We’re just over a month from Opening Day, March 6, here at the Farm. Join us!
If you’re thinking about coming to see us, send us an email and let us know.
I just finished burning a new bookmark. I tend to return to mountain scenes—they pull me back to our years in Alaska. This one, especially, reminds me of Turnagain Arm near Anchorage (above): mountains stacked to the horizon, the long bike rides to Girdwood for cinnamon rolls or a warm bowl of soup and a sandwich.
This bookmark is a bit longer than the ones I made in December, cut from a White Ash tree that once stood in our back yard before it died and had to come down. The grain is beautiful, and it takes the burn well. On the back, a small groove left by some critter runs along the edge. It gives the piece a bit of character—and conveniently, a perfect place for the tassel.
White Ash trees aren’t doing well in this part of the country. The Emerald Ash Borer eventually shuts down the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients, and even the healthiest trees decline. They’re such beautiful trees, and it’s heartbreaking to watch them go.
Our spaghetti squash has overwintered beautifully in storage. These are the largest we’ve ever grown—bigger than a football. We’ll try to have them out on Opening Day in case you’re craving one.
A couple of our favorite recipes:
If you’re new to this vegetable, it can be a lighter alternative to pasta. It takes a little getting used to, but we’ve come to enjoy its flavor and the way it adapts to different dishes.
The brassica seedlings we started about two weeks ago are doing well. We’ll be potting them up soon and preparing them for life in the plastic-covered hoophouse under row cover—an early spring crop if all goes well. Radishes, turnips, lettuce, and spinach will join them once the structure is finished and the weather gives us a small window to work.
Brassicas don’t mind the cold as long as we keep the wind from drying them out. The hoophouses are next on the list as soon as temperatures rise just enough to make the work possible.
Sign up for Notes from the Haven, and we’ll keep you posted on what we hope to have available as we move toward Opening Day.