Farm Update

Hi everyone. I thought I'd give a long overdue update and let you know I plan to begin frequently posting again.

I'd first be remiss if I didn't thank the many of you who sent and gave heartfelt well-wishes and then condolences during my grandmother's illness and passing this summer. It was very touching and gave me much needed energy to try and catch up on all of the farm work that has needed to be done since mid-July. One always feels like there are things he or she can be doing on a farm but I'm starting to feel like things are in decent shape for the forthcoming winter season, which really seems to be knocking on the hoophouse door as of late.

Brines Farm has been back in full force at the markets since August. I've been at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market every saturday since August and some of you I'm sure have met my mother and sister at the Westside Farmers Market in the Zingerman's Roadhouse parking lot on Thursdays (which has now concluded for the year). We hope you have enjoyed all of the summer produce including tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, cukes, burgundy beans and some greens. We plan next summer to regularly attend the Dexter Farmers Market and potentially debut at the downtown Ypsi market.

The tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers that were inside the hoophouse this year certainly enjoyed their environment, particularly with the excessive rains and then dry periods. I'll be posting some photos soon including some of the 12 foot tall tomato plants.

For the last month and a half plus I've been (with help of course) busily ripping summer plants out, prepping beds and planting the hardy greens for this fall, winter, and early spring. I'm sure most of you reading this are already aware, but please don't hesitate to help spread the word, that the Ann Arbor Farmers Market remains open year-round on saturdays and I will once again be selling fresh greens throughout the winter harvested on friday in the hoophouse. Already planted are beds of spinach (probably plant some extra this year), arugula, mache, various lettuces, tatsoi, pac choi, mizuna, mustard greens, hakurei turnips, and smaller beds of a variety of other things. Its been a bit cloudy and cool lately so these beds have been moving along a little slower than I would hope but certainly there should be enough for a steady supply from late November onward. Currently, I've had some of the inital greens and tomatoes, and peppers at market from the lingering plants I have yet to extract from the hoophouse.

While it hasn't gone exactly as planned (does anything?) it has been a good year for Brines Farm and quite enjoyable. First and foremost I hope you customers have enjoyed the fresh produce and I sincerely thank you for your patronage. This is all only possible with you.

Please stay tuned for future posts on: some thoughts on the recent spinach debacle, some thoughts on US Organic certification, pictures of the hoophouse this summer, a forthcoming Detroit Free Press story for which I was interviewed, an open house I plan to have at the hoophouse in November for those who want to see this local winter harvesting of greens in action, and more.