Crop list: Cosmic Mix, Kale, Dill, Oregano, Fresh Garlic, Maybe Sugar Snap Peas, Tomatoes
Last week I mentioned we had our annual Organic/Biodynamic (BD) inspection. It went great! Since I brought it up last week, I want to elaborate a bit on what Biodynamics is. Cosmic Apple is proudly certified Biodynamic through Demeter. To attain this we have to meet the standards set by Demeter Association. If you are curious you can peruse the standards here: http://www.demeter-usa.org/downloads/Demeter-Farm-Standard.pdf
I will focus mostly on the plants and how they relate to BD agriculture. Biodynamics acknowledges a connection between the heavens and the earth. The influence of where the moon is in the zodiac affects the plants. When the moon is in a certain position it is beneficial to work with a certain plant. Salad mix, head lettuce, Kale and other plants which we are seeking to reap the leaves from benefit from being weeded, planted, or harvested on “leaf” days. Or days when the moon is in a “leaf” or water sign. Carrots, spuds, onions and garlic like Root days. Tomatoes and squash prefer fruit days. Broccoli, sunflowers and such like Flower days. This is how the zodiac relates to plants:
Water or Leaf- Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio
Fire or Fruit- Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth or Root- Taurus, Virgo, Capircorn
Air or Flower- Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
When we are planting in the spring, we follow the Biodynamic Calendar. As the season progresses, we try to transplant and weed on the “correct” days, but sometimes our schedule does not allow us to wait until it is a fruit day, we just need to tend to the greenhouses while we have time!
We harvest your veggies as we need to, so we can get them to you as fresh as possible. There will be days in the wash station where everyone will be commenting on how gorgeous the kale (for example) looks, it just seems to be glowing. Later we will realize it was a leaf day, and yes, all the leaf crops looked great!
Our favorite Biodynamic Calendars is by Maria Thun. She has done many studies which she documents with photos every year. She has compared Biodynamic practices and organic practices. The differences in the photos are stunning. The plants which are tended to in rhythm with the heavens thrive. Thun also studied the keeping qualities of plants. We try to harvest storage crops like garlic on root days, because it keeps better. She found jams made on fruit days required less added sugar to preserve!
It may seem hippy dippy to some, but Biodynamic Agriculture began in the 1930’s in Germany, not an era or place I think of when I think “hippy”! We feel Thun’s (and other’s) experiments prove the credibility of this system. It also makes sense to work with what you have and to try to minimize off farm inputs.
There is so much more to Biodynamics, books have been written about it! Summing up what it includes in paragraphs is futile! The subtleness of biodynamics is astounding, and like many before me, I may spend a lifetime studying it before I really begin to grasp its potential. In the coming weeks I will write about different parts of a Biodynamic Farm.
We are almost out of bags! Bring bags to the pick up!!!
What do you want me to write about in the newsletter?
Give me a topic or ask a question! Email me your questions, or call and leave them on the answering machine if you want to be anonymous, we don't have caller ID!
Along with lots more veggies coming in the future, we will soon have Cosmic Apple Pork available. Certified Organic, pasture raised, milk fed, as good as it gets pork. I'll let you know as soon as we have it!
Beef Available!
Check the coolers at your site. I attached a list of prices and cuts to your email. If you know you want something, please email me and I will send it over for you. You can also tell your site hosts you have a request and I will send it the next week. We purchased 2 cows from Lifeline. They are packaged with our label because we brought them to the butcher live and for us to sell them they needed a label...and well, we are Cosmic Apple! It is really just the legalities of selling USDA inspected meat. More info then you need, but we want to be completely honest about what we have!
Find recipes for this weeks share here: www.cosmicapple.com/recipes.html
Bring Bags to pick-ups!
Wash Your veggies!
If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week.
Members get 20% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The Driggs Market is Fridays 9-1.
The People's Market is Wednesdays 4-7.
Jackson Market is Saturdays 8-12.
Last week I mentioned we had our annual Organic/Biodynamic (BD) inspection. It went great! Since I brought it up last week, I want to elaborate a bit on what Biodynamics is. Cosmic Apple is proudly certified Biodynamic through Demeter. To attain this we have to meet the standards set by Demeter Association. If you are curious you can peruse the standards here: http://www.demeter-usa.org/downloads/Demeter-Farm-Standard.pdf
I will focus mostly on the plants and how they relate to BD agriculture. Biodynamics acknowledges a connection between the heavens and the earth. The influence of where the moon is in the zodiac affects the plants. When the moon is in a certain position it is beneficial to work with a certain plant. Salad mix, head lettuce, Kale and other plants which we are seeking to reap the leaves from benefit from being weeded, planted, or harvested on “leaf” days. Or days when the moon is in a “leaf” or water sign. Carrots, spuds, onions and garlic like Root days. Tomatoes and squash prefer fruit days. Broccoli, sunflowers and such like Flower days. This is how the zodiac relates to plants:
Water or Leaf- Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio
Fire or Fruit- Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth or Root- Taurus, Virgo, Capircorn
Air or Flower- Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
When we are planting in the spring, we follow the Biodynamic Calendar. As the season progresses, we try to transplant and weed on the “correct” days, but sometimes our schedule does not allow us to wait until it is a fruit day, we just need to tend to the greenhouses while we have time!
We harvest your veggies as we need to, so we can get them to you as fresh as possible. There will be days in the wash station where everyone will be commenting on how gorgeous the kale (for example) looks, it just seems to be glowing. Later we will realize it was a leaf day, and yes, all the leaf crops looked great!
Our favorite Biodynamic Calendars is by Maria Thun. She has done many studies which she documents with photos every year. She has compared Biodynamic practices and organic practices. The differences in the photos are stunning. The plants which are tended to in rhythm with the heavens thrive. Thun also studied the keeping qualities of plants. We try to harvest storage crops like garlic on root days, because it keeps better. She found jams made on fruit days required less added sugar to preserve!
It may seem hippy dippy to some, but Biodynamic Agriculture began in the 1930’s in Germany, not an era or place I think of when I think “hippy”! We feel Thun’s (and other’s) experiments prove the credibility of this system. It also makes sense to work with what you have and to try to minimize off farm inputs.
There is so much more to Biodynamics, books have been written about it! Summing up what it includes in paragraphs is futile! The subtleness of biodynamics is astounding, and like many before me, I may spend a lifetime studying it before I really begin to grasp its potential. In the coming weeks I will write about different parts of a Biodynamic Farm.
We are almost out of bags! Bring bags to the pick up!!!
What do you want me to write about in the newsletter?
Give me a topic or ask a question! Email me your questions, or call and leave them on the answering machine if you want to be anonymous, we don't have caller ID!
Along with lots more veggies coming in the future, we will soon have Cosmic Apple Pork available. Certified Organic, pasture raised, milk fed, as good as it gets pork. I'll let you know as soon as we have it!
Beef Available!
Check the coolers at your site. I attached a list of prices and cuts to your email. If you know you want something, please email me and I will send it over for you. You can also tell your site hosts you have a request and I will send it the next week. We purchased 2 cows from Lifeline. They are packaged with our label because we brought them to the butcher live and for us to sell them they needed a label...and well, we are Cosmic Apple! It is really just the legalities of selling USDA inspected meat. More info then you need, but we want to be completely honest about what we have!
Find recipes for this weeks share here: www.cosmicapple.com/recipes.html
Bring Bags to pick-ups!
Wash Your veggies!
If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week.
Members get 20% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The Driggs Market is Fridays 9-1.
The People's Market is Wednesdays 4-7.
Jackson Market is Saturdays 8-12.
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