Rain and frost

There is rain in the forecast and hopefully it will be more than a sprinkling. I am looking forward to hearing pounding raindrops in my sleep and waking up to puddles. The soil is already so dry from the heat that the rain is truly a blessing. I  do not think that the wheat and oats that we planted a few weeks ago would grow successfully without it. This is one of the first cold storms we have had. For the past week we have had frost in the valley, mostly in small patches but for a few nights it covered the fields. In general the last frost date in Petaluma is April 15th but I am curious to see what that date is here. We have only been here for 3 years so we just barely getting to know this piece of land and its unique seasons.

The fields are slowly filling with vegetables. The first transplants went in the ground on Friday. They are upright and have great color today. You can barely see them in the photo but by June they will cover the beds. Our pants will be soaked with the dew that collects on the leaves as we harvest them. 

We have 3 new calves in the field. The boss cow Blossom had her calf first last week, followed by two more this weekend. The tall green grass and the vetch that is in the fields are keeping the cows shiny and beautiful right now. They are well nourished and resting often as their energy needs are met in fewer bites. This little lupine is one of my favorite wildflowers to see in the field!

Seeds in the ground

We are planning to plant vegetable seeds in the fields this week: peas, carrots and beets to start. It is exciting to think that we will have food to harvest again soon. The seedlings in the greenhouse have true leaves now and are growing rapidly. They will be ready to be planted next week or the week after. It is exciting to watch the rapid growth that occurs, from a tiny seed to a large head of broccoli soon. We are also preparing the less exciting but just as necessary aspects of growing vegetables: gluing and cutting irrigation, tuning tractors and implements.

The strawberries and garlic that we planted last fall are dark green and growing well. We have been pinching the flowers so that they put their energy into growing rather than fruiting, and because we don't need any fruit yet. 

We hosted several events and groups at the farm in the past week. A class from the Oxbow School led by a good friend visited Friday and enjoyed all the young animals. The Ecological Landscaper Immersion  participants from the Permaculture Skills Center were here for two days. We were able to offer the land and they shared their skills, restoring the landscape and doing key line plowing. Last night, the monthly Petaluma Farmer's Guild meeting christened our new fire pit. For Oliver's birthday in January, we installed an old cement water trough as a year round fire pit but have not had a chance to use it yet. We hope to use it much more in the future!

Chicks

The chicks arrived Wednesday morning. We were hoping they would be here no later than 3 pm on Tuesday, having been shipped Monday morning, but unfortunately they were delayed. We were quite happy to get the call at 6:30 am to come and pick them up. Most had survived the trip and were happy to be offered water and food and to run around. The first week is tenuous; you hope that you have provided them with all they need to survive but you do lose some. Hopefully, we are past that now and able to watch them grow.

The other ewe had her two lambs Tuesday morning without any problems. They have been grazing the fields right in front of our house. Teddy and I both love to gaze at them from the big window inside. The cows have finished grazing the other farmstead and are moving back across the front field. They should start calving any day now as well!

We planted the wheat and oats last Thursday. We were hoping for a little more rain than what we received but it was still lovely. When I heard it start last night, I just sat for a while and listened. While the forecast does not look good, I do hope there is more to come this spring. We also planted the wildflower ring around the herb garden. Most of the fields are tilled and we will start planting vegetables next week. The soil here is rich and beautiful but also damaged from years of cropping and lacking good structure. Each year we learn more about how best to work with it. We hope that with careful management it will only improve.

The barnyard is full of activity: Jose working on the chicken trailer, Jorge greasing the spader, and the sheep are mowing the lawn. Somewhere, the rest of us are busy at work too.

Abundance

The first two acres was tilled last Thursday and Friday. We mow the cover crop before will till so that it will incorporate more quickly. Walking out to the field it smelled strongly of fresh mown grass and soil. The birds are always happy to follow the tractor and snatch up any worms and other bugs that they can find. Soon this field will be full of food!

Chive seedlings cracking the surface.

There are many seedlings popping up in the greenhouse. The first germination is always reassuring and exciting; you never know if the seeds will start. Each seed opens up differently: some have large cotyledons, some small, some pop right out, and some take their time. I get lost in there at times, staring at the soil, looking for signs of green, and noticing all the differences between the plants.

Can you find Spot in the photo?

Spot spent his first week following us around the farm, happily befriending anyone who was nearby, including Rosie and the cats. It was hilarious to watch him practice his jumping and learning to run. Now he is back in the herd, playing with his brother and bonding with the other sheep. The chicks should start arriving today or tomorrow! The farm is feeling abundant already with spring growth, baby animals, and new people.

The wildflowers are in bloom all over the hills. There are so many sizes and colors. Our table is loaded with bouquets that Margrethe has picked and our bellies are full of miner's lettuce harvested by Oliver. Come take a hike in the hills and explore!

Spot

Sunday was a busy day. We awoke to the sounds of lambs in the pasture. Seth went out to move the animals and discovered that the mother ewe was rejecting one of her lambs. Both lambs are healthy and beautiful but it seems two were too many for her. Spot is now living in our entry way and playing in our yard with the kids. He follows them around and happily takes the bottle from anyone. He slept better than our children, no sounds from 9 pm to 5:30 am!

Sunday the farm was also full of people; signing up for the CSA, planting seeds, and relaxing in the sun. It was wonderful to see friends and to meet new members. We are looking forward to the beginning of the season and for the farm to be a buzz with activity again.

The fields are drying quickly. We hope to plant the grain this week and to get the first two acres of vegetables tilled. We will then let the field rest a few weeks and wait for the cover crop to break down before we plant. It certainly feels like an early spring but hopefully there is a little more rain on the way!

Mint!

A new crew

It truly felt like the start of the season today. Jay returned to work on the farm, Gina moved on to her new ventures and Ellen joined the crew. We are excited for the help and to have the farm full of people. 

The chicks are coming in two weeks. We have heard from the farmers hatching them that the eggs are in the incubator. We are hoping that everything goes well and looking forward to having them on the farm. We are putting together the final details so that they will have a cosy place to land.

Herb flats in the greenhouse

We started our first seeds in the greenhouse today. Last week, we took out the tables and weeded the floor. Today we put everything back and cleaned out the potting shed so that we were ready to go. It was a little anti climatic to start only 2 flats but there will be many more to follow in the coming weeks. After the late rains and slow start last year, I was less aggressive with my crop plan. It was so difficult to watch all the plants get root bound, waiting to be planted. Now this year, it seems like it will be an early spring.

We disced 6 acres last week to plant 5 acres of oats for chicken feed and 1 acre of Sonora wheat for human consumption. Now we are letting the ground dry more and waiting for some of the grass to break down. Soon we will disc it again and plant before another spring rain. Hopefully there is one.

The 2 ewes are due to lamb any day. We are looking forward to spring babies and to getting distracted watching them. 

We are no longer open on Fridays but you are welcome to come visit and to purchase pork and onions anytime. We enjoy sharing the farm with you.

Glowing green

All of a sudden it feels like spring. The grass is growing so fast you can see it and it has changed from a bright green to a darker one. The fields are still to wet to till but if it does not rain, they would be dry soon enough. I do still hope for more rain of course.

The wood shop is almost complete. The tools are partly moved in; the shelves halfway built. The space is much bigger and cleaner than where they were stored before. Hopefully it will make it easier to keep organized on a daily basis. 

The hay is almost gone in the barn. Only a small pile is left. The children were disappointed at first but then they found they could still jump off the pile and pretend to all in between the bales. It is nice to have the barn clear and be ready for more hay.

This is the last week that we will have a wide range of vegetables for sale. We will still be open on Fridays 2 pm to 5 pm and have onions and meat for purchase at that time.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Cabbage

The lettuce and cabbage will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

We will have the wool out and be needle felting this week.

Hillside grazing

The cows finished grazing the hillsides next to the driveway. They spent the weekend in the barn, eating soft beets and the last of the hay. They will now move across the flats to the hills by the other homestead.  Even with the recent heat, the flats are still soaked, too wet for the cows to graze.

We now have pork to offer for sale.  The pigs were raised out on pasture and in a heavily bed barn when the ground was saturated. They ate mostly leftover farm vegetables that were supplemented with organic grain. The cost is $10.50 a pound for every cut, from bacon and smoked ham to sausages and pork loin. We will have it available to purchase in the barn. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

We are going to offer vegetables for sale for the next two weeks. The stored vegetables are dwindling and the field crops are gone. We will still be open every Friday 2 pm to 5 pm with meat and onions for sale, as well as a simple craft or activity.

The heat is certainly making it appear that spring, or maybe even summer, is here. We feel the pressure to finish the construction projects and the office work in preparation for the growing season. Still, lets hope that there is more rain to come.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Cabbage

The lettuce and cabbage will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

We will be making magic wands.

Drainage walk

The ground is fully saturated after all that lovely rain. The wind was wild but we did not have any downed trees, just a lot of laid down grass. I love to notice that patterns in the grass after the storm, the tall grass flattened and the shorter grass sticking up. The taller grass is hiding the puddles now. When you look out in the fields, you think that most of the water has been absorbed, but when you walk through them you realize how much is still on the surface.

We cut back the herb garden last week. The picture above is quite a contrast to the summer time; you can only see the green grass, all the herbs are dormant! When I walked out there this morning, the garden was full of birds, feasting on all the worms and bugs that came to the surface. 

The tarragon is starting to grow again. The leaves on the buckeye tree behind the office are just opening; their color is almost fluorescent. We also hand weeded the garlic last week. It was quite a task, as the roots are almost impossible to remove. However, it is nice to be able to see the garlic sprouts again. 

Stella and the sheep came in the barn for the storm as they were grazing in the wet lowland areas. The main herd was fine on higher ground. After 4 days in the barn, Stella and the sheep are desperate to be back out.

Walking the drainages is the perfect antidote to 4 days inside, due to sickness and the rain. Having running water on the farm is a treat! 

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Chard

The fennel, lettuce, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

Jeanne Schrim has kindly offered to lead the craft this week. She will be making paper stars.

The other side

We are working on the other side of the property this week, cleaning up downed tree limbs and mowing around the buildings. While the house on this side has been well maintained, the barns and other outbuildings are older and need more work. The site has not been actively farmed for a long time. Still it is beautiful and different, with more trees and a wilder feel.

We are fortunate that Heidrun Meadery keeps some of their beehives on the property. In the warmth of the day, the bees were active and the hives were buzzing. I have also seen them on the broccoli flowers in the vegetable fields on the other side of the farm. 

We finished the exterior of the wood shop. We will start on the interior this week and hopefully be moved in next week. There are still many more building projects on the list for this winter but spring is approaching fast. I am finally caught up with accounting and able to move onto the crop planning. I find that as I work on the plans for the next season I am both giddy and nervous at the same time. You never know what the season will bring.

Luckily for all of us, it does seem that rain is on the horizon. Thank goodness! 

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Chard

The fennel, lettuce, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

The week we will be making magic wands.

Furry cows

The cows are basking in the sunshine and lengthening days. When I went to visit them, everyone was relaxed and eating. They are still furry with their winter coats but they are looking full and healthy, enjoying the green feed.

While there is plenty of work to be done in the winter, the sphere in which it occurs is much smaller. The animal chores are the same, but the rest of days are mostly focused around the barnyard, rather than the fields. We are in the office or doing construction, with the occasional weeding tasks. I am curious how that will change next year when we are growing year round. I am sure that we will spend more time in the fields, but I also think that it will still be less and different than the summer.

While I miss growing food and having members at the farm each week, I am so grateful to have this winter to just be here, to watch the plants and the fields, to think and plan.

The barnyard construction zone

The corrugated metal for the wood shop roof and the mobile chicken coops should arrive tomorrow. The wood shop should be done by next week. Then we can move on to building the chicken coop on the mobile home chassis you see above. 

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Broccoli
• Chard

The fennel, broccoli, lettuce, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the activity, we will be doing a scavenger hunt again. No one had a chance to complete it last week. If anyone has craft and activity ideas, please let me know. I would be happy to hear your suggestions!

Let's hope it starts raining again soon!

Office work

There has been a lot of thick, heavy fog at the farm lately. I don't mind the grayness in the wintertime, especially when it is not raining. It feels as if the moisture is staying in place and protected. It also helps me stay focused in the office on the records and paperwork, rather than itching to be outside. 

The office view

We took the pigs to the slaughterhouse last week. We were sad to lose their presence on the farm but we do hope to have more pigs in the future. We are grateful for the tillage work they did, for the manure that they left us, and for meat they will provide.

Last week's craft: stick stars made of willow branches collected by the pond and madrone berries from our yard

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Broccoli
• Chard

The fennel, broccoli, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the activity, we will be doing a scavenger hunt. If anyone has craft and activity ideas, please let me know. I would be happy to hear your suggestions!

Winter Weeds

Even though it has not rained for a while, the ground is still very wet. The water in drainages is mostly stagnant but there is slow trickle that moves along. There are swampy areas that the birds are enjoying. The plants are barely recovering from the cold and wet. Their growth has almost stopped. Soon enough though, everything will begin again. And as always, we are hoping for more rain.

We took advantage of the dry spell to hoe the onions and garlic that were difficult to see in all the weeds. In November, before the first big rains came, we did hoe them but we have been unable to do anything since then. The soil is so dense in the winter that weeding is much more difficult. It feels almost impossible to get the weeds out of the ground. Still, to the best of our abilities, we need to keep the weeds under control so that the garlic and onions can thrive. 

We took the old shingles off the wood shop roof so that we can put on a new metal roof. The framing looks so little in comparison to the big open sky. We also pressure washed the entire building, cleaning off many layers of dirt and cobwebs. It is starting to look like usable building again!

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish

The fennel and turnips will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the craft, we will be playing with sticks.

The New Year

The break in the rain has been welcome, as the growing fields and pasture needed time to dry out. However, even as I am grateful for the dry spell, I do hope there is more rain in the future. The large herd of cows, as well as Stella and the sheep, are back out on fresh grass. The pigs were moved back into the big barn where they have more space and fresh straw in which to root around. 

The crew did not work the first week of the holiday break; Seth and I did chores and tried to find some quiet time in between all the various festivities. The second week of break, we were fortunate to travel to New Hampshire to see family and friends while the crew cared for the farm. We missed the cold temperatures here but we can see evidence of them in the fields. 

The deck and railing on the chick barn are complete. We built the railing from old redwood fence posts that we saved after replacing the fences. They are covered with moss and lichen. It was simple to build and exciting to find a use for some of the fence posts! Now we are working on the new roof for the wood shed.

he winter vegetables look battered after all that rain and then the cold spell. Honestly, even the grass is slightly yellowed and limp. We shall see if some of the vegetables recover; I know the grass will. I am grateful for this experimental winter garden plot so that we can watch and learn how the plants behave and make plans for next year.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish

The fennel and turnips will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the craft, we will be making note cards, for all those thank you notes you need to write!

Overflowing ponds and drainages

While the storm last week may not have been as dramatic as anticipated, it did deliver a large amount of water. All the ponds are full and cresting over the spillways. It is a relief to know that we have irrigation water for next year. It is hard to believe that last year at this time, they had not filled at all. Still, when the light appeared Thursday morning and we could see the fields, it was a bit overwhelming. The fields looked more like one large pond than areas of grass; there was white water in the drainages from the rushing water. And yet, by the afternoon most of the water had receded and the drainage flows had calmed. 

With each additional rain, the large puddles return and are slower to disappear. Some of the plants in the flower field, as well as the strawberries, onions, and garlic in the big field, were sitting in water after the rain today. While I am loathe to complain about any rain, it would be nice to give the soil time to absorb this moisture and to let the plants dry out a little.

We are still learning about this farm: how the water moves, how the soil acts, which plants thrive at which times and where. It is delightful and humbling at the same time. 

In the rain, the tasks have turned to construction. The windows are in on the chick barn, where the baby chicks will leave until they graduate to the mobile coop. Now we are building the deck and doors.

The animals are warm, dry and happy in the barns. I look forward to a time when they can have more space but I am also grateful for all the manure we are collecting.

We will be open this Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm. We will be closed the next two Fridays for the holidays. We will be making felted angels this week.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Chard
• Collards
• Fennel
• Kale
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

The chard, collards, and kale will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

I thought this recipe looked delicious!

Fennel, Kale and Rice Gratin (Adapted from nytimes.com)

• 1 bunch black kale, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 ½ pounds bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored and chopped (about 4 cups chopped)

•  Freshly ground pepper to taste

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup milk

• 1 cup cooked rice, preferably short-grain

• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)

PREPARATION

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add fennel. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften. Add salt to taste and continue to cook, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and kale, stir together for until the kale is wilted and lightly cooked, then stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon). Stir in fennel and kale mixture, rice and Gruyère, and combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Scrape into baking dish. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top and sides are beginning to color. Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This is good hot, warm, or room temperature.

Moving animals

After last week's rain, the drainages are flowing. Large puddles appeared in all the low spots, but most of the water has been absorbed by now, just in time for the next storm! As the soil is already saturated, there will be even more puddles after the coming rain. It is lovely to have water running through the farm again.

Today we are getting spaces ready in 3 different barns for all the animals. It is a bit of a puzzle to find a place for everyone. While they would all be fine outside during the storm, they could damage the pastures. We will bring everyone in and feed hay. It will be curious to see when the pastures will be ready for them again.

Last week we were able to clean up all the equipment and put most of it away in the barns. We also organized the walk in and the dry storage. We even found some time to weed whack around the barns. Now that everything is tidy, our minds are clear and we can dive into the office work and planning for next season. 

The farm is open this Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm. For sale we will have:

• Beets
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Chard
• Collards
• Fennel
• Kale
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

The chard, collards, and kale will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

Glorious rain

The day after our last harvest, we emptied the field of the irrigation lines, remay, and pea fence, and let the pigs into the whole field. They loved to hide in the tall brassicas and feast on all the leftover vegetables. The strawberry plants were their favorite! Today we moved them into the animal barn, bedded down with lots of straw so they will be dry and warm in the next storm. If it is not too muddy, we hope to put them back in the vegetables for the rest of December.

On Friday, Seth, Teddy, and I spent the day outside working to get ready for the rain. It was sunny and calm most of the day. We hoed the onions, built compost and moved the animals.

Now the farm truly feels ready for winter and plenty of rain. We hope it keeps coming!

Thanksgiving

The farm and the animals are looking clean and refreshed after that lovely rain last week. Everywhere is starting to be glowing and green. The clouds and cool weather made it truly feel like the beginning of winter; I actually needed to wear my thick wool sweaters. Still the bright sunshine today felt lovely. When I was out in the field, the flowering broccoli was buzzing with bees and other pollinators. It was a reminder to me to try and always have something in bloom, especially after we had just finished mowing and tilling the flower field.

We trained the pigs to electric fence which means that we can move them more easily and give them more space to run. Today we moved them into a section of the old vegetable field so that they can clean up the leftovers. They are happy for all the food, the spacious area, and to find some softer ground to root around.

This week's pick list:

• Brussel Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Turnips
• Fennel
• Watermelon Radish
• Pac Choy
• Peas
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries

Brussel Sprouts

I had leftover pumpkin puree so I made some pumpkin bread for us to snack on at pick up. The winter luxury pumpkins cook easily and have excellent texture and flavor.

Pumpkin Bread (adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com)

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
• 12/3 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 and 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).
3. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in the pumpkin puree.
5. Generously grease 2 large loaf pans and pour in the batter.
6. For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 - 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

It was Seth's birthday this Saturday. As always we had his favorite soup. It is easy, delicious and satisfying. We eat it often in the winter, not just on his birthday! I am sure a vegetarian version would be tasty as well.

Wild Rice Soup (from Betty Puffinberger many years ago)

• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 slices of bacon, diced (optional)
• 1 cup diced celery or celeriac
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2/3 cup wild rice
• 1 quart of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup of milk
• Handful of chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a soup pan, saute the onions and bacon on medium heat until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the carrots and celeriac and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the wild rice and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook until the wild rice is tender and split open, about 1 hour.
6. Add the milk and parsley and taste. Season with salt and pepper if need be. Serve!

It is even better the next day!

Frost

The frost finally came last night.  There was actually very little left in the fields that is susceptible to frost but it was still nice to feel that weather change. Hopefully it will sweeten the rest of the crops for these last few harvests. 

Next Tuesday November 25th is our last pick up day. We will have plenty of everything; stock up for Thanksgiving and beyond! Please plan to return your tote that day or this week if you will be gone next week. To help you get all the produce home, we can provide you with extra grocery bags and help you carry anything to your car of course.

We planted the garlic today. All the fall planted crops are in the ground. We are working to spade the rest of the fields and plant the cover crop as soon as possible. We will finish digging the dahlias this week. Soon the fields will be tucked away for the winter. Then the building projects and office work begins!

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Fennel
• Watermelon Radish
• Pac Choy
• Peas
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries

Frosted celosia

Creamy Braised Parsnips with Sage (Adapted from Marthastewart.com)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add parsnips and saute until lightly browned, 4 minutes.

2. Add broth and sage and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender.

3. Increase heat to high, and cook most of the liquid is gone.

4. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper.

urnip and Kohlrabi Slaw (Adapted from whole living.com)

• 1 pound kohlrabi (about 2 small heads), peeled and quartered
• 1 medium turnip (about 8 ounces), peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Handful of chives and cilantro, finely chopped

1. Fit a food processor with a shredding blade (or use a box grater) and shred kohlrabi and turnip.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, and sesame oil; season with salt and pepper. Add kohlrabi, turnip and herbs to a bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Fall Harvest Fair! The farm was full of activity: beautiful wreaths were made, lots of pie was eaten and more. It was a true celebration of the wonderful season we have had. 

Our last pick up day will be Tuesday November 25th, right before Thanksgiving. We hope to send you home with lots of delicious produce for your holiday meal. 

The swings behind our house with the young green grass coming through.

Even though the flowers are still abuzz with birds and flying insects, the plants are truly starting to die. I have been waiting for a frost to kill them but it has yet to come. Instead we are going to start pulling them and cutting them back this week. I hope to dig the dahlias Thursday and get the field tilled and cover cropped soon. However, we will leave the perennial flowers and those will be available for picking until the day that the frost actually arrives. 

It is lovely to see the green grass coming up everywhere. I am looking forward to more rain to foster its growth. In contrast to the grass, the growth of the plants in the vegetable fields has definitely slowed. And yet the peas seem to be flourishing. The plants are huge and there are many blossoms. It has been a treat to snack on the sweet snap peas every day.

Peas a plenty!

We are giving out the dry beans and popcorn this week. It was a small harvest so it will only be a taste but hopefully there will be abundance in the future. The heirloom popcorn can be harder to make but it is delicious. Here is a great article on it from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/dining/heirloom-popcorn-helps-a-snack-reinvent-itself.html. For a detailed description of how to make stovetop popcorn, go to http://tinybutmightyfoods.com/how-to-pop/.

This week's pick list:

• Dry Beans

• Popcorn

• Turnips

• Watermelon Radish

• Pac Choy

• Peas

• Kohlrabi

• Escarole and Frisee

• Radicchio

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Parsnips

• Onions

• Lettuce

• Celeriac

• Winter Squash

• Potatoes

• Kale

• Chard

• Collards

• Beets

• Rutabaga

• Carrots

• Dill and Cilantro

• Pick your own Strawberries

• Flowers

The toyon berries by our house that the birds are loving.