Spring as been slowly awakening here at the farm.  The plum trees are just beginning to flower, the garlic is slowly rising through the mulch, and finally the soils are warming so we’re able to really get into the planting craze.  We have tried our best to be patient and count our blessings for all the moisture this season.  The drought of 2012 is not a season we’d like to repeat, and glad that it feels so different already!  The recent warm temperatures are greening up everything, leaves are now abundant and recent seedings are germinating well with constant moisture.   In addition to field planting, we’ve been filling the high tunnel with plants, and continuing to seed flats in the greenhouse.  There will certainly be no shortage of crops to eat from in the coming weeks and months, but we’ll have to be patient as spring slowly comes awake.

As the plants are growing, so too is our barn!  The meat chickens are now 3 weeks old and loosing their down in place of real feathers.  Our two young boys love to raise chickens, spending hours tending to them and holding them.  And one of our sows recently had a little of 6 healthy piglets.  They are such fun to watch and try to pet (Big Mama is nice but very protective of her little ones).

CSA sign-up’s continue to be accepted for the month of May!  Send in your order form or pay on-line in the next few weeks.  Contact us with any questions.

Happy Spring!!

Farmers Cate and Mat

CSA Sign-up information is available click here for the order form.  Note our early-bird discount is available until March 15, 2013.  Our biggest change this season to our program is our every-other-week share options for both the standard and double shares.

The busy part of winter is upon the farm and we silently chuckle when people ask us, “what do you do on the farm during the winter, it must get boring?”  Things on the farm don’t slow down much, they just change.  We are still busy washing and packing stored winter root crops for half of each week.  The other part of the week we are working on the mountains of paperwork catch-up and office organization that doesn’t get done during the growing season.  Early winter we are doing brochure and order form revisions, speaking engagements, field planning, seed order, new crew hiring.  On the warm days Mat works in the shop reorganizing and starting on equipment repairs and servicing (an insulated shop is just a dream!).   But as farmers, we enjoy the change of every season and the change in our work.  We love this part of the season as we talk with many new CSA members and catch up with our farmer friends.  Give us a call or send us an email with any questions!

We are looking forward to another growing and providing you with delicious, healthy, certified organic produce.  Thank you for supporting us in our love of growing food and sharing it with our larger community.

Happy Winter!

Cate and Mat

The first snowfall is deep and wonderful.  It has given our family a feeling of renewal.  The bird feeders are loaded with songbirds and woodpeckers, outside play is fun again for our young boys, and the beauty of the trees and bushes covered with heavy snow is breathtaking.  Our farmer side sigh’s a relief to have more moisture falling from the sky.

Blessings to you and your family during this joyful time of the season.

May food bring you together and give you much pleasure!

Cate, Mat and boys

Orders and payment are due by Monday December 17.

Delivery is on Thursday, December 20.

Contact the farm with any questions: (608)675-3855 or csa@ridgelandharvest.com

Check out details for delivery at all sites, but especially for new sites in Viroqua and Verona.

Contact the farm with any questions about delivery day!

Join us in 2013 for more field dinners!

THE HARVEST DINNER

Served in the field
OCTOBER 6, 2012
Welcome 2:30
Farm Tour & Kids Activities 3:00
Dinner by Chef Luke Zahm 5:00
Music by Edward Stanton LeMar

Dinner is picnic style so bring your own
dishes, utensils and drinks.
Tickets $18/adult and $5/children (ages 5-15). Children under 5 free.
Proceeds (if any) will be used towards a new roof for our 20th century
dairy barn (now a 21th century garlic/livestock barn). Mostly it’s just
about connecting with food in a new way and having fun together!
Tickets available: Brown Paper Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/275742
OR Directly from Farmers Cate and Mat Eddy
608?675?3855 * rharvest@mwt.net * www.ridgelandharvest.com