12/1/17 - Week 25 - farm vision

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Floriani Red Flint Cornmeal, Wintersweet Kabocha Squash, Delicata Squash, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cured Cabernet Red Onions, Azur Star Purple Kohlrabi, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Assorted Cabbage, Purple Top Turnips, Loose Mixed Beets, Celery, Bolero Orange Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli Spigarello, Rainbow Chard, Komatsuna, Dandelion Greens, Spinach, Red Butter & Baby Romaine Head Lettuce

U-PICK in the GARDEN: 

• Shishito Frying Peppers
• Padrones & Jalapeños
• Strawberry snacks (Due to the warm weather, the strawberries are putting out a little December flush)
• Lemongrass, Lemonbalm,Lemon Verbena, Anise Hyssop, Sorrel,Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, French Culinary Lavender Chocolate Mint, Julep Mint, and Peppermint

POLENTA RECIPE:

This week we will be distributing Floriani Red Flint Cornmeal. Floriani is an heirloom variety from Northern Italy, bred for the delicious and beautifully red-speckled polenta it makes. Our cornmeal is special in that it is fresh: Harvested in October, ground on Thursday, and kept frozen to preserve the germ. Grain this fresh is hard to find nowadays. We think you'll notice a difference.

Basic Polenta

• 1 part cornmeal
• 4 parts liquid: This can be a combination of water, milk, or stock. We usually do half milk, half water. The more milk you add the brighter the color the final dish will be.
• Salt
• Olive oil or butter (lots of butter is good!)

Bring the liquid, salt, and butter or oil to a boil. Once you have a rolling boil, whisk in the polenta meal slowly. Turn the heat down low and continue simmering either as long as you have time for or until the polenta reaches a creamy consistency. If you cook for 20 minutes or longer, you may wish to continue to add a little liquid as it absorbs. For variations, add crushed garlic, sundried tomatoes, or Parmesan. Pour any leftover polenta into a shallow pan and refrigerate. After it sets, this can be sliced and pan fried.

ADD-ONS:

Don't forget to check out the Bramble Tail Creamery for more add-on to your share: Beef raised 100% on Green Valley pasture, Hands Full Farm eggs, Parade the Land Whole Chickens, Bramble Tail milk and cheese (herdshare members only), herbal remedies by Aubrie, and Firefly chocolate. Hawk Hill Sourdough Bread loaves will be available in our barn this week.

FARMERS LOG:

A Vision for the Future at Green Valley Community Farm

“There are, it seems, two muses: the Muse of Inspiration, who gives us inarticulate visions and desires, and the Muse of Realization, who returns again and again to say "It is yet more difficult than you thought." This is the muse of form. It may be then that form serves us best when it works as an obstruction, to baffle us and deflect our intended course... The impeded stream is the one that sings.” 

“A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define and limit the possibilities of each other's lives." - Wendell Berry

This year, as a community, we shared the inherent risks of agriculture; we shared the labor and the fruits. Kayta and I feel it is only fitting we share a vision as well. Here, two weeks away from the end of our 2017 CSA season, we thought we might share with you our vision for the future of Green Valley Community Farm.

Of course, the fate of the farm and the exact shape it takes are beholden to myriads of unknowns. But as a community we have the reigns; we have the power to steer a course, to outline a shape, to work on building something needful together. This is the true spirit of Community Supported Agriculture -- to involve a community of eaters in the life and growth of a farm.

First, let's recap.

This year, we cultivated about 2 acres. The harvest from this land was focused toward the CSA program, which reached 30 shares (households), while two summer Farmer's Markets (Forestville and Occidental), a little bit of wholesale, and donations to the CERES Community Project captured the overflow. The year was challenging in the ways we expected it would be as we established our systems and tried our trade on this land for the first time. In the end, it was a very encouraging year -- especially the CSA program. Having you all here interacting with the farm reaffirmed our love for this model of agriculture and our vision for the farm.

What of the future?

Buoyed by this year, we'll increase the size of the CSA to around 50 shares next year (tell your friends!) while dropping the Forestville Market. We'll plant about the same acreage, refine our systems and our crop planning, and plant our first fruit trees. We're excited for the raspberry canes and the strawberry patch to experience their first true spring. Otherwise, next year should look much the same this one has, with its own unique terroir and it's own story.

As the years role on, as the CSA grows by word-of-mouth, as the perennials grow, and as Kayta and I grow as farmers, we envision Green Valley Community Farm as an exclusively CSA farm supported by around 200 shares. At 200 shares, couple farmers can start making a living, and this number is around what we feel our land base can support while allowing us to rest fields in the summer... an important part of keeping things sustainable here.

We envision perennial fruit in the share with fruiting trees, shrubs, and natives contouring the hillsides above the fields and quilted alongside and possibly within the lower fields, providing three dimensional, continuous habitat and refuge for wildlife... and people. We envision more shade structures, more seating areas, and pathways on the farm and connecting the fields to Green Valley Creek.

We envision more animals in the mix. Already there are whispers on the wind about bringing in chickens next year. Next year, or whenever they arrive, chickens rotating on fallow fields and on adjacent hillsides will enliven the soil, the landscape, and our omelets. As soon as we get a big enough swath of resting summer cover crop, we hope to commission some of Bramble Tail's Jerseys to lend their services to the soil.

We envision more farmers in the mix! We're looking forward to introducing you to our friend and farmer extra-ordinare Elliot, who'll be helping us out next year! As the farm grows we envision welcoming the gifts of fellow farmers to this land, perhaps an apprenticeship program someday when we stop being disciples.

Whatever obstacles and challenges the future holds for this farm, if the vision shapes up to be half as fun as this year, the future looks bright. 

See you in the fields,

David

11/24/17 - Week 24 - Thoughts on our soil

"Grow healthy soil. The rest will follow." -Unknown

Going into this year, Kayta and I really didn't know what to expect from Green Valley's soil. How would the veggies look throughout the demanding growing season?

Not all soils are the same. Some require much more work out of a farmer than others. Very sandy soils, for example, require farmers to focus much more on the nutritional side of things, as nutrients leach out of sandy soils. Very clayey soils are more challenging to create and maintain healthy soil structure. The "Goldilocks" loams found in places like California's Central Valley and the Great Plains, built up by eons of carbonaceous plant activity, are described as "boy's soil" -- in that you don't have to do anything to get stuff to grow.

Going into this year, we had heard rumors of tougher growing conditions here from the previous farmers: Occasionally stunted plants, discoloration, etc. Our soil tests in the fall of 2016 indicated that with some standard amending (lime, for example, as Sonoma County soils are usually slightly acidic) the "clayey" sandy loam here had much of what happy fruits and veggies need. We could only do our best and see how the plants grew...

To establish a good baseline here, Kayta and I did some pretty textbook organic amending, based on our soil tests, to the fields and garden in the Spring. We added oyster shell lime and gypsum (to balance the PH and add calcium), sulphur of potash (because the soil was lacking in potassium), bonemeal (for phosphorus), feather meal (for nitrogen), and hefty amounts of compost to add organic matter; the glue of all soil biology and chemistry. If a bed was planted a second time this Summer, we added a small amount of feather meal and bone meal. 

We were thrilled to see that this relatively modest treatment, combined with the native soil composition and biology here, yielded very healthy plants... even some super phatty cauliflower and broccoli heads (a good litmus test of soil fertility.) There were ample earthworms and mycelium (fungal networks). Roots and crop residues broke down very quickly, indicating vigorous soil biology. 

All this is exciting. It means that each year, as the PH and nutrients are balanced, we can rely less-and-less on these outside inputs and more-and-more on closed loop, multi-functional systems like cover cropping, rotating livestock on fallow fields, compost made from farm waste, and the resident soil biology thriving under these practices. As we speak, the thick leguminous cover crop sinking its roots into the soil out there should, among other things, provide most or all of the nitrogen we need next year for phat cauliflower heads. The clayey nature of this soil means that nutrients and organic matter will be retained by the soil, those small particles hugging them tight. The soil should only continue to improve by years of thoughtful management and care. 

It's not "boy's soil" out there, but we're all lucky to have fertile little Green Valley.

See you in the fields,

David

THIS WEEK'S HARVEST: Honeybear Acorn Squash, Butterscotch Baby Butternut Squash Bodega Red Potatoes, Cured Yellow Onions, Kohlrabi, Red Bok Choi, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Napa Cabbage, Daikon Radish, Loose Mixed Beets, Celery Root, Rainbow Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Red Russian Kale, Rainbow Chard, Hazel's Salad Mix (Mustards, Chicories, Arugula, Spinach) Hearts-aglow Lettuce Mix, Red Butter Lettuce

U-PICK in the GARDEN: 

• Shishito and Black Hungarian Frying Peppers
• Padrones & Jalapeños
• Lemongrass, Lemonbalm,Lemon Verbena, Anise Hyssop, Sorrel,Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, French Culinary Lavender Chocolate Mint, Julep Mint, and Peppermint, late Fall flowers

FARMSTORE: Don't forget to check out the Bramble Tail Creamery for goodies to add-on to your share: Beef raised 100% on Green Valley pasture, Hands Full Farm eggs, Bramble Tail milk and cheese (herdshare members only), herbal remedies by Aubrie, and Firefly chocolate. Frozen Hawk Hill Sourdough Bread is located in the white freezer in our barn.

11/17/17 - Week 23 - Thanksgiving!

Dear Members,

As a small token of our thanks for your support this first season, and to help you celebrate and feed extra friends and family, we wanted to invite you to take extra in your share this week. Take what you need & bring an extra bag!

THIS WEEKS HARVEST:

 Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkins, Delicata Squash, Butterscotch Baby Butternuts, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cured Yellow & Cabernet Onions, Leeks, Fennel, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Murdoch Cabbage, Purple Top Turnips, Loose Mixed Beets, Celery Root, Rainbow Carrots, Dino Kale, Rainbow Chard, Mustards & Arugula Salad Mix, Baby Leaf Spinach, Red Butter & Rouxai Oakleaf Head Lettuces

U-PICK in the GARDEN: 

Shishito and Black Hungarian Frying Peppers

Padrones & Jalapeños

Herbs: Lemongrass, Lemonbalm,Lemon Verbena, Anise Hyssop, Sorrel,Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, French Culinary Lavender Chocolate Mint, Julep Mint, and Peppermint, late Fall flowers

THANKSGIVING BAKED GOODS & PIE RECIPE:

We have two talented baker friends taking small batch orders for sweet and savory Thanksgiving goodies to adorn your tables.

Gaby, who has been baking us the bread we've been selling here this year is taking orders for Thanksgiving Pies. Gluten free crusts are available. Order by TODAY! (the 17th) for pick-up on the 22nd. To order, visit Gaby's website. The pumpkin pie will be made from our Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkins.

Additionally, our friend Tosha Callahan, who baked for the French Laundry once-upon-a-time, is taking orders for cakes, tarts, cookies and dinner roles here. Order by Nov. 19th.

If you're you're going to DIY your pumpkin pie, below is Kayta's go-to pumpkin pie recipe. We will be distributing the Winter Luxury pie pumpkin this week for this recipe.

Kayta's Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

Flaky Tart Dough:
1/2 tsp salt
75 ml water, about 1/3 cup, very cold
227 g all purpose flour, about 1 and 3/4 cup
150 g unsalted butter, 1 stick plus 2.5 tablespoons , very cold

In a small bowl, add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep very cold until ready to use. Put the flour in the food processor bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Add the water-and-salt mixture and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together in a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks. On a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a ball, then flatten to a disk 1 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or for up to overnight.

Or you can make the dough by hand, which is what I do. Cut the cold butter into pea sized chunks and mix into the flour and salt mixture. With your fingers, squeeze the butter chunks so that they flatten into the flour. Add the water gradually, pressing and kneading the dough as you go, until all of the flour has been moistened and is able to be formed into a ball. I usually use slightly more water than the recipe calls for. Make the dough into a ball and then flatten into a disc and refrigerate until you are ready to roll it out. Once the crust has been rolled out and placed in your pie pan, refrigerate or freeze it until right before you put it in the oven.

Pie Filling:
1 3/4 cup baked Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin or squash
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 heaping tsp. ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk (feel free to adjust the ratio of cream to milk, or substitute coconut milk for all of it!)

Mix the sugar, salt, and spices into the pumpkin. Then mix in the eggs, milk, and cream, and whisk until smooth.

Pour the pie filling into your chilled, raw pie crust, and bake at 400* until only an inch in the center of the pie remains liquid and the crust is golden brown. Let set before eating.

FARMER'S LOG:

Kayta and I grew up in the suburbs. Like all Americans, we encountered those odd, ubiquitous expressions speckled throughout out our vernacular — “cooped up”, “chomping at the bit”, “pigging out”, “getting hitched”, etc. It wasn’t until we started farming that we, one-by-one, realized the roots of these keen and often viscerally poetic sayings in agriculture and animal husbandry. If you’ve ever forgotten to let your chickens out until well into the day, you know what we mean.

Similarly, it wasn’t until we started farming that we began to understand — like really understand — the Thanksgiving holiday. 

The Fall is a magical time of year in the temperate world. It is a season of unimaginable bounty. The plants of forest and field have spent all spring and summer harnessing the sun’s energy into fruits and seeds and roots and we have harvested them. In the fall the root cellar is full, the larder is full, the granary is full; the land burst forth at it’s seems and we gathered the overflow.

The farmer, sitting at home with his feet up next to the fire, is keenly aware of the bounty in the root cellar below. He feels a giddy contentment in this — but no pride. He realizes how little he did to create it all. Sure, he worked hard all summer— mostly moving things hither and thither. It was others, present now and before, and life itself, that filled those fields and larders. It was others who laid the roof over his head and dug the cellar. Others who forged his tools and taught him how to use them. Others who saved the seeds and taught others, who taught others, who taught others, who taught him how to care for them. And who or what made those seeds sprout? Not he.

For all this, there is nothing to give but thanks.

We’d like to take a moment to give thanks those who made what bounty we've enjoyed this year possible.

First, to our parents: Bob and Kathy Brady out in Edwardsville, IL and Carl and Martha Plescia down in Sunnyvale, CA. If it wasn’t for their unending love, hard work, and generosity Kayta and I would never, among other things, have been in a situation to start this farm or pull off the 2017 season.

To our landmates and colleagues at Green Valley Farm + Mill, Temra and Jeremy Fisher, Aubrie Maze and Scott Kelley, Jeff Mendelsohn, and Josiah Raison Cain. Thank you for, as our neighbor and member Max once put it, “dreaming big.” You’ve dreamed up a place where a small farm can take root. You could be doing a lot of other things on this land, some that might make your lives easier, but your dream isn’t centered around your own ease. That is a brave and beautiful thing.

To our farming mentors and the farming community in Sonoma County (too numerous to name here) without whom we would not know up from down, too soon from too late, backhoe from stirrup hoe. You make the long-days shorter in solidarity and in much practical wisdom.

To our friends who came through the farm this season to help skin our greenhouses, seed, transplant, hoe and harvest with us. It means so much to us and you’re many hands have made light work when we needed it the most.

And finally to you, our members. Whatever bounty we’ve enjoyed this year is because of you. Your trust and support paid for the seeds, the compost, the irrigation tape, the tomato trellising twine, and our breakfast cereal. You harvested our potatoes, our corn, and our squash. You took a risk on a pair of young farmers following a dream and showed up every week with words of encouragement, brownies, smiles, and cute little doodles to put on the chalk board. You pickled cucumbers for us when we couldn’t pickle them ourselves.

You reminded us day after day, week after week, that real, life-sustaining bounty comes from others... from a community.

Thank you.