ARE WE ORGANIC OR NOT?

With all the beautiful new produce being listed recently we’ve been questioned about why some is listed as “organic” and others, from equally reputable farmers, is not. The quick answer is simple, and the complete answer is more complex.

So – simple answer first! It has to do with finances. USDA allows small farms that make less than $5000 a year to use the word ‘organic’. The upside of this is that small farms have an advantage. The downside is that there’s no regulation and any small farm can claim ‘organic’ whether they actually are or not. This is why we encourage our consumers to educate themselves to ask the right questions! (See last week’s Weblog Newsletter about Greenwashing.).

IN SEASON

EGGS! We’re so thankful that everyone’s chickens are responding to the longer days and warmer temperatures. Rather than share a bunch of recipes with you this week we thought you may enjoy this excellent article on the health benefits of eating eggs. Just click the link below the photo.

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

We have the best Growers in the Wiregrass! Please learn more about them on our Grower Page.

AVALON FARMS: After a quick trip to the Huntsville area for a Produce Safety Certification class (more on that later) and of course a shopping trip to Unclaimed Baggage (If you like thrift stores you will love this place! www.unclaimedbaggage.com) we returned home to discover Spring has well and truly sprung.

In the above photos you will notice several spring happenings on the farm. The lovely white blossoms, across the top, are my favorite old sand pear tree blooming its fool head off.

Not so lovely is the fall planted cabbage that these warm temps have coerced into blooming. When things in the cabbage family bloom, it’s a bad thing for eating quality. This is what people are referring to when they say the cabbage “ran up” or “went to seed”. Pretty much it will flower, make seed and die. No bueno for dinner.

Lastly, but cutest, we have new twin baby goats. They were a surprise arrival early Friday morning. It is fun to go out to the pasture and discover new babies!! That puts us up to 15 goats total, 7 babies.

BAIN HOME GARDENS: Since we last blogged there have been many developments. For one, we planted potatoes! This is a first for Bain Home Gardens. We talked with Wendy of Avalon Farms, Vicki of Richter Farms, Kathy of Kathy’s Churpers, & Roslyn of Horton farms. We feel like their sage advice, along with loads of other research, will help us get the bumper crop everyone hopes for!

So are you ready for our next tip to manage allergy symptoms? It is simple but boy is it hard to do. DO NOT RIDE WITH YOUR WINDOWS DOWN! (Gasp!) I know it sounds ridiculously silly, however when you get into your vehicles, you SEE it hanging out on the windshield beckoning to be let in. If yours is like our van, the pollen has already infiltrated & decorated your dash! Yes, the weather may be a perfect 72° & it may be gorgeous out but fight the urge to roll the window down or open the sunroof. The high speeds & wind create a dangerous cocktail! This will mean high exposure for some, especially if you spend much time in your vehicle. Smiling one minute, sneezing the next!  It is a good practice to wipe down dashes and seats regularly with some car wipes. This will further limit prolonged exposure. We hope this tip helps you to stay well this allergy season.
From our family to yours – take care!

HAWKINS HOMESTEAD FARM: Hello Market Friends! Hoping you guys have enjoyed the weather as much as we have! With that being said though, temperatures are set to drop and we are in store for some cold nights. Do you have plants outside already? Well, there are a few things you can do to protect them. If you have seedling trays, simply bring them in. If something has already been planted in your garden, cover it up by using an old sheet or even a few empty pots you may have laying around the house. By covering it, you are providing the plant and the soil the extra bit of heat that it may need. Just remember to use a large enough pot to cover the plant without damaging it and to remove the pot and the covering in the morning as temperatures rise. March 15th is our official last frost date! That means that all danger of frost has passed and you can begin to set your plants outside. Just remember to “harden” them off first. We shared a great article about this on the Market Discussion Page. See you next week!