When I was five years old and received my first box of crayons in kindergarten (a set of the primary and secondary colors of the rainbow) my senses were awakened to the magic of color. Then when I was ten, I somehow acquired a packet of zinnia seeds in mixed colors. I planted them just off my front porch. These [...]
Depending on where you live, winter can be a time of dormancy or growth. In our part of the northern hemisphere the ground is frozen and covered with snow and spring seems far off. We are happy to have the slower quieter days. Gardens are planned, potting soil prepared and seeds ordered. All these are engaging, creative activities that make [...]
That is the question I ask myself each fall, (the traditional time for animal harvest) as my husband and I we prepare to harvest a cow, or a pig, or a chicken on our farm. We have a micro-dairy, Callie’s Creamery, and provide raw milk and wholesome, grass-fed, organic yogurt for our local community. It is a wonderful thing to make [...]
Asian Jumping Worms are a relatively new invasive species of earthworm, that can wreak havoc on your yard and garden, and forest ecosystems, by stopping plants growth and degrading the soil. They are rapidly spreading across the United States. Asian jumping worms are smooth, glossy gray or brown and 1.5 to 8 inches long. The clitellum (the band around the body [...]
I live with my wife, Margo, and two kids just outside of Duluth, MN near Lake Superior (Zone 4a). We've been here since 2020 and have lived in Duluth for the last 6 years, before that we were in northern Arizona. Growing up my parents always had a summer garden and while in college (about 2007) I was inspired to [...]
We started using the biodynamic preparations over twenty-five years ago when we began farming. What began as a practice that “seems a bit far-fetched, but we will see what happens” quickly became a magical process from which we continue to see results. As farmers we have limited time and many things to do. Adding a “Woo Woo” element that sounds interesting, but lacks [...]
In our last newsletter we shared our Seed Starting/Potting Mix recipe. We have been asked to share it again. So here it is! 1. Mix thoroughly and hydrate so that it is moist, but not muddy: 5 gallons of cow manure and bedding compost finely screened* 5 gallons of leaf litter compost finely screened* 5 gallons of sphagnum peat moss finely [...]
In his book, Hannah Coulter, Wendell Berry describes how neighboring farmers helped each other do all sorts of tasks in post-World War II Kentucky. Bringing in tobacco, hay and other crops from the fields was labor intensive work that needed to be done in timely ways or the crop could be lost. Yes, some help was paid, while other help [...]
