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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.
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Notes from the Farm, Issue 13
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“Good farmers, who take seriously their duties as stewards of Creation and of their land's inheritors, contribute to the welfare of society in more ways than society usually acknowledges, or even knows. These farmers produce valuable goods, of course; but they also conserve soil, they conserve water, they conserve wildlife, they conserve open space, they conserve scenery.”
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Happy New Year from Bass Root Farm! It’s a very cold day here at the farm, but we are staying warm inside planning for another abundant season. We have our seeds in hand and have been plotting out our garden beds in preparation for our initial and successive plantings throughout the season. We are looking forward to a fruitful 2023 and hope you will be part of it.
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Winter on the Farm. While we would love to be writing this from somewhere warm and tropical, the fact is that there is always work to be done on the farm. Even though the winter pace moves a bit slower, and the tasks are different than during the frenetic growing season, every bit of preparation done now ensures a greater chance for success later.
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When our high tunnel was installed in August, we felt like we were in a good place with our number of beds and growing spaces. However, as we began our crop planning, it became clear that we needed more beds! We will be adding another field plot this spring between the high tunnel and caterpillar tunnel. It will feature an herb garden so that our perennial herbs have a permanent home and will hopefully serve as a place to relax enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the garden.
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In addition, we are preparing to expand our flower production this year. We love our pollinators and flowers bring so much beauty to the farm. We are studying up on flower production and bouquet making and will be excited to share the results with you this summer.
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With the additional growing we will be doing this year, we needed to add space for our seedlings. We start our produce and flowers from seed, which can make our small nursery very crowded in the spring. Michael diligently worked on framing a repurposed portable garage into a small greenhouse. Just before the snow hit, we were able to enclose the structure in plastic. This space will be ideal for hardening off our seedlings before they are planted into the ground.
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Michael’s construction talents have also been integral in renovating the chicken coop. This fall, we not only had a rather drastic drop off in our egg supply due to molting, which is a natural process by which chickens replace their feathers, but also due to a few chickens who decided to eat their eggs rather than pay room and board. The molt passes over time, and we have some younger birds who have just starting laying to help pick up the slack. The egg-eaters are a bigger challenge. Michael has recently installed a new system of roll-away nesting boxes, so that the eggs will roll to safety out of reach of the chickens. We’ve also installed a camera to try to identify the perpetrator(s).
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As we continue to get organized for the coming season, we are also committed to renewing our credentials with Certified Naturally Grown. We will be completing our pre-inspection documentation, arranging our inspection with a nearby farmer, and identifying our sustainability goals.
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2023 CSA Now Open!
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Would you like a weekly share of fresh vegetables? Do you want to purchase more of your food from a local farm? Consider becoming a member of our 2023 CSA! CSAs (or community supported agriculture) help build the local food system, provide stability for small farms, and provide the freshest seasonal produce available. Please read our member agreement to learn all about our CSA. We have four (4) share sizes available and three (3) pick-up locations for your convenience. The agreement and sign-up form are available on our website (click on button below). Please contact us at bassrootfarm@gmail.com with any questions. We have limited spots available, so please let us know if you are interested. You can secure your spot with a completed form and deposit. We would love to be your farmers!
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What’s in Season? Although production has slowed for the winter, we do have small quantities of some vegetables available for purchase. Currently, we have winter spinach ($5 bag). Please send us an email with your order and we will confirm if we have it and when to pick it up. We accept cash and credit card.
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Winter Spinach with Raisins & Pine Nuts
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2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
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1 yellow onion, finely chopped
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- Place raisins in a cup of hot water to soften and plump up, then drain (10 minutes)
- Toast pine nuts in a small frying pan (1-2 minutes)
- Heat oil in medium frying pan, then sauté onion until golden (5 minutes), then add garlic (1 minute), remove from pan.
- Rinse and chop spinach
- Put rinsed spinach (with some water on leaves) in medium sauce pan over medium heat, cover for 1-2 minutes, until leaves are wilted. Remove to sieve and press remaining moisture out of leaves.
- Add spinach, raisins, pine nuts, garlic and onion to frying pan for 1-2 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
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Adapted from The Williams Sonoma Cookbook, Chuck Williams (Ed.), p. 303
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Keep in Touch! Thanks for reading this newsletter. If you would like to keep up with us on a more frequent basis, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@bassrootfarm).
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