Mountain Bounty Farm News
Week 18/52 | May 1st
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Dear Farm Friends,
My soil care philosophy has been informed by practice, and by a lifetime of observing and touching the soil. It’s simply that the more we give to the soil, the more the soil gives back. It’s not really economics where we talk about return on investment, but rather an economy of caring, where care begets care.
Here’s a little window into the specifics of what’s happening with the farm soils right now. The spring planting rush demands that soil preparation is happening constantly. And the perfect little rain we received this past weekend will allow us to till and plant at the ideal moisture content this week (otherwise we would have to pre-irrigate), preserving soil structure as much as possible.
| | Our yearly soil care cycle starts in September, when we conduct extensive soil tests, and begin planting cover crops that will overwinter. In the spring, the cover crops are mowed and chopped, compost and organic soil amendments are applied based on the results of the soil tests, and then we carefully incorporate all of it. Many farms save money by adding less compost, growing less cover crops, and adding less amendments, but we choose to instead maximize these practices. And we are happy with the results: our soil organic matter has increased year after year, and our crops are generally very high quality. | | In a sense, tending the soil is like tending a crop. With each crop, if we provide the ideal conditions, and time everything just right, it then grows itself perfectly. With the soil, we provide what it likes (and minimize damage!), which fosters healthy soil microorganisms and an ideal growing environment for the plants we eat. Achieving all of this is harder than it sounds. | | |
Coming up, I plan to write a more detailed account of our soil care practices, so stay tuned for that in a month or two.
Thanks for supporting our farming journey,
John Tecklin
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Farm Box Contents
(Contents are subject to change depending on harvest and weather conditions at Mountain Bounty and our Partner Farms.)
Please check the delivery list at your CSA site and sign your name indicating you have picked up your shares. We deliver exactly what is on the delivery list.
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Vegetable Share CSA
Provided by Mountain Bounty Farm and our partner organic farms
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Regular Box (Feeds 2-4 people)
- Asparagus (Durst Organic Farm)
- Rainbow Carrots (Coke Farm)
- Red Butter Lettuce (RIvedog Farm)
- Chives (Riverdog Farm)
- Cippolini Onions (Full Belly Farm)
- Arugula (Mountain Bounty Farm)
- Hakurai Turnips (Riverdog Farm)
- Romaine Lettuce (Full Belly Farm)
- Green Kale (Pinnacle Farm)
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Small Box (Feeds 1-2 people)
- Asparagus (Durst Organic Farm)
- Rainbow Carrots (Coke Farm)
- Red Butter Lettuce (RIvedog Farm)
- Chives (Riverdog Farm)
- Cippolini Onions (Full Belly Farm)
- Arugula (Mountain Bounty Farm)
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Fruit Share CSA
Provided by Frog Hollow Farm
Fruit Share Subscriptions are currently on a seasonal break.
Deliveries will resume May 15th.
If you have prepaid Delivery Credits, those will hold over after the break.
Summer Fruit Share costs will be $38.50/box moving forward after the break for new Delivery Credit purchases.
Thanks!
| | Recipes, storage tips and inspiration on how to "Use Up" leftovers from last week: | | |
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Asparagus salad (Click here) with a lemon, garlic and avocado dressing? Yes please! Put this salad on a bed of arugula and swap your turnips in for the radishes!
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"USE IT UP" WEEKLY RECIPE!
If you still have beets and pea shoots (optional) from last week, try out this amazing Roasted Beet Salad with Pean Shoots and Chevre (Click here). You can eat it with your leftover Little Gem Lettuce or this week's Arugula. If your chives came with flowers, be sure to use those as garnish!
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