Strawberries

We are excited to be offering U-Pick strawberries to our farm community this year. We raised these berries using Biodynamic farming practices, spraying only compost and medicinal herb teas.  We are learning a lot about the practice of Organic strawberries and why there are so few available in the marketplace.  Organic Strawberry farmers usually get just one year of harvest,  because it is very difficult to keep weeds from taking over. Hand weeding takes a lot of time and labor, which is why most farmers go the conventional route. We have been mulching with straw to keep the weeds down, and the berries clean. We chose the berry varieties for sweetness and resilience, over size.  We think they’re the sweetest berries we’ve tasted! $2.75lb, approximately $4 quart. You can also have us pick them for you, $6.50 quart if you come to the farm.   For more information or to schedule a picking time call, text or email Lucretia.  207-295-5292, milkweedfarm@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @milkweedfarm

 

3rd Farmstead Share

 

In your Farmstead Share this week

Potatoes

Parsley

Carrots

Red Cabbage

Rainbow Chard

Arugula

Kale

Thyme

Kohlrabi

Pasture raised Chicken

Farm Eggs

Bard Owl Creamery Goat Cheese

Wholesome Holmstead Yogurt

Granola

Please remember to bring your own box, bags, or cooler to the farm to pick up your share.  This week, with the extra chicken, there will be a lot of weight.

Tess Hamilton, who lives and works on the farm, will be offering her own homemade bagels to our farm community.  She makes them in small batches and is using our wood fired oven to bake them.  She is making Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic bagels and Sesame, Sea Salt.  You can buy them for $2 a piece or packed in 3 or 6 pack bags, for $5.00 and $10.00 respectively.  My family and I, who are bagel lovers, think these are the best bagels we’ve ever tried, and I think you will too!  To order text Tess at 603-738-2901.  Pick up at the farm, or we can deliver them to MCWS when we bring your farm share on Friday afternoon.  Maine Coast Pick Up at 3pm, under the roof of the Community Hall.  Chickens will be packed in a cooler.

Many of you have asked if we’re raising turkeys this year, and are disappointed to hear that we are not, but we wanted you to know that our friends at Applecreek Farm are raising organic pasture raised Turkeys and still have some to sell.

From Abby,

Apple Creek Farm raises certified organic, pasture raised turkeys that are available FRESH for pick-up on Saturday, November 18 or Tuesday, November 21 at the Brunswick Farmer’s Markets.  For more information info@applecreekfarm.me or call Abby at 948-3022

Follow us on Instagram @milkweedfarm

 

End of Season

Autumn beauty; nigella flowers in all stages.

This coming week will be the final share of our 18 week, Spring to early Fall Farm Shares.   We are feeling relief to have made it these past 4 1/2 months with plenty of food for our farm members, work shares and our family.  The season was challenging, with long periods of no rain, but our crops were mostly strong and resilient.   As we head into this last week of harvest, we begin new tasks as we prepare for our Farmstead Fall Share.  This past week we began harvesting bushels of Heritage Liberty Apples for the share!   This share combines all that we raise for our winter eating; storage crops, hardy greens, roasting chickens, farm eggs, our own Organic and biodynamically raised apples, honey, and Medicinal Herb offerings such as Elderberry Syrup.   You will also receive weekly  yogurt, and cheeses from 3 local cheesemakers.  Bi-weekly you’ll receive our farmstead Granola!   The veggies are abundant and some will last for a good part of your winter, including onions, potatoes, winter squash, carrots and cabbage.   The share is not cheap, but when we’ve calculated what you will receive, it’s a great deal!   You would not be able to shop for all of this for $100 per week.   If you join in the next week, we’ll include a beautiful potted Rosemary plant to keep through the winter for soups and stews and teas.  This is a large Rosemary valued at $50.   Already Joined?  Come and get your Rosemary this week!   Interested?  Contact Lucretia at milkweedfarm@gmail.com. 6 weeks of Farm Bounty for your freezer, medicine chest and pantry for $600.  Vegan Share includes all except meat birds, eggs, and dairy for $375.

Thyme tincture made with Organic Alcohol for the Farmstead Share!

Our Organic Medicinal Seed Packs will be a part of the share this season!

Looking forward, we will soon be posting our 2018 Farm Share Application.  We hope you will continue to support our small, diversified farm.  We’d love your feedback.  Both positive comments, and constructive criticism help us to continue to improve what we do here, and that is our goal each year.   Thanks for your support this season!

Want to see more of the farm?  Follow us on Instagram, @milkweedfarm

 

New Beginnings!

If you’ve noticed an absence of posting lately, I apologize for the silence on this end.   These past two weeks have been full of farming, endings and beginnings, old friends and new.   Our oldest son, Finn, graduated from High School last weekend, his brother Seamus graduated from Middle School and the events and celebrations, while wonderful and bittersweet, made for busy times.   

Our Share season is in full swing now, with 2 weeks behind us and the start of our 3rd share tomorrow.   The June crops are doing well, with an abundance of greens coming your way.   Strawberries are beginning to ripen and small tomatoes are forming on the plants.   It looks like a good year for onions and brassicas! 

If you haven’t signed up for the Wholesome Holmstead Dairy Share there is still space available.   Each week you’ll receive a quart of their delicious yogurt and handmade cheese, with new varieties each week.   You can also opt to order just yogurt or cheese.   Interested?  Email Emily Trenholm emilytrenholm@gmail.com

Here is what we know will be harvested, but there are sure to be surprises!

3rd Farm Share

Arugula

Spinach

Hakurei Turnips or Radish

Napa Cabbage

Kale

Rainbow Chard

Lettuce

Parsley

Want to see more of the farm?  You can follow us on Instagram now @milkweedfarm

Eat Well!

Most years, in early spring, I struggle with feelings of anxiety and self doubt, wondering how I will get through a very long, and sometimes relentless season; never knowing what the year will bring our way.  Last year we were challenged by drought, wind and pests; which made the work harder.  Despite the challenges, my spirits stayed high because of our community and the support and enthusiasm you provided each and every week.  As I dig in this season, I am again buoyed by the kindness and support of our work shares and farm members.

This week we were finally able to till, make beds, spread compost, and crab shell flour (a natural source of calcium).   We were able to plant our early beets, spinach, arugula, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and chard.   We pruned our apple trees and raspberries.   The rains and cool temperatures have been seasonal and welcome.  We are diving in to our work with enthusiasm for a new year.

  For the first time,  Madelyn Sullivan and I will be offering a workshop called Salt of the Earth; A Day of Story, Symbolism, Yoga and Craft.   Madelyn will teach students to make their own beautiful leather sandals.   She has been making sandals for and with people for many years.  She teaches classes in California, Arizona, Colorado and Hawaii.  We are very lucky to have her come all the way to Maine to offer this class.   The day will be full of her stories, yoga, a delicious farm lunch, and much more.   To find out more check out Madelyn’s site  http://www.madelynss.com/classes-1/salt-of-the-earthbrunswick-me   You can also contact me with any questions you may have.  milkweedfarm@gmail.com

We still have farm shares for this season!     To join our community  See our 2017 Milkweed Farm CSA Application for more information

With gratitude,

Lucretia

And, a final parting shot from this week…..

You can follow us on Instagram now!   @milkweedfarm