Horn Farm Happenings – December 7
photo: Michelle Johnsen
2019 Horn Farm CSA registration is open! Early bird discount through January 31.
What is a CSA? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. In the CSA model, members of the community pledge support to a farm, with the grower and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. The consumer (shareholder) pays a fee at the beginning of the season in exchange for a regular, weekly share of the harvest. The farmer benefits from the financial support at the beginning of the season and the shareholders benefit from knowing they have a reliable, weekly supply of fresh, seasonal, chemical-free produce. The shareholder understands that the unpredictability of weather, pest problems, and other factors may result in some crops being bountiful while others may suffer setbacks. The CSA model is a relationship connecting the land, the grower, and consumer thereby putting us in closer touch with each other and the land which sustains us.
What’s in the shares?
Crops included in the shares will vary as different things come in and out of season, with the early season shares tending to be smaller and then rising as more crops come into their peak.
We have the following items on our growing schedule this year: Arugula, Basil, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cantaloupe, Celery, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Dill, Eggplant, Garlic, Green Onions & Bulb Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Peas, Peppers (Hot & Sweet), Potatoes, Radishes, Spinach, Squash (Summer & Winter), Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon, various herbs, and more.
The CSA season lasts 22 weeks beginning in late May or early June until October or early November. Shares are available for pick up on Tuesdays at the Horn Farm from 2:30-6:30 PM. For more information: Horn Farm CSA.
We’re wrapping up 2018 and looking forward to 2019! We’ve put the first class on the calendar: Introduction to Lacto-Fermentation, which takes place Saturday, February 9, 2019. Usually food preservation happens BEFORE the lean times of winter, but this intro course will prep you for the upcoming bountiful harvests of the spring and summer seasons as well as help get your palate through the rest of those bland winter doldrums with the creation of a zesty and healthful side dish/condiment.
Lacto-fermentation is the ancient art of preserving vegetables using salt. The use of salt in an anaerobic environment inhibits pathogenic bacterial growth and allows only the lactic acid bacteria to thrive, converting natural sugars of vegetables into zingy, tangy, sour, umami!
This is an interactive workshop geared for the newbie fermenter and will begin by priming your palette with SAMPLES of some recent fermentations made by the facilitators whilst discussing the health benefits of lacto-fermented foods. Click here for more information and to register. This class takes place in our historic summer kitchen, so space is limited to 14 participants.
What is regenerative agriculture? In week 11 of this 12 part series, we’ll consider this indicator of an ecologically healthy farm system: increasing flows between farm components. Examples include directing rainwater from the barn roofs to the pond used for irrigation, improving the ecological health of the woods and hedgerows increases habitat for beneficial birds and insects, using overgrown vines and shrubs as wildlife stacks or fuel for biochar.
Upcoming events:
December 8 – Foraging: Winter
2019 Regenerative Farming Internship
2019 Foraging Intensive
February 9 – Introduction to Lacto-Fermentation
March 23 – Wilderness Skills: Nature Awareness & Observation
March 30 – Wilderness Skills: Shelter & Water
April 13 – Wilderness Skills: Fire
April 20 – Wilderness Skills: Food, Foraging, Hunting & Trapping
April 27 – Wilderness Skills: Advanced Hunting Techniques
See you at the farm!