I have been at three farm conferences in three weeks and the amount of information is overwhelming. Literally, I feel like I have been drinking out of fire hose.

The first was the Eco Farm Conference in Monterey, CA. That was a tough place to visit :). This is the conference where the hardcore organic food movement gathers annually. Lots of great classes on food systems, local agriculture and environmental initiatives. At this conference I was able to connect with other growers, buyers and foodies. Lots of optimism and hope for the future of organic food. And I wholeheartedly concur that the good food movement is alive and well.

The following week I found myself in Coeur d’Alene, ID at another meeting. This one was a part of a the local farm bank that I work with. At this meeting I found myself sitting among farmers who farm thousands of acres. This agriculture group refers to themselves as Agribusiness or production Ag. Even though I don’t farm that kind of acreage, I had been invited to the table to get in there and talk about healthy food and healthy farming practices and also listen to the wisdom these farmers have to offer. Also, this group is dealing with Succession Planning, so a good amount of time was spent on the importance of “planning to pass” the farm onto the next generation of farmers. The big take away for me at this conference was to ensure that as I plan for the future, I update our wills!

But, sadly, I have to admit that coming from CA to ID, the two conferences were more like the weather in more ways than one. You could say that one group drinks Bud and grows the Hops for it and the other is more likely to grow the bud and smoke it. I will let you decide which group does which (just for the record, I do neither). Tragically, both groups view each other as enemies. I think there is a lot of common good that can be shared between both groups if we could be less democrat and republican, liberal and conservative, or quite frankly, just plain civil.

But the last conference in Spokane was about growing nutrient-rich food! Now this is a breath of fresh air! The growers here are giddy with the results they get farming with nature and not against it. It is about using soil and foliar biology to build nutrition in the plants that feed YOU! Now this is right up my alley—large growers, small growers, organic or mostly organic growers, all focused on not only replacing chemical inputs with organic inputs, but farming with a whole different set of principles that put the soil first, not profits.

This is why I farm biologically, why I farm the soil, because the soil is everything. Benjamin Franklin said it best, “A nation that destroys its soils, destroys itself.” This famer and the farmers we work with to feed you every week are a part of the solution, farming living soil and producing living food.

Hurry up spring, as I can hardly wait to start farming!

As Chungo, our friendly black lab, and Myliss, our friendly cat, were soaking in the sun from our front porch this beautiful winter day, one couldn’t help but feel a little touch of spring in the air, but I am not easily fooled. As I walked up the steps to the ever-inviting tail wagging of Chungo, calling out to me for a scratch around the ears, I was treated to the first flush of crocuses! On our farm, they are the first telltale sign of what is to come. I love to see them as they start to peek through the flower bed mulches that have been keeping them warm and nourished since October. Those first shoots are so green, with that dark vibrant green that is overflowing with life. It is invigorating to my soul and serves as a reminder that spring is just around the corner.

And with the encouragement of the first crocuses, comes a little extra energy bump and reminder to pick it up a little. We still have fences to mend, gates to build, trees to prune, raspberries to tie off and transplant, and scion wood to collect for this year’s grafting. We are still busily deciding where to plant what, when and how much. We are going to try some early greens in one of our greenhouses and some baby ginger in another one. It is amazing how a little sunshine can provide the burst of energy to get those winter projects buttoned up! Stay tuned.

The Recipe Box

This week, we are rolling out the new Recipe Box. I have been ruminating on a new box for our customers to try and now we have it. A few years ago, we rolled out the Essentials Boxes and then we introduced the Northwest Box, which features only locally grown items. Next, we introduced the Harvest Box and last year we introduced the Juicer Boxes. But all of these boxes originated because of customers like yourselves communicating with us about what worked and didn’t work for your needs.

In that same spirit, the Recipe Box has come to life and is now available. This box will be built around its own recipe and will contain all the ingredients available to make the recipe. The box will be unique in that it may have pasta or beans or salsa or olive oil, in addition to the fruit and vegetable portions necessary for making the meal, and it will be portioned to serve 4 people. I am ultra excited for this new box and I hope you will enjoy it as well.

Cheers to your Health!

During this season, I have a little more time on my hands and get to do a little more cooking. One of my favorite squashes is Delicata. Its delicate flavor and edible skin make it a great addition to roasted vegetables or as a standalone entrée.

Well, for Christmas, I decided on a roasted Delicata and pear dish. Don’t you just love the Internet for finding great recipes? I stumbled upon the one listed below. It was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The chili powder really helps the squash to engage those taste buds. I didn’t have any pears on hand, so I substituted apples. The apples worked great, but knowing how pears roast, I would definitely opt for pears as my first choice. Overall, I would rate this recipe a smashing success. Enjoy!

What entrée was your favorite this holiday season?

Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash with Pears from www.eatingwell.com
Pears and delicata squash tossed with brown sugar, chili powder and bacon is a delectable combination. To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and toss the squash and pears with the brown sugar and chili powder during the last 5 minutes of roasting.
(4 servings, about 3/4 cup each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes)
Ingredients:
1 pound delicata squash (about 1 large)
2 medium ripe but firm pears, sliced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 slices bacon
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with pears, oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a large baking sheet.
Roast the squash and pears until just tender, stirring once or twice, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Discard all but 2 teaspoons fat from the pan. Over medium heat, stir in water, brown sugar and chili powder. Add the squash and pears; toss to coat. Crumble the bacon on top.

Supporting Local Farms  Since the inception of our home delivery business in 1999, we have always focused on purchasing our fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers first. Every week, we contact our farmer friends to find out what they currently have available for our boxes. If we need to find more produce, we then source it from farms outside our area. As your personal farmer, I really appreciate your dedication to the local farm community. With your purchases this year, you have blessed several local farm families:

Bartella Farm, Beld Family Farm, Blue Heron Farms, Bunny Lane Fruit, Earth Conscious Organics, Filaree Farms, Hazel Blue Acres, Hedlin Farms, Highwater Farm, Horse Drawn Farms, Living Rain Farm, Middleton Organic Specialty Foods, Moondance Farm, Motherflight Farms, Neff Farm, Okanagan Producers Marketing Association, Paul & Janice Madden Orchards, Ponderosa Orchards, Ralph’s Greenhouse, Rents Due Ranch, Skagit Flats Farm, Skagit Valley Farm, Viva Farms, and of course, the Klesick Family Farm.

Helping Local People  Another core principle at Klesick Family Farm is to give back to our community. One of the ways we do this is by offering our customers the opportunity to donate a box of good to local area food banks. We currently support food banks in Anacortes, Stanwood, Camano Island, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Everett, Monroe, Snohomish, and Edmonds. For every four boxes donated by our customers, we donate an additional box. This year, with the generous support of our customers, Klesick Family Farm delivered over 859 boxes of good (approximately $22,000 worth of quality organic fruits and vegetables) to local area food banks! This number includes the donation of 165 Thanksgiving Holiday Boxes and 35 Christmas Blessing Boxes. There is no way our farm could meet this need without your help. This is one of the most satisfying aspects of our business. I love meeting local needs with local resources! Thank you for partnering with us.

If you would like to join us in helping provide quality organic produce to local food banks, either give us a call or order a food bank box under the Boxes category of the Product page of our website.

Thank you for a great 2013! We look forward to next year!