Garlic - new!
Beans - new!
Celery
Scallions
Carrots
Beets
Rainbow Chard
Zucchini
Broccoli
Sweet Basil
Salad Mix or Lettuce/Arugula
Notes From the Field:
A happy, probably chubby, and still very elusive groundhog has made a nice lunch out of one end of the new broccoli patch, preferring the stiff and fibrous broccoli leaves to the juicy cantaloupe with which we have baited the live trap. But look at the delicious tender broccoli in your box!
The garlic patch went into hand-to-hand combat with a large weed incursion, stimulated by this season's abundant rainfall and warm temps. Some of the garlic looks a bit battle-scarred, but it is absolutely delicious and full-flavored. We have been eating a lot! More on the garlic harvest later.
The sweet basil shares its plush digs in the new hoophouse with a family of little chomping bugs. They leave holes in the leaves, but they also leave plenty of leaf! We grow a very flavorful variety of Sweet Basil (Genovese) which transcends any loss from nibbled leaves - pesto presto!
The carrots and celery might have a few nicks here and there, but that sweet Michigan flavor reminds us that California may have cornered the market on quantity vegetable production, but not on home-grown goodness!
And to our CSA members, we appreciate your willingness to "share your shares" with the plants and critters of the natural world. We are definitely not laissez-faire in our approach to gardening: we constantly cultivate and weed, use botanical and microbial sprays, and try to discourage interested deer with seven-foot strands of electrical fence which must be maintained regularly in order to keep the juice flowing. But as you can see from the beautiful "share" box this week - there is enough to go around. And thank you for sharing!
Meet Your Music Festival - Holler Fest!
In 2007, we celebrated 35 years on the farm. Over the years we had hosted regular small gatherings to share music, organic food and the unique beauty of our land. It seemed natural to bring all that together in one big party and Holler Fest was born. When the 200+ folks who came out that day started talking about "next year", we realized that a farmy-foody, family-friendly, funky-folky music festival appealed to many good folks in the Ann Arbor area. Holler Fest 2008 was expanded to three days, with over twenty local musical acts lining up to generously share their talent. The Cabin - a stone cottage on the hill overlooking the pond - was called into service for acoustic sets filled with intimate musical moments. The Holler Kitchen was built, serving up hundreds of delicious meals, filled with organic veggies from Frog Holler. A volunteer team emerged and kept the food and fun rolling throughout the weekend.
2009 was a very sad year for the King family and the organic community. Ken King's untimely passing was deeply felt by so many who appreciated his decades of dedication to living and working with the land. Ken, who considered himself a musician as much as a farmer, assumed that the farm and Holler Fest would continue, and Holler Fest 2009 was dedicated to Ken's memory. A moving Tribute Concert on Saturday night ended with the entire hillside singing to one of Ken's songs: "Moonlight Bright as Day".
Holler Fest will continue and Holler Fest 2010 is less that a month away! As Frog Holler CSA members, two weekend passes accompany your farm membership. But more than a free pass to the festival, we hope that you will feel "ownership" of this unique opportunity to connect with local artists, enjoy the beauty of Frog Holler's rolling hills and gardens, imbibe the hearty farm fare, and immerse yourself in the positive energy of a community connected by these simple but deeply satisfying activities.
Holler Fest 2010: Aug. 20-22 Check out the video highlights from 2009!
Holler Fest Preview Concert: Sat., July 31 - Live at PJ's. A musical sampling of Holler Fest performers. More info at hollerfest.com
The Garlic Harvest!
You have enjoyed the garlic scapes, and this week the garlic bulbs were ready to be harvested. Here's a photo story of a full day!
You have enjoyed the garlic scapes, and this week the garlic bulbs were ready to be harvested. Here's a photo story of a full day!
Kat, Jenny and Julien digging and hauling - Jupiter supervising
A truck full of garlic
Garlic cleaning party
Garlic drying in the greenhouse
Roasted Garlic for Dinner!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Clean garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in tin foil (or use a clay garlic roaster if you have one)
Bake 40-50 minutes until garlic is soft
Spread roasted garlic onto crusty toasted bread or add to cooked veggies
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