Editorial: Time's Fun When You're Having Flies

One of the side effects of last year's flooding in Iowa and the last couple years of wetter weather has been the increase of black flies and mosquitos in the area. These nasty little buggers (literally) have a bad habit of dive bombing into your eyes, ears and nose if you are working out in the field. Even worse, if you are exerting yourself and breathing through your mouth - you got it - a little extra protein to your diet.

These little guys are simply a reminder to those of us on the farm that the WIND is not the worst thing we have to deal with. Granted, windy days can take a lot out of you as you work - and it takes extra attention to make sure things do not get away from you - but when that wind dies down, you're swallowing insects whether you want to or not.

On the other hand, I have been seeing more bats on the farm during the last week. The swallows appear to be happy. The chickens get a little more 'free' food. And, it is possible that I'm starting to see a little uptick on the songbird population at the farm this year. At the least, the flycatcher types of birds are more abundant. Even better, I'm seeing many lady bug larvae in our fields and more bumblebees than prior years. Perhaps this was the food supply boost that was required in order to get some of our predator friends to visit us more often (that doesn't explain the bumblers)?

Of course, you are reading this and wondering why I'm writing about this as the editorial. If you aren't, I'm sorry if I'm going to ruin an otherwise innocuous report with some mildly thoughtful material!

With an outbreak of an irritating insect, the natural tendency is to want to instantly remove that population and get back to being comfortable. I admit it. I want them gone. The work can be hard enough without choking every 50 feet on another gnat/blackfly/whatever you want to call it. But, we refuse to take any more hand in it than by continuing to do what we have always done - maintain a diverse population on the small fragment of land that is the Genuine Faux Farm.

By refusing to spray, we have built up a greater population of predators that has been able to respond more quickly than other locations. In particular, I can think of towns and cities that spray regularly for insect pests and that are populated with "chemlawns." They are dooming themselves to perpetually having the spraying expense on their ledgers as they eliminate all natural controls.

And, getting back to the bumblebees. Why do I think we have more bumblers? We let the dandelions grow. Bees and bumblebees need a source of food early in the warm season and dandelions are one source we have on the farm. Because we do not diligently remove the dandelions, we see more bumblebee activity. And, oddly enough - I find that I no longer stress about their appearance in our gardens. Of course I till a great many under and I pull many that compete with the crop I intend to grow. But, I actually have come to welcome them as they appear to cover the ground in the fall or early spring.

It may be time to encourage all of you to find a child (or kid at heart) and pick a dandelion bouquet.

Have a question you want answered in a newsletter? Ask us!

Where Does the Money Go?

Because we believe in transparency and accountability with respect to the operations of our farm, we feel it is important that we give you some indication as to where your money goes as the season progresses. For example, we can typically expect to spend $1000-$1250 on seed each season. For perspective, that is the rough equivalent of four standard shares in the CSA.

Labor costs this season are budgeted to be in the $6500-$7000 range. This does not include workshare compensation and certainly does not include any 'salary' to Tammy or Rob. However, we found that paying for and receiving some good help was an important part of our success last year during a very trying season. We simply have too much to do for the two of us to complete everything on our own. The trick is to balance fair compensation for adequate labor in a way that leaves us with a profit to pay ourselves in the end.

Equipment costs play a role in our expense distribution every season. This year, we found ourselves purchasing a second JD 235 and bartering the old tractor for other, non-monetary resources. And, every year, we try to improve the state of our property and the buildings resting on it. Currently we have three of four sides of a roof completed for one of our outbuildings. We are also working to close in a semi-portable poultry shelter. On the backburner is a project to put on a reasonable back entrance to the house that doesn't require quite so much care in entering/exiting the building. It may not sound like a big deal - but it is if you are carrying full boxes down (or up) the existing stair.

When it comes to poultry, we try to make the expenses of feed, chicks, transportation, processing, supplies and equipment zero out with the income from sales. Our profit in this case comes in the form of some meat chickens/turkeys in our freezer and eggs in our refrigerator.

One of the sneakier expenses is the gasoline needed to fuel the truck and our equipment. We do try to use the gasoline powered engines less and our hand tools more. But, there are times when that is not feasible. Add to that the fact that our truck is an older vehicle - but one we have appreciated very much - and you never know when a $700-$900 repair bill will occur. We usually budget that much for repairs on the truck as a matter of course for each season.

Important Dates

• June 11 - 1st CSA pickup at Roots (Roots group - Thursday)
• June 13 - Tom Sawyer Day/Support Food Bank 1:00-5:00
• June 15- 1st CSA pickup at the farm (Tripoli group - Monday)
• June 16 - 1st CSA pickup in Waverly (Farmers' Market - Tuesday)

A to Z Cookbooks

Persons who ordered A to Z Cookbooks will be able to pick their books up and pay for them during the first CSA pickup of the season (see our schedule elsewhere in the newsletter). The cost is $18 to CSA members. Please note that this IS a discount from the publisher suggested retail price. We sell them at a slight increase over the cost to us. We strongly feel that these books are a valuable resource for persons wanting to make the most of their share and want to encourage their use. Once this box is gone, we do not anticipate ordering more until next Winter. But, some have not been spoken for as of yet - so let us know if you have interest.

Garden Report

Southwest plots:

Arugula and radish are ready to harvest. First lettuce is very close, second lettuce is two weeks away. Chard is up, beets are up and spinach is approaching maturity. If we can keep the deer and rabbits out, this batch looks very good.

Northeast plots:

All sweet peppers are in the ground. Eggplant and hot peppers are still in pots. First planting of summer squash/zucchini are up, second planting is in. Garlic has been a bit sparse. First planting of peas are up. First planting of cucumbers are sporadic, but may respond to the rain well. Second planting is in.

East plots:

Potatoes are up and look extremely healthy. Beans are patchy, but fine. All melons, winter squash and pumpkins are in as are most of their companion crops. Tomatoes are well ahead of last year's stage at this time and all are in. Basil is half in at this time. Onions are on schedule. Leeks appear to be a bit weak this year. Broccoli looks excellent and should be ready in four weeks. Rutabagas are up and turnips are planted. Kohlrabi is a few weeks away (planting one). Planting two is germinating.

Turkey Bandit

The reason we do not take deposits, but do take reservations for our meat poultry was illustrated for us yet again this season. Unfortunately, it was the turkey chicks that were predated on this year.

Typically, we have some problems with raccoon this time of year getting into the chickens, eggs and chicks. They usually will take several eggs and/or a bird or two at a time. This gives us cause for worry and makes for more work for us - but the depletion of our flocks is somewhat gradual. However, this year we had an unusual occurrence of a raccoon that appeared to enjoy killing for killing's sake. The result is that we only have 29 turkeys left in our original flock of 50.

The bandit has paid in full - however, we are now left trying to replenish the flock with new chicks. We are hopeful that we can raise the remaining successfully and come close to breaking even on this year's flock of birds.

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Thanks

We often find time while working in the fields to think about things for which we are grateful. Then, we try to remember to say some of those things in our newsletter.

• To all of the fine people who attended Iris Fest - thank you for reminding us why we do what we do. We don't always see what we are doing as remarkable, yet you remind us that what we do is appreciated. It gives us much needed fuel to run on.
• To Denis Drolet and Kendrick Sommerfeldt in making it possible for the outbuilding to have a USEFUL roof. Kendrick cleaned off the remaining two sides and Denis helped us repair a good part of the north side.
• To Brenda and Lauren Kaiser for hard work planting leeks (not the most exciting job in the world), weeding onions and planting lettuce.
• To the Kaiser family for hard work on their own garden plots and for their willingness to bring a genuine Oliver to the farm to cut down a field of tall grass and thistle.
• To Dad Faux for equipment maintenance and efforts to turn the garage into something with a little organization. Sorry, I think we already messed it up...
• To Mom, Dad & Catherine for efforts in putting in tomatoes over the Memorial Day weekend. And, the daylillies still look good after their weeding!
• To Jeff Sage for excellent hay bales being used to mulch the tomatoes.
• To all of the CSA members who have joined us for the 2009 season. We are pleased that you have chosen us as your personal farmers. There will be good eating this season!

Tom Sawyer Day - Support the Food Bank

NOTE: The day of this TSD is changed from our original calendar.

The Genuine Faux Farm is pairing our Tom Sawyer Day with a chance to support the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.

When: June 13 from 1pm to 5pm. Food available starting at 5pm. Attendees may arrive at any time from 1 to 5pm. (Rain date: June 20th)

RSVP: Please let us know if you plan on attending as soon as you make the decision to attend. Knowledge of attendees helps us to plan the task list and the event so that it is a positive experience for all who wish to be involved. You do NOT need to let us know that you will NOT be attending.

Food: After the workday, there will be some food. We will provide roast bison sandwiches from the Sumner Locker and Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch. Attendees are encouraged to bring other potluck items if desired, but this is not required.

How will your participation help the Food Bank? : There will be a free-will offering jar available for donations to the food shelf. Also, GFF will make their organic bags with logo available for $10, with $2 of every purchase going to the food bank. A representative from the food bank will be in attendance to answer questions. And, by pairing a local food producer and the area food bank, we hope to encourage everyone to think about how local foods can support those in need. If you want a direct link, GFF donates fresh produce to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Your efforts to help us get tasks done at the farm helps us to achieve higher yields. Higher yields provide more produce for CSA members AND the food bank!

Check out our Tom Sawyer Day schedule and description on our website.

Vol 5 Issue 6- June 2009

Recipes

Sauteed Radishes
1/4 cup butter
1 lb radishes, quartered
4 cups radish greens (or other greens, such as arugula)
2 tbs lemon juice
salt
black pepper

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add radishes, cook, constantly stirring until tender, but crisp (5 minutes). Transfer to bowl to cool. Put wet greens into skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly just until they begin to wilt. (2-3 minutes) Turn off heat, add lemon juice and radishes. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately (4 servings)

from Angelic Organics Kitchen

Braised Red Radishes

Ingredients :

10 Plump radishes, red or multicolored
1 sm. Shallot, diced
1/2tsp Chopped fresh thyme or several pinches dried
Salt and freshly milled pepper
White wine or apple juice or saute liquid of your choice

Method :
Trim the leaves from the radishes leaving a bit of the green stems, adn scrub them. If the leaves are tender and in good condition, wash them and set aside. Leave smaller radishes whole and halve or quarter larger ones.
Pour a tablespoon of white wine or applejuice into a small saute pan.
Add the shallot and thyme, cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the radishes, a little salt and pepper and water just to cover. Simmer until the radishes are tender, 3 - 5 minutes. Add the leaves if using them and cook until they are wilted and tender, about 1 minute more.
Remove the radishes to a serving dish. Boil the liquid until only about 1/4 cup remains, pour this over the radishes and serve.

Linguine with Arugula, Pine Nuts and Parmesan Cheese http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0106c.htm

1 pound linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
4 ounces arugula, trimmed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add arugula and stir until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add arugula and toss well. Add 1 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste; toss well.
4. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately, adding additional Parmesan, if desired.

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Fresh Sage in Polenta - www.angelicorganics.com
In this version of polenta, the assertive flavor of fresh sage adds a savory accent to cornmeal’s gentle sweetness.
Serves 8

6 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
salt
2 cups coarse-grained cornmeal (polenta)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 ounce) (optional)

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add salt to taste. (The amount you use will depend on the saltiness of your stock. The seasonings will concentrate as the polenta cooks, so if you are in doubt, use less.) Reduce to a simmer.
2. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the simmering stock, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook the cornmeal, stirring constantly to prevent sticking on the bottom, until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and is thick enough for the spoon to stand upright, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the sage and butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Savory Baking Powder Biscuits from the kitchen of Tammy Faux

2 cups flour (highly recommend either half wheat or all finely ground wheat)
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1-2 T finely chopped fresh chive
1 T finely chopped fresh sage, oregano, thyme or marjoram
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup (scant) milk (note - I use skim, but whole or even some cream create a nice treat)

• Mix dry ingredients together.
• Add chopped spices (use about 2/3 less if using dried)
• Cut in butter
• Stir in milk (note - use about 3/4 cup milk if you want to roll the biscuits out and shape them)
• Either drop onto greased cookie sheet or using lightly greased hands form into 3/4 inch thick rounds
• Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes until light brown on top and fluffy in the middle
• Makes 6-8 biscuits.

Wanted

• Plastic green pint sized strawberry cartons (like those you get in the supermarket)
• Tom Sawyer Day participants
• your continued support (thanks!)
• Auction and garage salers who could look for cheap but good quality larger coolers, prefer $5 bargains, but would pay up to $10 for good coolers (approx 3 ft in length)
• leaves, grass clippings, etc for composting. Must not be sprayed.

Vol 5 Issue 6- June 2009

Pickup Locations and Times

Waverly - Tuesday at Farmers' Market from 3:30-6:00 pm. First date is June 16.

Tripoli - Monday at the farm 4:00-6:00 pm. First date is June 15.

**Cedar Falls (Thurs group) - Roots Market from 4:00-6:30. First date is June 11. (Please, note these changes)

Anticipated Start/End Weeks

We will begin CSA pickups this year on June 11 (Thursday). The last delivery (week 20) would then be the week of October 26.

First CSA shares typically consist of lettuce, spinach, radish and herbs. You may note that our shares are later than some CSAs. However, our heavier soil at the farm tends to dictate later plantings to us. On the positive end, we have much stronger fall plantings because our soil holds more moisture.

Delivery Method

Our returning CSA members will not need this reminder, but our new members may benefit from a quick summary with respect to our method of delivery.

• Bring reusable bags, boxes or baskets to carry your produce home
• We have organic material bags for sale with our logo if desired
• If you forget a bag, we can loan some extra bags we bring along, but please return them.
• Produce is distributed menu style. Each type of produce has its own box - you select your share as prescribed by your share size and the prescribed menu for that size.
• A checklist will be at the distribution for you to check off once you pick up your share
• Running late? Raining hard? Kids in the car? Don't skip the day - call our cell phone 319-610-9201 to let us know your approximate arrival. We can help by prepacking your share if you ask.
• Going on vacation? Have a great time, but don't forget about your share. You can ask a friend to pick up for you or you can ask us ahead of time to donate your share to the foodbank.

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CSA Pickups Finalized (announcement)

Please note the following change. There will be NO delivery of CSA on Monday in Cedar Falls at this point in time. The waiting list response was not sufficient to add a new delivery time early in the season. So, we will have all Cedar Falls pickup members use the Thursday pickup until further notice. In order to handle a slightly larger group - we have expanded the pickup time on Thursday to 4:00pm - 6:30pm.

As the season progresses, we will reserve the right to again split into two delivery times (Monday & Thursday) for the Cedar Falls group. But, we foresee that combining to one delivery time will actually save us enough effort to make the trials of packing for a larger group worthwhile.

The times and locations shown at the left are our finalized times for this season barring necessary changes. If you hear nothing from us, you should assume that you have a delivery to pickup EVERY week at these times/locations until the end of the season.

Popping Wheelies?

One of our best purchases for the 2008 season was a wheel hoe for cultivation. After some research, we purchased a model promoted by Eliot Coleman and marketed by Johnny's out of Maine.

As with any tool, it takes a little bit of time to figure out the strengths and weaknesses and figure out exactly how to efficiently use it. I am reminded of this fact every time someone else wants to try to use the wheelhoe after watching me use it for a time. Usually, I get odd looks that are a mixture of suspicion and admiration - neither of which are entirely warranted. The suspicion arises because I talk up this tool every time I have a chance. The admiration may have something to do with the amount of effort newcomers put into using the wheelhoe when they first use it. Hence, they suspect I am not telling the entire truth when I promote the tool and they also assume that I must be very strong to be able to use it so well.

I will attest that I am very strong (smelling - but I'll take a shower before CSA distributions, promise!). However, it is often a matter of learning the tool to get the most performance out of the least effort. Yes, there IS effort involved. I find it to be an excellent 'cross-training' tool. You CAN get tired using the wheelhoe. But, it is often a matter of figuring out the angle of force you need to place on the tool to achieve your goal.

If you still don't believe me, consider this, we bought a second wheelhoe with three cultivation blades for this season. In a couple of hours, this wheel hoe was used to cultivate all of the rows in one of our 180 foot by 60 foot plots. Every penny, well spent.