March thru May 2024 Newsletter

Written By Bonnie Thompson

Farm Stand Season!

Yes, you read that right, this is indeed the March thru May newsletter. If you’ve ever wondered why this is described as a regular(ish) newsletter, wonder no more. Here’s what has been keeping us busy lately.

New Hours for The Farm Stand

We’re open daily this year, at least for now: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Baked goods are available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Speaking of the bakery, you can find us at the Astoria Sunday Market again this year. We will be there with all the delicious baked goods from last year, as well as some new gluten-free selections.

For those of you who want to make sure you get your cardamom bread without having to fight the crowds, you can pre-order on our bakery page to have a loaf waiting for you at the Farm Stand on Friday at noon.

Reminder: We take SNAP benefits and they can be used for fresh fruits, vegetables, vegetable starts, herbs, and blueberry bushes. SNAP can also be used to buy baked goods and jams.

The Plant Yard

Plants

The Farm Stand is full of color and variety this time of year. With everything from vegetable starts to hanging baskets, there is something for every gardener.

Here are just a few of the beautiful things we currently have available:

  • Shrubs and Bushes: Lilacs, Rhododendrons, Peris japonica, Hydrangeas, Smoke Bush

  • Perennials: Clematis, Lavender, Lupine, Coral Bells, Salvia

  • Natives: Oregon Iris, Bleeding Hearts, Self Heal, Yarrow, Douglas spirea, Douglas Aster

  • Annuals: Gazanias, Osteospermum, Geraniums (including scented), Verbena, Petunias, Fuchsias, Impatiens

  • Herbs: Basil (6 kinds), Mint (12 kinds), Cilantro, and all the common kitchen herbs with multiple varieties of thyme, oregano, and rosemary.

    Be sure to check back often as we are regularly adding new plants as they become available.

Farm to Table Dinners and Sunday Tea in the Garden

We have a wonderful lineup of guest chefs and local musicians for this season’s Farm-to-Table Dinners on the Farm:

  • July 14th: Chris Holden: Notes from Early Summer; Music - Chelsea LaFey

  • July 25th: Andy Catalano: A Sample of Italy; Music - Brownsmead Flats

  • August 11th: Kenzo: Seasons of the Sun; Music - Chelsea LaFey

  • August 22nd: Jonathan Hoffman: Flames & the Sea; Music - Randy Weese

  • September 1st: Jake Martin: A Pacific Northwest Repast; Music - Christopher McNeary

Please visit the Farm to Table Dinners page to learn more.

SOMETHING NEW: Tea in the Garden

Our bakers have been working on some special treats to serve during Sunday tea. The menu is a la carte and offers a variety to choose from including scones, cakes, and tarts, along with both hot and cold beverages. More tea availability will be opening up soon.

The Fields are Starting to Produce

The fields at Blackberry Bog are starting to supply some early spring produce with asparagus, lettuce, and broccoli making an appearance this last week.

Out in Brownsmead, the tomatoes and peppers are growing well in our new high tunnel, the peas are planted (YEP - we will have the famous Brownsmead Peas again this year if all goes well), and we are busy plowing and rototilling to get the rest of the crops in now that the fields are drying out and the danger of frost is past.

CSA Baskets (Weekly Baskets of Food)

For those of you who have subscribed to our CSA program, basket pickup will begin:

  • June 15st - for Svensen Saturday (Sorry for the delay, but the cool weather means things are growing slowly).

  • June 12th - for Seaside Farmers Market

  • June 24th - for Svensen Monday

If you have not yet paid for the first half of your CSA please contact us to make sure you are still on the list.

Did you know we also have a Flower CSA add-on option available?

Pork Shares

We have a few more pork shares left. This year we are growing a cross of Duroc-Berkshire-Kunekune breeds. We anticipate that the pork will be available around the end of October. To learn more about purchasing a pork share click here.

You may have seen our plant starts at the Astoria Coop. We’re excited about the new partnership, but as they are a little space limited, so we only have a fraction of our varieties of plants there.

Bonnie Thompson
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February 2024 Newsletter