Red Wiggler Community Farm

This blog has moved to our Farm Notes Page

2011-05-18T12:14:00.001-04:00

This blogspot Blog has moved to our Farm Notes Page. Please follow us there.

New Building and Green House Update

2011-04-12T10:43:00.006-04:00

Last week we held our Pre Construction meeting here on the farm with our General Contractor, Architect, Engineers and the Project Management team. The new building with green house will allow us to run programs year round! We expect to move in next winter and begin utilizing the green house for the 2012 season.
We are still raising money to pay for the last 22% of construction and move in costs. Please consider making an on line contribution to help us meet our goal. Thanks to all who have already given to make Red Wiggler possible.

Once complete, this new building will enable Red Wiggler to finally reach toward our fullest potential. Within one year of completion our programs will finally be able to run year round. Red Wiggler has grown in size, productivity and programs since its inception in 1996. This critical step in our growth will enable a 25% increase in our multi-dimensional inclusive farm programs.

March 2011 Slide Show!

2011-03-30T11:56:00.005-04:00

Join us for a Field Walk!

2011-03-23T10:04:00.001-04:00

Join us for a Field Walk!
Red Wiggler Community Farm Founder and Executive Director Woody Woodroof will show you around our beautiful 14 acre campus. Depending on the interests of the group, we will discuss the basics of our multi-dimensional mission, horticultural programs, organic farming methods, successes and challenges. You will learn about our solar home, mobile chicken tractor, relationship to the wetlands, with time set aside to address your questions. This is a great way to gain an understanding of how Red Wiggler Community Farm began and how the farm is sustaining itself as it grows.

Option One:
Best for individuals and small groups, we will offer scheduled field walks throughout the season. Field Walks are open to all at a rate of $10 per person, and we will limit group size to 20 people per walk to ensure the best possible experience. Have a look at the schedule, then contact us to reserve your spot. **Current CSA members can join us at no charge , just be sure to reserve your spot**

Dates for Spring and Early Summer 2011:

Thursday, April 7th, 10 am
Friday, April 29th, 10 am
Friday, May 13th, 10 am
Friday, June 10th, 10 am
Saturday, June 11th, Noon
Friday, July 15th, 10 am
Saturday, July 16th, Noon

Additional dates may be added based on interest, so please contact us at liz@redwiggler.org for more information and to reserve your spot.

Option Two:
We now offer Farm Consultations, an opportunity to meet with Woody to address the specific needsind interests of your group. Often this option works for Universities, Non- Profits and individuals interested in setting up similar projects in their own communities. The content is similar to the Field Walks above, and also includes a pre visit phone conversation and the delivery of any support materials via email after the meetings. If you would like to visit for a one on one tour and consultation with Woody at a mutually determined time, the fee is $200 and the size of the group is up to you.

Contact woody@redwiggler.org to schedule a Farm Consultation.

Final note:
Over the past few years, interest in small scale, local food production has been explosive. In an effort to meet the demand created by this growing interest while holding the needs of our Farm Based Programs as our highest priority, we have created the system above. We hope this pricing structure will keep informational tours accessible while also meeting the needs of those seeking more in-depth consulting. We are sure the system will evolve as we gain experience this season and ask that if you do come for a tour or consultation that you share your feedback so we can develop these activities as an important educational aspect of our Mission.

Calling all volunteers!

2011-03-16T15:29:00.006-04:00

It’s that time of year again! We have hit the ground running here at Red Wiggler and we are excited to invite volunteers back to the farm! We have a few new volunteer positions both in and out of the fields, so check the website in early April to find out more about new opportunities. The first orientation sessions for new volunteers are on March 24th at 10am and 4pm. For new volunteers, or those who need a refresher, we ask that you email volunteer@redwiggler.org to sign up for an orientation session. If you attended orientation last year, but never made it out to the farm to volunteer please sign up for an orientation and we will be sure to get you scheduled! Seasoned volunteers returning this season can email to sign up for volunteer opportunities. The first day to volunteer this season is April 1st and our greatest need for volunteers is Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 2pm. We like to be prepared for our volunteers, so please note that all volunteer opportunities on the farm, including volunteer orientations, need to be scheduled and confirmed with the volunteer coordinator.

We will also be having orientation sessions on the first Thursday at 10am and the third Thursday at 4pm each month.

We look forward to having you on the farm!

Red Wiggler Community Farm Short Video

2011-03-07T00:07:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Sally Kidd for producing this short introductory video last fall- we just got around to posting it...better late than never.

CSA 2011 Membership is Complete

2011-01-25T17:46:00.004-05:00

We want to thank both our new and renewing CSA members for their early membership in our program. We are the longest running CSA in Montgomery County MD and one of the largest in the area. And we are looking forward to a productive year in 2011!

If you are interested in joining our CSA in 2012 please visit our web site for more information about our Community Supported Agriculture program.

One more day to sign up for CSA lottery

2011-01-18T07:17:00.001-05:00

Due to school closures and icy conditions we are extending the deadline for the CSA lottery one day. Applications are due by COB Wednesday Jan 19. see http://redwiggler.org/csa for details.

2011 CSA Openings!

2011-01-05T16:17:00.002-05:00

Seeds and starts are ordered, plantings and rotations have been planned, and tractors are being tuned up!

We're on our way to another productive year here at Red Wiggler, and are happy to be able to offer 25 CSA memberships to new folks in 2011!

Memberships will be awarded via a lottery system, and applications for the lottery are due no later than C.O.B. Tuesday, January 18th. If you are interested, please read our CSA page where you will find a FAQ page and more info.

Thanks, and Good Luck!

-Red Wiggler Community Farm Staff and Growers

New 2010 Slide Show and Year End Request

2010-12-29T13:33:00.006-05:00

Red Wiggler Community Farm Programs made a difference in 2010:

◦ 400+ people with developmental disabilities were served by our farm programs
◦ 735 youth and adults participated in our Educational Service Learning program activities
◦ 28% of Red Wiggler’s total yield of fresh produce was distributed to low-income residents through our Farm to Group Home and Farm to Food Bank programs

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our programs for 2011. Thank you and Happy Holidays.

Lottery Applicantions for the 2011 CSA Season

2010-12-01T14:08:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

Our 2011 CSA season shares are open to the public via the Jan 18 lottery!

We have about 25 spots open to new members for the 2011 CSA Season. Our lottery for the available shares will be held the week of January 17th with all submitted applications and $50 checks. If you are interested please read our CSA page where you will find a FAQ page and more info. Then open/download the application here.

The Application and $50 check must be received by COB Jan 18.

Please read the entire document/web page before calling or emailing-thanks.

-Red Wiggler Community Farm Staff and Growers

Extended 2010 #2

2010-10-26T12:53:00.002-04:00

We're back again for the second week of extended season. We had a light frost Saturday morning, and we harvested the majority of the peppers on Thursday and Friday, so this week brings more peppers to you.
All in all, it's a continuation of all things good and delightful that autumn brings to the kitchen. Enjoy!

Peppers
Hot Peppers
Radishes
Turnips (Hakurei)
Carrots (Danvers--shorter)
Garlic (2)
Tat soi or Pac Choi
Kale (lacinato & red russian) or collards
Beets (and their greens)
Winter Squash (acorns)
Arugula

Extended season 2010 week #1

2010-10-18T10:57:00.002-04:00

Oh, we've been mighty delinquent on our blog postings. Please excuse, sometimes it's hard to get outta the fields and behind a desk!

This week for extended share:
peppers
eggplant
hot peppers
kale
turnips
radishes
tatsoi
winter squash

There may be something I'm missing there but otherwise . . .enjoy and eat well!
-RWCF

A late summer day at Red Wiggler

2010-09-19T22:15:00.002-04:00

Ten-year-old Sebastian is one of our regular volunteers. Assisted by photographer Tobias, 7, here is his recap of a recent morning on the farm.

When we got there, we harvested beans (it ain't easy:-)).

And while were doing that we saw two pairs of mating (I think) grasshoppers. At one point a grasshopper jumped on my shoulder!

The chickens are fine. :-)

Then we got carrots (also not easy). First, we had to use pitchforks to loosen up the soil. Then we pulled out the carrots and as if that wasn't enough, we had to shake off the dirt, and tie them into bunches. Phew!

After our work was finished, we had a delicious lunch, and some great watermelon for dessert!

NO CSA THIS WEEK--HARVEST SUPPER!

2010-09-08T14:06:00.002-04:00

Just a quick reminder, NO CSA PICK UP this week. We're getting ready for the Annual Supper and Silent Auction. See you next week, if not at the dinner!

Week 13 A

2010-08-24T17:05:00.003-04:00

It feels like a rough summer on this end but loads of goodness is still coming your way. We planted more fall greens this week--soon, soon enough they'll be back.

Beans--all 3 varities are coming in so: purple, yellow wax or green may be options
Carrots--Danvers variety, previous carrots were the Yaya variety
Sweet Potato greens--a fun addition last year
tomatoes-in some form or another
garlic
bunched herbs--we're trying to push summer savory and basil on you....
summer squash
sweet peppers
hot peppers
eggplant

Eat 'em up, YUM!

Scouts Build Bird Houses

2010-08-20T09:03:00.008-04:00

By Liam Fox

Recently I and many of my friends worked to improve the availability of real estate for Red Wiggler, bird real estate that is. My name is Liam Fox, I have been volunteering at Red Wiggler for several years. I am also a Boy Scout and wanted to do something for the farm for my Eagle Scout project.

Working with Liz and Woody, we came up with the idea of building more eastern blue bird homes and installing them. They also wanted me to install a purple martin house. Both of these species bring a lot of benefits to the farm. They eat a tremendous amount of insects, providing a natural means of protecting the crops. The birds are also beautiful neighbors, enhancing the variety of fauna on the farm and in the community.

Many people made donations to help me purchase the materials, including my family, neighbors, and the Knights of Columbus at St.Elizabeth's Parish in Rockville . Steve James at Barrons Lumber on West Diamondback Road in Gaithersburg sold me the material at cost, which helped a great deal.

On Sunday the 15th, 15 friends and fellow Scouts gathered at my house to build 10 eastern blue bird houses. Without mortal injury we completed the houses and ate a lot of cookies.

On Thursday the 19th, 10 friends and Scouts including Woody met at Red Wiggler and installed the houses we built as well as an eight gourd purple martin house.

Next spring we look forward to welcoming the new residents of Red Wiggler.

I got educational material form

Blue Bird

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id

http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/

Purple Martin

http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/a/purplemartinfacts.htm

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Purple_Martin/id

http://purplemartin.org/main/mgt.html

Split Tomato Overload

2010-08-16T15:25:00.003-04:00

We have a large amount of tomatoes with splits after last weeks hard rains. They'll go fast but they'll make great sauce or salsa.

CSA Harvest for This Week (12B)

Heirloom
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Beans
Summer Squash
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Baby Carrots
Eggplant

In the PYO:

Zinnias
Basil
Marjoram
Oregano
Thyme
Sage
Lovage
Mint
Chives
Calendula
Feverfew
Bachelor Buttons
Snapdragons
Statice
Strawflowers
Anise Hyssop

Harvest 10-B

2010-08-03T15:39:00.002-04:00

Over halfway through the season, and still churning out the veggies.

This week:
Baby Carrots
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Sweet Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Potatoes
Beans

Remembering Hallie Wells Birthday Today

2010-08-01T13:35:00.003-04:00

Red Wiggler Community Farm remembers Hallie Ausmus Wells birthday today August 1, 1893- she would be 117. Below is a re-posting of an archived blog entry describing how she came to donate her 290 acre farm to the Park system in 1981- we are very grateful for this special woman and her contribution to our community.
Originally posted: Friday, August 15, 2008 by Susan Skeith, valued Red Wiggler Volunteer 2008

They had no children, and this fact led, in 1956, to Ovid Hazen Wells and Hallie Ausmus Wells making a momentous decision which affects us all today.

They clearly loved the State of Maryland, the open landscapes of Montgomery County and the charm of farming life. They both seemed to be visionaries of their time desiring to protect the land that they valued so dearly. In 1956 they made their decision to deed the 290 acres of farmland which they owned to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission so that it might remain as open space and be used for recreation. In l981, when Hallie officially made the donation, their vision had become reality.

Ovid Hazen Wells was born in Claiborne County, Tennessee in 1894, as was Hallie, in1893. They moved to the District of Columbia in 1918 when they were in their twenties. Ovid worked on the White House Police Force (now known as the Secret Service) and Hallie worked first for War Risk Insurance (a Federal department for WW1 veterans) and later for the IRS.

In 1940, Ovid retired and the Wellses bought 94 acres on Skylark Road in Clarksburg and later they acquired more adjoining land, including a dairy farm, bringing their total acreage to 290. They continued to live in DC but Ovid worked on the farm with the help of farmhands. Hallie described her husband as a ‘handshaker’, one who was prone to bringing people over on Saturdays and Sundays to show off his farm. She once told the Gazette in a l989 interview that “my husband informed me, one day back in 1952, that he planned to move to Cedar Grove and if I didn’t want to come, he would leave me a bed!” She promptly retired and they moved to the farm permanently.

It was on a Spring morning, four years later, when they had their discussion about who should benefit from their good fortune when they were gone. Between them they had more than 20 brothers and sisters and, as Hallie so eloquently put it, “bequeathing it to all those heirs would have meant a nickel piece of it each time lawyers and everybody got their part”. Besides, the Wellses were more than a little concerned that development was intruding ever closer and they wanted to make sure that their piece of open space was left for the community to learn about their agricultural heritage and to have a recreational park for generations to come; not merely development into houses on one-acre lots.

They also wanted it to benefit children.

Later that same year, Ovid sadly died at the age of 62, having been denied his senior years working the land as he had hoped. One wonders if he knew his life was coming to an end and he needed to have a plan for Hallie.

Hallie made the donation of their farm in 1981, despite the fact that the land had appreciated in value to over 1 million dollars. She continued to live there until her death, at the ripe-old age of 98 and she is buried with her husband in the Salem United Methodist Cemetery on Ridge Road.
Because of the generosity and astounding vision that this couple exuded we are still able to work the farm, as Red Wiggler; providing job opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities; growing and selling high quality produce and continuing to expand the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which, by its nature, creates and nurtures a healthy and inclusive community.

What a superb legacy Ovid and Hallie have left for this community and, like them, we must continue to protect and preserve the land around us as our responsibility for this generation and generations to come.

by Susan Skeith, Red Wiggler Volunteer 2008

Harvest Week 9 A

2010-07-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

We're back again after a very hot week from the Annual Montgomery Farm Tour. Thanks to all those who braved the heat and came out.

This week in your share:
Eggplant
Sweet Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Potatoes
Onions
Zucchini
Cucumber
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes

That's some good eatin'!

It's Cooler in the Country

2010-07-26T08:01:00.011-04:00

This past Saturday was the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour & Harvest Sale. By most reports the temperature was above 100 Fahrenheit throughout the county but our temperatures did not go above 98- so it is in fact "cooler in the country"! Attendance was a fraction of past years numbers yet over 300 people were "clicked" in by our official crowd estimators (thanks to Wiggins et al.)

Here is a short slide show of photos from the day:

We are grateful to Janet at Le Soleil Catering who was on hand with Gazpacho, trail mix, lemon cake and water. Our bee keeper, Chet from Banner Bee Company, was also selling honey and showing off his "observation hive". And thanks to Matthew Pennington for organizing the music- The Rookery Project. There were also more than 15 volunteers who staffed the Farm Tour and we are grateful to them as well. Hoola hooping in the shade was the hit of the day!

Annual Farm Tour This Week End

2010-07-19T08:40:00.001-04:00

2010
Annual Farm Tour
Saturday July 24th 10am-3pm
Live Music : Rookery Sessions (same great musicians as last year with a few guests)

Come out and join us for a day of music, hay rides, and educational activities! This free event is a great way to learn more about life our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm and how green farming can be when we work with an eye to environmental stewardship and utilize sustainable farming practices. Take a tour and visit the vegetables growing in Red Wiggler’s fields. See the plant based treatments that a rural physician might have used to care for patients in Montgomery County in the 1850s. Watch honeybees in their hive and learn how they participate in the life of the farm. Enjoy a family friendly hayride and learn to hoola hoop!. We will have seasonal Red Wiggler produce and flowers for sale along with honey and bee based products from The Naked Bee. Hope to see you here next year. Directions

Spring and Summer Slide Show

2010-07-15T16:03:00.001-04:00

Here is a slide show of photos from the 2010 growing season

Harvest Week 8B

2010-07-14T08:54:00.001-04:00

In the share this week:

Garlic
Potatoes
Onions
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Summer Squash
Cucumbers

Farm to Food Bank program highlighted

2010-07-13T18:04:00.005-04:00

Click here to donate now
Channel 7 in DC did a story about our Farm to Food Bank partnership with Manna Food Center, Kaiser Permanente and Whole Foods.

here is the blurb from Channel 7's web site:
GAITHERSBURG, Md. - A new program in Montgomery County is bringing some of the highest quality foods to those who can least afford it. The Farm to Food Bank initiative, organized by the Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, is bringing fruits and vegetables to the masses.

"It helps people that don't have enough money to go and buy groceries," said Janet Rugh-Williams, who says she cannot afford fresh produce.To make matters worse, her 9-year-old daughter suffers from a severe health condition. "She does have a health problem," Rugh-Williams. "So when I couldn't help her, you guys help."

The food will come from twelve local farms and orchards, including Red Wiggler in Clarksburg.

The program, which runs through the fall, including everything from garlic and eggplant to peppers and potatoes. Every single vegetable is certified organic.

"The basis of a healthy society is its food system. And I believe we have one example, in a small way, that demonstrates that," said Woody Woodroof, the founder and executive director of Red Wiggler, which employs individuals with disabilities.

After its harvested, the produce goes to Manna Food Center in Gaitherburg. The hope, says the center's executive director, Kim Damion, is that healthier food will lead to healthier lifestyles.

"We can also make them healthier, and ultimately get them on the road to self-sufficiency," Damion said.

The program will harvest 3,500 of fruits and vegetables each week, enough to feed eight hundred families through January.

Chickens on the Move

2010-07-07T13:11:00.006-04:00

The chickens have moved! After determining that it is time for them to start earning their keep around here, we found a nice spot in the retired spring greens for our mobile chicken tractor. Last week we rolled our friends up to the field, set out the fencing to keep them happily contained, then turned them loose!

They seem to be thoroughly enjoying the chance to hunt and peck through their little corner of the field for seed heads and can be seen darting back and forth erratically, which looks a little odd from a distance, but up close reveals that they are hard at work chasing down insects. In addition to reducing the pest population, they will fertilize the soil with their droppings, then incorporate them into the soil as they scratch and do their chicken thing. All of this activity is excellent for the fields, which will get a nice rest while they are groomed.

update: after 27 days with only 3/8ths of an inch of rain- today we recieved 1/2 inch under cloudy skies- a good day to get some chix pix. Last week the chickens spent the hot "code orange" days in the shade of the chicken tractor- all of us are grateful for the break.

Harvest Week 7-A

2010-07-07T13:08:00.002-04:00

In the share this week...

Zucchini & Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Spring Onions
Green Garlic
Eggplant

And new this week...
Red Norland Potatoes!

Havest Week #5-A

2010-06-23T13:07:00.002-04:00

Oh, boy it's HAWT out here this week!

Veggies:
Chard or Kale or Collards
Spring Onions
Kohlrabi
Zucchini!!!
Garlic Scapes
Green Garlic
Sweet Pepper
Butler's Blueberries

Harvest Week #4-B

2010-06-15T17:45:00.002-04:00

This week we have a few new items to enjoy and a few repeats, but enjoy them while they last!

Lettuce Mix
Garlic Scapes
Kale or Collards
Swiss Chard
Spring Onions--they look gorgeous!
Turnips
Beets
Fava Beans--oh, boy are they delicious!
Kohlrabi
Zucchini
A tasting of Arugula

Popcorn & Asparagus==Bonus

Harevst #3-A

2010-06-10T16:30:00.002-04:00

Sorry Folks the week has gotten away from me and I haven't posted the harvest list yet and it's Thursday afternoon and I should be doing 10 other things....but here we go.

Lettuce Mix
Garlic Scapes
Collards
Kale
Spring Onions
Radishes
Turnips
Fava Beans
Popcorn

*Onion Scapes
*Asparagus
* in small quantites

-a2

Fabulous Fava Beans!

2010-06-09T13:29:00.005-04:00

Fava Beans have come to Red Wiggler! Not just a cover crop any longer, this season we decided to experiment with the Fava Beans (also called Broad Beans) and see if a tasty new crop would join the ranks of Red Wiggler favorites. Yesterday was a beautiful day to harvest the great green pods, and we are looking forward to hearing what our CSA customers have to say about them next week, thought we have already appreciated their buttery goodness straight from the fields. Here is an ode to Fava Beans from NPR a few years back that includes some recipe ideas. Happy Shelling!

Jerry, enjoying the challenge of a brimming basket of beans!

CSA 2010 Harvest #2-B

2010-06-01T15:36:00.002-04:00

Hello to all you CSA-ers out there! Hope you had a nice extended Memorial Day weekend. To those who picked up their shares last week, we hope you had some great meals. I heard a few reports back that things went over very well. This week we have a similar harvest but with a few added goodies.

Garlic Scapes
Mesculan Mix--new this year.
Collards--oh, how I love thee...
Swiss Chard
Spring Onions
Radishes-Cherriette variety
Turnips-Purple top variety

Butler's Orchard Strawberries **Conventionally grown

And making it's debut....is the fabled popcorn harvested last fall.

Enjoy!!

First Week of CSA 2010!

2010-05-25T08:09:00.002-04:00

Hello All,

Welcome Back to the Red Wiggler CSA. We are happy to bring you the first harvest of many good things this season! Here's what we've got on tap this week:

Garlic Scapes--you know you've missed them!
Braising Mix--with a little spinach mixed in
Spring Onions
Kale
Collards
Turnips or Radishes
Butler's Strawberries

Enjoy!

Chicken Little -or- Chicks arrive at Red Wiggler!

2010-05-11T08:24:00.012-04:00

The chicks are here! They arrived yesterday evening after a short ride down from Whitmore Farm and settled into their new digs for what ended up being a chilly night. Even so, the little ones kept each other cozy through the night and were happily chirping away in the barn this morning. We are all very excited that they are here, and they are bound to be a source of frequent comment in this space!

After spending last week freshening up the wagon with a new coat of paint and rigging just the right brooding situation...

we abandoned the outdoor setup in favor of a smaller, more insulated brooding space inside the barn- at least until these cold overnight temperatures subside!

The chicks were greeted by some eager farmers...

(Adrienne still thinks they are awfully cute, even when they leave unexpected surprises on her clothes)

and when acquaintances were made, the chicks settled in for the night. Night chickies!

Planting Potatoes

2010-04-13T09:40:00.008-04:00

The potatoes are in! In classic Red Wiggler style, we have planted not one, not two, but six (yes, six) beautiful varieties of potatoes over the past two weeks. Red Norlands, Yukon Golds, German Butterballs, French Fingerlings, Purple Vikings and All Blues have been tucked into their beds and are waiting for a nice rain to get them on their way.

Our crew did the lions share of the planting work, and we were lucky enough to get a helping hand from enthusiastic volunteers from the Community Foundation Mothers and Daughters group for the last two varieties to go in. One of our crew, Samantha, shares her perspective on the potato process here:

Some of the staff and growers cut potatoes in quarters, then we let them dry out. We planted them within the week to prevent mold from growing on them. We rolled out potato fabric and cut holes in the fabric. Then a piece of cut potato was placed in each hole. We also made hills in the dirt and planted the potato cut side down, skin side up, then covered the potato with dirt. To keep the holes in the fabric lined up with where the potatoes were planted, metal stakes as well as some wooden stakes and rocks were placed on the fabric to keep the fabric from blowing off during a storm or in high winds.

Adventures in CHICKENS!

2010-03-26T09:41:00.024-04:00

That’s right friends, the rumors are true- Red Wiggler will be adding CHICKENS to our farm this season! Ready to start this project off on the right foot, Andrea and Liz headed out to Whitmore Farms at the beginning of March to visit our old friend Loran and our new friends, Will and Kent, owners of Whitmore Farm. Whitmore Farm is a certified organic farm that specializes in American Heritage breed livestock raised on pasture. Loran showed us around, giving us the chance to see how they raise their laying hens, have a look at their mobile coops, and see the hatchery operation, where our Red Wiggler Chicks will come from!

All in all, the day was a huge success! We walked away knowing exactly what we’ll need in a chicken wagon and how to get it, as Whitmore Farms has offered to sell us one of theirs (that beauty in the picture above). We also got to meet the various heritage breeds that will make up our flock- The Welsumers, deep red chickens that lay large, dark brown speckled eggs;

Delawares, our white feathered friends with the bright red comb, eye, and wattle laying light brown eggs (the light yellow chicks )

and the Ameraucanas, best known by their beautiful blue eggs (pictured below as fluffy little chicks).

Since our visit, we have been busy plotting and planning both our strategy for raising a happy healthy flock and thinking about how we’ll get the support we need to make our chicken dreams a reality as soon as possible. We have decided to go organic and raise our flock on pasture, which means these chicks will be tended by us from their second day out of the shell. This also means that there will be a long period where we’ll be supporting the chickens before they are mature enough to produce eggs to sell. If you'd like to support this new project please consider making an on line donation. We are very excited to watch them grow, and if you are too, let us know!

Support Red Wiggler by eating at Chop't

2010-02-16T19:28:00.003-05:00

Hello Loyal Friends and Supporters!

We wanted to let people know that if they stop into Chop't Restaurants in DC--there are 5 convenient locations--you can support Red Wiggler by ordering their featured salad for the month. Part of the cost will go to Red Wiggler to support our programs. So eat a healthy delicious meal and do good for one of your favorite NGOs!

Thanks in advance!!
-Red Wiggler

Farm Conference Fun!

2010-02-02T14:54:00.002-05:00

We're off to the annual PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) conference at Penn State University in State College, PA. We're sure to meet old and new friends and learn a few new tricks to bring back to the farm. Whoohoo!

CSA 2010 is Complete

2010-01-25T17:07:00.004-05:00

We want to thank all those who submitted applications for the Red Wiggler Community Farm’s 2010 CSA. We have a limited number of shares available and many applicants. We limit our CSA to focus on growing in a safe and sustainable method for our fields and our employees.

Our farm is a unique Non-profit with a diverse social mission and we have many great events open to the public throughout the year. For those who’d like to possibly come out and volunteer with us, please visit the volunteer page of our website here.

There are lots of great resources for finding fresh, local food in our area. For other CSAs, we recommend looking at Local Harvest . They are a great resource. Each CSA is a little different and brings added benefits. The Washington Post also lists local CSAs in the beginning of February each year in the Food section of the paper. Here is last year’s (2009) article. Another great resource for local food are farmers markets. Here is the listing of farmers markets in the metro area.

We thank everyone for their interest and support and wish the best in local eating for 2010 and look forward to connecting with everyone in the future!

2010 CSA Lottery Receiving Applications Now

2010-01-06T22:14:00.004-05:00

Our 2010 CSA season shares are open to the public via Jan 19 lottery! (The lottery has taken place for the 2010 season- see our web site for 2011 details)

We've had an 82% return rate from our 2009 customers. Again this year, we are holding a lottery for the available shares the week of January 18th with all submitted applications and $50 checks. If you are interested please read our CSA page where you will find a FAQ page and more info. Then download the 2010 Registration/Application form. The Application and $50 check must be received by COB Jan 19.

Please read the entire document/web page before calling or emailing-thanks.

-Red Wiggler Community Farm Staff and Growers

Another step into social media in 2010

2010-01-03T14:22:00.004-05:00

You can follow us on twitter now!

First Snow

2009-12-05T21:25:00.002-05:00

It was a beautiful day on the farm today with 4 inches of wet snow falling over the whole day. Snow slowly adds nitrogen to the soil as it perculates down into the aquifer. We like winter snow!

2009 Slide Show

2009-11-27T17:58:00.006-05:00

We hope you'll enjoy this slide show from the 2009 growing season. Thanks to the over 500 volunteers who helped on and off the farm last year. Over the next month or so we will be posting lots of photos in this slideshow format- please let us know what you think so that we can create better edits going forward.

Extended Season Harvest 5

2009-11-17T16:33:00.003-05:00

This is our last week of the extended season, and a beautiful week it is shaping up to be! We are so happy to have had the chance to share this extended season with so many of our CSA members and though we are sad to see it end, we are looking forward to taking some time to evaluate our season and plan for the spring! As always, we love your feedback, so if you have not yet filled out your end of season survey, please email Adrienne or Liz to request the link.

Hope you enjoy:

Head Lettuce
Arugula
Kale
Pac Choi
Tatsoi
Turnips
Radishes
Carrots
Winter Squash
Potatoes
Hot Peppers (lots!)
Garlic

Extended Season Harvest 4

2009-11-10T09:21:00.003-05:00

Check out the newsletter to find out what we've been up to in the fields this week! Extended season is winding down- next Wednesday, November 18th is our fifth and final pick up- and we are preparing the fields for the winter season. In the meantime, however, the greens patch is gorgeous and we hope you enjoy the bounty!

Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Kale
Collards or Chard
Radishes
Turnips
Beets
Carrots
Winter Squash
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Garlic

Composting, closer to home

2009-11-03T15:12:00.007-05:00

Wondering what you'll do with that bucket full of kitchen scraps now that the CSA season and the bucket exchange are winding down for the winter?

Montgomery County's Division of Solid Waste Services offers compost containers at no cost to its residents! Click here to find out more about where you can get your bin, then browse the rest of their site to learn more. They cover everything from composting do's & don'ts to upcoming composting workshops.

Wherever you composting adventure leads, know that we'll be waiting with a clean bucket to exchange for you in the spring!!

What do Farmers give out to Trick or Treaters?

2009-11-03T14:43:00.009-05:00

About a hundred pounds of bright pink turnips.

In addition to getting together our regular harvest for extended season CSA, this past week the crew also picked over 200 pounds of surplus turnips from the beds! The jewel-toned Scarlet Queen turnips had reached an impressive size and were just aching to be plucked from the soil and rinsed to reveal their electric pink skin.

These turnips, along with carving pumpkins generously donated by Butler's Orchard, were distributed to two of our partnering group home agencies and Manna Food Bank in time for Halloween!

Extended Season Harvest 3

2009-11-03T14:11:00.004-05:00

The sun is back! We are thinking it is wonderful weather for the first week in November.

Harvest list:
Arugula
Kale
Salad Mix
Tatsoi
Turnips
Radishes
Carrots
Winter Squash
Garlic
Hot Peppers
Green Peppers
And maybe a 'sweet' surprise?!

Field Interviews

2009-10-29T08:57:00.003-04:00

Ever wonder how some of our younger volunteers see their farm experiences? Tobias, age 6, was kind enough to share his thoughts in an interview:

What did you do at the farm today?

I planted garlic and picked kale and got radishes and beets.

How do you pick kale?

You look for the ones that don't have holes in them. The bigger leaves, the better.

And what about the radishes and beets?

You see the ball and pull it out. If it's too small, ask if it's big enough. If it's ugly [has yellow leaves, or insect or other damage], just put it down on the ground.

Now, how do you plant garlic?

You make the soil loose, and then put down the garlic pieces. Have the pointy side up, and push it down in the ground. Make sure the pointy side stays up. Press it down so far that you can't see it. Then cover up the hole.

And when I got home, I planted garlic, just like you're supposed to [the way I learned at the farm].

Why do you volunteer at Red Wiggler?

It is fun to work pulling stuff out, putting stuff on tractors, picking tomatoes and all sorts of stuff like that.

Thanks, Tobias!

Extended Harvest #2 2009

2009-10-27T12:27:00.002-04:00

It's the second week of the extended season harvest. It's a little yucky out if you don't like a little rain, but thank goodness it's fairly warm out. We've got a ton of volunteers helping out today--thanks! Makes everything go faster.

This week's harvest looks like:

Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Head Lettuce
Kale--so beautiful
Carrots
Potatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Garlic
Your choice: Beets or Turnips or Radishes!

Web Site Under Construction

2009-10-23T08:10:00.002-04:00

We appear to be experiencing a disruption with our web site www.redwiggler.org today. We hope to resolve this asap.

Contact us by phone at 301-916-2216(Office) or 301-802-2386 (cell)
also our regular email addresses are working fine.

For directions to Red Wiggler search for adress on google or mapquest
23400 Ridge Rd
Germantown MD
20876

Thanks,
Woody Woodroof
Executive Director

1st week of the Extended CSA Season

2009-10-21T07:19:00.004-04:00

We've harvested some beautiful vegetables for the Extended CSA program which begins today (and continues thru to the week before Thanksgiving).
Generally CSA members can expect lots of green peppers and hot peppers, eggplant, lots of cooking greens, turnips (with tops), winter squash, garlic and perhaps a few other surprises.

In other news- we have started planting garlic for next season. Our cover crops of rye, clover, forage radishes, hairy vetch, oats, and winter peas have germinated and will help fix nitrogen for next years crops while keeping the soil protected from wind and weather this winter.

We are grateful to the over 120 CSA member households for your business and your enthusiasm. For those of you in our winter extended CSA program we hope you enjoy your veges!

This harvest was SO beautiful that we just had to share the snapshot!

And the veggies for today's pick up include:
Braising Mix
Tatsoi
Pac Choi
Kale
Radishes
Turnips
Beets
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Winter Squash

Harvest #18 B The last of the 2009 Regular Season

2009-10-06T12:32:00.003-04:00

Hello Folks!

This is THE last of the 2009 Regular Season Harvest and Pick up. We want to extend a HUGE thank you to all our CSA members for all their support and patronage this season. Thank you and enjoy your food!

** Please note for all you right at 2 o'clock Wednesday pick up people, we've got a huge tour bus of people having a late lunch and talk with us, so most likely we'll have you pick up your shares in the bottom of the barn. Once there out, we'll transition back upstairs. Thanks in advance for your patience!

This week:
Garlic
Winter Squash
Potatoes
Carrots
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Pac Choi (Bok Choy)
Kale or Collards or Chard
Beets or Turnips or Radishes
Arugula
Lettuce Mix

Enjoy!!!

Tour Red Wiggler's 800 Sq. Ft. Solar Home Saturday October 3rd from 11am-5pm

2009-10-02T16:19:00.004-04:00

The Red Wiggler Solar House - a 21st-century farmhouse powered by the sun - was fully installed at the end July as a year-round staff residence. Originally one of 20 entries in the 2005 US Solar Decathlon, the 800-square-foot house is a fully solar-powered prototype designed and built by University of Maryland students for competition on Washington DC's National Mall; and was generously donated to the farm by the University of Maryland.

The house is grid-tied to the local electric utility, but has been completely self-sufficient - generating enough electricity during peak-demand summer months to power the house (air-conditioning, general electricity, cooking and laundry) and produce extra power that can go back into the grid. The house also has a solar hot-water system.

Join us Oct. 3rd for a free tour of the house and learn more about its eco-friendly features: radiant heating, natural ventilation, recycled and recyclable materials, FSC-certified woods, Energy Star appliances and more.

Useful Links

Download a free guide or find out where you can pick up a tour booklet for free.
Get Directions to the Red Wiggler Solar House

Week #17 Harvest

2009-09-29T16:33:00.002-04:00

Hi All. It's the second to last week of Regular CSA pick up this week and THE last week for all the Alternative Week A's (Asparagus & Arugula Groups). We'll have a re-commitment form available for all those looking to reserve their spots for next year! Also, coming your way will be an online end-of-season survey. Nonetheless, coming your way this week:

Garlic, how we love thee!
Winter Squash-give a try to a new variety
Salad Mix
Pac Choi -yum!
Radishes
Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Green Tomatoes
Kale OR Collards OR Chard OR Turnips
Grab box: Red Tomatoes, Basil (grabbed some before the frost), sweetpotato greens (an african treat).

16-B Harvest

2009-09-23T16:43:00.002-04:00

Coming at you a little late this week, but...

Garlic
Winter Squash
Braising Mix
Arugula
Kale or Collards
Radishes (tender little easter egg variety)
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Red & Heirloom Tomates
Green Tomatoes

Harvest #15-A

2009-09-16T12:04:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all for making our Annual Supper and Silent Auction such a great success. We had a great time and hope you did too!

For CSA shares this week, this is what we've got:
Arugula--greens are back!
Swiss Chard
Hot Peppers
Sweet Pepper
Garlic
Summer Squash
Winter Squash-Yes!
Carrots
Red Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Green Tomatoes

I FORGOT THE BEST PART, we got our certificate in the mail today--we're CERTIFIED ORGANIC!!

Thank you and answers to FAQs

2009-09-13T21:27:00.003-04:00

Our Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction was a huge success yesterday evening. Thanks to everyone who made it possible and thanks to all who participated.
Our staff took Sunday off to recover and starting tomorrow we will begin the work of contacting those on line auction people who won items. Please be patient while we work through the paper work. We should have folks notified by Wednesday afternoon.

The Event goes on "Rain or Shine"

2009-09-12T14:12:00.001-04:00

The 2009 Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is Tonight! (9/12/09)
We have sold all our available seats!
The Event goes on
"rain or shine"
directions

A "Barn-Cleaning" good time!

2009-09-10T08:50:00.011-04:00

Back for another installment, Sebastian chronicled another slightly unusual day here at the farm!
~~~

We (my brother, mother and I) came to the farm and the growers were barn-cleaning. They were preparing for the Annual Harvest Supper. They started with the chairs.

We cleaned the tables, though. The tablecloths were first. We hung those up to dry.

We cleaned the tables, moved them outside, then we swept the barn.

Next we were supposed to find a container to store dried collard stems in, but all we found was a snake skin! Then I harvested collard seeds from the pods, and seeds that fell on the floor had to be swept up.

Then we had lunch, and were finished for the day.

No CSA Harvests this week

2009-09-09T15:09:00.002-04:00

This is just a reminder for our CSA customers that we do not harvest this week for you. Harvests resume next week after our Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is past.

A Day at the Farm

2009-09-04T08:46:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday, one of our awesome CSA member/volunteers, Sebastian, came out to volunteer at the farm, as he often does with his mom and brother. He has been generous enough to share his day with us through his words and photographs, and we are very excited to have him as a guest blogger.

Thanks, Sebastian!

~~~~~
It was a cool morning, and it was somewhat loud with the crickets chirping, as we (my mother, my brother, and I) went out to pick swiss chard. It's not as easy as you might think. The leaves can't have holes, and they should be somewhat big. But all in all, it was fun.

I took a little rest and looked up. I saw a bunch (at least 15) of big birds flying around in a circle. It was so cool! And then we moved on to the golden beans. I tried one of them - it was very good. The thing is, a few of them were blackish, so I didn't pick those, just in case you're scrunching up your face right now.

Then we moved on to the tomatoes. We started off with the bigger ones (the heirlooms, I think). We picked a few of those, then my mom and I went to the red cherry tomatoes while my brother went to pick okra. Then we went to the yellow cherry tomatoes. Those break so easily! There were scars everywhere from where the tomatoes healed themselves up. Next we went to the orange cherry tomatoes (my mom likes those the best). I think they were just as easy as the red ones, except there were fewer of them. That was the end of the tomato picking for us that day.

Next we had lunch. We had to wash our hands first, then we ate in the barn. My mom had packed lunch for us. We pulled a bunch of tables together and sat there and talked with the growers. All in all it was pretty fun.

And finally - THE CARROTS. We had to loosen them with the pitchfork first, then pull them out. It was pretty hard, and slow. But, eventually, we did them all. I had to carry this heavy basket with Andrea. I couldn't do it all the way. Adrienne had to help. Then one of the growers had to rinse the carrots. First we took the tops off and laid the carrots down on one of the tables outside the barn. And then he rinsed them, spraying them off with a hose.

Then we left, our day was done.

Harvest #14-B

2009-09-02T10:39:00.003-04:00

Harvest this week includes the following goodies:

Beans
Garlic
Sweet Peppers
HOT PEPPERS
Summer Squash
Heirloom Tomatoes
Red Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Carrots?!! Yay Carrots!

Remember next week is the Annual Supper and Silent Auction, so for CSA=NO PICK UP NEXT WEEK!

However, there are still a few spots for those who'd like to attend and if you can't make it and would like support us and score some great items: http://www.cmarket.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=redwiggler

Harvest #13 A and a word of thanks to our Service Learning volunteers

2009-08-27T07:58:00.005-04:00

This week has been a busy one with two large youth groups here helping with tomato, bean and potato harvests. A special thanks to all our Service Learning volunteers- the help provided throughout the summer months has served many purposes. Volunteers surly help get the work done and they also create a vibrant workplace for our team of growers here on the farm. So thanks to all the hundreds of volunteers who have helped to make Red Wiggler Farm programs so successful this year!

In this weeks harvest:
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Beans
Garlic
Peppers
Summer Squash
Eggplant
- the pick your own (PYO) still has beautiful basil in the peak of its flavor!- if you are not sure how to harvest it- just ask a staff member for help.

On Line Auction Open For Bidding

2009-08-25T18:42:00.003-04:00

Our online auction is underway now with many items with no bids yet. If you are interested in a 2010 Red Wiggler CSA Share or looking to shop for a gift certificate to a local restaurant or hand made jewelry the auction has over 100 (and counting) items for you to choose from.
The Annual Harvest Supper and Silent Auction is being held on Saturday, September 12, at 4pm
more details on the event
download an Invitation and RSVP card

Note to CSA customers- this weeks harvest list will be here later on this morning

Harvest #12-B

2009-08-18T16:23:00.002-04:00

The tomatoes runneth over!! Get 'em while there hot!!

Hybrid Tomatoes (Red, Orange & Pink)
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Summer Squash--okay, so they runneth over too!
Potatoes
Garlic
Purple Beans!

Blue Ribbon Garlic at County Fair

2009-08-16T20:56:00.006-04:00

We have been growing garlic as an integral part of the Red Wiggler program for the past 14 years. This year we won First Place for our garlic at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. We planted 300 pounds of garlic last fall and have yielded over 1500 pounds of garlic! We will be supplying our CSA and our Farm to Group Home participants and our local Food Bank- MANNA throughout the harvest season. And...

This year we are selling bulk garlic to those who want 5 pounds or more.
We sell "Table Garlic" for $10 per pound (about 12 bulbs per pound)
And we sell our biggest garlic as "Seed Garlic" for $15 per pound ( 8 bulbs per pound)
Plus shipping and handling unless you schedule to pick up at the farm.
Please email woody@redwiggler.org for specifics.

related Montgomery County Gazette Garlic Article from July 29 2009

Harvest #11-A

2009-08-12T13:42:00.002-04:00

Harvest Week #11 A

So sorry we didn't get last week's up, things were mighty hectic around here with people coming and going all over the place, but we're back. So....

Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Beans--Purple or Green
Eggplant
Potatoes--still working on the German Butterballs
Red Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic
Summer Squash--Zucchinis or patty pans or yellow crook necks

Aren't you glad I didn't say beets? They'll be back again soon enough!
Enjoy!!

Thoughts from the Summer "Intern Grower"

2009-08-03T10:30:00.010-04:00

As mentioned on our July 10th blog, the Red Wiggler Farm has enjoyed the opportunity to have a "Intern Grower" through the Summer Youth Job Program (in partnership with Montgomery County). Here is our intern, Stephen, working at Red Wiggler:
Here is Stephen working with some of the other growers at Red Wiggler:
As part of Stephen's internship at the Farm, he wanted to write a brief written and photographic journal of his experiences here this summer. Here's what Stephen has to say about his time here at Red Wiggler Farm so far, and some of the pictures he's been taking!
Week 1 (July 17th):
My first day of work I was nervous. Now I have friends. I pick out weeds and kill bugs. I like it at the farm. It’s fun to be outside. I harvest crops. This is a picture of the squash crop that I took:
Week 2 (July 24th):
I harvest lots of garlic and go home smelling strong. I rolled out hay to put around plants to keep weeds and bugs off. This is a picture of the garlic harvest that I took:
Week 3 (July 31st):
I put hay around the plant so weeds won’t grow. I dug potatoes from the ground. Here is a picture of tomatoes that I took:

...So be sure to stay tuned to read about the second half of Stephen's summer internship - here at Red Wiggler Farm - in a couple of weeks!

You're My Little Potato

2009-07-31T13:34:00.007-04:00

This week we had a phenomenal potato harvest. We pulled up the 3 beds of potatoes that we'd planted under landscape fabric earlier this year, and ended up with a grand total of 700 pounds of German Butterballs. We planted 10 1/2 beds of potatoes this year and we have 5 1/2 beds to go. We were lucky to have some excellent volunteers by our side in the process: Maryanna, Ben, and Nile were a huge help. Check out this little guy to the left--he thought he might grow wings and fly!

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Employee Giving Luncheon

2009-07-28T21:15:00.008-04:00

Pictured: Jean Hochron, Jerry Dillon, Woody Woodroof, Amy Kleine and Jack Dillon
We are pleased to announce that on July 21st Red Wiggler was presented with a $10,000 unsolicited contribution as a special "Employee Giving Grant" via Amy Kleine and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation! Amy Kleine awarded our group last week during their Annual Employee Giving Luncheon.

About a month ago I was walking into the office from the fields and I got an unexpected call from Amy Kleine who is a program officer at the Weinberg Foundation. She informed me that she had chosen Red Wiggler to receive her 2009 Employee Giving Grant. I was speechless. We were unaware that such a program existed and this contribution came at just the right time. While many of our regular donors continue to make contributions to our Annual Fund it is true that the economy is effecting our donors and Annual Fund gifts are down. This gift bridges the gap! And for us this recognition is a tremendous shot in the arm at this time. Our team here at Red Wiggler is so grateful to Amy Kleine and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Trustees for this special gift. This gift will go a long way as we work to "create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community."
Click here to see the notes for Amys' award speach

We're back!! Harvest Week #9

2009-07-28T17:35:00.002-04:00

We're back in CSA action and continuing to bring ya the good stuff!

This week:
Beets
Beans
Peppers
Eggplant
Potatoes
Hot Peppers
Red Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes

Yeah for veggies!

FARM TOUR IS HERE!

2009-07-24T16:03:00.010-04:00

It's the moment we've all been waiting for (Drum roll please!) It's the Montgomery County Farm Tour! Red Wiggler will be hosting an amazing open house for you, your friends, and all the friends of the farm. We hope that you will join us for freshly picked produce, local honey, wagon rides, baby bluebird spotting, farm art, bluegrass in the barn, and tours of our very own solar powered home. If you haven't been out to the farm before, this is a great way to get to know the place. We're located at 23400 Ridge Rd, Germantown, MD, close to a slew of other farms who are also participating in the farm tour. There's something for everyone, so come join us!
When: Saturday July 25th 10am-4pm
see our web site for more

No CSA this Week--It's the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour

2009-07-20T15:20:00.002-04:00

Howdy,

Just in case you didn't get the message, there is NO CSA this week, we're prepping for the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour. Red Wiggler will be open Saturday, July 25th from 10am-4pm offering farm based fun, fresh veggies and local honey for sale. Hope you can make it out for a visit!

Here's the official link for the event:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/agstmpl.asp?url=/content/DED/AgServices/agfarmtour.asp

Harvest #8--NO Pick up next week!

2009-07-15T13:02:00.003-04:00

Hi All,

Next week is the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour and Red Wiggler will be closed for CSA pick up and open on Saturday, July 25th as a stop on the Farm Tour 10am-4pm.
This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter
For this week's harvest:
Beets
Turnips
Garlic
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Red Tomatoes

and the ever lovely PYO and wildflowers! (Basil is available)

Head Lettuce Heading Out

2009-07-10T16:37:00.005-04:00

Dear Friends,

The time has come. Our lovely friend the head lettuce, is passing on to better things (like your salad bowl) and won't be back until the fall. We've really enjoyed the time we've got to spend with the head lettuce, and hope you've enjoyed the four glorious weeks it made it into your CSA Share.
We've loved all of our head lettuces, and choosing a favorite is a little bit like choosing a favorite child---impossible. So that's why we thought we'd let you choose. Please tell us who your favorite head lettuce was and we'll keep that in mind as we plan for the fall and next spring. (We promise we won't tell them!)

Your choices are:

Malawi Red Oakleaf ------------ Garrison Red Oakleaf

Simpson Elite -----------------Sylvesta Green Butterhead

New Red Fire Red Leaf
Write us a comment or let us know at pick up who the winner was for you! Thanks!

Internship Photo Journal Week One

2009-07-10T13:03:00.009-04:00

Hello Folks,
This summer we're welcoming several interns to the farm. One of them, Stephen, will be posting a photo journal on the blog, sharing some of what he has been up to on the job. This week we laid straw for the winter squash and pumpkins to grow over. The straw helps control insects and weeds, and lets the long winter squash and pumpkin vines spread out comfortably. Here's what Stephen captured on camera of the task, and what he had to say about it.

Hi I am Stephen this is my photo of hay on July 10. I had fun.

Harvest #7-A

2009-07-08T12:19:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the delay, it's been busy around here...but isn't it always?

What we've got for ya:
This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter

Head Lettuce (the last of it)
Turnips
Radishes
Kohlrabi
Spring Onions
Chard OR Kale
Summer Squash, which includes Zucchinis
Cucumbers
Garlic--the first of many!!!

Happy Eating! Yum!

Request for Share Pick up Switch

2009-07-04T11:35:00.002-04:00

Our CSA member, Michele, is going to be out of town for two Saturday pick ups: August 8th and August 22nd. She is normally an alternate Saturday B share. She would like to switch for any day other than those, Saturdays and Wednesdays are both OK. Please email her directly if you would like to switch with her. She can be reached at michelenutrition@aol.com

Thanks!

Return of our slithering friend

2009-07-01T09:08:00.004-04:00

Guess which favorite buddy of ours left us a little present on the roof of the milk barn! Just our old pal, the black rat snake of previous post's fame. Do you see her shed skin flapping in the breeze by the old flower pot? She must have crawled up in the roof there where it's nice and warm to shed. And who can blame her? I certainly can't think of a better place to keep my skin!

Harvest #6-B

2009-06-29T16:02:00.005-04:00

We're already into the 6th week of the CSA season. It's amazing for me to think that we're a 1/3 of the way into it.

This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter

This week the fields are offering:
Lettuce Mix
Head Lettuce--love it while it's here!
Chard/Kale
Beets and their Greens
Turnips and their Greens
Radishes
Kohlrabi
Spring Onions
Garlic Scapes--this may be the last of them!
Summer Squash
Cucumbers

Don't miss out!

What the Fields are Offering for Week 5-A

2009-06-24T13:32:00.003-04:00

Welcome to Week 5-A of the CSA! We're welcoming groups Arugula and Asparagus into the barn this week. We've been happy to offer you lots of lovely greens thus far, but it's starting to get warm, which means you will see them begin to trail off. In this week's share though, they are strongly represented!

This weeks Worms Voice- our CSA newsletter.

In your harvest basket you'll find:

Lettuce Mix
Bunched Greens
Head Lettuce
Kohlrabi or Radishes
Turnips
Baby Beets/Beet Greens
Garlic Scapes
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Spring Onions

And don't miss the new wildflowers, the dill, or the cilantro in the pick your own!

Harvest #4-B

2009-06-17T12:24:00.006-04:00

Click here for this weeks Worms Voice Newsletter
(and we've posted pdf's of the back issues with each harvest post too)

It's starting to feel like Harvest Day = Rain Day. Ugh. It gets a little hard to motivate the crew to head out into the fields and slog through the mud and spend the next 4 hours getting wet. But never fear, the job is done and it was a big one. Coming your way this week....

Lettuce Mix
Arugula
Braising Mix
Kale or Collards or Chard
Easter Egg Radishes
Baby Beets and their Greens
Turnips and their Greens
Spring Onions
Garlic Scapes
Summer Squash or Zucchini *It's here!
Head Lettuce or Kohlrabi
Snow Peas are a PYO item--I know it's weedy

Reminder* If it says OR then it's only one of those items, not all of them. Choices!

Cluck Cluck!

2009-06-15T14:25:00.003-04:00

As you may have seen on our facebook page, we're thinking about getting chickens here on the farm. Well, really, we're planning on getting chickens, but right now we're in that lovely stage where we're dreaming big about what our chicken operation could look like. There are a lot of possibilities, and we're pretty excited about the benefits of raising chickens: beautiful animals on the farm, nutritious eggs to eat, highly efficient pest control, and an excellent, free, and natural source of fertilizer. We haven't decided yet on what exact breeds we'll be raising, or even if we'll get chickens this year (keep your fingers crossed), but we're moving forward with our plans for a coop, and the planning is pretty fun!
Here's where we are thus far:
We have an old wooden trailer on the property, the kind you'd hitch to the back of a tractor for hayrides and such. Currently it's just hanging out, and so our plan is to convert it into a chicken coop on wheels. You may be familiar with the Egg Mobiles or Chicken Tractors used by Joel Salatin at Polyface farm. Our setup will be somewhat similar, though our rotation of grazing animals will be significantly less complex since we're only raising chickens! The idea though is that you can move the coop about the farm, allowing the chickens new grass to run in every couple of days. This keeps the grass healthy, distributes fertilizer (waste) evenly, and spreads out your pest managers across the farm.
We're constrained by the size of the trailer as to how many chickens we host on our property, but fortunately the trailer is pretty spacious, so we'll be able to have about 40 chickens. The birds need 2 to 3 square feet per chicken indoors, and the trailer's about 144 sq ft.

We initially considered only raising hens on the farm since we know that roosters are noisy by nature and can be rather aggressive. We want the growers to be able to interact with the chickens comfortably, so having a potentially aggressive bird on the premises didn't seem like the best idea. However, after we paid a visit to Poplar Springs, a local animal sanctuary that calls itself home to many a happy chicken, we learned that roosters are an important piece in the life of a healthy flock. Roosters, it turns out, are great watch dogs. They're far more likely to be keeping an eye on the sky and the perimeter of the run and thus looking out for predators. And their natural noisiness, though perhaps irritating to the neighbors, acts as a highly audible distress signal to their human caretakers. When the rooster starts squawking in the afternoon, you know it's time to run to the chicken coop!
We currently stockpiling building supplies for the coop, and are hoping to have a chicken coop raising day to get the structure on the ground. We're doing this on a very tight budget, so if you have any building supplies that you'd like to get off your hands, or if you feeling like donating to the "chickie bank," we'd greatly appreciate your support! We're trying to do as much as we can with re-purposed materials, but we're still going to need to purchase some basics, such as 2x4s, 1/2 inch hardware cloth, and pvc roofing. We have plans though to save on bedding costs, by cutting and drying our own grass on the farm to use as straw in the coop. We'll see how that goes.

The photos here are from our lovely trip to Poplar Springs, where you can see they keep some very lucky poultry. We'll keep you in the loop as our chicken plans take flight!

A Special Visitor

2009-06-10T08:47:00.005-04:00

Just as I finished posting our harvest for this week, I heard a little rustling from the shelves where we keep some of our seeds. I thought it might be a mouse that had somehow defied gravity and climbed to the top of the bookcase to snack on the kale seeds, but no, turned out it was our special friend, coming out to say good morning!
Just dropping in to say hello! Looks like a black rat snake to me. Hopefully she made a meal of any mice that might have gone up there to snack!

What's Fresh for Week 3-A

2009-06-10T08:29:00.008-04:00

Welcome to Week Three of the CSA! This is an A week, which means groups Arugula (Wednesday) and Asparagus (Saturday) are picking up.

This week in your share you'll find:
Spring Onions
Easter Egg Radishes
Arugula
Lettuce Mix
Garlic Scapes
Your choice of Collards, Kale, or Swiss Chard

link to Worms Voice CSA newsletter

Nasturtiums
Pronounced nuh-STER-shuhm, this delightful and completely edible flower can be found in abundance in our pick your own (PYO) this week! All parts of the nasturtium plant are edible, except for the roots, and the young leaves, stems and flowers have a peppery flavor. They are lovely tossed in salads and add a beautiful color to a flavored lemon butter. Consider adding easy to grow nasturtiums to your garden at home- edible landscaping!
We are including a few recipes for nasturtiums below, so take a handful home to play with this week.

Nasturtium-Lemon Butter
This butter has a light lemon flavor lightly accented with peppery nasturtiums. Try it with fish, chicken, broccoli, and asparagus. It is also excellent on white bread for just a hint of peppery citrus. Substitute another herb such as dill or cilantro for the nasturtiums for a different take on the butter.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped nasturtium blossoms

Mix all of the ingredients well until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. Makes 3/4 cup flavored butter.

Nasturtium and Strawberry Salad
This salad calls for nasturtium vinegar which has a lengthy production process. Use the vinegar to add flavor to lots of dishes and the effort will be worthwhile.
For the nasturtium vinegar:
• 3 cups nasturtium flowers, (1 cup a week) washed and dried
• 2 cups white wine or Champagne vinegar

Lightly crush 1 cup of nasturtium blossoms with the back of a spoon and combine with the vinegar in a glass jar. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and screw on a tight-fitting lid. Set aside in a moderately warm place (next to the stove, for example) for about three weeks, straining and replacing the flowers with a freshly crushed batch once a week. When the vinegar is ready, strain the flowers out and store the jar in a cool, dark place. Makes 2 cups.
Variation: Add a whole clove of garlic when you begin the steeping process.

For the Salad:
• ¼ c nasturtium vinegar
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ c extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 c chopped fresh nasturtium blossoms
• 8 c mixed greens, washed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 c small strawberries, quartered
• whole pansies, nasturtiums, chrysanthemum, or other edible blossoms for garnish

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegars, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing has emulsified. In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the greens, strawberries and fresh flowers and serve immediately.

Butter Braised Radishes & Greens
Unless you love fresh radishes sliced on all your salads, you may be wondering what to do with another bunch this week. We’d like to suggest resurrecting a recipe from last season and braising your radishes in a bit of butter. This method takes some of the bite out of the radishes and gives a nice, turnip-like texture. Experiment with the dish- adding thinly sliced garlic scapes infuses the dish with another dimension of flavor, and any chopped greens (collards, kale, braising mix, chard) aside from the radish greens, which are not particularly edible, can be added with the radishes for some color.

From the Washington Post

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 3- to 4-ounce spring onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice, tough dark-green top removed (may substitute sweet onion)
• 1 pound (two 1/2-pound bunches) radishes, cleaned, green tops removed, stem ends trimmed; small ones left whole, medium ones cut in half, large ones cut into quarters
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch sugar
• 1/2 cup water

In a pan large enough to hold the radishes without crowding, melt the butter over medium-high heat; allow it to begin to brown but not burn. Add the diced onion and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the onion softens.

Add the radishes, salt and pepper to taste, the sugar and the water, stirring to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes, until tender.

Uncover, increase the heat to high and bring back to a boil; cook for about 4 minutes, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Serve hot or warm.

Baltimore Checkerspot Habitat Restoration

2009-06-07T11:55:00.007-04:00

This week an excellent group of volunteers came and helped with a wetland habitat restoration project in the wetlands abutting the farm. Led by Denise Gibbs, a MNCPPC Naturalist and local authority on the Baltimore Checkerspot, the group helped execute a project designed to encourage the reproduction of the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly, the Maryland State butterfly which has been in dramatic decline over the past 20-30 years.

Our project entailed planting White Turtlehead, the host plant of the Baltimore Checkerspot, in small fenced in areas in the wetlands. Stands of White Turtlehead have been increasingly hard for the butterfly to find because White Turtlehead is a favorite snack of White Tailed Deer which are in abundance in the Maryland/DC Metro area.

While deer have always enjoyed snacking on White Turtlehead their interest in the plant has only become an issue for the Baltimore Checkerspot recently. As development has encroached outside of the beltway the deer have seen their habitat shrink and they have in turn found themselves pushed into the only areas where housing and shopping centers are not being built: the wetlands. White Turtlehead naturally grows in wetland areas and is the only plant that the Baltimore larvae will eat. With more deer grazing less land, and in particular grazing the wetlands, White Turtlehead has become more and more difficult to find. Without their host plant to lay their eggs on and the larvae to eat, the Baltimore buttterfly has gone into decline in Maryland.

With the help of our enthusiastic volunteers we were able to plant 135 White Turtlehead plants in deer fenced areas. We had put in numerous plants last year in various areas in the wetlands, but found that the White Turtlehead really took off in one particular spot, and so we concentrated our efforts close by. It's our hope that we'll see one large continuous stand of White Turtlehead develop so it can feed a large population of larvae. We'll keep you updated on any BaltimoreCheckerspot spottings as the season evolves!

The Worm's Voice, Week 2B

2009-06-03T13:28:00.008-04:00

Recipes from The Worm's Voice for this week. Enjoy!
Click here for a PDF of this week's newsletter

Garlic Scape Pesto from MaryJane Butters

¼ pound (8-10) garlic scapes 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Puree garlic scapes and olive oil in a blender or food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Stir in Parmesan cheese and lime juice and salt to taste.

Garlic Scape and Lovage Finadene Sauce

This sauce, from MaryJane Butters, is good as a dip, a condiment, for meats and vegetables, and added to salads.

½ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1/8 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
2 scallions or 1 small spring onion, chopped
3 tablespoons garlic scapes chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh lovage, chopped

1. Combine lime juice, water, and salt in a non-metal mixing bowl and wisk until the salt dissolves.
2. Stir in scallions/onions, garlic scapes, jalapeno and lovage. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Yeilds 1 cup.

Roasted Garlic Scapes from MaryJane Butters

8 whole garlic scapes & 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat 350F. Place garlic scapes on foil and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 mintues, or until scapes are softened. Yeilds 2 servings.

Crustless Spinach Quiche (Meal for 4)
Adapted from Cabot Vermont Recipe database

This is a great basic recipe- you can add just about any
type of vegetables to the mix to create your own dish.

2 tsp canola oil
1 ½ red onions (including green stems) thinly sliced
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 ½ cups grated Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar (about 6 ounces)
6 large egg whites
1 large egg
1/3 cup non-fat cottage cheese
¼ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In nonstick skillet over low-medium heat, cook spinach until wilted; drain and set aside.
3. In a separate skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion (and/or garlic scapes) and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add spinach and stir until moisture has evaporated, about 3 minutes longer.
4. Sprinkle cheese evenly in prepared pie plate. Top with spinach mixture.
5. In medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, egg, cottage cheese, red pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach.
6. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until set. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Harvest 2-B

2009-06-02T15:26:00.002-04:00

Michelle, will add more fun here in a moment. But for those anxious to know what's coming your way this week. Here's what we got:
Baby Collards or Kale
Salad Mix
Spinach
Radishes
Spring Onions
Garlic Scapes
Butler's Strawberries
Surprise Bonus to be revealed at pick up!

A great spring picture!

2009-06-01T14:48:00.001-04:00

a GREAT spring picture of everyone- a little damp and a lot happy! We love garlic scapes!

Bluebird Report

2009-05-30T13:59:00.000-04:00

Red Wiggler Bluebird Report at Ovid Haven Wells Park:16 of our 30 Bluebird boxes are now occupied. Red Wiggler has already fledged 20 young Bluebirds out of 4 nests. Currently twelve boxes have tree swallow nests-nine with eggs (a total of 34 eggs!) and 3 with babies (11 newborns). Two boxes have bluebird nests-one with eggs and one with babies. One box has wren eggs and another has chickadee eggs.

The Worm's Voice Week 1A

2009-05-27T16:34:00.006-04:00

The Worm's Voice is the weekly newsletter that is available to our CSA customers when they come to pick up their shares. The content from the newsletter will be posted here each week. Check back often for new recipes. Enjoy! click here for pdf version

Welcome to the Season!

Welcome to Red Wiggler’s 2009 CSA season! We are excited to have so many wonderful new and returning members and we are looking forward to a great year of beautiful vegetables. Many of you joined us for Muffin Luck, our season orientation, but for those of you who couldn’t make it, a quick season refresher:

Please bring your own bags to carry your share home! We’ll have plastic grocery bags just in case.
Always wash your produce when you get it home. We rinse everything as it comes out of the field, but please give it a thorough washing at home.
Bring your compost to the farm! If you like, take home a bucket with a lid, gather your kitchen scraps (no meat, no dairy) during the week, and next time you come to the farm, exchange your full compost bucket for a clean one. We’ll do the dirty work!
We are using a new email format to keep in touch. If you have not received emails or want to add another account, see one of the staff!
Printed newsletters will be available each week, but if you’d like to go paperless, the same content will be available on the blog each week.

The Pick Your Own (PYO)

Take advantage of the Pick Your Own! When we calculate the value of your share each week, we anticipate that you are taking home a small bunch of flowers and/or herbs. We love to grow these beautiful & fragrant additions to the garden and we want to make sure you take some home to enjoy all week!

When you are putting together your bouquet, it is worth a hike to the top of the hill near the solar house. Here you’ll find the Wild Flower field in bloom. In addition to drawing our favorite beneficial friends (butterflies and honey bees) up into the fields, these flowers are beautiful in arrangements.

As for the herbs, it is usually worthwhile to have a look at the recipes before you head out of the barn. Often our recipes include herbs you will find in both the upper and lower PYO areas. Someone will be available to answer any questions you might have regarding the PYO- just ask!

Braising Mix

Braising mix is a delicious combination of Red Russian Kale, Hon Tsai Tai, Komatsuna, Southern Giant and Red Giant mustards, and Tatsoi. These slightly spicy mixed greens are great tossed in salads, or try them sautéed in a little olive oil and garlic for a savory side dish.

Collards

These delightful greens are full of vitamins A, C and K. While there are lots of ways to prepare them, we find these greens are best when steamed briefly before sautéing. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of water. Trim the stems from the greens, chop them and add to the pan ahead of the greens by a minute or two to allow them to soften. Coarsely chop the greens, and them to the pan as well, then cover and steam until the collards are bright green. Carefully pour off any remaining water, add some oil (olive and sesame are great choices) or butter and sauté with a little salt to taste.

Did you know?

Sugar snap peas are a cross between regular peas (inedible pods, plum peas) and snow peas (edible pods with immature tiny seeds). Like snow peas, sugar snap are completely edible- pod and all. Often, however, they are filled with juicy peas that can be nearly as big as the regular kind. Sugar snap and snow peas can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

Sugar Snap Peas with Fried Ginger
from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

Ginger can be pan-fried until golden brown and crisp and then used as a garnish for any number of vegetable dishes. Here it is paired with stir-fried sugar snap peas or snow peas, but also is a great compliment to asparagus or greens.

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil
1/3 cup minced gingerroot
¾ pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
Kosher or coarse sea salt

Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the ginger and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 mintues. (Don’t let the ginger turn dark brown or it will taste burned.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ginger to a small plate lined with a paper towel. Discard the oil and wipe the pan clean with a wad of paper towel.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the empty pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the peas and sprinkle with salt to taste. Stir fry until the peas are crisp-tender 2-3 minutes. Transfer the peas to a serving plate, sprinkle with the fried ginger, and serve.

Here We Come!

2009-05-26T16:19:00.004-04:00

Wow, what a day! We spent all morning in the pouring rain harvesting for the first CSA pick up. We froze our fingers in the Collards, found a bird's egg nested in the Easter Egg Radishes, and spotted a snapping turtle mosying along the barn. We were a little nervous at first that we weren't going to have too much to offer (though our mud harvest was out of this world), but it looks like we're going to have a good haul for everyone.

Just a reminder, this first week's pick up is a Week A--that's groups Arugula on Wednesday and Asparagus on Saturday.

Coming your way are:
Braising Mix
Spring Onions
Collards
Butler's Orchard Strawberries
And one surprise from the CSA variety pack!

The Pick Your Own is also looking beautiful, with Cilantro and Dill poking up, tons of Irises and Lupine blooming, as well as Oregano, Thyme, Sage, Lovage, Mint and Chives going to beat the band. And don't be shy about heading into the Wild Flower patch just above the garlic. We have some lovely flowers growing there that are considered part of the PYO.

We can't wait to welcome you back to the farm!

Goodbye Barbara!

2009-05-22T16:27:00.003-04:00

Today was an emotional day here on the farm. We said farewell to Barbara Hittle, who retired today after more than 44 years of working with adults with developmental disabilities. For almost 30 of those years she has worked as a job coach with the ARC of Montgomery County and 14 of those she spent with Red Wiggler as a job coach and farm enthusiast extraordinaire. We will miss her and her indomitable spirit, incomparable sense of humor, and generous heart. We wish her the best as she heads west to run her own farm and be close to her family. We know that she won't have a quiet retirement, but we wish her a happy one, filled with quilts, chickens, and many, many projects. Thank you, Barbara for all you've done!

CSA Muffin Luck this Saturday!

2009-05-13T08:51:00.009-04:00

The start of the CSA season is right around the corner, and here on the farm we're getting revved up for this Saturday's season kick-off event, the Muffin Luck. Muffin Luck is a great chance for old CSA members to reconnect and for new CSA members to meet their farmers, get to know Red Wiggler, and connect with the larger CSA community. We have expanded the number of CSA shares this year from 94 to 120 so there should be plenty of new faces to meet on Saturday!

Our CSA shares sold out quickly this year, so we don't have any more spots available, but if you are already a signed up member, please don't forget to join us on Saturday from 10am to 12pm at Red Wiggler Community Farm, located at 23400 Ridge Rd, Germantown, MD.

We will all be bringing a half dozen of muffins, and I'm personally excited about trying out this recipe for Strawberry Banana Muffins. Strawberries are just starting to come into season, and man do they taste great!

Bluebird Babies!

2009-05-10T15:20:00.006-04:00

This spring has been an amazing time for bird watching. We've had tons of sightings on the farm of a variety of different birds. The 10 or so bluebird boxes that we've had on the property turned out to not be enough for all the couples looking for nests, and so we just put up 6 more to lessen that healthy competition. We've been fortunate enough to have the efforts of two very kind volunteers who have been coming by to monitor the bluebird boxes for us. Here's what they had to say about their visit on Tuesday.

"On our visit we saw at least 12 kinds of birds including 20-30 Goldfinches gorging on dandelion seeds, at least a dozen Bobolinks, Redwinged Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, wrens, Song Sparrows, Bluebirds, cowbirds, one Mockingbird, Tree Swallows, Starlings and Robins. We also heard warblers and a Wood Thrush. Two of the boxes now have tree swallow nests and eggs and two others have wren nests but no eggs yet. [There are] two blue bird nests with hatchlings, [and] a third clutch of eggs should hatch w/in the next few days."

There are several more boxes with bluebird nests that don't have eggs yet, but our bluebird experts inform us that since some couples are hatching chicks so early this year, they may have time to lay a second clutch of eggs.

Here are two photos of some of the baby bluebird chicks. The ones on the top are a little younger, and have less fully formed beaks and fewer feathers. The ones on the bottom are a little older, with more developed eyes and beaks. It's hard to believe, but pretty soon they'll be flying!

Invading Invasives

2009-05-05T18:07:00.011-04:00

You've probably heard about invasive, non-native species in the news. Sometimes they're animals--like the Zebra Mussels that take over freshwater shellfish habitat from native species, and the introduced species of weasels that decimated the New Zealand bird population. Sometimes they're plants, like Kudzu, which conquered the South, and Mile-a-Minute that can grow up to 6 inches a day. Today we tackled a particularly tenacious invasive plant on the farm, Oriental Bittersweet. The plant is a viney, trailing bush that takes over large swaths of areas, climbing on and weighing down trees, choking and shading out native species, including American Bittersweet.

Our Oriental Bittersweet had taken over a part of the cattle fence, that stands as a reminder of the dairy farming that was once occurred on the Ovid Hazen Wells property. Most of the fence rotted away long ago, but in the wetlands stands a stretch about 30 feet long that was simply covered in Bittersweet. This morning Beth and Michelle tackled it and were able to take out about 10 feet of the viney bush. Here's a photo of Beth taking the pruners to the base of the plant. Check out the giant pile of branches on the left that she already ripped out!

The best way to deal with this bugger is to cut a window out of the plant. Chop it at the base, and chop at the top, then pull out the section you've just sliced. This kills the part above, and hopefully stops or slows down growth of the bottom portion.

If you decide to try to tackle this problem plant, pay close attention to the plant's structure to make sure you're targeting the right guy. The one on the left is American Bittersweet and is a good native plant. The one on the right is Oriental Bittersweet and is a bad invasive plant. The surest way to tell them apart is that the Oriental Bittersweet buds all along the stem in between leaves, while the American Bittersweet only buds at the very end of the stem.

Next on our hit list: Garlic Mustard!

Water Water Everywhere

2009-04-29T09:12:00.007-04:00

It's raining! And we're stuck inside, so it seemed like a good time to write a post about water, irrigation to be precise. Spring is the time for setting up irrigation for the rest of the season, and we've been doing our best to get all our hoses in a line so none of the new seedlings go thirsty.

There are a lot of different options when it comes to watering systems, but we mostly use drip tape irrigation on the farm. Drip tape is just that: tape (more like a really flat hose) that drips. It has little holes punched in it at intervals that let the water out. Drip tape is great because it provides a slow, steady source of water to the roots of the plants. It uses water a lot more efficiently than overhead sprinklers, since you're not losing much water to evaporation, and it is more targeted---so you don't end up watering all those dandelions that are right next to your tomatoes.

One of Tyler's goals this season is to learn more about irrigation, so he's been our main go-to man when it comes to setting up and fixing the irrigation. In the photo below he is attaching drip tape to one of the header hoses (a sturdy hose that brings the water to the target field). That red knob is a little valve that can be turned on and off to start or stop the flow of water to that particular bed of vegetables.

You might be wondering what all that plastic on the ground is about. The plastic serves several purposes: First, since it's black, it traps heat in the ground and since it's impermeable, it also prevents evaporation of the water coming from the drip tape underneath it. Second, it acts as a mulch and keeps weeds out. We lay it out at the same time as the drip tape, and it's especially good for vegetables that like their homes to be hot and steamy, i.e. tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers. In fact, the tomatoes that we planted yesterday went in fields with this plastic-drip tape set up!And to finish us off--here's Tyler lounging on the irrigation hosing--This stuff just has so many uses!

Here Come the Tomatoes

2009-04-28T12:53:00.002-04:00

Today is another beautiful and HOT day! Yesterday it was well into the 90's and today is pushing 90 as well. We got a lot done this morning though: we planted tomatoes, watered the pick your own flowers, and hooped and covered the tomatoes with fabric. Hopefully the fabric will serve to scare off any animals that would like to turn those tomatoes into a snack. We have quite the groundhog population on the farm this year, so we're trying to keep those baby plants from becoming baby groundhog food.

Yesterday we went to Butler's Orchard, a neighboring Pick-Your-Own Farm, to glean spinach from their fields. We were able to send our growers home with 2 pounds of spinach each; we sent 40 pounds to the food bank, and 30 to group homes for adults with developmental disabilities. That comes out to 100 pounds total! If you've never been to Butler's Orchard, they're a very popular spot to pick all sorts of fruits, flowers and vegetables. We'll be there in a month or so to start picking strawberries, and yesterday we could see the strawberry plants were already starting to flower!