February 2010

April 2010

May 2010

Week 1 Distribution (June 3-8)

Week 2  (June 10-15)

Week 3 (June 17-22)

Week 4 (June 24-29)

Week 5 (July 1-6)

Week 6 (July 8-13)

Beyond cost savings, it's worth noting that this blend is very gentle on the skin. Regular detergents increase the permeability of the skin and can often lead to skin reactions.  We have been very fortunate over the years to have had a steady supply of hand-me-downs for Forrest to wear (size 4-5 coming up!). Recently we were given some beautiful clothes from a friend that had a strong detergent smell. I rinsed them and meant to rinse them again when they were ready to be worn in a few months. Jacob inadvertently put a shirt on Forrest, and for the next 3 weeks Forrest had a contact dermatitus (eczama looking) rash - just from one evening of wearing a detergent washed shirt. I did 12 rinse cycles on the clothes, but the smell was still there. In the end, the clothes were passed on.

If you don't want to take the time to make it yourself, you can still buy Michigan made clothes soap at local natural health stores. Check here for stores that carry their product.

2 Cups Washing Soda

2 Cups Borax

1 Bar of non-toxic soap, shredded.

Mix together. Use 1/8 Cup mix per load.

The onion rows begin from camera and extend to the tree line in the back. There are 5 rows. We are soooo very greatful to all who came out and helped make this a pleasant, quick weeding task. Dutch white clover was seeded the night the weeding was finished, so a low growing living mulch will fill the spaces between the onions.

 One of our work shares brings their 9 year old with them every week. Last week, Jacob assigned him the task of walking around the farm and taking photos.  Beautiful pictures, Luke!  Above is a patch of broccoli and the teepee that Jacob and Forrest built. Pole beans are planted at the base. They will vine up and create a shady, beany get-a-way.

Below is an up-close of the broccoli patch above. We planted close together to minimize weed growth and to retain as much moisture as possible from the broccoli leaves shading the soil.

Tomatoes in the high-tunnel. Sungold tomoatoes have been ripening for the past week, but the hardest creature to control, our 3 year old, keeps sneaking into the high-tunnels and picking anything with the slightest tinge of ripeness.

Tomato plants in the field... lots of them!

More of Luke's artsy photography. Tomatillos..yum...

Yet to be weeded onions in the front, collards behind, swiss chard behind, salad mix and kale in the background. It's growing...

Here, Jacob and Forrest are preparing beds by rotovating the top layers of the soil for a smooth, even planting surface.

The dibbler (yellow contraption at right) is attached to the back of the rotavator, so fields are rotavated and dibbed on the same pass with the tractor. The dibbler makes holes 12 inches apart on the prepared bed. This saves a lot of time when planting. When pulling the plant plugs out of the cells and laying them where we want to plant, we don't have to mentally think about where we will be placing each plant, the dibbler has the space already marked. By the way, the dibbler is a Jacob creation. Jacob is about as happy in a scrap metal yard as bunnies are in a kale field. He is always thinking of more ways to increase efficiency on the farm. He simply welds up the answer to his needs, and the rest of us sit back and think, wow, that is one handy man.

So, after the holes are marked, compost is placed at every space we intend to plant in. Keep this in mind volunteers. This could be you. Really though, it's quite pleasant. Shoulders back and breathe.

Check it out. To the left are about 30,000 onions that were planted in about 1 1/2 days (only 1/3 are pictured), in the middle are carrots and parsnips sprouts just emerging and to right are collards. How do all those plants get into the soil? We get down on our knees or bend from the waist or squat and tuck each plant in with our hands. Also, very enjoyable and pleasant if one remembers to breathe and use good posture. Free yoga for all you interested volunteers!

Here are some broccoli plants and radish sprouts.

Lettuces and pok choi in the front of the field. I'm always amazed at how fast these grow.

Work share member, Marilyn, and Forrest are seeding winter squash together. When seeding with a small child, one's patience can wear pretty thin, pretty fast, but Marilyn held out beautifully against the persistent "help" of a three year old. Thanks Marilyn!

Seedlings are placed on the bench to germinate and grow. Plastic is placed over the mini-hoops for another layer of warmth at night. In the forefront are zucchini plants.

Four row of plants span from the back of H2 to 1/3 the way to the front.  From left to right the rows are eggplant, green beans intercropped with cilantro, fennel bulb and parsley, cucumbers and pepper intercropped with basil. 240 cucumber plants in one bed! They'll all be trellised up to save space. In front of these rows are more rows of zucchini, tomatoes and basil.

This first pic is taken the 3rd week in April.  Some produce we had ready way before the first farmer's market, others we're still waiting to come to fruition.

Radishes were ready at the beginning of April - way too early for the first market.  I've never been a radish lover, but I soon discovered the fresh, mildly spicy flavor of the spring radish. 30-50 radishes eaten in a day was common place when these beauties were ready for harvest. I never EVER would have believed that radishes would have been the absolute desire of palate by all in the household, but oh joy of joys!

We were so excited to have chard to bring to the first market!

We were the only vendors to have a full display of produce for 1st week.  On the table is butterhead lettuce, romaine, pak choi, scallions, spinach, lettuce mix, napa cabbage, swiss chard and lilacs from the aromatic bushes that have cheered us along this warm spring.

A teaspoon of productive soil generally contains between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria.  The relationship between these bacteria and other microbes in the soil and the impact of the soil structure within these relationships are in their infant stages of exploration.

Within these relationships is complete interdependence among species that benefit the overall health of the soil. All of these microbes together are performing necessary chemical reactions to break down and release nutrients that are bound in form insoluble for plant uptake and for other microbes to use. Some bacteria fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, for example, which fertilizes or feeds the soil of this necessary nutrient that stimulates leaf growth. 

When a plant makes sugar through photosynthesis, that energy is used not only to grow the plant up, but also down through the roots.  The roots “exude” out amino acids, proteins and other compounds into the soil that attract different microbes.  These compounds are called exudates. One type of hormone exudate may attract one type of beneficial bacterial when released and another amino acid exudate may attract a different microbe, depending on the plant’s needs.

Much like our digestive tract, plants build a biological shied of immunity around their root stock with a dominating beneficial bacteria and a fungal held minority. In gardens it is bacteria that rule the top layers of soil, and in forests it is fungus that dominates the top layers. Tilling the soil and careless double-digging reverses the soil layers that plants create as a defense mechanism against pathogens.  This illustrates why blanket-spraying pesticides that destroy the biological shield of beneficial microbes weakens plant defense against biological attacks, creating more “need” for future poison-spraying and fertilizing.

Strong biological root defense systems also account for the higher antioxidant content in organic vegetables. When Forrest and I nurse together, he is receiving additional antibodies through the milk from that to which I was exposed. It is similar with plants. When exposed to pests and microbes the plant responds by producing more antibodies, which present as antioxidants, and essential oils that possess anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. If fungicide is sprayed on a regular basis, the plant has little need to produce anti-fungal oils and anti-oxidants.  

This is the foundation of growing food organically. The symbiotic relationships that exist in nature are respected and revered for its innate intelligence and wisdom.