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Planting... this is always the crush, crux, and craziest part of the growing season. Weeks and months spent caring for, watering, tending seedlings so that they have just enough light, just enough water, just enough of what they need. And now the all need to be planted. Some can go in before the end of big frosts (frost never really ends here). Some need to wait until after the end of big frosts. And some get planted in the high tunnel or greenhouse as no amount of frost is ok. Everything in the rest of the year depends upon planting. Do it at the wrong time (too much wind, too much sun, too much cold, too much water, too much dry...) and they all struggle and maybe die. It is a study in patience (not planting before the big frosts are over, even if that one 75F day seems to never end). And a study in speed (it's finally perfect, now plant almost everything, preferably in the few hours of early morning) And then the care continues with irrigation, weeding, covering from frost or hail, but planting is the big push that every farmer hopes doesn't push back too much.  The hero of the spicy mix microgreens is not the thick, crunchy radish shoots, but these...the tiny arugula! Packed full with a punch of flavor
 look closely and you'll see something green besides a seedling!  Old, forgotten tires have become a mainstay on the farm as they work much better than sandbags or cinder blocks for weighting things down without cutting or tearing them and sometimes they are the perfect size for a chonky cat to catch a little shade while helping me plant in the hot, windy field. All the Happenings Herbal Preparations: Internal ; Dragon's Breath Farm ; June 16th Learn the terminology and techniques associated with preparing herbal ingredients for drinking & eating. Take home preparations of your choice! Sign up here! What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market
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You may see a different figure in my booth today, similar, but not the same because my Mom will be in charge while I'm gone! I had planned to not be there at all as I take a short weekend break to camp but I goofed and planted a bunch of microgreens that are ready this week and won't last. So mom is filling in for me! It'll be a pared down booth but the lovely greens will be there along with my lovely mother. While I'm away for a few days, she is in charge of the farm and it's a lot of shoes to fill so please stop by, buy some greens or a dried bouquet, and thank her for me!! It's not easy to get a break during the growing season (and especially the planting season!!!) but it's her and my dad's help that makes it possible ❤️  The cover crops in the tunnel are done and ready to be mowed, tilled in, and then plant a test of corn and squash with some heat-loving flowers mixed in. With the frosty summer nights here, corn can't be grown out in the field and neither can summer or winter squash. Time to see if the warmth of the tunnel can make it happen!
 The HipCamp site is up and ready to reserve! Spend a night or more here by the river out of cell and wifi signal...  ..and stay comfy in the canvas tent complete with comfy bed, seating area, camp games, and more! Head over to the website to see the availability! All the Happenings Herbal Preparations: Internal ; Dragon's Breath Farm ; June 16th Learn the terminology and techniques associated with preparing herbal ingredients for drinking & eating. Take home preparations of your choice! Sign up here!What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market The wave of spring green has finally reached the farm! The trees are leaved out, the grass is growing (which means I am mowing), and the hummingbirds have returned. This, all too brief window, of not-to-hot and not-to-cold in the mountains means a planting rush as the seedlings are churned through the cycle of greenhouse, halfway house, field; and repeat until done. The perennials are flushing out and all the weeds are popping up (some welcome, some not so much). And thus the race between plants that I want to grow here (namely 'crops') and plants that I want to grow over there (namely 'weeds') begins. I, the farmer, play the role of judge, jury, and executioner, wielding my scythe, sickle, and hoe. I tend to be merciful and lenient with my power over the plants of this place as not all 'weeds' cause me or my crops harm and a harsh judgement can sometimes cause more harm than good (pull hastily on that quack grass runner and up comes a whole line of newly germinated cabbages). A lot of those 'weeds' are even food, growing without the need for extra care or attention from me while the crops require vigilance, comfort, and a lot of my time. If you too want to learn what 'weeds' are also food so that you don't spend hours ripping out lamb's quarters just to make space for a few heads of lettuce, check out the classes currently offered on the farm and let me know what you want to learn next!  Just a few days until the Everything Dandelion! Class They are still in their big spring bloom out on the farm but even if yours have gone to seed, they still bloom all season long (just not in mass). Come for an afternoon on the farm learning how to make many recipes, crafts, and medicine with this oft disdained plant friend. Learn more on the website and Sign up here!
All the Happenings Everything Dandelion! Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: May 19th Dandelion is both food and medicine. Learn how to prepare and appreciate this often attacked plant. Take home recipes and a few new favorite snacks! Sign up here! Herbal Preparations: Internal ; Dragon's Breath Farm ; June 16th Learn the terminology and techniques associated with preparing herbal ingredients for drinking & eating. Take home preparations of your choice! Sign up here!What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market If you haven't gotten anything for the moms in your life (yes, yourself counts too!), then you've got two more chances to pick up some flowers at either The Farmers Market at Libby, this Thursday, or the Kalispell Farmers Market, this Saturday. Look for me in the booth filled with colorful, dried bouquets made with entirely farm-grown flowers that are dried naturally (nothing bought-in or dried in the usual commercial ways which means a ton of chemicals). There'll also be a bit of fresh Daffodils, but get them early as they go fast!  the salad mix is all tucked into their little beds, next they get a roof of a low tunnel over them not so much for frost protection as they can handle that just fine, but mainly in case of any early summer hail (have you noticed the weather being more erratic? me too and I'm not taking any chances)
If fresh flowers are more your gift-giving style, I've got a limited amount of heirloom daffodils that will wow any mom who loves it when spring blooms first appear All the Happenings Native Spring Wildflowers: Troy, MT: Monday Evenings, April 29 - May 20 Learn both the common and lesser known spring wildplants that live in NW MT. One indoor class will cover the basics of plant id. Three classes will be outdoors: Callahan Creek, Old Hwy 2, and Alvord Lake. We'll focus on how to identify plants at all growth stages and not just when flowering. Sign up here! Kootenai Country Wildflower ID Hike: Old Hwy 2 Trail: May 12th Join us for a scenic hike along Old Highway 2 trail to Shannon lake. Our route features fantastic views of Kootenai Falls and the river valley. We'll stop to identify plants and wildflowers along the way, including several wildflower varieties near Shannon Lake that are harder to find without a steeper or longer hike. There is a short scramble up to the lake, but the trail is otherwise gradual and wide, with a few interpretive displays about the history of the old road and area. Spring is the best and most bountiful wildflower time along this accessible and enjoyable trail. We'' end early enough for participants to explore the adjacent Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge afterward if they want to. Sign up here! Everything Dandelion! Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: May 19th Dandelion is both food and medicine. Learn how to prepare and appreciate this often attacked plant. Take home recipes and a few new favorite snacks! Sign up here! What's coming this season?
Where to find it all?
Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market Farmers Market Season starts in just one short week! Next Thursday from 3-630pm, me and all the rest of the market vendors will be at the Libby Chamber parking lot with booths full of locally grown, raised, and made food and goods. Then on Saturday, May 4th, hop over to Kalispell to find me amongst the best of the Flathead Valley and beyond! Come by to pick up some epic dried flowers (while we wait for the fresh ones to arrive, April showers bring May flowers right?), microgreens to get you ready for the abundance of summer produce, and learn all about the on-farm classes coming up this season. And, if you want a reason to get out and see all the native May flowers that spring brings don't forget to check out both the Hike on May 12th, led by yours truly, and the 4 part class in Troy (all the details and sign up links below)! So dust off those reusable market bags, get your comfy kicks ready, and boogie on down to the markets next week!  It's almost planting time! Just gotta wait until the 18F nights end cause that cold seeps into even the best built high tunnel
 As you see these little beauties pop up this spring, don't get angry, get hungry! To learn how Dandelions are food, medicine, and more sign up below for the Everything Dandelion! Class on May 19th at the farm
All the Happenings Native Spring Wildflowers: Troy, MT: Monday Evenings, April 29 - May 20 Learn both the common and lesser known spring wildplants that live in NW MT. One indoor class will cover the basics of plant id. Three classes will be outdoors: Callahan Creek, Old Hwy 2, and Alvord Lake. We'll focus on how to identify plants at all growth stages and not just when flowering. Sign up here! Farmers Market at Libby Opening Day: Libby, MT: Thursday, May 2nd Kalispell Farmers Market Opening Day: Kalispell, MT: Saturday, May 4th Kootenai Country Wildflower ID Hike: Old Hwy 2 Trail: May 12th Join us for a scenic hike along Old Highway 2 trail to Shannon lake. Our route features fantastic views of Kootenai Falls and the river valley. We'll stop to identify plants and wildflowers along the way, including several wildflower varieties near Shannon Lake that are harder to find without a steeper or longer hike. There is a short scramble up to the lake, but the trail is otherwise gradual and wide, with a few interpretive displays about the history of the old road and area. Spring is the best and most bountiful wildflower time along this accessible and enjoyable trail. We'' end early enough for participants to explore the adjacent Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge afterward if they want to. Sign up here! Everything Dandelion! Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: May 19th Dandelion is both food and medicine. Learn how to prepare and appreciate this often attacked plant. Take home recipes and a few new favorite snacks! Sign up here! What's coming this season?
Where to find it all?
Starts May 2nd and 4th! Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market It has been a strange few years. Both in regards to the farm and myself. From stepping back from the farm a bit to both try to earn a steadier income while working to improve and heal my physical and mental health (being the sole operator, business manager, and laborer on a farm is draining and damaging in more ways than I anticipated), to trying to return to the farm last year, and realizing that neither my mental or physical health had improved, while also feeling the pull to constantly try new ideas and projects with the business meant nothing had time to improve. So now, I return to the Land. And to my roots. Both what I do best and what I enjoy. This year you'll still find some flowers at the market because I can't not plant pretty things but you'll also find Salad Mix, Spinach, Kale, Native Lettuce, and other cool-loving greens. I love this little, deep valley partly because it gifts me cool mornings to work, even in August. Both me and those greens wilt in the heat of the full sun but shine in the cool shaded gaze of dawn and dusk. Trying to focus on growing heat-loving flowers that sought out the bright sun was too hard for both me and this valley. You'll also see new classes this year both on-farm and off-farm opportunities and I'm making them even more accessible. I'm opening up the farm to WWOOFers this year for the first time. It is a great way to sink into farm life, help out a labor-strapped farmer, and get room and board in exchange. I'll also be hosting campsites on the farm (after the vintage camper is modernized and improved) so that guests can stay for a quiet night of solitude on their way to other places or spend a few nights and really experience the hospitality and Right Kind of Remote that Libby can offer. So, continue to follow along, read on, and go on this journey with me as I return to the land for just the right combination and balance of serenity in solitude and connection to community.  After traveling south to earn some winter-time moolah, the cats are glad to be back and return to their duties of rodent hunters. And with the cabin and farm being vacant for almost 6 weeks, they have a lot of work to catch up on □
 The hens still rule the roost here, rooting around in the damp spring soil to find grubs, ticks, and other creepy crawlies. They are the resident pest control right alongside the kittens!  If you, or someone you know, want to experience farm life in the wilds and work a half-day alongside me and get the rest of the time to explore and adventure or just chill and disconnect from our hyper-connected world, check out WWOOFing to find out how and then check our the farm's profile! And stay tuned for more updates on how cute this big little canvas tent is gonna become!!! All the HappeningsAre you ready to step into the wilds? Native Spring Wildflowers: Troy, MT: Monday Evenings, April 29 - May 20 Learn both the common and lesser known spring wildplants that live in NW MT. One indoor class will cover the basics of plant id. Three classes will be outdoors: Callahan Creek, Old Hwy 2, and Alvord Lake. We'll focus on how to identify plants at all growth stages and not just when flowering. Sign up here! Farmers Market at Libby Opening Day: Libby, MT: Thursday, May 2nd Kalispell Farmers Market Opening Day: Kalispell, MT: Saturday, May 4th Kootenai Country Wildflower ID: Old Hwy 2 Trail: May 12th Join us for a scenic hike along the Old Highway 2 trail to Shannon Lake. Our route features fantastic views of Kootenai Falls and the river valley. We'll stop to identify plants and wildflowers along the way, including several wildflower varieties near Shannon Lake that are harder to find without a steeper or longer hike. There is a short scramble up to the lake, but the trail is otherwise gradual and wide, with a few interpretive displays about the history of the old road and area. Spring is the best and most bountiful wildflower time along this accessible and enjoyable trail. We'll end early enough for participants to explore the adjacent Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge afterward if they want to. Sign up here! Everything Dandelion! Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: May 19th Dandelion is both food and medicine. Learn how to prepare and appreciate this often attacked plant. Take home recipes and a few new favorite snacks! Sign up here! What's coming this season?
Where to find it all?
Starting in May! Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market It's solstice season! and while it may take a bit to really see the sun and even longer to feel it's warmth, it's a reminder to me that green things will return. All winter long I burn a stove full of firewood from trees that used the summer sunshine to grow tall and add their rings. The firewood burning in my hearth is like a release of that summer heat that the trees were so kind to store! And while the dark and the cold means a retreat inside and more physical rest than I get in the summer, my mind is busy dreaming and imaging what will be. I'm busy planning what crops to grow, classes to teach, and how to make it all possible without burning out my own inner source of fire 🔥 Stay tuned for updates on classes (there will be more times and variety!) and all the farm happenings! And a Happy Holiday season and Solstice to everyone! I hope you have a warm fire, good food, and better company 🎄     It's definitely been a busy month so far! So much fruit to pick and organize for others to pick! (Did you know you can pick fruit and get paid for how much? It's a great fundraising opportunity!) So many seeds to save, dried flowers to make magic with, infused oils to strain, a whole farm to clean and tidy for winter, pipes and tanks to get in the ground, solar panels to get on the roof, and kittens to cuddle and feed! Yep, we found some kittens and a feral cat mom that couldn't cope. So they are staying with me for now for some full bellies, warm blankets, and lots of plays and cuddles, while hopefully mom can be trapped, neutered, and released. They will be available for adoption in a few weeks! Even at 4 weeks old, their personalities couldn't be more apparent or different. One is always up for a challenge and never sits still and all it's charges are bluffs. One likes to observe before charging, never bluffs, and is fine staying quiet. One, who is first shy, is also the first to purr and snuggle and run around all the corners. They are a reminder that cats, for all their independence and seeming aloofness, are not wild animals and have a hard time trying to survive like one. They all need a warm shelter (indoor or out), food (even if they kill things), and support (even if they are grumpy about needing it). The common idea that cats really don't need us (or want to be around us) is wrong. They may like to choose when touched or held (really a good things for humans too). They may bring us dead things as treats (even if they don't eat them). But they get grumpy when we show affection to another cat instead of them. They will choose to cuddle next to you not only for warmth but because they like you (they are a better judge of character than a lot of humans). They usually like you because you are nice to them, help them out of tough situations, and keep them safe. Domesticating animals is like keeping them as an infant their whole life, dependent upon us. Would you abandon a baby to the wild like cats so often are? Ok, rant over! Growing up and living in rural places where often, but not always, cats are seen as disposable creatures only kept around to hunt mice and easily replaced, I often feel like I need to defend them for the precious tiny fluffs (and sometimes shitheads lol) they are, especially when there are many bigger predators that share their hunting grounds!  These little preciouses were found along fish hatchery rd, their mother struggling, and these babies hungry. I am fostering them while they are still on formula and need a few more weeks of growth before they would normally leave their mom.
 Speaking of my 4 cats, they are mostly curious about the newcomers (except Hella, who had three kittens brought home to be her new roommates suddenly lol) but are grumpy that a room is closed to them. A room that is filled with weird smells and sounds. This month is full of activity both on-farm and off! Outside of the regular farmers markets, there are 3 special events. First up is the Kootenai Harvest Festival on Saturday, Sept 16th, then the Kootenai Forest Fair on Friday, Sept 22nd, and finally the Apple Festival on Friday, Sept 29th. So many things to do! I'll have both farm booths and a booth for the Kootenai Fruit Gleaning Program so you can learn about so many things. It's gonna be a whirlwind to prep for the events (products, flyers, and banners don't just appear out of thin air) while also beginning the long process of putting the farm to sleep over the winter. It begins with collecting seeds as they are ready, making lists of things to repair (and the items needed for those repairs), frantically trying to finish up projects that need to be done before snow fall (yep, I'm already planning for that!), and still seeding microgreens and harvesting herbs for salves and oils. Once the frosts come and the crops are gone, it is time to work on the infrastructure and tools that make farming possible, as well as planning and prepping for all those last special events of the season. I hope to see you at one or all three!!!  You may have missed me at the market last week, but I was here! Down near Dillon, camping, fixing trails, and hanging out with a big Moose, the Full Moon, and a canvas tent with a warm and cozy camp stove.
 With every rafter looking like this, plus an attic full of totes and boxes filled with more dried flowers, I know it's time to get busy making bouquets, wreaths, bunches, and more! I'll have them available at the special Harvest and Apple Festival this month as well as the Heritage Museum Bazaar coming in November, perfect for bring a little bit of summer inside to keep us going through the long winters Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? Fall Foraging Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: Sept 10th It's the push before winter. While we've been planning for it all season by noting plant locations. Now is the time for seed collecting, root digging, and maybe some fruits from the trees. Sign up here! Harvest Festival: Libby, MT: Sept 16th, 12-6pm It's a big deal event with an amazing harvest meal, beer, and tons of vendors, like me :) I'll have freshly dried flower bouquets, wreaths, and, hopefully, some new beaded bracelets with fall and winter themes. Kootenai Forest Fair: Libby, MT: Friday, Sept 22nd, 2-5pm I won't have any goodies for sale, but you can learn more about my on-farm foraging classes, as well as the Kootenai Fruit Gleaning Program and other wildcrafting opportunities! and, of course, the free beer 🍺 Apple Festival: Troy, MT: Friday, Sept 29th, 2-630pm I'll have even more dried flower wreaths and bouquets available 🤞. Also it'll be the last chance of the season to get your fav microgreens!What's available this season?
Where to find it all?
Most Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby Harvest Festival Saturday, September 16th from 12-6pm @ Riverfront Park in Libby Kootenai Forest Fair Friday, September 22nd from 2-5pm @ Riverfront Park in Libby Apple Festival Friday, September 29th from 2-630pm @ Troy Farmers Market As the heat moves along, so too do the flowers and seeds. And it also means another week without me vending at the market. I missed one day of checking on the microgreens in the greenhouse and that was enough to flatten them to the point of no recovery, but more are seeded every week, so me and the micros plan to be back next week! Until then, I am filling rafters with drying flowers, infusing herbs into oils for more salves, and constantly labeling bins full of seeds to be threshed and sifted later.  It's finally time for the Statice! It's the workhorse of the dried flower bouquets as it keeps all of it's color and structure after it's dried. So every few days, I pick all that are open and organize the bundles to hang until dried fully. Plus, it grows in a lot of lovely colors including pastels, deep purples and pinks, and bright yellows! Even Hella gets in on the harvesting fun.
 The heat brings the grasses and flowers on fast, and for the ones that I don't want to save for seed, it is a race between me and the heat!  The kitties take every opportunity to shelter in the shade! Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? Fall Foraging Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: Sept 10th It's the push before winter. While we've been planning for it all season by noting plant locations. Now is the time for seed collecting, root digging, and maybe some fruits from the trees. Sign up here! Harvest Festival: Libby, MT: Sept 16th It's a big deal event with an amazing harvest meal, beer, and tons of vendors, like me :) Free to attend! Seed Saving Workshop: Dragon's Breath Farm: Sept 17th Whether you are new to gardening or an old green thumb, seed saving can be a daunting enterprise. In our western world, we are used to different aspects of agriculture put into neat little boxes and it is rare for a farm that grows crops to also grow their own seed (unless that crop is a seed, like grains). But that's exactly what gardeners are looking for and it's also how the non-western agricultural world works. Yet, you don't need to be a subsistence farmer to want to save your own seed. Maybe you want to birth a new type of tomato, acclimate your favorite frost-sensitive annual to your little to harsh climate, save money, or deepen your relationship with the plant world ? Sign up here! What's available this season?
Where to find it all?
Most Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & Some Saturdays from 9-1230pm at the Kalispell Farmers Market |
AuthorI'm Farmer Megan with a life full of cackles, clucks, quacks, weeds, crazy kitten, and one tiny, senior, blind dog. Archives
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