Will Heal Farm is a located in Oak Grove, Minnesota.
Thank you all for supporting our farm this year!!!
Additional items for sale
Pickles- quart $5.50
pint $3.50
return the jar and get $.50 back
Composting Red Worms $20 a pound
We have compost tea for sale.
Compost tea is a live liquid soil amendment and fertilizer. It must be used within a day or so after you get it, your house plants/garden will love you for it. Pour it right on the soil or spray on plant foliage, can be used as is full strength or you can dilute it to cover more area. One gallon is $8 or a 4 gallon bucket is $20.
Many thanks to all the willing workers that help bring in the harvest and pull weeds!! This is the Tuesday crew harvesting salad greens.
7-22-08
7-22-08
A few large Brandy Wine tomatoes
10-2-07
8-11-07
7-10-07
10-6-08
Thank you all for supporting our farm this year!
We had a great season!!!
We will finish off the season with winter squash, potato, carrots, beets, garlic or onion, collard cooking greens, rutabaga or turnips, maybe some broccoli, and tomatoes.
Unfortunately the winter squash did not do well this year but every one should get at least one, we are also very close on garlic and onions so you will get one or the other.
Please make sure to return the green earthwise bags, we would like to use these again next year.
9-22-08
The warm weather bringing in fall has been great. No major frost as of yet, beans, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes are still producing. They have slowed down a bit but until we get a frost they should keep going. Last week the cooking greens were swiss chard. This week kale/ pac choi/broccoli raab, potatoes, carrots, beans, onions, garlic, zucchini or yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, orange or paste or brandy wine tomatoes, basil, maybe cucumber or broccoli.
The pumpkins started out looking great earlier this year and basically flopped, I thought I was giving them enough water but what ever the reason there are very few pumpkins out in the patch.
9-8-08
We are in the last month of our CSA season and most things are still abundant. We started the season a week late this year and an early frost will determine wether or not we add that lost week on to the end.
We still have extra paste and cherry tomatoes any one interested?
This weeks share; garlic, potatoes, beets, beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, brandy wine or orange tomatoes, salad or cooking greens, garlic chives, a small sprig of fresh rosemary.
8-25-08
In the share this week; cabbage, corn, potatoes, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, beans, cherry tomatoes, brandy wine tomato, orange tomato, summer savory or cilantro.
In the coming weeks; beets, onion, bell pepper and garlic.
We have an abundance of tomatoes and will be selling the extras. If you would like some let me know the cherry and brandy wine toms are $2.50 lb for share holders and the paste toms are $2lb.
8-18-08
In the share this week; corn, potatoes, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, beans, cherry tomatoes, brandy wine tomato, orange tomato, basil, salad or cooking greens, maybe some broccoli.
We only had enough of the St. Valery carrots last week for about half of the shares, sorry if you didn't get any, mostly the Friday people. A couple of gophers did some damage in that area and took more of the carrots than I had thought. They also got some onions, but those gophers won't be a problem any more. The bell peppers are looking really nice and more should be ready in the coming weeks. We also have a few hot peppers this year, anaheim and thai dragon, though I won't give them out unless you let me know you would like a few.
Compost tea for sale. Compost tea is a live liquid soil amendment and fertilizer. It must be used within a day or so after you get it, your house plants/garden will love you for it, one gallon is $8 or a 4 gallon bucket for $20.
I will be at the state fair on Friday evening the 22nd working the Minnesota Grown booth from 5-9pm, stop by and say hi if you will be there.
8-11-08
Middle of August already, what happened to July? The ears on the corn are starting to show and after testing a few it will be at least another week. The broccoli is starting to show a few decent size heads and the cabbage is looking great. Potatoes will be ready next week, the Garlic has been harvested and is drying. The carrots this week are a heirloom variety called St Valery, they are a little longer and not as fat, let me know what you think of their flavor compared to the Scarlet Nantes that I have been giving out so far. A quote from seeds of change describing St. Valery carrots "Touted for its complex flavor without a hint of bitterness, although not as sweet as most Chantenay and Nantes types. Especially high in free arginine, an essential amino acid that contributes to the health of the circulatory system." A few kitchen herbs like parsley and thyme did not germinate for me this year. The rosemary is growing slowly and I hope to hand out a little to every one at some point. There is a lot of basil left so I will give out more of that in the coming weeks and it looks like more Cilantro will be ready in the coming weeks also.
In the share this week; carrots, radish, zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, brandy wine tomato, orange tomato, cucumber, garlic chives, beans or broccoli, salad or cooking greens.
7-28-08
The beans are starting to produce and we have three varieties this year, Italian flat bean, Blue Lake green beans, and Royal Burgundy beans. The Italian flat beans are very large, lightly steamed or stir fried they are very tasty. The Royal Burgundy beans will turn green soon after they are cooked. I will mix all three varieties but at times you might get more of one or another. The beets are gone for now though more have been planted.
In the share this week; carrots, beans or peas, zucchini, yellow summer squash, cherry tomatoes, salad greens, cooking greens, brandy wine tomato or paste tomato or orange slicing tomato, broccoli or cucumber for some, the herb will be summer savory. Summer savory goes well with a meat dish, add some to your baked chicken or pork chop marinade. Try it with a baked potato chopped up very fine, it won't take much to add a lot of flavor.
7-21-08
Here come the summer veggies! Cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow summer squash, carrots, beets, broccoli, kale, peas, garlic chives and thai basil. If you didn't get beets last week you will this week, also the beet greens are great cooking greens, use like spinach. I have a lot of broccoli planted but it has been producing smaller heads than I would like, probably due to the hot weather, though more to come. Italian flat beans are starting so show along with a few cucumbers. A few brandy wine tomatoes have been taste tested, by yours truly and they are the best, it won't be long now!
7-14-08
In the share this week, carrots, beets, zucchini and/or yellow squash winter onion tops, broccoli peas, cherry tomatoes, salad greens and basil. If your salad greens have a lot of dirt on them it is because the hard rains splash dirt up on the leaves. It is ideal to store salad greens as dry as possible in the fridge that is why I usually just package them as they are so they aren't soaking wet. If the salad greens are getting too bitter, let me know, some are starting to bolt and I have been replanting over the last few weeks but as the summer heats up salad greens usually get bitter and tough. Cooking greens like kale, chard, broccoli-raab, pac choi and collard greens will replace the lettuce if it is no longer tasty.
Cucumbers, beans and summer savory should be coming in the following weeks.
7-7-08
I will do my best to update this newsletter on Monday evenings so that you can have an idea of what to expect for the coming week. In the share this week salad greens, onion chives, radishes, zucchini, broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes, dill. The cherry tomatoes, broccoli and peas might not be in your share every week due to limited quantities at this time. I keep track and rotate who gets what so that everyone will get a little of everything. The broccoli is not all ready at the same time and the peas are not abundant enough. The recipes from Angelic Organics are back, they moved things around so I had to republish the links, it might take me a while to get them all but eventually they will all be available. Some of the wild edibles are past their prime some are still enjoyable so if you would like them in your share let me know as I will not include them otherwise.
In the coming weeks; carrots, beets, yellow summer squash - maybe beans and cucumbers.
7-1-08
Garlic scapes are the seed head of garlic that we remove so the plant will put it energy into the bulb, they are the curled up chive looking items in your share this week. Use them just like you would garlic. Unfortunatly the second and third planting of spinach pretty muched failed, the radishes are gone for now and the shares will seem small until the heat loving summer veggies are ready. The peas are doing alright and ther are two different kinds, shelling peas and snow peas, the latter have tender edible pods. Zucchini is blooming and the cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen. The bunch of fragrant herbs in your share this week is fresh basil.
6-25-08
Not much change in the share this week, the rhubarb is recovering after intensive harvesting over the last two weeks, I hope you enjoyed that spring treat. The bugs are starting to make there presence known especially potato beetles that can devour a large potato bush in just a few days. I'm sure you have noticed the nibbles taken out of the cooking greens and radishes, we all have to share a little with nature. The deer have been enjoying the young cucumber shoots and beans and though I have replanted over the last few weeks they will be well behind. This could just be the year of the tomato for us as the first cherry tomatoes are ripening as you read. Sorry about the recipe links from Angelic Organics most are no longer available, I am still trying to figure out if they will offer those again this season. In the coming weeks garlic scapes, peas, broccoli and basil along with salad greens.
6-16-08
This week your share will contain; rhubarb, pac choi, lambs quarters, radishes, onion chives, mixed salad greens, cilantro and dill. These cool nights lately are great for spring greens and peas but tomatoes, beans, squash and cucumbers are waiting for the warm nights of summer.
5-15-08
Spring is finally here! Even though it has been cold this spring the rain has been very nice and helpful in sprouting the hundreds of seeds that have been planted over the last month. Things are looking good here at the farm and the tomatoes that were started back in the cold month of February are starting to flower. Potatoes and garlic have pushed their way up out of the ground and it won't be long before the ground is covered with a blanket of green.
4-21-08
Thank you all who made it to the soil building workshop for a successful day!!
4-7-08
Winter just won't let go so far this year. After snow showers this morning I was able to get some areas prepped for planting though the extra moisture should help things to sprout right up after a few sunny days. The tomatoes and peppers that were started a month ago are starting to take off. I plan to get spring greens, onions, peas, spinach and carrots planted this week as long as the weather cooperates, come on spring!!
2-21-08
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Here are some recipes that we enjoy.
Basic cooking instructions for greens
- Saute garlic and or onion in olive oil or butter until lightly browned
- Add well washed greens and a little water to steam
- A dash of red wine or balsamic vinegar
- or your favorite seasoning
2. Cook rice following the normal directions
- Near the end of the normal cooking time (usually 45 minutes to an hour) pile washed greens on top and cover tightly. - Let sit for at least five minutes - Top with peanut sauce and green onions and you have a one pot meal!
Pickled Beets:
This recipe was enjoyed at last years end of the season party, thanks Chris for sharing it with us!
Prepare beets: Clean beets leaving about 1 inch of stems. Wash thoroughly. Place beets in canning kettle and add just enough water to cover them. Boil until fork will just penetrate beet (do not cook to long, beets will become mushy). Remove from water (save water for brine) and cool beets enough to peel, removing stem as well. Cut up into pint jars and set aside. Cook enough beets to fill 11 pints.
Brine:
4 cups sugar 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups vinegar 1 teas. ground cloves
2 cups beet water 1 teas. whole allspice
2 teas. canning salt (salt without iodine)
Mix all brine ingredients and bring to boil. Cook approx. 5 minutes until sugar dissolves. Pour over beets in the jars leaving 1/2 inch head space, place lids and rings and process in hot water bath for 20 minutes after water starts to boil. Remove carefully and set on newspaper or towel to cool. Can be eaten same day but get better after setting a few days.
Many thanks to Angelic Organics for offering to share recipes from Farmer Johns cook book, The Real Dirt on Vegetables.
