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! 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
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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. 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!
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!!! 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. 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.
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 Farming is an endeavor of ever shifting priorities. Every season has it's challenges, tasks, and best practices. In the west, I'm pretty sure most everyone's least favorite season (not only farmers) is fire season. Some positives on a farm are ever-present irrigation, less fun is keeping animals inside or locked up, smoke while working outside, and on other thing that makes it hard to concentrate on all the inside computer work that I always move down the priority list during summer. This week is no exception. With a fire that started two days ago just 1 mile from the farm, I won't have my full booth at the farmers markets this week but do look for my fresh bouquets sitting in their usual stands with Seanna at Two Worlds Trading Co. While it is very unlikely that the fire will move in my direction (because of topography, roads, prevailing wind, and efforts of all the firefighters) I still don't like being away for too long since all the hens and kitties can't come with me every time I pop out. I plan to return next week with more fresh flowers and microgreens once the fire is not so new. In the meantime, I get a full aircraft show of all the planes and helicopters that are used in firefighting!
more sleepy bees, so so many sleepy bees
Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? Late Summer Foraging Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: August 13th Some plants are already in seed, some are still blooming, and others are gone. Is our harvest thinning or can we still fill our plate? It's also a great time to start helping the seeds of future forage to grow. Sign up here! 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! 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 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 Even as summer keeps kicking us in the tushie with her heat and sunshine, fall is beginning to peep around the corner. Flowers and herbs are rushed in to hang up and dry before the heat and winds wipe them out and the rest are irrigated to keep them producing seeds, blooms, and fruits. It's also a time for me to wildcraft and forage a lot of herbs, berries, and wildflowers (both native and invasive). And don't worry, I'm not coming for your huckleberries, I like all the rest a lot better :) It's also a time for me to check on seed collection in the wild woods for my long term goal of transforming the old hay field into a haven of native food plants won't seed itself, so off I go with tiny jars and baggies, looking for tiny brown seed pods, ripe fruit, and marking places for taking cuttings. All in all it's still a busy time on the farm, but be sure to check out the upcoming classes for more seasonal foraging and stay tuned for a winter full of crafting and making classes using a lot of the material I'm gathering now. For winter is not the only season of planning. In each you are planning for the next as the wheel of time turns and one season shifts into another.
One of the best things about growing lots of flowers and herbs is getting to pet the sleeping bees. At night the native (non-hive) male bees fall asleep in flowers and stay drowsy in their petal palace until it warms up fully. During the day, the female bees take frequent naps on their busy pollen gathering trips in blossoms whenever they feel the need. The myth about being as busy as a bee is kinda wrong (at least for native bees) so if you feel the need to nap in a patch of flowers and take a break, why not? All the bees are doing it! Growing flowers for fresh cut, dry, and seed is sometimes a struggle as it's deciding where each bloom goes. Some only are good for fresh, but also make good seeds and are an easy carefree garden bloom, like the Cosmo on the left (a beautiful variety Apricot Lemonade which I am definitely saving seeds from). Some are good for fresh, dried, and seed, like a colorful mix of Yarrow. And some burst open into seed so quickly, like Poppies. But keeping track of which stems are which and not accidentally snipping that one saved for seed is a balancing act of organization, memory, and scheduling. Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? HIKE: Morris Creek: FSPW: July 30thHike at the base of the Scotchman Peaks on a cool, shady trail with a refreshing creek meandering next to the trail. Beat the heat and replace the need of an epic summit push and replace that with a fun, cool and relaxing hike along Morris Creek. We’ll enjoy wildflowers all along our 8 mile up-and-back roundtrip with 1600 feet of elevation gain. Expect a creek crossing so bring extra socks or sandals. Sign up here! Late Summer Foraging Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: August 13th Some plants are already in seed, some are still blooming, and others are gone. Is our harvest thinning or can we still fill our plate? It's also a great time to start helping the seeds of future forage to grow. Sign up here! 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! 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 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 With so many flowers blooming, projects in motion, and meetings and hikes to attend, this July is slam packed full of farm activity! Look for new colorful additions to the seasonal bouquets, but a lot of farm work is done now so you can enjoy flowers and floral things later, like drying a lot of those that are blooming now or adding them to a number of current and future botanical offerings like the salves. Just like farming, foraging is also a lesson in planning. Some things are ready now, others later, and yet others are past and we will look for them next year, but always noticing where there is abundance, how we can help keep it that way, and if we aren't the only ones that rely upon it. If you want to learn more about seasonal foraging, join me in one of my on-farm classes. There are just a few spots left for the Early Summer Foraging Class on July 18th or grab your space in future classes that for Late Summer or Fall Foraging. The Godetias are here! So many gorgeous, silky colors! Look for them in the seasonal bouquets
Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? HIKE: Cedar Lakes: Wild Montana: July 16th Enjoy two alpine lakes in the northern part of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. At Upper Cedar Lake, we might see mountain goats on the surrounding crags or go for a refreshing swim. The trail passes through old growth forests and recent burns, and it’s great entry point for future backpacking adventures. Sign up here! Early Summer Foraging Class: Dragon's Breath Farm: July 18th Come learn about commonly available seasonal edible plants in our region. We'll meet the plants, learn about their edible and also medicinal qualities, proper foraging etiquette, and taste the wonders of the wilds. Join me on the farm on the afternoon of July 18th to see what the wilds can provide! Sign up here! HIKE: Morris Creek: FSPW: July 30thHike at the base of the Scotchman Peaks on a cool, shady trail with a refreshing creek meandering next to the trail. Beat the heat and replace the need of an epic summit push and replace that with a fun, cool and relaxing hike along Morris Creek. We’ll enjoy wildflowers all along our 8 mile up-and-back roundtrip with 1600 feet of elevation gain. Expect a creek crossing so bring extra socks or sandals. 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 When you live somewhere surrounded by Public Lands, it's easy to see everything as yours for the the taking so it can be hard to remember that others need it too, and not just other humans. As a life-long forager and wildcrafter, I found myself applying the principles I use when foraging on public lands on the farm, and learning to apply some of the care and attention I use on the farm to public lands. You can read more about it on a series about foraging that I'm writing for Wild Montana here. And, of course, learn more about it at any of my on-farm foraging classes or workshops! When they've been there all our life, it can be easy to take our public lands for granted but they require stewardship, and not just from those paid to do it, but from all of us. Being 'on the land' these last 5 years of farming in a deeper way than I've ever been before, I've seen how much us humans have forgotten that we depend upon these lands for all that we have. Your phone, your truck, your home, everything you own is 'from the land'. It may look very different that a mineral, tree, or animal, but it all once was. Being able to give as well as take, 'care for' as well as 'be cared for' is just as important. Not just as a material transaction, a payment for a service or object, but as a recognition of life, a gratefulness for the giving and the taking. So the next time you step into the woods, the field, our public lands, even if you can't give anything else, give a gift of your thanks, your appreciation, your gratitude for all the lives that had to be taken for you to live. Look carefully in these two pictures and you'll notice a bit more than pretty flowers. They both have bugs! eeww right!? not always. This spider and beetle aren't doing anything bad by being there, they are actually helping the plants by eating or fighting away bugs that want to cause harm to the blooms. While most cut flowers are covered in pesticides to keep them looking perfect and safe from those harmful bugs, it also kills the helpful ones as well as not being too great for everything else. So while finding a few bugs on your bouquet might seem icky, the things you can't see on those perfect-looking store bought blooms is much more eewww. I got to spend my weekend volunteering to clear trail! (sorry, in case you missed me at Kalispell Market!) It's a fun time helping to make our public lands more accessible for hikers, backpackers, and horse riders. If you wanna get out there too both Wild Montana and Friends of Scotchman Peaks has trail days.
Future Learning OpportunitiesAre you ready to step into the wilderness? HIKE: South Fork of Ross Creek: FSPW: July 2nd FULL! Leave the summer crowds behind as we make our way through the ancient Cedars, following the creek up to a waterfall. It’s 9 miles roundtrip with 1300 feet of elevation gain, a small price to pay for getting away from the hustle and bustle along the nature trail. Get on the waitlist here! Relational Farming: Dragon's Breath Farm: July 9th Our discussion will focus on the 'why' and 'how' behind the systems and methods I have used to develop farming practices that sit within a worldview that recognizes the sovereignty of the land and all the non-humans that live on it. Going deeper than the popular concepts of permaculture to reset our place and belonging as humans in our relation to land. Sign up here! HIKE: Foraging Hike at Spar Lake: FSPW : July 10th Embark on a magical journey through the lush forest, as you discover the hidden treasures nature has to offer. Follow your senses and collect wild edibles, vibrant berries, and fragrant herbs. The crackle of leaves beneath your feet and the sweet scent of pine needles in the air makes this foraging hike an unforgettable adventure.Join staff member Juli Thurston and board member Megan Leach for a fun day on the trail foraging. We will meet at the Big Spar Lake Trailhead. Bring lunch, snacks plenty of water, and a bag to carry your foraging finds! Sign up here! What's available this week?
Where to find it all?
Find me and all the farm goodies both Thursdays and Saturdays. Thursdays from 3-630pm at The Farmers Market at Libby & 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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