Howdy folks,

We fell short of the $25,000 goal we were seeking for our innovative root cellar project but a lot of good education came of the process. There are many more people out there who understand that it’s possible for our community to feed itself and that if we invest in projects like this it can make a positive impact in our community.

In the last month, 2500 people visited the Kickstarter page and watched the informative video, and about 50 actually came to the farm to see construction in progress last Saturday.

As Kickstarter is an all or nothing fundraising website, the farm will not receive any of the funds pledged. However, our plan going forward is to get “back to basics” and ask folks who pledged on the Kickstarter site to simply donate to the farm directly instead. The silver lining is that being outside of the Kickstarter process eliminates some fees, so your donations actually go a little bit farther when they go directly to the farm.

Two ways to donate:

1) Send a check made out to “Food Farm” to 2612 County Road 1, Wrenshall, 55797

2) Send your donation electronically by clicking the donate button below!

Finally, if you’d like to claim one of the rewards we were offering through Kickstarter, fill out this form! Thank you!

Basic construction is nearly over, now we just need back fill, ventilation, and refrigeration to complete the vision!

We got the storage planting of potatoes in yesterday, had our official launch party for the Kickstarter campaign, and we are happy to be getting some rain. Also, the barley and peas planted on the new land across the road is up and in a few months will be feeding Yker Acres pork with local grain!

Janaki, John, and Patricia enjoyed the last of the 2014 crop as we seeded the first planting of carrots and beets. Three weeks ahead of last year, now we could use a little rain and some heat!

We’ve already gotten the cabbage, cucumbers, cauliflower, and broccoli in the ground and the greenhouse tomatoes are almost a foot high! There are still a few shares still available for the summer season and plenty of new winter shares available. Sign up forms here:
signup sheet 2015-1
Thanks for making us your farmer!

We’re still looking for a couple of good farm workers for the summer. No farm experience necessary, just a willingness to work hard and be outside. Call, email, or check out the Employment tab on the website for more info. Come dig in the dirt, it’s good for the soul!

More here

Here’s what half a million carrot seeds look like!

This time of year I am always getting asked, “So are you about done at the farm?” or “Everything is pretty much done, right?” Well people, I will tell you what I tell them. It feels like we are just starting and getting cranked up for a whirlwind of extreme harvest. I feel like this big end of the season push is what I have been training for physically all season.

Yesterday began the first week of our transition into what I call “the end of season push”. We are now able to use a whole day’s worth of time dedicated to harvesting and packing summer shares towards filling up our root cellar.

With the predicted weather, we have decided this week that we are going to start with the potatoes. Our first planting looked great and was harvested as needed for shares and our wholesale orders. As we began unearthing our second planting we started crunching the numbers. We are predicting 20 tons of potatoes this year!

Janaki has charged this year’s staff with the challenge of harvesting 20 ton of potatoes this week! We worked out all the glitches in the new machinery yesterday and we are ready to accept this challenge.

Stay tuned as I post a photo journal of our week out in the field and keep you updated with our endeavor.

For the crew,

Jeanne

Local food, local art

Saturday, August 23

3 to 6pm at the Food Farm (2612 County Road 1, Wrenshall, 55797)

6 to 8pm at the Free Range Film Barn (909 County Road 4, Wrenshall, 55797)

Local food and local art collide on Saturday in Wrenshall.

The Food Farm is hosting an open house from 3 to 6pm on August 23^rd. Food Farm is the area’s longest operating Community Supported Agriculture farm, raising certified organic vegetables and pastured raised eggs and poultry. Farm tours, a hay ride, family games and activities will be free and open to the public.

The farm party will progress into an art party at 6pm when the celebration heads to the Free Range Film Barn. Local artists Kathy McTavish, Joeyllen Rock, and Rob Wittig will present their interactive arts experience Sophronia. The installation premiered at the Walker Art Center during the twin cities’ Northern Spark festival. A potluck dinner will be part of the fest at 6pm in the barn. Popcorn, pop, and water will be available for attendees as well.

At the Food Farm (2612 County Road 1, Wrenshall, MN 55797)

3 – 6pm

3-4:30 Tours of the Food Farm

4:30 Hay ride

5 farm games, activities, and tomato tasting

At the Free Range Film Barn (909 County Road 4, Wrenshall, MN 55797)

6 – 8pm

6 Potluck

6-8pm Sophronia Art Event by Kathy McTavish and Joellyn Rock

For more information on Sophronia visit: http://robwit.net/sophronia/

Fore more information on the Food Farm visit: www.foodfarm.us or Food Farm on facebook

Questions?

Anne Dugan

218-310-4703

annesdugan@gmail.com