Wood Prairie Farm
 The Seed Piece Newsletter
             Organic News and Commentary
                    Thursday, June 24 2015
                       Volume 21 Issue 13

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 In This Issue of The Seed Piece:

    Land of Woods and Potatoes.

     Stuart’s Map of the Timber Lands, Central Aroostook County, Circa 1890 (Click to enlarge).  Back in 1890, the Town of Bridgewater had around 220 residents.  The railroad has just come in a few years prior.  With this new transportation, a huge demand for Aroostook potatoes for East Coast markets was born.  The resulting growth in potatoes and population which followed was staggering.  Within decades, Bridgewater’s population peaked at 1200. Now, in recent decades, Bridgewater’s population hovers around half of its peak.
     Our Wood Prairie Farm, in the adjacent Township D, Range 2 (shown on the map simply as “D”, we occupy the northern portion of “Lot 53”), was still part of the uncleared wild lands in and around the southwestern corner of Bridgewater.  It would be another quarter century before local farmers cleared the trees off what in time would become our future farm.  The land clearing exposed the high, dry soil which proved to be very good for growing potatoes.
     So here we are.  After a rainy Spring, all 2015 crops are now planted. Wheat, corn, potatoes, beans, onions, parsnips and other crops have emerged and are growing fast.  Right behind them are later planted carrots and beets.  Everything looks good.
    We hope wherever your crops are growing you have plenty of moisture and plenty of sunshine to help push them along.

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 Jim & Megan Gerritsen & Family
 Wood Prairie Farm
 Bridgewater, Maine

Click here for the Wood Prairie Farm Home Page.


Forward Thinking Gardening. For many regions, now is the time to be planting Fall crops.

Yes It's Time to Plant Fall Crops.

     While it may be hard to believe where the weather stays warm well into the Fall, now is the time to plant crops for the Fall in many of the shorter season areas of the country.

     In locales where winters are not real cold and snowy, some hardy crops will live right through the winter. Which crops will do well where you live?

     We've come across a very helpful guide to help answer that question. It is entitled, The Big Willamette Winter Gardening Chart, prepared by Nick Routlege and our friend, Andrew Still of Adaptive Seeds.

     Nick & Andrew's chart runs the gamut from Arugula to Swiss Chard and all crops hardy in-between. While targeted for Oregon's west-of-the-Cascades mostly-mild Willamette Valley, the information contained is valuable and well-articulated. We found the discussion interesting and helpful, even for short-season and cold regions like we have in Maine.

     We think you will want to print out this seven-page chart and add it to your Garden Library.

Jim & Megan

Click Here for our Certified Organic Vegetable Seed.
Special Offer: FREE Organic Yukon Gold Seed Potatoes.

     Since its introduction thirty years ago, Yukon Gold has earned as much name-recognition as any potato variety in North America.  And for good reason, because genuine Yukon Gold potatoes are a beautiful and excellent eating variety.  However, we must now be wary because there are tricksters out there who have been mis-branding sacks of eating potatoes and calling one substandard production variety or another a ‘Yukon Gold’ in order to cash in on its fame.

     In the garden Yukon Gold is an early variety and plants exhibit strong upright growth. To ensure a good yield, we recommend that you do not space your Yukon Gold seed pieces more than 10” apart in row.  

     We ship our Organic Certified Seed Potatoes every year until the 4th of July, so this is your last chance to order prior to the new harvest which will be ready in September. 

     Want to try out Yukon Gold in YOUR garden?  Don’t miss this chance to trial this fine variety.  Get a FREE 1 lb. Sack of Yukon Gold Organic Maine Certified Seed Potatoes (value $11.95) on your next order where the goods total $25 or more.  Please use Promo Code WPF465. Offer may not be combined with other offers.  Your order and FREE Yukon Gold seed must ship by 7/3/15. Offer Expires 11:59p.m., Monday, June 29, so please hurry!

Click Here for our Wood Prairie Farm Organic Maine Certified Seed Potatoes.


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Farmers Losing Property Rights.


Only in agriculture. Only in today's out-of-kilter agriculture have the private property rights of family farmers been subordinated to powerful Big Ag and Biotech forces.
Recipe: Cornmeal and Quinoa Skillet Bread.
     

1 c whole wheat or spelt flour (I used spelt in this recipe)
3/4 c cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs (optional)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c cooked quinoa, room temperature (quinoa is cooked just as you would oatmeal)
3 T unsalted butter, barely melted
3 T natural cane or brown sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 c milk
1 1/2 T white or white wine vinegar
1 c heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roughly ten minutes before you are ready to bake the skillet bread, while you are mixing the batter, place the skillet in the hot oven.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and dried herbs.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, quinoa, and melted butter until well-blended. Add the sugar, salt, milk and vinegar and stir again. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter comes together. It will be quite thin.

Pour the batter into the heated skillet. Pour the heavy cream into the center of the batter - do not stir. Carefully place in oven and check after 45 minutes. The skillet bread is done when the top becomes lightly browned and the center just set.

Best served warm from the oven. 

Megan.

Click Here for our Certified Organic Granary Section.


Cornmeal and Quinoa Skillet Bread.
Photo by Angela Wotton.
Our Mailbox: Validity of Organic and Momentum on Our Side.

Validity of Organic.

Dear WPF.

     NEW LONG-TERM STUDY SHOWS THE SUPERIORITY OF ORGANIC FARMING'S BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON SOIL LIFE. Not really news to those of us in the choir...

MP
WWW


WPF Replies.

     Organic farming has always represented a threat to powerful forces which benefit from the status quo of toxic agriculture. These forces have financed and created a false culture of skepticism towards organic farming. Honest scientific work such as this study is important because it establishes the validity of organic and in doing so undermines the propaganda campaign waged against us.

Jim




Momentum on Our Side.

Dear WPF.

    Judge upholds Jackson County GMO ban. There shouldn't be any regulation against banning GMO crops.

MH
WWW

WPF Replies.

     To the detriment of the Commons, Monsanto has concocted many snares to promote its self-interest and institutionalize it's flawed death technology. One-by-one they will need to be dismantled. Momentum is on the side of the people and Monsanto is on the wrong side of history.

Jim.
 Jim & Megan Gerritsen
 Wood Prairie Farm
 49 Kinney Road
 Bridgewater, Maine 04735
 (800)829-9765 Certified Organic, Direct from the Farm
 www.woodprairie.com