Category: Box of Good

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Organic, Conventional, and Chemical

I was reading in one of my farm papers and I was drawn to an article about biotech sugar beets and how this massive farm company (19,000 acres) was so thankful that the USDA had deregulated GMO sugar beets. I have actually met the president of this farm company a few years ago, which is also why the article caught my attention. I have been following the GMO debacle for years. What really set me thinking was a new shift in thinking.

In the past, farmers have been categorized as either conventional (those that use synthetic chemicals) or organic (those that don’t). But this president was also thankful that the USDA allowed GMO sugar beets, because one of his field managers said, and I paraphrase, “I was going to quit if I had to go back to conventional farming.” What this means to me is we have moved from two types of farming paradigms to three. We now have organic, conventional, and chemical farmers now! That field manager didn’t want to go back to using plows, discs and mechanical weeding, he just wants to plant, spray, and harvest. Talk about having to reread and reread and reread that statement. I am so grieved by this thinking. We are moving farther and farther away from the ability to farm without Monsanto’s GMO laced poison crops. Sure there are pockets of farmers like ourselves, but there are literally hundreds of millions of acres of acres now being farmed chemically and using GMO crops that it will be harder and harder to turn the tide on this trend.

We need to win this battle for good food. There are two ways to win this fight. First, don’t buy GMO products. This alone would cause these companies to change farming practices. Right now the money is too good to change. Hit them in the pocketbook and we will see change. And second, labeling. MANDATORY LABELING of GMO foods will “encourage” farmers, processors, and marketers to change more quickly when the public shies away from GMO products.

Future generations of people deserve the right to eat real food, from seeds that are not injected with pesticides and herbicides, grown in soil that is alive and fertile. That is what we believe and that is how we farm.

Thanks for being co-laborers in this fight for good food.

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What a Hit!

Alright, truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect when I announced to my team that we were going to have a Squash Fest. Having never hosted an event like this and with such short notice, I was thoroughly blessed to see so many of our customers on Friday and Saturday. An even bigger shocker to me was the turnout of seniors and super seniors.

In my mind, I imagined several young families coming out to “see” where their box of good comes from. While young families did show up, it was our “more mature” customers who wanted to buy squash, and lots of it. We even had repeat shoppers. Three customers in particular came back the second day for more of their favorites. As a farmer, it really blessed my heart to know they wanted more of the food that I grow and that it was worth the second trip in order to “stock up.”

Saturday was also a production day for us, so we had a crew out harvesting squash and bunching spinach. With all the activity of my crew working, customers picking, and tractors in the field, one customer commented that the picturesque scene remind her of Norman Rockwell’s artistry.

To help sort and accumulate the pumpkins into nice piles, I enlisted the help of a few young strapping boys. My crew, after handling several thousands of pounds of squash, was thankful for their help. So, thank you Caden and Chase for your help. And, of course, thank you Brenda for bringing your boys out to the farm.

For those of you who couldn’t make it, we harvested lots of squash that we will be sending your way over the next few months.

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Cover Crops, Soil Fertility, and Labeling

We have planted all of our open ground to cover crops this fall. Cover cropping is the practice of covering your fields or gardens with a living crop. It can be wheat, vetch, rye, peas, clover, and even weeds. The purpose is to maintain organic matter in the soil, which helps hold nutrients in the growing zone areas of the soil. Another purpose is to prevent erosion.  Down here where it floods, a lot of bare soil can move around quickly, but ground that is covered rarely erodes.  Also, the cover crop will take nutrients up into the growing plant and hold those nutrients all winter in the plant, preventing them from leaching away in the soil.

In particular, with our rainy winters, nutrients can migrate out of the upper six inches of soil and be lost. The loss of nutrients is a big deal because those nutrients represent lost money to the farmer and in the spring more fertilizer will need to be purchased to replace what nutrients leached away. But even more importantly, our environment is impacted when minerals are leached away and end up in rivers, streams, lakes, the ocean, and even work their way down to aquifers. And polluting our drinking waters with excessive agricultural chemicals and nutrients is not wise.

While farming can be a culprit for water table issues, in areas like the Puget Sound  our urban neighbors have a huge impact with the use of lawn and garden fertilizers and chemicals. Sadly, agriculture usually gets targeted for this issue because a lot of the urban chemical use is upstream of farmers and is filtered through the flood plains on their way to the ocean. Another reason the regulators sometimes blame farmers for water pollution is because, quite frankly, farmers represent less votes (approximately 1% nationally) than urban corridors.

On our farm we plant cover crops so we can grow healthier food, prevent erosion and feed our soil microbiology in the spring.  Without healthy soil, you can’t have healthy food. And if American’s health issues are an indication, American farmers should change their farming methods!

I think we could change the health of the American food supply by doing two simple things: first, start requiring labeling for GMO foods and secondly, before any farm subsidy is given out, the farmer needs to demonstrate that their soil fertility is being maintained by submitting soil samples. By doing these two things we would radically change the direction of our food supply for the better.

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Each day deserves to be special

Slowly backing my car out of the unfamiliar driveway, I watched my friend shuffle for her keys and lead her two young girls into the house they were staying in while visiting from out of town. As I drove away, tears began to well up inside me as I thought of my friend carrying on with her life after suddenly losing her husband just two months prior.

It is so cliché to come away from that scene and think that I will live my life differently, as her tragedy was a reminder of life’s frailty. Driving the ten blocks back to my house, I imagined myself collapsing into my husband’s arms, shaking from tears and trying to squeeze out the words, “I love you.” But by the time I got home my mind was already focused on tomorrow’s activities and all that needs to be done in and around my home. I said a quick hello to my husband and then set about my to-do list.

Our days are so filled with activities: lists of things that need done, children to care for, a home to clean, businesses to tend to, etc. It’s too easy to forget that at any moment it could all be gone.

For me, food has the ability to gently remind me of life’s gift—that this place is temporary and we are just passing through. Often when we eat, we have a moment to press “pause” on our day. I hope that perhaps we can press “pause” for a bit longer.

On the days when meals become another thing to simply cross off the to-do list, I try to remind myself that, as with life, food is a gift. Taking a few moments to slice fresh tomatoes and to top them with goat cheese, basil and olive oil, provides me the soft, sweet reminder that this day deserves to feel special. Each day deserves to be special.

Food is used to aid in celebrations, to welcome life, honor unions, and mark traditions. When an ordinary day is marked with a meal that feels somewhat out of the ordinary, then suddenly I am reminded that each day is a gift and there is no reason for it to feel like every other day. Life is far too short.

by Ashley Rodriguez

Chef, food blogger, and full-time mom. Read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com

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Imagine Children's Museum Harvest Festival, Oct. 8, 2011

We are so excited that Klesick Family Farm has been invited to participate as the resident organic farm during the Imagine Children’s Museum’s Harvest Festival scheduled for Saturday October 8, 2011.

What is the Harvest Festival?

From April to June, Imagine Children’s Museum hands out free seeds (pumpkin, zucchini, sunflower) for their program “Kids in the Garden,” which encourages families to get in the dirt together and plant a garden. One of the main components of the Harvest Festival is to ask children to bring in something they have grown in the garden and we display these “fruits of labor” in grand style. In addition to the “what have grown display” there will be harvest games, veggie art, vegetable science with our resident Dr. Science and just simple wonderful inside harvest fun.

Here at Klesick Family Farm, we have a wonderful representation of organic farming, and we will be  sharing our knowledge with visitors at the Harvest Festival. We encourage all of our fans and customers to come to the Harvest Festival to learn more about local organic farming!

For more information on the Harvest Festival, please visit the Imagine Children’s Museum website here!

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Right2KnowMarch.org – A MOBILIZATION FOR GMO LABELING

I have been thinking about the state of our national health and the health of our national food supply. Frankly, it is really pretty poor. We (the government) have been incentivizing corn, soybeans, cotton, and canola for far too long. Ironically, these are also the crops that the biotech industry has been promoting for years. And one could draw a parallel between the health of our people and the health of our food supply.

Sadly, legislative change is the only solution to America’s nutritionally void food crisis.  Farmers need to be encouraged to stop planting GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops and start planting more fruits and vegetables—more real food with real nutrients for the dinner plates of Americans. It is then that we will see the health of Americans improve. But this is no easy task. Half of the senators in DC are have constituents in the regions that grow GMO crops and the USDA is pro-biotech. And if half of the senators are going to vote favorably for GMOs in their district, it is nearly impossible to make meaningful legislative change.

What is the solution? Labeling, labeling, labeling! The only thing that will stop GMOs and this nutritionally poor USDA food policy is labeling. Give consumers the right to know what they are eating and stop hiding the GMOs in processed foods. We deserve the right to know if our food contains GMOs or not.

Starting this week, on October 1st, there is going to be a “Right to Know” march from New York City to our nation’s capitol.  For 16 days, concerned citizens are going to be marching to bring awareness to the importance of labeling. This is truly a fight, a good food fight, and our children’s children are beneficiaries. The biotech companies of the world do not want this to happen. They are adamantly opposed to labeling, but this is America and Americans should have the right to know if their foods contain GMOs or not!

You can follow along at right2knowmarch.org

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Not Until You Eat Your Veggies!

You know the routine. Opening up the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator to fill it up with produce from your box of good and, lo and behold, there are the beets from the last delivery—limp, wilted, and once again destined for the compost. You know that you would eat them, but no one else will eat them if you prepared them.

Now, growing up I didn’t like things like beets, kale, or other green things. For me, the only thing to do with beets was paint my plate, lips, and face with them, until my mom caught sight of it and then I still had to eat them, which I did, but with great reluctance.  (As a child, I discovered that if you plug your nose when eating foods you can’t stand, you can’t taste them as well so they’re easier to swallow!) My sister, however, loved beets and sometimes she was nice enough to eat mine for me. Today, I eat beets, along with many other veggies, probably largely due to my mother’s persistence in getting me to eat my veggies.

Good food should be something one enjoys! Often, certain veggies are an acquired taste—it takes time before we come to the point of enjoying them. If your family has recently made the switch to healthy eating, it can be a bit of a challenge changing your diet from processed, and/or high-sugar foods, to one that includes home-cooked meals with organic ingredients and more fresh vegetables.

A balanced diet is important when it comes to your personal health, but it is doubly important in your children’s. Diseases that were only heard of with adults over 50 are now a legitimate concern among our country’s youth. What your child is eating now is laying the foundation for later in life, and your behavior and attitude about food will make an impression on them every time you sit down at the dinner table.

For a three year old, a plate of veggies may not seem very exciting. Changing perception can go a long way in getting your children to eat healthy and balanced meals. A plate of veggies that is colorful and topped with a homemade cheese sauce can be very fun. Incorporating the flavors s/he is familiar with and enjoys may be the difference between food introduction failure and success, and first impressions are very important when it comes to introducing new foods.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”  This rings true in the food world. Remember, taste buds do change over time. Also, by trying different ways of serving up the veggies your children may finish the entire serving the second or third try, despite having a declared hatred for it! The secret is to either make the vegetables tasty or go completely unnoticed. Serving up veggies on their own may not be that appetizing, but as soon as you throw a good dressing into the mix or pile them into a tasty casserole, you can enjoy watching as they are happily devoured!

Consider grating or chopping veggies to make them go unnoticed. Broth-based soups are a nutritional wonder and when puréed many things that have difficult textures are easier to swallow. Finding creative names for veggies is a great way to add a fun perspective to eating. Cool names can make cool foods: “dinosaur broccoli trees,” “elf trees,” “power peas,” or “X-ray vision carrots.” Getting them to try something new is 90% of getting them to like it!

In summary, when it comes to changing your family’s eating habits, Mom, you are the one who makes it happen. You are changing your family’s futures for the better. And you are doing an awesome job!

Cheers!

Marty, for the Klesick Family Farm

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Labor Day Holiday Delivery Schedule

Our office will be closed September 5th in observance of Labor Day. Because of this closure, our deliveries for that week are scheduled as follows:

For delivery Wednesday:

Tuesday customers and Wednesday customers in Monroe and Anacortes.

For delivery Thursday:

Thursday customers, except south Marysville (south of 100th St NE) and remaining Wednesday customers.

For delivery Friday:

Friday customers and Thursday customers in south Marysville (south of 100th St NE).

If you are planning on being away during the holiday week, please inform us if you will need to skip your delivery or, better yet, consider having us deliver your Box of Good to a local food bank through our Neighbor Helping Neighbor Program.

Have a happy Labor Day!

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Know Your Produce – Kohlrabi

Have you ever eaten a kohlrabi? These little sputnik-shaped vegetables come in green or purple, can be eaten raw or cooked, and taste a lot like broccoli stems. The word kohlrabi is German for cabbage turnip (kohl as in cole-slaw, and rübe for turnip), though kohlrabi is more related to cabbage and cauliflower than to root vegetables. We usually eat them raw, just peeled, sliced and added to a salad, but they are also delicious cooked and are often used in Indian cuisine.

If the kohlrabi leaves are still attached to the bulb, trim the  m and store separately. If the leaves are in good shape—firm and green—they can be cooked but will need to be used within a couple of days. The bulbs should be stored, unwashed, in a plastic bag. They will hold for about a week in the refrigerator.

Simple preparation: Tender, young kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw. Peel the outer skin with a paring knife. Slice, dice, or grate, and add to salads. Use on raw vegetable platters or serve with a creamy dip. Substitute in recipes calling for radishes. Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressi  ng. Kohlrabi can also be steamed or boiled. For this preparation don’t peel until after they are cooked. Steam or boil until bulbs are tender, peel skin, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, a cheese sauce, or just enjoy plain.

If the leaves attached to the kohlrabi bulb are fresh and green, they can be enjoyed as a cooked green. Wash the leaves and remove the ribs. Blanch in boiling water until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water from leaves. Chop leaves, then sauté in a little olive oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar or squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

From www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-use-kohlrabi