Another Reason To Choose Organic: New Study

I was interested to read this morning of a peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Research reporting levels of the pesticide glyphosate in participants’ bodies dropped an average of 70% after six days on an organic diet.

You can read the report here but it certainly shines some more light on health advantages in choosing organic.

High profile court cases in 2019 linked plaintiffs' Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to use of Roundup® and an appeals court has upheld that decision. Research links glyphosate (Roundup®) to many health problems - including Parkinson's Disease, kidney disease, endocrine disruption, DNA damage, decreased sperm function, disruption of the gut microbiome (think about all the folks who complain of gluten intolerance) as well as cancer. 

Meanwhile, here on Crandall Hill, we're proud to offer you USDA Certified Organic apples - perfect for eating, cooking and preserving. The harvest is just beginning but the trees are heavy with fruit. Varieties available now include Zestar!®, Yellow Transparent, Pristine and Duchess of Oldenburg (an antique apple). Our new farm stand is open daily for self-service. You can also call (814) 274-8004 to pre-order your selections.

We also accept the FMNP checks and can make up special $6 bags of apples for you.

Farmstand Opening Wednesday!

We've been busily working at creating a space in our barn for an easy-access farm stand where we will be able to offer our USDA Certified Organic apples for sale directly from the farm. We will also, from time to time, have other USDA Certified organic produce available.

As I write this on Monday, our plan is to be ready to go Wednesday (August 19) morning. Signs will direct you where to pull into the driveway to access the stand. Right now, we have Yellow Transparent, Duchess of Oldenburg and Pristine apples but many more varieties will be offered as the season progresses.

More good news! We've checked in with the cider processor we have used the past two years and they will be open for business beginning in mid-September and we have made arrangements for having our cider processed there again this year. Watch for details.

One Misty, Moisty Morning*

It's one of those murky late summer mornings when the air, though cool, is thick. Last evening's rain was welcomed by the growing ones in the gardens and fields and by the two who sat watching from the back porch.  

Fog this morning gave way to drizzle, providing the perfect opportunity to weed and thin recent outdoor plantings of late beets and carrots.

How long until we harvest sweet corn?

We had time to finish yet another produce-heavy dinner on the porch before the rains came. A tip of the hat to sister-in-law Johanna Eurich who sent this recipe from Alaska.

Pasta With Tomato, Almonds and Anchovies

Combine 1/2 cup roasted almonds, 6 anchovies (I used anchovy paste from a tube, a squeeze of about 5 inches), and 3 cloves of garlic (I used about 6 because we love garlic) in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Cook an appropriate amount of pasta for your own needs. (I used whole wheat linguine.) Drain well , then toss in a large bowl with the almond mixture, a bunch of chopped ripe tomatoes (I used about 5 large heirloom tomatoes and peeled them first), 1 cup grated Parmesan, about 3 Tb. olive oil and a handful of chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Serves 2 generously with leftover sauce)

Of course, I made one addition. I have lots of zucchini these days and shredded two and sautéed them in a bit of olive oil until they released their moisture and added that when I tossed it all together.

*From Mother Goose

One misty, moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man clothed all in leather.
He began to compliment, and I began to grin,
How do you do, and how do you do?
And how do you do again?

On The Other Side

I've been resistant, but today I acknowledge the gardens are on the other side of summer ... you know the side of summer where the leaves are yellowing, the bug damage is more noticeable, the weeds continue to triumph and even the second and third of the succession plantings are winding down. It's also the time when garden chores can easily fill the day, leaving me wondering where the time went.

 

But, this movement to late summer is not all bad for it's the time for harvest and the time for preservation.

The first batch of homegrown heirloom tomato sauce ready for the oven yesterday

Great success with pickling cucumbers this year.
Early Russian Picklers and Little Fingers (in case you wondered)

Planted lots of sunflowers to enjoy from the kitchen windows.
Orchard in the distance

These hollyhocks are remnants of ones planted by Thelma Metzger.
They surprise me every year!
Next year, we'll have a new strain courtesy of Cindy Alackness who dropped off seeds from hers last year. Hollyhocks are biennials meaning the plant requires two years to complete its life cycle.
During the first year, they grow roots and a rosette of of leaves. The second year they bloom. 

Summer Heat

I'm watching the radar as yet another storm front races toward us from the west this afternoon. My last post back in April (gulp!) lamented the late spring and the cold weather. Not much changed until mid-June, when after a frosty morning on June 14, it's been hot and dry, punctuated by gusty thunderstorm.

Let these pictures taken today bring you up to date on Metzger Heritage Farm.

Garlic on the left, potatoes and Oregon Giant snow peas
Garlic is later this year because we didn't get it planted
until spring but the crop looks promising.

This jungle is just inside the high tunnel.
You're looking at soybeans (a new variety I'm trying for edamame)
and cannellini beans. In the background onions and shallots.

I've been anxious to get something to grow around the sluice
pipe besides weeds. So this year, in addition to the weeds, I am enjoying
sunflowers, calendula and dill as I stand in the kitchen looking
out at the orchard and sweet corn. Final planting of beets and
carrots went in the ground today, just below the sweet corn.

The amazing Fortex pole beans.
Stringless and very tasty.

Establishing An Orchard

from 2019 

It was an April day in 2012 that a fine group of helpers converged on Crandall Hill to assist in planting what we've come to call our new orchard.

all the way from Arizona to lend a hand

That fellow you see above is my brother Chris who was recently wondering about the orchard he helped establish on that spring day in Potter County. He's going to have to wait a couple more weeks for an updated picture for I want him to fully appreciate the beauty of the orchard in bloom.

Here are a few photos of the blooms from 2019 to whet his appetite.

And in case you want to refresh your memory, there are links to the orchard planting posts here and here.

Farming In Pandemic Times

It's recommended one wears a face mask when working with potting mixtures and I have had a box of masks stashed away in the greenhouse for that purpose. These days, those masks have taken on a whole new meaning as we all do our part to stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
A vast majority of Americans who have been exposed to the virus don't know it. People and organizations can fight the spread of coronavirus by taking steps to prevent transmission of the disease. Remember that the whole point of widespread cancellation of events is to create social distancing that can lower the infection rate and prevent health care systems from being overwhelmed.
Your mask is one more tool to protect others from the potential transmission of the virus you may be carrying with our even knowing it.