Local Foods Connections

It’s a bit more than chilly out. Snowflakes are drifting from a clouded sky past my face and sticking to my glasses like miniature ice fairies. But they don’t last long against my steaming breath. It’s February, and I’m out in the garden harvesting carrots.

Yes, you read that right. I’m harvesting carrots. Late last fall, just before the big freeze, I had strapped on a head lamp against the darkening evening and covered the two remaining beds of mature carrots in old hay. Since then, the snows have drifted over, and even now I march out there with a scoop shovel and a harvest fork to pay a visit. Underneath the snow and the hay, the ground remains moist and soft. That means I’m still pulling out fresh, crisp, and delightfully sweet carrots whose flavor is actually enhanced by the chilliness of overwintering in cool soils.

In the aquaponics greenhouse that sits right next to Farmstead Creamery, it’s warm and even a little steamy when the sun is shining. Four large bubbling tanks full of tilapia fish that splash as I pass by stand sentry next to the grow rafts, beds, trays, and pots beyond. Armed with a small army of bins, I’m pulling out succulent heads of lettuce, crisp baby box choy, our classic tender kale, and all kinds of fresh herbs. My hands smell pungent of mustard greens, mint, and basil.

From the basement, I’m still hauling boxes of rotund red and gold potatoes, dusted with garden sand and silt. They pile with dull thuds into the sink—bath-time for the spuds so they can look all nice and pretty. There’s also onions ready in a bin, frozen local berries stuffed into bags, and brown and blue-shelled eggs packed into cartons.

Why all this preparation? Because I’m getting ready for farmer’s market!

“What?” you ask. “A Farmer’s Market in February?”

Yes! One of our exciting projects for this year is partnering with Northlakes Community Clinic of Hayward (turn right after the automatic doors at the hospital entrance) to increase the accessibility of fresh, local fruits and vegetables (as well as eggs, cheeses, and meats) for the community. With events coordinator Linda Rise, we’re bringing the goodness of our farm (and select items from the 20 partner farms we work with) right into Hayward.

The market is held on the first and third Thursday of each month—next market date is Feb. 18th—from 10 am to 2 pm. From storage crops from the garden, frozen fruits saved up from summer’s goodness, and the year-round fresh greens from our aquaponics greenhouse, it’s a real treat to share the harvest with those hearty folks of the area who stay through the winter.

But the farmer’s market isn’t just for wintertime—we’ll be offering the first and third Thursdays event throughout the year (moving outdoors when the weather permits). If eating more fruits and vegetables or making a point to source more of your food locally is part of your 2016 goals, then we hope to see you at the market.

Last year, when we were invited to participate in a one-day market event with the clinic in September, the response was so overwhelming and positive that we felt compelled to keep the momentum going. This was a new way to reach the “Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to make it out to the farm” folks who meant well but just didn’t have enough time. After a few pilot-project days in November and December, we received the green light from administration to carry the initiative forward through the year. It was very generous of Northlakes Community Clinic to agree to host us!

An important part of our mission on the farm is to increase the availability of and access to fresh, local foods grown with integrity. What we eat is an incredibly important part of our health—it’s the building blocks our body uses to function, regenerate, heal, and maintain. Local foods have traveled significantly fewer miles to reach your plate (I literally picked all those greens the day before the market), which means they’ve retained more of their vitamins and nutrition than produce trucked in from half a continent (or more) away.

Also, by buying fresh foods right from the producer, you can learn about the farmer’s practices—no “greenwashed” labeling between you and what is actually happening in the field. I’m there at every market, happy to explain aquaponics or how we raise our animals. This offers a direct connection with your food source that is so lacking in the modern supermarket.

Folks who are already coming to the market are noticing the local foods difference. Those hand-dug carrots can sell out quickly!

“Why are you buying those carrots?” one shopper asked another at the last market. “What makes them special from carrots in the store?”

“Because they taste REALLY carroty! And they’re so sweet.”

And those fresh greens? People tell me, a whole two weeks later, that they’re still working on the head of lettuce they bought last time, and it’s doing great! They love that there’s so little waste, and they enjoy the intense flavors, diversity of colors, and tenderness of the aquaponics produce. And those fresh herbs? They make the whole table smell great! New this last week were sweet pea micro greens, which are tender young pea plants that have a nice delicate crunch and taste like a pea pod! What a treat in February!

We also bring apples and blueberries from Bayfield, grassfed beef from the Shumans, raspberries from Bashaw Valley, fish from Lake Superior, cheese from the Wi Sheep Dairy Co-op and Happy Hollow Creamery, as well as our lamb, pork, and tilapia. And of course there’s those colorful chicken eggs, and large white duck eggs. Have you ever tried a fried duck egg? They’re my favorite, all rich and creamy, and high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Talking about all this bounty of great local foods is making me hungry. Goodness, this sure is the tough part about running a farm—all the good food (grin). Well, I hope you can come and check it out at the new farmer’s market on first and third Thursdays. Or maybe I’ll see you down on the farm sometime.