BGF News - May 2019-Vol. XLI, No.7

BGF News - May 2019-Vol. XLI, No.7

This morning's view 5/19/19

What’s up on the farm?

The crew planting potatoes

Precipitation in the past month: Rain: 3.35"

May is a crazy time on the farm. There is so much going on that we meet ourselves coming and going. The farmers market season is in full swing and everything is full speed ahead...as long as the weather cooperates. The late, mostly cool spring has us behind about two weeks for bed prep and planting, but we are making progress.  We are extra lucky this year that our full crew has returned. They are amazing workers and a great group of women so that definitely makes things easier. So far this month we've planted: potatoes, onions, leeks, shallots, head lettuce, kale, chard and cauliflower in the field. The seeds we planted last month are growing, though slowly due to the cool temps and those have been cultivated. We also got the first high tunnel cleared of winter crops and planted with basil, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. The shelves that line that tunnel are also loaded with all of the transplants that are waiting to move out to the field when the temperatures warm back up. The forecast for this week makes me glad that we don't have them outside yet!

In addition to our regular activities this past week we also had our annual inspection for our "Certified Naturally Grown" certification,  shelled the last of the popcorn, harvested nearly 400 lbs of asparagus and delivered some of it to area shops and restaurants, made jam and had our annual alpaca shearing. It was quite a week! The coming two weeks look to be a similar race and then we are on to the next big thing...

2019 CSA deliveries begin Tuesday, June 4th!

This will be the last monthly newsletter for the season. Weekly newsletters will begin with the first CSA delivery, coming up quickly on June 4th. There is still space for new (or returning) members in the 2019 Summer CSA. Members should have received their invoices and payments are now past due.  If you haven't received an invoice or statement, please let us know. We will send out an orientation email for all members the week before deliveries begin.

If you are interested in joining the 2019 CSA season, you can read more about it here: https://mailchi.mp/505e82d3aae8/bgfcsa2019mid

If you know of anyone who might be interested in joining us for the CSA season, please share the info with them, we have a number of available slots that we would like to fill and you are our best marketers! 

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this month, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

BGF News - April 2019-Vol. XLI, No.6

BGF News - April 2019-Vol. XLI, No.6

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past month: Rain: 1.5"

They're back!!!

The big news is that the crew and the asparagus are both up and running this week! Until this weekend, it certainly felt like spring had arrived in earnest. Suddenly we were reminded that it is still April for just a bit longer as we had what was hopefully our last freeze. The warmer weather had helped us finally get into the gardens and get the composting and tilling done. We are finally caught up on starting transplants and are mostly on schedule now for seeding. The early salad, spinach, choi, mustard, beets, carrots and peas are all sown and waiting on some rain to get them started. The crop turnaround on the high tunnels was a bit slower than we like, but now have nice crops of kale, chard, arugula, salad mix, spinach and head lettuce going.

Sky helping clear spent beds from the high tunnel

It's hard to believe the farmers market opens this weekend. YIKES! And just about a month from the start of the 2019 CSA season. CSA members who have already signed up should have received an invoice last week for their balance due. We still have space available for the 2019 season. If you want more information, check out the CSA page on our website here: Blue Gate Farm CSA . Ready to climb on board? The signup form is quick and easy and you can find it here: 2019 CSA Signup Form.   Questions? Shoot us an email at mail@bluegatefarmfresh.com. 

A bounty of farm-fresh thanks to those of you who have already signed up and especially to those who have already sent in payments!!   

Asparagus for All of US! Just a reminder that CSA members can claim a free pound of asparagus as part of their share. If you didn't get yours during the VegEmail sale, be sure to stop and see us at market! Don't worry if you can't make it to market, we will tuck yours into your CSA box once deliveries begin.

Speaking of market we still have a few dates available mid to late summer if you'd like to join Jill in the booth. https://signup.com/go/ADUvdYc

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this month, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

BGF News - March 2019-Vol. XLI, No.5

BGF News - March 2019-Vol. XLI, No.5

Seedlings of a new shallot variety we are trialing this year.

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past month: Snow: 2.00"

                                                             Rain: 1.7"

Happy Spring from all of us at the farm! It is a time of huge changes, seasonally speaking. The impressive snows have finally melted, the mud had (temporarily) dried up a bit and the fresh green of spring is creeping across the fields. A rainy afternoon seemed like the perfect time to get caught up on our monthly newsletter before the calendar tells me I missed March. The farm calendar is a wealth of information from upcoming planting dates to past snowfall and temperatures. What I don't need the calendar to tell me is what a crazy winter it was and how glad we are to be on this side of it. This was the hardest/coldest/snowiest winter we've had since moving to the farm in 2005 and we aren't sad to have it in the rear-view mirror. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of opportunity to have winter weather, but the trend should be in our favor for warmer  temps at the very least. 

Garlic pushing through straw mulch

It isn't just the calendar giving us seasonal clues. In the past few weeks, flights of snow geese have flown overhead in huge V's and the vultures, meadowlarks and killdeer have returned to the farm from their winter homes to the south. Just this week, the spring peepers (chorus frogs) have woken from their silent winter naps and are filling the afternoon and evening hours with their song and we got our first glimpse of garlic poking up from the straw mulch.

Since last month's newsletter we have hosted a weekend retreat for our Gang of 5 farm friends, sold our wares at a fiber festival, had three VegEmail sales, sown lots of seeds, reset the packing barn, slogged around in A LOT of mud, pulled winter-ruined row cover from two gardens, chased escapee alpacas and started clearing spent crops from the big high tunnel. There's also been a fair amount of paperwork done in preparation for the upcoming season, including all of the garden maps. Here's an example of this year's map of the big high tunnel. It is the most complicated of our growing spaces as it has three rotations and multiple crops in each bed.

2019 crop map for High Tunnel 2

We are now just five short weeks from the opening of the farmers market. YIKES! And just about two months from the start of the 2019 CSA season. If you want more information, check out the CSA page on our website here: Blue Gate Farm . Ready to climb on board? The signup form is quick and easy and you can find it here: 2019 CSA Signup Form.  If you are interested, but don't think you can consume a full share of vegetables each week, let us know and we'll see if we can pair you up with someone else in your community with whom you could split your share. Questions? Shoot us an email at mail@bluegatefarmfresh.com. A bounty of farm-fresh thanks to those of you who have already signed up and especially to those who have already sent in payments!!

If you can't wait any longer for farm-fresh products, we continue to do our VegEmail deliveries all winter long. Every 2 weeks you can order from our list of available products and we will deliver them to Des Moines, Knoxville or you can pick them up on the farm. Eggs, fresh produce, popcorn and herbs all rotate through our availability list until the start of the farmers market season. If you want to receive the VegEmail announcements, just fill out the form here: Mailing List and be sure to indicate which delivery location you prefer.

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

BGF News - February 2019-Vol. XLI, No.4

BGF News - February 2019-Vol. XLI, No.4

Just another day in the snow zone

What’s up on the farm?

Hoarfrost at dawn

Precipitation in the past month: Snow: 18"

                                                             Freezing Rain/Sleet: 1"

What a winter we've had so far! Very high snow totals and lower than average temperatures have made it feel like the farm has taken an extended scenic drive to Minnesota instead of being firmly planted in southern Iowa. And though much of it has been very "scenic" the charm has worn rather thin. Don't get me wrong, we're not ready for spring yet...but if the rest of winter could be a little less winter-y, we wouldn't complain.

Close the door, it's chilly out there!

In conditions like we've had recently, daily chores take up much more of our time. Trying to keep everyone on the farm warm, well-fed and watered is a challenge. When the temperatures don't get above the teens, eggs have to be gathered every 2 hours or so or they may freeze.  Water, hay and feed are hauled by sled, which isn't quite as much fun as it sounds. Just getting dressed in all the layers necessary to go out in such weather is an investment in time and patience, and doing it every couple of hours gets a bit tiresome. But all whining aside, this is winter on a farm and it could always be worse!  

So besides plowing snow and doing chores, what have we been up to this month? Well, the seed orders have all arrived and been sorted and stored. We start sowing some of those later this week, beginning with onions, leeks, shallots, edible flowers and some slow-starting herbs.  But before we start planting, we have to know how much of each crop we need, so hours are spent at the computer mapping out all of the garden plots on the farm. Since many of the fields are different sizes, the location will determine how many of each crop and variety we plant. It takes a lot of organizational time to put the whole plan together but we've gotten better at it over the years. We're also researching and attending farm-associated meetings to try and learn to do all the things better and more efficiently. 

Lots of fiber work happens at this time of year as well, with the bulk of our inventory created over the winter months. Dyeing, preparing, spinning and washing fibers and yarns adds some much appreciated color to our indoor hours.  So as you can see, we're not likely to get bored anytime soon!

Join us for our 2019 Veggie Adventure!

CSA signups for the 2019 season have begun and are now open to everyone! Regardless if you are a veteran member of the CSA or you are ready to join us for the first time, now is your chance!  If you want more information, check out the CSA page on our website here: Blue Gate Farm . Ready to climb on board? The signup form is quick and easy and you can find it here: 2019 CSA Signup Form. Questions? Shoot us an email at mail@bluegatefarmfresh.com

If you can't wait until spring for farm-fresh products, we continue to do our VegEmail deliveries all winter long. Every 2 weeks you can order from our list of available products and we will deliver them to Des Moines, Knoxville or you can pick them up on the farm. Eggs, fresh produce, stewing hens, popcorn and herbs all rotate through our availability list until the start of the farmers market season. If you want to receive the VegEmail announcements, just fill out the form here: Mailing List and be sure to indicate which delivery location you prefer.

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this month, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci & Indigo)

BGF News - January, 2019-Vol. XLI, No.3

BGF News - January, 2019-Vol. XLI, No.3

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past month: Snow: 29.5"
                                                             Rain: 0.5"

Holy snow, Batman!

This is the snowiest winter since we've been on the farm. We've had 48.5" since November 1st. That is twice our normal annual snowfall! Absolutely crazy, and there is still plenty of winter left for more snow opportunities. I like snow, but I may have reached my limit of appreciation for the element.

The farm critters aren't all that excited about the weather either. The hens are mostly refusing to come out of the coops, not that I can blame them. The alpacas are hanging out in their shelters, which says a lot coming from animals who originate in the mountains of Peru. The dogs seem to be the least daunted by the weather, though Luci does particularly like her cozy bed in the utility room right now.

While it doesn't feel like spring is anywhere nearby, the signs are beginning to appear. The buds on the fruit trees are swelling (they may be regretting that this week.) The seed orders have all been placed and most have already arrived. Next up are the supply orders that includes things like: potting soil, pots, flats, packaging and CSA boxes. In just a few weeks our winter "lollygagging" will come to an end, as the seed sowing season begins. First up will be onions, leeks, shallots and long-season herbs.

Let's talk some more about those CSA boxes! Now is the time to sign up for the 2019 Summer CSA. Renewal emails have gone out to our veteran members and we will hold spots for them until February 14th, at which time we will open any available spots to new members. If you are a veteran 2018 CSA member and didn't receive a renewal email, please let us know ASAP and we'll get you rolling. We wouldn't want you to miss out on the beautiful bounty of produce that we are planning for this season. If you would like to become a new member of our CSA or have questions, shoot us an email to mail@bluegatefarmfresh. com and we'll get you rolling.

If you can't wait until spring for farm-fresh products, we continue to do our VegEmail deliveries all winter long. Every 2 weeks you can order from our list of available products and we will deliver them to Des Moines, Knoxville or you can pick them up on the farm. Eggs, fresh produce, stewing hens, popcorn and herbs all rotate through our availability list until the start of the farmers market season. If you want to receive the VegEmail announcements, just fill out the form here: Mailing List and be sure to indicate which delivery location you prefer.

Is a weekly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

BGF News - December, 2018-Vol. XLI, No.2

BGF News - December, 2018-Vol. XLI, No.2

Napa Navidad! 

And a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past month: Rain: 1.35"

                                                             Snow: trace

It seems like every year the holidays sneak up on us at an ever increasing rate. This year November felt much more like winter than December, but we aren't complaining! We lost most of the fall field crops last month due to those frigid temperatures, but the high tunnels continue to look good and have been a great source of fresh seasonal produce for our indoor farmers markets and VegEmail sales.  Between vegetable deliveries we are getting some seasonal tasks done like cleaning up the packing barn, updating to the 2019 farm calendar, shelling popcorn and spinning & dyeing fiber. In the next week it will be time to dive into the stack of seed catalogs and get our orders placed for the upcoming season. Then the farm maps need to be attended to. So much "sitting down" work to do!

The new laying hens are finally settled in and starting to lay eggs at a more respectable rate, which is much appreciated by the farmers and our egg customers alike! Given our warmer daytime temperatures recently, the chickens are spending lots of time outside in the sun (and mud). The alpacas too are enjoying the extra dose of sunshine, which Percy celebrates by regularly escaping from his pasture and wandering about at will. Everyone on the farm enjoys the "fruits of the harvest" on warm winter days.

Next month we will start sign-ups for the 2019 CSA membership. For now we wish you all the joys of the season and a bright new year!

That’s about it for now, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Indigo, Luci & Sky)

BGF News - November, 2018-Vol. XLI, No.1

BGF News - November, 2018-Vol. XLI, No.1

Precipitation in the past month: Snow: 20"

                                                            Rain: 1.55"

What’s up on the farm?

Welcome to our November newsletter. We will publish these on a monthly basis until the start of the CSA season in June. Our goal is to give our members, customers and friends a window into our world on the "back-side" of the seasonal calendar. So grab a hot beverage, sit back and join us for a little tour of the farm this month.

Nov. 25th blizzard, 10-12" of fresh snow!

November is usually the time that the farm really starts to slow down. The regular farmers market season is done, the full-time crew is off and the field crops are mostly out. Somehow, even though all these things are true for the most part, it doesn't feel as "slow" as years past. The weather  has been a major contributor to this departure, in fact, likely THE major contributor. It has been unseasonably cold and snowy for November, we've already had more than 20" of snow, when the average for our area for the whole winter is 24" and we have had few days that even made it up to the average temperature. This has basically wiped out all of the remaining field crops, even with row covers installed.  The high tunnel crops are well tucked in, but it has been a challenge to harvest those as well, since we have no heated space for cleaning and packaging them. Mostly the unseasonable weather just means that everything takes longer to get done.

Despite the weather challenges, it has been a surprisingly productive month. Our VegEmail sales kicked off  the first week of the month with great response from veteran and new customers.  We then had our best ever November indoor farmers market last week, after which we drove home in the first snowstorm of the season. We got 7" in that little weather blip.

Amid the harvesting and market adventures, we sent our most recent flock of laying hens off to "freezer camp". Due to some scheduling challenges, our new birds didn't arrive until more than a week later, so it was strange to be a (nearly) chicken-free farm for a while. We did keep Qwerm, our rooster, and one little escapee hen who won the sweepstakes of having the rooster and coop all to herself for a week. The new girls arrived this week and had less than a day to settle in before the blizzard rolled in, bringing frigid temps along on it's coattails. This combination has led to some serious egg shortages, which our VegEmail and winter market customers will be dismayed to hear. Hopefully warmer temps and melting snow later this week will get the hens into the egg-laying mood!

Besides fun with the weather, we are stocking up for the Winter farmers market on 12/14-15 with more jam, yarn, dyed fibers and wool dryer balls. Finally one of our biggest challenges is keeping Sky entertained through all the weather challenges! Anyone ever lived with a puppy with cabin-fever? It isn't pretty! Indigo & Luci mostly just consider it bonus napping weather, but the puppy is another story. We are having to be very creative with toys and "indoor" training. Though that said, she is one hardy little pup. She never misses an opportunity to romp through the deep snow with the other dogs. She love to visit the alpacas too, though she still isn't quite sure about them.

Sky & Percy

We mentioned it in passing earlier, but did you know that we deliver farm-fresh eggs and produce all winter long? It's true! Through our VegEmail program you can custom-order our products every two weeks (Nov-April), to be delivered to Des Moines and Knoxville or picked up on the farm. Every 2 weeks you can order from our list of available products and we will deliver them to Des Moines, Knoxville or you can pick them up on the farm. Eggs, fresh produce, stewing hens, popcorn and herbs all rotate through our availability list until the start of the farmers market season. If you want to receive the VegEmail announcements, just fill out the form here: Mailing List and be sure to indicate which delivery location you prefer.

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)