Bass Root Farm Mission - We aim to nourish our local community by producing nutrient dense food while striving to be good stewards of the land using sustainable and regenerative farming methods. We want our farm to be a site for learning, sharing, and cultivating wellness, an ideal place that provides a rich quality of life for all living things.
Notes from the Farm, Issue 24
March 2026
A Cold and Snowy Winter with Promises to Come. Michigan, like much of the Midwest and Eastern US, has had a colder and wetter winter compared to those in recent years. The snowpack has been a good insulator for our farm plots, protecting the soil and the cover crops, while providing a great water source through slow melts into the spring. We are hopeful that the cold and frost helped to reduce the pest populations that live in the soil. Hopefully this cold, wet winter will lead to a rejuvenate spring and glorious summer!
Welcome our new Interns, Jenna Ray and Caroline Paris.
Every year, we host a few graduate student interns from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. This year, Jenna Ray and Caroline Paris are helping one day per week on the farm, learning the ins and outs of running a small farm. Here is some information about them.
Where are you from?
Jenna: Grandhaven, Michigan.
Caroline: I was born in Flint, Michigan, but my family moved to San Diego, California when I was 4 and I lived there until I moved away for college!
What are you studying?
Jenna: Master of Public Health – Dietetics. In my future as a Dietitian, I hope to work in a long term care facility working with patients who are experiencing issues such as malnutrition, sarcopenia, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, dysphagia, overweight/obesity, etc. I also desire to start my own private practice as a Registered Dietitian. This practice will focus predominantly on patients with eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors as well as women's health concerns including but not limited to PCOS, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, infertility, etc.
Caroline: I am getting a masters degree in clinical nutrition, and I hope to work in an inpatient setting in a pediatric hospital. I have worked in three pediatric hospitals, and I love the environment and interdisciplinary approach to medical care.
What is your experience with farming and what do you hope to learn at Bass Root Farm?
Jenna: Prior to working with BRF, my only experience with farming comes from helping my grandma in her vegetable and flower garden. For the past 10 years or so my sister and I have helped my grandma with planting, watering, harvesting, weeding, etc. She mostly grew vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, herbs, and zucchini. This experience really helped me appreciate the value of growing your own food and the satisfaction that comes with it. Through my experience at Bass Roots, I hope to learn more about different planting and/or seeding techniques that I can utilize in my own garden. Within the short time that I have been with Bass Roots, I have already learned so much about farming - including how easy it is to grow your own microgreens!
Caroline: I do not have any experience with farming, so this has been a wonderful experience so far! I hope to learn the basics of gardening so I can grow one myself and make recommendations to future patients.
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Jenna: cabbage
Caroline: broccolini
What’s your favorite dish?
Jenna: Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs
Caroline: my mom's bolognese
March on the Farm. The month of March is “Go Time!” It’s now warm enough to get into our tunnels (greenhouses) and start prepping them for spring crops. We remove the old, dead remains of pepper plants, cabbage, salad mix, celery, Swiss chard and others, take up landscape fabric (which acts as a weed barrier), and re-condition the beds. When we’re not in clean up mode, we are seeding in the nursery. This year, we began with leeks, celery, and onions. Soon, we’ll be starting some of our brassicas (broccoli and kohlrabi) and tomatoes. We have some new tomato varieties we are trying this year that we hope you’ll like!
On the animal front, we welcomed 26 new pullets (female chicks) to the farm. Due to the extreme temperatures, they lived in our basement for the first week, and were then moved to the brooder room in the chicken coop. This group will join our existing flock sometime this spring and will start laying by early summer. More chickens = more eggs!
2026 CSA Almost Sold Out! We are pleased to share that our CSA is almost full, with just a few spots left. If you have been putting off signing up, now is the time! Large and small share sizes available for the full season (5 months) or partial season (3.5 months). In addition to produce, members can sign up for a weekly egg share and purchase naturally grown, pasture-raised whole chickens. We will also be partnering with Savannah at the Dietitian’s Farm and Bakehouse, who will provide access to sourdough bread and flower bouquets. Members who add those options can pick everything up at one convenient time and location! Click the link below to learn more.
Help Wanted. We are looking for someone to join our team for the 2026 season! Team members can expect to do a wide variety of tasks, from seed starting and transplanting, to prepping garden beds, weeding, harvesting, washing, and packing produce. We will show you what to do and work alongside you! Typical hours are M-F from 9:00-4:00. Lunch is provided and you will also receive a CSA share. If you or someone you know are looking for an opportunity working on a small farm, get in contact with us! You can learn more about employment at Bass Root Farm by clicking the link below.
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