Farm Notes
Yesterday while working in the garden, I felt the very first warm breeze since last fall, and it made me so dang excited for spring. I know this first glimpse of warmth was fleeting and we have a lot more winter ahead, but something about feeling those first hints of spring always lifts this farmer’s spirits.
It’s been a busy week here at the farm… I can’t believe it’s already February, as this month is when we start planting lots of veggies for spring! I’ve been putting the finishing touches on our planting calendar, and in a few weeks we will fill our caterpillar tunnels with swiss chard, lettuce, radishes, turnips, arugula, and baby kale. (A reminder that I’ve shared an excerpt of the planting plan that we use HERE in case it’s helpful for you). And while those veggies grow in our cozy tunnels, at the end of February we will also start planting outside… sugar snap peas, carrots, asparagus and blackberries!
Speaking of asparagus and blackberries… they are going in our new perennial garden space, and after lots of research I finally placed the orders for those plants this week. For the asparagus, I’ve chosen a newer variety called Millennium that has been proven to grow well in our region’s clay-heavy soils (purchased from Nourse Farms). There is an art and a specific method to successfully planting + growing asparagus, so I’ll definitely take y’all along for the ride as we prep the growing bed and when we plant our asparagus crowns later this month.
In the berry department, I spent waaay too long digging into the many different varieties of blackberries and finally narrowed it down to two varieties, which I purchased from Isons Nursery. For anyone looking to plant blackberries and wanting to learn about the different varieties, here is a great resource from NC State. I’ve decided to plant two varieties of blackberries – Natchez and Ouachita. Both are known for large fruit, high yields, and have an erect habit, and they both have harvest windows in June/July, which was a big deciding factor for me. Some of the blackberry varieties I was considering turn ripe in August, and the thought of harvesting berries for hours in the brutal heat/humidity of August in NC was a no-go! Growing berries is a whole new experiment for me, and I’ll be honest that I feel like such a beginner… which is humbling AND it’s also part of the fun and is exactly why I love farming so much.
This week we also made big progress on our perennial garden! As you can see in the photo below, we have pretty much finished laying out the space, and now we are beginning to build out the growing beds. One of the main features of this new garden is a large gathering area in the middle, where we will have tables and a nice space for hosting workshops, farm dinners, etc. From each corner of the garden we have walkways that lead into the middle… all the spaces you see covered in the black landscape fabric will be covered with mulch later this spring. On the short ends of the garden, we will have 6-7 curved growing beds for culinary + medicinal herbs, and long sides of the garden will be filled with wildflowers and other perennials. Along the western edge of the garden (closest to our deer fence) is where our asparagus will be planted. Slowly but surely, this space is coming along and I’m excited to continue documenting the process, in hopes that there will be helpful nuggets of information for some of you. A note that I’ll be saving documentation of this project in a highlight on my Instagram, which you can see here.
Kitchen Notes
It’s still soup season y’all! Here’s a recipe for one of my favorite hearty winter soups, which always brings me back to cozy snow days growing up in the midwest. It’s one of my go-to recipes to make and bring over to family/friends who may need some extra love and a hot meal, and the leftovers taste even better the next day!
WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 can (4-oz) diced mild green chiles
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
6 carrots, chopped in 1/2-inch rounds
1 lb small red or yukon gold potatoes, washed and quartered
3-4 lb cooked rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
4-6 cups chicken broth
3 15-oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
Handful freshly chopped parsley (optional)
Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
Plain greek yogurt (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large saucepan. This recipe makes a lot of soup, so be sure to use a big pot/saucepan! Add the diced onions and a pinch of kosher salt and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the can of diced green chiles and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, coating them in the spices.
Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer - partially covered and stirring occasionally - until the potatoes and carrots are tender, 15-20 minutes. Next, add the shredded chicken and white beans, heat on until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Reheat if needed and serve topped with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan. This may sound weird, but I also love eating this soup with a dollop of tangy plain greek yogurt!
Today’s Stats
Low temp: 29F
High temp: 66F
Sunrise: 7:17am
Sunset: 5:47pm
Moon phase: Waxing Crescent
Additional notes: Rain!
