The days are getting shorter. That means fewer hours of daylight to work in the evenings which has made for some hectic harvests as we work to fill all of our restaurant and grocery store orders. Because of the lack of length of day - I've gone in to work late the last couple days and spent the early morning hours harvesting. Everyone should be able to spend their mornings in a garden and start their day by harvesting herbs. I've been in a MUCH better mood the last couple days at work and I'm sure it's becuase I have started both days harvesting basil or better yet, this morning, lemon verbena.
It's hard to be in a downer mood when you get those great smells, the peacefulness as the farm comes awake and the birds start their day, and the quiet rising of the sun in the morning.
I'm really excited about September 12th. You may have noticed it as an addition to the calendar. My friend Lisa Swanson Faleide has booked our farm and my services for her first venture into 'Plainswoman Presents...'
Lisa wants a forum for plainswomen everywhere to explore new things, including their spirit, faith, artistic expression, and their inner selves. She has asked me to present an interactive workshop on Rosh Hashanah. This is really exciting for me as being Jewish on the prairies can be kind of lonely - so being able to share this wonderful start to the high holy days with others is wonderful. This workshop is meant to introduce the traditions and theologies of Rosh Hashanah to people of all denominations and explain why it is important in the Jewish religion. Hopefully I'll also be able to relate how the Jewish religion is similar to the Christian religion and break down some barriers in that way. Anyway, for more information regarding this wonderful workshop - where by the way we will have a lighted labyrinth walk, a short hayride to the coulee, and other fun - please contact Lisa at lisaswansonfaleide@yahoo.com.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Produce Party and maybe even at "Plainswoman Presents...The Beginning of the Days of Awe"
Friday, August 24, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Busy Week.
Last week was a really busy week for us. We had an excellent class on Monday night with people attending from Grand Forks, Tolna, and McHenry. We had great fun.
Side-note: I told someone in this class that I would post something to this blog for her and then - duh! I promptly forgot what I was to post, please email or call me and let me know and I'll be sure to get it right up here.
Later in the week we received news that North Dakota had been part of a Today show segment on America The Beautiful - the most beautiful things in our country. As a part of that segment, gardendwellers Farm was highlighted on MSNBC and the Today show website. Wow! What a thrill. And - it was totally unexpected. To see the series and the segment, check out this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20180273/
Then of course it was harvest, harvest, harvest. The restaurants and grocery stores are loving our herbs. The freshness is what gets them - you can't blame them. There's nothing like fresh from the farm veggies, fruits, or herbs.
My mother stopped yesterday - she's been busy too. She brought over all of the jelly she has been making for us from the fruit that grows at the farm. There were boxes and boxes of Nanking Cherry, Chokecherry, and Black Currant syrup and jelly. We are truly blessed to have such a Mom to take care of us and help us out. She also was over on Wednesday when she leafed 10 pounds of Genovese Basil for a Sanders 1907 Restaurant delivery. Each week she usually does 5 pounds but Chef Holmes and Mom and I are all going on vacation this week so he ordered 10 pounds. Let me tell you folks, 10 pounds of leafed Basil is a LOT of Basil.
This week Mom and I will be taking off Thursday and heading for the North Dakota State Horticultural Society Annual Conference and the State Fruit and Vegetables show in Jamestown. We go every year and I am the editor of their quarterly newsletter. I've been saving my pennies so I can buy things on the silent auction and we always have lots of fun.
Hope your days are filled with Flavor!
Holly
Last week was a really busy week for us. We had an excellent class on Monday night with people attending from Grand Forks, Tolna, and McHenry. We had great fun.
Side-note: I told someone in this class that I would post something to this blog for her and then - duh! I promptly forgot what I was to post, please email or call me and let me know and I'll be sure to get it right up here.
Later in the week we received news that North Dakota had been part of a Today show segment on America The Beautiful - the most beautiful things in our country. As a part of that segment, gardendwellers Farm was highlighted on MSNBC and the Today show website. Wow! What a thrill. And - it was totally unexpected. To see the series and the segment, check out this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20180273/
Then of course it was harvest, harvest, harvest. The restaurants and grocery stores are loving our herbs. The freshness is what gets them - you can't blame them. There's nothing like fresh from the farm veggies, fruits, or herbs.
My mother stopped yesterday - she's been busy too. She brought over all of the jelly she has been making for us from the fruit that grows at the farm. There were boxes and boxes of Nanking Cherry, Chokecherry, and Black Currant syrup and jelly. We are truly blessed to have such a Mom to take care of us and help us out. She also was over on Wednesday when she leafed 10 pounds of Genovese Basil for a Sanders 1907 Restaurant delivery. Each week she usually does 5 pounds but Chef Holmes and Mom and I are all going on vacation this week so he ordered 10 pounds. Let me tell you folks, 10 pounds of leafed Basil is a LOT of Basil.
This week Mom and I will be taking off Thursday and heading for the North Dakota State Horticultural Society Annual Conference and the State Fruit and Vegetables show in Jamestown. We go every year and I am the editor of their quarterly newsletter. I've been saving my pennies so I can buy things on the silent auction and we always have lots of fun.
Hope your days are filled with Flavor!
Holly
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
A Bounty of Basil
Seems like the last two weeks I've had more than my fair share of dreams about drowning in Basil. Last week we started harvesting and making our deliveries to Minot and Grand Forks. This truly is my favorite time of year as nothing is better than pounds and pounds of fresh herbs all around you.
This year for the first time we are dealing with packaging and labeling - seems the grocery stores kind of like them that way! Apparantly my fears about that were unfounded as well because Tracey at Marketplace Foods loved our labels and packages.
We've also had some great classes the last two weeks. Last week was 'cooking with herbs' and we had a full class. Everyone had a blast and the weather cooperated for our class so we had a great time. This weeks class was 'herbal wreaths'. We had 8 people in the class and the wreaths turned out beautifully. A great big thanks to all the people who come out to take our classes. We sure have fun meeting all of you and visiting as we have our outdoor gatherings! Next weeks class is Home Made Beauty. There is still room in the class so if you'd like to learn to make a lavendar sachet, bath oils, bath salts, or other beauty products - give us a call or email us to sign up. Everything we'll make will be yours to take home or give as a gift and we'll make them from herbs and flowers from our garden. This is one of my favorite classes so please join us.
Tonight I'll go home and start to harvest again - more and more and more basil - for delivery to the grocery store and the restaurants tomorrow and then the cycle starts over. I guess that's how nature is - one cycle after another, always growing, and always appreciating the beauty along the way.
Happy Summer
Holly
Seems like the last two weeks I've had more than my fair share of dreams about drowning in Basil. Last week we started harvesting and making our deliveries to Minot and Grand Forks. This truly is my favorite time of year as nothing is better than pounds and pounds of fresh herbs all around you.
This year for the first time we are dealing with packaging and labeling - seems the grocery stores kind of like them that way! Apparantly my fears about that were unfounded as well because Tracey at Marketplace Foods loved our labels and packages.
We've also had some great classes the last two weeks. Last week was 'cooking with herbs' and we had a full class. Everyone had a blast and the weather cooperated for our class so we had a great time. This weeks class was 'herbal wreaths'. We had 8 people in the class and the wreaths turned out beautifully. A great big thanks to all the people who come out to take our classes. We sure have fun meeting all of you and visiting as we have our outdoor gatherings! Next weeks class is Home Made Beauty. There is still room in the class so if you'd like to learn to make a lavendar sachet, bath oils, bath salts, or other beauty products - give us a call or email us to sign up. Everything we'll make will be yours to take home or give as a gift and we'll make them from herbs and flowers from our garden. This is one of my favorite classes so please join us.
Tonight I'll go home and start to harvest again - more and more and more basil - for delivery to the grocery store and the restaurants tomorrow and then the cycle starts over. I guess that's how nature is - one cycle after another, always growing, and always appreciating the beauty along the way.
Happy Summer
Holly
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