Weekly Blog
This week's newsletter will be coming shortly, but in the meantime we wanted to let you know that we have a special on green beans for those of you looking for quantities to can or freeze. We have just picked several hundred pounds of green beans and are offering them for $2.25 per lb. (usually $3.00 per lb.) already picked. This special runs today and tomorrow. Call us at 942-7975 or drop us an e-mail at info@dancingcranefarm.com to reserve yours today. Just be sure to include the amount you want in your message. Our farm stand is open 8 am until 3 pm today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) if you want to stop by. You can certainly make arrangements to pick up an order in the evening.
*We will have more u-pick and already-picked beans by early next week.
--Natasha--
Today's Update from Dancing Crane Farm
August 7, 2010
Hello, everyone! The season is flying by. Soon we will have a full newsletter out to all of you, but for now this update will have to suffice. All is well here on the farm. Read below to learn more about two opportunities to connect with us in the near future. Have a great day!
--The DCF Crew--
Snap Bean Are On!
We have tons of beans that need to be picked TODAY! So, if you would like to come out to the farm today or tomorrow to pick dragon, yellow or green beans....we would love it! If we pick your beans for you, it will cost you $3/lb. If you pick them yourself, you will save a bundle and end up paying only $1.50/lb. So, swing by Dancing Crane Cafe at the Marquette Farmers & Artisans Market this morning, then head out to the farm to pick some beans to can or freeze. Andrea, Bob and Casey are at the farm today.
Upcoming Farm Events
Annual Farm Tours (Sunday, August 8th at DCF)
Sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op
Come to the farm tomorrow to see what we have been up to. Our farm is one of three on the Marquette Food Co-op Farm Tours tomorrow, Sunday, August 8th from 1-5 pm. So, come rain or shine for a visit. We will be serving our Marquette Morrocan Salad and our Mighty Greens Salad at the Cafe for those of you who want some lunch. We will also have popcorn, cookies and wonder water. Help us finish off the flower crop for the season by picking your own bouquet free of charge. Hope to see you at the farm.
Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone & Fax: 906.942.7975
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com
Dancing Crane Farm is responsible for the content of this email.
Natasha Gill, 348 Lawson Road, Skandia, MI 49885
If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789
Today's Update from Dancing Crane Farm
August 7, 2010
Hello, everyone! The season is flying by. Soon we will have a full newsletter out to all of you, but for now this update will have to suffice. All is well here on the farm. Read below to learn more about two opportunities to connect with us in the near future. Have a great day!
--The DCF Crew--
Snap Bean Are On!
We have tons of beans that need to be picked TODAY! So, if you would like to come out to the farm today or tomorrow to pick dragon, yellow or green beans....we would love it! If we pick your beans for you, it will cost you $3/lb. If you pick them yourself, you will save a bundle and end up paying only $1.50/lb. So, swing by Dancing Crane Cafe at the Marquette Farmers & Artisans Market this morning, then head out to the farm to pick some beans to can or freeze. Andrea, Bob and Casey are at the farm today.
Upcoming Farm Events
Annual Farm Tours (Sunday, August 8th at DCF)
Sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op
Come to the farm tomorrow to see what we have been up to. Our farm is one of three on the Marquette Food Co-op Farm Tours tomorrow, Sunday, August 8th from 1-5 pm. So, come rain or shine for a visit. We will be serving our Marquette Morrocan Salad and our Mighty Greens Salad at the Cafe for those of you who want some lunch. We will also have popcorn, cookies and wonder water. Help us finish off the flower crop for the season by picking your own bouquet free of charge. Hope to see you at the farm.
Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone & Fax: 906.942.7975
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com
Dancing Crane Farm is responsible for the content of this email.
Natasha Gill, 348 Lawson Road, Skandia, MI 49885
If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789
The Weekly Newsletter of Dancing Crane Farm
July 20, 2010
Greetings!
It is going to be a short newsletter this week with so much going on...film showing at the farm, farm tour, festivals and more! Keep reading to learn how you can stay connected with the farm. Have a beautiful week.
The DCF Crew
*Just a reminder: We won't be at the Marquette Farmers Market the next two Saturdays. We will be at Picnic Rocks both weekends, so come see us there...read on for more details.
_________________________________________________________________
Festivals
We will not be at the Marquette Farmers Market for the next two weekends as we will be setting up shop at Picnic Rocks for the Outback Art Fair and The People's Festival. Additionally, we are adding the Blueberry Fest to our line up. So here is the scoop on where and when we will be set up for the next two weeks...PLEASE COME SEE US!
*Saturday & Sunday, July 24th & 25th Art on the Rocks at Picnic Rocks in Marquette from 10 am until 6 pm both days
*Friday, July 30th near the corner of Front and Washington Streets in Marquette for the Blueberry Fest from 10 am until 6 pm
*Saturday & Sunday, July 31st & August 1st at the People's Festival (showcase of earth-friendly, holistic, organic and natural practices) at Picnic Rocks in Marquette from 10 am until 6 pm both days
New Arrival
We are pleased to welcome Deena who hails from right here in Skandia. Deena will be spending the entire month of July with us as part of her desire to learn more about food and sustainability. She has been a wonderful addition to our team. Her positive attitude and great work ethic are a true asset to the farm.
Upcoming Farm Events
Food Inc. Film Showing (Wednesday, July 2th at 6 pm at DCF)
We will be showing the film "Food Inc." www.foodincmovie.com at the farm on Wednesday, July 28th at 6 pm. This is a hard-hitting, fact-filled, eye-opening film about food in our country. It really is a must see for everyone. This movie has changed the way people eat, live and interact with their community. We will host an informal discussion following the film. The movie is FREE for everyone. The cafe' will be selling beverages, popcorn & smoothies.
Annual Farm Tours (Sunday, August 8th at DCF)
Sponsored by the Marquette Food Co-op
http://www.marquettefood.coop/tours.php
We are one of three farms featured on Sunday, August 8th. Come see us between 1 and 5 pm for a farm tour and good company. The cafe' will be selling beverages, popcorn, smoothies and perhaps a "real food" option or two.
We are pleased to announce that our VerTerra dinnerware went over very well last weekend at the Farmers Market. Hopefully, those of you who purchased the bowl and utensil will bring them back with you this week. Or, if you chose to compost your dinnerware, may it be happily breaking down in your compost pile.
Learn more about VerTerra at
http://www.verterra.com/
and
Aspenware at http://aspenware.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=1
Just a reminder that we also encourage customers to bring their own containers for their meal.
Menu
The DCF Cafe menu can be found on our website. As of this weekend, our menu is both gluten and dairy free. We do purchase bulk ingredients, so we can't guarantee that our dishes are 100% allergen-free. We disclose all ingredients, so just ask. In addition to our regular menu, we will be serving a carrot ginger soup that is truly scrumptious.
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/content/7493
Contribute
We are currently in need of the following items. Keep us in mind when you are cleaning out your cupboards or at yard sales!
Large size stainless bowls
Large size stainless stock/soup pots
Large Food Processor
Towels of all sizes (bath & kitchen)
Weeders Wanted! It is that time of year again...... the weeds are out in full force. Get a group of friends together and come out for a few hours of fresh air and weed pulling. (Please let us know in advance when and how many people will be coming!)
Food for Thought
Spreading the Biointensive Revolution in Mexico
OCA and our affiliate in Mexico, Via Organica, believe that "biointensive" organic agriculture is the only way we're going to feed ourselves and feed the world in this emerging era of climate chaos, Peak Oil, and evermore scarce water. "Biointensive" is a cutting-edge method of organic farming and gardening, incorporating traditional methods, appropriate in both urban and rural settings, spearheaded by agronomist John Jeavons and the California-based organization, Ecology Action, which generates maximum yields on minimum areas of land, with a goal of long-term sustainability and soil improvement. Biointensive methods can produce between two and four times the number of vegetables and herbs per acre as traditional organic and chemical farming. As the world population grows, it is essential to find alternatives to the relatively low yields of conventional energy and chemical-intensive monoculture. Biointensive, like all organic agriculture, takes carbon dioxide from the air and stores it in the soil, does not rely on fossil fuels, and increases yields.
Jennifer Ungamach, Via Organica's resident expert and a student of John Jeavons, will be holding English language, Biointensive Agriculture Workshop for three consecutive Saturdays beginning August 14 at the Via Organica farm school in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The course will also include an introduction to soil microbiology, compost tea brewing and clay pot irrigation.
For more information please contact Jennifer at oficina@viaorganica.org
Take Action
4 Simple Ways to Avoid GMOs1. Buy organic - organic producers are not allowed to use GMOs
2. Look for "Non-GMO" labels
3. Avoid risky ingredients: corn, soy, vegetable oil (canola, cottonseed, and soybean), sugarbeet sugar
4. Buy products listed in the Non-GMO Shopping Guide
Resources
Interested in eating more raw food? Check out www.upvegresource.com.
Need support as you transition to eating a healthier diet or just want to meet others who share your passion for good food? Learn more about the group Northern Vegans at www.northernvegans.com.
Don't forget..... DCF has a lending library! Many of the books, DVD's, Videos, and magazines are listed on our website and many are not. Get in touch for more info.
Parting
Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~Standing Bear
Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone & Fax: 906.942.7975
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com
Dancing Crane Farm is responsible for the content of this email.
Natasha Gill, 348 Lawson Road, Skandia, MI 49885
If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789
While working at the farm the other day, I paused with rake in hand to really notice my surroundings. It was an unusually warm day so I was wearing a tank top, feeling like it was summer although all the signs indicated that it was in fact Spring. The trees, their swollen twig tips slowly preparing to burst into greenery whipped about in the March winds. With the ground newly exposed by the melting snow, the rich scent of plant life decaying into soil to grow the new saturated the air. Springtime is like a treasure hunt where the inclined head of a flower is partially concealed beneath its mulch of forest leaves and tiny seeds find their way to crevices in old logs and sprout excitedly into life. Summer allows us to estivate while Spring demands that we search out its delights.
Still standing with my rake, transfixed by my musings, my eyes wandered over the greenhouses, fields and barn as I recalled previous Springs and Summers. They unfolded in much the same way yet my experience of them manages to change each year. There is always something new harbored in the old of the reoccurring. Nature is never stagnant, in physical reality or in our perception of its workings; together we are continuously evolving.
Sometimes to really notice our surroundings takes a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective. Our apprentices provide this for us each season, taking pleasure in the everyday occurrences that we have forgotten are extraordinary.
Farming never fails to make me think!
~Hannah
Things are great here on the farm. We are busy doing Spring projects and waiting for the last remnants of snow to melt. I am wiriting today in hope that someone out there will be able to help us by providing our lovely goat, Clementine with a forever home.
Clementine is an affectionate goat. She is an Alpine(dairy)/Boar(meat) goat cross. Though we love her dearly, we just can't keep her. She needs the company of other goats and more attention than we have to give to her. She follows us around the yard like a dog and would come in the house if we let her. She needs to find someone with time for her. She is an above average escape artist, even for a goat, so sturdy fencing is a must.
If you or someone you know is able to find a new home for Clem, we would be ever so greatful. Give us a call or drop us an e-mail if you are able to help us out.
942-7975 or info@dancingcranefarm.com
--Natasha--
If you are passionate about cooking plant-based meals using veggies straight out of the garden, WE WANT YOU! Come join us as a volunteer member of our farm crew and work your magic in the summer kitchen. We need two cooks who can commit to creating lunch for a minimum of 3 days per week. On farm housing may be available as well as opportunities to gain experience with chemical-free farming and sustainable living. You will be provided with fresh veggies to take home, too. Email or call us for more information!
Good Morning,
It sure is cold...brrrr! Things are busying behind the scenes here at DCF. We are ordering seeds, interviewing apprentices and planning for the upcoming growing season. We will keep you more up to date as the season draws nearer. Until then, think Spring! --Natasha--