Gosh it is cold out!And snowy!Yet it is amazing how the larks like to play in the weather.Butterball likes to run in and out of his home, getting snowy and wet, then going right back in.Dracula just stays inside all day.The spinach is holding on in our cold frames, but not growing much because of the cold.We’ll have to wait a little longer, probably.This week, Thomas farms has been kind enough to offer some of their chicken: the birds are compassionately and naturally raised in Elbert County.They’re raising money for a school trip to Washington, DC… so try the chicken!
NEW THIS WEEK:
Chicken from Thomas Farms
Fresh snow, ice and cold wind. Free. Take as much as you like. Pick up at the farm only. Limited, while supplies last.
READY FOR THE COOK:
Beef Sausages - - - traditional recipe from Europe. Hot or mild.
Mushroom pasta - - - We served this to some hardy volunteers, and they liked it! Either ask for pasta included or not. Portabello and oyster mushrooms, wheat, and natural olive oil, with a spice packet!
Roast Chevon - - - Fresh natural goat meat with your choice of natural wild spices or more traditional recipes.
December rose hip tea - - - rose hips, pine needles and cottonwood. This will perk you up, a warm drink on a cold night.
~~~BEANS~~~
Anasazi
Black
Black eyed peas
Canellini
Cranberry
Fava
Jacob's Cattle
Kidney
Lentil
Mung
Pinto
Soldier Beans
~~~EGGS~~~
Next harvest estimated in Spring
~~~FRUIT~~~
Next harvest, estimated in Summer
~~~FLOWERS~~~
Winter bouquets
~~~GRAIN~~~
Barley
Oats
Sunflower
White Wheat
~~~MEAT~~~
Goat
Beef
Chicken
~~~MEDICINAL HERBS AND TEAS~~~
Pine needles (delicious, nutritious, revitalizing!)
Rose Hips (delicious, vitamin C)
Thistle Root (supports liver)
Winter willow, aspen and poplar (antiinflamatory, powerful painkiller - use like aspirin)
~~~MUSHROOMS~~~
Dried portabello
Dried oyster
~~~VEGETABLES~~~
Mung bean sprouts (early harvest - warm winter!) - planted only upon demand
Coming soon (sooner or later): spinach!
~~~WILD HARVESTS~~~
Cottonwood
Hello from your favorite farm in Agate!
These last two weeks were sure cold! The spinaches beginning to take hold of our cold frames are slowing down noticeably, and all the animals are becoming homebodies. This means extra work for us, as we keep their pens tidy and clean. The manure is put into the soil where it is eaten by the microorganisms still active through the winter and prepares our soil for springtime: manure in last year's aisles prepares next year's beds!
NEW THIS WEEK:
Fresh snow, ice and cold wind. Free. Take as much as you like. Pick up at the farm only. Limited, while supplies last.
READY FOR THE COOK:
Beef Sausages - - - traditional recipe from Europe. Hot or mild.
Mushroom pasta - - - We served this to some hardy volunteers, and they liked it! Either ask for pasta included or not. Portabello and oyster mushrooms, wheat, and natural olive oil, with a spice packet!
Roast Chevon - - - Fresh natural goat meat with your choice of natural wild spices or more traditional recipes.
December rose hip tea - - - rose hips, pine needles and cottonwood. This will perk you up, a warm drink on a cold night.
~~~BEANS~~~
Anasazi
Black
Black eyed peas
Canellini
Cranberry
Fava
Jacob's Cattle
Kidney
Lentil
Mung
Pinto
Soldier Beans
~~~EGGS~~~
Next harvest estimated in Spring
~~~FRUIT~~~
Next harvest, estimated in Summer
~~~FLOWERS~~~
Winter bouquets
~~~GRAIN~~~
Barley
Oats
Sunflower
White Wheat
~~~MEAT~~~
Goat
Beef
~~~MEDICINAL HERBS AND TEAS~~~
Pine needles (delicious, nutritious, revitalizing!)
Rose Hips (delicious, vitamin C)
Thistle Root (supports liver)
Winter willow, aspen and poplar (antiinflamatory, powerful painkiller - use like aspirin)
~~~MUSHROOMS~~~
Dried portabello
Dried oyster
~~~VEGETABLES~~~
Mung bean sprouts (early harvest - warm winter!) - planted only upon demand
Coming soon: spinach! Just sprouting.
~~~WILD HARVESTS~~~
Dock Seed
Cottonwood
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
While out on wild harvests we saw lark buntings again playing in the warm eveningtime. The weather has finally warmed up (maybe because we finally built shelters for our plants?) and the birds (domestic and wild) are staying up late making up for lost time.
Our ducklings met our chicks for the first time, and are simply terrified of them! The chicks, oblivious to the terror they inspire, attempt to be friendly with the ducks with a fun chase game! They are doing better together now that they've known each other for a few days.
The lambsquarter season is winding up, so make sure you get some before we're out! We've got domestic spinach now, but that's just not the same. Flax flowers are not to be missed, and neither are the summertime willow leaves. Beans are sprouting, so expect bean greens soon! Yum!
If you've not yet, try our pine tea and our tea mixes! Great with an ice cube for hot summer days, or steaming hot in the cool summer nights.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- GOODIES --
> Eggs (Duck) - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY!
> Olive Oil (imported from California - olives don't grow in Colorado, silly! We make sure there is no chemicals used, just like on our farm. It is very buttery oil, very sweet)
> Sprouts - Greenhouse is being used to shelter tomatoes and peppers, so please order one week in advance
> Meat shares - from the Rev. Ronald Taylor's ranch. These meats are from a neighbor of ours, he uses no hormones, and both grains and pastures the cows on natural feeds. He raises holsteins. In the hard economic times, he is adjusting his prices to allow microshares. If there is more beef than expected, you can either pay the difference or return to him what you did not pay for!
* 1/2 Beef Share: $800 down, $4 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/4 Beef Share: $400 down, $4.50 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/8 Beef Share: $200 down, $5 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/16 Beef Share: $100 down, $5.25 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/32 Beef Share: $50 down, $5.50 per pound, plus share of processing
-- VEGETABLES --
> Dandelion (also a blood cleanser herb)
> Fava greens (eat like chard, beet greens or pea greens)
> Lambsquarter
>>>> Lettuce
> Linden (leaves) (very sweet, sugar substitute)
>>>> Spinach
>>>> Salsify (leaves and roots and flowers)
> Sprouts (pea, bean, sunflower)
> Thistle (also a liver support herb)
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Juniper (BERRIES)
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Garlic (WILD)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
>>>> Flax (FLOWERS) (great tea!)
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
>>>> Pine (REALLY great tea!) (high in vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals - drink your vegetables per day!)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
>>>> Yarrow
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
The baby prairie dogs are scampering and it must be springtime. Except its already June! The ground is so cold and wet we are going to have to replant our squash seeds! Luckily, some things enjoy the weather: the linden leaves are absolutely wonderful this year, as are the dandelions and our pine teas. And the ducks and geese are very happy indeed. Every year has something special to enjoy!
This week we have treats from our greenhouse: look under the goodies section!
We were busy building up greenhouses for our tomatoes and peppers, which are not liking la nina too much. That was a lot of work!
Rat update: for those coming into the middle of the story, we adopted 3 baby field mice who were abandoned by their mother. This week, we released them into a sheltered corner of our farm! We will miss them. Rats are important to any ecology, and especially to agroecologies. We treat all our animals - wild and domestic - with a high degree of compassion.
LOOK FOR:
> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- GOODIES --
>>>> Greenhouse lettuce! - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY!
> Eggs (Duck) - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY!
> Olive Oil (imported from California - olives don't grow in Colorado, silly! We make sure there is no chemicals used, just like on our farm. It is very buttery oil, very sweet)
> Sprouts - Greenhouse is being used to shelter tomatoes and peppers, so please order one week in advance
> Meat shares - from the Rev. Ronald Taylor's ranch. These meats are from a neighbor of ours, he uses no hormones, and both grains and pastures the cows on natural feeds. He raises holsteins. In the hard economic times, he is adjusting his prices to allow microshares. If there is more beef than expected, you can either pay the difference or return to him what you did not pay for!
* 1/2 Beef Share: $800 down, $4 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/4 Beef Share: $400 down, $4.50 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/8 Beef Share: $200 down, $5 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/16 Beef Share: $100 down, $5.25 per pound, plus share of processing
* 1/32 Beef Share: $50 down, $5.50 per pound, plus share of processing
-- VEGETABLES --
> Dandelion (also a blood cleanser herb)
> Fava greens (eat like chard, beet greens or pea greens)
> Lambsquarter
> Linden (leaves) (very sweet, sugar substitute)
> Sprouts (pea, bean, sunflower)
> Thistle (also a liver support herb)
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
>>>> Juniper (BERRIES)
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
>>>> Garlic (WILD)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Cherry Blossoms
> Lilac Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
This week, the pines put out new buds and the cool weather has made them extra sweet this year. The willow, aspen and poplars are also enjoying the weather, and are very strong medicines! On the farm, potato leaves are just popping up out of the ground, and if we get a week or two of good hot weather, we should be enjoying lettuces, pea greens and other delicious treats...
But La Nina is furious this year, with temperatures still nearly freezing at night and a delayed summertime. The ground is wet enough that there has been an inch of water standing on the ground twice this last week, and while our crops are not damaged because our aisles act to regulate the moisture in the field and our animals are warm and dry in their pens, it is disappointing to have to wait so long for our summer favorites.
Rat update: for those coming into the middle of the story, we adopted 3 baby field mice who were abandoned by their mother. This week, one of the rats released themselves while we accustomed them to cool temperatures. Guess that one was ready to go! The remaining mice will be released within a few days, once they stop shivering when the temperature gets below 60: we want them ready for the big world. Rats are important to any ecology, and especially to agroecologies. We treat all our animals - wild and domestic - with a high degree of compassion.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- GOODIES --
> Eggs (Duck) - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY
> Olive Oil (imported from California - olives don't grow in Colorado, silly! We make sure there is no chemicals used, just like on our farm. It is very buttery oil, very sweet)
> Sprouts - due to frost, unusual limited availability
-- VEGETABLES --
> Dandelion (also a blood cleanser herb)
> Fava greens (eat like chard, beet greens or pea greens)
> Lambsquarter
> Linden (leaves) (very sweet, sugar substitute)
>>>> Pine buds
> Thistle (also a liver support herb)
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Birch (TWIGS) (sweetener, also good for throat)
> Cherry Blossoms
> Lilac Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
Ok, where'd summer go? We had 6 inches of snow out of nowhere! Luckily, most of our crops are doing ok, but our sprouts bit the dust. Dang. This week, we have some real special goodies: spring linden leaves are not to be missed. They are an excellent substitute for sugar if you dehydrate them and grind them up.
We have new friends at the farm: this week we adopted three geese from craigslist. They are honkey-dory in their new home. Two are Chinese, one is a Chinese/Tolouse cross. They are friendly and came pre-trained to whistles. Thank goodness.
During the bad weather this week we couldn't do much farming, so we expanded and improved our coops and other animal shelters. The animals seem to like it better!
Rat update: for those coming into the middle of the story, we adopted 3 baby field mice who were abandoned by their mother. This week, the rats learned how to shred things and climb. Sounds like they are ready for release! We're waiting for good weather to do so, because we'd hate for our labor to be lost when the rats don't know how to shelter themselves well. Rats are important to any ecology, and especially to agroecologies. We treat all our animals - wild and domestic - with a high degree of compassion.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- GOODIES --
> Eggs (Duck) - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY
> Olive Oil (imported from California - olives don't grow in Colorado, silly! We make sure there is no chemicals used, just like on our farm. It is very buttery oil, very sweet)
>>>> Sprouts - due to frost, unusual limited availability
>>>> Meat shares - please inquire, not included in standard box price. Calf, lamb, kid (goat, not human, of course), turkey, chicken. These are from our farm neighbors, who raise them with no hormones or antibiotic, grazed, hayed and grained with no herbicide, pesticide or fertilizer, and are treated humanely. Perfect for you if you eat meat, and for your four-legged carnivore friends (dogs and cats) too!
-- VEGETABLES --
> Dandelion (also a blood cleanser herb)
> Fava greens (eat like chard, beet greens or pea greens)
> Lambsquarter
>>>> Linden (leaves) (very sweet, sugar substitute)
> Sprouts (pea, bean, sunflower)
> Thistle (also a liver support herb)
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Cherry Blossoms
>>>> Lilac Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief, fever treatment)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
Wow! Summer's here. That means some tasty greens! Colorado has the best vegetables because of high altitude means better sugar production. This week, we are really happy to present our spring sprouts and fava greens. Give them a try on your sandwiches and salads, but also in your cooked pastas and sauces, in your eggs (have you tried our duck eggs?), or just steamed up on their own.
We raise our sprouts in soil and in the sunlight (not hydroponically and in the dark like other farms), so expect lots of flavor!
Rat update: for those coming into the middle of the story, we adopted 3 baby field mice who were abandoned by their mother. This week, they have all opened their eyes, learned to eat some grain, and are nearly ready to be wild rats out on the farm. Rats are important to any ecology, and especially to agroecologies. We treat all our animals - wild and domestic - with a high degree of compassion.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- GOODIES --
>>>> Eggs (Duck) - LIMITED AVAILABILITY ORDER EARLY
> Olive Oil (imported from California - olives don't grow in Colorado, silly! We make sure there is no chemicals used, just like on our farm. It is very buttery oil, very sweet)
-- VEGETABLES --
> Curly Dock (LEAVES)
> Dandelion
>>>> Fava greens (eat like chard, beet greens or pea greens)
> Lambsquarter
>>>> Sprouts (pea, bean, sunflower)
> Thistle
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK)
> Apple Blossoms
>>>> Cherry Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
We have three new friends this week: we rescued abandoned baby field mice and are giving them a warm, safe place to finish growing up. In gardening news, we have planted our sprouts this week, and can't wait until next week when they are ready! The cold weather continued and our hardy spring crops withstood the light dusting of snow. We have tilled our aisles for spring, and the crops are looking GREAT. Our baby ducks are just learning how to quack! Not much new this week, but life isn't always full of excitement and it gives us a chance to savor this moment before the rush of summer flavor.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- VEGETABLES --
> Curly Dock (LEAVES)
> Dandelion
> Lambsquarter
> Thistle
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK)
> Apple Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
Wow!It must be springtime!We’re seeing GREEN things again!There’s a thousand medicinal uses for your typical salad greens, but they are especially good at taking the sting out of the last bites of winter’s cold.Try them in soup!Back hurting from too much gardening?Get some of our poplar or aspen…
There is a very friendly pronghorn at the farm this week.Don’t know why he is so friendly, he comes right up to the edge of the field and watches us work.There’s also a meadowlark who likes our garden this week too.And bugs!We are seeing all our friends wake back up again.How nice!
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- VEGETABLES --
> Curly Dock (LEAVES)
>>>> Lambsquarter (limited availability)
> Dandelion
> Thistle
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
>>>> Catmint
> Corriander
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
> Juniper (BERRIES)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA -- (ALSO SEE HERBS, ABOVE)
> Aspen Catkins (limited availability)
> Raspberry Leaves
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
NEWS FROM THE FARM AND RECIPES
The cold weather continues with freezing temperatures at night. Luckily, the plants popping up are hardy! Next week or the week after we look forward to sprouts of many kinds, and the first garden greens. But this week, enjoy some lambsquarter and wild onion - they are fantastic treats from nature, and guarenteed to please! They are just starting to be available, and never too soon.
LOOK FOR:
>>>> New items
> Old items
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
-- VEGETABLES --
> Curly Dock (LEAVES)
> Dandelion
>>>> Lambsquarter
> Thistle
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Catmint
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
>>>> Wild Onion (limited availability)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Aspen (LEAVES, BARK)
> Apple Blossoms
> Plum Blossoms
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )
Give us a call or an email if you want samples! Let us do the cooking...Prepared meals available.
This week, we have our first harvest of the year, and it's a good one! Winter's over! Let's eat. And don't forget your animal friends, too!
-- VEGETABLES --
> Cattail (ROOT)
> Curly Dock (LEAVES)
-- BEANS --
> Black
> Fava
> Jacob’s Cattle
> Pinto
> Trout
-- GRAIN --
> Barley
> Oats
> Sanfoin
> Safflower
> Sunflower (SEED)
> Rye
> Wheat
-- HERBS --
> Corriander
> Garlic (BABY)
> Garlic (GREENS)
-- MEDICINE AND TEA --
> Raspberry Leaves
> Poplar (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Willow (BUDS, ROOTS) (antiinflamatory, pain relief)
> Yucca (ROOT)
-- ANIMAL FEEDS --
> Two legs
> Four legs
> Six legs
> Eight legs (?!) :::: )