Moonstruck Farms

Business is great, but the bad news is I am always behind!! Carrots are going fast so I am putting them everywhere I can, but they still take 90 days!!  All root crops need to be in by next month so they have a great start for the Winter.   Yes, believe it or not around here the race is on already!!  I can see the days getting shorter and even tonight there was a coolness to the air that was reminding me that I will blink my eyes and it will be time to batten down the hatches.  Rutabagas, carrots, parsnips and turnips all need to be in so that they can grow and store in the ground.  I ordered new radish varieties too!! Of course a cellar is preferred and we are working on that especially for future potato and onion storage.  We have a site on the property, but we need a backhoe for a day and that will cost a pretty penny so if anyone has one and wants to put some time in on the farm helping or someone owes you a favor who has one and you are willing to cash it in please let me know!  Green onions will have to suffice for this year's winter onions, but next year we will not only have all this year's onions, but we are bringing back potatoes, leeks and the fabulous 2" garlic bulbs we had a few years ago!!  We have the room now for everything!!  Filet has been spending her days romping around the corral with Molly and Molly spends an appropriate amount of time racing around the pig pen and playing with them and giving the proper amounts of kisses.  She races Honey (an oxymoron of a name for this goat) around her pen, and the pen is being expanded for their "Hubby" who will be arriving soon!!  I can't wait to make cheese!!   Just a little update from Moonstruck...thank you everyone for all your support!!

Turkeys are coming in fast…the bashaws are harvesting again this week.I did have to recreate my turkey list (it blew away in a dust devil in Wrightwood) so if you have not heard from me and want a turkey please contact me and we have extra for anyone interested also. they will be delivered between july 20^th and july 22^nd except for smoked….they take a few extra weeks at the smoker.just indicate the following:

1.delivery point of Hesperia, phelan or Wrightwood coop or market.

2.fresh or smoked.Fresh is $2.50/pound Hesperia and phelan and $2.75/pound in Wrightwood.

Smoked is $4.50/pound in Hesperia and phelan and $4.75/pound in Wrightwood.

3.whole, cut in half or quartered.

Thank you for your support.

Rowena

Moonstruck farms csa

All the moonstruck farms csa farms are working hard, and plants and animals are growing by leaps and bounds including the turkeys!!The toms were 20-24 pounds….missed the mark, but the animals obviously have a mind of their own and beat all records this time around…I guess that is what clean living does!! If anyone would like a 20-24 pound turkey whole, cut in half or quartered please let me know…for cut I need to know by 9 am tomorrow…customers on the preorder list have first dibs and then anyone can order as you like. The hens are being harvested tomorrow and they will be smaller, but there are only 10 or so of those so if everyone on the list chooses for smaller I am afraid you will have to wait for the next batch.For any new customers we can smoke them too at $4.50/pound so please indicate three things:

1.whole, cut in half or quartered.

2.fresh or smoked.

3.delivery location.

By the way….my lemongrass was only 1 inch last week, and it is over a foot tall now!!!Wow humidity does really make things take off in the animal and plant divisions!!

Thank you for supporting your local small farmers!!

Rowena

Moonstruck farms csa

We continue to learn as we grow here at Moonstruck.  The irrigation is still being tweaked to maximize, but with a little shade cloth we are growing lettuce and spinach in 100 degree temps in the greenhouse...and celery!!! Wow, I would have told you you were crazy if you had told me I could grow celery in a greenhouse in 100 degree temps any given time in the past, but my experience is growing.  Cilantro tucked into a corner with nice even watering can be kept too.  All these goals are one step closer to supplying our CSA customers with all their needs on a year around basis.  The welder is already coming in handy and new panels are being built to build a larger pen for the goats so we can add a buck and babies next Spring hopefully :).  I am dreaming of cream cheese, feta and sour cream!! Filet will be kept company too since they are being moved down towards her though Molly has been doing a fine job of keeping her company and Filet rewards her with a kiss.  Michael and I walked the property and when you have only 5 acres you have to work it pretty intensively to get a good yield.  It took some convincing, but beds will be built across the front of the house which should create somewhere around another 500-700 feet of row space for potatoes, garlic, shallots, onions, leeks and anything else the critters won't eat opening up space in the protected fields in the back.  We have a beautiful rolling section in the front and Merlot grapes will be added there.  The whole rim will be surrounded by lavender plants and a flag pole surrounded by a rim of three different lavenders is definitely in the future....can't wait to have a beautiful place to hang our nation's flag.  Thank you again everyone for your support....we truly would not be here without you.  Moonstruck signing off.

It is always nice to wake up and see results of months of changes and hard work.  The nasturtiums are beautiful and delicious in the salad mix as I had hoped.  The spinach is growing like crazy now that I discovered that the issue was not nongerminating seed, but critters eating the seed before it had the chance to germinate!! Cilantro can be grown during the summer in the right setting.  Romaine heads can be grown in a greenhouse in 90 degree temps.  With the right shade cloth Swiss chard and beet colors are more vibrant than ever!  Winter squash can survive three freezes in a row with 4 inches of mulch and be producing before the tomatoes.  I should have more confidence in my abilities....my 3 week old tomato transplants (dogs destroyed my initial trays) are out growing the organic commercially raised ones I paid top dollar for.  Raised herb gardens even in the desert with constant wind thrive and provide a wonderful array of herbs, medicinal plants and some of those medicinals such as Calendulas are absolutely beautiful and finally if you spend 4 months filling a field with chicken manure and let it sit tilled in for another three months you can grow onions that are sweet like Vidalias and over a pound each....yes...now I will sleep well.  Moonstruck signing off.

Some of you may remember the story about the man who was drowning and prayed to god to save him, and one by one row boats went by and he continued to pray eventually perishing and going to heaven.In heaven he asked the lord why he had not saved him…..the lord said “I sent the row boats???”.True miracles are not a daily occurrence and most of us will not experience one, but once in a while we receive a glimmer that reminds us he is truly there.The last few months have had many, many trials, and things began to turn around lately, and paul came into my life supplying the strong back I needed so to work by my side once a week.But still I wondered if I was meant to stay on this crazy roller coaster ride….if the lord was sending messages saying “quit” like “row boats” and I was just looking the other way.Then tonight I decided not….after a father’s day dinner of London broil, cheesy au gratin potatoes and peas I told my husband I was going to plant a final row and come in.I did a final check of the fence area having still found rabbits in the fields just yesterday and perplexed at finding nothing started out the gate, but paused and looked over at the tires piled inside the compost piles 7, 8 and 9, which needed to be prepped for upcoming manure from the bashaws.Something told me “risk the wrath of your husband….move the tires.”I did, and sure enough in the far corner hidden by the tires the fence had never been buried or rocked over….there were three rabbit holes…they were walking right in under cover of the tires!!I was quickly rocking it in when my husband yelled “come on lady!”, and I said just a minute “I got a message!!”.

Thank you everyone who has supported me by purchasing through thick and thin or working by my side and dealing with all the hard times.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Rowena

Moonstruck farms csa

I am sorry the Thursday Phelan delivery will have to be rescheduled.  I will be contacting all who ordered.  A family member passed away over the weekend and the funeral has been scheduled for Thursday in the Los Angeles area.  Thank you for your understanding.

Strange year everywhere...we have not seen a Rattler in years.  We had to kill off Southern Pacifics for the first few years we lived here, but the good guys eventually took over the property until today.  Paul almost stepped on a Mojave Green and then had to kill it with a shovel.  I don't want him or anyone to have to get that close again...buying a 22 pistol with snake shot so we can shoot from at least 10 feet away.  I have always killed babies so I never did get a good look at an adult to be able to know the difference.  I know now...clear menacing diamond head and you could probably hear the rattler going off on the other side of the house.  Between that and my distribution list crashing/deleting again I felt like this day lasted 60 hours....and nothing really accomplished but a huge adrenaline rush....I'm calling it a day...Moonstruck Signing off.

MOONSTRUCK FARMS

CSA

SHOPPING LIST

06/01-04/2011

Moonstruck Farms

Moonstruck Salad Mix $2.00

(Triple Washed mix of baby lettuces, Swiss chard, beet greens, spinach, Arugula and whatever is in season …now sprouting broccoli flowers).

Braising Greens $1.50

(Mixture of cooking greens including mustards, kales, Swiss Chard, Collards, Beet Greens)

Arugula $1.00

Rainbow Swiss Chard $1.50

Cooking Celery$0.50

Green Onions (Bundle of 6) $1.00

Spring Onions (Bundle of 3) $1.00

Red Torpedo Onions 3/$1.00

French Tarragon $0.50

Parsley $0.50

Thyme $0.50

Chives$1.00

Mint $0.50

Sage $0.50

Oregano $.50

Alfalfa Sprouts $3.00

Broccoli Sprouts $3.00

Farm Fresh Eggs $3.50

Bashaws

Small Beef share are available….10-15 pounds each…Just email for more information.

New Pork Shares Available or small approximately 8 pound CSA shares available…email for details.

Summer Preorder Turkeys (10-12 pounds) …August, September, October, November 1^st Still Available.

$2.50/pound Fresh, whole, cut in half, or quartered.

$4.50/pound Smoker, whole, cut in half or quartered.

Thanksgiving Turkey Preorder List filling up already…only doing 200 this year…$2.50/pound and picked up FRESH at the farm two days before Thanksgiving.If you want smoked please specify or if you want a frozen turkey delivered prior to Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas just let me know.We will process those approximately 3-4 weeks prior to Thanksgiving.

Whole Chickens by the pound in the 3-5 pound range

$2.25/lb. Phelan/Co-Op Delivery

$2.50/lb. Wrightwood Market Delivery

Half Chickens – SOLD OUT

Boneless/Skinless Chicken BreastsSOLD OUT

$3.50/pound Phelan/WW Co-op and $3.75/pound WW Mkt

Chicken Wings $2.50/lb. Phelan and WW.(Approx. 4-5 lb bags)

White Meat Portion (Breast/Wing on Bone)

Chicken Breasts on the Bone (2 pack) SOLD OUT

Chicken Leg/Thigh Combos (2 pack)

Chicken Thighs (4 pack)SOLD OUT

Chicken Legs(4 pack) SOLD OUT

All Above Cuts: $2.75/lb. Phelan/WW Co-Op

$3.00/pound WW Market

Glencairn Farm

Navel Oranges2/$1.00 (approx. 1 pound)

Golden Nugget Mandarin $1.75/approx. 1 pound)

(Sweet, Easy, Easy to Peel)

Mineola Tangelos$1.00/approx 1 pound

Eureka Lemons.65 cents each.

Sweet Lemons (Since Meyers are out of Season) $1.00 each.

Pinkerton Avocados $1.25 each (Last up to eight days)

XXXXXXXXXXXLLLLL Size per Andy J

Zutano Avocados .75 cents eachXXXXXL Size per Andy J

Oro Blanco Grapefruit $0.75 cents

More to come…find them at www.glencairnfarm.org

Dirt Creek Soaps

Goats Milk Soaps – All Natural Ingredients $3.00

Lavender Rose, Lavender Vanilla, Spearmint Patchouli, Lemongrass/Clary Sage, Green Meadows (basil and citrus oils, it smells very fresh), Summer Spice (Clove, Peppermint and Rose), Citrus, Spring Flowers (floral blend with rose, yiang yiang, palmarosa and lemon), Clean Cut (orange, lemon and geranium), Brianna’s Bouquet (a blend that Brianna put together of rose, bergamot, lavender, juniper berry, amyris and patchouli).

New Scents:

Winter Mint

Warm Woods

Black Raspberry Vanilla

Peppermint

Gardenia

Valhalla Soaps/Goat Milk

Goat Milk Soaps $4.25

Lavender Rose, Lemon, Cinnamon, Herbs N Egg Shells (Great for Gardener Hands – I should know J), Irish Oats N Honey, Lavender Eggshell.

Lotion Bars, Lotion and Face Lotion will be at the delivery site. All made with goats milk.

Valle View Ranch

Cherries coming soon.

Roaring L Ranch

Be back with cherries in June!!

Brian Ranch Orchard

Brian Ranch’s fruit season is over.I would like to thank all the customers who bought from me in Phelan and those who came to the orchard.I should be back around the end of May or beginning of June when the cherries are ripe.

Felice.

To enjoy what is going on with the fruit at Brian Ranch before it arrives please visit their blog at or go U Pick on the weekend.

http://brianranchorchard.blogspot.com/

I went to water some transplants in Greenhouse #1 and out of the corner of my eye I saw what was the tail end of a red racer going into some mint so I thought he was hiding there.  On closer inspection there was a hole....he has made his home there.  Great for rodent control...no so great for keeping the heebie jeebies under control.  I guess I will just have to get used to him being there.  More Jerricho Romaine went in today.  The heads in front of greenhouse #2 (protected from the wind by the greenhouse) are huge!!!  Need lots more of that.  As I did the planting diagram I told my husband that I will still need more room eventually and I would like to dedicate the future greenhouses to berries so he agreed to some long running summer beds in front of the house....as long as they are low crops that don't obscure his view...yahoo!!  I harvested a nice bowl of green beans and they were delicious with dinner.  How I wish I had planted more!!  The irrigation issues are under control finally and everything is coming back to life....amazing what happens when you actually water plants!!!  Yikes did that cost me, but all the newly planted lettuce is coming in.  I am going to finish clearing a 100 foot row tomorrow that is partially planted with green beans already and fill in the rest.  Another sweet surprise is the Okra...doing great...turns out it does like slightly alkaline soil.  Starting more collards and sprouting broccoli tomorrow to replace the destroyed trays and soon all we will need is the Fried Chicken!!  Speaking of poultry don't forget to put in your summer turkey orders in they are selling out fast, and I am sure the Thanksgiving turkeys will be sold out by September so don't forget...only doing 200 this year.  Moonstruck signing out.

I picked up Paul again today and he tackled another overgrown row in the new greenhouse while I went and tilled all the compost beds.  #1 Compost is ready to go and two more are not far behind so my multiple pile system is working.  Before I knew it Paul was telling me he was ready for a new task.  I was sorry I could not let him plant the area he cleared the other day so he could enjoy the whole process but in redoing the irrigation and playing with the timing and the cool weather it was way too wet to plant.  If you work your soil when it is too wet you can damage its composition.  I asked Paul to clear another row while I went and tucked in some dill and cilantro seed in the herb garden...rabbits are not eating it this year so why not?? (Yes, it is unguarded).  Before I knew it a whole new area was ready to go, and tomorrow he can plant it.  I am hoping he can stay long enough to put the cantaloupe and watermelon out in the West field, but we will see.  When he was about half way done he said "I saw a frog".  Funny I had commented the other day on how loud that cricket was!!  I guess I should be more focused when listening to my animal friends!!  Just before closing up for the day I wanted to check the irrigation...there were a few dry spots still so in I went with it running.  I found two nonfunctional sprayers, one turned backwards and the main center line was tilting some of the sprayers when the pressure came on...time to secure them.  Once done I ran for the showers....it was a nice day but the afternoons winds were picking up and I was soaked to the bone...boy did that shower feel good.  Moonstruck signing off.

Bashaws

Small Beef share are available….10-15 pounds each…Just email for more information.

New Pork Shares Available or small approximately 8 pound CSA shares available…email for details.

Summer Preorder Turkeys (10-12 pounds) …August, September, October, November 1^st Still Available.

$2.50/pound Fresh, whole, cut in half, or quartered.

$4.50/pound Smoker, whole, cut in half or quartered.

Thanksgiving Turkey Preorder List filling up already…only doing 200 this year…$2.50/pound and picked up FRESH at the farm two days before Thanksgiving.If you want smoked please specify or if you want a frozen turkey delivered prior to Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas just let me know.We will process those approximately 3-4 weeks prior to Thanksgiving.

Whole Chickens by the pound in the 3-5 pound range

$2.25/lb. Phelan/Co-Op Delivery

$2.50/lb. Wrightwood Market Delivery

Half Chickens – SOLD OUT

Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

$3.50/pound Phelan/WW Co-op and $3.75/pound WW Mkt

Chicken Wings $2.50/lb. Phelan and WW.(Approx. 4-5 lb bags)

White Meat Portion (Breast/Wing on Bone)

Chicken Breasts on the Bone (2 pack) SOLD OUT

Chicken Leg/Thigh Combos (2 pack)

Chicken Thighs (4 pack)

Chicken Legs(4 pack)

All Above Cuts: $2.75/lb. Phelan/WW Co-Op

$3.00/pound WW Market

The website is up where I can see it.  I can see how the reports are set up, but I can't get in and set up the producers!  Ugh!!  Searching for answers.   Not sure if it is a script issue or a problem with the original shareware.  Funny, a provider of this same software called offering their services, but they want 8%!  I don't want to have to pass that on to my customers.  I am in this for the long haul, and I want to do it right from the start.  Of course that seems really funny since I have not been doing things right...the irrigation is wrong, the back end of the greenhouse tore open due to leaving it open, and the weeds are growing so quickly I can't keep up, but that just means back to the drawing board, and start over.  The employees are a tremendous help and now I just need to get this website up and running and it will take at least a few hours off a week from my load, and make your lives easier in ordering.  In the meantime I am planting some Giant Dahlia Zinnias, and more green beans, spinach, lettuce, radishes and the watermelon and cantaloupe are waiting in the wings along with tomatoes and peppers just waiting for this storm to pass.  Off to bed...big day tomorrow and a girl needs her beauty rest ya know. Moonstruck Signing Off!

Wow!! Wow!! Wow!!  Three employees coming and going and by next Wednesday I should be all caught up!! What a difference...I should have done this the day the greenhouse was completed!!  I could really get used to this.  I can think so much clearer now that the the growing area is clear!!  Michael rebuilt the back wall of the greenhouse...need a strong window that is easy to open and close, but so much better!!  The old greenhouse is going to be constructed the same in the Fall.  Our Spring weather has been so violatile that I told Michael that I really needed something easy to open and close on a minute's notice.  The remainder of the greenhouse is about 90% clear (old fields from last year still there).  I did one tomato in a grow bag experiment and it grew 8 inches in about 10 days...I like it!! Spring Onions are looking beautiful, and green beans inside the new greenhouse look promising for two weeks from now!!!  Wow, the possibilities for next year are stupendous.   Paul, our fantastic helper, is slated to help Michael build the cross fencing for the property and we are picking out our first beef calf this weekend, and hopefully will be stocked back up on pigs by July 1st.  Sheep are definitely in the future, but have to get the cross fencing done, and I have definitely decided the next greenhouse is a "Berry House".  The herb garden is coming in beautiful, and I have ordered Broccoli and Alfalfa sprout seeds to start up again (house was too cold to grow sprouts for a while).   I love having the employees..I am dreaming of homemade bread and sausage making for me to do!! Moonstruck Signing Out!!

One of the hard working farms in our cooperative are the Bashaws and they just came back from the butcher and packaged up three new pork shares (only 25 shares available and it will be a while for the next batch)...a lot of work goes into getting those shares ready to go from farm to your skillet.  For more info.  just email me at  moonstruckfarms@verizon.net.  A few beef shares are also available and one or two of the old pork packages. 

Bashaw Pork Shares 

05/11/2011 Signed Farm Share Agreement must be on file before purchase or at the time of purchase. Package A 

$50.00 each share. 1 Package of Pork Chops (2)

1 pound of Bacon 1 pound of Breakfast Sausage

1 pound of Sweet Italian Sausage

1 pound of Hot Italian Sausage

1 Pork Steak

2 packages of 1 pound Cubed Pork Packages

2 Ham Steaks

1 pound of Lunchmeat

Package B

$46.00

1 Package of Pork Chops (2)

1 pound of Bacon

1 pound of Breakfast Sausage

1 pound of Sweet Italian Sausage

1 Pork Steak

2 packages of 1 pound Cubed Pork Packages

2 Ham Steaks

1 pound of Lunchmeat

Package C

$42.00

1 Package of Pork Chops (2)

1 pound of Bacon

2 pounds of Breakfast Sausage

1 Pork Steak

2 packages of 1 pound Cubed Pork Packages

2 Ham Steaks

1 pound of Lunchmeat