Circle M Farm

Rain rain go away, we keep having to harvest another day! Some things can be harvested in any sort of weather, like the carrots, for instance, which were all picked in a rainstorm two weeks ago. But today’s box includes things like basil, which really shouldn’t be picked wet because it will rot faster. Many plants become susceptible to fungus if you handle them when wet, like potatoes and tomatoes and beans. Plus, walking on your garden when it’s wet compacts the soil and makes it harder to work with and less easy for things to grow. So for many reasons, we’ve had enough rain here at Circle M! Now it’s time to let the sun shine hot and let the tomatoes and squash get ripe! Here’s what’s in the box: continued »

We’ve had a most delightful, colorful and delicious week in the gardens. First, we harvested these beautiful Mini Red Purplette onions. And then we started digging the potatoes and found we had some of the most shockingly gorgeous tubers ever to emerge out of our sandy black dirt. continued »

I went foraging for our Circle M CSA members this week, since the elderberries are blooming in profusion along my swamp and in hedgerows all over the countryside. In Madison, too! These tiny white blooms make a great cordial to add to summer drinks, and fantastic traditional British fritters. Try these, then hurry and go pick some more if you like them! They’ll only be in bloom for another week or so, and then you’ll have to wait for the berries. We’ve included the fritter recipe below, but check out this whimsical site for a great picture blog of how to make them. continued »

People ask me all the time, “How do you do it?” Meaning, how do I take care of all the animals and gardens here at Circle M? Well, I don’t! I have a fabulous crew of family and Work Share Farm Members who do the lion’s share of labor around here. Three of my children (that’s Jake and Emma in the picture) and nine crew members who work for produce and meat (that’s Cherie behind Emma) are what it takes to get our CSA boxes out every week. Sometimes we get extra help from neighbors who pitch in when something crazy happens, like June’s flood. And of course, Shannon, my husband, holds a full time job and then wraps up his evenings by running and repairing the fencing that is the constant challenge of a rotational grazing system. My main job is to keep it all organized and think about what crops come next! Here’s what’s in the box this week. continued »