3 May
these are one variety of oyster mushrooms – they usually cluster and are ruffled like this
another variety of oyster (the color contrast was very flat out there, but I was so excited to see them blooming, I had to send out some photos)
this is a shiitake, blooming today on the log
the patterns etched on the shiitake are just gorgeous – the taste is superb too!
24 Apr
18 Apr
(located at 319 South University—former Art Reach Center, one block south of the city library)
Do you have questions or concerns about the nature and quality of - the meats and fresh produce available through our traditional grocery store networks?
Have you considered trying to find reliable alternatives to those grocery store networks?
17 Apr
Many people have asked me to re-post our 2013 Vegetable CSA Sign-Up, also, our 2013 Mushroom CSA Sign-up. In addition, it’s been suggested that we occasionally re-post to email and to Facebook. Repeated posts have a better chance of being seen in the busy stream.
If you could please help us spread the word that CSA sign-up’s are happening. We are accepting Vegetable, Mushroom, and Honey sign-up’s now.
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here's Jack weeding the new NRCS hoophouse
Jack deciding which row to hoe
been germinating all sorts of plants
am very, very close to having all shiitake logs innoculated
underneath those branches, and frozen sleet and snow, and a layer of plastic tarp, lie a nice bed of Wine Cap mushrooms we seeded in our short sleeves. We've since doubled the bed size. All Wine Caps are seeded for 2013!
been spending big time in the mud
I heard rumor that the last downpour we got was 2.5" rain
and that 4" rain is on way in the next few days
this year I've already laid down 5 trailers of gravel, somedays though it's like walking in a shallow, rushing creek
The amount of rain we got this past winter (remember that? January snow melt followed by massive daily downpours?), plus the spring snow melt, plus the (too) many inches of rain lately have almost gotten me to hire some help with our drainage issues... I got a second quote today...
9 Apr
![scan0019[1]](http://swierfamilyfarm.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/scan00191.jpg)
(located at 319 South University—former Art Reach Center, one block south of the city library)
Do you have questions or concerns about the nature and quality of – the meats and fresh produce available through our traditional grocery store networks?
Have you considered trying to find reliable alternatives to those grocery store networks?
Food, Inc., a highly praised, widely-seen documentary will be shown. It is an eye-opening exposé of the modern food industry. It explores where the food we purchase in the grocery store really comes from, and what it means for the health of future generations. It is both fascinating and terrifying, and is essential viewing for every health-conscious citizen.
“It might change your life.” 0. The Oprah Magazine.
A group of people long involved in providing local food sources will discuss some of the alternatives and will answer any questions. These include:
Chris Swier of the Swier Family Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture—providing weekly shares of farm produce)
A representative of the Green Tree Co-op, discussing sources of a variety of local organic and free-range meats.
The primary objective of the evening is to provide concrete, practical answers for ourselves and our families. If you have questions, please contact Jim Dealing at 772-0269.
5 Apr
We are in the process of recruiting farm help for 2013. Please do pass this on to your “people” and keep this opportunity in mind for the right candidate. (Maybe the right candidate is YOU!) We are casting the search web as far and wide as possible!
~Chris Swier, Swier Family Farm, tel#989-382-5436
(there is much flexibility in much of this, as long as we all meet our needs)
approximately 24 hours per week
Tuesday, Thursday, Plus One More Day: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
pay negotiable, farm food bonuses
Position Description: Assistance with greenhouse seeding and plant care, transplanting, cultivation, irrigation, foliar feeding, tomato trellising, high-tunnel crops, and more. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 18 weeks, all aspects of harvesting diverse crops, by hand and back, and preparation of CSA shares.
Position Requirements: All-weather, outdoor, physical work experience preferred. Strong physical and emotional stamina. Ability to lift 50 lbs., again and again, throughout the day. Passion for, and willingness to plunge into, every effort of small, family-scaled, hands-knees-and-back growing of food for sale.
I thought that a short narrative and some photos might help illuminate what you might be getting into. May tends toward greenhouse work and transplanting out. Greenhouse work includes: seeding, watering, and jumping-up of starts; preparation of soil mixes; foliar feeding of young starts. We transplant out to the field by hand, on hands-and-knees. We immediately place irrigation drip tape (in case water is needed in the next few days, it’s there already!). June continues with transplanting out. Weeding starts! We weed with hand tools, by hand, and with tractor cultivation – just depends on which crop, which garden, how bad the weeds are. Harvests start (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Harvest days are quite structured and routine; nice, actually! Pictures and descriptions below. July we continue with garden and crop maintenance, harvests, and transplant out fall oriented crops. August: harvests, irrigation, weeding. September similiar.
Here’s a little photo narrative as well:
sorting of harvested crops, including flowers, and dividing amongst CSA share crates
washing, cooling of crops on harvest days – you’ll be wet!
sorting and bunching of harvested greens
hands-n-knees weeding, pretty similiar to hands-n-knees planting and harvesting too
these are crates of food we just finished harvesting from field, towed in on a trailer, ready to prep for CSA shares
this is what we need by 4:15 on harvest days
I will also need help with maintenance and harvesting of mushrooms
2 Apr
Many people have asked me to re-post our 2013 Vegetable CSA Sign-Up, also, our 2013 Mushroom CSA Sign-up. In addition, it’s been suggested that we occasionally re-post to email and to Facebook. Repeated posts have a better chance of being seen in the busy stream.
If you could please help us spread the word that CSA sign-up’s are happening. We are accepting Vegetable, Mushroom, and Honey sign-up’s now. You can find the sign-up forms HERE Please spread the word of what our CSA has meant for you in the past. Please share your comments with us – we’ll try to pass them on in future posts too!
We’ve got brochures for Vegetable and Mushroom CSA’s at Greentree Food Co-Op, Graham’s Organics, University Cup, Herbs Etc., Kava….. Hometown Health Foods, Hixson’s, Denslow’s, True Value Canadian Lakes…..Hilhof Dairy, Bigby, All About Health, and Peppers…
Any suggestions as to where else I ought to distribute them?
Want to be one of my Brochure Distribution Angels and keep these locations stocked?
If you have some contacts to whom you think our CSA might appeal, pass it on! If you’re on a list-serve at work, and you can post, please send it forward. Paste it on your personal Facebook, your email contacts, etc, etc. If you’ve got favorite hang-out’s in town where some of our hardcopy brochures would do well – Let Me Know!
Here’s a photo of one of our Shareholder’s harvest crates in 2012 (Michigan can look like this now? And produce food like that then? Incredible!)
here’s another Shareholder’s Harvest crate photo , at a different point in the season – YUMMY!
Here’s our 2013 Veggie Sign-Up form:
This CSA brings you, us, the Farm, and food together. Our CSA is both a concept and practice. This requires mutual trust, understanding and flexibility. You support stewardship of the farm and food when you buy a share of the upcoming harvest. As partners in community and agriculture, we pledge to share the benefits of abundance and the risks of failure. We will all do our best to nurture this Vegetable CSA this season.
For 18 weeks, June through October, you receive a 4 – 20 pound assortment of fresh vegetables and limited flowers. This is approximately 1-3 grocery bags worth. The quantity and variety will vary seasonally. We deliver the produce to central drop-off locations. We farm organically, though we are not certified. All food and flowers are grown by us on our farm.
v Early Season – spinach, salad mix, stir-fry mix, head lettuce, broccoli, chard, kale, arugula, radishes, green onions, snow & sugar-snap peas.
v Mid-Season – green beans, basil, tomatoes, garlic, spinach, zucchini, salad mix, stir-fry mix, broccoli, chard, kale, head lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, onions & mixed herbs.
v Late Garden – garlic, tomatoes, chinese and storage cabbage, onions, kohlrabi, spinach, hot and sweet peppers, salad mix, stir-fry mix, broccoli, chard, kale, carrots, beets, eggplant, winter squash & sunflowers.
( ) $440 Pay full amount
( ) Payment plan option. (Please contact Chris or Kate).
Vegetable delivery times will be from 4:45pm – 5:30pm.
Mount Pleasant (Tuesday) Greentree Co-op
Remus (Thursday) Hometown Health Foods
Farm (Thursday) 640 E. 18 Mile Rd.
If you would prefer pick-up, Thursdays, in
Candian Lakes or Big Rapids or Reed City
Circle your pick-up site/day and we will contact you. We need a minimum of 10 shares for a drop-off location.
Name:_______________________________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________________________
Phone:_______________________________________________________________________
Email:___________________________________________________________________
Please return form with your payment. Previous CSA members have a reserved share, simply contact us before March 1st.
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below you will find our sign-up for the 2013 Mushroom CSA
above you see some of the shiitake mushroom we grew in natural logs
We cultivate shiitake in natural logs, wine caps in certified organic straw, and oyster mushrooms in “totem logs”. We also offer storage, preparation, recipe ideas, and delivery. The mushrooms are positively organic and exquisite!
This CSA brings you, us, the Farm, and food together. Our CSA is both a concept and practice. This requires mutual trust, understanding and flexibility. You support stewardship of the farm and food when you buy a share of the upcoming harvest. As partners in community and agriculture, we pledge to share the benefits of abundance and the risks of failure. We will all do our best to nurture this Mushroom CSA this season.
I would like to order:
A Shiitake, Wine Cap, and Oyster Mushroom Mix
Pay $30 now, receive approx 3/4 lb, 4 times in 2013 (3 pounds total)
Your Name:
Your Address:
Your Phone:
Your Email:
Please return this form with your payment.
Thank You!
Swier Family Farm – 640 E 18 Mile Road – Remus, MI 49340
Phone: 989-382-5436
www.swierfamilyfarm.wordpress.com
on facebook too
below are some of our spring Oyster Mushrooms, lovely and delicious
and a close up of our harvested spring shiitake mushroom, beautiful and tastey too!
