Category: Words from Tristan

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Enhance your gardens this spring!

This spring, to aid you in your organic gardening, we have decided to make some of the products that we use here on our own farm available to you!

We are excited about the BioGarden garden and plant products because they incorporate broad-spectrum microbes, specially formulated enzymes, and a balanced nutritional program to promote optimal health of plants and soil, resulting in higher yields and healthier food. The BioGarden products are made by Tainio Technology & Technique – a family-owned and operated company here in Washington state that is dedicated to producing natural, sustainable products and solutions to help restore the balance in nature, leading to a healthier tomorrow.

BioGarden Foliar Fertilizer 5-14-14+4 (Ca)  –  $24.99

10 packets  /  Yield: 5,000 sq. ft. per packet

A nutrition-packed foliar spray fortified with beneficial microbes, for fast nutrient delivery to fruit trees, vegetables, berries, shrubs, and flowers. and shrubs. Simply tear open one of the single-application packets of BioGarden™ Foliar Fertilizer, pour into water, and decant into sprayer. May be applied to trees*, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, etc.

*Not recommended for needle bearing trees and shrubs.

BioGarden Soil Conditioner 3-3-2+5 (Ca)  – $24.99

1tsp. in 3 gallons of water for 60 sq. ft. area  /  Yield: 160 applications per container

A blend of beneficial microbes and nutrients to help build rich, healthy soil, which is the foundation for plant health and productivity. BioGarden™ Soil Conditioner may be sprinkled directly onto the soil or may be mixed in water and sprayed or watered in. May be used in furrow at planting, as a root-dip for transplants, or to side-dress established plants and trees. Use up to four times during the growing season. Use for vegetables, flowers, berries, around fruit trees, and in containers.

Leafzyme –  $8.99

4oz. spray bottle

A foliage spray for indoor plants designed to activate beneficial microbes already present on the leaves of indoor plants. These microbes will process dust and other particles into nutrition that indoor plants can absorb for beautiful and luscious growth. Leafzyme is ideal for removing dust from African violets and other “fuzzy” plants, or restoring luster and shine to smooth ones.

To Order To order these and other gardening products, give our office a call or go to “Garden” in the Products section of our website.

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A Wave of Good

Many of you know that Klesick Family Farm loves being involved in good! We have our Neighbor Helping Neighbor food bank program, our Thanksgiving donation boxes and our Christmas blessing boxes where we partner with you to make a difference here locally.  I have been considering an international outreach program, sort of a live locally and bless globally focus, if you will.  We have considered drilling wells in Africa or planting trees in Ethiopia or donating farm animals.  As I have been surveying the damage in Japan and having recently toured the nuclear plant at Hanford, it all came together.  I decided to send a Wave of Good to Japan and bless our neighbors there!

Once I got the idea, I called a few of our grocery suppliers and asked them to participate and they all agreed. So with the help of Scott & Renee of Breadfarm, Gary & Lori of Middleton Organic Specialty Foods, Paul & Judy of Sweet Creek Foods, and Jerry & Barbara of Oils of Paicines, Klesick Family Farm is going to donate 20% of our sales from these products from now until April 29th to World Vision USA – Japan Quake and Tsunami Relief Fund.  I am so excited to partner with these suppliers to help others.

What You Can Do: Join us in sending a Wave of Good by purchasing products from the above mentioned vendors (look for products denoted with an *asterisk). Not only will you be contributing toward World Vision’s relief efforts in Japan, but you will also be enjoying great products from some great companies. You can also make a donation directly to “A Wave of Good” in the “Unclassified” section (at the bottom) on the Grocery page of our website and we will include that in our donation to World Vision.

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1st Annual “Meet Your Farmer” Dinner

The box of good starts here…

Joelle and I would like to invite you to spend an evening dining with us at the Everett Train Station. I have always wanted to host a dinner party for our customers and couldn’t quite find the time, but now we are going to make it happen. Through this event I am combining two things that are important to me: connecting with my customers and connecting my customers with the people that grow their food.  We already have our annual open house Farm Day on the third Saturday in August, but this special venue will be a “dinner party” for the 20-somethings on up to our 104 year old customer (yes, we have a customer reportedly that old—she swears by her diet!) who support Klesick Family Farm. What better way to pull it all together than with an organic meal and dessert.

To prepare this special meal I have teamed up with our organic community. Donna King from Scandia Coffeehouse and Café in Stanwood will be catering the event for us. Food blogger Ashley Rodriguez will be making the desserts—you have been reading about her recipes and now you will be able to meet her and taste her culinary expertise.  Camano Island Coffee Roasters will be providing the perfect coffee for the evening and Breadfarm will be adding their exceptional artisan bread.

Along with several of our KFF team members, we also plan on having several of our local growers on hand with whom you can connect, share gardening stories and ask questions. I will share a presentation on Chilean agriculture based on my recent two-week agricultural tour of that country, comparing it to American agriculture and the importance of local farmers.

So mark your calendar to join us for a fun evening together sharing great food and enjoying each other’s company.

Date: Thursday, March 3rd

Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Location: Everett Train Station, Weyerhaeuser Room

Cost: $28 per person

Attire: Business Casual (farmers need a reason to dress up every now and then)

The menu will include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

No host local wine bar.

Door prizes!

Space is limited, so RSVP early to our office (360-652-4663) or make your reservation online by purchasing the “Dinner Event: Meet Your Farmer” on our grocery page at http://www.klesickfamilyfarm.com/main/order-honey-eggs

I hope you will be able to join Joelle and I on March 3rd.

*Image courtesy of Amtrak Cascades

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Connecting the Past and the Future

Gray hair isn’t a sign of old age, it is a sign of credibility. This past month the Stanwood community lost one of its farmers. Franklin Hanson passed away at the ripe old age of 88. Our family has only known the Hanson family for eight years. Bernice, who passed on a few years ago, and Franklin adopted us when we first moved to the valley and with the help of their three boys have been a huge blessing to our family. We have learned so much by their direct impact on our family.

Sadly, in our society, the gray head is not held in as high of esteem as it should be. Because of this, many of us, especially the youth, are missing out on some incredible insight. The generation that is passing from this life to the next has weathered some amazing times and gained a lot of wisdom as a result. And if this insight were sought out, it would reveal some very relevant information to make life richer. As an organic farmer—or if you will, an old fashioned farmer—I am always gleaning information about how things were done before tractors, oil, and synthetic fertilizers. By just sitting and listening to the years of experience, my children and I have been able to learn some of the wisdom of the ages.

As I think about the stories of old that I have heard, I am in awe of how resilient Franklin’s generation really was. Living through the Great Depression, forsaking comfort and safety to liberate Europe and then having to adapt from outhouses to indoor plumbing, from letters to party lines to no lines, from admiring birds to flying like them, and from using your mind to using a computer. Truly Franklin’s generation has seen much, given much, and has a lot to give still.

Now Franklin is no longer with us (we still have his three boys) and I can no longer grip his hand and seek his wisdom. Have you ever noticed the strength of an old man’s hand shake? The strength is an extension their lives, a strength that reminds us that we can make it through incredibly hard situations as well. I will miss the opportunities I have had to ask a question and then sit back and just listen, absorbing, and taking mental notes as he shared.

I love the Stanwood community. It is the place that our family gets to carry on the farming way of life with a community of farmers that have been here for three, four, and five generations. I humbly submit that my life has been richer because of some of these farmers–the Franklin Hanson family.

Franklin, you and your family have been an untold blessing to the Klesick family and many others. Thank you for sharing your time and your rich heritage with all those you came in contact with. Good bye Franklin. You might have passed from this world to the next, but your life will live on in the hearts of many.

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Year in Review 2010

Supporting Local Farms  Since the inception of our home delivery business in1999, we have always focused on purchasing our fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers first. Every week, I contact my farmer friends to find out what they currently have available that I can add to our boxes. If I need to find more produce, I then source it from farms outside our area. As your personal farmer, I really appreciate your dedication to the local farm community. With your box of good purchases this last year, you have blessed several local farm families:

Rents Due Ranch, Skagit Flats Farm, Skagit Harmony Farm, Ralph’s Greenhouse, Motherflight Farms, Hedlund Farms, Blue Heron Farms, Munks Farm, Paul & Janice Madden Orchards, Ponderosa Orchards, Filaree Farms, Bartella Farm, Bunny Lane Fruit, 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 a local area food bank (Stanwood/Camano, Everett, Marysville, Monroe, Snohomish, 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 750 boxes of good (approximately $18,500 worth of quality organic fruits and vegetables) to local area food banks – this is 300 boxes more than in 2009! 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 to meet this local need. If you would like to join us to help provide quality organic produce to local food banks visit the “Neighbor Helping Neighbor” page of our website or call us at 360-652-4663.

Thanks for a great 2010!

Looking forward to next year!

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You can find the river in the strangest places!

The other day I was out working on the farm, running to and fro, getting ready for the record whopper of a flood they say is coming my way.  Now when you live near the mouth of the river and your farm is just barely above sea level, you’re often wondering, “will this be the one that soaks my farm?!”

You see, all the water begins its accumulation in the mountains and then makes it way via the watershed in an ever increasing volume…right by us lowlanders.

Well they (those in the know), were prognosticating the end of the life in the valley as we know it. Of course, I knew better, but then, I just live here.  After the waters had been pouring across the fields and over  the road for 16 hours, I sent Aaron, my trusty 16 year old, over to the part of the road that usually drains first to see if we could get Mom out to her ladies tea on Camano that night.  Now, Aaron has one of those trucks that everyone loves to have when it is snowing or flooding, but eats your paycheck the rest of the year.  So he went out, and headed over, walking through the water to check its depth. When he came back, he reported “It’s just over my rubber boots, I can get out!”

So we made a plan to get out, which, of necessity included driving all the way through Smokey point to get to Camano Island and then be back again in a few hours.

Well, just after dinner, and before the two were going to fjord the flood waters (mind you only farmers or idiots should attempt this!), I went out the front door and put on a pair of rubber boots to go to check the horses. WATERRRRRR!  Cold river water! They were full of water! I went sloshing through the house, in my wet socks, looking for a clean pair, and asking Aaron why he didn’t dump out the water after he had reported back that he could make it through the flooded road.  He smiled, a rather Cheshire cat smile, and said, “I thought I did?”

Sometimes there are just too many boots to choose from when you have 9 children and several pairs of the same size boots available on the porch.

Merry Christmas,

Tristan

PS. To see some videos of the flooding please visit: http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=334246821144

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This Christmas, leave the running around to us!

Let us help you get some names checked off your Christmas shopping list this holiday season. Food is just one of those universal gifts that everybody enjoys. Even those people that are just hard to find something for will be pleased with a gift of produce or a food gift basket. Even more, gifts from Klesick Family Farm send the message of care for the recipient (organic), our communities (local), and our environment (sustainable practices). For delivery the week of Christmas, orders need to be received by 12/16.

Produce Gift Boxes


A delivery of healthy organic produce makes a thoughtful gift! You can have us deliver a one-time gift of one of our standard produce boxes or give away a month’s worth of deliveries to be enjoyed throughout the season. We can either make the delivery for you (subject to our delivery area) or we can deliver the box to you so that you can give it away yourself. When placing your order please specify which box you would like to give.

Gift Baskets
All gift baskets come in a decorative 7.5” x 10” x 3.5 “ chocolate scroll print tray and packaged up in a clear cello bag, tied up with a ribbon. Eco-friendly gift card included…just let us know if you want a message sent with your gift!

  • Gift Basket  –  Fruit Medley


Contains a beautiful assortment of fresh organic fruit. A perfect gift idea for the office! Unique and a refreshing change from the usual holiday sweets!

Contains an assortment of the following: Northwest pears*, Granny Smith apples*, Pink Lady Apples*, Ruby Grapefruit, Satsumas, Bananas, and Kiwi.

  • Gift Basket –  Coffee Break*


A special holiday selection, with a sampling of two Camano Island Coffee Roasters’ delicious holiday blends, the Papua New Guinea Coffee is a delightful blend of light, medium, and dark roast beans,  the Midnight Holiday Blend is a special, extra dark roast Brazil. A delicious array of handmade cookies from Renee at the Breadfarm finishes out this charming basket. Perfect to for the coffee lover in your life, or treat the office break room!

Note: coffee is drip grind.

Contains:  1/2 lb. Holiday Blend Papua New Guinea coffee, 1/2  lb. Holiday Blend Midnight Dark  Coffee, 1 Biscotti Sampler 6-pack, 6 oz bag of Cocoa Niblets,  8-pack of Cranberry-Pistachio cookies.

  • Gift Basket  –  Snack Time


Packed full of organic goodies…this one is meant for munching! Tasty snacks, but without the sugar load, so you can feel good about giving this one to families with small kiddos. Note: the candied pepitas are pumpkin seeds tossed with a small amount of organic cane sugar, cayenne and allspice, mild…and addicting!

Contains: 12 oz. bag of CB’s Peanuts*, 8 oz. bag of Pistachios from Terra Firma Farm, 6-oz bag of candied pepitas from Breadfarm*, 24 oz jar of peach –apple nectar, 6.4 oz bag whole wheat crackers from Breadfarm*, and we had to include a 24 oz jar of peanut butter* from the Breadfarm –it’s the best EVER.

* Denotes items grown, and/or produced in the Pacific Northwest

Other Gifts

  • Holiday Cookie Box – $30.00
A variety of Breadfarm’s most popular holiday favorites, including Cocoa Nib shortbread, Lemon Crumiri, Hazelnut Espresso, Almond & Chocolate Biscotti, Cranberry-Pistachio cookies and Double Chocolate Ginger Spice.
  • Holiday Wreath $45

Beautifully handmade wreaths from Sunrise Holly Farm on Camano Island. A combination of several different types of English hollies combined with silver tip holly, cedar sprigs, red berries, and a red bow. A festive treat for yourself or as a gift!

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Holiday Meals

Are you rushing around yet? It’s the season for holiday plans, schedules, trying to find that perfect gift, and entertaining friends and family. It’s also a time of dietary excess, increased stress, and let’s not forget colds and flu. Statistics show that December is the most stressful month of the year. That and the cold weather alone can wreak havoc on a person. Rest assured! There are things you can do to prepare yourself for the holidays and prevent certain discomforts that can accompany this season.

Growing up, in my family, it was considered impolite to not sample food being offered, especially if Grandma made it. We would eat and eat, sometimes having three to four holiday meals in one day! Some of you can no doubt identify with this situation. To help you avoid overeating during the holidays, here are some tips. First, avoid starving yourself early in the day to “save room” for the holiday meal. The easiest way to overeat is to create maximum hunger this way. Small frequent meals are always better. Second, remember to drink plenty of water. This will prevent you from serving and eating a huge portion which you will “have to finish,” since you “don’t want it to go to waste.” Third, decide on a maximum and reasonable portion size for the meal and stick to it. After eating, drink some hot herbal tea to promote relaxation.

With too much good food comes heartburn. To decrease your chance of getting the discomfort and pain of heartburn, start the meal with apple cider vinegar. This helps increase digestive enzymes and break down foods faster. Another way to avoid stomach upset is to use deglycyrrhized licorice (abbreviated DGL). Licorice is an herb that stimulates the cells lining your digestive tract to produce mucus. The mucus, in turn, protects the stomach and esophagus from digestive acid. DGL can help tremendously with heartburn or food-related excess stomach acid or if you have esophageal reflux (backflow of stomach acid). A typical prescription is to chew and swallow two 400mg tablets 10 minutes before each meal to help keep your digestive tract in order. Talk to your ND to find out what’s best for you.

by Rebecca Dirks, N.D.
Associate Physician, NW Center for Optimal Health
Marysville, 360-651-9355
Producer & Co-Host, Healthy Living, KSER FM 90.7

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What a Storm!

Like most of you, we really felt the house being buffeted by the wind.  Joelle and I have a date night with one child every Monday night. Last night on the way home it began to rain in earnest.  Once home Andrew went to feed the Labs and I went to feed the horses.  It was quite a thunder and lightning show and the horses were fairly unsettled with all the activity.  I am sure glad that I was feeding them on the other side of their stalls, because every time lightning flashed they would back up, turn around and head out the other side. Then they would calm down and come back in and start munching again.  After I had finished feeding them, it was about the time that the wind and rain came down in torrents. Naturally, I am nowhere near the house, where it is warm and dry!?!?!? Every gutter was overtopping and I said to myself, “I am going to get wet!” Just as I was beginning my dash to the house a huge gust of wind blew the main horse gate wide open.  EEEEK! Change of plans, secure the gate.

So now I am getting drenched, securing the gate and thanking the Lord that the gate blew open while I was still out there! I have chased lots of livestock in my farming career and I, thankfully, only have to imagine trying to find 3 scared, 1 ton, critters in the morning. They could have been hit by cars or cut themselves on a tractor implement or run through neighbors fence. But all that is purely conjecture because the horses were contentedly waiting for breakfast this morning.  Now we can head out to the fields and do some work.

Tristan

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Trumpeter Swans

These majestic birds have returned to the valley.  When we see these marvelous wonders of creation it is a sure sign that the farming season is nearing its end.  Their ever distinctive trumpeting can be heard clearly as they grace the skies above our farm.

As a farmer, I find that the longer I farm in this region the more I am tied to the nuances of its local ecosystem.  In the spring I am reminded that it will be time to work the ground when I see the early bulbs start to emerge and the grasses wake up. It is the same when that fall air begins to grace the end of August—I better hurry up because the season is coming to a close. And with winter right around the corner, early November brings the swans.

I can be walking in the field, or sitting at my desk, or working with the draft horses and I will inevitably stop and listen and then look up.  I love that sound on a crisp fall morning as they fly eastward over the farm to their morning feasting grounds. And conversely, at about dusk on their return flight to Port Susan, I am reminded to head in myself and enjoy my family.

Nature has been embedded with a whole lot of wisdom and farming that keeps that wisdom in mind always succeeds.
As for now, I am looking forward to our farm’s winter rest and the music of the trumpeters till spring.

-image from tufts.edu