Who's Ready for Fresh Produce?

Gardening season is well under way on our farm. How is everyone's garden going? Are you all done planting what you want to plant?

We are still working on planting more rounds of a variety of different produce. We still have more rounds of sweet corn to plant, continuing to plant summer crops, and will be planting pumpkins very soon.

Our local farmers market started the beginning of May so we have been cutting lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, and other greens as well as picking radishes and green onions for our customers.

Today was the first pick up of our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for 2014. Our CSA members will come to our local farmers market and pick up their weekly share of produce. Our shares consist of 6-10 different vegetables/fruit each week. This is our 5th year offering a CSA at the market and although we are not a large CSA, it continues to grow every year. We do a 17 week Spring/Summer CSA and a 7 week Fall CSA. We appreciate the local customers and support.

It is always exciting for the first CSA to start. I think it is one of the highlights to our summer and growing season. When customers come back week from week and share with us how they used particular items from their CSA and what they liked in their weekly shares.

This was today's share. Our members received radish, arugula, green onions, salad mix, spinach, and kale. 

You might look for a local CSA to join where you live. To locate one check out Local Harvest

to find one near you. You can also use local harvest to find a farmers market near you. Why not buy fresh and local produce? Your local produce farmers will really appreciate it.

The Potatoes Are In The Ground!

Have you heard the old rule of thumb for planting potatoes is around Good Friday? This gardening folklore dates back to the Irish potato famine and revolves around the moon phases.

With the Old Farmer's Almanac suggestion, we try to plant around Good Friday every year depending on the temperatures and the weather we are having. Fortunately it was later this year with the long cold winter we had. Glad Spring finally rolled around! We welcomed it with wide open arms as we were tired of seeing the white fluffy stuff and having cold temps. While the old wives' tale may work for some years, it is important to keep in mind that it may not be the right time every year. Depending on when Good Friday falls each year, the ground may be too cold to plant. Potatoes can tolerate cooler temps, but the soil temperature should not be too cold. You can definitely still plant them later in the season also.



Photo courtesy of eBay

This year we purchased an old but "new to us" Champion potato planter. My husband made a few modifications to it. Last weekend we gave it a shot and he said "it works pretty slick." We planted 1,000 pounds of potatoes including, Yukon Gold, Russet, and Red. This weekend we finished up with another 500 pounds of Red and Katahdin. This summer it will get a new paint job.

 

Freshly dug potatoes taste amazing! They store great also. Try growing some yourself or seek out a local farmer or the farmers market for some when they are ready as early as mid June most years. You won't regret it!

Growing Veggies on Our Farm and You Can Too

My husband and I have always been around growing vegetables. Growing up, my mom always had a good size garden that we ate off of all summer long and even enjoyed homegrown produce after gardening season with stuff she had canned. My husband grandparents and uncle also did the same. There is a long history of growing vegetables in both of our families.

Being on the farm has always been a way of life for us, as we are both come from farm families. In our dating years, we had a small garden that we tended too. After college I was working at a local floral shop and the owner was interested in some straw, and corn shocks for her Fall display. We were able to provide those to her. This was the beginning of Walker Farms where we thought the next year we would grow pumpkins to supply garden shops and retail places with pumpkins to sell. With this we also decided to grow some produce. I don't remember what we started out growing for our first season of produce but this was when we also started selling at the local farmers market.
This was in 2006.

2013 Farmers Market Season

We started with just a small section of land and are now up to 15 acres. We seem to add a little more every year. We grow 8 acres of pumpkins and 7 of produce. We are not a large farm by any means but at a good size right now that we can handle. We sell at the local farmers market and some that are about an hour away. It is so rewarding to hear how people enjoyed the produce they purchased from you and interacting with the public with their questions. It is neat to see people comment "Oh I didn't know on onion grew that way with green stuff coming out the top" or "I didn't know pak choi could be grown around here."

2013 Green Beans

Having a CSA is a large part of our business. We enjoy providing our members with produce they are familiar with and some that they may have not tried before. The following week, I love to hear what they did with their eggplant or kohlrabi, etc. It is nice to share recipes!

2013 Kale

Don't be afraid to grow your own produce if you have space that allows. If not you can even try growing a patio tomato! There's nothing like a fresh tomato right off the vine! I love them!! If you have more than you will eat before they start going bad, can or freeze them. It is a lot of work for some of the vegetables, but you wont regret that you did it when you are enjoying sweet corn, green beans, homemade salsa, and beets in the winter time. The list goes on as to what you can freeze and can. The planting season is just starting or hasn't even in a lot of places, why not give gardening a shot?!

Canning pickles 2013

This is part 3 of a 3 part blog series. Read part 1 here and part 2 here.

Find a Farmers Market/CSA Near You

Are you wanting to join a CSA for fresh weekly produce but not sure if there is a farm close to you that provides a CSA program?

Some of our  CSA shares from 2013 season and Indiana corn and Fall Squash from 2013

Being a CSA member is a great way to get locally grown produce that is fresh and provides members a wide variety of produce to enjoy. It shows support to your local farmer and local economy. CSAs or Community Supported Agriculture programs and farmers markets are on the rise throughout the United States as the population is striving to eat healthier and gain more knowledge about where their food comes from and how it is grown.
A great tool to find farmers markets or produce farms near you are some of the search engines geared towards farms. One being Local Harvest. Here you can search for farms and farmers markets that are local to you. You can also search for a certain product you are looking for, rather it be beef, produce, honey, eggs, and the list goes on. Or you can search for farms, CSAs, or farmers markets by location. With this technology, farms can list their products for a small fee every year and gain advertisement for their farm. Farms can list their CSA information and websites. Farmers markets can be listed with details about the market such as times and vendors. It is a great tool for consumers to find what they are looking for that is local. 

The mobile version of Local Harvest

With consumers so interested in where their food comes from and how it is grown, this provides key examples for farmers to show them using social media. Another great tool for consumers to take advantage of.

With this technology the consumer can see close to first hand the ways that farmers produce their crop. Facebook, Instagram, twitter, websites and blogs all provide ways that the consumer can get a inside view at farm happenings and production. Many farms use one or several forms of these to help advertise and share their product. Find the local farm you buy from on these social media sites and follow them. Farmers post about their daily production. For example, I posted on my Instagram and Facebook page about cutting potatoes today getting them ready to plant. Consumers can use these sites to follow their favorite farms and farms they support. Farms that take advantage of these social media sites like putting the information and photos out there also.

 Facebook and Instagram post today

This post is part of a 3 part series. Part one is here. Check back tomorrow for a little overview of our farm in part 3.

Do You Wonder Where Your Food Comes From??

Even when there is snow falling, vegetable growth is taking place inside greenhouses and coldframes. Mother Nature seems to be taking full advantage of the Winter season this year as we received another 6 inches of snow this past week. With any luck the Spring will hopefully atleast start on the first day of Spring.

But vegetable production still must go on. We are a little late getting started this year with the propane prices and harsh winter we had, but we do have things growing.

Are you one that often wonders where your food comes from and how it is grown? It seems as that is a growing trend amongst the population today. Consumers are interested in hearing about the growing process and where their food comes from. There are those that want strictly organic or those who want only local. Some only go to a certain grocery store as they have only had luck with the produce or meat there. Then there are those who don't care and buy from anywhere. Whatever the case, there is a lot of interest how food is grown or raised.

Being a small farm produce grower, I have seen this at the farmers markets and talk about how our produce is grown. Our produce is grown naturally and we use organic practices. We are not certified organic. I don't choose an opinion either way as I can understand different sides, but it is important to be well educated on the matter. 

The rising technology to create better crops to help feed the very much growing world is important. From guest speaker Fred Whitford at a Farm Bureau meeting I attended this week "98 % of the population relies on 2% of the population for food." Using GMO seed is beneficial in getting better yield for your crops to provide for the ever rising population numbers. From Farmer Feeds Us, today the American farmer feeds 155 people worldwide. In 1960, one farmer fed 25.8 people.  But on another outlook, I want to provide produce that the consumers are looking for and feed my family as well with growing our produce naturally. 

With today's computer technology, it is easy to learn about different growing practices farms use. Most share their growing practices on their farm websites. The same goes for how beef and pork are raised. If you like to purchase produce from farmers markets, don't be afraid to ask the farmers how they grow. Farmers are proud of their product and don't mind talking about it. With the rise of consumers being more concerned and interested in how their food is grown, it is also important for farmers and producers to be knowledgeable in their farm practices and willing to share them.

Whatever your choice is for what you bring to your dining table, we all have one thing in common. We all need to eat, and there are farmers that produce what will fit best for you.

This is part one of a three part series. Part 2 is here

My Monday Weekly Happenings 2.10.14

I can't believe it is almost the middle of February already by the end of this week. It seems like the months just fly by. But I'm ok with February moving along fast, so we can get to March and closer to Spring.

The Weather: Looks like we will have a few colder days this week, but I will be looking forward to those 23 degree days. I also believe I saw next week's projected temperatures were in the high 30s. On a positive side, it looks like the kids will have a full week of school. I don't think there has been a full week since Christmas break was over. We looked back at our farm calendar today and on this date last year it was 40 degrees.

 

On My TV: We just finished watching Despicable Me 2 with the kids before bedtime. Nothing at the moment though.

On The Menu For This Week: Lately we have been doing a lot of crock pot meals. Last night, we had chicken and dumplings in the crock pot. We are also trying new recipes, thanks to Pinterest, blogs, and websites, to expand the variety of meals we have.

Monday - Cheeseburger Casserole
Tuesday - White Chicken Chili in biscuit bowl
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday -  Beef Tacos
Friday - Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
Saturday - Homemade Pizza
Sunday  - French Toast - I like to have breakfast for dinner atleast once a week!

On My To Do List This Week: I think laundry and general cleaning are never ending and always on the to do list. I will be working on Valentine's goodies and cards for the boys' classes.

Sew.Stitch.Create. Projects For The Week: Finish a flower hat, finish two amigurmui dolls, work more on some upcycled props and tiebacks, and a colorful goat hat. I don't have much listed in my Etsy sight, but was excited to have a Etsy sale of a newborn prop bed this weekend also.

Here are completed projects from the past week:

I hadn't made snack bags for a while, and had an order for some, so I'm excited to bring them back to my page.

Chevron Peasant Dresses were shipped out this week.

 

A handwritten canvas sign made for a new baby boy  - baby shower

Newborn twin prop set made

 Fingerless gloves made

 

 Burp cloths on terri cloth

Walker Farms Projects For The Week: We are expecting baby chicks soon, so we are getting ready for them. We are also getting our seeding area ready to start seeding vegetable flats. Planning to start this coming weekend. Looking forward to fresh produce soon!

Pictures Of The Week:

I told her to smile and say cheese and this is what I got :) Her personality is really starting to show. Love it!

The boys built a blanket fort one of the days we were home on a snow day.

Eating their pizza and watching a movie in their fort.

 

Have a great Monday, thanks for reading!

Stacy

The Farm That Used To Be

I was moving things around in our living room yesterday, moving some furniture to new locations, changing up pictures on the wall, and rearranging my decorations.

Sometime you just need to move things around for a new look. 

Well one of the things I moved was this picture, moving from one wall to another wall. On this space I think I like it best. It has its own little area it seems.

My husband and I have a strong appreciation for history, local history more specifically. Even more than that we truly appreciate the history of our property and surrounding area. As I moved this picture and look at it, I just wonder how is used to be and what it was like. 

The land we live on was bought by Rudolph Savich from Benjamin Gifford (where the little old town of Gifford got its name). The old gambrel style barn was built in 1913 and lived in until 1939, when the house was built. Oh how I wish that barn was still there! 

The hill our house sets on was called Rattlesnake Island until the muck was drained. Rudolph's wife dug a mote on the property while they were building the house, to keep the snakes out. Some of this is still present today and is part of the driveway. 

Rudolph's son Emil took over the farm at some point. He added onto the house. You can still see the spot on the wall where the old stove used to be. 

The large buildings were built for potato storage. After he quit potatoes, the block shed was converted to a hog barn.

This aerial photo was from 1966, when the farm we live on was probably in its prime.  Scott got it as a gift one year for Christmas.

The house and the three large sheds are still standing and also the shed in the back. Now there is also a swing set, two greenhouses, a chicken coop, a covered pavilion, and 3 children and a chocolate lab that play outside.  Now it is Walker Farms. We grow produce for our CSA and local farmers markets. We grow pumpkins, gourds, squash, and Indian corn as well. Most of what we grow is off site but this is where it all comes. We hope to add more chickens, and some beef cows. We will eventually put up some more greenhouses as well. We continue to update the old farm house to make it our own.

We won't ever forget the history of our farm, we will pass it down.

Thanks for reading!
Stacy

A New Start

I have had a blog for some time now but haven't been regular with postings. But now want to be committed to sharing farm life, produce growing for CSA and farmers markets with Walker Farms, crafts with kids and my creative outlet with Sew.Stitch.Create., as well as some recipe sharing. Join me on my adventure!

To get started with my blogs new start, I thought I'd start with something similar to what I see on a lot of other blogs. A "weekly what's going on type thing" that I enjoy reading on other blogs. I should probably have these be posts for Mondays, but for this week, today will do. :)


The weather: Too cold for my liking! On my way home from work, the wind was blowing hard and I'm sure there will be some good size drifts in the morning. We are hearing of 3 snow storm systems coming between now and next weekend. Lovely! At the beginning of these snow storms, I was trying not to complain. We were due for a "good - cold" winter and needed one. The freezing temps are good to kill off germs, bugs, diseases, etc...and the snow will be good to put moisture in the ground. But now I think its safe to say, we've had enough and I'm ready for Spring, green grass, and not having to bundle up every inch of our bodies to step out to the car in the mornings.

On my TV: Nothing right now, just put the kids down for bed and am enjoying some quiet time.

 

On the menu for this week:  Scott has been home from work the passed few days, so he has done a great job of having dinners going when the kids and I get home from work, school, and the sitter. He enjoys cooking in the winter time. Hopefully plan to share our weekly meal planning here. 

 

On my to do list this week: Nothing specific. Regular house cleaning. Laundry and picking up toys is never ending.
 

Sew.Stitch.Create. projects for the week: I am finishing up a infinity scarf tonight, a hat and fingerless gloves are up next, then 3 chevron dresses are up for the weekend. I love custom orders!  Scott is also helping me with some new wood prop items to offer on my page.

Walker Farms projects for the week: In other years, we would be getting close to start seeding, but we are going to sit tight for a while longer through this real cold spell. We are signing up people for our CSA memberships, seed is being delivered and we are ordering, and also getting our chick order ready.

Pictures of the week:

Tonight we played Battleship

Getting CSA flyers sent out 

Cinnamon roll waffles made on our snow day Monday 

Have a great night!!

Stacy