Movin' On Up...

So, the day has finally come when I feel comfortable announcing the Farm's (and our) big news! We have signed a long-term lease for raw land in Clarksburg, Maryland for over TWENTY-FIVE wide open acres! We are definitely movin' on up!!!

Over the summer, we were approached about a possible land lease in Clarksburg through an amazingly open-minded and generous family friend.  We immediately set our lawyer (not me, but Michael's persistent and patient dad) to work out the terms of the deal, draft the lease and attend meetings with Michael to get the lease secured.  His tireless efforts paid off because about four (?) months later, we have a fully signed lease and are ready to go!  Kudos to our lawyer for all of his hard work in making our dream come true and thank you (is there a bigger, better word to describe our thanks?) to our family friend who saw an opportunity and jumped on it for us to make it happen!


Here is a picture of Shirley, sitting at home in one of our new fields:

The new property is located right off of I-270, the Clarksburg exit, and has an access point off of West Old Baltimore Road (more on that later). It is directly across the street from Black Hill Regional Park. Because it is just raw land, we are spending a lot of time in the off-season making improvements. Our list is rather ambitious, but some things are necessities (i.e. a well to bring water to the fields) and power (to bring electricity to the Farm shed/office). Oh and about that shed/office, yeah, we need to build that, too.

But, first things first, there is currently a barrier blockading access to the property from West Old Baltimore Road (to prevent passersby from using the large, vacant land as a dumping ground). As part of the lease arrangement, the property owner agreed to let us get rid of the barrier so long as we put up a cattle guard, or equivalent. Apparently, right after the winter’s first snowstorm is the best time to install a cattle guard!

Here is Shirley with the “Awesome Auger” that I grew to love (and hate) by the end of the day! The first hole dug extremely well, the second hole…not so much!

I still cannot believe that my first time driving a tractor with a clutch, I was also responsible for operating the auger…apparently, Farmer Mike trusts me implicitly!

One side of the cattle gate is up. If only resting it on rocks would satisfy the property owner and sufficiently deter those junk dumpers.

 But, alas…

We finally dug the second hole, which took twice, if not three times, longer than the first!

Good contractors (and farmers!?!?!) know the adage: measure twice, cut once! We wanted to make sure we dug the hole deep enough for the post and the concrete we set it in. If you look closely, you can see the tough rock we had to cut through.

The future entrance to One Acre Farm!

Success! I literally felt as though I conquered the world!

Until next time…

Derek's Delicious Sweet Potato Tartlets

Courtesy of our Member, Derek:


Sweet Potato Pie
from Good Housekeeping Magazine


2 cups mashed fresh or canned sweet potatoes
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 9-inch pie shell


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat sweet potatoes and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and half-and-half; beat 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves, scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon, and beat until blended. Pour mixture into pie shell.

3. Bake 1 hour or until filling is puffed and set around edge, but center jiggles slightly. Cool completely on wire rack.

To make into tartlets, roll out pie shell and cut out circles with a 2.5" round cookie or biscuit cutter. Press dough rounds into mini muffin tin and fill each with pie filling. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until set. Cool in pan then remove to wire rack. (continue to re-roll pie dough scraps until you have cut out as many circles as you can)
 
If you still have some of our sweet potatoes left (they were plentiful this year, weren't they?), I suggest making these as a holiday dessert...or appetizer...or both! They were really that good.  Until next time...

Welcome Home....SHIRLEY!!

This past weekend, the One Acre Farm family grew significantly. No, no, it is not what you are thinking, but Michael and I added a sister to our farming (equipment) family. Last year, my uncle gave Michael a cultivating tractor, who he called Big Red. Big Red is a 1950s-era Farmall tractor, with an offset seat. Apparently, the offset seat allows you to actually see what you are cultivating in front of you. (Footnote for those not hip to the farm lingo…cultivate doesn’t actually mean what you (or was it just I?) think – to harvest. Cultivating is actually the process of disturbing the soil, i.e. weeding). But I digress! Who knew there were special tractors for different aspects of farming? Certainly not me as Michael became increasingly frustrated by my repeated questions of “Can’t Big Red do that?”


Because Big Red can’t do everything, Michael spent hours searching for the perfect tractor. And by searching, I mean searching. He went online; he called his mentors; he drove two hours away to “test-drive;” and yes, he signed up for an online network of farmers called Tractorbynet.com. The man was obsessed! And obsessed he should be when making such a big investment as a tractor!

It turns that out on his test drive two hours away, he fell in love with a big girl named Shirley. Shirley is red (like her future brother, Big Red), has a canopy, a front loader (essential for turning compost) and a relatively short working life dispute being twelve years old.

After waking up in the 6s on Saturday morning, Michael and I were in Ashland, Virginia a short two hours later to bring Shirley home. We needed a BIG trailer to bring our big girl home, and luckily – by chance – I knew someone who had the proper equipment to load her up and make the trip back north.

I do have to admit, when the salesman brought her out of the garage, my heart was swelling with pride. This was a big deal, our very first tractor…to call our own. My eyes tear up a little just thinking about that moment and how I am so very glad that Michael decided to do a weekend pickup so that I could be there.

Here are a few pictures from our exciting Saturday…and welcome to One Acre Farm, Shirley!!

Yes, that is Michael in the center of the picture, supervising the loading of his precious cargo!

Michael and Shirley - December 11, 2010!

Shirley is ready for her close-up!

End of the Year Celebration!

For the second year in a row, our members Martha and David graciously opened their home to our members to celebrate the end of the season.  Last year I was unable to come (oh, the life of a litigator) but this year's party fell on our four year wedding anniversary so I was going to be there come he** or high water!

Here are some pictures of the last bountiful harvest:

Here are some beautiful Tat Soi, Cabbage and Peppers:

Martha and David provided delicious wine and beer for our adult members and cider for our younger members.  Some members brought food to share from the farm's harvests.  Derek made amazingly scrumptious sweet potato pie tarts that I couldn't get enough of!  (Tim, we missed you, but you'll be glad to know that Derek's tarts were not too cinnamony!)  Derek promised to provide the recipe for his delicious tarts... Derek, if you'd be so kind, please leave the recipe in a comment below or send me the recipe so I can post it here!

The party was a great way to cap off the end of (what we thought was a) successful second season!  Thanks to all of you for your continued support of our humble venture!  Until next time...

Stay Tuned...

It has been awhile since I last posted -- almost two whole months.  I apologize for that.  I have great pictures from the end of the year party in Capitol Hill and promise to put those up by the end of the week.

I also have a lot of farm-specific posts lined up but wanted to peak your interest and keep you coming back for more.  Cruel, I know.  Let's just say, we have some potentially new developments in the works...

Please check back later this week -- and hopefully early next week -- for all of the winter happenings on the Farm. 

How Many Ways Can You Really Eat Swiss Chard?!

Michael and I went to visit an old farm colleague of Michael's from State College, PA last weekend.  It turns out we crashed her CSA potluck dinner but were also able to score a short tour of her fall fields.  During our party-crash (not exactly CNN-worthy), we chatted about how to possibly cook all of the leafy greens that are abundant in CSA shares.  I was so glad to hear that this farmer's advice fell in step with our go-to instructions for cooking these leafy greens: olive oil, garlic, saute and...voila!

After reading this week's Washington Post's Food section (aptly titled: "Vegetables with issues"), I discovered that there really are people out there who love (yes, love!) Swiss Chard.  Who are these mad people and what the heck do they do to their Swiss Chard that invites such a love affair?  I can tell you one thing, they most certainly do not solely rely upon the "olive oil, garlic, saute, voila" approach to cooking chard.  In fact, the author of the Swiss Chard article (sorry, Eggplant, you apparently have "issues" as well) noted that the strong leaves are perfect for rolling and stuffing.  So, if you are looking for a new way to cook your Chard (or Collards) from this week's share, think about using their leaves instead of cabbage (even though you got cabbage this week, too...but I like to mix that with my lettuce for a heartier, and crunchier, salad) for stuffed Chard leaves with ground turkey and rice.  You can also use chard in frittata or quiche recipes (but the Post author recommends using the olive oil, garlic and saute maneuver before whisking into scrambled eggs -- I am glad to know that my go-to way to cook any leafy green actually made it into the Food Section...I have arrived!).

Try this delicious soup that I made a few weeks ago and use any leafy green from your share in place of the Kale. I cannot take credit for the recipe, but I certainly take credit for it when I put it on my table because this soup is delicious and easy to make!

Two Bean Soup with Kale (Recipe from myrecipes.com)

Prep Time 30 minutes
Yield 6 servings (1 1/4 cups per serving)

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 t salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
7 cups stemmed, chopped Kale (about 1 bunch) [Blogger's note: I also use the stems but chop them]
2 (15 oz) cans no-salt-added Cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and divided
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t ground black pepper
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions:
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan, swirling to coat.  Add onion, carrot and celery and saute for 6 minutes or until tender.  Stir in 1/4 t salt and garlic; cook 1 minute.  Stir in 3 cups vegetable broth and kale.  Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat, simmering for 3 minutes or until Kale is crisp-tender.

2. Place 1 can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained) in blender or food processor with 1 cup vegetable broth until smooth.  Add pureed bean mixture to Dutch oven, remaining can of cannellini beans and black beans and pepper.

3. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1/4 t salt, vinegar and rosemary.

To read the Post's Food Section Article about Swiss Chard, click here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/12/AR2010101202256.html

Chard is also good for you.  It is rich in Vitamins A and C and antioxidants.  Some might consider chard a Superfood.  Seriously?  Seriously.  So, get inspired and come up with new ways to cook your chard or incorporate it in main dishes or other foods you love.  CALLING ALL COOKS: did you come up with something great and have the urge to share?  Feel free to post your recipe or cooking suggestions in the Comments Section.

Winter Squash: Not Just Another Halloween Decoration!!

One of my favorite things about Fall is the delicious produce that is in season...broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts (not everyone's favorite, but I did say my favorite things), and winter squash.  A few weeks ago, Michael's dad asked whether he was growing "gourds," to which Michael responded "yup" and to which I interjected a resounding "no!"  I knew his dad meant the decorative (even with their weirdly pimpled rinds) variety that sit in kitchen table centerpieces and doorstoops across the country from late September until Thanksgiving...whereas I knew Michael was responding yes because he understood the question to encompass Winter Squash. 

What is Winter Squash?? There are a lot of varieties of Winter Squash out there, but I am sure you are mainly interested in One Acre Farm's varieties...this year we have Butternut (great for soups and roasting), Acorn Squash (can we say butter and brown sugar....YUM!), and my personal favorite Spaghetti Squash (cook until done, fork up the stringy noodles and serve with your favorite tomato sauce for a great vegetarian meal)!  How can you not be excited for the next few weeks' distributions?!?!?

What most people don't necessarily know about Winter Squash is that a cup of cooked squash provides great nutritional value.  According to the world's healthiest foods website, http://www.whfoods.com/, winter squash provides the following nutritional benefits:

• 25% of your dietary fiber requirements;
• 145% of your daily value of Vitamin A;
• 33% of your daily value of Vitamin C;
• 25% of your daily value of Potassium; and,
• Winter Squash is also rich in beta-carotene, which is a great antioxidant.

Michael reports that the Farm's squash is a little unripe because the plants that bear the fruit have fallen prey to a disease (I am pretty sure that bugs -- stink, bed, or otherwise -- will continue their reign of terror for months to come).  So, while the "fruit" has grown to ample size, the plant has cut off nutrients that continue the ripening process.  Our Potomac members (who received squash last week) reported that the squash was delicious.  Michael, however, suggests that you may need to cook it longer to ensure it is nice and soft and possibly add additional (or more) seasonings if you find that the squash a little bland.  We made Acorn Squash the other night and I did not notice a marked difference in the taste from last year's harvest, so for now, I am going to chalk Michael's suggestions up to his usual nerves associated with the fear of never being able to please everybody.   Please feel free to let us know if you have any recipes or cooking suggestions.  Here are two recipes for this week!

A recipe from one of our Potomac members, Louise, is as follows:

2 Acorn Squash (cut in half, seeded and sliced into about 8 wedges for each squash)

Leaving the skin on, place in a greased casserole dish in a single layer

Sprinkle the squash with salt and drizzle with maple syrup

Cover the dish with foil at 350 degrees until soft; probably around 30 to 40 minutes

Enjoy!

Roasted Root Vegetables
Note:  I wish I could take credit for this recipe...I did bring it to my family's Christmas dinner (where we have eaten the same staples every year since I was practically born...what can I say, we are rich in tradition) and now, my brother begs for it every year.  I think I got the recipe from Cooking Light or the Simply Recipes website, but I cannot locate the exact recipe.  The way I make it, however, is not a "hard-and-fast" recipe.  I usually adjust the amount of each vegetable used based on the number of people I am serving and to ensure a nice variety of colors.  Also, make sure you try to cut the different root vegetables in similar-sized pieces so they cook consistently.  I think the original recipe called for fennel (blech! no offense, fennel, and your fans), so feel free to substitute vegetables for what I've identified below.  And, of course, ENJOY!

1 Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded and cut in cubes)
Handful of parsnips (peeled and cut)
Handful of turnips (peeled and cut)
Handful of carrots (peeled and cut)
A few sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in cubes)
A few small red potatoes (cut in cubes, leave skins on)
Head of garlic (use whole cloves, do not chop, mince or otherwise) OR Shallots, halved

Fresh Thyme
1/4 cup Honey
Salt
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Combine the Honey, Olive Oil and Thyme; Toss all vegetables in the Honey Mixture.  Spray a casserole dish (or shallow baking dish) with cooking spray.  Spread vegetables in single layer (as best you can) and bake for 35 minutes or until all vegetables are tender and slightly browned.  Stir/mix the vegetables occasionally throughout the baking process.

Until next time...

The "To Refrigerate or Not Refrigerate" Mystery Solved!!

First, I want to apologize for the lag in posts.  My late summer months flew by, with an insane work schedule and my brother's wedding (destination: MIA) this past week/weekend.  I hope to get back to a regular posting schedule, hopefully on Wednesday evenings, and promise to post more than the hokey game or two (which I realize have been the subjects of my last few posts).  I hope to keep posting with more information about the goings-on at the Farm in order to give you a better glimpse into the trials and tribulations of being a small Farm owner...so, check back later in the week for a more Farm-inspired post...but for today, I am leaving you with the long awaited answers to the Refrigerate "game."

Jill, I have to admit that you are correct, based on how the grocery store groups its produce is certainly not random. So, why, then when we get our beautiful tomatoes home, do we refrigerate them?  This (I guess) is okay when you have store-bought tomatoes, which are picked on the vine when they are still green (and which have harder, thicker skins to withstand coast-to-coast delivery).  But, when you have vine-ripe tomatoes, you typically ruin them by putting them in the refrigerator.  The cool, damp refrigerator reduces the flavor, causes mushiness, and in my humble opinion, dries out an otherwise perfectly plush flesh.  If you are going to store your tomatoes for less than a week, then the countertop or windowsill is perfectly fine.  If you plan to store them for more than a week (One Acre Farm's tomatoes are so vine-ripe that if you wait a week to eat them, they may have passed their prime...and who are we kidding, they don't last more than a day or two in my house because they are so fresh that I can eat them plain!), then find a cool, dark place (pantry shelf), or the refrigerator at last resort!

Likewise, potatoes and onions should be stored in a cool, dry place.  Good ventilation is also important.  I have seen baskets in cabinets (or the pantry), but paper bags (reduce, reuse, recycle!) should work just as well.  If the potatoes are kept at a temperature below 40 degrees (F), they develop a sweet taste because the starch turns to sugar.  (I googled it!)  The dark place is key because lengthy exposure to light causes the potatoes to turn green and taste bitter.  Don't throw away your potatoes if they begin to sprout...just trim off the sprouts and enjoy!  At first, I thought Michael was nuts at suggesting this, but I don't want to waste his hard-work, so I have converted into a sprout-cutter, and trust me, they taste just fine!

Now for the basil.  I tend to wrap my basil in a paper towel and store in the refrigerator.  A website that I found recommends layering the basil in damp paper towels in the refrigerator for up to four days.  I also read in the Post (I think it was a Hint from Heloise!!) that all herbs -- including basil -- should be treated like fresh flowers: trim the ends and store in a glass with some water.  Unlike flowers, however, cover the top of the glass (and the herbs) with a plastic bag.  Change the water frequently (this same website says every day).  This will extend the "shelf-life" of your herbs!  For those of you who were encouraged about my pesto tip, I have read a little more into it and it appears that you should do make the basil and oil into a paste and freeze that; don't add the pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese until you are ready to use the paste.

I hope this has been somewhat informative (although, I suppose it is a little "elementary" because I found most of the answers by googling storage tips and information) and I am in no way claiming to be an expert in food storage principles (the lawyer in me comes out!).  If you have any other storage techniques or tips, feel free to share them!

Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?!?!

As promised (albeit over a month ago), here is the next "game" for this week.  Based on your current refrigeration practices, let me know whether these items should be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature:

• Tomatoes (all kinds)

• Onions

• Basil

• Potatoes (all kinds)

If you have any good storing techniques, please feel free to share. 

This week, I also want to share my basil storing "techniques:"

I personally have been having a heck of a time trying to figure out what to do with the mountains of basil Michael brings home.  I decided to take matters into my own hands and have been breaking the leaves off of the stems and "drying" them on a baking sheet in our oven's warming tray on the lowest setting.  If you do not have a warming tray, I would think you could set your oven on low (apprx. 200 degrees) to obtain the same effect.  When the basil is dried out, I crumple the dried leaves over the baking tray and then scoop them into a mason jar for "fresh" dried basil (that is more fragrant -- and probably correspondingly tastier) than the bland dried basil from the grocery store.

Another pointer that I have heard, but admittedly have not used, is making pesto with the basil and then placing the pesto into ice cube trays and freezing them.  Each pesto cube is good for one serving of pasta.  (I will double-check with my Italiano capo on the serving size).

With both of these basil-saving techniques, my eyes light up at the sight of basil, basil and more basil!!

July 13th's What is It?!?

Commenter MegWoody was the closest! The technical name of the "tool" in the photograph is a Water Wheel Transplanter and it is used to transplant seedlings into the soil. This is how it works:

The yellow container is filled with water (and, in our case, fish emulsion, which acts as a natural fertilizer). You load up trays of seedlings that are ready to be transplanted. I say seedlings because they are essentially baby plants that have grown from seeds in trays that are hardy enough to be planted. The trays are held on the racks in front of (and also above) the two chairs in the rear of the Water Wheel Transplanter. The Water Wheel Transplanter gets hitched to the tractor and Michael lines it up with the bed that is ready to be planted with the transplants. The water comes on and the wheel (that has dull, spike-like attachments spaced 12 inches a part) makes indentions in the soil, which then fills with water and the person sitting in the seat places the transplant into the water filled hole. Depending on the plant-type, the transplants are either placed in every indention in the soil (such as tomatoes) while others go in every other indention (i.e. brussels sprouts).

This is by far my personal favorite "tool" at the Farm, as I get to avoid the pain-staking, knee-killing act of planting seedlings by hand!

What Is It?!?!

This item is used with the tractor. Here are several pictures...No guessing if you have been at the Farm when this "tool" was being used and especially no guessing if you have used this "tool" before!!!

Oh the Games We Play...

"What is It!?!?"

This weekend, at the Farm, I remembered a silly game from one of Michael's favorite shows, "Ask This Old House." In the middle of the show, the fellas from the show gather around the workshop with an interesting-looking thing-a-ma-gigy and they all guess what the item is used for.

So, this weekend, I decided to take some pictures of things around the Farm for the readers to guess what the item is used for at the Farm. I think this game will not only be interesting to hear what people think/guess but also informative, as it will hopefully connect you to all the different "items" that go into making your food.

Occasionally, I will post pictures of Farm-related items and open the forum for your posts/guesses as to what the item is used for. I will check back and post the answer a day or two later.

"To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate"

Another "game" that will be featured on this blog is "To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?" Though the subjects of this game are definitely finite, it is my hope that through this "game" you will be able to extend the shelf life of your One Acre Farm produce...as I am sure there are many of you (myself included) that are refrigerating items that can be left at room temperature. Of course, any feedback on the Farm's suggested refrigerating (or not) techniques are welcome in the comments section.

Happy Playing!!

Water, Water Everywhere?!?

It is hot out. You know it, I know it, we all know it. No, we all feel it. I bought a chocolate chip cookie at lunch today and by the time I got back to the office (a five minute drive later), the chocolate morsels were literally melted, as though the cookie just came right out of the oven. That’s hot. But I digress.

The papers all say that we are in the midst of the summer heat wave with temperatures expected to remain high through September. September?!? The thermometer on my car registered yesterday at 106 degrees. I cannot imagine withstanding temperatures like these (or even to a lesser degree) for one more day, let alone two more months!

As I sat in my air conditioned office today, able to adjust the temperature as I see fit, I was left thinking about Michael sitting in his “office:” the unrelenting sun-drenched fields -- the shadiest oak tree nowhere to be found. I can only imagine how he works on days like these and sometimes wonder what it is that drives him to do what he does…Yet again, I digress.

The theme of this post is Water, Water Everywhere?!? Do you remember the last time it rained -- and I mean, really rained? Me neither. Actually, I believe we got a brief downpour last Monday (I recall Michael calling me singing “Hallelujah!”) but it was not enough. Indeed, WAMU reported this morning that local farmers have been experiencing a drought since mid-May. The Post reported that Montgomery County water users were under restricted use last week -- primarily because of a water main shut off -- but it does make you wonder whether further water restrictions will continue to be in place as the dog days of summer move forward.

With the severe lack of water we have experienced this hot spring & summer seasons, I continue to be amazed at the produce that comes home with Michael every distribution day. Eggplant that looks robust, summer squash and zucchini that you can sink your teeth into…you get the idea. I have been to the Farm on many occasions and know that watering the fields is not only a science, but an art. Did you know that the Farm’s sole water source is a well that also supplies the property owner’s home (and her own small vegetable operation, too)? Because we are sharing water with another farming operation, the time for watering is halved (meaning, we have access to water from 9am to 8pm only). During watering hours, the cardinal rule for watering is half-hour on, hour off.

When hand-watering the plants, Michael usually sprays the plant’s leaves first with a gentle mist and then applies direct water to the base of the plant. If the plant is mulched with straw (as the tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, eggplant, onion, garlic, etc.), then you have to nuzzle the nozzle into the straw to really get to the base of the plant…but as Michael explained to me a few weeks ago, the straw really keeps the water trapped for the plant’s continued use. A drip tape irrigation system waters other plants, too.

What will these hot and extremely dry conditions mean for the rest of our crops? It is too early to tell. The farmer cited in the WAMU report noted that his corn crop is usually a foot taller by this time in his previous seasons. Though the Farm’s crops seem to be flourishing, at what rate can they sustain this dry, scorching pace? And what about our fall vegetables? Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are ready to be planted, but require row cover to keep the fatal Brassica-loving pests from destroying the crop. The hot summer sun, however, will trap an enormous amount of heat under the row cover and will likely suffocate the plants. We are hoping that the temperatures break by week’s end so we can get these fall plants into the ground.

While everyone laments the heat wave and its resulting discomfort on our daily lives, just remember that the drought and three digit temperatures are stifling your fresh local vegetables. And, repeat after me: WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE!!

Welcome to One Acre Farm

Hey there! Welcome to the One Acre Farm blog!!

You may be asking yourself "why am I reading this random blog written by my farmer's wife?" Truthfully, I am asking myself that very same question (well, more so asking why would anyone want to read this blog) and figured it would be prudent to set forth a few goals and guiding principles for what I hope this blog will achieve...

First, I would like to use this forum to provide useful, helpful or otherwise interesting information about the goings-on at the Farm. Most people don’t realize the amount of time and back-breaking work that goes into putting food on the proverbial (and in our case, literal) table. Literally, everything that comes to your table from our Farm is a fruit of our (much less so mine and much more so Michael’s) labor. Hopefully, through reading this blog you will learn more about what goes on at the farm, why certain steps are taken and what lessons we have learned through our trials and errors.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, I believe this could be an excellent interactive forum for questions, comments and communications from our members, friends, and family (and some of you are all of the above). I plan to include in my posts recipes or creative uses for our produce and encourage not only comments on these creations but also that you provide your own delicious creations to share with other members of our community.

Third, I hope to utilize this blog to learn more about the importance of eating locally (rather than, and not necessarily, eating organically) and sharing with all of you interesting tidbits that I learn on a daily basis from Michael’s knowledge on a wide spectrum of farm-related topics (i.e. the benefits of using straw as a weed suppressant and for water retention). Which leads me to my fourth and final point (for now)…

One of my biggest goals for this blog is that you are able to learn more about Michael, our Farm, and our experiences as we try to navigate this crazy world of farming in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Those are my goals for now, well -- those and my unabashed hope that I have more than two followers (which I am predicting now will be Michael’s sister and my best friend Rachel -- neither of which are local and thus, neither of which are members of our CSA).

Thank you for joining, and being a part of, our journey. Until next time…