Peacefield Farm

See REALFRESHLOCALFOOD.ORG

2012-01-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

To see our continuing discussion of all topics relating to all things about growing food - - - organic &conventional farming/gardening, marketing, seeds, sustainable agriculture, foodsafety, GMO foods. Due to our diverse interests in other issues, you may readsome blogs having to do with peace initiatives or general politics.

Go to our new blog at

REALFRESHLOCALFOOD.org

MAEAP Certification

2011-06-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

We finally got approval! Peacefield Farm is now MAEAP Certified!
What is MAEAP?
The Michigan Dept. of Agriculture has a program in which farmers can voluntarily sign up to be certified as environmentally safe operation. There are several criteria to meet and educational courses to take, plus each farm is inspected by State workers. The aim is to ensure that farm chemicals, etc are not polluting the ground water or the air we breath. Well, Peacefield Farm does not use polluting chemicals, of course. So, that part was easy to pass. However, we do have machinery that uses oil, gasoline and diesel fuel, so we must comply with requirements to ensure that we are not polluting the environment with those substances. As well, we had to comply with other MDA requirements to get our certificate.

After all, it's the right thing to do. Just another way to assure our customers that they are getting the very best produce delivered to them.

WEEDING TIME!

2011-06-07T17:14:00.001-04:00

Lorrie and a volunteer take some time to weed one of the herb beds. "These weeds grow no matter what the weather," they both exclaim!

RAIN, RAIN.....& MORE RAIN

2011-05-15T07:53:00.000-04:00

We got a GUSHER on Wednesday! About 2 inches came down in a matter of a few hours.

A hard lesson learned......
One result is this "gully washer" - rain came down so fast and so much that we lost some topsoil from one of our fields. This field was all ready for planting when the rain storm hit us, so the soil was loose and friable. This is an example of poor soil management, a mistake I'll only make once. The barn (up the hill from the field) is new this year and I didn't realize that it would shed a lot of water, which then runs down to the field. And through the field, wiping out a lot of our topsoil. Can't move the barn, so this area will be transformed to sod! Otherwise, it'll happen again...and again. A lesson learned.

April 18 Snowstorm!

2011-04-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

That's RHUBARB under that snow!

We recieved about 2 inches of snow this afternoon & evening....along with thunder and lightning....and rain!
And the temperature has hung around the mid-30's all day. How's a farmer supposed to grow anything??

The hoophouses (yes, we have two) are producing very little for this time of year. Last year at this time, lettuce & greens were coming out to make room for tomato's, which I planted in the farm hoophouse on April 15! Not this year! So, I've got 50 tomato plants ready and in the greenhouse....with no place to go!

What's a farmer to do???

Arlo & Janis

2011-04-15T14:26:00.000-04:00

It seems that Gene, Arlo & Janis' son, is going into farming. Not only is he following his father's long-time dream, Gene is doing so with his current girl-friend. This is sooo...retro, it's funny! What makes the strip especially funny is Janis' reaction, which is supportive of her son, while she could not condone doing the farming thing when she and Arlo were young enough to do it. She became the typical suburban housewife and didn't allow her husband to follow his dream. (He is so "hen-pecked"!) But now that her son wants to be a farmer, she is all for it!
(If you have trouble seeing the strip, hit "ctrl" and the plus sign (+) on your keyboard at the same time to enlarge the view.)

Peacefield Farm is featured on Certified Naturally Grown

2011-04-09T08:58:00.000-04:00

Our farm is now featured on the Certified Naturally Grown home page. Check it out here: www.naturallygrown.org Tell your friends!

Certified Naturally Grown farms and apiaries are committed to the highest ideals of sustainable agriculture.
Thanks for all that you do to help build a sustainable food system in our community.

Arlo & Janis

2011-03-31T05:00:00.001-04:00

I follow Arlo & Janis regularly. He's funny and she's so practical...most of the time.

In this sketch, however, it is Arlo who is the practical one.
Shop at your LOCAL FARMER's MARKET!

ORGANIC FARMERS AND SEED SELLERS FILE SUIT AGAINST MONSANTO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM PATENTS ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED SEED

2011-03-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK – March 29, 2011 – On behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations, the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) filed suit today against Monsanto Company to challenge the chemical giant's patents on genetically modified seed. The organic plaintiffs were forced to sue preemptively to protect themselves from being accused of patent infringement should they ever become contaminated by Monsanto's genetically modified seed, something Monsanto has done to others in the past.

The case, Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association, et al. v. Monsanto, was filed in federal district court in Manhattan and assigned to Judge Naomi Buchwald. Plaintiffs in the suit represent a broad array of family farmers, small businesses and organizations from within the organic agriculture community who are increasingly threatened by genetically modified seed contamination despite using their best efforts to avoid it. The plaintiff organizations have over 270,000 members, including thousands of certified organic family farmers.

“This case asks whether Monsanto has the right to sue organic farmers for patent infringement if Monsanto's transgenic seed should land on their property,” said Dan Ravicher, PUBPAT's Executive Director and Lecturer of Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York. “It seems quite perverse that an organic farmer contaminated by transgenic seed could be accused of patent infringement, but Monsanto has made such accusations before and is notorious for having sued hundreds of farmers for patent infringement, so we had to act to protect the interests of our clients.”

Once released into the environment, genetically modified seed contaminates and destroys organic seed for the same crop. For example, soon after Monsanto introduced genetically modified seed for canola, organic canola became virtually extinct as a result of contamination. Organic corn, soybeans, cotton, sugar beets and alfalfa now face the same fate, as Monsanto has released genetically modified seed for each of those crops, too. Monsanto is developing genetically modified seed for many other crops, thus putting the future of all food, and indeed all agriculture, at stake.

In the case, PUBPAT is asking Judge Buchwald to declare that if organic farmers are ever contaminated by Monsanto's genetically modified seed, they need not fear also being accused of patent infringement. One reason justifying this result is that Monsanto's patents on genetically modified seed are invalid because they don't meet the “usefulness” requirement of patent law, according to PUBPAT's Ravicher, plaintiffs'
lead attorney in the case. Evidence cited by PUBPAT in its opening filing today proves that genetically modified seed has negative economic and health effects, while the promised benefits of genetically modified seed – increased production and decreased herbicide use – are false.

“Some say transgenic seed can coexist with organic seed, but history tells us that's not possible, and it's actually in Monsanto's financial interest to eliminate organic seed so that they can have a total monopoly over our food supply,” said Ravicher. “Monsanto is the same chemical company that previously brought us Agent Orange, DDT, PCB's and other toxins, which they said were safe, but we know are not. Now Monsanto says transgenic seed is safe, but evidence clearly shows it is not.”

The plaintiffs in the suit represented by PUBPAT are: Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association; Organic Crop Improvement Association International, Inc.; OCIA Research and Education Inc.; The Cornucopia Institute; Demeter Association, Inc.; Navdanya International; Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc.; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont; Rural Vermont; Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association; Southeast Iowa Organic Association; Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society; Mendocino Organic Network; Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Canadian Organic Growers; Family Farmer Seed Cooperative; Sustainable Living Systems; Global Organic Alliance; Food Democracy Now!; Family Farm Defenders Inc.; Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund; FEDCO Seeds Inc.; Adaptive Seeds, LLC; Sow True Seed; Southern Exposure Seed Exchange; Mumm's Sprouting Seeds; Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., LLC; Comstock, Ferre & Co., LLC; Seedkeepers, LLC; Siskiyou Seeds; Countryside Organics; Cuatro Puertas; Interlake Forage Seeds Ltd.; Alba Ranch; Wild Plum Farm; Gratitude Gardens; Richard Everett Farm, LLC; Philadelphia Community Farm, Inc; Genesis Farm; Chispas Farms LLC; Kirschenmann Family Farms Inc.; Midheaven Farms; Koskan Farms; California Cloverleaf Farms; North Outback Farm; Taylor Farms, Inc.; Jardin del Alma; Ron Gargasz Organic Farms; Abundant Acres; T & D Willey Farms; Quinella Ranch; Nature's Way Farm Ltd.; Levke and Peter Eggers Farm; Frey Vineyards, Ltd.; Bryce Stephens; Chuck Noble; LaRhea Pepper; Paul Romero; and, Donald Wright Patterson, Jr.

Many of the plaintiffs made statements upon filing of the suit today:

Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for plaintiff The Cornucopia Institute said, “Family-scale farmers desperately need the judiciary branch of our government to balance the power Monsanto is able to wield in the marketplace and in the courts. Monsanto, and the biotechnology industry, have made great investments in our executive and legislative branches through campaign contributions and powerful lobbyists in Washington. We need to court system to offset this power and protect individual farmers from corporate tyranny. Farmers have saved seeds since the beginning of agriculture by our species. It is outrageous that one corporate entity, through the trespass of what they refer to as their 'technology,' can intimidate and run roughshod over family farmers in this country. It should be the responsibility of Monsanto, and farmers licensing their technology, to ensure that genetically engineered DNA does not trespass onto neighboring farmland. It is outrageous, that through no fault of their own, farmers are being intimidated into not saving seed for fear that they will be doggedly pursued through the court system and potentially bankrupted.”

ABOUT PUBPAT

The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) is a not-for-profit legal services organization affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. PUBPAT protects freedom in the patent system by representing the public interest against undeserved patents and unsound patent policy. More information about PUBPAT is available from www.pubpat.org.

CONTACT

Daniel B. Ravicher
Executive Director
PUBLIC PATENT FOUNDATION
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
+1-212-545-5337
press@pubpat.org

SPRINGHOUSE

2011-03-28T09:00:00.001-04:00

In olden times......., so the story goes, well, not that long ago (i.e. when I was a boy) when dairy farmers milked a few cows and stored the milk in large cans on the farm (before the days of stainless bulk tanks), the large cans (I cannot remember what they were called, the cans, I mean) were stored in the "spring-house". The spring-house was typically adjacent to the milking parlor or the stanchions where the cows were milked and was the farm's primary source of well water. Ahh, well water! Nice 'n cool, especially on hot, humid summer days. Anyhow, the cans of milk were stored in tanks filled with the cool well water inside the spring-house in order to cool the milk prior to being picked up by the local dairy.

This is our SPRINGHOUSE......it's spring inside, especially on sunny days, when it typically

reaches 75 - 80 degrees. Even on a day like the one pictured here.

And we have to open the vents to cool it off for the lettuce's 'n spinach, lest they get too hot.

In fact, we have cool well water inside our spring-house, too. We use it for irrigation, of course.

BABY! It's cold inside!

2011-03-25T22:33:00.000-04:00

This is spring???!! After this week's snow/ice combo hit us, we took a look inside the hoophouse and saw just how dark it is inside when snow & ice covers the roof. Not a pretty picture. Besides that, it's cold!

Before winter returned this week, we had picked and sold several batches of spinach, now under insulating covers. But this cold has slowed everything down some. Including the little starts of lettuce, swiss chard and baby spinach that we had planted over the past several weeks. Our hope was to harvest in earnest beginning April 1st, but this cold March will put that off a few weeks.

Patience everyone....spring will come. It's in the forecast.

IT'S SPRING....IN THE HOOPHOUSE!

2011-02-15T18:38:00.000-05:00

I can relate to those folks who have a swimming pool in their backyard: their summer's are COOL!

But Lorrie & I like the hoophouse 'cause we get SPRING SOONER than anyone else! (That's snow outside the hoophouse by Lorrie's right shoulder.)

Work has begun in the hoophouse. A couple of weeks ago we started planting lettuce seeds in the ground. Now that we have warmer days, we are expereinceing near 70d temperatures in the hoophouse. The ground is warming up - to 55d. So, spinach is starting to grow! We'll transplant swiss chard and lettuce seedlings at the end of the week.

We'll be harvesting some greens in a few weeks.

LAST MARKET CUSTOMER BUYS TOMATOES!

2010-10-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

Our last customer of the season at the Ludington market was Judith Dilia, who gladly bought the last 2 tomato's we had that day (we have more growing in the hoophouse - they'll be available at the farm stand).

Thank you to all our customers for your part in making this a wonderful year of vegetable growing. We had plenty of warm sunshine & just the right amount of rainfall at just the right time to make this one of most productive seasons. It is still simply amazing to Lorrie & I that all these nutrient dense vegetables can be organically grown. Sometimes when I'm standing out in the field, I am amazed at the Almighty's handiwork.

As well, both of us are continually amazed at the desire for these vegetables by you, our customers. You eat these veggies - and come back for more each week. Our heartfelt thanks go out to you.

We are looking forward to a much needed break this winter. But, there will be other posts to this blog during that time.

Until next time........

11 year old speaks the truth about Industrial Agriculture

2010-09-28T18:58:00.000-04:00

Click on this link for a YOU TUBE VIDEO of 11 year old Birke Baehr giving a 5 minute speech about the perils of industrial agriculture. He is the next generation organic farmer!

This is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Id9caYw-Y

MAKING COMPOST AT THE FARM, PART 2

2010-09-28T03:07:00.001-04:00

Click here for a YOU TUBE VIDEO of the compost making operation at the Farm.

MAKING COMPOST AT THE FARM

2010-09-09T20:00:00.004-04:00

It's compost making time at Peacefield Farm. This year I have a manure spreader to assist in the operation: I load the spreader with compost-ables (hay, manure, woodchips, garden waste, etc), then put the PTO in gear to run the spreader. The blades on the spreader flail the material out in a distincive pattern behind the stationary spreader and make a pile about 6 - 8 feet wide at the base and about 5 ft high at the center. When the spreader is empty I move it forward 2 -3 feet and fill it again. What you see behind the spreader is called a compost windrow; its about 30 ft long at this stage in the process. The windrow on the right is finished and "working" right now.

My "livestock" then go to work consuming all the goodies in the pile. In the process they create heat - up to 140d F - that kills off any weed seed. Who are my "livestock"? Bacteria. Fungi. Nematodes. Worms. Other little creatures that like the food in the pile. I have billions of 'em!

Once the pile cools down a few degrees, I then turn the pile to start the process all over again.

Lisianthus is in bloom!

2010-08-25T20:07:00.000-04:00

Lorrie is all smiles! She has endeavored for years(!) to grow lisianthus, and always without success. Until this year! She now has 5 plants, all with numerous blossoms - blue, ivory and pink! And she is in her glory! The stems are only about 6-7" long so she hesitates to cut them, but wants to encourage additional blooming. What to do, O, what to do???

If you see me sprouting a bloom on my lapel, you'll know it's a "lisi". And if you see Lorrie smiling, you'll know why.

ONION HARVEST

2010-08-22T17:00:00.003-04:00

Our onions are being harvested. We have two kinds this year: Prince (a yellow sweet onion that is an excellent storage onion) and Red Bull (a red onion, also an excellent keeper). As you can see from the photo, the Prince is HUGE! Most are the size of softballs! And the Red Bull is no slouch, either: they are just as large as the Prince.

And we have a lot of 'em. See us at the Ludington Market on Friday, or at Pentwater on Monday's and Thursday's.

SWEET CORN HARVEST

2010-08-19T18:59:00.000-04:00

We picked 3 bushel of sweet corn (Bodacious) and froze it for winter eating today!
Mmmmmm....good!! There is nothing like ORGANICALLY grown sweet corn: it's good and good for you, too!

Banana Potato's

2010-08-07T13:19:00.003-04:00

No, they don't look like banana's....and, no, they don't taste like banana's. But they are sweet, just like banana's!
This is the first year we've grown these wonderful tubers. They steam up quickly and are a delicious addition to your summer supper meals. Excellent grilled, too!

You can get them at the Pentwater Market (Monday's or Thursday's) or the Ludington Market (Friday's) or at our Roadside Stand.

Pentwater Farmers Market

2010-08-05T13:17:00.000-04:00

Peacefield Farm is at the Pentwater Market, 10 am - 2 pm every Monday and Thursday. Lots of veggies to sell: SWEET CORN, New Potato's, TOMATO'S, including Heirlooms, Cherry and Low-acid types.

Come see us at the market!

Picking Beans!

2010-07-14T19:56:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year....finally!! The beans are ripe and ready for the eatin'!! Come to the Market - Pentwater or Ludington - to get your share. Get 'em by the pound or the half-bushel. Steam 'em up just right....mmmm, good!

Pictured are a couple of our many volunteers who are picking their fair-share of beans. We all get a turn at picking beans, cause there's lots of beans to pick. We have several successions this year of green beans. Plus, this year we will have yellow snap beans and (even) purple beans to eat!

See you at the Market's. Pentwater on Thursday from 10 - 2 and Ludington on Friday from 3 - 8. Remember, this Friday in Ludington is the first of several "Friday Night Live" events.

FIELD TOMATOES

2010-07-07T21:31:00.001-04:00

The field tomatoes are looking strong and growing every day. We have over 20 varieties this year and over 300 plants have been set out. So far, over 99% are viable and getting bigger each day. We are looking forward to providing you with some of the tastiest and juiciest tomatoes you've ever sunk your teeth into. Many are HEIRLOOM tomatoes (the best tasting!) and most are the open pollinated types.

PEACEVINE is the name-sake tomato of Peacefield Farm, of course. It is a open pollinated cherry tomato with an exquisite taste experience. Nothing can compare. First named by Alan Kapuler and developed by Peace Seeds, our seed source is FEDCO SEEDS of Waterville, Maine. The seed was grown using certified biodynamic methods.

They'll be ready for picking and selling in 3 - 4 weeks. Be patient! Good things come to those who wait.

Come to the markets on Monday, Thursday or Friday's to bring your taste buds alive.

PICKING SUGAR SNAP PEAS

2010-06-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

The tall pea plants drawf Lorrie as she picks the first peas of the season last week. She'll spend lots of time on this row of peas during the next few weeks as the peas continue to ripen.

Come to the markets to get your share of sweetness in a pod!

NEW SHADE HOUSE

2010-06-26T11:00:00.002-04:00

An interior shot of our new shade structure. Actually it is nothing more than PVC hoops covered with a giant shade cloth, 100 feet long! The importance of the structure is keeping the soil COOL so we can grow spinach and lettuces all summer long. The average soil temperature in the shade house is 5d cooler than the field soil temperature! That's remarkable....and a big difference for those cool-loving crops.

Come to the markets to taste our spinach and lettuces all summer!

Aerial Photo of the Farm

2010-06-06T12:00:00.001-04:00

This is an overhead shot of Peacefield Farm taken this week by a friend of ours. The shot is looking to the southeast. You can see the new barn, the hoophouse and several fields, including our alfalfa hay field.

Pentwater Farmers Market is OPEN!

2010-06-05T12:00:00.001-04:00

The Farmer's Market at Pentwater opened June 3rd. There are over 20 vendors present this year and several hundred patrons came to the market to buy our produce, baked goods, flowers and hand-made crafts. The Pentwater Market will be open each Monday and Thursday throughout the summer from 10 am to 2 pm.

Peacefield Farm had a big turnout of produce, including our famous lettuce heads (Winter Density & Red Butterhead), carrots and radishes, as well as Ruby Swiss Chard, beet greens, mustard greens and other yummy things.

Be sure to visit the Pentwater Market during the summer!

PEACE POLE installed

2010-06-03T11:58:00.000-04:00

Lorrie & Rich have installed a Peace Pole at the Farm.

The Peace Pole Project started in Japanin 1955 by Masahisa Goi, who decided to dedicate his life to spreading themessage, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in response to the bombings on Hiroshima. Peace Poles arehandcrafted monuments erected the world over as international symbols of Peace.Their purpose is to spread the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in adifferent language, one on each side.

Peace Poles bring peopletogether.People gather at schools and homes within their communities to share thisdedication of peace. Anyone can erect a Peace Pole.

If you are inspired by the idea and wish to promote the message of peace, goto www.worldpeace.org/ for more info.

FRUIT SET!

2010-05-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

Look at these pictures for evidence of our first fruit set on TOMATO'S and SQUASH! That's right....we not only have blossoms on our produce, we also have zucchini squash and tomato's on the vine. That is the earlist we have ever had blossom set. So, Peacefield Farm is feeling very BLESSED!

The Barn is almost Complete

2010-05-22T06:35:00.000-04:00

The siding is on! Just the doors and windows remain to be finished.

LUDINGTON FARMERS MARKET

2010-05-13T09:00:00.002-04:00

Well, our first Market Day at Ludington was cold and wet! Brrrr......!!

So, we are grateful to all who turned out to make your weekly purchase of our salad greens. We were happy to see so many familiar faces, especially on a less-than-pleasant day. Hopefully, this Friday will be nicer weather.

FROSTY MORNING

2010-05-11T09:40:00.000-04:00

We experienced two frosty mornings in a row. The thermometer dipped to 32d Sunday morning and 29d Monday morning. But the row cover inside the hoophouse (that's what you see in the picture) saved our tomatoes, squashes, peppers, eggplant and cukes. Well, truth to be told, a couple of the squash leaves got zinged Monday morning, but they will recover.

Yeah, I know, it isn't the prettiest picture....looks aren't the best. But it does the job of protecting the plants and that's what counts.

So....hopefully we are past all the hard frosts for our area - though we could still get a touch here 'n there before the end of May.

Our tomatoes are looking healthy 'n strong; starting to put out shoots and wanting to climb. Time to set up the trellis system. I'll have a picture of those lovely tomatoes next time.

LUDINGTON FARMERS MARKET

2010-05-06T19:20:00.000-04:00

The Ludington Market OPENS tomorrow, Friday, the 7th. TIME: 3 pm to 8 pm

Peacefield Farm will bring the following items for sale at the market:

Encore Lettuce Mix

Bagged Individual lettuces

Heads of Red Romaine, Speckled Amish, Red Butterhead, and Cos Romaine

Spinach

Spring Kale

Spicy Mix (lettuce greens with ZING!)

Bedding Plants

Hope to see you there!

BARN CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

2010-04-30T21:00:00.004-04:00

The new barn is taking shape.....the trusses went up this week. Next week the walls will be closed in. We are looking forward to it's completion. We have a lot of plans for this structure, including a restroom, a vegetable washing station, a walk-in cooler and a lean-to greenhouse (on the south side).

ROAD SIDE STAND -- OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2010-04-28T21:00:00.003-04:00

SELF-SERVE, HONOR SYSTEM for fresh produce at your convenience.

LOCATION: at the Northwest corner of our farm, 2810 S. Morton Road, (Corner of Chauvez Road and Morton Rd.).

DIRECTIONS: Take PM Hwy south from Ludington (or north from Oceana Drive) to Chauvez Road (blinking yellow light on the corner), turn EAST on Chauvez Road, go 2 miles to Morton Road.

The stand is only 100 FEET south of the intersection.

OPEN HOURS: SEVEN DAYS EACH WEEK, NOON – DUSK. Our produce is refrigerated for your convenience.

RESTOCKING: Everyone on our email list – including CSA members – will be notified via email when the produce is FRESHLY RE-STOCKED. We estimate that the stand will be restocked at least TWICE EACH WEEK. Look for notification on your email or on our BLOG.

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. BRING EXACT CHANGE.

CSA MEMBERS: Record the items you take from the stand on a clipboard (provided); your account will be deducted accordingly.

YOUR COMMENTS TO THIS BLOG ARE NOW ENCOURAGED.

2010-04-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

It is now possible to make comments to this blog. It is hoped that your comments will be a welcome addition to the content of this blog.

You may make comments to this blog anytime a new blog is posted.

Please keep your comments pertinent to the subject matter, namely, the activities of Peacefield Farm and vegetable growing.
Thank you.

Customers like our lettuces!

2010-04-26T21:00:00.005-04:00

Here are some un-solicited comments from some of our many customers about our lettuce mixes:

From M.S. of Pentwater:
"My cousin Mary went to your (farm) stand the other day and is raving about your lettuces and spinach."

From K.S. of Ludington:

"Just want to tell you I went to your road side market yesterday (my work/obligations have not yet coincided with your time frames at plaza or p-w, so the roadside is great) and I dined on the best spinach I've ever had! And a lovely salad. I am so happy to be one of your CSA members. I really like how it's going...being able to pick out what you want. Thanks so much."

The farm stand is open from NOON to DUSK DAILY. Located at 2810 S. Morton Rd, corner of Chauvez Rd. Just 3 miles south of Ludington and 11 miles north of Pentwater.

Delivery's to Ludington on Monday, April 26 from 4-6 pm

2010-04-25T21:24:00.000-04:00

Lorrie will be at the James Street Plaza on Monday only (April 26), 4 - 6 pm with the following produce:

AVAILABLE THIS WEEK:

Encore-plus Lettuce mix.................................. $4.00

Heads of gorgeous and tasty Red Butterhead..... $3.00

Heads and bags — Speckled Amish ...............$3.00

Bags of wonderful Red Sails Leaf lettuce........... $3.00

Spicy Greens................................................. $2.00

Mai Qing Choi ............................................... $1.00

Spinach ........................................................ $6.00

PLANTING ONIONS

2010-04-23T19:00:00.001-04:00

We started planting onions today. 400 Prince (yellow) and 400 Red Bull (red) plus some leeks.

The black plastic helps to control weeds. The onions will be ready in the early fall.

BARN CONSTRUCTION

2010-04-21T07:14:00.000-04:00

Our new barn is going up!

ROAD SIDE STAND is OPEN!

2010-04-17T21:30:00.000-04:00

SELF-SERVE, HONOR SYSTEM for our fresh produce at your convenience.

LOCATION: at the Northwest corner of our farm, 2810 S. Morton Road, (Corner of Chauvez Road and Morton Rd.).

DIRECTIONS: Take PM Hwy south from Ludington (or north from Oceana Drive) to Chauvez Road (blinking yellow light on the corner), turn EAST on Chauvez Road, go 2 miles to Morton Road. The stand is only 100 FEET south of the intersection. NICE DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY!

OPEN HOURS: SEVEN DAYS EACH WEEK, NOON – DUSK. Our produce is refrigerated, so there will be no spoilage.

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. BRING EXACT CHANGE.

CSA MEMBERS: Record the items you take from the stand on a clipboard (provided); your account will be deducted accordingly.

Planting tomatoes, squash and cukes

2010-04-13T13:27:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's April 12th (our wedding anniversary!) and I decided to take a second risk (the first was marrying Lorrie!) by planting tomatoes, summer squash and cukes today...in the hoophouse, of course. The first risk turned out OK! Lorrie is a great wife and marriage partner....the best, in fact. We have a compatable and loving relationship; we couldn't be happier!

Will I feel the same way about the tomatoes, etc that I planted today? We'll see. Planting them 6 weeks prior to the frost free date could pan out great.....or not. We'll find out what this new hoophouse is made of.

Veggies from Peacefield Farm

2010-04-09T18:47:00.002-04:00

AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY'S HARVEST:

Spinach -- 1/2 lb - $6.00

Encore Lettuce Mix -- 1/2 lb - $5.00

Wells Lettuce Mix-- 1/2 lb - $5.00

Spicy Greens—4 oz bag $2.00

ALSO NEW -- Mei Qing Choi -- $2.00 each. This is Baby green stem Pac Choi. It is very tasty in stir fry or in salads. Mmmmmmm...! Let us know ahead of time if you'd like one specially picked for you!

Product may be picked up at our house (4959 W. Deren Rd.) from 9 Am to 11 AM tomorrow (Saturday).

OR if you can wait till Monday,

I will be in Ludington on Monday at the James St. Plaza from 4-6 PM.

I hope these hours will be more convenient for those of you who are working.

The NEW ROADSIDE STAND will be open next week! We'll let you know when.

Spring Seeding and Harvesting Time

2010-04-09T09:27:00.000-04:00

We're told by several folks that they prayed for rain. Wish you wouldn't have prayed so hard! We got more than 2 inches this week; makes for soggy ground - mucky, too. Yck! Hard to work the soil when it's so wet.

As much as possible, we have been tending plants in the greenhouse. Hoophouse tomatoes are about ready to go out...to the hoophouse, of course. Many other plants are ready to set out....just waiting for the ground to dry out now.

Harvesting lots of lettuce greens and spinach out of the hoophouse at this time. Out picking today, in fact. Be on the lookout for an email informing you of the next availability of produce.

EARTH DAY - APRIL 17- 40th ANNIVERSARY

2010-04-03T14:00:00.005-04:00

Come to the BIG CELEBRATION! April 17, 11 am - 9 pm at the United Methodist Church, 5810 Bryant Road, Ludington (just west of Jebavy Rd).
WORKSHOPS......green energy, healthy food, land use planning.....others.

EXHIBITS......healthy snacks, recycling, green stuff......

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
REP. DAN SCRIPPS and DR. HENRY POLLACK (author of The World Without Ice)

Peacefield Farm will make a presentation on the use of Genetically Modified seeds (GMO's).

Sponsored by AFFEW. See www.affew.org for details.

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APRIL FOOL?? IT'S SUMMER......NO FOOLING!

2010-04-02T20:54:00.000-04:00

Boy, March left like a pussycat here in west Michigan! We didn't have spring....went to summer right NOW! 74D Thursday and 76D Friday....time to start planting!

Planting? We've been planting in the hoop house since February. So, now we are harvesting out of the hoop house beginning last week. Picked some more fresh lettuce and spinach again today. All of our CSA members will get some (if they so choose....and who wouldn't).

Rich started working the fields today: spread gypsum (to break up the clay clods), sprayed organic solutions and got out the manure spreader to spread some compost. Will till up parts of some fields tomorrow and transplant out some Swiss Chard & Spinach that he's been growing just for the occasion.

No pictures to share....too busy picking, weeding and getting ready to plant to take any photos.

Why we elected to NOT be "Certified Organic" by the USDA.

2010-03-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

You can't count on the Federal government. We believe in Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) which is supported by our certification agency, Certified Naturally Grown. Read the following press release from the Ludington Daily News today to see what I mean: "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Agriculture has failed to enforce penalties against some who falsely marketed foods as organic, according to an internal department investigation.A report by the agency's inspector general says the agency needs to step up enforcement of those who sell products under the "USDA Organic" label but do not meet government standards to do so. The report says the department has made improvements in maintaining the integrity of the organic program in recent years, but needs to better handle complaints about potential violators.Oversight of the organic program has become more important and more scrutinized as the industry has exploded in popularity over the last decade, growing 14 percent to 21 percent annually with sales of $24.6 billion in 2008. As more companies have vied to be part of the business, critics have charged that the government has not been restrictive enough in what it allows to be labeled as organic.The internal report says the department has failed to monitor some companies it had already identified as improperly marketing their products as organic. In one case, the department never issued enforcement action against an operation that had marketed non-organic mint under the department's label for two years.Enforcement action can simply be an agreement to correct the problem or can be more severe, including revocation of an operation's organic certification or cash penalties. In some cases, the report said, it took more than two years for the department to issue enforcement action while the companies continued to falsely market their products.The report also said the department was not processing complaints about the program fast enough and that agents charged with certifying organic operations were not following consistent rules."Peacefield Farm is now CERTIFIED NATURALLY GROWN by the organization of the same name. Certified Naturally Grown is based on the "Participatory Guarantee System" model of certification. An estimated ten thousand farmers worldwide participate in this type of peer-review certification program. Click here to learn more about CNG
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WINTER READING

2010-03-12T18:00:00.003-05:00

Lorrie and I have read some LIFE CHANGING books this winter:

Closing the Food Gap, Mark Winne

Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortensen

Stones into Schools, same author

Have you read any of them?

Closing The Food Gap is all about getting food to those at the poverty level. Mark Winne has 30 years experience with that sector of the economy. It peaks my interest because it is in line with one of our goals for Peacefield Farm, namely, to provide produce for the poor, indigent, un-employed, under-employed. Everyone deserves nutrient-dense, wholesome, healthy food, no matter where you live in our society.

Greg Mortensen has become a humanitarian over the past 15 years building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Over 125 so far! All with PRIVATE MONEY, not a dime of public funds! If you’ve not read his two books, get a hold of them. They will make you sit up and take notice of a non-military way to defeat the Taliban.

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CSA SIGNUP

2010-03-09T18:00:00.001-05:00

Lorrie and Rich want to thank all those who signed up for our FARMERS MARKET CSA. The deadline for signing up is now past (expired March 1st), so we are accepting no more registrations for 2010. We are excited to receive the support of many families and couples who made an early commitment to our growing farm enterprise. They can look forward to coming to the Ludington or Pentwater Farmer’s Markets this spring, summer and fall and picking out their produce (or strawberries!) without having to bring any money to the market. Their produce is pre-paid. Thanks so much!Save this BLOG to your “favorites bar”; revisit often as the blog will be updated frequently!Remember: the Ludington Market is on Friday’s, starting May 7, from 3 – 8 pm and the Pentwater Market is on both Monday’s and Thursday’s, starting May 31, from 10 am – 2 pm. See you there!

You Vote Three times A Day

2010-03-07T20:00:00.002-05:00

Your Peacefield Farm farmers went to a farm conference this past weekend at MSU in Lansing. It’s called the Michigan Organic Conference (MOC); we’ve attended several years now. And we never walk away empty-handed. That was especially so this year. The conference theme this year was about GMO & non-GMO food.

It made us sit up and take note. Previously, we had not paid too much attention to GMO’s in food, thinking it wasn’t all that bad. But, boy, did we get a wake up call.
GMO’s are in four basic foods: corn, cotton, soy and canola. And, of course, those GMO’s are in all the food products made from those four basic foods.

Monsanto is the largest company that supports GMO’s; they have the biggest staff of researcher’s and attorney’s who are working 24/7 to get Roundup Ready or Bt into corn, cotton, soy or canola.

What can you do?
There is an organization called the Center for Food Safety that is THE ONE SOURCE in America for the fight against GMO in your foods. Their web site is True Food Now

They are a non-profit and you’ll see by looking at their site that they are everywhere trying to rid GMO’s from our food.

You can help by writing Congress-persons about GMO’s in your food at Write My Congressman

Spring Planting

2010-02-28T15:26:00.002-05:00

We started planting in the hoop house yesterday, the 27th of February!

Actually, we had been seeding in our home germination room for the entire month of February. Yesterday was transplant day. We planted out some Joi Choi, Mei Quing Choi and several types of leaf lettuces.

Also Rich started up the greenhouse heater yesterday. It'll take a couple of days to melt the ice in the water barrels (used to dampen out the extreme temperature swings and for storage of the SOLAR heat gain). We'll move flats of vegetables out to the greenhouse later this week!

So, spring has started at Peacefield Farm.

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ALFALFA GMO seeds

2010-02-02T20:40:00.000-05:00

Friends of Peacefield Farm –

We are writing this to make you aware of the recent USDA push to allow MONSANTO treated ALFALFA GMO seeds come on the market. If they do, the GMO alfalfa seeds/plants will contaminate ALL alfalfa crops, conventional AND organic.
You can read more about it at this link http://www.moffa.org/articles/article/7208544/137014.htm

We urge you to read the contents of the link and WRITE TO THE USDA.
Think it’s not important to you??
Do you drink milk? Cows make milk from alfalfa hay.
Do you love horses? Horses eat alfalfa hay.
Do you eat meat? Cattle eat alfalfa hay.
Do you eat sprouts? Alfalfa sprouts will be contaminated with GMO’s, too.

We at Peacefield Farm do not knowingly allow GMO’s on our crop land; we work diligently to irradicate GMO’s.

Please support this initiative, write a letter.
There is a public comment period which expires Feb. 16, 2010…..that is only 14 days from now.
The HOW TO COMMENT instructions are at the bottom of the page at the link above.

Thanks & Peace, Rich & Lorrie

They're Playing Our Song!!

2010-01-28T15:40:00.001-05:00

Rich discovered this song on one of his older CD's the other day. Just had to share it with our friends and neighbors. It's now one of our favorites. Click here to listen!

Introducing our 2010 VEGETABLE lineup!

2010-01-16T19:48:00.002-05:00

Peacefield Farm will be adding some new vegetables this year. Here's a partial list:

We are introducing four new beans this year: fava, purple, yellow and Jacob's Cattle beans. Also, we are adding celery, ruby swiss chard, Indian corn and pop corn, two new types of eggplant, leeks, parsnips. We are adding several new varieties of HOT PEPPERS! Finally, we are adding several new varieties of potatoes, including fingerlings. Plus, we are planting pumpkins and gourds this year as well. And, of course, Rich is looking forward to trying out several varieties of HEIRLOOM TOMATOES.

Besides all of those we'll grow the ole' standbys that we've grown every year: green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages (several types), carrots, swiss chard, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, melons, onions, peas, sweet peppers, hot peppers, potatoes, radishes, lettuces, greens, rutabaga, spinach, both summer and winter squash, and (finally) tomatoes.

Of course, we'll also grow several varieties of herbs, as well as 2 dozen kinds of flowers.

All in all, we will be growing over 80 different kinds of vegetables, herbs and flowers.

2010 - a New Year - and a new Farmer's Market CSA

2010-01-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

To begin 2010, Peacefield Farm Announces a new way to buy your vegetables this season: FARMER'S MARKET CSA. Follow this link to our web page to find out how you can become a CSA member of Peacefield Farm. You'll find all the details, including an explaination of how a Farmer's Market CSA differs from a typical CSA, the three different annual subscription rates, the benefits of becoming a member, some Frequently Asked Questions, or FAQ's and how you can join.

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Hoophouses at the White House

2009-12-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

Go to this link to see the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture construct hoophouses on the White House garden!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vtMJgp0no

It is part of a pilot project to install hoophouses in several states under a funding initiative from the USDA.
Know your farmer!

Winter in the North Country!

2009-12-12T17:43:00.002-05:00

During the week of Dec. 8 our area received 15 inches of snow. We got hammered! The first 12 inches was wet, sloppy & heavy; could hardly move it! Later in the week the other 3 inches came in with a COLD wind; BRRRRR....... The temperature dropped to the mid-teens! And the wind blow around the snow into big drifts. Schools closed everywhere.

Our new HOOPHOUSE with stood the onsalught. See the picture above!

We are making plans for next year. Getting ready to order seed. Checking our bank balance account. Fixing tools. Making decisions.

Be sure to check back often at www.peacefieldfarms/blogspot.com for more news and information about the 2010 vegetable crops. Save the website on your Favorites!