Greetings! It’s been a few weeks since my last update, we took advantage of the two week holiday break from the children’s schools to get out of town for a bit. It was a bit different to be traveling for Christmas but really nice to spend it with extended family. I am proud and ecstatic to report that our whole family is now able to ski independently, it was a very fun week of making turns on Mt. Shasta. While we love our farming coastal life it is so important for us as a family to get out and recreate in nature.

Our family in our super hero winter gear, we had a blast!

Well now it is back to work! I am very relieved to see that we are getting a break from the rain. Our farm is quite soggy and muddy at the moment, ripe for some sunny drying days. I’ve been spending most time indoors working on preserving and canning summer tomatoes that I stashed in the freezer months ago when there was no time for such endeavors. And bone broth, endless batches of chicken and turkey broth made from the copious amount of bones we have, also stashed in many freezers.

I’ll also be taking the next few weeks to plan our production schedule for 2025. This includes what vegetables we will grow, how many chickens and turkeys we will raise and our pasture rotation for the sheep and goats. The layer chicks that we received in November are thriving in the brooder and will be ready to transition in with the hen flock soon.

Today I’ll be out harvesting lettuce mix for market TOMORROW! Yes, I will be back at market this Saturday from 10am-2pm. My booth will be on G street but look for us further down than usual, closer to the corner near Hotel Arcata.

This weeks mix is endive, radicchio, and red romaine.

Here is what our farm will have to offer at the Arcata Plaza Farmers Market tomorrow, 9 am - 2 pm:

TURKEY:

GROUND: $16/LB

LEG $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

CHICKEN:

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

DRUMSTICKS $10/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

VEGETABLES:

RAd (radicchio & endive) salad mix $6/(1/2lb bag)

Purple Broccoli $4/LB

The purple broccoli grew out really well!

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

Our family Christmas present was our new puppy Dozer. We are in love.

We are feeling grateful today…while the earthquake was surprising and intense it had no negative impact to the farm or our home. I hope that all of you out there who also live here in Humboldt had a similar experience.

I’ve also really enjoyed hearing from many of our turkey customers that the birds were exceptional this year. It is rewarding to know that the hard work of humanly raising these special birds is appreciated in our community.

My partner did a great job capturing the busy day we had processing the turkeys.

I spent today harvesting veggies for market tomorrow. While my fingers were a bit cold and stiff to start things warmed up with that lovely sunshine we have been gifted recently.

First harvest of our winter collard greens.

Freshly washed and bunched carrots…sweet!

Here is what our farm will have to offer at the Arcata Plaza Farmers Market tomorrow, 10 am - 2 pm:

CHICKEN:

HALF: $8.50/LB

GROUND: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

THIGHS: $12/LB

DRUMSTICKS: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

VEGETABLES:

EASTER EGG RADISHES : $3/BUNCH

CARROTS : $4/BUNCH

RAD LETTUCE MIX : $6/ (1/2 LB BAG)

YOUNG COLLARDS: $3/BUNCH

RED RUSSIAN KALE $3/BUNCH

KAKAI PUMPKINS $2.50/LB

MINI RED ROMAINE LETTUCE: $3 EACH

ICEBERG LETTUCE: $4 EACH

Thanks for reading this message. Please respond if you would like to reserve anything and I hope to see you at the market tomorrow!

Best,

Kala

It’s called RAD Lettuce Mix because it includes Radicchio as well as endive.

A song of sunshine, shortening days and blustery rain storms has made the past few weeks quite enjoyable and eventful. Today I enjoyed spending the afternoon harvesting veggies for tomorrow’s market while listening to the rain fall on the high tunnels and covered wash pack station. It is a time for cool weather crops to really shine and I am looking forward to sharing them.

Spinach ready to cut and harvest today. Notice how almost every bed in the tunnel is protected with row cover to deter the pernicious fall pests.

We were only able to get half way through our “last” chicken processing of the year this past Sunday as there was a malfunction with the drum plucker which is essential for getting the birds clean and feather free. Luckily another farm has agreed to loan us a spare plucker this Sunday so that we can truly be finished with chickens. Now is a great time to stock up on chicken as we have a full selection of cuts, half and whole birds. Our freezers are near max capacity and I am hoping to make some space by selling lots of chicken at market tomorrow. I am also planning to attend the Thursday Henderson Center market this week as well.

Cilantro is on the menu for tomorrow.

Here is what our farm will have to offer at the Arcata Plaza Farmers Market tomorrow, 9 am - 2 pm:

CHICKEN:

WHOLE: $8/LB

GROUND: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

THIGHS: $12/LB

DRUMSTICKS: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

VEGETABLES:

EASTER EGG RADISHES : $3/BUNCH

GOLDEN BERRIES : $5/BAG

TOMATOES : $4/LB

PIMENTO PEPPERS (SWEET) : $6/LB

RED RUSSIAN KALE $3/BUNCH

KAKAI PUMPKINS $2.50/LB

CILANTRO: $3/BUNCH

SPINACH: $6/1/2 LB BAG

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

Fall sunshine filtering through the golden berry patch captured by our farm employee Ashlyn this week.

Now that it is officially fall I am truly thankful for every beautiful sunny day we have been graced with in the past few weeks. The intensity of the late season sunlight combined with an utter lack of strong winds has made for some glorious work days on the farm. We have taken advantage of the dry conditions to plant out all of the farms raised beds that are outside. This week cabbages (red, green & Napa!), broccoli, cauliflower and collards were all diligently transplanted out by our team. I spent the first three days of the week processing a smaller batch of broiler chickens and turning most of the meat into a batch of ground chicken, yum! I’m looking forward to using it for easy meals on cold nights throughout the winter.

Before and after photos of a 100 foot bed located between two of our tunnels. The first was taken just after compost had been added and tilled in, the second shows the bed neatly covered with landscape fabric, metal hoops and row cover. Green cabbage and collards are tucked in cozy underneath.

Baby Napa cabbages freshly transplanted this week.

A while back I mentioned my intentions to return to the Henderson Center market on Thursdays which I have not yet managed to make true. If all goes well next week I am planning to indeed attend that market for the next few weeks until it closed for the season mid November. I’ll send out a quick message on Wednesday to confirm that I will be there.

Some nice late season Persian cucumbers will be coming with me to market tomorrow

It’s looking like weather conditions will be a bit rainy and overcast tomorrow. While a sunny and dry market is always nice I do appreciate how much easier cool weather is on the quality of tender vegetable displays. Here’s a rundown on what I’ll be offering at the Arcata Plaza market (tomorrow 9-2):

CHICKEN:

WHOLE: $8/LB

GROUND: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONEless skinless BREAST: $16/LB

leg & thigh: $10/LB

thighs: $12/LB

DRUMSTICKS: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

EGGS: $10/DOZEN

VEGETABLES:

Easter egg Radishes : $3/bunch

TOMATOES : $4/LB

PIMENTO PEPPERS (Sweet) : $6/LB

Jalapen0 PEPPERS : $8/LB

Cayenne PEPPERS : $12/LB

Persian Cucumbers $4/lb

WILD BABY ARUGULA (1/4 LB): $5/BAG

RED RUSSIAN KALE $3/BUNCH

Kakai pumpkins $2.50/lb

ONIONS: $3/LB

SHALLOTS: $7.50/LB

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

The coolest looking Pumpkin Spider I’ve ever seen graced me with it’s presence while I laid out row cover on Tuesday.

Anyone who gardens or grows vegetables knows that this time of year can be TRICKY for pernicious insects that like to feast on food crops. The Cabbage moths have made their annual descent on our farm and I have been using all the techniques in my proverbial farmer tool belt to protect tender brassica plants which are especially favored by the larvae. The best purchase I ever made for the farm was a giant roll of row cover fabric. This almost gossamer thin cloth is a workhorse in the garden. Not only does it protect crops from freezing temperatures it also can act as a barrier to keep out unwanted pests as well as aid in germination for direct seeded crops like carrots. Today I uncovered a bed of Red Russian kale to harvest and was happy to see that the plants are happy and healthy.

Red Russian Kale ready to harvest.

We have been working full tilt to get the farm ready for fall and winter. Currently all of our high tunnel beds are planted, some are still dedicated to heat loving crops but most have been flipped and seeded or transplanted with carrot, beets, radish, turnip, spinach & lettuce. This season I am experimenting with growing some radicchio & endive as they are one of my all time favorite salad greens.

A young radicchio just starting to head up.

Next weekend we will be processing our 4th (out of 5) round of broilers. I will be bringing plenty of chicken to the market tomorrow but will not have a full selection of cuts until the first week of October, FYI. The turkeys are sizing up well and I will be sending out reservation invitations to everyone who ordered a bird last year in the coming weeks.

Pimento peppers have been a great success this season. I will be bringing a case of these super sweet treats to market tomorrow.

This weekend the North Country Fair will be held on the Arcata Plaza so the farmer’s market will be in front of the Coop (I street) and stretch to the post office (8th street). You can find our booth on I street near Bittersweet. I’ll be there from 9-2, find our weekly offerings below:

CHICKEN:

WHOLE: $8/LB

GROUND: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

DRUMSTICKS: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

EGGS: $10/DOZEN

VEGETABLES:

TOMATOES : $4/LB

PIMENTO PEPPERS : $6/LB

BABY SPINACH (1/2 LB): $6/BAG

WILD BABY ARUGULA (1/4 LB): $5/BAG

BANANA FINGERLING POTATOES: $4/LB

RUSSET POTATOES: $3.50/LB

RED RUSSIAN KALE $3/BUNCH

GARLIC: $10/LB

ONIONS: $3/LB

SHALLOTS: $7.50/LB

GOLDEN BERRIES: $5/BAG

THYME BUNDLES: $4/EACH

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

Tomorrow will mark four decades and one year that I have been a creature living on this planet. This morning I was contemplating how it fills me with joy and a sense of purpose to consider myself an agrarian (someone who tends to the land). The process and purposefulness of the endeavor to cultivate plants (and animals) from the earth is a grounding pursuit that starts with so much promise and if all goes well the result is a bountiful harvest. I can’t think of any other occupation that would suit me so well in this phase of life.

This week was a big transition. Our family friend Ash who has been helping with the kids twice a week has now transitioned to helping on the farm instead since the kids are in school. A force multiplier, it has been amazing to not only have a full work week to focus on the farm but also have an extra set of hands to attend to the many daily tasks.

Ash picking green beans with a smile.

It’s the time when so many crops that we started in spring are finally ready to harvest. I pulled a variety of winter squash from the field today as well as some onions. The greens offering has expanded beyond lettuce mix and kale this week as baby spinach and arugula were ready for harvest.

Kakai, Green Kabocha & Butternut Winter Squash fresh from the field.

Red and pink onions harvested today.

We are working hard to flip beds from summer to fall/winter/spring crops while also nurturing (watering, pruning, trellising) the last succession of summer crops to see us into the fall.

Baby spinach ready to be harvested, washed and spun.

In addition to attending the Saturday Arcata Market, I am planning to start going to the Thursday Henderson Center Market in Eureka on September 5th. The majority of produce will be coming to the Saturday market but I will bring a full selection of chicken and perhaps some vegetables to the Thursday Market.

CHICKEN:

WHOLE: $8/LB

GROUND: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

THIGHS: $12/LB

DRUMSTICKS: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

VEGETABLES:

TOMATOES (LARGE CHERRY): $4/LB

GREEN BEANS: $8/LB

LETTUCE MIX (1/2 LB): $5/BAG

BABY SPINACH (1/2 LB): $6/BAG

WILD BABY ARUGULA (1/4 LB): $5/BAG

BANANA FINGERLING POTATOES: $4/LB

RUSSET POTATOES: $2.50/LB

CUCUMBERS (PERSIAN): $3/LB

LACINATO KALE $3/BUNCH

GARLIC: $10/LB

RED ONIONS: $3/LB

TORPEDO ONIONS: $3/BUNCH

GOLDEN BERRIES: $5/BAG

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

Potato digging was a great success this week!

It’s been markedly quieter around here the past few days and it will probably take a few weeks to get used to. BOTH of our children are in school as of Thursday, our youngest just started TK. I’ve been joking with my friends and family that I will have to pace myself and ease into being able to focus on the farm 5 days a week.

Setting the vegetable forecast for the fall and winter has been a focus the past few weeks. Starting seedlings to transplant out will ensure that we get a chance to grow lettuce, radicchio, endive, cauliflower, broccoli, kale & collards to name a few.

Yesterday we got the 4th round of broiler chickens out on pasture and next week our 5th (and final of the year!) batch of broilers will hatch and ship. I am a little bit proud of myself for sticking with the schedule and seeing through the commitment to raise and process 500 chickens. As the farm has grown and I make more connections it has been easier to set up a good crew to help with processing and packaging.

The chicks getting acquainted with the new digs. This tractor constructed of PVC is a new model for us and has been working out well, a bit larger to hold more birds but also lightweight and easy to move.

I took advantage of the fact that we had about 20 broilers that weren’t quite grown out enough for our last harvest two weekends ago and decided to break them down after processing for a batch of ground chicken. It’s quite a bit of work to debone the entire breast and thigh but the results are worth it. Ground meat is so easy to prepare and versatile. I’m looking forward to sharing some at market but also having a stash to get us through the winter months. Recently I listened an episode of The Winter Growers Podcast in which year round full diet farmers located in Northern New York talked about the food they grow. I was particularly struck by the idea put forth that pasture raised meat grown in the summer months captures the essence of summer sun and grassy chlorophyll to nourish us in the depths of winter. This along with preserved and fermented vegetable, grain and dairy products can truly sustain through the darkest months of the year.

Our high powered grinder makes short work of the meat it took me hours to prepare.

LOTS of Persian cucumbers were picked today. I have a nice variety of sizes all of which are delicious and versatile.

It’s going to potentially be a rainy morning tomorrow and the space I am allocated for my market stall isn’t large enough to fit my canopy so I’ll be out there with my green umbrella and hope for the best. It looks like things should clear up by 11am so come out and say hi, find me somewhere along the G street side. Here is what I will have available:

CHICKEN:

WHOLE: $8/LB

ground: $18/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

THIGHs: $12/LB

Drumsticks: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

EGGS: $10 PER DOZEN

VEGETABLES:

TOMATOES (Slicers, large cherry and storage): $4/LB

green beans: $8/LB

LETTUCE MIX (1/2 LB): $5/BAG

BANANA FINGERLING POTATOES: $4/LB

CUCUMBERS (PERSIAN): $3/LB

LACINATO KALE $3/BUNCH

GARLIC: $10/LB

GOLDEN BERRIES: $5/BAG

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

While August signifies the peak of summer, with its long, warm days and a sense of abundance I also reflect on how this month also serves as a transition time, where the signs of impending fall begin emerging to reminding us of the cycles of nature and the changes that lie ahead. The farm is alive with vibrant colors as crops reach maturity, potatoes have been dug, winter squash is near maturity & fall onions are fattening.

The turkey are just over four weeks old now, we transitioned them from the brooder to pasture this Monday. For now they are in the protected space of tractors but soon when they are bit larger we will let them out to be truly free range birds.

This picture was taken just minutes after the turkeys were put on pasture, they were still a bit dazed from the big move!

I’ve got some fantastic tomatoes to share this weekend along with a variety of other produce. Large red slicing types, a delicate and juicy orange Juane Flamme and some purple Atomic Grape tomatoes will all be coming with me to market tomorrow. Yesterday I spent a few hours digging potatoes. While the plants weren’t quite as productive as I had hoped it is also a reminder to be thankful for the harvest that we did get.

Cosmonaut Volcav & Skorospelka Tomatoes.

Juane Flamme and Atomic Grape Tomatoes.

We will be harvesting our third round of broilers this Sunday. Though my trusty partner is away fighting fire I have a great crew coming out to help. If you have any interest in learning the process please let me know. While it is important to have highly trained folks on the job to make sure we get the job done there is always room to have one or two people get a hands on education day. There will be two more broiler harvesting days one in September and another in October. Turkeys will be sometime in November.

Freshly dug Banana Fingerling potatoes. The best for roasting in the oven, yum.

I will be on the Arcata Plaza tomorrow (still in my new spot on G street near Brio). Eggs are becoming a scarce commodity these days so if you would like a dozen please message me to reserve them.

Chicken:

WHOLE: $8/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

EGGS: $10 PER DOZEN

VEGETABLES:

TOMATOES: $4/LB

Lettuce Mix (1/2 lb): $5/bag

BANANA FINGERLING POTATOES: $4/LB

Russet Potatoes: $2.50/lb

CUCUMBERS (persian & Slicers): $3/LB

Lacinato Kale $3/bunch

GARLIC: $10/LB

GOLDEN BERRIES: $5/BAG

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

First Kakai pumpkin to ripen, it is maturing on my kitchen counter. Looking forward to trying it, I will have a full report next week!

This week we tackled trellising and pruning the tomatoes and cucumbers, no small task! We also transplanted snow peas and got some beds direct seeded for late summer and fall crops. My partner is away fighting wildfire in Southern CA so I am ever so grateful for my mom’s being here and helping out with the farm and her grandchildren. Today we harvested lots of produce that I am excited to bring to market tomorrow.

The last of the carrot harvest coming in, there was a wee battle with some nettles that had made their way into the bed but Momma handled it!

The turkeys are doing well after their long journey through the postal service. Our third round of broilers are out on pasture enjoying the mostly sunny weather we have been so lucky to have this July.

The first day. Turkey poults are doubled in size now. More pictures soon!

This is the busiest time of year for the Saturday Arcata Plaza Market so I will still be in my new spot (on G street, closer to Brio) this weekend. Here is what I will be bringing:

Chicken:

WHOLE: $8/LB

BONE IN BREAST: $14/LB

BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST: $16/LB

LEG & THIGH: $10/LB

WINGS: $7/LB

SOUP PACK: $5/LB

FEET: $6/LB

LIVERS: $8/LB

EGGS: $10 PER DOZEN

VEGETABLES:

CARROT BUNCHES: $4/EACH

LOOSE CARROTS: $3/LB

EASTER EGG RADISHES: $3/BUNCH

TOMATOES: $4/LB

CUCUMBERS: $3/LB

Lacinato Kale $3/bunch

GARLIC: $10/LB

GOLDEN BERRIES: $5/BAG

As always, thank you for reading. Please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything for the market or for on farm pickup.

Best,

Kala

Some massive Beefsteak Tomatoes will be ready soon…

JUST KEEP GOING…has been my mantra this past week. Today I was reflecting on what drives me to push through the days when there is more to do than I have time for. For the majority of my 20’s I lived at the base of the Eastern Sierra Mountains and spent as much time as I could afford hiking the canyons and climbing the surrounding peaks. My favorite way to spend a day off was to hike a strenuous loop, often 20 plus miles of walking and climbing. Most days I was bone tired, sore and famished with many hours of hiking still ahead of me. Learning to push through the pain and fatigue on those long days has stuck with me and works in my favor when I have long days of work on the farm.

My mom took this picture at the end of a long day! I’m lucky to have her here to help out for a few weeks.

Scroll on for more…

We had our second chicken harvest of the season last Sunday and I am looking forward to bringing a full selection of whole and parted out chickens to market tomorrow. Turkeys arrived on the farm Thursday morning and are settling into the brooder for a spell. My mom and I spent some time seeding trays of vegetables to prepare for the great fall plant out so that we will have food to eat and share for the winter months. Preparing for winter in the height of summer seems a little strange at first but it is the perfect time to get seedlings off to a strong start.

Carrots are going strong and I will be bringing lots to market tomorrow!

Tomatoes are starting to pop and are ever so tasty!

I’ll be on the Arcata Plaza tomorrow from 9-2. Here is what I will have available:

Chicken:

Whole: $8/lb

Bone In Breast $14//lb

Boneless Skinless Breast $16/LB

leg & thigh $10/lb

wings $7/lb

soup pack $5/lb

feet $6/lb

liver $8/lb

Eggs $10 per dozen

Vegetables:

Carrot bunches $4 each

Loose Carrots $3/lb

Easter Egg Radish Bunches $3 each

Tomatoes $4/lb

Cucumbers $3/lb

Garlic $10/lb

Golden Berries $5 per bag

As always thanks for reading this and please respond to this message if you would like to reserve anything.

Best,

Kala

One of my golden berry harvest helpers.