Working on the farm this week was especially satisfying because of the bright sunshine and cool weather. We harvested sunchokes otherwise know as Jerusalem artichokes. Sunchokes are the edible tuber of a species of sunflower native to eastern North America. Check out these recipes for sunchokes roasted, pickled, puréed, or made into chips. Our CSA members will get sunchokes in their vegetable share. We will also have them available in our online farmstand.
While harvesting sunchokes, we discovered a patch of pawpaw seedlings! Apparently the pawpaw seeds we tossed into the field last fall took root and sprouted. We were so excited, that we took the time to plant them in pots. Hopefully, they will over winter and we will plant them in the spring.
Monday marked week one of the 25 week long Woodland Steward Training. Armed with simple tools: axe, saw, hoe, and loppers, interns Josh, Kelsey, Heather, and Andrew will immerse themselves in learning biology, ecology, and restoration design while their labor helps to regenerate the Horn Farm landscape. Welcome!
What is regenerative agriculture? In week four of this 12 part series, we’ll consider this indicator of an ecologically healthy farm system: increasing water quality and quantity. A healthy landscape stores and filters water, cools the surrounding atmosphere, creates mist and clouds, and prevents flooding and drought. Complex systems involving all kingdoms of life are responsible for the water cycle on land. As we weave the woods and streams back into the farm, we are adding structures like check dams. The check dams slow the velocity of water flow so that erosion is reduced or eliminated.
As we layout the stream side planting, we are planting trees on contour to help slow, spread, and sink rain the falls on the fields.
We are always thinking of ways to restore healthy water cycles on the farm. This allows us to be resilient in the face of future floods and drought. Our water stewardship also affects everyone downstream. We take great care to make choices which make us good neighbors.
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
Potatoes
Kale
Sweet peppers
Hot peppers
Onions
Garlic
Winter squash – Acorn & Butternut
Beets
Sweet potatoes
Sunchokes
Leeks
Parsley
Sage
Upcoming events:
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!