Hope everyone can make it out to our farm this Sunday for the Monthly Market Day (2-4pm). Besides the great farmers that usually make it, we have teamed up with Matt Family Orchard to provide us with fresh local fruit and to help forage for other local treats. LOTS of artisan cheese this market day plus heritage pork sausage from Sand Creek Farm.
LOCAL Produce at the market: persimmons, lemons, satsuma oranges, kumquats, squash, zucchini, lettuce, cabbage, winter squash, radishes, arugula, sweet peppers, kale, baby greens, eggplant, cucumbers, and more. NOW IN THE
FARM TOUR AT 3pm! Come see the beautiful fall gardens. 12 acres of produce, ponies, chickens, ducks and other surprises. We want to share with everyone the building of our new farm store, opening next spring. Hope you can come share our vision.
The Stufflebeam Family
HOMEsweetFARM
979.251.9922
The sweet sound of rain
A farmer can relax
And then
After a few hours
“Lord, please not too much”
Get ready for local food... NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION, our farm store which will be open two days a week with deliveries into Houston. A cooperative effort of local family farms. Stay tuned for more!
This sent to me by a friend... from World Wide Words.Haute barnyard
Foodies in
A play on "haute cuisine", the traditional high cookery of
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Food and milk from the offspring of cloned animals may have entered the U.S. food supply, the U.S. government said on Tuesday, but it would be impossible to know because there is no difference between cloned and conventional products.
Farmer Brad interviews John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri, has written extensively on how sustainable farming practices affect and are affected by industrialization, the environment, economics, and communities. He now spends his time writing and speaking out on issues related to sustainable agriculture with an emphasis on the economics of sustainability.
Our farm has had one of its best seasons (despite the drought), largely in part by the commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteers. These ladies came out to our farm once a day every week during the spring/summer season, and we could not have done the work without them. These folks working behind the scenes are a real tribute to Community Supported Agriculture, harvesting, washing and sorting produce for our members. Work like this brings the best of people together, and we are truly grateful to have them, sharing the labor, and sharing the harvest.
Starting Your Fall TransplantsThis is one of the best things about the
The fun starts in the greenhouse mixing our soil for propagation. Rather than a native soil or compost based mix, for better consistency we use a peat based soil mix with high porosity. We have found that over-watering is a common issue when we have different people trading off on the chore. Herbs are also very sensitive to over watering. We mix our own soil in small batches using different organic amendments and rock powders to give the seedlings a good start. After years of observation and trials, we have come up with what we call “Farmer Brad’s Super Soil”:
10 lbs. Worm Castings (for added micronutrients and biology)
10 lbs. Lava Sand (for aeration and Paramagnetism)
5 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate (for root development)
2 cups Bat Guano, Feather Meal or Poultry Manure (for nitrogen, but do not over do it!)
2 cups Kelp Meal (micronutrients and aids in germination)
2 cups Humate (added organic mater)
2 cups Green Sand (iron and magnesium)
5 gal. Water (it is important to pre-wet your mix)
This is all mixed together by hand or with a small concrete mixer. We then use 72ct trays and prepare ready stacks for the work of seeding ahead.
This is when you want the whole family or friends to help to get the work done faster. Before seeding you can use a pencil to dib holes about a ¼” deep into each filled cell of the plant tray, a board can be made with nails to dib the whole tray at one time as well. We drop 2 to 3 seeds into each dibbed cell and then tamp the soil down carefully to cover the seeds and to insure that they are making good contact to the soil. Smaller seeds like delphinium may need to be lightly sprinkled on the surface of the filled cells rather than buried.
Be sure to label and date your trays, then place them into the shade and water them in (very important), repeating daily (if not more) before the heat of the day. You want to keep the soil moist for germination, but you also want the soil to not be continuously wet and growing algae.
Ants can be a problem in the greenhouse as they will literally harvest the seed from your trays. You can place your trays on tables that have their legs standing in water and use one of the organic ant baits regularly to deter the problem.
By the end of July we start broccoli, cauliflower, winter cabbage, kale, collards, brussels sprouts, pak choi, Chinese cabbage and kohlrabi. These will be transplanted out into the field as soon as the weather cools off, hopefully by lat Sept. In mid August we will begin seeding the more tender leafy greens like head lettuce, swiss chard, dill, and other herbs.
Before planting into the field you need to place the plant trays into the full sun and wind to harden off for at least a week. This is called “tough love” preparing the babies for real life outdoors. Pray for rain after planting, cover with a light cloth if possible for earlier transplanting and be sure to water them in deeply either by hand or irrigation and repeat as necessary until the plants are well established.
Happy Growing!
Farmer Brad
www.homesweetfarm.com
STARTING THE SUSTAINABLE FARM: Planting the We are busy this time of year (July), preparing new fields and planning for our fall planting. One of the challenges is the dry soil during this time of the year which makes any bed preparation a major challenge. When you receive any amount of rain, you need to be prepared to work the soil. One advantage that you have is that it is easier to eliminate Bermuda grass if you can lightly till or disk the area regularly, every other week, which finally exhausts the noxious weed in preparation for fall planting.
Fall Tomatoes and Peppers (June-July): By July we start our final crop of tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse. Be prepared to protect them in the field from the first fall frost in mid-Nov, and you might have a harvest past the New Year. We choose early producing varieties like Early Girl, Valley Girl and sweet peppers that can add to our fall shares. Be prepared to transplant into the field after 6 weeks from starting. You will not have the major crop as you did in the spring/summer but still plan for 200 tomatoes and 200 sweet peppers, about 3 beds total. If you think a hard frost might take the crop, go out and harvest all you can. We have had tomatoes ripen almost a month later, or offer green tomatoes or tomato relish. Come up with something. You need to turn lemon into lemonade.
Squash, Zucchini, Cucumbers (Aug-Sept): Direct seed at least one bed of each. You can plan on harvesting beginning 6 to 7 weeks from sowing and should choose early varieties. It helps to cover the new beds with a light frost cloth until the plants flower; this keeps off the insects and provides a little shade during the extreme heat.
Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and Head Cabbage (Aug): Start these in your greenhouse before mid-Aug. Plan at least 100 plants of each, and 200 of the broccoli. They will be available to your members by late January. Be prepared to protect these plants with a light frost cloth to prevent any cosmetic damage during a freeze. Before they set heads, you can harvest their greens which are wonderful. Foliar sprays work well throughout the growing season. We use fish emulsion, molasses and Bt to prevent worm damage before they set heads.
Swiss Chard, Kale, Collards, Mustard, Cauliflower and Chinese Cabbage (Sept.): Start Napa Cabbage, Bok Choi and others in the greenhouse by mid-Sept. and transplant out into the field as early as possible. Swiss Chard can also be direct seeded for baby greens.
Lettuce (Sept-Oct): Choose at least 3 varieties (100 plants each) and start in the greenhouse in Sept. for head lettuce. Lettuce mixes can be directly seeded in four rows down your bed. Repeat a second bed of Lettuce Mix every two weeks throughout Oct. and be prepared to protect with a light frost cloth to keep it looking pretty. Foliar spray with Bt for the worms, but keep the fish emulsion out of the mix on any of these greens to prevent an off flavor.
Beets and Turnips (Sept.-mid Oct): Direct seed a lot of beets and turnips in Sept. to mid-Oct. You can harvest their greens throughout the fall, and thin them out to form beet and turnip roots for the spring. These will be important crops in early spring to add bulk to your shares.
Carrots (Sept.): Direct seed at least 2 beds of carrots in 4 rows in the first part of Sept. Carrots take a few weeks to germinate and need to be kept moist until they emerge. Deep sandy soil produces the best carrots and will be available next spring for your CSA shares.
Onions (Aug – Nov): Start your own onion seed in the greenhouse in late August, or buy onion sets to be put into the fields from Oct – Nov. You can’t plant too many onions for your spring shares. Choose short day varieties like TX 1015,
Spinach (mid Sept – mid Nov): Spinach has not done well for us, but we still give it a try every year. Direct seed in 3 to 4 rows and thin out to give room to grow. High fertility needs, and good drainage is essential.
Peas (mid Dec): Direct seed English and Sugar Snap peas during the last week of December. We generally do not plant peas any more because of the low yields and high labor to harvest, but members love them when you have them available in early spring. You will need to have at least a whole bed planted to make it worth your time.
Leeks and Bulb Fennel (Aug-Sept.): Start your transplants in the greenhouse in late Aug. and put into the field as early as possible in Oct. Mulching is a big benefit as these plants grow all winter for your spring shares. One bed of each should be plenty, spaced 4 to 6 inches a part.
Fava Beans (mid Sept.-mid Oct.): Fava beans make an excellent cover crop with edible leaves and large pods relished by chefs. Available in late winter, they hold up well unless it gets below 20 degrees. They also make a great habitat for beneficial insects in the early spring.
Herbs (Sept-Oct): Direct seed cilantro, dill, lovage, salad burnet and chamomile by late Sept. when it begins to cool down. Parsley can be started in the greenhouse in early Sept. and transplanted as early as possible. Any perennial herb like rosemary, oregano, sage, lemon grass and others transplant well in the fall as well, when mulched.
Strawberry Plants (Nov.): Start out with no more than 1000 plants. This is where black plastic and straw mulch is a real benefit. Space 8 inches apart in 3 staggered rows down your bed. Be prepared to protect from frosts once the fruit is set with either overhead watering or a heavy frost cloth. Choose “June Bearing” varieties for large marketable fruit like Camarosa,
STARTING A SUSTAINABLE SMALL FARM: How much to plant for a 25 member CSA (1/2 acre) I recommend starting small. We started our first CSA on our new farm in the spring/summer of 2005, feeding 26 families on 1/3 of an acre with a troybilt tiller and a hoe. This was the beginning of what turned into a 100 member CSA after two years.
Irish Potatoes (Jan-Feb): 50 lbs. Red La Soda and 50 lbs. White
Head Lettuce, Swiss Chard and Kale (Jan-Feb): direct seed 3 or 4 rows down a whole bed for baby greens or transplant for bunching. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice.
Beets, Lettuce Mix, Arugula (Feb.): direct seed 3 or 4 rows down a whole bed for baby greens and repeat in 2 weeks. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice. It basically takes a ¼ lb of seed to plant a whole bed of each (same with the Swiss Chard). You should get 2 cuts off of each bed, and then your second planting should be getting ready to cut.
Radishes (Feb): Choose at least two varieties, and plant a half a bed of each. In the spring we have found French Breakfast, Easter Egg and any of the early round varieties do best. Daikon and others are best planted as winter radishes in the fall. Fertilize and plant the same as the previous greens mentioned.
Tomatoes (Jan-Feb): Start your transplants indoors or in a small greenhouse. Early Girl, Celebrity and Romas are your staple tomatoes; you need 100 plants of each for the CSA. Heirlooms can add some interest, 100 plants would be a good start. This will give you 4 beds of tomatoes, which will all need to be staked and trained, planted in mid-March and early April. Fertilize each bed with 10 lbs Colloidal Rock Phosphate, 10 lbs organic fertilizer, 2 lbs. Epsom Salt. Mulching with straw would be a good idea.
Sweet Peppers (Jan-Feb): Start your transplants and plan for at least 200 plants or 2 beds. Members really like Bell Peppers like Big Bertha but we also like heirloom varieties like Marconi, Sweet Italia, Banana Peppers and Spanish Spice. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice. Plant out in the beds after frost in early April. Mulching is preferred.
Eggplant (Jan-Feb): Start your transplants for at least 200 plants or 2 beds. Pingtung Long, Florida High Bush and Rosa Bianca are nice. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice. Mulching is preferred. Plant out in the beds after frost in early April.
Summer Squash and Zucchini (Mar-June): Direct seed one bed of each, and repeat every two weeks. You should have at least 6 beds planted at different dates. This helps manage your harvest, and keeps you ahead of the cucumber beetles, squash bugs and other pests. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice.
Cucumbers (Mar-June): Direct seed once a month to have at least 3 beds for the season. Fertilize with 10 lbs. Colloidal Rock Phosphate and 10 lbs. organic fertilizer of your choice. Market More is a good selection. Members also like Asian varieties.
Melons (April-May): Direct seed one row in a bed and thin to one foot apart after germination. Fertilize the same as the previous crops. We recommend 7 to 10 beds total. Try Isreali, Honeydew, and other interesting heirloom varieties. Plan at least a ¼ pound for seed and try to get a late planting in again in July for an early fall harvest. Mulching is recommended if possible.
Herbs and Flowers: Plan at least one bed of cilantro (Feb-Mar), and basil (April-May, transplants could be started in Feb), direct seeding a bed of sunflowers also makes a nice addition to CSA shares.
If you do not have access to a greenhouse the first year, another market grower in the area may have space to start your plants for you. You could supply them with the seed and have it arranged to be ready when you are.
While all this work is happening, you still may need time to recruit your new CSA members. Plan a Farm Day to show prospective new members the garden you are preparing and share the vision. I will discuss Membership fees and agreements in the next issue.
Also, keep in mind; this is your spring/summer field. It would be good to have another 3 ½ acres in a summer cover crop to get ready for the future, try lablab or iron and clay cow peas in sandy soil (20 lbs and acre), then you want to have another ½ acre ready to plant for your fall garden starting in late September.
Grab a seed catalog and start dreaming!
- Farmer Brad
I have heard from a lot of folks wanting to start their own small farm, and I wanted to share some of this info that others might use as well… Here it goes. -Farmer Brad
HOW TO START A SUSTAINABLE SMALL FARM
Brad,
I have been approached by a few friends about starting a CSA on my little five acres. I only have about 2 acres that I can produce from, and another 1-1/2 acres that I can transition to production (currently the horse paddock/barn) and where I can put the broilers. They have asked me to put together some numbers for them, I have no idea how to start.
The idea is to grow produce, and eggs and broilers which the CSA members will get as part of their share.
My fixed expenses are probably too high for me to quit corporate work, so I thought that maybe the CSA could pay for a worker to do the day to day under my supervision (or have members do some of the work).
How many members would I be able to have with 2 acres? How much would a farm worker cost me? How much would seedlings cost me?
I know how much broilers and hens and feed and poultry housing is going to cost me. I'd probably have to invest in a little irrigation for the 2 acres.
I know that's alot of questions, but as you're the only one I know who is doing a produce CSA...I'd thought I'd ask you! :-)
Blessings, Christine
FROM FARMER BRAD:
Christine,
I think you can do it, but not by hiring folks to run it for you. In order for a small farm to be profitable, you need to plan on being the farmer.
If you have 2 acres available, you could sustainably operate a 50 member CSA (more or less after a few years). Start out planting a ½ acre with 25 members. Imagine dividing your 2 acres into 4 parts. One part is being planted for the upcoming season (fall); the others should go into a winter cover crop (clover, peas, vetch and oats). If you are starting right now (July), you have time to get everything ready to plant by September. But keep in mind, we have found that it is better to start new members in the spring not the fall (spring/summer vegetables are more popular, rather than starting people on kale and turnips). I started on a ½ acre while working full-time in town for a few months until I could get it going. It will take more than 25 members to pay someone to run it for you. You need to be able to do it yourself to get started, and you should be able to do that part-time for 25 members.
Plan on $700 a year for seeds and transplants for the 25 member CSA, plus a $1000 to get the irrigation system going. Since you do not have a greenhouse, plan on buying your broccoli, cabbage and other transplants this fall. You can direct seed beets, kale, chard, turnips, radish, baby lettuce, etc.
We found that we lost money with 100 layers and broilers, so we only do those for our own family. We needed to concentrate on what brought us an income, and that was produce. I recommend a minimum of 10 acres with 400 layers plus your broilers to earn anything from that enterprise. It just depends on what your focus will be.
Keep the questions coming!
Brad
Step 1: chop your cabbage. You can use green or red cabbage. Clean and core the cabbage. I use a 10" chef knife and cut the cabbage so that I can feed it through the food processor, using the large slicing blade.
Step 3: Pound the cabbage and let rest. Notice in the first picture there is a wooden pounder in the background behind the cabbage. I use that tool to pound the cabbage down into the crock. This helps release the water from the cabbage. I cover it with a cheesecloth and let it rest overnight to see how much natural moisture extracts from the cabbage. Then I add brine mixing 4 cups of water with 1 Tbs of salt, and keep adding this brine until the water is over the cabbage. You can add more or less salt as you like.
Hi everyone, I posted an episode to HOMEsweetFARM Radio:
An inspiring article in the NY Times, talking about the new young farmers... - Farmer Brad
“A lot of people in our 20s went to the land and wanted to farm and had a lot of enthusiasm, but not many resources,” he said. “It has only been the last five years where the payment from working your fingers to the bone and supplying urban markets with high-quality produce has been enough where you could imagine making a living.”
Whether young, first-generation farmers constitute a flood or trickle is difficult to say. But many long-time observers of small farms say they have noticed an increase in recent years among college graduates who want to farm, even if they intern at established farms or rent tiny parcels.
Can organic farming feed the world? Ed Hamer and Mark Anslow say yes, but we must farm and eat differently.
READ THE ARTICLE >>
A new advocacy group closely tied to Monsanto
has started a counter-offensive to stop the proliferation of milk that
comes from cows that aren’t treated with synthetic bovine growth
hormone.
The group, called American Farmers for the Advancement
and Conservation of Technology, or Afact, says it is a grass-roots
organization that came together to defend members’ right to use
recombinant bovine somatotropin, also known as rBST or rBGH, an
artificial hormone that stimulates milk production. It is sold by
Monsanto under the brand name Posilac. READ THE ARTICLE >>
Interview with Amanda Love, The Barefoot CookResources:
http://www.soothininfusion.com/
http://www.westonaprice.org/
http://www.wildfermentation.com/
GRASS FARMING AND HOLISTIC LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT
A conversation with Dr. Will Winter on grass farming, holistic livestock management, preventing infectious diseases, mineralization and more. LISTEN or DOWNLOAD NOW!
The grower of trees, the gardener, the man born to farming,
whose hands reach into the ground and sprout,
to him the soil is a divine drug. He enters into death
yearly, and comes back rejoicing. He has seen the light lie
down
in the dung heap, and rise again in the corn.
His thought passes along the row ends like a mole.
What miraculous seed has he swallowed
that the unending sentence of his love flows out of his mouth
like a vine clinging in the sunlight, and like water
descending in the dark?
--Wendell Berry
Farming cloned livestock should be banned because the animals suffer too much, EU ethics experts said last night.
Animal welfare campaigners welcomed the call from the European Group on Ethics.
RSPCA scientist Dr Nikki Osborne said: "Cloning causes untold suffering but is purely commercial. The cost in welfare in no way justifies any perceived benefits."
The ethics group wants safety and welfare conditions on any decision to accept clone farm food. But they are so strict they could make it too difficult to farm clones commercially.
The report was triggered after the Daily Mail revealed last January that a clone farm calf called Dundee Paradise had been born on a
Cloning breeding stock could create monster pigs and supersize cows.
But the technology means many cloned offspring die just before or soon after birth. Some have malformed lungs, hearts and kidneys.
The ethics group said: "Considering the suffering, we do not see arguments to justify production of food from clones and their offspring."
