQEOdwAbpKm-BRDSGnJvQ1WICFnMkYYt-QbrFhHP1X-PwjsWOKUmX7InaOpeQDLdT59iEphJpa_q-Lc/s1600/DSCF3381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItDp-9_aXqUMS-hEv8OQCw_JpvgjmnthiHMyfo3d42xQWzvr_KO7s7fUU9lBzsQEOdwAbpKm-BRDSGnJvQ1WICFnMkYYt-QbrFhHP1X-PwjsWOKUmX7InaOpeQDLdT59iEphJpa_q-Lc/s320/DSCF3381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to dig in!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ben and I (with some help from our friend and CSA member, Charlotte) have been doing a lot more planting since then. Just to give you a good idea – those 6,000 onions were planted in 2 ½ beds (240 bed feet each). Since then, we’ve planted almost THIRTY (200-240ft long) more beds of produce that includes, spinach, beets, tat soi, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, scallions, leeks, chard, kale, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, parsley, fennel, carrots, peas, mesclun, arugula, dill, cilantro, and potatoes (I might be forgetting something). And, to tell you the truth, April is going to be our busiest planting month of all – and it just started! We can hardly believe it’s April already. April is not only our busiest planting month, we also do a lot of cultivating and weeding, and getting ready for markets. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRpV_qY_eaEN4E7f9KiWAN5j75dUyj_uWRxjNmL4_0ZjbDboQH86cjk86slRrlyu1z9hRbH2gKDhI34zB6Nhta4K_bZWUiH53fpV2wSlif6vPDihsVttwEbfYg7YzINlZmxlh_CvdgGE/s1600/farm-it-forward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRpV_qY_eaEN4E7f9KiWAN5j75dUyj_uWRxjNmL4_0ZjbDboQH86cjk86slRrlyu1z9hRbH2gKDhI34zB6Nhta4K_bZWUiH53fpV2wSlif6vPDihsVttwEbfYg7YzINlZmxlh_CvdgGE/s320/farm-it-forward.jpg" width="320" /></a>This year, we’ll be attending the <a href="http://westernwakefarmersmarket.org/" target="_blank">Western Wake Farmer’s Market</a> (the Spring/Summer market opens this weekend 8am-noon), the <a href="http://www.clayton-farmers-market.org/" target="_blank">Clayton Community and Farmer’s Market</a> (opening 4/14 9am – 2pm), and, for the first time, the <a href="http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/farmers-market" target="_blank">Raleigh Downtown Farmer’s Market</a> (opens 4/25 Wednesdays 10 am – 2pm). We’ve also increased our CSA membership to 59 shares. The small share size and alternating small share pick up weeks has allowed us to do this. We’re happy to see so many folks return and we’re also happy to see new folks join CSA and this CSA more specifically. We will also be continuing our <a href="http://bensproduce.blogspot.com/p/farm-it-forward.html" target="_blank">Farm It Forward</a> efforts this year. We hope to have two 6 week long Farm It Forward sessions, providing CSA shares to 12 families.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">As you know, we rotate our cover crops and we also plant to encourage beneficial (to the health of the farm) critters. So, we’ve also spent some time taking down the low tunnels, mowing the winter cover crops, prepping beds for the spring crops, and then also mowing down the old winter vegetable crops and prepping ground for spring cover crops to go in. The cover crop that was just mowed consisted of barley, oats, peas, daikon radish and volunteer vetch and crimson clover. Ben planted Dutch white clover, mustard, barley and wild flowers for our beneficial habitat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisseTxLLspbaw0Qv8NLgSrBleKRdwLQbnEKL0cGiYdgbEuD2-dhWTKweKGtiFZ1X-T4jMZ1B2GiY1tAGX7YU4mSXG_Gx1Ub3-WHnChSzF4SavxfF577bNPL-VKfFgcAVHlNzCU7GXTPKA/s1600/DSCF3552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisseTxLLspbaw0Qv8NLgSrBleKRdwLQbnEKL0cGiYdgbEuD2-dhWTKweKGtiFZ1X-T4jMZ1B2GiY1tAGX7YU4mSXG_Gx1Ub3-WHnChSzF4SavxfF577bNPL-VKfFgcAVHlNzCU7GXTPKA/s320/DSCF3552.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of the beautiful cover crop we just mowed down. </td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">In other news, we applied for and received a <a href="http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/home" target="_blank">NRCS</a> (Natural Resource Conservation Service – part of the USDA) high tunnel cost share! We currently have three home made high tunnels. We first constructed them in October. Shortly, we will take them down and set them up elsewhere for our use with Spring and Summer crops (mostly, tomatoes). As you can probably imagine, it takes a lot of time and effort to take down and reconstruct these high tunnels – and we’re not complaining! – we’re happy to have them! BUT – let’s just say that the new tunnel we’ll be getting from the NRCS cost share will be A LOT easier to move!!! This one will be on tracks and it will therefore be easily mobile. We’ll just have to slide the hoop house down the tracks (rather than completely taking it down, moving the parts, and then putting them back together again). So, while we’re not complaining about our homemade three high tunnels, we’re very excited to get one that will be more efficient and a lot less work, so that we can focus our efforts on one of the other tasks on our never-ending to do lists (actually, thanks to Ben and Habits of Successful People, we use a to-do quadrant with important/urgent, important/less urgent, less important/urgent, and less important/less urgent as the categories – it took some convincing for me, but it really does work!). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, in addition to our making preparations for a busy and productive year on the farm, we’re also making preparations for the arrival of our newest family member, Elliott (in late June or early July). The same day we had our (very fun!) baby shower, 50 baby chick-a-dees arrived in the mail. It was a Sunday, so the main Post Office in Raleigh called us at 7am to let us know the chicks had arrived and we could pick them up. So, of course, that’s what we did (well, Ben and my dad went – my mom and I were getting things together for the shower). While my folks were here, we got a lot of our nesting accomplished, with their BIG help including, putting new blinds on all of the windows, putting up new curtains in Elliott’s room and the living room, putting a new sliding glass door that leads out of our kitchen onto the porch, refurnishing the living room with new to us items – including my Oma’s awesome couch from the 1970s, setting up Elliott’s room organizationally and making it a guest room for now, which leads to the biggest deal yet – we got a new KING SIZE BED (and moved our old bed into the guest room – which will be Elliott’s room down the road)!!! Ben sleeps like a crazy person, our bed was old and may as well have been a hammock, and we’re about to have another person in it with us, so we decided (thanks to the help of my folks) to get a new bed. Ben and I are in heaven – we both feel like we’re the luckiest people ever to have a bed so darn comfortable. I’m not sure the thanks I feel every time I get in that bed is ever going to go away – and I’m sure Ben feels the same way. When you’re exhausted after a long day, and place you can lie down will do the trick, but having something you can wake up from rested – well, that’s heaven! Before my folks came, Ben and our neighbors put in wood laminate flooring in the guest room (to replace the old “white” plush carpeting). Ahhh – it is nice to have a cozy home – thanks mom and dad!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnqx7akBCoRhq3ai7hv1fNSwaUBxSCZiCtxrsZgiTQpmqKoy7hP2GRqfMzxaPSKCILTSjXxa2l_lY3go3xut1FrcHOHDqqM7s3P9l8B4vUDvb2ievLhZGvNI-eX1cBZwB3AH9fNY0ob4/s1600/DSCF3514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnqx7akBCoRhq3ai7hv1fNSwaUBxSCZiCtxrsZgiTQpmqKoy7hP2GRqfMzxaPSKCILTSjXxa2l_lY3go3xut1FrcHOHDqqM7s3P9l8B4vUDvb2ievLhZGvNI-eX1cBZwB3AH9fNY0ob4/s320/DSCF3514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, Dad, Ben and I (with Ben's sister Mary in the background)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What else? Hmmm…there are a lot of other things that have happened out here since the last time I posted – but I’m not sure I can keep them straight. It might be a little easier if I just listed the rest of what I can remember: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Ben’s cousin, Roy, designed our new logo. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We designed a new banner for market and friend Cyndi hooked us up with a sign maker, Steve, who’s doing the printing for us. We can’t wait to hang the new banner up! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We also designed new business cards. We should get them in the mail sometime in the next week or so. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We met with our Farm It Forward partners to decide on a plan of action for Farm It Forward 2012. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Ben will be a panelist for the “What’s on Your Plate?” screening April 17<sup>th</sup>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>I volunteered for this year’s Dig In! event (it was lots of fun!). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We repaired the pick up (it needed a new starter). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We’ve been working on getting together our new pole building and walk-in cooler. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We finally finished weeding our strawberries just in time to have to do it all over again!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We pick up compost weekly from Pullen Place. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We’ve done our monthly profit and loss reports and we’re almost finished with our tax paperwork (cutting it close, I know) for 2011. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Ben, with the help of a neighbor welder, Jeff, designed and built a custom-made garden cart that’s big enough to wheel with us over the rows. We can also attach the custom built row marker as well (this saves us countless hours overall). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, that’s all folks – at least for now! We hope you enjoy our farm updates. We’re looking forward to a fantastic Spring and Summer – see you around!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu5L-AImAhCpasj4ebSnSMjUyEmeqT_BSWJwqewEVI6FFkw_XIOjAFWRSpOpGOC-yxeo6W-kA0L84C_AZ_8UaF9_GA8qGSTiZdFUuB3BnTD0GXrVboSEeAmeUf3Or2HWKa-5Rc93i_60/s1600/eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu5L-AImAhCpasj4ebSnSMjUyEmeqT_BSWJwqewEVI6FFkw_XIOjAFWRSpOpGOC-yxeo6W-kA0L84C_AZ_8UaF9_GA8qGSTiZdFUuB3BnTD0GXrVboSEeAmeUf3Or2HWKa-5Rc93i_60/s320/eating.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendell Berry</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-73130043488592084642012-02-26T12:04:00.000-05:002012-02-26T12:04:25.278-05:00In Good Heart Farm Planting Party & Potluck Sunday, March 11th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxy9h-677vstYN_spSiKULBsAB9gSlvRzfo5CzLeOLXkIBG-rOUkVwFP-R6W2cJOiuxrzSK65TzGfJDWPkA4x6oDfL0kUa57pAACPuOBwOpw6qfZC8mmsZlREBygPh5TgQAKbDjVAaQI/s1600/onion+sets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxy9h-677vstYN_spSiKULBsAB9gSlvRzfo5CzLeOLXkIBG-rOUkVwFP-R6W2cJOiuxrzSK65TzGfJDWPkA4x6oDfL0kUa57pAACPuOBwOpw6qfZC8mmsZlREBygPh5TgQAKbDjVAaQI/s1600/onion+sets.jpg" /></a></div>Join us for our second annual Onion Planting Party & Potluck! We have about 1,500 onion plants to get into the soil so we can enjoy those tasty red candy apple, candy, and red creole alliums in the months to come. We'll spend a couple hours getting those tasty treats in the ground and then we'll feast outside with the fruits of our labor in view. <br />
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In the interest of the environment, please bring your own "table" (e.g., plate, utensils, glass/cup, etc.). We will provide a main dish and a colorful salad straight from the garden and we encourage you to bring your favorite treat (e.g., appetizer, side item, desert) if you'd like.<br />
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You are welcome to bring children, friends & family! The more the, the merrier!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNiuXO8SYPFdiNN77xvV-wHr3QK06SEVCwhM6MVcVW7NHVlemeFWfPUbVgFPcRdXvObGA94ftwBHYFWOTCeYPHwAyLPR8b47Hvh3qHhCkJedpXV6s8VH36G1TOpfdXYQwyK6PplU1p0c/s1600/potluck-bring-something-to-share.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNiuXO8SYPFdiNN77xvV-wHr3QK06SEVCwhM6MVcVW7NHVlemeFWfPUbVgFPcRdXvObGA94ftwBHYFWOTCeYPHwAyLPR8b47Hvh3qHhCkJedpXV6s8VH36G1TOpfdXYQwyK6PplU1p0c/s320/potluck-bring-something-to-share.gif" width="320" /></a><b>Hosts</b>: Ben Shields & Patricia Parker<br />
<b>Phone</b>: 919-800-8898<br />
<b>When</b>: Sunday, March 11th - planting (noon-2pm), feasting (2pm-5pm)<br />
<b>Where</b>: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&q=1000+McLemore+Road&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x89ac64dcd8066a09:0x26e29d4b2c2c0fbc,1000+McLemore+Rd,+Clayton,+NC+27520&gl=us&ei=WWVKT7KWOeXX0QH97cyVDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCQQ8gEwAA" target="_blank">In Good Heart Farm 1000 McLemore Road Clayton, NC 27520</a><br />
*** In the event of bad weather, we will re-schedule the planting party for Sunday, March 18th. <br />
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<b>RSVP: </b>Please send us your name & email address (to BensProduceNC@gmail.com) if you would like to spend a Sunday afternoon on the farm planting onions with us, eating good food, & enjoying good company.patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-86447176142215352262012-01-26T13:21:00.001-05:002012-01-26T15:02:24.686-05:00Life is what happens......to you while you're busy making other plans." (John Lennon)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-iHVBhw30ZQj7XeQovamJ8IVPMYDRAoYDOT3B-5rWFM2YO8rQadJ_LTUfCS5__0qSyDPGvw8JwYrqQUytLPJTNqEuv_wP3KajvVqTtox9-74z2hrU4XouY8WnqaH04IIV80GtkMNBlE/s1600/seedpacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-iHVBhw30ZQj7XeQovamJ8IVPMYDRAoYDOT3B-5rWFM2YO8rQadJ_LTUfCS5__0qSyDPGvw8JwYrqQUytLPJTNqEuv_wP3KajvVqTtox9-74z2hrU4XouY8WnqaH04IIV80GtkMNBlE/s320/seedpacks.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>That may be the case, but even so, Ben and I have spent quite a lot of the new year planning for the rest of 2012. As of yesterday, we finished our crop plan! This may not sound like the impressive feat that it is if you're not aware of the time and effort that it takes to try to decide how much of each item we would like to have available for every week of 2012. Consider on top of that that we'll be growing almost 50 different crops and over 150 different varieties of various crops (e.g., we'll have 10 different potato varieties and 13 different tomato varieties). Diversity is the spice of life!<br />
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In addition to finishing up the crop plans, Ben and I have spent some time running around getting all of our new business eggs in a basket. We canceled our listing as Ben's Produce with the Wake County Registrar of Deeds and we applied (and were approved) for our business name of In Good Heart Farm with the Johnston County Registrar of Deeds. I imagine changing a business name is something like changing your own name. We've had to open up new bank accounts and close old ones. We've applied for and received our new EIN number as well. Ben's cousin, Roy, is working on our logo for us and it is well on its way to being finished. Once we have our logo, we'll work on changing our electronic communications (new website with new URL and new Facebook page and the like). We also need to get a new banner for market. We'll miss the old hand painted banner April made for us.<br />
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We were pleasantly surprised this month with a week-long visit from Ben's mom, Jody. Jody is a fiber artist. She is employed by <a href="http://www.ramblersway.com/">Rambler's Way</a> and also is a small business owner of Botanical Shades (a natural dye company). You can see a beautiful shot of Jody at work <a href="http://www.gzucker.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=17&p=1&a=0&at=0">here</a>. Jody came to NC to work with the folks in textiles at NC State and we got to visit with her, so it was a win-win situation :).<br />
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I've also spent a lot of time reading since the new year. Some of the books I've read include <a href="http://www.growingformarket.com/store/products/115">Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers</a>, <a href="http://www.growingformarket.com/store/products/106">The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook: A Complete Guide to Managing Finances, Crops, and Staff - and Making a Profit</a>, and <a href="http://www.timberpress.com/books/ecology_gardeners/carroll/9780881926118">Ecology for Gardeners</a>. I've read through the first two once already, but the latter is a little more slow-going for me (although I find it more fascinating than business planning, planning has been the task of the year so far).<br />
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In other news, Ben and I have purchased a manure spreader! We'll be able to use it to spread manure in the future (when we have more farm animals) and we'll be using it this year to spread compost. Last year Ben spent days upon days spreading compost by the truckload, *by hand with a shovel*! I am not kidding you when I say he spent days upon days. I posted quite a few pictures of Ben engaging in this task last year on our Facebook page, but I'll post some here too:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIATj656pxvNpezw0_-3JH-Rvxc1FzG9VB9DzZRrRpW1vi2eMHMlsNDNlDlSWOBn_6MXQx6fhNyfH2jYlcJwwx429NfhLFmub4-_sDfXtwfFs8eSLhmBoUm4_RFK7UyCEsKGBSi1VpNzY/s1600/compost1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIATj656pxvNpezw0_-3JH-Rvxc1FzG9VB9DzZRrRpW1vi2eMHMlsNDNlDlSWOBn_6MXQx6fhNyfH2jYlcJwwx429NfhLFmub4-_sDfXtwfFs8eSLhmBoUm4_RFK7UyCEsKGBSi1VpNzY/s320/compost1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEQwFtpshQiXzvcRpnOVsRRkNobHSBBbaV76qvsFsJ3BaRxQrdf22YP6aClWH5iLSGxYmv9xfTv878OVGejbWN5DfuAwCV6xxFxZonQyoXGk4uhU2mjP0Gm2RM8fqplqZJ3sWNb6otAs/s1600/compost2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEQwFtpshQiXzvcRpnOVsRRkNobHSBBbaV76qvsFsJ3BaRxQrdf22YP6aClWH5iLSGxYmv9xfTv878OVGejbWN5DfuAwCV6xxFxZonQyoXGk4uhU2mjP0Gm2RM8fqplqZJ3sWNb6otAs/s320/compost2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvv0lB5kLY1R5RtN6x42wwGGwmbjXWstaiPL4_MHoeJmBXPk3aYqa7CwNRNruu_kUvOJRCPlLZIsGQo2SnEyyIi8FFBWlM-m9ydOm44c2c8HPQfYpEITaxwWjSQAtmwaQyjBcMwokPI0/s1600/compost3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvv0lB5kLY1R5RtN6x42wwGGwmbjXWstaiPL4_MHoeJmBXPk3aYqa7CwNRNruu_kUvOJRCPlLZIsGQo2SnEyyIi8FFBWlM-m9ydOm44c2c8HPQfYpEITaxwWjSQAtmwaQyjBcMwokPI0/s320/compost3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLjdXJ_B3CIHBII1_XneVLe0mypbX8kAX2Qo2Tyc4PT1IDt0TOSqrso3RJFSrVoE01ClTiQ6Ho4w60EhJ036ZW9jNSTwEgvpBkZGW6fcVyvWK2pMviOKPgvaXT4BHgyOD-hMUtyT-WEY/s1600/compost5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLjdXJ_B3CIHBII1_XneVLe0mypbX8kAX2Qo2Tyc4PT1IDt0TOSqrso3RJFSrVoE01ClTiQ6Ho4w60EhJ036ZW9jNSTwEgvpBkZGW6fcVyvWK2pMviOKPgvaXT4BHgyOD-hMUtyT-WEY/s320/compost5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyvQ6jWNZMzcWnJ2PpONEJmIgcux_57mwvWxJ9hee2Y6LYusVJxrcrzYOMYgJhZGnqLTHdDzGuVN-VDhhkBmuAXa9Sen2jlifNfIv76hmHh7-mB79zwNgTZeq6tVvNmteorqfLEkNVFw/s1600/compost6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyvQ6jWNZMzcWnJ2PpONEJmIgcux_57mwvWxJ9hee2Y6LYusVJxrcrzYOMYgJhZGnqLTHdDzGuVN-VDhhkBmuAXa9Sen2jlifNfIv76hmHh7-mB79zwNgTZeq6tVvNmteorqfLEkNVFw/s320/compost6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">You can get a good glimpse below of the area that Ben covered in one day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUYrbtYphDz7NJJ8P7_IGVWsQhNaL8OSBs0JTWmCHoXSrtoBUqkeWlRfALS1xviL6mtXkNZLM-p5Ik8pKMvNjnC7cDUEIrHWUR1FXTXEO06I4pZ6aFNz5SuCMlMPI_TSw8Oags32UDio/s1600/compost7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUYrbtYphDz7NJJ8P7_IGVWsQhNaL8OSBs0JTWmCHoXSrtoBUqkeWlRfALS1xviL6mtXkNZLM-p5Ik8pKMvNjnC7cDUEIrHWUR1FXTXEO06I4pZ6aFNz5SuCMlMPI_TSw8Oags32UDio/s320/compost7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The picture below gives you a good idea of what our manure spreader looks like (we don't have ours yet - we're picking it up at a farm in Snow Camp this Sunday) - except ours has rubber tires. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh2h_bkgFOhsKQAZNpr90eatJbsiTouDwwzJobcsLQv-LaO3JquTP_WgJR5oKvN2OkOKBLbMmC5eU7dJqGrBk30dXacXybBc4yITCUDiBc54l1KK9F1zpv-93bwVHKY5u68idPmzS1Us/s1600/manure+spreader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh2h_bkgFOhsKQAZNpr90eatJbsiTouDwwzJobcsLQv-LaO3JquTP_WgJR5oKvN2OkOKBLbMmC5eU7dJqGrBk30dXacXybBc4yITCUDiBc54l1KK9F1zpv-93bwVHKY5u68idPmzS1Us/s320/manure+spreader.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This year is going to be substantially less physically taxing (or that's the idea anyway) with the help of the manure spreader and our tractor (we no longer have to depend only on the walk-behind tractor - aka tiller). Although, of course, when you have equipment of any kind it requires maintenance and repair. And of course, the tractor needs a little bit of both. Here's Ben driving the tractor 2 miles down the road to take the tractor to the repair shop (we are so lucky to have a garage specializing in tractor repair so close to us!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VKEdXxOI2aAdxkZnQ23MGF1xPceRZ24LxTnyKirG0Uw-owN2AiP3QCnGCe_ephG3mDYOsmfRltQUYC8-FiB-toRfsuWBD_F6m2fGDGQ5_8xnokLtYK4AXNT4Vx_I-5ZSp0uLiYSEHCc/s1600/tractor+ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VKEdXxOI2aAdxkZnQ23MGF1xPceRZ24LxTnyKirG0Uw-owN2AiP3QCnGCe_ephG3mDYOsmfRltQUYC8-FiB-toRfsuWBD_F6m2fGDGQ5_8xnokLtYK4AXNT4Vx_I-5ZSp0uLiYSEHCc/s320/tractor+ride.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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In addition to our usual farm chores and tasks, we've been getting involved in some events in our community. Last week our interns, Meredith and Aaron, and Ben and I all attended the first Local Food Micro Enterprise Working Group meeting of the year. This group emerged out of an <a href="http://www.advocatesforhealthinaction.org/">Advocates for Health in Action (AHA)</a> event, <a href="http://www.advocatesforhealthinaction.org/resources/localfoods">"Connecting the Dots: Creating a Local Food System in Wake County." </a>Over 20 movers and shakers were able to attend this first meeting of 2012. Thanks to the <a href="http://www.foodshuttle.org/">Inter-Faith Food Shuttle</a> for letting us use their board room for the meeting! We will be having many more meetings in the year. If you are interested in joining the discussion, please feel free to email Ben (shields.ben@gmail.com) or I (parker.patricia@gmail.com) to let us know you're interested and we'll add you to the listserv.<br />
<br />
In addition to the working group, yesterday Ben and I had the pleasure of speaking with 4th, 5th, and 6th graders at the <a href="http://www.sterlingmontessori.org/">Sterling Montessori and Charter School</a>. Juliann, our market president, invited us to speak to her son's class - taught by Teacher Tom. We were so impressed with how engaged and smart of all the kids were. We told them a little bit about ourselves and the farm and sustainable farming more generally. We also played a game, "Star Power" (thanks Emily and David!), to talk about how the system rules are often created by those in power so that the rules allow them to maintain and even increase their power. The driving home point we tried to have for the kiddos is that gain that comes at the loss of another is not sustainable and that gain that is absolute (as with increasing fertility through crop rotation, cover crops and the like) - or gain that does not come at a loss - is sustainable. We strive for the latter. Here we are with the kids after we finished playing the game. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYUOvhGTPYfDIylmndB3b7yWOOBTHtMS6QrX5hlO3sV9OnF-ujHMIlgjntwFj2Kn_ejmiJcUcy-IDvdvkWoimS8xk_-JZYxk54XeEIdbh6EiM0SYgZLTS4t0k2sICav-ViMn-7eZpWX0/s1600/school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYUOvhGTPYfDIylmndB3b7yWOOBTHtMS6QrX5hlO3sV9OnF-ujHMIlgjntwFj2Kn_ejmiJcUcy-IDvdvkWoimS8xk_-JZYxk54XeEIdbh6EiM0SYgZLTS4t0k2sICav-ViMn-7eZpWX0/s320/school.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Finally, tomorrow Ben and I are attending the first meeting of the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (<span class="il">CRAFT</span>) in the Piedmont region (CRAFT-UP). Here's what the email that piqued our interest has to say about the organization and the meeting itself:<br />
<br />
<i>The Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (<span class="il">CRAFT</span>) is a farmer-led coalition organized by sustainable agriculture farmers in a self-selected geographic region. Participating farmers offer up their time, talents and experience to help prepare the next generation of farmers. The secret to <span class="il">CRAFT</span>’s success is simple -- farmers learn most effectively from other farmers. <span class="il">CRAFT</span> provides farmer-to-farmer learning and access to the social network and culture of local farmers.” ( <a href="http://www.craftfarmers.org/" target="_blank">www.craftfarmers.org</a>). Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training – United Piedmont (<span class="il">CRAFT</span>-UP) will offer resources for farmers (and farmers-in-training) of the Piedmont bioregion.<span class="il"> CRAFT</span>-UP will be a venue for established Piedmont farmers to streamline and network their training opportunities, while providing beginning farmers with a formal network and more resources for entry<br />
into farming careers. Many <span class="il">CRAFT</span> groups also host social events for beginning farmers to get together casually and celebrate! <span class="il">CRAFT</span> members will gain access to on-farm training and learn skills that will support their transition from farming beginners to market farmers.</i><br />
<br />
We don't know much beyond that, but it sounds right up our alley! :) <br />
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Well, I suppose I've said enough for now. I hope you enjoyed the update. Thanks for stopping by!patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-63520348678347035152012-01-01T13:44:00.000-05:002012-01-01T13:44:52.081-05:00New Beginnings In Good Heart<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzjQAEBAoAo17CQu4J_zCdZ_UVXdvz_8SYux-R4U7xH9Vq448mGG09QuQukZ7VZPrT7exD9CJWNRq24xpcHf_vp_H2m-85NejJIf6oZl143L1HVXKheUw_zJoEjUo-ySzUohNJLwIq4g/s1600/BeetingHearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzjQAEBAoAo17CQu4J_zCdZ_UVXdvz_8SYux-R4U7xH9Vq448mGG09QuQukZ7VZPrT7exD9CJWNRq24xpcHf_vp_H2m-85NejJIf6oZl143L1HVXKheUw_zJoEjUo-ySzUohNJLwIq4g/s320/BeetingHearts.png" width="320" /></a> It feels like Spring around these parts, even though it’s still about three months away. The days are beginning to grow longer once again and life is full of new beginnings for Ben and I this year. <span> </span>For one, we have a new name. Ben’s Produce was never really our first choice. Actually, our first choice was Veni Vidi Vegetables (as in, I came, I saw Vegetables). We were so proud of ourselves when we came up with that name, but when we told folks about it, no one got it and others people told us they couldn’t pronounce it. So we scrapped Veni Vidi Vegetables and decided on Ben’s Produce for its simplicity. It’s been a good name for us. It’s good to have your name in your business name – it means everyone knows your name. But we also feel the name limited us in two main regards: 1) we want to move beyond just produce and 2) well, it’s not just Ben. Ben and I talked about changing our name last year, but when Ben’s Produce was voted Edible Piedmont’s farm of the year, we decided to delay the name change and resolved to change it for 2012. We threw around a lot of names, some serious, some not so much, before we finally came to In Good Heart Farm. In Good Heart has a lot of meanings, but we decided on the name based on the Old English use of the phrase. To say that the soil is in good heart is to say that it is healthy, in good cultivation, and in good spirit. To say that a person is in good heart is to say that they are cultivating wisdom, courage, and good spirit. Ben and I felt that our farm name should represent our vision and we couldn’t think of a better representation of what we want to do and what we want to be in our world than In Good Heart. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdefUye8BSkEvuF4wlolwywOo3LYUjliMg0hWUDFgH5TtqDMueIYbNRWp58EdkS5e56AsiYeU3l7oU-CsaTF5nBH1Muf1VGc7mFPCU_pKBKizxLOVrKJkb_aks9wHWpL8ZeeFTkL80Pgw/s1600/QueenBeet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdefUye8BSkEvuF4wlolwywOo3LYUjliMg0hWUDFgH5TtqDMueIYbNRWp58EdkS5e56AsiYeU3l7oU-CsaTF5nBH1Muf1VGc7mFPCU_pKBKizxLOVrKJkb_aks9wHWpL8ZeeFTkL80Pgw/s320/QueenBeet.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">In addition to our changing the farm name, we are also changing the farm input – which is to say that I am now also a full-time farmer, along with Ben! I have gained a lot from working toward my PhD in Sociology at NC State, including mentors and friends. And while I will always think of myself as a Sociologist, I no longer feel that earning a PhD is an important goal for me. I never knew farming would be the life for me. It’s physical, cerebral, spiritual, immensely rewarding and it enables me to feel like I am doing something – and more than that, that I am doing something positive in conjunction with the people and the things that I care about. Ben came to his realization a few years ago when he decided to leave his job working for Smithsonian Magazine in Manhattan and move to NC with me. Now we’re on the same track and we couldn’t be happier, which is great – because the other new beginning in our life is that we’re going to be parents this summer! Ben and I (and our families) are thrilled and can’t wait until we get to meet the little one sometime in June (I’m due near the end, but my mom swears I’ll give birth two weeks prior to my due date). Life is good and we’re ready to take on this year with all the vigor it deserves! Stay tuned! </div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-24921205628322657412011-11-29T18:03:00.000-05:002011-11-29T18:03:25.097-05:00Bicameral Dissonance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfH1cmDR6NNmx1N8HTKGLNUiAvAptp9FJnkHnIJ0dpTRoqs09QCWskQWBc-o1q-VY8D9Hfj7FnMomK3kHb-jjC9baxIvXgXh4eSKTLb_5KnxcaIpcPh7umZPjg9k5zBtATA9TlLIY4i4/s1600/a-fair-farm-bill-for-america.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfH1cmDR6NNmx1N8HTKGLNUiAvAptp9FJnkHnIJ0dpTRoqs09QCWskQWBc-o1q-VY8D9Hfj7FnMomK3kHb-jjC9baxIvXgXh4eSKTLb_5KnxcaIpcPh7umZPjg9k5zBtATA9TlLIY4i4/s1600/a-fair-farm-bill-for-america.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's a follow-up write up to the previous post. It's from this week's newsletter and it was written by Ben. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">With the failure of the Congressional super-committee to reach any sort of consensus regarding a deficit reduction plan, I think this is a good time to update you all on the Farm Bill and my letter to Rep. Renee Elmers. Here is the response I received from her aide who works on agricultural issues...<br />
<br />
<i>Thank you for your email Ben, I will certainly pass your concerns along to the Congresswoman. She is keeping vigil as next week is when we should hear how Chairman Lucas is planning on moving forward with the Farm Bill. Thank you, Allison</i><br />
<br />
Short and bittersweet! The Farm Bill draft came to a halt with the failure of the super-committee to reach a deal on the weekend before Thanksgiving and was not submitted for inclusion in the mega-deal.Come to find out, the bill was being written by the "gang of four!" The "gang of four" consists of the two chairs and two ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees. So my letter to Rep. Elmers was in vain, because even she was held at arms length during the process and was not allowed to participate as a House Ag. committee member! It seems to me our government has made a turn for the worst with the use of a draconian budget cutting exercise to avoid democratic consideration of our next farm bill and many other programs.<br />
<br />
According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition <a href="http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/2011-farm-bill-part-one/" target="_blank">(NSAC)</a>, there are a few Farm Bill scenarios that can play out over the next year or so. The first scenario, also the most unlikely, is that the Farm Bill is passed by the end of 2011. Not enough time is left for such a deal. The second scenario, in two variations, is that the Farm Bill is passed in 2012 by either using the unpublished Final 2011 Farm Bill as the jumping off point or the Farm Bill is drafted from scratch. Neither of these variations seems likely in an election year. The fourth scenario, which according to the NSAC, is most likely, is that Congress will take a wait and see approach. This is most likely for a host of reasons, beginning with the fact that automatic budget cuts will begin January 2013 because the failure of the supercommittee to reach a mega-deal. This further means Congress will want to wait for the dust to settle on a possible 2012 mega-deal as well as on the deficit reduction targets before drafting the Farm Bill & budget therein to avoid doubling up budget cuts. NSAC expects the current Farm Bill to be given a one year extension and the drafting to begin after the 2012 elections. <br />
<br />
I hope you have found this as interesting as I have. The Farm Bill has such large effects on the condition of our national food system that it is critical to the future vitality of this country. How would our lives change if commodity crops were not heavily subsidized? How would our lives change if healthy food were more affordable or perceived as equitably priced? How would our lives change if children receiving school lunch were fed good, healthy and local food? These are some things Patricia and I ponder as we think about the Farm Bill and our state of agriculture.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-8886449426687634782011-10-27T16:39:00.000-04:002011-10-27T16:39:35.821-04:00Oh SNAP!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIgjYWAj7bz_b-W7OsdRwKa1QmwWkEt5OpaH4orEA0rPU-Vg03fHdTzTEpgi6iaF8DDxX_H3ym6Sp8oUeEH5enQsVIupbkca3-LPkfjVM53Rfug4tC_aDr7qZv-HiV5a0ul7wPjzIAa4/s1600/Farm_Bill_2012.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIgjYWAj7bz_b-W7OsdRwKa1QmwWkEt5OpaH4orEA0rPU-Vg03fHdTzTEpgi6iaF8DDxX_H3ym6Sp8oUeEH5enQsVIupbkca3-LPkfjVM53Rfug4tC_aDr7qZv-HiV5a0ul7wPjzIAa4/s320/Farm_Bill_2012.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is a newsletter entry written by Ben. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Hello all. It has been a while since you have heard from me via newsletter...I can't remember the last time. Anyhow, I have recently become aware that the Farm Bill is being rewritten behind closed doors in record time (2 weeks vs. 1 year!). Below is a little bit of information I found on the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition website followed by the letter I fired off to our Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R), who happens to sit on the House Agricultural Committee. This is the first letter I have written to a Congressperson, ever! I called my father this morning for advice on how to speak to issues that concern us and our farm. He is a seasoned, politically active farmer because in the dairy business, wholesale prices are supplemented by gov't subsidies which, unfortunately, are necessary for them to stay afloat as a farm. He enlightened me by telling me to speak to issues that directly concern us and not disparaging others and to directly contact the Congressional Aide for our Congressperson who deals with the issues at hand. He also suggested we attend affordable fund-raising dinners put on by our representatives and speak to them personally about issues which affect us directly, the method which tends to have the biggest impact for small folks like us. I will let you all know what becomes of my letter to Congresswoman Ellmers...<br />
<i><br />
----<br />
The following is from <a href="http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/super-fast-farm-bill-super-fast-update/" target="_blank">http://sustainableagriculture.<wbr></wbr>net/blog/super-fast-farm-bill-<wbr></wbr>super-fast-update/</a></i><br />
Last Monday, the Republican and Democratic leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees sent a <a href="http://agriculture.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1471" target="_blank">letter</a> to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction suggesting a net $23 billion cut in mandatory farm bill spending over the next decade as their collective recommendation to the Joint Select Committee <em>(hereafter referred to as the Super Committee)</em> that is tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in government-wide cuts or revenue increases over the next decade by Thanksgiving.<br />
<br />
Having sent off the joint letter, the staffs of the two Agriculture Committees hunkered down all week to stitch together a farm bill in what, if successful, would be record time. Due to the brief two week window, none of the normal congressional processes for farm bills or other major legislation are being used — no hearings, circulated bill drafts, mark-ups in which committee members get to offer amendments, etc. The primary activity has all been behind closed doors and has for the most part only involved the staff of the chairs and ranking members, not the members (and their staffs) who make up the rank and file of the two committees.<br />
<br />
With action on the farm bill moving (at least for now) at such a rapid pace, members of the House and Senate are getting ready to introduce two major new bills this week. One contains major rewrites of programs and policies to assist young and beginning farmers get started in agriculture. Another proposes a comprehensive set of revisions and additions to farm bill programs to help renew local and regional farm and food systems. Both bills promote new opportunities in farming and increase rural job creation and economic growth. Both also renew funding for farm bill programs that currently have mandatory funding but which do not have secure funding after fiscal year 2012. <br />
<i><br />
----<br />
My letter...</i><br />
<br />
Dear Congresswoman Ellmers,<br />
<br />
My name is Benjamin Shields and I am a constituent from Clayton, NC. I started <a href="http://bensproduce.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ben's Produce</a> along with Patricia Parker, my fiancee, in August of 2009. Ben's Produce is a small, un-certified organic produce farm that sells directly to the public via farmer's markets (<a href="http://westernwakefarmersmarket.org/" target="_blank">Western Wake Farmer's Market </a>and <a href="http://www.clayton-farmers-market.org/" target="_blank">Clayton Farm & Community Market</a>) as well as our <a href="http://bensproduce.blogspot.com/p/communtiy-supported-agriculture.html" target="_blank">Community Supported Agriculture</a> (CSA) with 35 member families. We also began <a href="http://www.initiative.org/resources/localfoods" target="_blank">Farm It Forward</a>, a CSA program that provides our produce to families with children at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and teaches the participants how to build lifelong healthy attitudes about food and fitness. This collaborative program is coordinated by <a href="http://www.initiative.org/home" target="_blank">Advocates for Health In Action</a>, the participants are drawn from the <a href="http://wakemed.org/body.cfm?id=609" target="_blank">WakeMed Energize</a>! program and the cooking classes are put on by the<a href="http://www.foodshuttle.org/" target="_blank"> Interfaith Food Shuttle</a>. Sixty percent of Energize! participants are low-income, which brings me to my concerns with the cuts being made to Farm Bill funding.<br />
<br />
Every Saturday at the Western Wake Farmer's Market (WWFM), we make a number of sales to folks who receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. WWFM is the <u>only</u> farmer's market in Wake Co. that accepts SNAP benefits. We also serve SNAP beneficiaries in our Farm It Forward program, 60% of the participating families are low income. Unfortunately, we do not currently accept SNAP payments from the Farm It Forward participants. As a small farm on a shoestring budget, every sale we make counts towards our profitability, including those sales from folks who use SNAP. I urge you to minimize funding cuts to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, specifically the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. <br />
<br />
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your service.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Benjamin Shields<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLGck_kjv_C1uzb1ot_ek8qZd8DAAp4ArdeIIaaObq-AwmGKzfe6C6f30yhBKMWabxYgcRuhYITa7ZAoQyAjkbUyUkwbWL27mxnxWQfYVRxdo6hBNdYN-npt8fPbGm4sQVe7hyH_aEGM/s1600/snap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLGck_kjv_C1uzb1ot_ek8qZd8DAAp4ArdeIIaaObq-AwmGKzfe6C6f30yhBKMWabxYgcRuhYITa7ZAoQyAjkbUyUkwbWL27mxnxWQfYVRxdo6hBNdYN-npt8fPbGm4sQVe7hyH_aEGM/s1600/snap.gif" /></a></div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-56678279748137097972011-10-03T10:36:00.001-04:002011-10-03T11:04:02.900-04:00Fall 2011 CSA Week 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqOSEcAIe4SQYjWuR9l3fcwmn58uKJkf5XnGHBf3EmiVWwRaOUVRx5wxZ8XI1CboBgIU_kIFT8b30UINlU9U9e1RpnxAcOKBVyztHNft-6sm8vpFKtAzgFDI05FiuieSqezTdsjL7VkU/s1600/DSCF3068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqOSEcAIe4SQYjWuR9l3fcwmn58uKJkf5XnGHBf3EmiVWwRaOUVRx5wxZ8XI1CboBgIU_kIFT8b30UINlU9U9e1RpnxAcOKBVyztHNft-6sm8vpFKtAzgFDI05FiuieSqezTdsjL7VkU/s320/DSCF3068.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>We know that a lot of folks have a hard time sometimes distinguishing between, say tat soi and bok choy, so we like to take pictures of our CSA share items and label them, so our members have a reference once they bring their shares home. I took these pictures at market on Saturday, since I won't be home on Tuesday when Ben will harvest and then deliver your shares. We usually like to put all the CSA items together for one picture, but since we did this at market, it wasn't really conducive to our situation. Anyway, the single picture items should be somewhat helpful for identifying your CSA share items. So, as I stated in the email, you will receive the following items in your shares:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">SCALLIONS ARUGULA</span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">BOK CHOY PEPPERS</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">DAIKON RADISH RADISHES/</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NAPA CABBAGE HAKUREI</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">LETTUCE TURNIPS</span></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">KALE</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Note: scallions, lettuce, and hakurei turnips not pictured </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">bok choy great for stir-fry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGQi04ZVpkCG20ux6T13BSA2aZE356otIB6gUJs2AJazlLdthIKjrFtZxe3nFe1r-VMN4xp21-VNUEVzSWwg5bUeUr0X6tlmjuq1cBlL_9_BooDyWK-qBZfeEyZBhMImg0JHjSEKUfa0/s1600/DSCF3050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGQi04ZVpkCG20ux6T13BSA2aZE356otIB6gUJs2AJazlLdthIKjrFtZxe3nFe1r-VMN4xp21-VNUEVzSWwg5bUeUr0X6tlmjuq1cBlL_9_BooDyWK-qBZfeEyZBhMImg0JHjSEKUfa0/s320/DSCF3050.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">tat soi also great for stir fry, but also salad </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxBF8hqbgLYCVhSB37UnP52cZ1hC0OHoq3QmQHt5SDGxY8qjwxkD2N7kSOjsFmempX4UWaQQvQ_cEdQcS7b2V8FtH8NNxdIsf436wlZRjn122ZN71SPGJBIs5jrG9zIOz3wXn-_XRy84/s1600/DSCF3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxBF8hqbgLYCVhSB37UnP52cZ1hC0OHoq3QmQHt5SDGxY8qjwxkD2N7kSOjsFmempX4UWaQQvQ_cEdQcS7b2V8FtH8NNxdIsf436wlZRjn122ZN71SPGJBIs5jrG9zIOz3wXn-_XRy84/s320/DSCF3051.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">daikon radish</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">you can cook the greens and stir fry the root or eat it sliced, raw with salt</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">it's also good in kimchi</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0XqgX_2RxqwT99_M0mi-yUfbQTeoEkUvZ6tWBRn0XTbbKchgpuo57ed2BPeCSE31crLcZWZ0kK1Qv9EqGGInu_SDw2j4wJSQurn3Gc9giOiISRR2np-WAwO9NZB2sY4aukuGXhaJ-tI/s1600/DSCF3057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0XqgX_2RxqwT99_M0mi-yUfbQTeoEkUvZ6tWBRn0XTbbKchgpuo57ed2BPeCSE31crLcZWZ0kK1Qv9EqGGInu_SDw2j4wJSQurn3Gc9giOiISRR2np-WAwO9NZB2sY4aukuGXhaJ-tI/s320/DSCF3057.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">red Russian kale (aka ragged Jack)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">this is good every which way</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">you can also save and eat the stems (they require a longer cooking time than the leaves)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2zAC-jq0t3QtqImzOla419oRpFIv6MhvUGYOz30PDa1x1onNqTAY_3m756babaxJfSA7cMin_OqulEN3aZE1X7Lwk1gajdxtyFrs6CfBbvC0B9IK8eDPnE2eyyw0tO-esMY2WPskBTM/s1600/DSCF3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2zAC-jq0t3QtqImzOla419oRpFIv6MhvUGYOz30PDa1x1onNqTAY_3m756babaxJfSA7cMin_OqulEN3aZE1X7Lwk1gajdxtyFrs6CfBbvC0B9IK8eDPnE2eyyw0tO-esMY2WPskBTM/s320/DSCF3053.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">arugula</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">great raw and cooked </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2iKRGmgOMe2meSfelPXGJjMdEAWOXe1I85Jdgb4loEBMdq-jQzzGpbJ4TEfAhEIZSmx3Uc66YLcxZ5UOVrGAMCurfcrMxFc0DCDYK_Gxy1uSd_Mu7XBINv0KTbrkX3HbkBljB8WoLvM/s1600/DSCF3059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2iKRGmgOMe2meSfelPXGJjMdEAWOXe1I85Jdgb4loEBMdq-jQzzGpbJ4TEfAhEIZSmx3Uc66YLcxZ5UOVrGAMCurfcrMxFc0DCDYK_Gxy1uSd_Mu7XBINv0KTbrkX3HbkBljB8WoLvM/s320/DSCF3059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">French breakfast radishes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">you can eat the greens cooked</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the roots are great as a snack, in salad, or in a stir fry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJNqtJIcgPobt1VGJi7JsjP27Ask_DicC6IvElkmrscD6ALZcl6hvJlFmKosczYpU7KvuEw3qNctZbcHAB1GLuPJV005dBbriWgnrsbXTbM0-O_wzZ3BOUEbH9QrWtTwCwAGY9_L8Mm4/s1600/DSCF3058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJNqtJIcgPobt1VGJi7JsjP27Ask_DicC6IvElkmrscD6ALZcl6hvJlFmKosczYpU7KvuEw3qNctZbcHAB1GLuPJV005dBbriWgnrsbXTbM0-O_wzZ3BOUEbH9QrWtTwCwAGY9_L8Mm4/s320/DSCF3058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">sweet gypsy peppers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">raw and cooked - either way, they're tasty!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6z6XGrNrWI3j2J-R4K239aMi81Igg6CMGnXgnasRkRdXS9-dybmYh9gtb4OqdAs2tkqivXXwiTlJHnt9dDdhHX6LScQHnCYHtKTsXcPDcHhzHc_81Hd5uBRxsk6PuokoeMCNb59CT1k/s1600/DSCF3063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6z6XGrNrWI3j2J-R4K239aMi81Igg6CMGnXgnasRkRdXS9-dybmYh9gtb4OqdAs2tkqivXXwiTlJHnt9dDdhHX6LScQHnCYHtKTsXcPDcHhzHc_81Hd5uBRxsk6PuokoeMCNb59CT1k/s320/DSCF3063.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">marconis</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">these are my favorite sweet peppers, by far </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnwM1KueiNQugMusMacahZGL7sCseqYjbO8Wrn2bA_naUZO4jUOBhJkjO-epn11987qEev9kRihAbP3wdUYxfaI5_GBv43NVCf1dNR-EIR6pKS1rN4qivFk1-WzFdiOnV5wYQfS34hE/s1600/DSCF3064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnwM1KueiNQugMusMacahZGL7sCseqYjbO8Wrn2bA_naUZO4jUOBhJkjO-epn11987qEev9kRihAbP3wdUYxfaI5_GBv43NVCf1dNR-EIR6pKS1rN4qivFk1-WzFdiOnV5wYQfS34hE/s320/DSCF3064.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><br />
Well, that's all folks! We'll try to post more share pictures as the season progresses. Definitely feel free to email us if you have any questions about your share items or what to do with them. We've got TONS of ideas :). Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<br />
- Patriciapatriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-58028546799918604392011-10-01T14:33:00.000-04:002011-10-01T14:33:53.460-04:00Happy Autumn!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hi folks! It's been a LONG time since I've posted on this ol' blog - again - but what can I say? We're busy farmin it up out here and that leaves little time for blog posts. As the weather turns colder, you can expect more posts. Until then, I'm posting one of our write ups from the first Fall CSA newsletter. It's all about greens - and I figured lots of folks might be interested in how to deal with the plethora of greens to come this season. I've been taking pictures on the farm - some of them are outdated already, but expect a picture blog in the near future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As usual, thanks for stopping by! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Patricia <b> </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMaZWyrh4ngSed9EP3LSa3dpDM4ymnQYCIhZB5fPvGqdywg5jM9YtedAjuznGbWXaHRglHHqW1CWhYKpR11iQU_lgEZFqIYyRSQYi1anzQsrkpaIM58a3oXlVko1AX4gPIZRI0d1wzBE/s1600/kermit-the-frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMaZWyrh4ngSed9EP3LSa3dpDM4ymnQYCIhZB5fPvGqdywg5jM9YtedAjuznGbWXaHRglHHqW1CWhYKpR11iQU_lgEZFqIYyRSQYi1anzQsrkpaIM58a3oXlVko1AX4gPIZRI0d1wzBE/s320/kermit-the-frog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Greens Galore</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">By Patricia Parker</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Even for greens lovers like us, it can be a challenge to keep up with all the greens (but we like challenge</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">) and root veggies of the fall. I’d like to share a bit of our greens wisdom with the hopes that you find some of our strategies helpful. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">First and foremost, it is important to get acquainted with your greens. You’ll be receiving numerous types and varieties, each with their own unique flavors and textures. Additionally, their flavors will change as the weather grows colder (they’ll get sweeter – this goes for the root veggies too!). I recommend trying your greens every which way – starting by trying them raw. I find some greens less palatable raw than others – for instance, turnip, radish, and mustard greens are a bit too pungent raw for my taste. But, when they’re cooked, they’re delectable. And some greens are great raw – like arugula and spinach – and others that might surprise you, like kale and swiss chard (all of them are great cooked). As a general rule of thumb, the more tender the green, the better it tastes raw (and the less time you will need to cook them). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Now, there are countless ways to prepare your greens – you can steam them, sauté them, stir fry them, put them in soups, chilis and stews, eat them with eggs (e.g., as a side, in an omelet or frittata), etc. We’ll provide you with recipes for your greens throughout the season to help spur along your greens creativity. We’ll also give you basic cooking instructions and storage information. If your greens ever start to feel like they’re piling up on you, remember how few greens there are in the summer. You can blanch and then freeze your greens to use them any other time you like. You can also use up lots of greens if you make them the primary course on your plate (e.g., dinner salad or beans and greens with meat on the side). Of course, you can also share with your friends, family and neighbors – and if you don’t have any takers, you can leave them with us and we’ll donate them to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle for you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Keeping up with your greens can be a daunting task in the beginning, but before you know it, you’ll turn pro! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Note: If anyone would like to share their own methods for keeping up with your CSA share, please send a write-up our way. We would LOVE for CSA members to contribute to weekly newsletters. You can send your write up in an email, as a word file, or as a pdf file. We’ll be sure to place it in the next newsletter. </span></div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-54455757808280409232011-08-09T16:47:00.001-04:002011-08-09T17:11:15.024-04:00Time Keeps on Slippin', Slippin', Slippin' Into The FutureAhhh, it seems I have slacked on my blogger duties. The last time I posted a blog was June 17th (besides the one below about our upcoming Fall 2011 CSA), nearly TWO months ago!!! Oh my. I can come up with a long list of excuses for why this is the case, but I'll spare you those. Instead, I'm going to post a few of the old "On the Farm" articles I wrote for our Ben's Produce weekly newsletter. Enjoy! <br />
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<div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Down on the Farm</b></div><div></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">By Patricia Parker </span></i></b></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><b>Week 10 (June 22nd - July 23rd) </b></span></i></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsiXw-BC-gcZqS0G-VIUAmjrlsqwU7PLvxw7uGu6k1XlltcJJG8jz1WFK4cS-ngmOOJNfdEyi0Oc_eAi9IyO2xJ7Yb0LuizJr_bPYcP_oNGiSCfJx-OoIOJUx4pj4JGE98uQ5A9fsNkg/s1600/ben%252C+patricia+%2526+charlie+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsiXw-BC-gcZqS0G-VIUAmjrlsqwU7PLvxw7uGu6k1XlltcJJG8jz1WFK4cS-ngmOOJNfdEyi0Oc_eAi9IyO2xJ7Yb0LuizJr_bPYcP_oNGiSCfJx-OoIOJUx4pj4JGE98uQ5A9fsNkg/s320/ben%252C+patricia+%2526+charlie+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">photo by - rani urabi mustafa</span></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">In the last week a lot has happened here on the farm. Two new apprentices have joined the Ben’s Produce team. Their names are Meredith and Aaron. Meredith just moved here from Colorado and she’ll likely be heading to Nicaragua to work on a nonprofit agro-ecology project in the Fall. Until then, we’re very excited to have her on the team. Two of our CSA members (Bradford and Melody – Melody is Meredith’s mom) pointed Meredith our way and we are already so very thankful to have her help out here. We only hope we can give her as much as she is giving to us. Aaron, like Meredith, also found us by way of a CSA member, Adam. Aaron is going to school this summer, but will be joining us on the farm on his days off and before class when time allows. Both Aaron and Meredith’s extra help is already going a long way! </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We also had the help of Alan Oswald, partner to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1661347051">Rene Oswald, author of </a><i><a href="http://www.reneoswald.com/">Transitioning to Living Cuisine</a>. </i>Rene is doing a book tour up the East Coast from Florida on up to Montreal. Alan contacted Ben about a month ago to see if we would show him around the farm and to see if he could help for a day or two while they stopped in the Raleigh area. He just happened to find us online. Sure enough, Alan spent the day with Ben (I was diligently grading) doing all sorts of stuff. Ben said Alan kept up with him through the whole morning and afternoon. Alan is in his early 50s and he and Rene eat only raw foods. It seems the raw food diet provides quite a lot of energy, for Alan and Rene at least! </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">So, these are the folks that have helped us on the farm this week. And to get an idea of what’s been going on in terms of the farm itself, I thought I’d share with you all some of the things we’ve marked off of the do-to list this week. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">1) Ben spent quite a lot of time prepping ground (about a ¼ of an acre) with the walk behind tractor (aka tiller) and then seeded cover crops including, millet, sorghum sudan-grass, and cow peas. The two former grasses scavenge nutrients. This means they take up nutrients in the soil and recycle them. The cow peas fix nitrogen in the soil. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">2) Ben, Alan, Aaron, Meredith and I all mulched almost 3,000 feet of peppers with straw. This basically means you place straw in the pepper beds. You do this for a variety of reasons including to suppress weeds, to hold in moisture, and to reduce soil splash (which keeps the dirt of f the pepper plants so they’re pretty but this also helps with disease prevention). We used about 50 bales of straw. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">3) We also cultivated (fancy word for weeded<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>) melons, winter squash and eggplant. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">4) Ben inter-seeded buckwheat with the okra, field peas, and summer squash. We do this to suppress weeds, attract beneficial insects, add organic matter and prevent erosion. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">5) Ben has been diligently staking peppers. We’ll be tying them shortly (to keep the plants from falling and/or breaking from the weight of the peppers). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">6) Ben has also been doing quite a lot of tractor research. We were going to take a road trip to Charlotte last Sunday but after speaking with other farmers at market, we found out the tractor was way too pricey for what it is. So, we opted to float the Falls of Neuse with a few friends instead (and were able to do so thanks to Randy and Leza, who lent us their canoe for over a month!<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">7) And finally, we harvest squash and cucumbers everyday and harvest everything else for the CSA and market every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Saturdays Leslie (and now Laura and Brian as well) pick up our goods for the <a href="http://www.clayton-farmers-market.org/">Clayton Market</a> and Ben and I have been taking two pick up trucks worth of stuff to the <a href="http://westernwakefarmersmarket.org/">Western Wake Farmer’s Market</a>. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Also, in all of that, I cook at least two meals per day, teach for my online Intro to Sociology course, write the newsletters, come up with recipes and type recipe cards for the market, do basic household chores including washing the never ending sink of dishes and laundry (including hanging it to dry and taking it down and in to put up), and every once in a while, also make samples for the <a href="http://westernwakefarmersmarket.org/">Western Wake Farmer’s Market</a>. This Saturday we brought quick cucumber kimchi and beef and cabbage bulgogi for beef day at market. Oh, and I forgot to mention we also had dinner guests on Wednesday night (CSA members Lara and Sam) and went to our neighbor’s 50<sup>th</sup> birthday party Saturday after market. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">It’s been a busy week and we’re ready for more. My folks and my nephew are coming into town tomorrow. That means I have to finish grading final essays and cleaning the house by tomorrow at 7pm. Plus, it’ s my nephew Julian’s 13<sup>th</sup> birthday on Thursday, so I need to get some balloons and cake action on somewhere between today and tomorrow. Meanwhile, Ben is going to check out a tractor in Zebulon tonight after the CSA drop. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We need to find a quality, affordable tractor. Ben is busting his hump on that walk behind tractor and it’s taking him at least three times as long to do things he’ll be able to do once we get that tractor. And while you’re at it, please send some rain energy our way too! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span> I think y’all helped us out yesterday – we got ½ an inch!</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Okay – we hope y’all are keeping up with your own do-to lists and keeping happy. We’ll see you around. </span></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Down on the Farm, pt. 2</b></div><div></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">By Patricia Parker </span></i></b></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><b>Week 11 (July 4-July 10) </b></span></i></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9_Hd-VEafqZNfRcqrGgpykr0DM7oVK7XeFnQxp76tWakl5kDolnn28COWvlmAjJvShSZWE7R63UMlOoIwQ5C1-LIQCdqGXXcF-1BS0d0Ik229zZhNJzw0YfT8Sq9HOl7S15VeYVxBtE/s1600/ben%252C+patricia+%2526+charlie+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9_Hd-VEafqZNfRcqrGgpykr0DM7oVK7XeFnQxp76tWakl5kDolnn28COWvlmAjJvShSZWE7R63UMlOoIwQ5C1-LIQCdqGXXcF-1BS0d0Ik229zZhNJzw0YfT8Sq9HOl7S15VeYVxBtE/s320/ben%252C+patricia+%2526+charlie+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Well, another week has passed us by. And, as usual, a lot has happened in those seven days. My folks came into town last Wednesday, with my nephew Julian in tow. Thursday was Julian’s 13<sup>th</sup> birthday and he got to spend it weeding in the morning (we’re cruel, we know<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>) and then we went shopping and baked a yummy red velvet cake (from <a href="http://www.nanciemcdermott.com/">Nancy McDermott</a>’s book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811853705?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwnanciemder-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0811853705"><i>Southern Cakes</i></a>). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtX7rg5HrZiZekBcN5UY55X2bO_iVrHeGEbzq4iaVmaDo07CcbdSpPG5-bNOC9ZinIde7mCGjYa_7QIpBH436tRvU8wSjeK1XS0LPLege9q3xGPFh8FDscaHpF0w1QWVUJ7PboRCEhPI/s1600/DSCF2750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtX7rg5HrZiZekBcN5UY55X2bO_iVrHeGEbzq4iaVmaDo07CcbdSpPG5-bNOC9ZinIde7mCGjYa_7QIpBH436tRvU8wSjeK1XS0LPLege9q3xGPFh8FDscaHpF0w1QWVUJ7PboRCEhPI/s320/DSCF2750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Julian is into the cake baking shows and wants to learn more about baking, which is why he baked his own birthday cake. My folks left Saturday morning to head back to Tennessee. Their visit was way too short, but I imagine we’ll be seeing them again soon. Of course, it was also Independence Day yesterday, so while Ben, Julian, and Meredith and I all worked in the morning (Julian only for an hour before he left with Beth and Eric and the kids to check out the Clayton parade), we spent most of the afternoon socializing. Beth (our neighbor, landlady and friend) had a 4<sup>th</sup> of July party that began at noon and ended sometime after 10 last night! Fun times were had by all, especially all of the kids <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. So, that’s the fun we had, but we also managed to get quite a lot of work done too. Here’s the rundown from last week: </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Dad and Ben built our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tractor">chicken tractor</a>!!! We’ve been wanting to build the chicken tractor pretty much since we got the chick-a-dees last year, but time and money kept us from doing so. As many of you know, the poor chickens have been cooped up most of their lives to keep Charlie the sweet, but chicken-eating, farm dog away from them. We do let them out in the evenings and keep Charlie inside, but we’ve really wanted to let them roam more often. We feed them greens daily, but at this point, we’ve been having to bring the greens to them. Now, we’ll be bringing them to the greens. For those of you unfamiliar with what exactly a chicken tractor is, well, it’s basically a moveable chicken coop. We’ll be putting the chickens out to pasture and they’ll be able to eat bugs, eat greens, and fertilize our soil while they’re at it (we’ll move them daily). Now we just need to work on getting some electrical fencing so we can keep Charlie and other chicken “loving” critters away from them. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Of course, we also did a whole lotta weeding this week. This is Julian’s least favorite farm task. I happen to think it’s not so bad, especially with our sandy soil. We weeded the butter beans, the field peas and the okra. We also all received bee stings of some kind. Well, almost all of us (Meredith managed to escape the wrath of the bees – but Ben, Aaron, my dad, Julian and I all received stings on Friday<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Yesterday Julian, Ben, Meredith and I all took strawberry cuttings off of the spring strawberry plants. We cut plants between 2 ½ and 4 inches long (about 700 of them) and them Ben made soil blocks and Meredith and I potted up the plants. We’re hoping we’ll be able to grow some strawberries for the fall – keep your fingers crossed for our fall fruiting experiment (it means you’ll have berries too!<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We also finished up staking and tying the peppers. There are plenty of peppers on many of the plants, but none of them are quite ripe – but you should start seeing peppers in your shares soon. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Finally, Ben has been working quite a lot on the fall crop plan. Speaking of…since I have some room below, it’s time to start thinking about the Fall 2011 CSA..<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span>. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b>Farm (and Off-Farm) Life</b></div><div></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">By Patricia Parker </span></i></b></div><div class="Heading1-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"><b>Week 12 (July 18-July 24) </b></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CjUx21MeDWyM66cyuHmwEN1cdFgdNqgBEvr7vUPWDdE7_zUFejiVo634JXRIs7ozTL-PUqc8FJnO9k_RIe_GxvrUhhDKo3cbECQ_XXp7XrgEkMSnVWpU62DuVmIemwHA5nVHJ0-6giI/s1600/DSCF2819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CjUx21MeDWyM66cyuHmwEN1cdFgdNqgBEvr7vUPWDdE7_zUFejiVo634JXRIs7ozTL-PUqc8FJnO9k_RIe_GxvrUhhDKo3cbECQ_XXp7XrgEkMSnVWpU62DuVmIemwHA5nVHJ0-6giI/s320/DSCF2819.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Since last week was our last week with Julian in town, it was an even crazier whirlwind than usual. I remember when Ben and I first moved to the Raleigh area, we were amazed at how many people rarely, if ever, went to the beach. Now that we’re rooted in our place, we’re beginning to understand why that’s the case. Pretty much the only time Ben and I leave the farm (barring holidays or other family celebrations) is to go to the CSA drop, go to market, go to school, or run errands – and that’s just to go to Raleigh. The beach is much farther away. However, Julian gave – at least me – the excuse to go to the beach. Last week here’s a recap of what we did: </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Monday: Julian and I went to Kure beach. We packed a picnic and swam, dodging jelly fish as best we could, boogie boarded, built a sand castle with moat, and collected sea shells. We also stopped at a seafood place on our way back home to bring home some NC shrimp and scallions – YUM! </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Tuesday: Ben, Julian and I harvested for the Tuesday CSA folks and Farm it Forward. Julian and I set up the drop and then packed up to head to the last Cooking Matters class for Farm it Forward. Julian had an awesome time and the Inter-Faith Food shuttle gave him a Cooking Matters cook book and nutritional information packets for his enthusiasm. After the class, Julian and I headed to CSA members and friends, Cate, Jeff, Ally, and Josh’s place for Josh’s 5<sup>th</sup> birthday celebration. Josh loves fireworks, so our lateness was sort of perfect timing – just in time for the fireworks and cake. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Wednesday: Ben and I harvested for the Wednesday folks and Julian played with kids over at Beth’s place. Beth has yoga at her house most weeks and mamas bring their kids in tow. It’s free yoga for the parents and playtime for the kids. They also usually have snacks and lunch in the afternoon. Living on the farm is so cool! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Thursday: We all harvested and then we met up with CSA members and friends, Emily and David, to check out the Carolina Mudcats game. It was Julian’s first baseball game (that he could remember). He bought a foam finger and David brought Julian a glove. It was quite cute seeing him with one on each hand ready for a foul ball (glove) or a homerun (foam finger). Hot dogs and peanuts were had. Julian even got Muddy the Mudcat (the team mascot – who is a catfish, if you don’t know) to sign his foam finger. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"></div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Friday: We all harvested for the Western Wake Farmer’s Market and the Clayton Market. We finished up early so we could make it to the 4:40 pm last Harry Potter movie. Julian even had time to fashion himself a wand to take with him. I’ll confess – I went to the grocery store prior and bought soda and snacks to sneak in to the theater. I carry a large purse and that can be particularly handy when going to see over-priced movies and smelling all of that over-priced popcorn. I think Julian was a little embarrassed when our soda cans popped loudly, but when I suggested he buy us some snacks from the concession stand, he got over it <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Saturday: We all headed to market. When we got home, we made lunch, ate and packed Julian’s things up. His flight was scheduled for 6:35pm. This was Julian’s first flight and his first flight alone. I spoke with my mom (his Oma) after he arrived and she said he was ecstatic about the flight. After we saw Julian off, Ben and I went to the Bavarian Brathaus for dinner. I bought a Groupon last year for Ben’s birthday and Saturday was the last day it was usable. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Sunday was fun day. Ben and I slept in and picked some of Beth’s blueberries and Ben made blueberry muffins. I’m not sure how many he made, but we’ve already eaten them all! We spent Sunday relaxing. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Now, on to more farm stuff! Here’s what happened on the farm more specifically: </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We cleaned about 300 pounds of onions. When they’re curing, we keep the green tops on. Once they’re finished curing, we have to cut off the tops, one by one, for storage. Since this is something you can do sitting down and in the shade, this was one of Julian’s favorite farm tasks. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We made and seeded up to 40 flats of seedlings, including: </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Kale</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Kohlrabi</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Chinese cabbage</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Tatsoi</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Scallions</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Fennel </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Cauliflower</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We cultivated, staked and tied the second round of tomatoes – or rather, Ben and Kevin did these things.</div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Ben, Meredith and I put up our newest edition – the high tunnel. We put shade cloth on it so we can keep the seedlings in it (and keep them away from the rain, so we can control the water, and the bugs). This first tunnel is about half the size of the other 2 or 3 we would like to construct this year. It’s 54x12 feet and it cost us about $450 to purchase the materials (which is about $0.72/square foot). </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>We also purchased and received a truck load of compost (38 yards) for the fall crops. </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>That’s all folks! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span> </div><div class="BodyText-Elegant" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
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</div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-29763872271931430142011-08-09T16:12:00.000-04:002011-08-09T16:12:49.005-04:00The Word on our 2011 Fall CSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXotbhCN3bcMXaAPmDzqN7F885dMqTg2lDMy3EoNo4eCXn_5w6gHGNyj0OfCaEgY3Lr9cgH4sdmVx9sEuJSwLCEZpPXhrT4WhqoQRm6es9NiB8V8ucuhcf2HKs8ho54EvfhmZuIQwUZEk/s1600/Spring+2011+CSA+share.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXotbhCN3bcMXaAPmDzqN7F885dMqTg2lDMy3EoNo4eCXn_5w6gHGNyj0OfCaEgY3Lr9cgH4sdmVx9sEuJSwLCEZpPXhrT4WhqoQRm6es9NiB8V8ucuhcf2HKs8ho54EvfhmZuIQwUZEk/s320/Spring+2011+CSA+share.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Ben's Produce offers vegetables, strawberries & flowers of the highest quality and taste in the Triangle. Our mission is to strive for healthier people, community, agriculture and planet by growing and sharing the best tasting food we can. Our farming practices may surpass organic guidelines but we choose not to be certified because we are confident the quality and taste of our produce, as well as our direct relationship with you, speak to our commitment to healthy food and holistic agriculture. 2011 will be our second year farming as Ben's Produce, though we have been farming with family and friends for many years.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between us. By making a seasonal investment in our farm with a CSA share, you become a seasonal farm member who shares the rewards and risks of the harvest season with us, your farmers. Your investment allows us to afford annual start-up costs, to pay ourselves fair wages, and to share the many risks in growing food. In return, we provide you and your family with abundant, fresh, healthy and local food. Our food not only tastes better and lasts longer, it's also helps us all nourish local agriculture, economy and environment. Taste the difference!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 16pt;">Is CSA right for your family?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is good to be aware of the rewards and challenges involved in CSA. If you and your family want to explore the wonderful tastes of our farm-fresh food by eating it straight from your CSA pickup bag or transformed in a delightful dish you cooked, CSA is for you! If you want to expand your taste-bud horizons and strengthen your skills at cooking and preparing fresh food, CSA is for you! If you want to be surprised with new vegetables, CSA is for you! If you want to eat healthily and enjoy eating, CSA is for you!<br />
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Please understand that nature's abundance varies. What you receive is based on our harvest schedule which is subject to the weather, pests, disease and a large myriad of influences. Some weeks your CSA share <i>may</i> be less than the retail farmers market value we try to maintain. However, we usually provide <i>more</i> bounty than you could buy at market value. If you find yourself with too many items, do not despair, share the bounty with others! .<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Members Receive:</b></span> <br />
<ul><li>About two grocery bags of at least 7-10 seasonal organic vegetables and herbs (more for large shares).</li>
<li>A weekly newsletter with produce information, cooking and storage tips, recipes and segments about life on and off the farm. </li>
<li>Exclusive access to an online recipe-sharing site. </li>
</ul><b>Members Also Enjoy: </b><br />
<ul><li>Convenient pick up locations and times throughout the week. </li>
<li>Adds ons including, bread, cheese, coffee, tea, pork, chicken, lamb and beef. </li>
<li>Access<b> </b> to our farm for volunteering, exploring and relaxing. </li>
<li>Invitations to on-farm events, such as our second annual OktoberFEAST. </li>
<li>New friends who share your interest in good food and good farming. </li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><br clear="all" /> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 16pt;">How It Works</span></b> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Join Ben’s Produce CSA by purchasing a CSA share at the beginning of the season. You then visit the pickup site of your choosing to pack your own vegetables from the harvest table. We will post a guide at the stand explaining what each share contains that week. The Fall 2011 CSA harvest season runs for 10 weeks from early October through December. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pickup Sites: </b>We have three weekly CSA pickup sites - <br />
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<a href="http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/RaleighCSA/">Raleigh Five Points CSA</a> - Tuesday evenings from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, 1911 Bernard St., Raleigh 27608. <br />
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Please consider signing up with the Raleigh Five Points CSA Yahoo Group through the link above, to access information regarding the pickup site and opportunities to support the other farmers who attend as well as local food events and information.<br />
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The Farm, Wednesday evenings from 4pm to 7pm, 1000 McLemore Rd., Clayton 27520<br />
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<a href="http://westernwakefarmersmarket.org/">Western Wake Farmers Market,</a> Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm at the1225 Morrisville Carpenter Rd, Cary 27519.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sharing with others</b><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 11pt;">:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span>If you choose to split a share with family or friends, please let us know on your registration so we may avoid confusion. <b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Flexibility:</b><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT"; font-size: 11pt;">W</span>e know you may miss pickup for many reasons. We prefer 24 hours notice, if possible. You may send friends or family in your place to pickup if you wish. Missed pickup is forfeit of that weeks share but we will try to make other accommodations if possible.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><b>Communication: </b><span style="color: black;"><b><u style="background-color: lime;"><span style="background-color: white;">Our main mode of communication is email.</span></u></b> </span><span lang="RU">We will</span> send all members weekly<span lang="RU"> email</span>s<span lang="RU"> usually </span>a day or two before pickup. <span lang="RU">Our emails</span> are meant as pickup reminders and usually<span lang="RU"> include farm updates, a list of that weeks veggies, a link to our latest blog entry and any notifications regarding pickup. Our blog functions as our farm newsletter</span> that includes farm news, anecdotes, reflections, recipes, photographs and more.<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-size: large;">COLLABORATIVE</span><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> CSA ADD ONS </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We offer our collaborative CSA service to bring you the best food from farmers and producers who attend Western Wake Farmer's Market with us. We will send you an email detailing this service after you sign up for our Fall CSA. We strongly urge patronizing these folks if you pick up at market instead of using this service. </span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Fickle Creek Farm, Efland NC – Pork, Chicken, Lamb</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Smith Angus Farm, Snow Camp NC – Angus Beef</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Funderburk & Pate, Meadow NC – Bread & Baked Goods made with their own grain</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hillsborough Cheese Co., Hillsborough NC – Cheese</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Muddy Dog Coffee, Morrisville NC – Coffee, Tea, Grits</span></li>
</ul><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Vegetable Availability</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">October:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Scallions, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Tatsoi, Beets, Carrots, Daikon, Radish, Turnip, Arugula, Chard, Fennel, Lettuce, Spinach, Peas, Herbs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">November:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Scallions, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard, Napa Cabbage, Tatsoi, Beets, Carrots, Daikon, Radish, Turnip, Arugula, Chard, Fennel, Lettuce, Spinach, Herbs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">December: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Scallions, Bok Choi, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard, Tatsoi, Beets, Carrots, Daikon, Radish, Turnip, Arugula, Chard, Fennel, Lettuce, Spinach, Herbs</span></div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <b> </b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Pricing</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Small Share - $125</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Our Small Share is the same size as the Regular Share but is distributed every 2 weeks instead of every week. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
<b>Regular Share - $200</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Our Regular Share is a suitable amount of produce for a small household of 1 to 3 people, or one well eating vegetarian to eat for one week. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Large Share - $300</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Our Large Share is a suitable amount of produce for a large household of 4+ people, or a couple of well-eating vegetarians to eat for one week. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Perpetua Titling MT","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Payment Options</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Our CSA is first come, first serve. You must send payment to secure a share. We prefer you send us Full Payment but our Payment Plan of a deposit and consecutive payments are accepted for your flexibility.We will use your CSA share payments to purchase much needed materials for building three high tunnels. These high tunnels cost about $800 a piece and we will construct them ourselves. They will serve as unheated greenhouses and will allow us to provide you with nutritious, wholesome food throughout the year. It will also allow us to provide you with early spring and summer crops. Please consider paying for your CSA share in full as soon as possible, if this is feasible for you. We thank you for your support! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Full Payment -</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Enclose a check for the total due.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Payment Plan -</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Enclose a deposit to secure your share. Please send the amounts listed below 30 days and 60 days after the date of your deposit.<br />
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<tr style="height: 28pt;"> <td colspan="2" style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 28pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 65.6pt;" valign="top" width="87"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Due Date</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 28pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Small Share</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 28pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Regular Share</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; height: 28pt; padding: 0in; width: 43.85pt;" valign="top" width="58"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Large Share</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 13pt;"> <td colspan="2" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 13pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 65.6pt;" valign="top" width="87"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Deposit</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$50</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$75</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 43.85pt;" valign="top" width="58"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$100</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 13pt;"> <td colspan="2" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 13pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 65.6pt;" valign="top" width="87"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">30 days</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$50</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$75</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 43.85pt;" valign="top" width="58"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$100</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 13pt;"> <td colspan="2" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 13pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 65.6pt;" valign="top" width="87"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">60 days</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$25</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 45.05pt;" valign="top" width="60"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$50</span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 13pt; padding: 0in; width: 43.85pt;" valign="top" width="58"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$100 </span></div></td> </tr>
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You can find our<i> </i><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1DIFPsJmDW_Yjc4NGVkNjYtODUyNy00MDdjLWFmOTAtMzQwMGIzYzBkZjk5&hl=en_US"><span style="color: blue;">Fall 2011 CSA brochure here</span></a>. Please use the brochure to sign up with us. Please enclose a copy with your information and payment. We hope you will afford us the honor of being your farmers in 2011 and we are looking forward to a great year. We wouldn’t be able to be farmers without you and your support!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sincerely,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Benjamin Shields & Patricia Parker</span></div>patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4325360039466262675.post-35136165544179996252011-06-17T18:36:00.000-04:002011-06-17T18:36:39.403-04:00Up to your ears in squash and zucchini?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzAo_tEfCpkcpcbhJnKVe7YK_gvS5iDUtFTixccPcXKZ2PYg-HKwSDiyFAWni6B8T4gRRtUx1877wrr9XxGw11t39XWQTKSQVdF8-_cPZ3D1oMvXdtbY_Hh0kdSkn_yd564_zWCpZnKg/s1600/zephyr+squah.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzAo_tEfCpkcpcbhJnKVe7YK_gvS5iDUtFTixccPcXKZ2PYg-HKwSDiyFAWni6B8T4gRRtUx1877wrr9XxGw11t39XWQTKSQVdF8-_cPZ3D1oMvXdtbY_Hh0kdSkn_yd564_zWCpZnKg/s320/zephyr+squah.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>Eating seasonally can be a challenge. Summer squash season is upon us and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the bounty. Whether you're growing your own garden, a member of a CSA, or a regular market visitor, you are probably faced with the daunting task of incorporating all of that squash into your meals - while at the same time trying not to tire of it. Well, I hope I can share some resources with you that you will find to be helpful.<br />
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First, <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/"><i>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</i></a> is an excellent resource for folks thinking about or already eating seasonally. Kingsolver is a phenomenal writer and her family is pretty talented too. If you haven't read this book yet, please pick it up this summer! It's a worthwhile read. In the meantime, you can access some of the resources contained within the book (but not the stories). One of the most relevant resources for this particular squash-inspired post is the <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Zucc.pdf"> Zucchini Season Meal Plan</a>. The site also includes some, but not all, of the recipes mentioned in the meal plan including, a recipe for <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Panini.pdf">Grilled Vegetable Panini</a> (it calls for eggplant and peppers, but I say work with what you've got), a recipe for <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Zucchini%20Orzo.pdf">Disappearing Zucchini Orzo</a>, and a recipe for <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Zucchini%20Cookies.pdf">Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> (a friend suggests margarine instead of butter to make the cookies more moist). <br />
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Folks have been posting various squash and zucchini recipes either on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bens-Produce/209358592429919#%21/pages/Bens-Produce/209358592429919">Facebook site</a> or on their sites and then I re-post them to our site. I'll link a few of these resources here too. Here's another zucchini bread recipe called <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-bread/detail.aspx">"Mom's Zucchini Bread Recipe." </a>And then there's <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yellow-squash-patties/detail.aspx">Yellow Squash Patties</a>. Then we also have <a href="http://www.allzucchinirecipes.info/">All Zucchini Recipes</a> that includes an exhaustive guide to all things zucchini, including recipes, of course. And finally, here's a <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-roundup/summer-squash-15-recipes-for-zucchini-yellow-squash-pattypan-more-120015">site with links to 15 squash and zucchini recipes</a>, including potato, squash and goat cheese gratin, zucchini potato frittata, and squash ribbons. <br />
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I hope some of these resources do help you to better enjoy and handle the bounty of squash season. If you have any other suggestions, please post comments here or at our Facebook site. We would love it if you shared some of your favorites with us!patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11314717632806951809noreply@blogger.com0