Deerfield Farms, Sandpoint Idaho

The first delivery of Organically Grown tomato plants from Deerfield Farms have arrived at the Ponderay store of North 40 Outfitters. There are 5 varieties to choose from selected for flavor, popular demand and best chance of producing in North Idaho. The Brandywine, one of the most familiar heirlooms, is a longer season tomato but worth the effort! New this year is the Wapsipinicon Peach….. yep, it's a tomato. I've never tasted such a fruity, sweet tomato! Delicious and novel, but also a longer season tomato so you may want to cover both of these in the fall. Another among the choices is the San Marzano, THE paste tomato for creating amazing sauces. Then we have a great North Idaho variety, the Crimson Sprinter, perfect for our shorter seasons, producing delicious red fruit in about 60 days. Lastly, the Chocolate Cherry, YUM! We grow these just for snacking on while working. That’s today’s group. There will be another delivery next week, with a few new choices. If you have any questions you can contact us through Local Harvest or click on one of the social networking links; we're on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Thank you and Happy Spring :)

Snow all around, some ice too, but spring is in the air! The chickens are working their dirt circle ever larger, scratching the snow away as they search for things chickens desire. We carefully make our way across the field to the greenhouse, wary of the step that will sink down to our knee...one more reason shoveling that path would have been the better way to go, but drifting snow made many a compelling argument against. It's been a good, solid winter and I have enjoyed it and therefore am fine to see it fading, though it bluffs that it isn't. Here on the farm we have an advantage in the greenhouse with it's plastic covering a sea of green tomato plants. They are nearly all planted and have more than doubled in size! Walking in is entering a more tropical environment, every peek of sunshine enhanced by the plastic. I already see a hint of color in my skin, soaking up Vitamin D can be more challenging in North Idaho. The plants are requiring more care; attachment to their support system, baby suckers popping out everywhere need to be removed. This is welcome work for it means healthy plants and healthy plants mean delicious fruit to come. The work of farming transfers metaphorically to life. Plant the seed, water it, nourish the dirt, care for the plant, harvest the fruit. Daily tending, patiently, persistently, brings the reward of fruit. Fruit that nourishes. So, if the wintery landscape is weighing you down, remembering what is to come, do the work of each day with the knowledge that fruit is on the horizon. Blessings to you From the farm