Happenings

Horn Farm Happenings – October 12

On October 26,  join us in the summer kitchen for Offal: Tongue, Brains, and More! Learn to prepare brains, heart, and tongue just in time for All Hallows’ Eve! Find out for yourself just how amazing these weird bits can be! Offal may sound bizarre, but in fact it is an important part of sustainable eating. Space is limited, so register today!


What is regenerative agriculture? In week three of this 12 part series, we’ll consider this indicator of an ecologically healthy farm system: increasing soil quality and quantity.  Soil is the basic infrastructure on which most of life depends. Only plants, fungi, microbes, animals, and insects can build this infrastructure. Our role is to create the correct conditions so they can do their jobs. This includes eliminating the use of pesticides and herbicides, keeping living root systems intact, keeping the soil covered, and preventing erosion. Check out Understanding Soil Health and Watershed Function for more details.soil food web diagram from NRCS


Our relationship with food was once, and arguably should always remain, one of our deepest connections with the biotic community, for it ultimately determines what kind of fellow beings we are. At this crossroads in the earliest 21st century, we face a revolution of no small proportions in how our food and fiber will be produced and at what economic, social, and biological costs. Our society will determine, through policies and purchasing habits, through personal and communal commitments, what landscapes we support and what species remain on them. –Daniel Imhoff, Farming with the Wild


CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
Potatoes
Kale
Sweet Peppers
Hot peppers
Green beans
Scallions
Onions
Garlic
Summer squash
Winter squash – Delicata
Beets
Leeks
Mint


Upcoming events:
October 13 – Foraging: Wild Soup
October 14 – Harvest Festival & Annual Open House
October 16 – Bread Baking Basics
October 26 – Offal: Tongue, Brains, and More!
November 17 – Bread Baking Full Day Workshop
November 17 – Foraging: Roots
December 8 – Foraging: Winter

See you at the farm!

Horn Farm Happenings – October 5

Our friends Johann of Fields Without Fences and Jared of Wild Ridge Plants traveled from New Jersey to check out our regenerative agriculture projects.We toured the fields, stream corridors, and woods talking about the best ways to interact with the land for  our mutual benefit. In this photo, Wilson explains the design and construction of a lean-to check dam, which is our best performing design for preventing sediment of all sizes from moving downstream. Our goal is no loss of soil from the farm.

What is regenerative agriculture? In week two of this 12 part series, we’ll consider this indicator of an ecologically healthy farm system: decreasing dependence on external inputs. As we design different operations of the farm, we keep in mind ways to reduce the materials and services we purchase. Some examples of things include compost (we could make our own), plant stakes (we could grow our own), seeds (we could save our own), potting soil (we could make our own), electricity, propane, diesel, and gasoline. By redesigning and replanting certain areas we can reduce our need for lawn mowing. By building a composting toilet system we can eliminate porta-potty maintenance. What other things or services could we provide for ourselves?


Interested in beekeeping and don’t know where to begin? Join us for Beekeeping for Bee-ginners! This two-hour class on October 11 is an introduction to the fundamentals of keeping bees. You’ll gain an understanding of honeybee biology, basic beekeeping practices, and guidance on how to start keeping bees. There are only three spots left, so register today!
The smoking equipment used by our beekeepers.


We harvested two raised beds of sweet potatoes this week. After harvest, one was planted with spinach which will over winter and be ready for harvest early next year.  In the second bed, we’d originally planned to plant garlic, but realized that we’d have to cover the bed with row cover early next year to prevent the allium leaf miner from laying eggs on the garlic. The hoops and row cover are too short to protect the combined height of the garlic plus raised bed, so the garlic will get planted in a flat part of the farm. Once the sweet potatoes cure, they will be distributed to CSA shareholders.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
Potatoes
Kale
Sweet Peppers
Hot peppers
Green beans
Scallions
Onions
Garlic
Summer squash
Winter squash
Mixed mints


Upcoming events:
October 7 – Children’s Discovery Series: Let’s Bee Friends
October 11 – Beekeeping for Bee-ginners
October 13 – Foraging: Wild Soup
October 14 – Harvest Festival & Annual Open House
October 16 – Bread Baking Basics
October 26 – Offal: Tongue, Brains, and More!
October 20, 21 – Wilderness Skills Overnight Immersion
November 17 – Bread Baking Full Day Workshop
November 17 – Foraging: Roots
December 8 – Foraging: Winter

See you at the farm!

Horn Farm Happenings – September 28

Horn Farm CSA fields 2018

What is regenerative agriculture? A short answer to the question is that we grow food using methods that leave the soil and water in better health than how we found it. A longer answer would include looking at these indicators of an ecologically healthy farm system:

  • Decreasing signs of degradation or resource losses
  • Decreasing dependence on external inputs
  • Increasing soil quality/quantity
  • Increasing water quality/quantity
  • Increasing nutrient cycling
  • Increasing landscape diversity
  • Increasing crop and animal diversity
  • Increasing genetic diversity
  • Increasing plant health
  • Increasing levels of food self-sufficiency
  • Increasing flows between farm components
  • Increasing resilience to external disturbances

In the next 12 weeks, we will cover some of the basics of each of these indicators. You’ll notice some overlap because, well, it’s all connected. That’s the point! Each field or crop or stream or tree or animal or person or bee doesn’t exist in isolation but is part of a whole. It’s our job as land stewards to weave the strands of the ecosystem back together.

mulched rowsExamples of degradation or resource loss on the farm include soil erosion, water runoff, loss of biohabitat (suitable places for a variety of bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals to live), loss of biodiversity–directly connected to loss of biohabitat, but also related to planting too much of one thing, the planting of identical seed (clones) rather than seed of rich genetic diversity.

Invisible yet extremely important is the health of the microbial life at the root level of plants. This living network in the soil is absolutely necessary for plants to join the powers of the sun and water through photosynthesis. For this soil sponge to exist, it requires living plant roots and for the soil to be protected from the sun. Have you ever notice how quickly ‘weeds’ pop up to protect bare soil? That’s by design–nature’s design. These pioneer species are what we referred to a few weeks ago as the ‘first responders’ They arrive on the scene to bandage the damage. This is why we keep the soil covered with living plants when possible and with mulch when it’s not.

farm intern kelsey 2018

photos above by Michelle Johnsen

Another loss is the direct connection between human beings and the living earth. As you know, and science has proven, touching rich, healthy soil with your feet or hands positively affects your mood and stress level. People are regularly transformed by a day at the farm working in the fields or in the woods. We hope you’ll join us! Plan to visit the farm during our free annual Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 14 from 2 to 4, or contact us about setting up a time to volunteer.


Interested in beekeeping and don’t know where to begin? Join us for Beekeeping for Bee-ginners! This two-hour class on October 11 is an introduction to the fundamentals of keeping bees. You’ll gain an understanding of honeybee biology, basic beekeeping practices, and guidance on how to start keeping bees.The smoking equipment used by our beekeepers.


Maybe you’re an archer who loves hunting with a bow and arrow. Maybe you’re a woodworker who would love to learn a new skill. Or maybe you’re someone passionate about learning techniques for survival and self reliant living. Whatever the reason, this is your chance to learn how to make hunting-quality, wooden bow and arrows from scratch with your own two hands. You will leave with your own finished bow! This four-day workshop starts in October. Check out Bowmaking!
bowmaking


CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
Potatoes
Kale
Sweet Peppers
Hot peppers
Green beans
Scallions
Onions
Garlic
Summer squash
Winter squash
Mixed herbs

butternut-squash-steaks-with-brown-butter-sage-sauceWe are looking forward to trying this recipe: Squash Steaks with Brown Butter and Sage. Enjoy!


Upcoming events:
September 29 – Primitive Butchering and Cooking
September 30 – Children’s Discovery Series: The Compassion Project
October 6, 7, 13, 14 – Bowmaking
October 7 – Children’s Discovery Series: Let’s Bee Friends
October 11 – Beekeeping for Bee-ginners
October 13 – Foraging: Wild Soup
October 14 – Harvest Festival & Annual Open House
October 16 – Bread Baking Basics
October 26 – Offal: Tongue, Brains, and More!
October 20, 21 – Wilderness Skills Overnight Immersion
November 17 – Bread Baking Full Day Workshop
November 17 – Foraging: Roots
December 8 – Foraging: Winter

See you at the farm!