Bluebird Grain Farms - January 2009

A Note from the Farmer
In honor of wringing out the old and bringing in the new, I'll explain a little why this is not always the best practice in a sustainable farming system. Here at Bluebird we closely adhere to a "bio-dynamic" farm plan, which consists of many "old ways."
German Rudolf Steiner first lectured on bio-dynamic farming almost a century ago and he viewed the bio-dynamic farm as an organism or self-contained entity: essentially a full-circuit system where anything that is taken is at least replaced and ideally is improved. Some of the cornerstones of bio-dynamic farming that we use here at Bluebird include green manures and crop rotation, live microbe and enzyme soil conditioners, and maximizing use of the moon's energy cycles which vary, of course, according to the stages of wax and wane.

We generally inter-seed red clover with our grains, which not only helps pull oxygen out of the air and thus makes it available to the grain plant in a symbiotic nature, but after grain harvest, leaves us with a fairly substantial stand of "green nitrogen." We incorporate this clover with the grain straw following harvest and this gives the soil a nice bed of compost heading into winter. We "inoculate" the whole concoction as well, with an application of liquid microbes and enzymes which help to expedite the soil’s digestive process in hopes all the raw material is thus converted efficiently into available nitrogen for the following springs crop.

After a second season of cropping we repeat our fall program but on the third spring instead of planting grain, we seed in a full "plow-down" cover crop of legumes (peas, buckwheat) often mixed with mustard - a prime soil cleanser. This green crop gets incorporated sometime late-July and the rest of the summer the field is fallowed, cultivated, soil tested, and then, if necessary, amended that fall or prior to planting back the next spring. A longer rotation may involve a 5 year alfalfa crop if we feel a field needs longer term resting and build-back. Our ultimate goal here on our bio-dynamic farm is to primarily maintain the soil through nutrient recycling. 

As for "listening to the moon"; although not always possible when planting a couple hundred acres each year, we do our best to plant on a building moon if not directly on the full moon itself (a day or two either side.) This is when the moon is radiating its highest energy flow on the earth. We like to think that energy will be taken up by our seed sprouts and help pull them out of the soil with positive "start-up." We try to time our plow-down when the moon is full as well.
These are just some of the aspects of bio-dynamic farming and some primary ones we use here at Bluebird. They are not new methods by any means, most "old as dirt.” We are always aiming to involve more bio methods each year. We'll keep you updated in that realm. Meanwhile, our late, mild fall turned to rugged old man winter quite fast the week before solstice. Though parts East and West of here got most of the December snow, the Methow sure got the cold with -20 below the coldest here at the farm on Dec.20th. So far, we could use much more of winters' blanket on the fields, with barely a foot of very light snow to cover-up. The good news: The mountains are getting a bunch... And there is a lot of winter left!

Keep snug,
Farmer Sam

December Granary Tour Report
Bluebird hosted three granary tours in December, which proved to be a booming success for customer relations and Bluebird sales!  Each Saturday we had guests come from near and far for a tour of our grain processing & packaging operation.  We were reminded of how important it is to bring folks to our farm and explain the details of processing grain for the highest premium product.  We covered questions such as:  how is grain stored, how is emmer wheat de-hulled, what is the shelf life of milled wheat? Our budding baker in the family, Larkin (8) served Market Emmer-Hazelnut brownies and  fresh brewed (locally roasted) coffee was offered to thaw people out ( it was only -10 ˚C on the last Saturday!).  We hope to schedule tours in the near future so stay tuned if you would like to come up for a visit and throw a few questions down the hopper.

Booth Manager Needed for Seattle Farmer’s Market
Bluebird Grain Farms seeks reliable, individual in the Seattle area to staff one (possibly two) farmers market booths on Saturdays during the months of April-October.  Pay ranges from $12-16 per hr., depending on experience.  Great communication skills, dependability, awareness of Bluebird Grain products, and reliable transportation are essential.  Please call our office for information (509.996.3526) or e-mail brooke@bluebirdgrainfarms.com.

Keeping it Local: A Bluebird Grain Farms Retailer Profile
The Methow Valley’s hot spot for locally produced cuisine, Local 98856 has grown in its four years of existence from a small seasonal fruit and vegetable stand to one of the valley’s most popular eateries. Proprietor Tess Hoke’s original idea was simply to provide a place for locals and visitors to buy fresh, locally grown produce, but she quickly found that customers wanted not just to walk away with a bag of fruits, but to be fed. Suddenly the food side of Local 98856 blossomed and the restaurant soon became the hub of the local food movement. 

Before Bluebird Grains began wholesaling grains and flours in the valley, Local 98856 used flours from Tonasket in its baked goods. Once Tess connected with Bluebird, however, she began to use Bluebird flours exclusively in her breads and pastries. Today, Bluebird flours and whole grain emmer feature prominently in Tess’s menus and are the only source of grains utilized by Local 98856.

Tess says she’s grateful to Bluebird Grain Farms, not just providing her with fresh, local, organic grains and flours, but also for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to sustainable food systems. And with so many small farms in crisis, Bluebird’s success as a young family-run organic business is extraordinary. Tess Hoke, who grew up as a farm girl in Eastern Washington, is passionate about creating what she calls “a local food web of sustainable agriculture” that can be replicated in any community in America. Her concept is simple: reach into local agriculture, find nutritious and tasty foods, and create a menu that features these products.

Still, despite its apparent simplicity, implementing this concept is not without its snags. Recently, for example, the closure of the Methow Creamery forced Tess to begin purchasing milk products from California. This points to Local 98856’s biggest challenge: sourcing food locally in the quantities the eatery needs. The most striking example of this is beef dilemma. The Methow Valley has a preponderance of beef cows, but only meat that is USDA certified can be served in restaurants. To get USDA certification, valley ranchers have to take their beef to Moses Lake—a 300 mile trip—to get the meat approved and stamped. Without a USDA facility in the valley, the cost of producing USDA-certified meat rises above what most consumers are willing to pay for, say, a roast beef sandwich.

The role Local 98856 wants to play in finding solutions to sourcing food locally is to participate in the creation of local food systems. Driving to Moses Lake is not cost-effective solution; utilizing a local USDA facility is. Shipping milk from California is not sustainable; utilizing a local dairy is. While such solutions might be ambitious goals, Tess believes that by creating a consistent demand, local production will rise to meet it. Local 98856 is also beginning to produce more and more of its own ingredients. For years they have been serving their own fruits and vegetables; this year they raised a pig on their leftovers and served a glorious roast pork at a recent Farm to Table dinner. While Tess still needs to identify more sustainable local food sources, with vendors like Bluebird Grain Farms proving their reliability and popularity Local 98856 is leading the charge for innovative food programs.

You can learn more about Local 98856 at www.local98856.com.


Eating Well in the New Year
In the winter months when you can’t grow your own produce and the nights are colder and longer, a thoughtfully prepared meal can lift your mood. Here are some meal suggestions from our kitchen to yours:
•    Start your day with Whole Wheat Raisin Scones or Portage Bay Pancakes.
•    For lunch, serve hearty soups featuring Whole Grain Emmer Farro, such as Farro Soup with Squash Vines, Lemon, and Yogurt or Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup. Eat with our Classic Whole Wheat Loaf or Rye Bread with Yogurt and Caraway, using Bluebird’s freshly milled flours.
•    Your dinner guests will love Quick Emmer Risotto or Farro with Sausage and Apples. Then wow them with Lemon Ginger Sugar Cookies for a simple, light dessert.

We wish you health and good cheer in 2009~
Brooke and Sam Lucy