Bluebird Grain Farms - May 2009


NUtritious soilA Note from the Farmer 
  For an April that began with the customary April Fools snowstorm, we’ve since had as nice of a spring weather-wise I can recall here in the Methow.  From snow and cold to bluebells and blooming balsamroot in just 3 weeks!  Yes, many of us in the valley feel we’ve earned it after the cold, icy winter but most importantly for us at Bluebird, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot in the fields.

Thanks in large to the good help of my “support group” (i.e., right hand man Brian and visiting cousin Frank), we’ve taken and analyzed soil samples from most every field; we’ve cultivated 2nd year grain fields; disced up the rest and by the time this letter goes to press, we should be finished plowing and close to schedule for planting during the ideal window of the 2nd and 3rd weeks in May.

I’ve been very encouraged with our new lease on the Moccasin Lake Ranch where we’re taking out about 70 acres of alfalfa for our grains.  I’ve been noticing lots of earthworms (those wageless workers) as I plow and I know my late friend Ron, who had the lease up until his death last fall, kept the soil in as good shape as anyone through a solid crop rotation and farm practices.  We are fortunate indeed to be taking on this ground in its current state and will do our best, as with our other fields, to keep the soils balanced and as productive as we can.

Plow and fieldTwo-thirds of our crop will again be emmer this spring.  The rest of our planting will be made up of rye, our hard red spring wheat and a new (since 4 years ago) crop of a hard white spring wheat, which we hope will be popular with our bread bakers.  As well, we’ll have about 50 acres of plow-down peas in for a total crop of roughly 170 acres.
Will we begin to get some timely moisture in May?  Stay tuned.  Meanwhile, I hope this finds all of you healthy and enjoying the warm spring days as much as our daughters Mariah and Larkin are!

Best to all, Farmer Sam

Vendor Profile: Brooks Dimmick, Community Food Co-Op in Bellingham
When Brooks Dimmick, the bulk food buyer for Bellingham’s Community Food Co-Op, thinks about sourcing food, he looks for products his customers can feel good about. These days, that often means local and regional foods that are nutritious as well as tasty. It also means foods that are produced in a manner that is sustainable for and respectful of the land and the people who work it.

community food coop logoBrooks spent a long time in the upper Midwest, working in a research position in the University of Minnesota’s landscape arboretum in the Twin Cities area. When he moved to the Bellingham area, he looked for a position in his field of research agriculture and horticulture, but couldn’t find a match. So he found a job at the Community Food Co-Op (CFC) in an entry level position and seven years (and several promotions) later, still loves working there.

Now, as the bulk food buyer, Brooks is responsible for sourcing and purchasing bulk foods for the CFC’s two stores. He discovered Bluebird Grains Farm while seeking a source of emmer/farro, which many customers started requesting several years ago. Upon sampling some of Bluebird’s products, Brooks was impressed with the quality of the grains. All the Bluebird grains are simply wonderful, he says, but he is particularly fond of the hard red and soft white wheat.

In the past 10 years Brooks has noticed some key changes in the way consumers think about food. “Ten years ago,” he says, “many people hadn’t heard of organic foods. Now they’re demanding them.” Customers are more respectful of fair trade practices, too, he says, particularly in their coffee purchases. As a result, the CFC sells only organic, fair trade coffee. Consumers are also looking for connections to local food systems, Brooks notes, so the CFC promotes and supports this, buying local or regional products as much as possible. Brooks likes supporting WA agriculture even though it’s not always the most convenient way to purchase. In particular, he finds that Bluebird Grains Farm’s mission and values are consistent with his own beliefs, as well as the CFC’s mission, and that makes a sound vendor-buyer-consumer relationship.
Emmer Polenta Puttanesca
Recipe of the Month: Emmer Polenta Puttanesca 
Emmer Polenta Puttanesca is a nutritious twist on the popular pasta puttanesca—a tomato sauce with origins in the Campania region of southern Italy. Legends about the source of the puttanesca’s saucy name abound, but all agree that the sauce was a specialty for those who needed to prepare a meal quickly from odds and ends from the pantry.

Olives, anchovies, garlic, and capers blend into a fragrant sauce that is just salty and spicy enough without being overwhelming. In Bluebird’s version of the dish, full-bodied emmer polenta serves as a balanced base for the tangy Mediterranean flavors of the puttanesca sauce.

The polenta can be prepared two ways: encrusted with parmesan or soft and creamy. Serve with a green salad or roasted root vegetables for a colorful and nourishing spring meal.

Seattle Farmers Market Update
On the weekend of April 25th and 26th we kicked off the beginning of our Seattle Farmers Market Season.  Our new Market Manager, Hannah Viano, quickly picked up the tricks of the trade.  We are excited to have her representing us.  The most common questions our customers asked us were“what is Emmer?” and “where are you located?"   It was great to see so many repeat customers, particularly chefs!  We were happy to see Seth Caswell of Emmer and Rye, Larkin Young of Tilth Restaurant, and Ryan Tateishi of Canlis,  to name a few.

One of my favorite moments at the U-District Market was when a clutch of seven women in their mid-thirties came bounding across the market aisle giggling and exclaiming  loudly  “you're back”, “we are so excited to see you”, and “your stuff is so awesome."  They not only purchased a lot of products, but their nice comments and affirmations prompted several other purchases from passer-bys.  Ladies, it’s good to be loved!   We will be at U-District Market and Ballard Market every Saturday and Sunday. Stop in for a visit.

Thank you again for all your support and Happy May Day,
Brooke & Sam Lucy