This Week's Notes 1/9...

   

     

   It's that time of year where we will have to start saying goodbye to some of Still Life Farms crops as the cold weather starts to take it's toll. Most of the greens we have been eating had to be planted way back in September to be big enough by November to have the strength to produce this long. After a week long stint of 20 degrees during the day and 0-10 at night, some plants start to throw in the towel! This week we say good bye to spinach, but the exciting part is next week it's time to start planting spinach seed for spring- so, it's not that far away!​

    Honey nut squash are also the 1st in cold storage to go. Generally, larger squash will last longer and since they're tiny, they threw up their hands and quit on us. I had also inquired about other types of potatoes (knowing Yukon Golds are a Member favorite) and learned that it was not a good potato year for Still Life which is why we haven't been offered anything other than the Pintos. Sweet potatoes, specifically, had a rough year and needed to be saved for their share customers. I could take a trip to Hadley, but was a bit disappointed over summer at how fast the potatoes went bad and had decided not to go that route. For now, the Pinto Golds are going strong and I will play it by ear!

   This week, besides having to send Spinach replacements (Bok Choi & Red Mustard), we also had an issue at Cooper's Farm. They didn't receive their plastic bottle shipment in time and Tony advised the place was empty of other glass milk so I couldn't get replacements. I was able to fill almost all the orders with Organic Valley Milk from Tip Top Co-op, who gladly saved the day for us! We did wipe them out of milk, so I apologize to those with full gallons, I was only able to aquire half gallons and will send coupons for the difference or a replacement gallon next week whichever you prefer. With some of our clients not being able to drive or having health issues, it is very important to me that I send replacements when I can so they aren't left without basic items. I hope this replacement is acceptable, even though it's not from a farm in our network.

    Here on the home front, our new flock of chickens is laying steadily and I think they talked some of our old flock to join in. 11 eggs yesterday up from 6 a day last week, up from 2 a day prior to getting the new flock. For our farm this means some steady income again and a dent in the feed bill- chickens eat whether they lay or not and with only about 50 cents a dozen profit, it's a blessing to have some help with the grain bill again! I've put up 4 dozen this week and I also have to save some for Tip Top and for Yummy's Asian in Palmer, whose employees will jump for joy after a few months with no eggs (we raise our duck and geese flocks specifically for them, but they tolerate chicken eggs while the others are still on break). Pretty soon, I'll be swimming in eggs though, with about 140 hens!

   I've been testing old seeds that I've saved the last couple weeks, which also brings us some of our early crops. This week some Red Florence Onions sprouted, along with a ton of Lettuce, Tiny Choi and Tatsoi. I'm hopeful to see some Huckleberries sprout from seed that was hidden under "stuff" on my workshop table, and if we are lucky the Bunching Onion seed will be good because I have so much of it! Bunching onions can be planted around most crops as a companion and also can be left in the ground to harvest as sold and so, the more the better!

   So, even though we have to start saying goodbye to winter crops, every day a new seedling emerges in our greenhouse ensuring tasty things to come! Speaking of hope, have you seen the new food pyramid? It's about time we went back to people over profit. I know our Members are eating this way already, but being able to show others not to make the base of their food choices breads, sugars and processed foods is a big step forward- for health and for farms!

    

   

    

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