Welcome to the seventh issue of “Notes from the Farm!"
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 7
April 2022
Spring Has Sprung!
At least that’s what the calendar says. It’s always a challenge for us during this time of year to know when we can get out to prep the garden. Some days are sunny with a light breeze, other days are downright windy and cold. Thankfully, we have a heated nursery in which we can start our seeds and nurture our seedlings until warmer days become the norm.
To date, we have started most of our transplants and will begin planting those this month. The warm season vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) will need to wait until May. We have been able to plant greens, carrots, and radishes in our tunnels. Hopefully these early season crops will be ready for our first market (Holly) on May 1st.
We are Certified Naturally Grown!
We are thrilled to share with you that our farm is now a member of Certified Naturally Grown (https://www.cngfarming.org/). This national, grassroots organization provides peer-review certification for farms who practice natural and organic growing methods by avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals. Last month, Carole Caplan owner of The Farm on Jennings (Ann Arbor) visited our farm to conduct an inspection. We provided a walking tour of our garden, tunnels, nursery, and wash/pack area. She provided some helpful tips on how to improve our operation with respect to planting/seeding and maintaining a record of pests and disease we observe throughout the growing season. After two hours of discussion, Carole shared the good news: She was approving us for certification. As new farmers, we feel empowered by this review that we are on the right track towards fulfilling our mission. We hope this new recognition provides our customers additional confidence that we strive to grow nutrient-dense produce to improve the life around us.
Holly Farmers Market Begins Next Month!
On May 1st, we will be returning as a produce vendor at the Holly Farmers Market, held in Crapo Park. You can visit us there throughout the summer from 10:00-2:00 on Sundays where we will have a large selection of produce and free-range eggs for sale. This market has grown considerably over the past couple of years and 2022 will be the best yet. Consider making your weekly grocery run at the market and support your local farmers and artisans.
2022 CSA Begins May 5th
We will be starting our CSA pick-ups on Thursday, May 5th for people who signed up for the Jazztet and Symphony shares. Those people who signed up for the CSA will receive an informational email in the next few weeks about the program and produce offerings during the month of May. We still have a few spots available. If you would like fresh produce throughout the growing season, please visit our website (bassrootfarm.com) and click on CSA.
Another opportunity we are excited to share is a new partnership with The Farm at St. Joe’s Hospital (Pontiac) Oakland County (https://stjoesfarm.org/category/farm-share/). We will help The Farm by selling produce to fill their CSA shares this year. Many members of their CSA are low-income families who have limited access to fresh produce. The Farm provides grants to these members so they can feel empowered about getting access to nutrient-dense produce. What a wonderful program connected to a hospital.
Free Range Eggs Available
If you are interested in purchasing eggs, please email (bassrootfarm@gmail.com) or call us at (810) 208-0232. We have a flexible schedule and can arrange a mutually beneficial time to meet. $5/dozen
