From the Fields February 3^rd 2007

After weeks of much-warmer-than-average temperatures, the nippy days and nights this past week finally brought winter to Florida. We spent Monday frost-proofing the most tender of the plants (especially the beloved Solanacea family – tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant). Unsure of just how cold it was going to get, we were cautious and harvested some of the fruits we were waiting on to vine ripen – we didn’t want to risk freezing those beautiful tomatoes and peppers. We also harvested all of the basil since we know it does not like cold nights even above 32 degrees. A few weeks will pass before you see basil in the weekly shares again, but we hope you will enjoy this week’s pesto treat. You’ll be happy to know that there was little, if any, damage to the plants as temperatures next to the Indian River didn’t dip enough to freeze.

Luckily, with such crop diversity on the farm we can rest assured that as some plants slow their growth because of the coolness (like the Solanacea family), others appear downright joyous to be chilled, such as members of the cabbage (including broccoli) and kale families, along with some of the root vegetables. Although the off-season warmth now cast aside by record cold has been felt nationally, the importance of crop diversity in contending with the mysteries of Florida ’s weather has been emphasized – we just can’t take for granted Mother Nature’s temperament in our sub-tropical region.

Compost Drop-Off

Bring compost to your weekly share pick-up! As many of you are aware, our sand-based soil needs constant amending in order to create the nutrient base for growing healthy plants. We encourage shareholders to return any unused or spoiled organic vegetable scraps to the farm for composting (but please continue using them for your own compost piles, if already doing so). We recommend having a bucket or covered container that you can bring with you when picking up your weekly share. We’ll have a bucket available for you to dump your scraps into. Please do not include any non-organic scraps; meat, dairy, or egg products; or any processed foods.

Four Hands Farm Website

For ease in identifying some of the lesser know types and varieties of vegetables, we will be putting together a photo catalog of 4HF plants, fruits, and veggies. It will also be a great way for you to get to know the plants that provide the food we eat. Expect these changes in the next week or so.

FieldNotes

January’s rainy days provided much needed deep-soakings for the fields, as well as providing rest and supply for our well-water source. Although irrigation is essential in maintaining life in the fields when the weather is not providing according to our plans, it is incredible to see the differences between naturally provided soakings vs. irrigated watering. Plants grow, brighten up, and produce beyond that which occurs with non-rain irrigation – surely the micronutrients and nitrogen present in rainwater help boost their vitality beyond what artesian well water can do.

Flora

With the recent warm weeks behind us, many fruit trees have budded, flowered, and began to set fruit months ahead of their regular growth schedules. We’ll soon see the effects of this season’s unusual weather upon the fruit potential of the Mango, Avocado, and Mulberry trees on the farm. Let’s hope that they are resilient enough to survive and produce well in this and next season.

We hope everyone is enjoying the sungold and white cherry tomatoes. Over the past few weeks they have really come out in force, we’re hoping this cold week won’t curb their harvest too much. You may have noticed that some tomatoes have had somewhat tough skin (luckily, they remain super tasty). This is due to the dry conditions we experienced in December. We have noticed over the seasons, that the dryer the weather, the tougher the tomato skin…with all of January’s rain we’ll soon see if they soften up.

Over the last few days we have noticed the cabbage forming nice heads. They can be a fickle bunch (a few hot days will stall their growth considerably), but with the recent cold snap they have begun to develop beyond loose leaves. As head cabbages are known for their prolific leaf growth, one must practice patience in awaiting the arrival of the cabbage head. It has paid off as they now have finally begun to form tight heads and, like the kales and broccoli, their leaves have turned a rich, deep green. The cold should sweeten them up nicely, too.

We’ve offered the option of carrots over the last few weeks, but with these bright and cool days we will soon have bundles of carrots for everyone. In a few more weeks, we’ll all be munching on those tasty orange (and purple and yellow and white) roots.

Fauna

Feathered snowbirds can be found all around 4HF. Red-breasted Robins, en masse, can be heard throughout the day and seen blackening the sky in flight as they move from tree to tree. Wrens and finches are regular farmhands, eating up many of the unwanted residents such as tomato fruit and horn worms. Evening time Wednesday we noticed a small flock of titmouse preening and peeping above the main plot in the leafless Hickory tree.

In the past few weeks we have not seen much of the red-tailed hawk that remained nearly by our sides for two weeks earlier in the year. Yet this may help explain why we do have three new residents alongside our tractor storage area…tiny hares (rabbits) that appear to be a few weeks old. In a dip in the ground under a bundle of fur they remain quiet and hidden, mama hare surely watching us closely from a secluded spot nearby.

Eco-Agri-Food Definition of the Week (first in a series)

4HF seeks to not only provide its shareholders and the public with great tasting veggies, but to also make available information pertaining to local, small-scale food production and the community’s involvement in its consumption. We seek to not only care for the plants in our fields, but to also enrich life in our local community.

Since we are always investigating and reading up on current (and some not so current) issues regarding agriculture and food production, we thought it important to share with you some of that which we come across. This also serves as a means of “thinking globally and acting locally”.

In each upcoming newsletter, look for definitions/explanations of concepts and recommended readings and/or websites that we think contain pertinent information related to today’s agricultural and food issues. We hope these ideas will inspire further dialogue and investigations of the issues affecting us all.

Foodshed - the following is an excerpt from the Conference to Promote Healthy Foodsheds in Pullman, Washington. www.cahenews.wsu.edu/releases/00012.html

No, a foodshed is not like a woodshed. It’s more like a watershed. And it’s a new idea – or perhaps a return to an old idea – about how food should be grown and delivered to customers.

The idea involves developing sustainable, community-based farming and food systems, says Curtis Beus (Washington State University Cooperative Extension Chair).

“The food that makes up the bulk of our diets today is produced, processed, and distributed in a manner that often disconnects people from the source of their sustenance,” says Beus.

Many people are calling for the establishment of alternative food systems that are more local in scope, and which incorporate issues of importance to them: healthy communities, social justice, and environmental quality.” Some refer to these small, local food systems as “foodsheds.”

Around Brevard and Central Florida

I recently spoke with a friend who attended a local farm tour hosted by the Brevard County Extension Service. She mentioned the farms they visited, discussing their sizes and types of production. I was not surprised to hear that they were all large, commercial endeavors: cattle, sod, and citrus –with much of the production geared towards markets outside of Brevard County.

Although our county has never been known for large quantities of horticultural goods, what little agriculture was designed to supply local needs has declined sharply in the face of land development. After realizing that there still are producers left in town, I was inspired to disseminate this information. As encouraging and supporting local food production is one of 4HF’s missions, here is a list of some local goods produced and sold in Brevard County. Of course, availability may be seasonal.

• Various individual roadside stands of citrus, carambola (star fruit) avocado, and mango along the Indian River (Rockledge).
• John Bear Honey (Merritt Island) is available at SunSeed Cooperative in Cape Canaveral.
• SunSeed also offers some locally grown organic tropical and sub-tropical fruit (from a grove in Merritt Island).
• Christine’s Blueberries (Melbourne). As she begins the harvest in April, we will keep you posted on availability.
• We’ll keep updating and if you know of other producers not listed here, please inform us so we can share that information in future newsletters.
• Further away, but still in Central Florida, is Sweetwater Farms in Tampa. They offer farm tours and an on-site market on Sundays. www.sweetwater-organic.org
• As many of you are already aware, www.localharvest.org  is a great resource for searching out locally produced foods wherever you might be located.

Recommended Readings and Pertinent Websites

Farmer John’s Cookbook from Angelic Organics in Illinois offers humorous, heartfelt, and various other strange tidbits related to experiences with their organic farm and Community Supported Agriculture program. Of most interest to us we hear comments, from both Farmer John and the shareholders, about their CSA program - the largest in the nation with over 700 shareholders! This book provides bushels of entertainment and lots of delicious recipes geared towards what shareholders might find in their weekly basket. What a great combination- inspiring and practical recipes and a chance to hear more about another Community Supported Agriculture program.

Here’s an excerpt from a shareholder in Farmer John’s Cookbook

What is all this talk of complaints this year? Count me out of that camp. I am here to sing the praises. I have been a shareholder for five years and, yes, it does seem the boxes are less full than in past years. I didn’t sign on to get a steal on veggies. I signed on to get good quality food and to give the farm a fairer break in the market. Rain, shine, drought, or whatever, I know I’ve gotten the best of the deal. I know the source of my food. I know how much work it takes to get it to me. And, I know how good the food is. I can taste all the care that goes into it. It nourishes me on many levels (pp 21).

The Real Dirt on Farmer John is an upcoming movie release that looks at the life and experiences of this well-known CSA farmer. For more information check out their website at www.angelicorganics.com

Epicurious is a great place to find a wide array of inspired recipes for all sorts of well-known and abstract fruits and vegetables. From the creators of Gourmet and Bon Appétit magazines, epicurious offers a recipe search where you can look for specific ingredient uses. “For people who love to eat” www.epicurious.com 

Although far from local, the British Colombia Canada based radio program Deconstructing Dinner is a highly recommended and bountiful resource (including up to date information, podcasts, and movie clips) related to an extensive exploration of modern agriculture and food. Deconstructing Dinner “has been designed to dispense and discuss current food issues… [to] assist listeners in making more educated choices when purchasing food…” www.cjly.net/deconstructingdinner

With “the purpose of challenging harmful food production technologies and promoting sustainable alternatives”, the Center for Food Safety is a politically active non-profit organization that addresses up-to-date agriculture and food issues here in the United States. With a commitment to keeping agricultural practices and food production a transparent process, the CFS offers current information and investigative resources on a range of topics from commercial agriculture to genetically engineered foods. CFS also encourages individual action through their True Food Network letter writing and correspondence (with our local and national representatives) program.  Stay current on important issues affecting our food by checking out the Center for Food Safety. www.centerforfoodsafety.org

With Deeply Rooted Thanks,
Farmer Mandy Sunshine and Farmer Morgan