Agropraxis Farm

A Ultra-Low Carbon input farm using Eco-Bio methods.
(Scotts, Michigan)
10 Mar Sun 2013

Kid's in the Kitchen!

We make most of our food from scratch. The farm produce is typically the center of most meals. So you don’t see many boxes in our grocery cart. This local-seasonal eating style is an economical choice as well as a health based choice. We try to inspire the same type of eating through our efforts at Farmers Market and through the CSA we grow for, Harmony Acres CSA. Our oldest was home on spring break and wanted to treat us for dinner the other night. The treat was a home cooked gourmet spread that made us proud!!!

Our kids help in the kitchen a lot. They love to fix desserts. They’ve learned that if they want to be certain there will be dessert, then they better find the time and check to see what’s on hand rather than complain about why we never have any! The middle child helped with cutting up the chickens last week. Necks, backs and wings went into the stock pot and the rest for dinner. The importance of compliments and thank-you’s always come easier for the kids when they know the work going into food.

Before their cooking event the kids looked through the food magazines and a few cook books for ideas. It struck me that so many of the gorgeous pictures and recipes were completely unachievable. One  had a recipe for snow peas, yellow peppers, and radicchio salad. The magazine was a February issue. None of that produce is in season…maybe at the grocery store! This scenario helped me realize that our home eating style has evolved to a seasonal and stored food style that meets our needs. Yes, we have canned tomatoes, frozen meats and vegetables and dried fruits and herbs. They can be combined to make wholesome meals that save us considerable money on our food bills. They also limit our choices to what is seasonal and preserved.  We end up looking or creating meals from the pantry rather than the beautifully styled food entertainment media.  Incidentally, the kids did an outstanding job on the meal. What a treat!

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
11:35 AM EDT
 
03 Mar Sun 2013

A talk by William Woys Weaver

Those who go before us can teach and inspire us to make our lives better and improve our shared destiny.  Michael Pollan wonderfully stated that the “Food” community stands on the shoulders of Joan Gussow, Wendell Berry, and Alice Waters.  Those of us who grow food acknowledge a similar role to the Nearings’, Rodale’s and William Woys Weaver. On Saturday March 2nd it was my pleasure to attend a presentation by Dr. W. W. Weaver at Goshen College. The author of 16 books, contributor to magazines and teacher has been influencing gardeners to undertake his mission of growing, eating and enjoying heirloom plants.

The talk was broken into two separate lectures delivered with  Power Point support. The first lecture was more historical and concentrated on the Kitchen/Potager gardens that developed along with Western Civilization. The layout of gardens through history, the development of basic foods, and how they influence what we eat and grow today. The garden was presented as a key factor in supporting both the food needs and medical needs. Gardens traditionally had a medicinal group of plants that were grown to support health. I enjoyed this aspect of the lecture. So much of our health and wellness has been separated from its traditional place in our lives and gardens.  The garden had a much more holistic importance in times past.  A last comment from Dr. Weaver sticks with me, “There should be a brick pathway between the kitchen and the garden.” In addition to growing year round the garden needs to be an integral part of our lives.

The second lecture was about Heirloom plants and food. This tied in with his award winning book, Vegetable Heirloom Gardening. I enjoyed his easy definitions and manner during the lectures. Of particular note was his definition of an Heirloom. “like me, something more than 50 years old!”  He went on to detail important points: owning the seed, encouraging Biodiversity, supporting a biologically active ecosystem that is resistant to pests and diseases. He explained that his book was lauded with lots of praise and it may have “moved the mountain a few inches.” We now see “heirloom” products all over our foodscapes from restaurants and Farmers Markets to the big box Grocers.

As a farmer I really enjoyed his enthusiasm for  plants. His farm, Roughwood Farm in Devan, Pa maintains a seed stock of 4500 plants! He encouraged us all to be involved in saving seed, sharing with others and learning from the plants. “Plants talk! They have their own language. It’s not French or Italian, so you’ve got to learn their language. When you do you will be gaining a connection with the life force of the plant.”  He concluded the lecture with this quote, “Seeds are the common heritage of all mankind, they are the hope of our shared destiny.”

A wonderful inspiration for this time of year…

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:18 AM EST
 
24 Feb Sun 2013

Winter Waning

Less than a handful of weeks remain of this winter. As with all winters we look for signs in the patterns in weather and life for what the future may hold; drawing simple conclusions from the complexities of life and events.  Some of these are worth sharing.

The land surrounding our home is dominated by conventional farmland. Our soils are light sandy loams that erode easily. When we have winds and heavy rains the evidence of catastrophic soil loss is easy to see. For decades the government encouraged farmers to conserve the soil with windbreaks, spring field work so litter/debris partially protected soil, and cover cropping in the 7 months of the year when the land was not tilled. These intuitive and cost saving efforts have been countermanded by bigger and bigger fields under irrigation pivots.  A few weeks ago we had 3+ inches of rain in a day. The gullies deepened and the roads were flooded as the light soils were relocated where the rainwater flowed.  Evidence was left in muddy deposits across the roadways and ditches filled. Tire swallowing gullies opened across fields. And still the land stays bare and tree lines are bulldozed for the favored big tillage fields.

Further evidence of soil loss was observed while shoveling snow following storm “Q”. We had just a few inches that covered the barren land. The snow came with a big blow that made the house shake and the dog to howl at odd times.  The snow was more tan colored with the abundance of airborne soil than pure white.  So much in the air that the wet snow brought it down.  Rather unusual in the winter time but what is usual anymore…

The following quote is from an article about the record breaking yields that small farmers are achieving with the most advanced growing techniques for cereal grains:

“(SRI)is good for small farmers who rely on their own families for labour, but not necessarily for larger operations. Rather than any magical theory, it is good husbandry, skill and attention which results in the super yields.”         http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2013/feb/16/india-rice-farmers-revolution?CMP=twt_gu

More info:

http://grist.org/food/miracle-grow-indian-farmers-smash-crop-yield-records-without-gmos/?utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

These articles highlight that small, intensive farms have superior yields and are sustainable. It’s interesting that the few criticisms that emerge are about the inability for large farming operations to scale up this model to mega farm size. To some of us it is clear that big is the problem, not the method.

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
09:42 AM EST
 
17 Feb Sun 2013

Knowing Farmers

How does a poignant moment between a horse breeder and trainer with one of his livestock in a beer commercial turn into a comment on farmers?  Some of the resulting generalizations bring to mind the gulf of understanding between food producers and consumers.  There are as many variations in farmers and what they produce as there are in people in any society. A farmer I know loves to talk about chemicals, seed genetics, and equipment. I on the other hand find heirlooms, biological synergy and sustainability more interesting (We talk about basketball). The value of a farmer is in what he contributes to his community. This must be what all the attention is indicating. We revere those who work so we may live and enjoy life. 

The generalizations that group all farmers together has me reluctant to identify with them. Maybe an example from the other day will show why. I was at the township office dropping off a tax payment. A grain farmer was bending the ear of the treasurer about his ag well. It had tested with heavy metals. A few old dumps had taken industrial waste and polluted select local groundwater.  The farmer was trying to explain that it was okay to pump this well since the metals wouldn’t end up in the corn he sold. Of course I was aghast that anyone would try to justify using polluted water for irrigation. The contamination of the soil, runoff and subsequent crops is likely illegal. The mentality of many conventional farmers of squeezing money out of land regardless of impact is offensive. 

On another occasion I set up a table at a health fair.  I went around to the other vendors and introduced myself and the CSA I was promoting. One person from a dentist office was pleasantly offensive. She said she was raised on a farm and knew all about it. Went on to explain that her father worked the winter in Brazil raising seed corn and the summers here doing the same.  I asked if she ate from the crops he raised. “No,” she said. “We buy our food from the store like everyone else. My father has an important role to play in feeding the world.”  I let the conversation end since I find it hard to respond to illogical talking points. 

So I clearly state that I am a small CSA farmer. I use organic methods, with ultra-low levels  of carbon inputs. I build the fertility in the soil so that the crops I offer have the highest nutrient values. I foster biological diversity on the farm. I intensively farm enough land to supply the vegetables for up to 100 families for the full growing season. I use the latest and most advanced methods of producing natural foods. Those who follow will be able to do the same! This means I don’t have use for $500M boom sprayer, I don’t need HAZMAT procedures for our farm supplies, and the community I grow for recognizes the face of their farmer!

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:15 AM EST
 
10 Feb Sun 2013

Winter Foods

When this land was populated by native peoples February was known as the hunger moon. A long time from the last growing season. If the harvest had been good then people might pass the winter comfortably. Struggles and hunger for anything else. For our household the winter passes comfortably. 

Last seasons’ crop of Painted Mountain Corn was a good one. Taking suggestion from customers and experimenting with the corn has resulted in new appreciation for the variety of foods that can be made. Some of the corn was ground for corn meal. What a great fresh flavor it has. Some was soaked and simmered for soups. It’s such a firm kernel  that this method resulted in lots of jaw work. So a Mexican style preparation was tried with lime. What a great hominy this made! It’s gone into posole with success. Soon more will be used for nixtamal to make tortillas. 

Winter squashes have appeared regularly on the table. This shows why some squashes are called winter squashes. They store well and improve in flavor through the winter.  The best squashes that are free of blemishes or scarring are stored in the cold garage. The Butternut that remain have been the absolute best in flavor and texture that we can remember. Rich and flavorful with a pleasant sweetness. The kids are getting a little sick of squash, but manage to always put a few scoops on their plates since it is so good.  We prefer to bake squash in a medium oven.  Roasting seems to bring out the best flavors. 

Our neighboring state of Indiana had a report about the drought of last summer. They had areas that suffered much more than we did. With winter precipitation the lingering deficits have been erased. All go for farmers. Of course farmers are never so gullible to believe weathermen.  So we hear of record well drilling and pivots going in. I guess if farmers make money on high water demand crops, they’ll pump water until it runs out or costs too much to justify. Interesting that the Painted Mountain corn yielded great on natural rainfall on all but about 20’ of the 100’ row.  
Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
09:26 AM EST
 
03 Feb Sun 2013

Join Harmony Acres CSA!

I started and produced for the Old Sauk Trail CSA for three years. That was a wonderful experience.  I lost access to the land through the landowners foreclosure and was offered a job to run another CSA at about the same time.  This 2nd CSA was a start-up and turned into a nightmare.  After that horrible year I was l was surprisingly keenly interested in still farming and developing CSA. I found a welcoming and ideal location at Tillers International. 2012 was the beginning of our cooperative work and proved to be a good foundation to develop CSA. Harmony Acres CSA is unfolding and gaining members.  This CSA and coming season is the first time in a long while that I’m excited and eager for the year to begin. Every season has its challenges. I’m excited to see what there is to be learned from them this year.  

CSA operates uniquely in combining consumers, producers, and farms into a mutually beneficial group.  Each of the three primary components, (farmers and the farm capital, farm ecology, and shareholders) needs to benefit and contribute for success and continued development. Failure to balance the contributions and benefits from any of the components can lead to CSA’s not preforming or even failing. Many CSA’s are marketing extensions of vegetable farms or groups of farms. They are interested in the committed distribution of pre-paid crops. Many of these farm initiated efforts do a good job but may not provide the support and continued involvement of the shareholders. Should a natural disaster, injury or accident compromise the farm, the CSA may end up in dire straits. Other farm initiated CSA’s are so marketing oriented that they experience high member turn-over and dissatisfaction. 

The CSA needs to support the farmers. A reasonable standard of living needs to be achievable. Work conditions have to evolve and improve. Farm work can easily overwhelm motivated farmers. I’ve known more than a few that called it quits from lack of appreciation or burn-out. 

And, lastly the farm needs to be tended so that it can sustain the production for the shareholders. Many farmers recognize the necessity of feeding and building the soil. Our world exists largely because of the plant life that converts sunlight (energy) into food we can utilize. Without the soil we and all we know would perish!

The Harmony Acres CSA invites those in our community to consider supporting the development of our farm and involving themselves in the CSA. You will be rewarded with a deep connection to the farm where your food is produced and enjoy the most nutritious local food available!

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:51 AM EST
 
27 Jan Sun 2013

Ag Census

What a delight to comply with USDA’s agriculture census. Page after page of detail and monetary facts to assess the state of agriculture. A mandatory filing for most farms. For a small, intensive vegetable farmer this simple formality appears pointless. We generate so much of our own fertility, work so much of our lands with animals or hand tools that the monetary determinations the census asks for are irrelevant. So much of what happens with the biological life on the farm that is pivotal in our continued existence cannot be monetized.  It’s no surprise that many of the industrial organic and conventional farms that the Census relies on for the “true state” of farming skew the data to reflect their practices. For them it’s all about purchased inputs and paid for services.

We purchase some of our seed, some soil minerals, and some supplies for our marketing efforts. Beyond that our purchases are minimal. Our farming methods are more labor intensive than capital intensive. We also put to work the biological systems that are crucial to providing for the farms fertility needs. The microbes in the compost heaps are at work while I do other things. The cover crops hold the nutrients in the fields for future benefits and exude crucial compounds that the soil fungal life thrives on. As these life forms multiply and support more diverse life we promote a compounding of life sustaining energies that improves our farm and the produce from it. The census has no way of ascertaining these processes.

The industrial organic and conventional farms are in the money rat-race. Borrowing from a bank (or endowment), importing fertility and compost, paying for services, purchasing seed and plants, and ignoring the role of fostering the biological life that builds the diverse biology needed for sustainable production. 

When the numbers are reviewed we small farmers do okay. What isn’t measured is we produce in a manner that we can sustain….

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:11 AM EST
 
20 Jan Sun 2013

Working on 2013 !

Back in October the first planting for the 2013 season was made. The garlic went in and has been overwintering in the field. When the soil warms in spring they will be one of the first crops growing. This January weekend is time to begin many of the remaining allium crops. 

Every farmer strives for efficiency, cost effective production and simplicity. My methods work for my work style, resources and production needs. Having made most of the mistakes possible I have also learned what not to do. I begin with quality seed and varieties that have proven results. For onions I like Ailsa Craig for fresh eating/slicing, Copra for everyday/storage onion, and for leeks I plant Lincoln for late summer production and the giant/blue late season/winter varieties. These are all started from seed. 

Onions are started in two manners. For individual onions like the Ailsa Craig they are seeded into a seeding flat that has been filled with bedding mix. This is the same bedding mix I made back in October and have allowed to cure/stabilize for the last four months. The mix has a mild, earthy smell that tells me it is in good condition. The crumbs improved and texture is loose but held together by the extensive fungal hyphae. The flats are filled and watered and given a few days to settle. Seeds are dropped in on a tight grid. I use the Biodymanic calendar to determine appropriate days to seed. Anne Elder of the Community Farm of Ann Arbor taught a session at a CSA Conference years ago that introduced me to Biodynamics. Many of the concepts and ideas have valid impacts on growing. The calendar is one areas of the Biodynamics I have experienced positive results from.

 The other onion method is to multi-seed paper pots. The pots are made of unused newsprint that I bought from a local printing shop. The Print shop gets a couple of dollars for several hundred linear feet on end rolls. I can make thousands of paper pots with that. The pots are hand rolled to about 2” diameter and 2.5 inches high.  The pots are placed on food trays in staggered rows that maximizes space. They are filled with bedding material and tapped down firmly with 1 ¾ “ dowel. A 3/8” dowel, sharpened in a pencil sharpener, is used to make a seed cavity about ¾” deep in the center of each pot. Four/five seeds are dropped into each. I like the deeper tight space of this method than the small divot on soil blocks that is commonly recommended. Many onions and leeks grew twisted or fell over in blocks. I tried plasticulture and found it much less space efficient. Transplanting paper pots is a about as easy as soilblocks. The whole thing is placed in the soil. The paper degrades in a short time. The only drawback is that the paper can create a type of collar that sticks up. This can wick moisture when it is dry so I make sure to tear back or plant deep enough to keep this from occurring. For leeks I use the same paper pots as I do for onions. The only difference is they are transplanted deeper to blanch a long segment. 

With multiplant techniques like this additional space is needed around each grouping of plants. This space makes for easy cultivation after transplant and mulching or side dressing as the season progresses. These methods are covered extensively in Eliot Coleman’s books on Organic farming and Four Seasons methods. Even with the tight grouping of plants, production is robust. 

The food trays with paper pots are first placed on heating mats for ideal germination. When the alliums emerge they are moved under shop lights that are kept on for 24 hours a day. With a cool basement (60 degrees) and just regular 40w bulbs, the plants grow slow and vigorous. Having read through University research the total amount of light and intensity come out fine. No, the plants don’t seem to be affected by not having a dark period. They don’t get leggy like warm greenhouses either. The seeding flats need to have their onions clipped otherwise they grow through the lights. The others seem to grow slow enough that they only get tall enough to be a problem about the time they go outdoors to harden off. They are transplanted according to the Biodynamic calendar in April once the soil is workable. In a good year some are harvested in June for fresh onions and the remainder during July and August. 

Some years I’ve bought onions starts. Their cost is quite a bit higher and they don’t yield as well with a lot of variability among plants. They are available from local greenhouses and cost ~$2.00 per 60 plant bundle.  I have bought some directly from the monster onion producer in Texas but with shipping they add up to about the same price for the quantities I order. The producer clips the tops and roots of these starts. I tend to think they also boost them with liquid fertilizers. On my organic soils they have a rough transition and never seen to thrive like my own plants. Some local growers rave about them, but they also use a lot of nitrogen fertilizers and irrigation water to create softball size fresh onions. 

It’s good to be planting and working on the current year crops….

Farmer Pete

P.S. A favorite quote I ran across this week: “ We are changing food system one acre at a time.”

Farmer Pete
10:45 AM EST
 
13 Jan Sun 2013

Records and Seeds

Typical January weather includes snow, frozen ground, wind and lake effect snow showers. On Saturday the 12th we had record high temperatures and spring fever. Climate change is wacky sometimes. 

During our warm day the kitchen scraps were added to the compost pile. Many honey bees (Apis mellifera) were working through the heap looking for sustenance. The weather had them out of the hive and foraging. We have no flowering plants at this time of the year so they scavenge for edibles. I watched as they worked over squash goop, and other partially decomposed compost ingredients.  With the weather as mild as it’s been I’m sure the bees are doing what they are genetically inclined to do, gather food when weather warms. It’s still early winter so the spring fever is temporary.  

Back in December I had ordered seed for the main crops. What remained were trial items. I enjoy trialing different crops to see how they might contribute to the farm offerings. The tempting descriptions and possibilities are fun to explore. Some trials succeed , some need to be repeated to better gauge value, and some fail. For example one time I ran across an Italian herb/green called Agretti. The description was tempting and a packet was ordered and planted. The agretti grew and was harvested as recommended. It was cooked and presented. The overwhelming response from all who tried it was that it tasted like a pine tree! No one could imagine how it would contribute to their table and food enjoyment. So agretti was a non-repeater. It may be of value in Italian kitchens but unlikely to be of value here.

One conclusion has come from the trials. Seed vigor and plant viability varies from lot to lot and from variety to variety.  Many of my trials are searches for more vigorous and better producing  varieties.  For example I’ve grown Rosa Bianca eggplant for quite a while. I was often disappointed with production and plant vigor. A shift in supplier resulted in healthier more vigorous plants. Production was the best ever. Was it the season or the seed?  Clearly I had run across seed with more vigor. The last few years I’ve trialed Open Pollinated(OP) seeds searching for plant vigor and eating qualities. Many of the “new” and “organic” seeds lack these features.  A Golden Zucchini was glowing in description but a poor producer in the field.  Given a couple of years and careful attention it still lacked qualities for future inclusion. This season  trials will include new zucchini varieties, a wax bean, a traditional eggplant, OP carrots and rapini. What fun….

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
08:37 AM EST
 
06 Jan Sun 2013

What to Post?

Putting a blog post up each week is a simple thing. It doesn’t take much time. During the week ideas come from things I’ve read, heard or experienced. This week I had a multitude of ideas and had started a post about “Sustainable Ag”. I’ve run across so many definitions and concepts from  ”economically sustainable” to “ecologically sustainable”  that the topic is a mess of conflicting POV’s. I started on what sustainable should represent. I ended up lost in the topic…not making sense or having a clear thesis to press forward. I’ll have to put more thought to “Sustainable” before I post.

Another topic might have been about  waste from agriculture. By waste I mean  product that farmers and those in the supply chain don’t find a consumer for. There have been articles and research on how much food never gets to consumers. Staggering amounts that spoil or are produced at a time that nobody can utilize them. This topic is a classic that scratches at the ignorance about food production and utilization. Farmers massively overproduce. What doesn’t find a consumer is basically compost. For some reason the public has an ethic that this overproduction needs to be directed to the needy. In a market that is encouraged to over-produce, we don’t have a method to deal with excess. Some high density population areas have developed food banks and gleaners to address this but realistically the over production is still compost. I saw a presentation by the director of “Growing Power” that showed how they composted tons of grocery chain spoiled produce for their gardening program. Why are we surprised that we have excess? I had hoped to delve into the management issues a farmer deals with in planning for the “right amount” of production. Again a topic that needs time for thought…

And, another topic is our continuing weather uncertainties. Drought impacts a large portion of the country. Here in SW Michigan we have minimal short term issues but a level of concern underlies future planning. The winter precipitation has been way below normal. Subsoil moisture is low and aquifer levels are down. Will we hear more stories about lakefront homeowners having to walk 200’ to the shoreline that used to be out the patio door?

The FDA has released a new Food Safety document. To be expected, not everyone is happy. In trying to address some glaring failures of the food system the FDA has tried to encompass food production with this document. I wonder if the writers have any concept of what small, direct to consumer farmers do to protect themselves and customers. Farmers are the key in determining methods of production, handling, and education of consumers. Ask any farm marketer what steps they take to insure the wellbeing of their customers. With generous exemptions and low levels of inspection capabilities this whole effort from the FDA will have more impact on big industrial farms. It’s nice to see that the big guys will have to use some of the common sense methods we small farmers have used for years and prove it!

And there are more ideas….just not ready for the blog yet. Ideas that bounce around and slowly gel to become something coherent. Or sometimes set aside to allow a more pressing topic or rant surface. Always more to think on and share than ever gets put up! Maybe something good for next week…

Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:41 AM EST
 
28 Dec Fri 2012

Holiday Lull

The Holidays, snow accumulation and time with family makes this a wonderful time of the year. Everyone at our house is either on break or taking advantage of the season to do a lot less of the everyday and a lot more of the fun holiday things. The farmer in me feels like all of this free time should be put to good use. Of course there is just about nothing to do that wouldn’t be better done at another time. So I catch up on sports, read last summers’ magazines, and waste time on the computer.  

The garden plan is all set, seeds are ordered, and CSA info prepped. Not a lot to bother with. During years past I made efforts to read books on relevant topics during this lull in the season. I ordered many through Inter-Library loan and read them and made notes. I re-read important works by Coleman, Rodale,..etc.to expand understanding. I went to the Conferences to exchange ideas and make contacts. Over time I developed a set of questions that I worked on answering and I realized that so many of them were not addressed by books or conference discussions. 

The questions had little to do with the science of farming (agriculture) and more to do with what I call the managing variables part of farming (art). All plants need a set of basic factors to produce a crop; water, CO2, sunlight, nutrients,…The scientist will indicate so much water, and so much N-P-K and blah, blah , blah….This farmer knows that you can put all of these things together and still end up with a poor crop. What factors contribute to a fantastic crop?  What can I do to make a good crop a great crop? How do I duplicate lasts years exceptional root crops with this years’  conditions? Over the years you build a base of information.  A crop may be spectacular and you wonder which variable or what combination of variables allowed the crop to push the limits of genetic potential?  Which planting method with these conditions will favor the crop best? I know a few vegetable farmers that concern themselves with gross yield. So their questions are always about what inputs will give the greatest yield. I ask how will these methods impact product  quality? Which cultivation methods favor plant growth? Is saved seed from healthy mature plants more vigorous than purchased seed?  I have 4 hours of time and how do I use it to best impact the farm? Will the field composting of year old manures be a better net return than windrowing and turning? The questions keep accumulating and getting partially answered. It seems the answers are a bit more complex than I often imagine. Which of course makes sense, I’m dealing with a complex natural system that we only understand in a general manner. 

I’ve been reading some thought provoking works not necessarily farm related. One is the following by Charles Eisenstein,  http://sacred-economics.com/  His work on scarcity and money are very relevant and thought provoking. There is plenty that applies to farming in this work! I also enjoyed The Rise of Rome by Everitt. Before long the season will turn and I’ll be in the field. Looking to answer more questions.
Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
05:03 PM EST
 
16 Dec Sun 2012

Late Fall Harvest

On Friday I left school and headed to the farm for a late fall harvest.  For the last several years I’ve kept busy during the slower season by working as a Substitute Teacher. Being a Sub isn’t quite the same as being a full-time teacher. It’s a fill-in role that has fewer responsibilities than teachers have. Being with the young people that are part of our communities and around teachers has been a great experience. It has built a sense of hope that an honored form of continuity is being instilled for the future. 

Harvest was better than I would normally do this time of year. There was plenty of Kale and Brussels Sprouts and a few root vegetables, but also nice Broccoli, Collards, Cilantro, Purple Pac Choi, Cabbages, and Leeks. I arrived in the field with almost an hour and a half of daylight and left with the sun having set and a beautiful sunset waning to twilight. The day had been mild, in the upper 40’s with light winds, so I worked in comfort.  

A Harvest this close to the Winter Solstice has never been so nice. Certainly the mild fall has contributed with no lows below 20 degrees and no extended cold spells. Precipitation has been sparse but enough for healthy plants. It seems almost like a bonus to have a harvest like this shortly before the holidays. I only slipped on gloves in the last half hour because it was warm enough to do without till then. 

After a good day in school and a nice harvest I heard the news of the day. DEVASTATING! I have few words….  As a parent…as a Sub in my local schools…

Later that evening my daughter asked when would our pizza be out of the oven? She was hungry, really hungry!  All I could say was that I was sorry that dinner was late, I was upset about all the kids being killed…

Farmer Pete. 


Farmer Pete
10:29 AM EST
 
09 Dec Sun 2012

Harmony Acres CSA

Farming at Tillers International has worked out wonderfully. As I plan for the 2013 season I’m thrilled to offer  CSA. Below is some information from our CSA brochure and about what we plan for the coming season. If you have interest in becoming a member/shareholder contact me or leave a comment (email me, agropraxisfarm at gmail dot com).

When thinking of a CSA  name I had several things in mind. First I wanted to keep the farm and the CSA distinct. Many farms brand themselves and want to keep their marketing uniform. This CSA will be more than the typical marketing of produce that CSA seems to have become. Secondly, our relationship with Tillers International is important. Their mission to teach and support sustainable communities that teach low capital technologies is in harmony with our efforts. And lastly, our unbending recognition of nature as mentor. Being in tune with the forces and principles that guide all life is fundamental.  So names were proposed and altered or dropped. Finally, in a discussion at Market a good customer used the word “Harmony”. I don’t remember the context but the word suddenly took meaning. I really like all of the positive images that the name conjures and we adopted the name, Harmony Acres CSA. 

From the CSA brochure:  “Harmony Acres CSA(HACSA) was started by the Agropraxis Farm and its organic farmer Pete Robertson. The concept of CSA is to create a Community that supports the farm and benefits from a close relationship. Many CSA’s have been started by farmers as part of a marketing plan, or by organizations that seek to benefit financially from starting CSA. HACSA will be established as a “True CSA” that involves its members in decision making, work and benefits of the farm. A Core Group of members will direct HACSA and provide the foundation for development and direction of the CSA. 

Agropraxis Farm is a continuing organic farm operation that located to Tillers International  in 2012. Pete Robertson began growing for market in 2006 using over 25 years of organic gardening knowledge. With CSA experience that includes producing for a 100 member SW Michigan  CSA this farm is being developed to support a growing community of consumers that value a direct relationship with a farm. “

And also:
 “Reasons to Join:
-Receive more fresh produce for your dollar
-No middleman/brokers
-Dollars go directly to the farmers
-The freshest possible food weekly
-Fewer trips to the store
-Wider selection of local produce
-No residual chemicals on food
-Organic food with high nutrient density
-Connection to the growing local foods movement
-Share info, recipes, tips
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Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
09:25 AM EST
 
02 Dec Sun 2012

Fall and the Nature of Farming

On the farm the late fall crops are doing well. A great harvest of leeks, Brussels sprouts, rutabegas, radicchio, broccoli, and kale was done. I also I harvested a nice crop of collards. Maybe it’s a Michigan thing (or a white, Michigan thing), but collards are not real common here. This was a demo crop and I honestly had never eaten them or grown them before. I never had a CSA member ask for them or had someone at market inquire. But, they seem to be really popular in some regions and referred to favorably in cooking magazines. So they went in. They were largely neglected through the summer. Some were taken to market but drew little interest. They looked super the other week so I harvested and cooked them for my first try…and was blown away! So that’s what I’ve been missing! What flavor and texture. Even the picky-eater in the house took seconds. So simple and so good! They earned a spot on the farm for the coming years. We’ll  have Kale and collards for late greens from now on. 

I took time to read a farming magazine and ran across an appropriate description of what it’s like to farm compared to typical businesses.  “…the difference in magnitude and importance of the problems between managing  a business unit versus managing a farm….It sort of puts those petty office problems into perspective. On a farm if you miss something, you miss it for a year….In business if you miss a deadline or something doesn’t work out right…it’s so easy to correct…and go on....with farming you’re so much more aware of what’s not in your control; whereas in business you get this warped sense of it’s all in my control…In farming you do have some influence, but so much of it is nature.” (Acres USA, Dec 2012 Womack pg. 55…)

The lack of understanding of the challenges that farmers face gets a broad range of responses. Customers don’t lose any money when a celery crop fails due to unfavorable hot, droughty conditions. They buy conventional celery with its inferior taste.  Early beets may be killed by a late hard freeze and hours of work go unrewarded. Working with nature is a humbling and unpredictable experience. As the article detailed, it has a magnitude associated with its problems that few appreciate. 

One farming job I had was a nightmare.  A “plan” was created and a farmer hired to implement the plan (me). The plan was grossly unrealistic but being a farmer and hoping that the plan makers understood a little about the difficulty of farming to a rigid plan, I took the risk of trying to fulfill the plan. In an ideal situation the plan might have had a chance. With a challenging weather year and personnel scenario the problems were insurmountable and the plan was unachievable. The business decided to try another farmer (only to experience the same outcome) and is again looking for another farmer to assume the risk. The article brought to mind the differences and failings of thinking and working with nature as though it fit into a plan. The mentality of a farmer is to keep planting and working so that short term problems are minimized and long term benefits of the work are realized. Having to work to a plan is loaded with stress and quickly results in insurmountable animosity. Only a farmer seems to sense the difficulties or understand the problems and their magnitude.
Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:15 AM EST
 
25 Nov Sun 2012

Family Traditions

Our family has typically cut a live tree for Christmas each year. With the oldest home from College for Thanksgiving and being a child that loves our simple family traditions she was all in for cutting now rather than waiting for a week and miss out. So we loaded up and headed to our favorite Tree Farm. We visit the same farm because of the horse drawn wagons that deliver and pick-up the guests and their trees from the different tree lots. A team of big Belgians draw a tandem set of wagons. The first with padded bench seats and the second for a load of fresh cut trees. You can choose from the popular Scotch Pine, Spruce, White Pine (Our beloved state tree), or the now popular Fraser Fir. Our refined process requires looking over all the likely trees, having someone reject it (selected on a unanimous vote) then moving on. Eventually we return to reconsider every tree. After much tromping, joke making, “Do you remember when…” and wearing down all collective resistance a final selection is made. Often the first tree that the youngest member of the group first considered.

The cut tree and selection team is returned to the farmstead. In the old tool shed a wood stove helps return normal blood flow to the toes and fingers. Candy canes are offered. Trees are shaken of their loose needles and bird nests, then wrapped and loaded for the trip home. Conversation comes easily with the farm folk that run the tree farm. They shared a concern for the coming years. The drought impacted their tree planting. It also stressed the 2-6 year old trees severely. Only time will tell what true impact the drought will have.  “We’ll know for sure in 6-7 years”, they said.

The teamster on our wagon was happy to talk when I shared my connection to working animals. The big mare on our team was 13 years old and had been a help in training a lot of her offspring. They keep  a dozen animals. They started with Amish trained stock but now breed, train and sell their own. The animals do a long day when it’s their turn. Working from 8 am till after 6 pm. The worst are the warm and muddy days. It really makes them work hard. 

At home the tree was decorated and is now the beautiful focal point of a continuing family tradition. After the holidays it will be placed near the kitchen garden and bird feeders for animal habitat. Eventually it will be chopped down and added to the compost pile.   
Farmer Pete

Farmer Pete
10:10 AM EST
 
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