The Weblog

This page contains news, event information, and other items added by Ian and Adam, the resident farmers at Old 99. We send out a message every week, but most are set with a delete date about two weeks later. I archive some of the posts if they have content other than weekly availability of produce and meat.

You can send me questions too, which if they are of a general nature, I can post to this Old99 blog.



 
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Week of April 13 2020


Hello everyone! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the new grower for the Market Garden at Old 99 Farm. He’ll say more about himself and his goals in his own words.

My name is Nick LaMarsh and he moved to the farm last fall with my wife, Angela Hanlon.
I have been growing natural and organic vegetables and leafy greens since I was about 10 years old and have had a passion for food ever since. That passion has kept me growing fresh produce most of my life and has led me into various areas of food industry and food production. From making Polish style deli meats and other charcuterie, to managing a small cafe to working in very busy restaurants as a line cook and more. It’s been a great journey and I couldn’t be happier to be able to grow quality organic produce for you and your family. I was an urban farmer and managed a large community garden for about 4 years before moving to Old 99 Farm to market garden on a large scale.

I utilize an old and very little known method of growing produce called Korean Natural Farming. It’s an organic and completely natural style of farming that uses the theory of delivering exactly what the plant needs at its different stages of growth. As well as utilizing things like compost and manure ‘tea’, the Korean Natural Farming process requires me to collect all natural local ingredients such as young plant shoots, emerging plants, roots and microbial rich organic matter to create the inputs. They are rich in microbial life, minerals and nutrients that feed the soil and in turn feed the plant and give it the best possible environment to grow in to produce the best food possible.

I will be growing a wide variety of leafy greens including kale, mustard, stir fry greens, chard, Asian greens and salad greens. Also on the grow list is purple sweet potatoes, white potatoes, onions, leeks, beets, berries, asparagus, tree fruits and rhubarb. I also raise meat rabbits and chickens and will have them available by end of summer for you to enjoy.

I look forward to seeing you at the farm!

Be well friends,
Nick

This is the ‘in-between’ season for vegies, our stored root crops are almost depleted, overwintered greens are in demand but plants are heavily cropped. We have lots in the greenhouses coming. This week we can offer chard (perpetual green variety very succulent and spinach-like), arugula, radishes and baby mixed greens. We have a new flock of chickens, brown and white layers so the production is increasing (along with demand I’ll also say). The meat freezers are full with beef and chicken.

For your garden we have active compost and in about a month we’ll have vegetable seedlings for you to transplant.

The new precautions for covid19 are working fine. You place your order as usual and pick up outside. We’ve loosened our hours so there’s no crowded times; state your preferred pick up time on your order. E-transfer is preferred.

Nick will be doing a round of phone calls to randomly selected customers asking for suggestions and feedback on buying local from Old99, starting this week. Please take a moment to share your thoughts.

Healthy eating
Ian and Cami