November 12

Farm Notes

After living here for over two years, I finally feel ready to start planting more fruit trees and perennials around the farm. It’s taken two solid years to better understand the nuances of this land – where the cold spots are, where the shade falls in the afternoon, and how water flows during heavy rains (all important factors to consider when planting permanent trees and perennials). In our climate, fall is a great time to plant – as it’s when the ground hasn’t yet frozen and the young plant roots can begin to slowly grow and expand, and it’s when the weather tends to be wetter (and therefore less hand watering or irrigation needed to support the plants).

Our fruit tree expansion officially began yesterday, and we planted a smattering of figs, mulberries, and pear trees around the farm! I’ll be honest that it’s been a very humbling process expanding into the world of fruit trees. While I feel like I instinctually understand vegetables after farming for over a decade… fruit trees are a whole new world and I have so much to learn!

I’m excited to share what I’m learning with everyone here, in hopes that it will inspire you to give fruiting trees and perennial plants a try in your space. And so! Here are some resources that have been super helpful for me as I dip my toe into growing more fruit:

FRUIT TREE RESOURCES

  • Resources from The Giving Grove – this is a great organization that works to promote a network of small, sustainable orchards around the country, and their resources page is chock-full of great information around fruit tree planting, maintenance, pests, etc.

  • The Southern Gardener’s Guide to Growing Fruit Trees – I just purchased this book for my own education, and it looks like a great resource for growing quality fruit here in the south (where it can be notoriously difficult)!

  • Edible Landscaping – This is an amazing farm/nursery based in Afton, VA which has a great selection of fruit trees and other edible perennials. Locals can pick up from the farm, or they will ship across the country. Their website is a trove of information filled with growing tips, so I encourage you to explore all they have to offer!

  • Century Farm Orchards – For folks living in the south/mid-atlantic, this is an incredible farm that grows + sells heritage fruit trees (apples, pears, figs, etc) that are bred to do especially well in this climate. David Vernon, the owner of Century Farm, is a treasure trove of knowledge and has a TON of resources on his website here.

Kitchen Notes

Today’s kitchen notes aren’t exactly edible… but I’m excited to share my “recipe” for making homemade healing salves! I feel like the cosmetic/beauty industry has made us believe that skincare products have to be complicated and made in a science lab to work… but I’ve found that simple skincare products made from plants are the most nourishing and beneficial for your skin. I’ve been making salves for several years now, and I love using them to moisturize dry skin and/or for soothing cuts, scrapes, burns, rashes, etc.

I’ve just released a batch of my Heal-All Herbal Salves in our farm shop (Farmbelly Club members get first dibs on this small batch) – but I believe that sharing is caring, so I’m happy to share my salve-making secrets with y’all. The “recipe” is in two parts – first you infuse olive + coconut oil with a blend of dried medicinal plants (I use comfrey, calendula, and plantain). Once you have your infused oil, to make salve you just need to melt in some beeswax (a natural hydrating ingredient that increases moisture in the skin), and then I like to add some essential oils for extra nourishment, and finally just pour into tins to harden. The whole process does require a bit of preparation, but once you have all the components ready, it really does come together quickly and easily. See the full process below, and please let me know if you have any questions!

HERB-INFUSED OIL

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup packed dried comfrey leaves

  • 1/3 cup packed dried calendula blossoms

  • 1/3 cup packed dried plantain leaves 

  • 1 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup organic, unrefined coconut oil

PREPARATION

  1. Place dried herbs in a small stainless steel saucepan with olive and coconut oil. NOTE: Feel free to substitute with other dried herbs, so long as you have 1 cup total. 

  2. Heat over a gentle heat (between 100°-150° degrees) for 2-3 hours.

  3. Strain your oil through a metal mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a flour sack cloth.

  4. Allow to cool, then squeeze the cloth around the herbs to get out as much remaining oil as possible. Discard herbs and use a funnel to pour the oil in a clean glass jar/container with a lid.

SKIN NOURISHING SALVE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup (8 ounces) of herb-infused oil (see recipe above)

  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) grated or finely chopped beeswax

  • ~20 drops essential oils (ex : 15 drops lavender + 5 drops tea tree oil)

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the infused oil (from previous recipe) with the grated/chopped beeswax in a saucepan. Heat the mixture very gently (on the stove’s lowest heat setting) and stir occasionally to help the mixture melt.

  2. Once the wax has fully melted into the oil, remove from heat and quickly stir in essential oils. 

  3. While warm, pour the salve into tins. This recipe makes enough for four 2-oz tins (you can easily double the recipe to make bigger batches). Allow to cool and solidify fully without the lid. When solidified – cap, label, and store away from direct heat.

NOTE: For an easily spreadable salve, use the above ratio of 8:1 (8 parts oil, 1 part wax). For a firmer salve (such as lip balm) use a 4:1 ratio of oil to wax.

Today’s Stats

  • Low temp: 41F

  • High temp: 69F

  • Sunrise: 6:50am

  • Sunset: 5:12pm

  • Moon phase: Waning crescent

  • Additional notes: Rain overnight, clear and sunny during the afternoon.