Saturday, December 18, 2010

2010 Winter Share, Basket 3

December 18, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Spinach
Swiss Chard
Red Russian Kale
Lacinto "Dinosaur" Kale
Gold Ball Turnips
Leeks
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Celery and/or Peanuts

This week's farm news:

OK folks, this is the last Saturday we'll be bringing veggies to town for a few weeks. We plan to take a few weeks off for the holidays but aim to be back in Nashville January 8th or 15th. Watch for our emails. We still have lots of greens in the high tunnel that withstood this week's low temperature of 5 degrees. So we should have plenty in three weeks!

We enjoyed our first snow of the winter this week. We had a few inches so it was definitely enough to have Ira & Opal chomping at the bit to go sledding. But, it was pretty chilly so no one wanted to stay out too long!

We wish all of you a happy holiday season. Be safe, take care, and we'll see you in a few weeks. Peace to you all.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Veggies this Saturday

Hi folks!

We are coming again this Saturday the 18th with veggies and eggs. I know this is short notice but we were unsure of the weather. So yes, we are coming. Here is what we plan to bring: spinach, red russian kale, tuscan kale, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and hopefully leeks and/or parsnips (if we can get them out of the ground!) and likely some other good surprises as well (possibly lettuce, turnips, peanuts?)from the garden. Baskets at the same price: $23 and $36 and at this point you are welcome to customize your basket and request more or less of any item if so desired. If you didn't sign our sheet last week and would like a basket please let us know. However once again surprise arrivals are welcome Sat. morning. Same 9-11am hours.

Thanks and we really hope you'll come out and support us!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

2010 Winter Share, Basket 2

December 11, 2010

This week's harvest:

Spinach
Swiss Chard
Celery
Kale
Lettuce
Parsnips
Radishes
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash

This week's farm news:

The week was chilly. We had two mornings at 13 degrees on our front porch. It must have been cold because Ira actually put shoes on. The weatherman says it's supposed to be colder next week - maybe into the single digits. We'll see how the high tunnel crops survive that! Let's hope for the best because our plan is to be back in Nashville one last time for December next Saturday with veggies - we want you to be stocked up for the holidays!

So, with winter weather here now, we are reminded of our two biggest cold-weather challenges... #1 Keeping the livestock/chickens with water when the temperatures are so low. One tiny pocket of ice in a hose will stop the flow. Eric has literally spent years tinkering with our farm's water systems so is is pretty much a pro by now. Our #2 challenge is getting to the places we need to go on the farm. (Especially since our 4x4 truck is defunct.) Everything on our farm is uphill from our house. (Well, except the big creek, thankfully!) Many of the farm roads are rough and need repairing after the summer's crazy downpours/flooding. Well, Friday afternoon when in a hurry to fetch Eric from the fields, Cher got the van majorly stuck in a rut. But, thanks to good neighbors, 4x4 trucks, and chains, we were able to make it here today. Whew!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Details for tomorrow: Everyone is welcome!

We will be at the Friends Meeting House again tomorrow from 9-11am. Everyone is welcome. We should have extra of everything so you're welcome to come without notice. We will have tents set up as we're expecting rain. We would love your support and we promise you'll love what we bring!

Thank you and we hope to see you tomorrow!
Eric

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Produce orders for Saturday

[Sorry again for the late posting! I've got to get better about this...]

Hello! We will come again this Saturday (11th) to the Friends Meeting House. Same 9am-11am short hours. We have some of you signed up for a vegetable basket and need to know who else would like a basket. Please let us know before Friday. Tell us what size you want: small $23, bigger $36. Here's what veggies we plan on having: kale, spinach, lettuce, leeks, celery, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turnips, and any other greens that survived the 13 degrees chill.

Thank you!! Eric

Sunday, December 5, 2010

2010 Winter Share, Basket 1

December 4, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Kale
Lettuce
Spinach
Salad Turnips
Celery
Leeks
Choose between Lacinato Kale or Arugula or Thick-Stem Mustard

This week's farm news:

Greetings again friends! We hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving holiday at Cher's family's in Indiana and for the first time ever contributed the Thanksgiving turkey! It was delicious, too. Now we're happy to be back in Nashville this week with another load of fresh vegetables. Weather permitting, we'll be back the next two Saturday (the 11th & 18th) with vegetables and some other treats!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Veggies tomorrow!

[Ooops! Busy week. Meant to post this email from our farmers earlier this week...]

Hello!!

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We are bringing vegetables this Saturday the 4th to the Friends Meeting House. The time is SHORTER: 9am-11am. (Eric needs time to do the farm chores in the morning and afternoon). However, for those of you that work at 9 you may come between 8:30-9:00 while we are setting up and we'll get your goodies together.

Anyone is welcome to come purchase a basket. $23 for the small. $36 for the bigger basket. If you wrote your name on our list last week you do not have to reply to this e-mail, we've accounted for you. If you did not write your name on the list please e-mail a reply before mid-day Thursday so we can plan accordingly. We will pick extra for you last minute deciders too.

Here's what we plan to bring: spinach, leeks, kale, sweet potatoes, celery, butternut squash, salad turnips and other greens. We are also open to your requests if you're craving something in particular.

We look forward to seeing you!
Eric, Cher, Ira, Opal, Olivia
info@bugtusslefarm.com

Saturday, November 20, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Eight

November 20, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Salad Turnips
"Little Gem" Lettuce
Celery
Swiss Chard
Kale
Cilantro
Choose between: Arugula, Mizuna, and Red Mustard

This week's farm news:

So today may wrap up this year's fall share (boy, that went fast!) but there's no need to bemoan having to go back to the grocery story for your winter produce. We plan to bring fresh veggies to Nashville 3 times in December (the 4th, the 11th, & the 18th - please see our sign-up sheet for these dates plus watch for our emails) and then twice a month for the rest of the winter. Baskets will cost $23/small and $36/medium. There's a lot to look forward to: spinach, kale, Swiss chard, leeks, parsnips, celery, lettuce, and continued mixed greens, sweet potatoes, & butternut squash.

When the Smith family returns home from Nashville today, the farm is going to be a much quieter place. Jesse and Beth are each on their way to their next destinations. We completed our last harvest as a group on Thursday... Once they get to where they're going and after they have a nice (very long) hot shower, we hope they will look back & remember this season fondly! We surely will!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Kimchi recipe

Recently we received a comment asking for the Smith's kimchi recipe and they were happy to provide it:

We kind of follow Sandor Katz's recipe from his Wild Fermentation book (which we highly recommend!). Basic ingredients being Chinese cabbage, daikon radish, onion, garlic, hot peppers, fresh ginger. Almost anything else could be added like turnips, oh and carrots are great. And of course you need salt. So to start we shred the cabbage just by cutting it finely with a sharp knife. Then we chop up the radish and carrots and/or turnips and maybe some sweet peppers all maybe 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick. Then we mix all that together (cabbage, carrots, radish, peppers). Then we make a salt water brine which is made using 1 tablespoon per cup of water (one cup salt for one gallon water). I use warm water so the salt dissolves easier, and oh I like to use a quality natural salt, NOT Mortons! So stir the water till the salt is dissolved. Then we soak the vegetables in the brine for half a day or overnight. Be sure the brine covers the veggies. Make more brine if necessary. Then after soaking drain the brine but keep it handy. Make a finely minced medley of fresh ginger, hot peppers, and onions. Maybe one or two large or four small onions per head of cabbage. Maybe one big handful ginger and one or more(!!) hot peppers per head. We use a food processor to do the mincing. Then mix this potent stuff with your salty vegetables and firmly pack into a large jar or crock or food grade bucket. Place a small plate or something that fits right on top of the vegetables and weight it down with a water filled jar or something to force the brine to completely cover the veggies. Add brine if necessary. Put a cloth over top with a tight string or rubber band to keep flies out but let it breathe. Keep at room temperature for about a week. Taste it every so often to learn how it changes. When it tastes good and sharp transfer to a clean jar with a lid and put in refrigerator. Lasts a LONG time. Enjoy! Let us know if you need help as you go!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Seven

November 13, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Kale
Thick-Stemmed Mustard
Salad Turnips
Chinese Cabbage or Tatsoi
Arugula or Mizuna or Red Mustard
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash

This week's farm news:

Today marks our 250th "deliveriversary" since we first began Bugtussle CSA nine years ago! Quite a few of you have been with us all of those years! We thank all of you for your support and your love of fresh veggies. This endeavor wouldn't be possible without you!

So next Saturday wraps up this season's fall share. We still have plenty of greens in the garden and plenty of sweet potatoes and butternuts in storage. We plan to take the Saturday immediately following Thanksgiving off, but then get right back into bringing you folks fresh veggies through December and then as much as we can throughout the rest of the winter. As we've done in the past, the winter baskets will be "pay-by-the-week." We'll have a sign-up list next Saturday plus we'll send out email reminders [I'll be posting those here] that you can reply to as well.

We want to keep you well-fed and nourished all through the winter!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Six

November 6, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Peanuts
Salad Turnips
Kale
Tatsoi
Choose between: Arugula, Mizuna, and Ruby Streaks Mustard

This week's farm news:

Well, the summer crops are completely finished now. Brrrrrr... It's gotten cold! I can't believe how long the peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant were able to hang on this fall. It's actually pretty impressive - still eating fresh summer veggies a week into November. But now that those crops are done for the year, we turn toward our annual project of kimchi (Korean sauerkraut) making which adds an element of "fresh" to our winter diet. We made our first batch last week filling a ten gallon crock and half of a five gallon crock. Once the initial fermentation is complete, we transfer it all to gallon-sized glass jars and store it in the cellar to be eaten throughout the winter. Our first batch yielded about 10 gallons, which we reckoned wasn't quite enough (!) once we send some with both Jesse and Beth once they depart. So, we made another batch this week. It will probably yield another 10 gallons (yes - we eat a lot of kimchi!) Which should be enough for the winter. One exciting new addition to our winter diet that we aren't used to having is all the fresh greens from the high tunnel! The crops in it look great - some of the greens and lettuces are practically to harvestable size already! We are feeling geared up and ready for winter!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Reminder

This Saturday, November 6th, we will not be at the Farmers Market, but instead will be at the Nashville Friends Meetinghouse. The meetinghouse is on the west side of 26th Avenue North just 2 blocks north of Charlotte Avenue (on the Southwest corner at the intersection of 26th Avenue North and Torbett Street).

If you do not have a fall share, but would like a basket, feel free to just show up as we will have extras.

2010 Fall Share, Week Five

October 30, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Arugula
Daikon Radish
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Red Mustard
Salad Turnips
Mizuna
Sweet & Hot Peppers
Eggplant

This week's farm news:

First of all, we need to remind all of you that this (today) is the last Saturday of the season that this farmer's market will be here in Richland Park. We understand that there are plans of moving the market just down the road to a bank parking lot for the month of November. (And maybe even indoors for the rest of the winter - more on that later.) However, we will be back at our old location (the Nashville Friends Meeting House on the corner of 26th Ave. and Torbett, just off Charlotte) for the remainder of the fall share. The pick-up time will remain the same: 8am to 12pm.

Our intern season is winding down for the year. This past week was Ben's last here on the farm. Jesse and Beth will each only be with us for a few more weeks. It's bittersweet when it comes time for our interns to depart... We have made good friends so it's sad to see them go, but we get to look forward to hearing about their next adventure in life. Ben is heading to a farm in Nicaragua for a few months. Beth is looking to purchase her own farm in the Chattanooga area A.S.A.P. And Jesse wants to spend another season with us in Bugtussle (yeah!) leading next year's intern crew and wading a little deeper into the farm scene. We can't thank them enough for all of their hard work & dedication throughout the season. Now's the time for us, the Bugtussle-year-rounders, to take a deep breath, reflect upon a great season, and throw another log on the fire.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Four

October 23, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Kale
Chinese Cabbage
Sweet Red & Yellow Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Salad Turnips
Green Tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Peanuts!

This week's farm news:

Today is a special day for our family... We are celebrating Olivia Fern's first birthday as well as our 11th wedding anniversary! To celebrate we're planning a short camping trip. Since our family size has increased over the years, our two-person backpacking tent is no longer adequate for all of us. So, we splurged and purchased a family sized tent and are going to spend a few days next week camping with the kiddos. It should be an adventure.

We're excited to be giving you peanuts in your baskets again this year! We gave them for the first time two years ago but last year the rodents and deer managed to eat all of them. (How thoughtful.) Fortunately, we managed to save enough of last year's crop to continue our seed supply. We originally started with just a handful of seed peanuts, an heirloom variety called "Tennessee Red Valencia," several years ago and have been building our seed supply ever since. Now they're back and we hope you really enjoy this special treat!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Three

October 16, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Onions
Tomatoes
Peppers - Yellow & Red
Eggplant
Okra
"Ruby Streaks" Mustard
Cut Lettuce
Salad Turnips
Tatsoi
Arugula

This week's farm news:

OK - big exciting news - the high tunnel is planted! Yeah! Finally, after nearly three years of slowly chipping away at the construction of the thing we have actual plants growing in the actual ground under the protection of the greenhouse plastic. Now for the first time ever we should be able to eat (& offer to you!) greens throughout the winter! Earlier in the week when we installed the irrigation system into the tunnel we realized that the project was really happening. Then the crew got right on to setting the transplants. We transplanted several different varieties of lettuce and kale, Swiss chard & spinach. We direct seeded salad turnips, radishes, & carrots. The structure is 30' wide by 96' long so there's not a tremendous amount of space but what a huge leap forward nonetheless. I can't tell you how happy we are to finally have it rolling! Our long-time goal of having fresh greens to compliment our offerings of storage crops throughout the winter is coming to fruition! What a good feeling!

The weather this week was dry, only a trace of rain, but absolutely gorgeous. The trees have really been dropping their jewel-colored leaves all over the ground...so lovely.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week Two

October 9, 2010 newsletter

This week's farm harvest:

Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Sweet Peppers - Red & Yellow
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Hot Peppers
Boc Choi
Salad Turnips (& Greens!)
Arugula
Okra
Onions

This week's farm news:

Well, the first frosts of the season danced through our gardens and pastures two mornings this week. The low temperature we saw on our front porch was 34 degrees, so that means the open fields were a few degrees lower than that... Even though it was not a killing frost, the summer crops definitely got the message that their time of glory is ending. The basket this week will very likely see the final tomato harvest. Unless we get more frosts this week, which we are not supposed to, we should be able to get at least one more picking of peppers and eggplant. Now we're really moving back into the cooler season of greens, and this is fine by me!!

This week the crew busted out this year's garlic planting. We had to first "pop" all the bulbs we had the saved for seed into their cloves for planting. It was about 1,000 bulbs altogether. On chilly mornings we would find a nice warm sunny spot to sit and do the popping. Aside from getting sore thumbs from prying open all that garlic, this was very enjoyable work. Then the crew really went for it and pushed all those cloves into the ground in a matter of hours and successfully planted about 1/4 acre of garden space. This should result in about 6,000 bulbs next June come harvest time. Aside from the garlic, the only planting project remaining for the year is the high tunnel!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

2010 Fall Share, Week One

October 2, 2010 newsletter

This week's farm harvest:

Arugula
Swiss Chard
Salad Turnips
Red & Yellow Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Butternut Squash
Onions
Okra
Thelma Sanders &/or Sweet Dumpling Winter Squash

This week's farm news:

The week's weather was gorgeous - crisp, dry, & cooler but still pleasantly warm in the sun. Perfect autumn weather to herald the beginning of this season's fall share. The crew had a super productive week. They dug all of the sweet potatoes (about 130 baskets), sorted them, hauled them out of the field, & packed them into the greenhouse for curing. (Curing is what makes a sweet potato sweet!) This year's harvest was so speedy & efficient! Especially compared to last year when the rain wouldn't stop & the soil got wetter & wetter & we eventually had to give up on waiting for the perfect conditions & hand dig for them in the mud... Every year is a different story!!

This weekend is the annual Biodynamic Farming Conference at Long Hungry Creek Farm (home of the barefoot farmer Jeff Poppen) that we participate in every year. On Sunday afternoon any interested conference attendees can make the short trek to Bugtussle for a tour of our farm. This gives visitors to this region a chance to see more of this beautiful KY/TN landscape!

2010 Season, Week Twenty

Yay!! Thanks to a dear friend, I got a copy!

September 25, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Arugula
Cut Lettuce Mix
Cilantro
Green Beans
Sweet Peppers (Yellow & Red)
Tomatoes
Hot Peppers
Okra
Butternuts
Onions
Garlic

This week's farm news:

Well, we made it safely home from our vacation to Gulf Shores. We had a great & relaxing trip even though we chose to be slightly psycho & do most of our driving in the wee hours to avoid all of the "when-will-we-be-there's" from the kiddos. Upon our return we found the farm running like a well-oiled machine thanks to Beth, Ben, & Jesse! I think the crew had a good time (even though they didn't throw any major parties) & their confidence grew about being able to care for a farm on their own. It was an especially empowering time since each intern aspires to have their own farm operation one day. (Even after spending a season here they still want to do it on their own!) How wonderful that we all mutually benefited from our family's time away!

So, remarkably, today ends the main season vegetables share! This season went by so quickly! We thank everyone who participated & hope that you enjoyed it! If you're not participating in the fall share, have a great fall & winter and we hope to see you again next spring! If you have signed up for a fall share, we'll see you next Saturday (October 2) for fall share basket number one!! We still have shares available, also, so spread the word! Thank you!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

S.O.S.

Somehow I managed to distract myself at the farm pickup yesterday and forgot to grab a newsletter. If you have one you can get to me, please leave a comment here. Thanks!

2010 Season, Week Nineteen

September 18, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Okra
Green Beans
Eggplant
Onions
Garlic
Cilantro
Sweet Potato Greens

This week's farm news:

There was something both intensely exhilerating and profoundly intimidating about holding down the fort while the Smith family took their much-deserved vacation. But once we cancelled all of the parties and concerts we had planned, our nerves calmed immensely! This gave us the chance to concentrate on the one idea that brought us all here in the first place: running a farm.

Beth kicked off our solo run with a spectacular Sunday dinner of deviled eggs and fried green tomatoes which was, unbeknownst to everyone else, the envy of the world.

On Monday, it was discovered that the grasshoppers have yet to relent on their campaign to devour everything we plant. Beth noticed that they'd been feasting on our recently uncovered brassicae patch, and immediate action was required! So the crew and I set forth fortifying our maturing patch with row cover and metal hoops in a way that kept the insatiable grasshopper population out, while maintaining the integrity of our beautiful, yet fragile, cabbages & bok choy. After that, we're unsure what they feasted upon, but we ate a fresh salad with tomatoes & pickled squash, washing it all down with a nice, sweet glass of accomplishment.

Our good friends at Bell's Bend recommended that we try our sweet potato greens, and try we did - they found their way into nearly every meal we ate. In the spirit of that, we've decided (as your stand-in farmers) to offer these wonderful greens to our shareholders this week, along with a recipe we all found rather compelling. In general, treat them like you would spinach, though the stems might need a little extra cooking time. Don't feel the need to be gentle however, they are tough and can stand a good amount of heat!

On behalf of your Bugtussle interns, we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for supporting this farm, as it has provided an irreplaceable education and experience that would not be possible if it weren't for you! Thank you again, and have a great week!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

2010 Season, Week Eighteen

September 11, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Tomatoes
Green Beans
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Garlic
Onions
Winter Squash - "Sweet Dumpling" &/or "Honey Bear"

This week's farm news:

Well folks, today after market the Smith family is leaving for our annual vacation to the beach!! Yeah! For the next ten days the now very experienced crew will be running the farm on their own. We have no doubts that they will do an excellent job taking care of it all. We also thank them tremendously for their willingness to make our family vacation possible. So the Smiths will be seeing you in two weeks. Jesse and Beth will be taking care of the CSA and market next Saturday. I would like to ask all of you shareholders to help them out with your names and basket sizes. Thanks!

On the farm this week, other than doing lots of preparation for our vacation, we started more fall plants in soil blocks. Eric & crew also spread several loads of compost in preparation for planting the high tunnel & our garlic crop. We are greatly increasing the amount of garlic we're growing for next year so we've had to reserve more of this summer's harvest for seed. This is why the garlic you've been getting the past few weeks has been so much smaller. A little bit less now = lots more garlic next year!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

More details on the 2010 fall share

This year's eight-week fall season will begin Saturday, October 2 and will last until Saturday, November 20. It will include a wide variety of vegetables starting with a continuation of summer crops (tomatoes, peppers, etc.), a variety of lettuces, kale, Chinese cabbage, bok choi, arugula, mizuna, mustard, collards, Swiss chard, spinach, tatsoi, sweet potatoes, winter squashes (acorn, butternut, pumpkins), kohlrabi, celery, salad turnips, cilantro, daikon radishes, carrots, beets, and possibly even peanuts!

Pick up hours will be from 8am - 12pm

Small fall share = $175
Medium fall share = $275
Large fall share = $475

Make checks payable to Bugtussle Farm

Address: Bugtussle Farm
950 Rack Creek Road
Gamaliel, KY 42140
(270)457-BUGS
www.bugtusslefarm.com

2010 Season, Week Seventeen

September 4, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Sweet Red & Yellow Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Garlic & Onions
Basil
Okra
Green Beans or Yellow Squash for medium shares

This week's farm news:

It was a fairly quiet week. The temperatures have been dropping into the lower 50's at night. The leaves are dropping from the walnut trees. I say this every year but, mercy, the seasons pass so quickly.

Eric & crew cultivated the fall crops this week - all the while cursing the *$*!@*!! grasshoppers. They are voracious little things! But, they are on the menu for next week. We hope that if we turn the tables & shift their status from garden predator to prey, maybe they will leave us alone.

The high tunnel project is nearly complete. The goal is to add compost to the soil next week, till the soil to prepare for planting, & then we'll be ready to set transplants when we get home from our family vacation in a few weeks! Yeah! The light at the end of the "tunnel" (ha) for winter greens!

The most exciting event on the farm this week was hearing Ira's joy at finding his ducks' first few eggs!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Fall Shares Now Available

The fall season will run October 2 - November 20
Small shares - $175
Medium shares - $275

Reservation information can be found here.

2010 Season, Week Sixteen

August 28, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Sweet Peppers
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Hot Peppers
Okra
Basil

This week's farm news:

The weather was glorious this week. It seems like we have sure had to endure lots of weather challenges this season. But now, this splendid weather that we've had this past week makes those challenges fade in our memories & seem like some distant dream. The grasshoppers, however, are a nightmare. They just won't stop. They are even mowing our cover crops! Certain areas of the garden Eric has had to plant three (!) times. They seem to prefer newly germinating plants, too, so they are capable of wiping out huge plantings very quickly. Now our standard planting procedure is to immediately cover the seed bed with fabric row cover so the grasshoppers never even have a chance!!

Our barn had a couple of transformations this week. The first is that the crew harvested all of the butternut squash this week & their gleaming goodness is now occupying the barn's upper-most loft. The second transformation is the barn becoming a sports arena - we've made the step up from a bushel basket attached to a tree to a bonafide basketball hoop attached to the front of the barn!! Jesse is super-excited to be able to shoot hoops from his front door step. He even has his own cheerleaders - two injured turkeys (named Chaos and Galliopo (?) ) that have their own portable hospital pen in the barn's front yard. Basketball practice is at 7PM - after chores. Come join us!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

2010 Season, Week Fifteen

August 21, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Tomatoes
Okra
Onions
Garlic
Basil

This week's farm news:

We had another major flood this week and the farm was doused with TEN inches of rain in less than 24 hours! Because the big flood in May deposited huge amounts of gravel in the branch that flows past our cabin (therefore raising the level of the creekbed) the flash flooding situation was much more scary than in May. The kids' swingset was sideswiped, busted up & moved, Ira's bicycle was buried in gravel, Ira's fish/duck pond (the we just dug this spring) had the pond liner swept out of it & then it filled with gravel. Ira's garden & our flower garden were completely underwater. We're hopeful that all of Ira's fall gourds & pumpkins will fare alright, but the beautiful zinnias & sunflowers are laid flat & covered in mud. :( Needless to say, Eric & I, & Jesse & Beth, were awake for several hours in the night monitoring the situation. Now, unfortunately, the gravel level in the branch is even deeper - in some places we estimate seven feet! - so the next potential flood is a nightmare to think about! We are actually planning to hire someone with a backhoe to dig the gravel out; it's that concerning! Anyhow, our really rough driveway could use a new layer of gravel! If nature gives us lemons, we'll do our best to make lemonade. Cheers!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

2010 Season, Week Fourteen

August 14, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Yellow Beans
Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Eggplant
Hot Peppers
Garlic
Onions
Basil
Assorted Melons
Okra
Cucumbers
Patty Pan Squash - free choice

This week's farm news:

We celebrated Eric's birthday on Tuesday by taking a mini family vacation to nearby Barren River State Park. The crew took care of all the farm work & chores for two days so that we could take a much-needed relaxation break. (Even though we live in paradise, we haven't yet mastered the art of taking "time off" while still being on the farm... If we're home we're working on something!) We stayed at the lodge at the park and, admittedly enjoyed being able to hole up in an air-conditioned room. While we were away, the crew not only kept up with all chores, they canned tomatoes, processed basil, harvested any ripe produce, & continued garden work in preparation for fall planting! Eric & I feel unbelievably lucky to be able to leave the crew at the steamy hot farm & come home feeling refreshed and seeing all sorts of work was accomplished also! We're lucky & we know it!

Thank you Ben, Jesse, & Beth for letting us take a break! Now they are successfully practiced for our 10-day vacation in September!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

2010 Season, Week Thirteen

August 7, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Tomatoes - mixed heirloom
Sweet Peppers
Sweet Corn
Hot Peppers
Onions
Garlic
Yellow Beans
Patty Pan Squash
Cucumbers
Basil
Okra for small shares, Eggplant for medium shares
& a Zinnia

This week's farm news:

The hot weather is unrelenting!!! We had a few days off feeling exasperated and exhausted as we watched huge storm systems pass through just to our north (so close that we even felt the wind!) and then later one passed just to our south. We did receive about 1/10" of rain this week but when it's in the mid to upper nineties every day, 1/10" doesn't last very long. Needless to say, we're really hoping for some rain & cooler weather!

This week's big accomplishment was getting the plastic on our high tunnel! Yes, finally! After what seems like an eternity, the high tunnel will be ready for planting this fall. (For those of you new to Bugtussle, a high tunnel is a big unheated greenhouse that can extend the growing season well into the winter months. We purchased the tunnel over two years ago & have very slowly been getting the thing assembled.) There are still some finishing touches to be completed, of course, but the thought of big crispy heads of lettuce in January should be enough inspiration to push ahead to the finish!

Saturday, July 31, 2010

2010 Season, Week Twelve

July 31, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Patty Pan Squash
Yellow Beans
Garlic
Onions
Cucumbers
Choice of Yellow Watermelon or "Halona" Muskmelon or Galia Melons

This week's farm news:

It was another sultry week. The high temperatures were consistently in the mid 90's. We had lots of small rain showers throughout the week that totaled around one inch. In between bouts of rain, the crew set out another round of fall transplants. They also had their work cut out for them trying to keep up with harvesting all the ripe tomatoes, musk melons, & watermelons. When we have to harvest crops early in the week - perishable stuff that won't hold until Saturday's market - we start canning & preserving the bounty to enjoy this winter. All of the interns have taken a turn canning quarts of tomatoes. We've also filled many freezer bags with melon to freeze for winter sorbets & Beth even loaded up her dehydrator with Galia melon slices! I'm excited to see how that turns out!

Eric's father (aka "Pap Pap") has been visiting this week. He & Eric have been working on adding a couple of solar panels (that were given to us!) to our solar system. They mounted them to the end of a cedar pole & everyone helped heave the pole up to a standing position beside our older panels so that they can all be wired together. Once it's all hooked up we should be able to harness twice as much solar energy!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

2010 Season, Week Eleven

July 24, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

"Peace" Watermelons (yellow-fleshed)
Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Basil
Garlic
Onions
Okra
Patty Pan Squash
Cucumbers
Choice of Yellow Wax Beans, Galia Melons, and/or Sweet Corn

This week's farm news:

Don't forget that tomorrow, July 25, is our annual swimming party & potluck picnic! You can come anytime - there's no specific schedule. We'll probably eat early in the afternoon, then go for a swim, then for a farm tour (for those that are interested), then probably eat some more & swim some more. Or, who knows? If it is really nearly 100 degrees like the weatherman says it's supposed to be, maybe we'll just sit in the creek all afternoon! You can find directions to the farm on our website, www.bugtusslefarm.com. We hope to see you at the farm!

So this week on the farm it felt like a tropical rain forest. We had rain practically every day (totaling nearly four inches!) and it was so hot and muggy! We had some pretty intense thunderstorms with lots of lightning, too. The gardens were happy to get all that rain. Eric & crew had set out fall broccoli & cauliflower transplants, so they are settled in now. The young beans & snow peas that Eric sowed about a week ago are coming up nicely now. We also started fall kale, lettuce, & cilantro in soil blocks. Yeah! Fall crops are off to a good start!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

2010 Season, Week Ten

July 17, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Tomatoes
Patty Pan Squash
Basil
Garlic
Onions
Hot Peppers
Red Peppers or Zucchini or Cucumbers (small shares choose one, medium shares choose two)
"Peace" Yellow Watermelons for medium shares

This week's farm news:
Wow! Here we are at week 10 already! Halfway through the main summer season! The season is really zooming along for us this year. The tomatoes are really (finally) coming in now as are the melons. Next week we should see the second crop of sweet corn, yellow wax beans, cucumbers, & many more watermelons. This week we gleaned the very first of the watermelons & there were just enough for the medium shares but, no worries, next week everyone will get one!

We had a big group of farmers & their interns visit the farm on Wednesday. There were about 40 folks in attendance. We are part of a regional group of farmers that host these events so that our interns have a chance to meet interns from other farms as well as have exposure to other farms' management practices. Eric took all the visitors on an extensive farm tour with a few demonstrations along the way... Like our method of soil block making; various cultivating tools & techniques; & of course he showed the way we move our animals to a new paddock on a daily (or twice daily) pasture rotation. We finished up the tour at the swimming hole where everyone got revived before eating a big potluck feast!

Sunday, July 25
Swimming & Potluck Picnic at Bugtussle

Saturday, July 10, 2010

2010 Season, Week Nine

July 10, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Basil
Onions
Garlic
Patty Pan Squash
Zucchini and/or Eggplant
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Cilantro
Peppers - Hot

This week's farm news:

Every year, shortly after the summer solstice, the insects really turn up their volume... Actually, sometimes if feels like they are laughing at us! During the day it's the cicadas with their rattlesnake-like songs reminding us that it's hot & dry. During the night it's the katydids startling us from slumber with their abrupt "yank-yanks". In the garden the harlequin beetles & grasshoppers are just waiting for us to set out our luscious juicy succulent fall transplants - if the plants make it beyond the onslaught of flea beetles that found the shade house & thus began their feast on those just mentioned plants. Oh, & did I mention the flies? The flies like to remind us of every single spot & morsel of food that we failed to clean off the kitchen counters. Oh, the bugs. Maybe this lamentation sounds a bit like a complaint? To some degree it is as the bugs to represent one of my greater summertime challenges. But I'll take that challenge in exchange for all the unbelievable food that I get to enjoy every single day! Fresh tomatoes straight from the vine, crispy sweet red peppers, fat juicy watermelons, handfuls of blueberries here and there. While sitting here writing this & thinking about our food, I realize that now my mouth is watering & I've stopped itching all of my mosquito bites! The food makes it all bearable!

Reminder: Sunday, July 25
Swimming & Potluck at the Farm

Saturday, July 3, 2010

2010 Season, Week Eight

July 3, 1010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Sweet Corn
Basil
Broccoli &/or Red or Green Cabbage
Zucchini &/or Eggplant
Lettuce (Tom Thumb or Jericho)
Yellow Squash
Hot Peppers
Tomatoes (just the beginning!)
Garlic
Onions

This week's farm news:

We had a little bit more rain move through our farm this week (2/10") and afer that the temperatures were drastically cooler than they had been. In fact, it was 54 degrees on our porch this morning. That's quite a change from last week when night-time temperatures never went below 70 degrees. It's so refreshing to not always feel sticky & coated in a layer of sweat!

The crew completed another round of garden cultivation this week after last week's heavy rainshower so the gardens look beautiful & well-tended. We have been enjoying our first tomatoes this week & made several small batches of salsa - one of our summertime staples! We're also enjoying the first round of sweet corn that you're getting in this week's basket. It was a fairly small patch so there's not a tremendous amount, nonetheless still a delicious treat. And a reminder... earworms love sweet corn as much as you & I, so if (when!) you find a worm in your corn just cut the tip off & you're good to go! (We use no chemicals in the growing of our crops & have found no feasible way to deter the hungry little critters.)

And finally, we would like to invite all of you to the farm on Sunday, July 25 for a potluck picnic/swimming party. Come for the day & see where your food is grown; meet the chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, turkeys, & ducks; & see our homestead where we live happily "off-the-grid", and, of course, we'll visit the swimming hole at the creek and share a delicious meal!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

2010 Season, Week Seven

June 26, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Green Beans
"Yellow Crookneck" Squash
Zucchini (medium shares)
Garlic
Onions
Basil
Swiss Chard
Beets & Greens
Red Cabbage or Broccoli or Lettuce

This week's farm news:

Well, we were worried we were going to miss out on all the rain that y'all seemed to be getting in Nashville but on Thursday we finally got a substantial rain! About 1.5 inches. It was welcome, too! Now lots of our crops are "laid by" (local lingo meaning your crop "has got it made" & requires very little attention until harvest). We are always amazed at how quickly the seasons turn. The summer solstice has passed for another year. For us, the earth is beginning to tilt away from the sun. Spring crops are fading & summer crops are ripening. We worked on starting lots of fall crops in soil blocks this week -- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc. Eric planted one more variety of winter squash as well as pumpkins. He also sowed buckwheat in between the rows of winter squash as a cover crop that will later be rolled or scythed and left on the ground as a mulch for the vines to ramble across & to protect the soil. And the crew harvested more than half of our onion crop and beautifully laid them out to dry in our dual-purpose greenhouse which is now too hot for seedlings but just right for drying onions. It was a great week on the farm but we're looking forward to what's in store for next week -- sweet corn, eggplant, peppers, & our first few tomatoes... all those delicious pleasures of summertime!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

2010 Season, Week Six

June 19, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

"Sweet Valentine" Lettuce
Green Beans
"Yellow Crookneck" Squash
Fresh Garlic
Basil
Broccoli
Beets & Greens
Swiss Chard

This week's farm news:

The crew had a super busy & productive week - despite the heat & everyone's desires to sit in the creek & sip kombucha! (Our current fetish!) Not only did they cultivate the entire two acres of gardens to keep the moisture from the last rain in the ground & knock out any weeds, they put up about 400 feet of trellis for the yellow pole beans; they staked & trellised all of the pepper plants (a few hundred of them); they kept the tomatoes tucked in their cages; they kept all of the farm critters moved daily (or twice daily!) to fresh green grass; they harvested the remaining 3/4's of the garlic crop & neatly stored it in the barn for curing; and they composted & planted another patch of winter squash! Whew! We even took a field trip to another farm one day this week that got us all excited about the possibilities of growing ginger in our high tunnel! Oh, there's so much to do on a farm in the height of summer! These long summer days are really helpful for getting all of our many projects completed! Happy Summer Solstice!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

2010 Season, Week Five

June 12, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

Carrots
Lettuce ("Buttercrunch" for medium shares & "Sweet Valentine" for small shares)
Swiss Chard
Beets & Greens
"Yellow Crookneck" Squash
Very Fresh Garlic
Basil
Flowering Onions

This week's farm news:

The temperatures were hot again this week but, unlike last week, we had some very lovely & timely rain showers. The crew planted our butternut squash patch this week. Every year we select & store several baskets of squash from last fall's harvest to save for seed. Then when it's time to plant, we cut open the squash, harvest the seeds, & go straight to the garden to plant them. We get excellent germination this way because the squash keep the seeds in the perfect storage environment. That also means our seed stock is coming from squash that actually stored for the entire winter, therefore (hopefully!) improving the overall keeping quality of the squash from year to year. We also planted our sweet potato patch this week & with Eric & four interns working together it was a pretty quick job. The sweet potato slips got watered-in by a fabulous rolling thunderstorm. We rejoice when our timing works out like that!

The crew also yanked out the spent pea vines & spinach to make room for our late planting of tomatoes & they began the garlic harvest - you're getting some of this juicy uncured goodness in your baskets this week! Enjoy it while it's so fresh!

During rainy spells throughout the week, both Beth & Ben worked on Beth's room in the barn & got the majority of it completed! Now Beth can finally get settled in!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

2010 Season, Week Four

June 5, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:

"Buttercrunch" Lettuce
"Speckled Amish" Lettuce
Swiss Chard
Shelling Peas
Carrots
Beets & Beet Greens
"Yellow Crookneck" Squash
"Hakurei" Salad Turnips
"Easter Egg" Radishes
Garlic Scapes

This week's farm news:

It was another hot week in Bugtussle! We had a few light rain showers that maybe totalled 1/20"... so not much rain this week. But, I can hear distant rumblings of thunder as I write this so we are hopeful for a good rain this (Friday) evening. Our crops are doing well aside from a pretty intense infestation of cabbage worms on the spring brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, etc.). The crew dutifully (& laboriously) hand-picked worms from the plants this week but the little boogers are so camouflaged that many are inevitably overlooked which likely means another worm-picking will be on next week's "to do" list!

Our turkey poults arrived on the farm this week (via the post office). This is our first experience with day old turkeys (as last year we got them at 4-8 weeks old from a local breeder). We also chose to raise broad-breasted bronze & white turkeys instead of the heritage breeds we raised last year to hopefully avoid the near fiasco of the mature birds flying away! We figure that the broad-breasted turkeys will be able to forage more freely on pasture (since they can't fly) than we could allow the heritage breeds to do.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

2010 Season, Week Three

May 29, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:
"Deer Tongue" Lettuce
Swiss Chard
Garlic "Pigtails" (Scapes)
Carrots - "Rainbow Mix"
"Hakkurei" Salad Radishes
Tatsoi
"Red Russian" Kale
Shelling Peas
Cilantro

This week's farm news:

Mother Nature turned up the temperature on us this week. Most days we saw the mercury rise to 90 degrees or more! With the hot days our routine summertime after lunch swims at the creek have begun! The water is still a bit chilly but oh-so refreshing, especially after the hot & sticky chore of mulching the tomatoes with hay, which the crew tackled & completed very quickly one morning this week. Then they worked on the slower task of staking & caging the tomatoes - which is almost completed, too!

This week we also planted our 2nd & 3rd plantines of sweet corn, peanuts, yellow pole beans, & more flowers. We transplanted our eggplant, zucchini, & muskmelons. Our entire two acres of gardens are in some form of cultivation right now! Whew!

Our fourth season-long intern, Beth, arrived on Thursday evening & got right to work with us on Friday bringing in this awesome spring harvest. Enjoy!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

2010 Season, Week Two

May 22, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:
"Cracoviensis" Lettuce
Swiss Chard
Spinach &/or Cut Lettuce
Cilantro
Tatsoi
Green Garlic

This week's farm news:

The week was fairly dark, rainy, & cool. All of the spring crops are loving this weather! But, the summer crops are eager for more sun & warmth!

This week we transplanted our main crop of tomatoes & all of our sweet peppers plus a few hot peppers. We started a bunch of summer lettuces in soil blocks in the greenhouse as well as watermelons, muskmelons, & cucumbers. Eric has also been experimenting with planting various native grass seeds in our pasture to hopefully increase the biodiversity of forage for the farm critters.

During rainy times, we kept busy on the barn's remodeling project as our fourth intern, Beth, is arriving next week & she would probably like to have a place to stay!

We introduced 5 new piglets to the farm scene this week. They were born & raised to weaning right next door on our neighbor, Davis's, farm. They've been cared for so well & we're so happy to have such healthy piglets!

And finally, after years of searching, we've found a new van this week. It's almost exactly like our old van but two years newer & 200,000 fewer miles!

Friday, May 21, 2010

2010 Season, Week One

May 15, 2010 newsletter

This week's harvest:
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Lettuce (lettuce mix &/or head lettuce)
Arugula
Green Garlic
Oregano

This week's farm news:

Howdy once again lovely vegetable eaters! Welcome to another season with Bugtussle! Despite severe floods & unseasonably late frosts, we are gearing up for an awesome CSA season - our ninth! We are excited about this new venue here at Richland Park and hopeful that we can adjust to the new scene quickly to minimize, as gardeners would say, "transplant shock". Please keep us informed about how the new market is working for you!

We've got a super intern crew lined-up for the season. There's Jesse, Ben, & Nadia who are on the farm already & Beth who is arriving in about 10 days. You'll be learning more about these fine folks over the course of the season. Because we've accepted more season-long interns than we've ever had, we've been working on remodeling the barn to create more living spaces. So the barn is getting a new life as the "Intern Headquarters"!

Jesse, who is with us today, formerly lived in Brooklyn, NY & worked in a boutique wine shop that specialized in organic & biodynamic wines. Every week he'll be recommending a wine to pair with our "recipe of the week".

Otherwise, we've been busy on the farm planting & transplanting , cultivating & weeding, tending baby plants & baby chicks, watching tiny white lambs frolic on the bright green grass, & eating fresh delicious salads straight from the garden... ahhhh, Spring!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

In case you didn't receive this email...

I'm so excited for farm fresh veggies this Saturday. I received this email from Eric and wanted to post it here, just in case you didn't get it. Here's the email address to respond to: info@bugtusslefarm.com

Hi folks, PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL confirming you are aware of this Saturday's delivery [SEE NOTE BELOW ABOUT DETAILS ON TIMES]. If you are not a current shareholder, please also confirm whether you want to stay on the mailing list.

This Sat. May 15th is our first veggie delivery. We will be at the West Nashville Farmer's Market at Richland Park at 46th and Charlotte Ave. There is a slight time issue...the market is 9-12 but we've requested an earlier start and have been given an "O.K." for an 8 a.m. start. This may still be a little too late for those of you who work on Saturdays. We will pre-pack a few baskets and have them ready as we set up our scene around 7:30. So if you must arrive before 8 just look for our big red and white van and we'll give you your early bird basket.

WE NEED EVERYONE TO REPLY with a simple "got it" so we know for sure you're aware of the first delivery {even if you can't make it - just let us know} or "keep me on your mailing list". So please do respond. Thanks, and we're so excited to see you all!!

Your friend and farmer, Eric {e-mailing from our cabin in the woods!}

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

First delivery May 15th

Hey everybody! We just wanted to update everyone on the delivery schedule. The first delivery will be Saturday, May 15th. We wanted to start this Saturday the 8th, but the flooding has seriously hampered the situation. The first delivery will be to the West Nashville Farmer's Market. We will send a reminder email out early next week. We look forward to sharing spinach, chard, lettuce, green garlic, and arugula with you. Eric, Cher, Ira, Opal, and Olivia

And for anyone who missed it, there's a great article on the local CSAs in Nashville, click here for the recent coverage in the Nashville Scene.

Also, I'm just catching up on my email after being out town and then without internet access. Here's an earlier email from the farmers about flooding on the farm:

We hope everyone is doing OK with all the flooding. We had the worst flooding to date on our farm this weekend. Nearly up to the floor joists, ruined everything in the cold cellar, set the intern camper afloat and flooded the barn. That said, we are all fine and surely less impacted that others. We hope to let everyone know very soon about whether we will be in Nashville this weekend. Just thought we'd send out good thoughts to everyone and hope all is well.
Bugtussle Farm

Thursday, April 29, 2010

First delivery

Hello Everyone,
It's likely the first delivery will be Saturday, May 8th (9 days from now). It is also looking like the Nashville delivery point will be at the West Nashville Farmers Market. We will send out a confirmation email early next week.
Can't wait to see everyone!
Eric and Cher

Friday, April 16, 2010

See us this Saturday at Earth Day and the Meetinghouse

Bugtussle Farm will be at the Nashville Earth Day Celebration (Centennial Park) this Saturday from 11-7 in the farmer's section. Please stop by and say hello. We will also be at the meetinghouse from 9:15 to 10:15 with eggs ($4.50/doz or 5 doz for $20).

Please remember this is the last month for regular share prices; they will go up by $25 after May 1. We are still running our referral special ($50 off a fall share or 10 dozen eggs for anyone you refer for a small share; $100 off a fall share or 20 dozen eggs for a medium share) for the remainder of April.

See you Saturday!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Eggs on Thursday

On Saturday we sold 105 dozen eggs in 80 minutes, so "thanks" everyone who came. We will be bringing more Eggs and Squash with us on Thursday (Nashville Meetinghouse, 5:30 to 6:30 pm). Please stop by as we will have extra of both.

For the month of April, all current shareholders who refer a new shareholder will be eligible for a recruitment bonus!
If the person you refer gets a small share, you will be eligible for $50 off a fall share or 10 dozen eggs (all at once or split into increments).
If the person you refer gets a medium share, you will be eligible for $100 off a fall share or 20 dozen eggs.

See you Thursday,
Your Farmers

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

More eggs this Saturday

Hello Everyone,

We are coming to Nashville this coming Saturday, March 27, with LOTS of eggs. We will be at the meetinghouse from 10 am to noon. Eggs are $4.50/doz or 5 doz for $20.
If you are a current shareholder and you buy eggs, you can have as much butternut squash and sweet potatoes as you want for no charge!

Special note for those who missed eggs last time: We have many more eggs this time and we don’t foresee selling out but, if you did miss out last time, maybe come a little earlier this time to ensure that you get some.

We still have plenty of shares left.

See you Saturday,
Eric

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Eggs and more this Saturday!

Hi Folks,
We will be at the meetinghouse this Saturday, Feb 27, from 10-12 with LOTS of eggs. They are 4.50/doz or 5 doz for $20 and will keep for several months in your refrigerator. If you haven't already done so, check out our website page on the difference between our eggs and commercial eggs.
Anyone who purchases eggs may, for free, take as much butternut squash and sweet potatoes as they want (otherwise, they are $1.50/lb).
Finally, we have plenty of shares left, so please spread the word. If you haven't already, you can also sign up this Saturday.
See you soon,
Eric

Friday, February 5, 2010

Deadline Extended: Lock in last year's share prices now!

Thanks to all of those who have signed up for the coming season. For those of you who haven't, we realized today that we forgot to remind you of the deadline for the Early Bird Special, so we've extended the deadline.

How would you like to have a share in the 2010 Harvest, but pay last year's price?

If you would like to be a shareholder for the 2010 harvest, please confirm and pay by February 15 (extended) and only pay 2009 prices. Click here for a reservation form.

2010 Harvest Share Prices:

Small: $375 by February 1, $400 after February 15, $425 after May 1
Medium: $625 by February 1, $675 after February 15, $700 after May 1
Large: $1175 by February 1, $1250 after February 15, $1275 after May 1

Please call the farm directly with any questions. 270-457-BUGS (2847). Please feel free to visit our website for more information: www.bugtusslefarm.com.

Eric, Cher, Ira, Opal and Olivia

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

In case you still have some sweet potatoes around and want to make something decadent, I had great luck with this sweet potato pie recipe yesterday. I think you could play around with the amount of sugar given how sweet Bugtussle sweet potatoes are already.

Wishing you and yours a joyous and healthy 2010! Can't wait to hear from the farmers about their next delivery...