Soil is Good for the Sole
During my first few months here at Red Dog Farm, I’ve been reminded every day why I chose to become a farmer. First and foremost, providing food for our community is its own reward. It fills me with purpose to know that we are responsible for getting fresh, tasty produce to so many people in the area. With that said, there are so many other benefits to a job that gets your hands dirty. Spending time outside with your skin in the soil can have tangible impacts on health and wellbeing. Sunlight helps regulate our natural cortisol levels...
read moreFauna Haikus: Six Tributes to Three Friends
Should we return hereWhen you arrive, through the archEarly, late, striking Frog mouthed infantsWait, offered perch or trespassGenerations fly And storm, dust or rainBlue-fire, old tornado, liftFinally away ~ There, an eye, a shapePowerful silhouette, noFocus to spare Then, our strange allyAt the line, head over wire Asking suddenly Do not watch the teethTrust is eye contact, meetingNo exchange; presence ~ You were smaller thenHeavy-light feet rushing dareWe are braver...
read moreA Farm in Harmony
The wind rushes by us as the hawks and vultures fly overhead. The farm rings with life, growing from the soil reaching towards the sun and bustling with conversation, gleaming with laughter. Our hands painted with the dirt and grit, darkened by the UV rays beating down on us relentlessly. Personally, I cannot help but hear the ensemble of the farm and feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the work we are doing.Like an orchestra, the farm has so many moving parts that meld into one. Our salad greens are the main melody as our...
read moreFruit Season has Struck!
The past few weeks have marked a huge shift on the farm as the hot weather has brought us out of spring’s preparations and into the thick of summer farming. At Red Dog, summer is marked by our big fruit harvests, which require all hands on deck to keep up with abundant and generous plants. Here, we consider plants to be “fruits” when they produce a product that needs to be harvested within a certain window of ripeness. This includes plants such as zucchini, cauliflower, and beans, to the confusion of new farm crew. Tuesdays and Fridays...
read moreAs The Baby Birds Learn to Fly, I Learn How to Prune Tomatoes
I’ve spent the early days of my first season at Red Dog learning the flow of the greenhouse and all that this micro season within the farm entails, all while knowing that this fleeting experience will end after a few months of hard work and daily routines I’ve come to cherish. While tending to the various needs of these plants, I’ve come to recognize the ways I too have been nurtured and tended to in just a short time here. One morning after delivering plant starts to our neighbors at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, I returned to the...
read moreAuster’s Start at Red Dog Farm
My eyes open onto another day in Chimacum. I roll out of bed and gather my clothing for the day to come, as the birds chirp and the horses graze next door. I step out of my humble trailer onto the dewy grass and wet my shoes walking towards my bike. As I near the storage container, I reflect on my past couple of years and I keep coming back to a similar conclusion. I am fueled by the sun and the outdoors, and I should not deny myself this energy in my life! With these affirmations swirling through my thoughts, I put my best foot forward and...
read moreGadgets in the Greenhouse
I’ve been lucky enough to spend my spring in one of my favorite areas on the farm, the propagation greenhouses! As a greenhouse helper, I get to watch plants grow from seed and care for them until they are strong enough to be planted outside. All of the plant starts you see at our farmstand and market booth have been lovingly tended by our team for many months, and it makes us so happy to imagine them in your gardens. We’ve got some nifty tools that help us speed up our greenhouses processes. New to the farm this year is the flat filler!...
read moreMaintaining the Farm
Thanks to Mae Wolfe for the photo of Jon! No two days are ever the same when you’re working as a Maintenance Manager of Red Dog Farm. Each morning starts with a hot cup of coffee and a list of things that need attention. Around here, the equipment works just as hard as the people do: the tractors get up early, the irrigation timers don’t clock out, and even the most reliable pipe can crack under pressure. Just last week, I investigated a brake leak on Pumpkin, the orange ’77 flatbed Dodge that’s responsible for transporting bountiful...
read moreTime to Bolt
When you drive by the farm, you might notice a row or two or eight of yellow flowers towering above luscious leafy greens. I hope you enjoy this little trip through time to tell the story of why there are so many yellow flowers across our fields. We grow brassicas throughout the year – all the crunchy, delightful plants in the kale family, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choi, brussels sprouts, turnips, mustard greens, and this year, romanesco! All these plants were wild cabbage plants, and over thousands of...
read moreSong of the Farm
The day often begins with good mornings and conversation with beautiful smiles. Music floats through the air in all directions coming from the packshed, greenhouse, and fields. It’s a nice rotation of pop, rock, folk, disco and just about everything in between. A beautiful thing about being here is that there is music everywhere. You’ll catch a melody just about anywhere you listen coming from the crew humming and singing as we work. I find myself leaning a little closer to get a better listen. Not only do the melodies come from the people...
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