7/13/11

Nitty Gritty Dirt

It’s been another great week at Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm.  With cooler temperatures this week, it has been a joy to be farmers – even when the work is weeding, weeding, weeding!   With last week’s heat, all those heat loving crops like tomatoes, melons and peppers and squash have taken a leap in growth and production.  The zucchini that weren’t quite ready for harvest last week have exploded in size.  There are a few caveman size clubs among the harvest as well as a few curved ones that could double for phones as Birgit demonstrated from the field.  This would be a good week to mix up a few loaves of Zucchini bread. 


Our laying hens and pigs have been delighting in the loads of weeds being dumped in their pens for them to scratch and dig through and eat and eventually compost.  Those baby pigs we started with just a few weeks ago are getting bigger and bigger – definitely  over 100 pounds each.  Just a reminder – we do still have a few pork shares available.  And the baby broiler chicks that arrived last week are already growing feathers and turning from cute fuzzy chicks into something that looks like they will be dinner someday.  It is always amazing how fast everything from cabbage to chicks grows at the farm.  Reminder – we also have broiler chicken shares available.   

We attempt to keep weed growth in check here at the farm in a variety of ways – using hay mulch between rows, planting in plastic mulch, hoeing, tilling, hand-weeding – and mowing.  This week, we’ve been catching up with the explosion in weed growth by mowing and mowing and mowing between veggie rows.  It is hard work but extremely gratifying to see the rows of healthy tomatoes, basil and cabbage set off against the neatly mowed rows between them.  We have also been doing some roto-tilling between rows of corn and beans.  This is our least favorite technique as it pulverizes the soil and causes the organic matter to break down faster, but this year with all the rain and heat, we’ve resorted to tilling just to keep up.   It is back-breaking jarring work, but the corn and beans look relieved to have the weed pressure removed. 







Harvesting New Potatoes






One for shares, one for lunch, one for shares, one for lunch...


As I write, I’m looking out the front door of our house.  The old rows of lettuce and greens are no more, most of their field area tilled.   I’m imagining what that section of the field will look like in just a few weeks after we finish tilling, composting and replanting it to a variety of flowers – marigolds, cleome, celosia, asters, Echinacea…..   The evolution of the farm is amazing and wonderful………

Until next week……….


What's In Your Share This Week
Snap Peas - Cascadia
Cilantro - Santo
Zucchini - Cash Flow, Slick Pick, Lita,
Cavelli, Sunburst, President
Radish - Rover
Bok Choi - Joi Choi
Onions - Walla Walla
Kohlrabi - Winner, Kolibri
Potatoes - Red Norland
Basil - Thai

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DROP SITES

Use the addresses to google or mapquest or look up the drop site from your particular location. Keep in mind that the folks at the drop sites are volunteers, allowing us to use their space (and in some cases, their homes) as drop sites. Be nice to them. We couldn't do this without them. If you have any questions about your share etc., you should ask us, not them. They have enough to do....as do we all. All deliveries occur on Thursday afternoons. Approximate drop site times are listed below each location. The end times vary but you should pick up your share as early as possible. Look for the NITTY GRITTY DIRT FARM DROP SITE signs at your delivery locations along with lists to check your name off when you pick up, and a description of exactly what you should take.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm
10386 Sunrise Road (Cty Rd 9)
Harris MN 55032

35 north past North Branch to the Harris Exit. Turn Right.
Go into Harris, cross RR tracks to stop sign. Turn Left
Go 2 blocks to County Rd 9, also called Sunrise Road. (at Heartbreakers Bar) Turn Right. Farm is 4 1/2 miles out on left side of road. Look for Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm sign.
Shares available from 3:00 to 6:00

United Theological Seminary 3000 5th Street NW, New Brighton MN 55112
694 to Silver Lake Road exit. Go south to 5th and turn west (right). Go three blocks to UTS. Follow driveway (left) to the maintenance garage at the far north end of the parking lot. Shares available after 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM.

Pilgrims United Church of Christ
8801 Rice Lake Road, Maple Grove MN 55369
Just off of Weaver Lake Road across from Rice Lake Elementary School. Use main church door. Shares available from 3:30 to 6:00.

Acadia Cafe
329 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis
NW corner of Cedar and Riverside. Park on Riverside or
in lot behind the cafe.
Shares available after 3:15 PM until 6:00 PM

Vincent Avenue
3646 Vincent Avenue North, Mpls MN 55412
1/2 block north of 36th Ave N, and 2 blocks south of Dowling. Park on the street. Shares available after 3:30 until 6:00 PM

Additional drop sites may be added as shares are sold. Drop Sites are subject to change but plenty of notice will be given and alternate sites will be within close proximity to the original drop site.

FARM CONTACT INFORMATION

Robin Raudabaugh & Gigi Nauer

Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm

10386 Sunrise Road

PO Box 235

Harris MN 55032


(651) 226-1186


nittygrittydirtfarm@gmail.com

Also Nitty Gritty Goods Wool CSA
Robin Raudabaugh
651-216-9012
nittygrittygoodswool@gmail.com

We are a 15 acre Community Supported Agriculture farm providing a wide variety of fresh, organically and sustainably grown vegetables, fruit, lamb, pork, turkey and chicken. Located one hour north of the Twin Cities, we deliver to several metro locations. We are intentional about our organic and sustainable farming practices which include (but are not limited to): maintaining soil health through green and animal manures, compost, mulch, cover crops and crop rotations; Organic Pest Management to naturally monitor, prevent and control insects and other pests; maintaining animal health and well-being through the use of portable and loose housing and pasture rotations. Owner/operators Robin Raudabaugh and Gigi Nauer provide over 30 years experience in fruit, vegetable and livestock production, education and customer service. Our primary goal is to build community, relationships and personal health and well-being around good food and the intentional living that creates it. We’d love to have you join us.

Not every day is like this but we try.

Not every day is like this but we try.

Not every day is like this either.

Not every day is like this either.