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Market At Dothan News & Coming Events
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Feb. 13, 2021 M@D is Open for Orders!



Market at Dothan is open to accept orders. Orders close Tuesday at 5pm
We use the word “Sustainable” over “Organic”.
You can grow organic without being sustainable, but you cannot be sustainable without utilizing organic practices.


CONTENTS
A Look At . . . . .
Grower/Market Notes


Thank you for your continued support of our local farmers. We count it a privilege to serve you!
Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net
Order prepayment link: paypal.me/marketatdothan


BIODYNAMIC FARMING

Editor’s note: What a blessing to see THIS ARTICLE published this week! While the author is only mentioned by first name at the end, I’ve been watching her experience unfold for, ummm, pretty much her entire life. Elizabeth grew up near Columbus, GA, studied forestry in Tifton, did a stent in the Peace Corps and has been learning from some fabulous farms like the one in the article since returning from Africa.

No doubt our Market customers are familiar with biodynamic farming as Mayim Farms successfully utilizes this concept. Rather than attempt to reinvent the wheel we are condensing some of Elizabeth’s key concepts and if you wish to know more the link is at the end.

If you look up the definition of biodynamic agriculture, here’s what you’ll find: “… a form of alternative agriculture very similar to organic farming, but it includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of Rudolf Steiner.” Developed in 1924, it was the first of the organic agriculture movements.

Steiner was an Austrian philosopher who coined the phrase, “spiritual science.” From this idea, he established the Waldorf Schools, biodynamic agriculture, and anthroposophical medicine. Biodynamic farming was created after a group of farmers sought out his help in 1924. His ideologies around ecologically sustainable agriculture that omits the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, rapidly spread around the globe and gave rise to organic agriculture.

Organic agriculture strives for sustainability and utilizes methods of pest control and soil fertilizers that are ecologically derived rather than the traditional chemical/synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that conventional agriculturalists use. Ecological pesticides and fertilizers are primarily derived from composting practices that use plant or animal wastes, as well as nitrogen-fixing cover crops. Biodynamic farming uses the same principles but goes further by utilizing lunar cycles with various soil preparations. One interesting practice involves burying a cow’s horn packed with silica to enhance its properties as a plant spray. Another utilizes various compost components to enhance fungal qualities. Many studies support attention to enhancing soil health.

In the end whatever one believes about the science and spirituality connection Steiner held to, there’s no denying that love and care for the soil God created (yes, another spiritual comment) is good for the planet and helps produce food that is both nurturing and healing.

Lizzie horse
Elizabeth getting to know the draft horse she later used to plow that field.
https://insteading.com/blog/biodynamic-farming/

GROWER & MARKET NOTES

NEW & RELISTED
Broccoli from Avalon Farms
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Don’t forget that you can reserve your Thanksgiving turkey by placing a deposit order with Grows in Rows. These Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys will be free ranged, supplemented with non-gmo feed and ready for you to have the most incredible Thanksgiving turkey ever. Dressed cost is 4.50 per lb and your deposit goes toward the total price.

hale-turkeys
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Mayim Farm is back! Greg and Carolle have been busy working on infrastructure this winter and their crops are starting to come in. You will find a few things listed and they’ve promised more to come.

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AVALON FARMS: The days are ticking by, but not a lot of field work happening. It’s so frustrating! I should be out dropping seed potatoes right now but the soil is too wet to work. Also on the schedule is to plant sugar snap peas. Hopefully it will dry out enough I can manage to plant them in a few days. Will have to come up with a creative wet dirt method. Ha ha

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Something is tearing out the leeks!! I can’t find any animal tracks. No digging. Just pulled up and shredded leeks. My best guess is birds. Maybe robins looking for food. There are a lot of robins hopping around the gardens.

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Zoe, the farm dog, update: She is doing much better. Still moving slow but feeling good enough to wander around in the yard. She even came out to the chicken pasture this week. She was and hopefully will be our primary chicken herding helper.

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!