Reflecting on a Year of Farm-Fresh Food
If you were to wander into the fields of Red Dog Farm you’d probably hear us talking about food. Yes, obviously, we talk about food all the time. We grow food, after all. But we also cook a lot of food, partially because of our access to some of the best produce in the world, and also because we love to eat. I’m currently in my last week of work at Red Dog, after 2 great seasons here. My heart is filled with so much love and pride for the work I’ve done here. I’m so grateful for the mentorship and friendship, and I’ll remember this time...
read moreRacing the Frost for Squash
What does 15,000 pounds of winter squash look like? Yesterday we got to find out. We’ve been harvesting small quantities of winter squash for the last few weeks, but once we heard the frost was coming, we had to pull as much squash out of the field as possible to keep it from freezing. The squash harvest was an all-hands, all-day event, and all other projects on the farm were put on pause. We filled a whopping 32 macro bins (in the photo above) with pie pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, kuri squash, hubbard squash, and multiple...
read moreFleeting Fall Feelings
Autumn, like springtime and unlike summer and winter, feels to me like a time of constant change, inquiry, and discovery. The slow tidal shift from summer to winter, vibrancy to dormancy, forces me to be observant and to carefully take stock of the world around me. My default mode during this season is questioning, and struggling to stay aware of all the changes happening around me. From the first cool late-summer day, I find myself wondering, is this it? Is it here now? This morning as I drove to work up Highway 19, I noticed that the...
read moreTeam Red Dog for the Win!
For the second year in a row, three of the Red Dog staff, including myself, decided to pose as runners during the recent half marathon down in Quilcene. I guess the challenges of full time farming during the height of the season wasn’t enough for this trio. We grudgingly went on a few after-work training runs leading up to the race, but decided that between lifting crate after crate of celery and spending our days walking from field to field, we were ready. With the arrival of fall, looming squash harvest and the fading of summer bounty I...
read moreAutumnal Observations from the Crew
Live from the (rain-saturated) field, it’s Flycatcher, bringing you the crew’s thoughts, emotions, and observations on the changing season. I found them down in Nanci Field, starting off the day with a wet strawberry harvest. Butternut, named for that fall classic, speaks to me about the sounds of the season: “I think of Canada geese flying overhead… the leaves rustling in the rain and wind, down by the creek. When there is rain across the valley, and it’s not quite hitting you yet but you hear it coming, and then it downpours, like...
read moreFarmer Wisdom Through the Ages
Farmers work on Labor Day. So this is my way of taking a day off, by letting others write for me today. “To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.” –Mahatma Gandhi “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” –Robert Louis Stevenson “One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a packet of seeds.” –Dan Bennett “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” -Old Greek proverb “Whoever makes two ears of corn or two blades...
read moreExploring Nutrition on the Farm
The past few months have been an awakening period in my life. Just short of two months ago, I moved from Iowa to Washington. I came to Red Dog Farm with no experience working on a vegetable farm, but my love for nutrition led me here. With arms wide open, everyone accepted me and showed me the ropes. Every day, I wake up excited to come harvest and enjoy being outside with nature. I feel privileged to watch the sun rise as I drive to work, the birds play in the afternoon, bees pollinate the flowers, and much more. The farm has not only taught...
read moreThe Joys of Peak Season
They say it’s peak season around here. The height of production, the coinciding of all the fruit harvests, the most crew we have all season, and usually this means the peak of tiredness. But still the energy of the summer carries us! Peak season is characterized by long harvest lists, multi-page packlists, and coolers that are full to the top with vegetables. It’s quite exciting to see the fruit of our labor expressed in many, many boxes that stack taller than Blake (the tallest member of our crew). So, since it seems that all we...
read moreA Summery Summary in Photos
When I think about a summery summary of the farm, I can’t quite find the words. Luckily, photos exist, and my coworkers are really good at capturing the perfect shots. There is so much humor, playfulness, and quiet moments that are never shared outside our big red barn. Below, you’ll find some of the “best photos” of the summer, with my own (somewhat interpreted) captions. Enjoy! -Britta “Yellow Bucket, Green Bucket” Photo by Flycatcher “Sweet Victory” Photo by Mermaid Man “Resting Souls” by Phoenix...
read moreDaydreams of Swimming Holes
Nearly two months have passed since the summer solstice, but it certainly could’ve fooled me. It’s felt like October half the time. But with the arrival of August, it feels like it’s truly summer now. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t get through the hotter months without swimming. It’s what I think about as I’m getting my arms and legs all scratched up by the raspberry bushes on a Friday afternoon: where should I go swimming after work? It’s all that gets me through harvesting tomatoes in almost 100 degree hoop houses on a bright and...
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