On a walk the other evening, Brian & I paused near a dying tree that was covered in oyster mushrooms. The breeze was light & goldenhour sun was peaking through just so that plumes of spores were visible to us. Each cluster seemed fresh off of a cook-top, clouds of steam escaping. You could smell the oyster in the air. Staring at the spores dancing felt like an intimate glance into another’s world. Like I was being let it on a secret.
Mycelial networks are intertwined with the vegetables we grow, surrounding plants, & the towering trees. Their connections within the soil allow for roots to uptake water & nutrients, for carbon to be stored, & for defense signals to be communicated. As noted in the Hidden Life of Trees, “A tree’s most important means of staying connected to other trees is a “wood wide web” of soil fungi that connects vegetation in an intimate network that allows the sharing of an enormous amount of information and goods.” I type this, but I simply do not understand the intricacies of the quiet symbiosis. There is mystery within the roots of the old cherry, maple, & ironwood trees. Within the cluster of aspen along the edge of the field & the fallen branches near the seasonal creek.
At this point in my farming career, I know the basics of a lot of different things. Each year we test the soil for organic matter, nutrient levels, cation exchange capacity. In response, I am able to work with that information to (hopefully, but never perfectly) amend well for vegetable production. For sustainable, organically-aligned growing this looks like heavily composting, custom blends that hold micro-nutrients, responsible soil disruption, and cover cropping. It is incredibly gratifying to work with plants from seed to harvest. The field holds a wealth of lessons to note & a complicated balance of doing-what-we-can & releasing control. This week, we are due to finish a plethora of fall seedings & big weeding projects & trellising upkeep. Labor that will assure a winter’s worth of stored food. All the while, I will be wondering how agriculture can become more like the balanced web beneath & around us.
BULK ORDERS!
If you would like to purchase bulk basil or tomatoes, please email stillwindfarm@proton.me BEFORE pickup so that we can prepare your pre-order. Currently tomatoes are more limited than basil. We will let you know if we sell out of flats upon reaching out.
Details:
Tomatoes - sold as flats for $35
Basil - $14 / lb
Recipe ideas:
Canned crushed tomatoes… this is how I process tomatoes because crushed tomatoes are very flexible for future recipes & it is more efficient than preparing multiple recipes (but sauces, ketchup, chutneys, salsas are fun to make as well!!!)
CSA Harvest Week 8
This is our best guess of what will be in your share! Harvest list subject to changes :)
~ Arugula
~ Summer squash / zucchini
~ Basil
~ Heirloom tomatoes
~ Cherry tomatoes or shishitos
~ Eggplant
~ Fennel
~ Cucumber
~ Garlic
See this newsletter for tips on veggie storage!
Recipe Ideas…
Lacto-fermented cucumber pickles
How to freeze zucchini (for smoothies or winter loaves)
Tomato pie… there is nothing like tomato pie!!! The best season!
As always, feel free to reach out <3