March 2010: Newsletter and CSA Info

Yes, strange as it seems the fairer season is only seventeen days off. I almost can't remember the trees in their clothes. Their gnarled, naked bodies are getting old. But soon enough they'll be donning their budded underthings and somehow be reborn. Full-on green-garbed modesty will usher in summer and these wet, white fields will be a distant memory. Interesting how the seasons facilitate forgetfulness, and help us get on with our lives. I appreciate the changes after my time in Washington state, where the seasons are pared down to two: the wet, dark one and the too-short dry one. This winter may have been a long one in here in North Carolina, but we have so much to look forward to.

Not the least of which is home-grown goodness! Our greenhouse is growing more lush by the day. The broccoli is already dwarving the four-inch pots they’ve been transplanted into. We got a little overexcited and planted them a bit early back in January. They’re eagerly awaiting their day outside the plastic.

It looks as though we may have the window we need to plant outside by Sunday or Monday if the ground has a chance to dry out. Onions, leeks, kale, beets and some hardier greens will be planted out, followed by a few peach, plum and fig trees later in the week. Lettuces will go out around late-March under row covers to keep temperatures up a bit at night and deter deer.
I had the chance this past weekend to work some of the beds that will soon be planted, incorporating lime, Harmony fertilizer and compost with our BCS walking tractor. It is a wonderfully versatile contraption, great for intensively working smaller plots. The planting beds are getting nice and fluffy.

The barn is coming along nicely as well. The siding, roof and insulation are installed. In addition, we are now heating our house and greenhouse with wood, as the water stove is up and running. Moreover, the well is irrigating our greenhouse, so I now have time to do other things besides water plants. Like plan for our first CSA…

I suppose you all are wondering what our CSA will be. First off, we will have 20 families (or individuals) sign up for the program. After the initial 20 members confirm their membership a waiting list will be formed. Those topping the list will be given an opportunity to sign up if another member withdraws. Here’s what a subscriber can expect to enjoy:

• 22 weeks of fresh, naturally grown vegetables and herbs grown here, by us for you. The season will run from the week of Mother’s Day (May 9th) to the first week of October.
• The weight of the weekly basket will be between 4-8 Lbs depending on the season.
• The opportunity to help out and learn basic skills on the farm (if so
desired)
• A contribution to the local community and ecosystem by supporting a (near) carbon-neutral, low-waste and chemical-free food production system. The health of our water and soil is of utmost importance to us.
• Close proximity to Winston-Salem. We are 3 miles Northwest of Winston-Salem off Reynolda Rd. Scheduled visits are welcome.
• An annual member farm tour/barbeque.
• The peace of mind of knowing the source of your family’s food.

We have valued the above benefits at $650, to be paid upfront. (This works out to less than $30 per week.) Payment received prior to the harvest season ensures your place as a member and ensures we have the resources we need to provide you with the most vibrant and varied produce possible. Please contact me to see the latest 2010 Harvest Calendar.
Harmony Ridge will also offer a ‘Plus’ program. ‘Plus’ members will receive all of the above listed benefits in addition to the following:

• Locally sourced (really) free-range, vegetarian-fed eggs
• Locally sourced pesticide-free honey
• Locally sourced, seasonally available fruits and berries. All fruits will be as naturally grown as we can find.
• Potted herbs for trying on your greenthumbs at home.

We have priced the “CSA Plus” at $875. The added cost of the “Plus” program figures in the logistics of sourcing, including the time we spend picking fruit and traveling to acquire these goodies.

To assure your place in our CSA please email me at harmonyridgefarms@gmail.com or call 336.922.5611 to arrange payment. You are welcome to see our operation before signing on.
A few more notes on the CSA deliveries. We will set our weekly drop-off locations once we know where our members are located. The two delivery locales will be strategically placed to ensure convenience for each member. Members will also have the option of picking up their produce at the farm in Tobaccoville. Those located outside the immediate Winston-Salem area will, however, be asked to travel to one of our drop-off spots. If you cannot meet on a delivery date, please arrange to have your share collected, otherwise we will donate it.

I’m sure there are some details I left out. Please direct any questions to me, Isaac.

Thank you all for your support. We are tremendously grateful for this opportunity to serve our community.

Rising Above the Muck and Snow

An old German saying goes: If the winter is warm, the farmer will be poor. (Yes! Us farmers will be raking it in this year) Of course the old German farmers also said, "If the rooster crows on the manure pile, the weather will change." Tell me who keeps an eye on a manure pile before daybreak.
Yes, it's cold and it's wet. What to do - go inside! The greenhouse, that is. On a sunny day, it's a solid 80 degrees under plastic. Our barn contractor, Jeff, thought I'd gone off the wagon when he caught me sowing cabbage seeds shirtless on Monday. But hey, might as well soak up the rays we've got.
Some of our first seedlings of the year have emerged: broccoli, leeks, cabbages, and various greens including arugula and swiss chard. I've recently moved all our flats to "the big house" now that we have the power of propane on our side. Soon our primary heat source, the wood-burning water stove (pictured left being miraculously lifted by Tony Ball) will be powered up. Tony installed the behemoth; we're just waiting on Duke Power to run us a line. Jeff Holderfeld (standing right of Tony) has designed and is building a beautiful barn. We are quite impressed with the progress that he and his crew have made. I've included pictures documenting the progress below the article. Thanks Jeff!

The use of our irrigation system also hinges on Duke power. (I'm hoping someone that reads this wields some power at Duke.) The lines and pump are installed, just waiting to go to work for us. On a sunny day I'm practically camped out in the greenhouse with a backpack sprayer strapped to my back. The soil surface drys out pretty quick when it's so warm, which could prolong seedling germination. So I water. It's kind of like babysitting but without the whining. Another reason I enjoy working with plants. Just kidding - about the kids.

I'm putting the polish on the first newsletter. All of you that have expressed interest should receive it in the next day or two. If you or a friend are not already on the listserve and would like to be please let me know at harmonyridgefarms@gmail.com. Also, we are open to any requests regarding seed purchase. If there's a unique edible you'd like us to grow, we'll do our best (within reason). We'll have a harvest calendar posted soon as well, so those of you wishing to purchase produce will know what we'll have available and when.
Thanks you all for your support and encouragement. Hang in there, Spring is just around the corner. Ha!


"The Grove" pictured pre-barn.

Photos 11.09 - 1.10

December/Early January Happenings

I thought I'd drop a note to all you hanging on pins and needles waiting to find out more. Is that how the expression goes? I doubt it. Anyway, as any of you know that have gone outside lately, it's cold. The blueberries got planted over the course of a whirlwind Saturday in early December. Since then they've been hammered by frigid temps and bone-chilling wind. I do believe the roots were given ample time to establish though, and thus should weather the snap. Progress otherwise has been slow but steady. The greenhouse tables are up and waiting to grow something (as pictured above). Greenhouse production will begin around mid-February. Our irrigation and heat systems are in the making. The heater situated above the door will be an auxiliary heater powered by propane. Our main heat source will be a 1000 gallon wood-burning water boiler which will heat our home, greenhouse and barn. If all goes as planned, this will allow us to grow in the greenhouse all winter long next year, effectively making us a four-season farm. And fossil-fuel free! So we've been thinning out some unhealthy trees in our woodlot for future fuel. In the process, we were able to establish two more planting beds along the forest's edge for raspberry and elderberry production.
We are continuing the soil-building process on our fields and will be turning over an additional quarter of an acre of botttomland for added vegetable production space. (As soon as the ground thaws and clear skies give us the window we need.)
I'm in the process of gathering e-mails for our listserve. I'll be sending out e-newsletters and CSA info beginning February. If you're interested in receiving communications please drop me a note at harmonyridgefarms@gmail.com. Thanks and happy gardening!

Laying the Groundwork, Late Summer, Fall 2009

Progress on an organic farm, at least in the beginning is not always apparent. Some of the most important changes are taking place at or below ground level. Soil amendments and composts catalyze microbial activity and build soil tilth. Cover crops fix nitrogen, crowd out weeds and aerate the soil, while bringing important micronutrients up from the depths.

A good portion of our work since our inception in late August has been to build up the soil quality. This is a slow process, but one worth waiting for. Instead of depleting the soil over time by feeding crops we will increase soil fertility over time by feeding the soil. Increasing levels of organic matter increases the soil's holding capacity of nutrients and water, while also increasing it's friability, so the plants produce more with less effort. Although production may not be as great the first year or two on an organic farm, the abundance accumulates over time, until a mostly self-sustaining system takes hold, wherein less inputs are needed to produce more food. This is the idea anyway:)

So we've shoveled lots of doo. In fact, when all said and done, we'll have moved around 30-35 tons of composted horse manure from the farm next door and incorporated it onto our plots. This in addition to a ton of greensand, a ton of rock phosphate and a couple tons of lime. (Not to mention cover crops, which will be incorporated as added organic matter in early Spring.)

This soil-building work has been spread out over the last 4 months. There have been some other projects in the making... We've erected 2 greenhouses (one small 12' x 14' that my grandpa and I built and another larger 48' x 30' house built by Puckett Greenhouses of VA) and will be building a barn with the help of Jeff Holderfield of Mount Airy. Our friend Tony Ball of TB Grading has done some nice work "leveling the playing field," allowing us to build these structures. In the process a few mature trees needed to be removed (much to my chagrin), so we've also had a good bit of tree work on our hands. What a job! The upside has been all the firewood.

In early October I worked with my neighbor Fernando of Shangri-la Farms on rebuilding fencing. They are a horse farm and graze their mares on our property. In order to keep the horses on the property while also make space for planting and building we needed to reorganize. We were able to salvage a lot of material from the old fence and finished the job in a few days time. All that pounding and digging was worth it when I think about all that extra grass I'd need to mow if the horses weren't around. Not to mention the relaxed energy and beauty they bring to the farm.

November also brought our first food crop planting: garlic. We're trying out mainly softneck varieties, but we threw in some hardnecks and elephants for good measure. The elephant garlic stock I got from Brad Owen of Clove County Farm in Lexington - an interesting operation worth checking out.

This weekend brings blueberries! We purchased 300 plants this week from Finch Nursery of Bailey, NC which we'll be planting tomorrow (Saturday the 12th). My mouth waters thinking about all those little blue wonders.

So now that I'm caught up on reporting the goings-on around here, I intend to keep you all informed on a more regular basis. Hold me to it!

P.S. The picture I provided is what will be our main vegetable field(now planted in rye), wherein I've plopped the logo design I've been working on - let me know what you think...

The Sunny Raw Kitchen: Sunny Raw Kitchen Tour Adventures - The Carolinas

The Sunny Raw Kitchen: Sunny Raw Kitchen Tour Adventures - The Carolinas

Mission

Harmony Ridge Farms is a burgeoning organic fruit and vegetable farm set in the rolling hills of Tobaccoville, NC. Our intention is to honor the land, to connect community and enjoy the fruits of our labors. We will honor the land by enriching the soil and increasing biodiversity while co-creating with Nature. The food we grow will be nutrient-rich and grown from organic and heirloom seed stock whenever possible. Mindful cultural practices and biological-based preparations will guide our approach to pest management. We will connect community by providing a source for local, nutritious food close to home, by spreading the joy of growth and sharing the wisdom of responsible stewardship.