Humors of June
Where in dry grass lives the thrash of young birdsIt shifts with presence, quiet, ulteriorOr in the dust of creekside fieldParents feigning broken wings It’s all an ashy tumbleThis June air, with August feelingSweat puts up clouds as it strikes earthThere are columns of smoke in this valley Yet, it is not deep SummerA wave rises, lapping at the ridge’s far lineDamp twilight pushing past the rainshadowThen spilling over, cold Where are the dry places nowJune rain does not placate with straight flight pathsIt fills and moves with sinewsIt...
read moreFor the Love of Herbs
Different things motivate different farmers in their work, and there’s usually a multitude of reasons. A big motivator for me is simply my love of food and the pleasure of eating really, really good food. Having access to such a diverse array of produce makes cooking a joy and pushes my culinary boundaries. Lately when I’ve made something particularly delicious, its because of the fresh herbs I’ve added to the dish. Fresh herbs can completely transform your meal and take it from a bland, lifeless dish to something bright, complex and...
read moreWhat’s in my CSA?
The sun rose high over the valley today, A beacon of hope for this rainy late-May.My heart has blossomed anew for what’s to come,For today is the day of my CSA! What’s in store this week you may wonder…Well, they’re leafy, hearty, and some come from down under.Verdant frills and ruby jewels,all a sneak peak at what’s to come this summer. First to come are stalks of green and bulbs of white.Freshly washed they sparkle in the light.Stem, leaf, and bulb can all be enjoyed;our green garlic is quite the delight! The next of our...
read moreThree Haikus for May
Solomon drives tractor while composing haikus. Will it rain or shine Is this day July or March Push out and retreat Old fields new again ...
read moreRed Dog Farm Crossword
Download this crossword here! Across2. Delicata, Kabocha, Acorn, e.g.4. One of many herbs we grow5. Where seeds are started8. Used to prepare fields before planting9. Pea ______; often used as a tender garnish10. CSA members received baby ones last week11. Office Admin who sends CSA news email each week13. Org. that issued Red Dog’s organic certification15. Orange cherry tomato variety16. Family of cabbages, kales, etc. Down1. Current farm dog and daughter of the Red Dog namesake2. Also known as Jerusalem Artichokes3. Come in gold,...
read moreVegetable Haikus
This week for CSA news the Red Dog crew wanted to share some haikus inspired by the CSA share. A haiku is a three line poem consisting of a 5 syllable, a 7 syllable, and another 5 syllable line in succession. We hope you enjoy! ~Paige LettuceGreen oakleaf lettuceSo named because of the treeFunny leaves delight ~ Paige Bok ChoiWe adore bok choiSo succulent and tenderThe slugs think so too ~ Flynn and Hannah Hakurei TurnipsGlist’ning hakureiEarly peach of the green houseBursting with...
read moreTransplanting Joy
We have two Karyns on the farm this year! Above, both return to the trucks loaded up with tulips.Thanks to Rod Just for the photo! Spring has sprung here on the farm, and that means it is all hands on deck to move our young seedlings from the greenhouses to the fields. The young veggie plants are popping out of their seeding trays and ready to grow big in the freshly tilled soil. Transplanting is one of my favorite tasks on the farm and I love feeling accomplished when I look back at the neat rows of plants we have rehomed.A typical bed on...
read moreA Farmer’s Soliloquy, Beneath the Dreaming Sky
(Enter FARMER, earth-worn and thoughtful, holding a beet. The sky is brushed with twilight.) The day now fades, and dusk begins to sigh,While soft winds stir beneath a painted sky.The soil has spoken in its quiet way—A gentle harvest on a golden day. First came the greens, all tender, fresh, and bright,A patchwork quilt of shadow, sun, and light.I gathered them with care, leaf after leaf,Each one a note in spring’s brief, blooming grief. Then chard, ablaze in crimson, gold, and flame,So proud it seemed too wild to ever tame.It stood like fire...
read moreTulips, Demystified
What goes into growing and selling tulips on such a large scale? Tulips are the farm’s most unusual crop throughout every part of the process, and I bet most people don’t know just how bizarre it gets. Tulips are unlike any other crop we grow, for many reasons. Most obviously, they are the only flower we harvest and sell, and the only thing we harvest purely for its beauty and not its deliciousness. They will be available for about two months, but their journey started many months ago, during late fall, when their bulbs were...
read moreWhat Laptops and Parrots Have in Common with Tulips
It’s tulip time! People have been admiring these richly colored harbingers of spring for centuries, and for good reason. The classic tulip is elegant and graceful, and innumerable stunning varieties have been bred over the years. For example, a “parrot” tulip has petals with distinctively frilly, lacy edges, somewhat reminiscent of the margins of bird wings. Tulips infected with Tulip Breaking Virus show multiple colors, often in bold streaks or dramatic flame-like patterns, with slightly different patterns on each side of...
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