Bluebird Grain Farms - July 2009

sam with new grainA Note from the Farmer 
There’s little sweeter than June rain for a grain grower and although we haven’t had the wettest June ever, we’ve certainly had some timely showers and night rains that have eased our need for supplemental water and made for “good air.”    June has remained fairly cool with no blistering heat, and grains—being “cool season grasses”—are grooving.  Thank you,  Mother!
We’re at our peak of growing degree days and the plants that were 2-3 inches tall at the beginning of the month are now 16” or more and in another month will be three feet, filled out (heavily we hope), and finished growing altogether   Even after several years at this, it still amazes me how fast the full cycle of our grains is completed.
We’ve fed our second year grain fields with an ocean mineral-based foliar feed; we may spray another treatment at plant boot stage if tissue tests warrant such.  Rains, or lack of, will dictate our irrigation schedule which will continue until the plants are done filling out by mid-July.  Other than these two things, we can’t really do much except hope and watch the workings of nature.  And as my youngest daughter Mariah says” Mother Nature doesn’t make any bad choices – does she!”
In another month we’ll know more the truth of this year’s crop both in volume and, more importantly, in quality.  As this letter goes out, the signs of a solid crop are certainly prevalent.  Meanwhile, we continue to be quite busy here at the granary – thanks as always, to many of you.  And we hope your summer is starting out well and that most of you plan some sort of summer activity to celebrate our whopping two months of summer here in the north country.  Wet a line, take a mountain trail hike, plunge into summer’s refreshing waters and continue to eat well! 

Very Best,

Farmer Sam

sam being interviewed by MSN Healthy LivingBluebird News: New Web Site & Store, Film
Bluebird has just launched our new web site and online store! Our new site offers full nutritional profiles on all of our products, a testimonial page, more in depth information about our farm and our practices. It also allows wholesalers to request information.
You also can now order our new product—Potlatch Pilaf, a blend of split farro and wild rice—online. We hope that online ordering will be a more intuitive and smoother process. If you are a returning customer you may find that you have to re-enter all of your contact information; we apologize for this hassle.
Our site is 100% safe and secure and we hope that you will find it useful. Let us know what you think!

MSN Films Bluebird for healthy living site
MSN in partnership with Kashi interviewed and filmed Bluebird Grain Farms for a two-minute video clip that will be featured on Kashi's healthy living website:
http://healthyliving.msn.com/.  Stay tuned for when the video will be live!

Customer Profile: Eric Zytowski & Val Stouffer, Methow Dog
Imagine a cookie baked with cookie baked with all-natural peanut butter, fresh organic carrots and parsley, organic barley flour and oatmeal, millet, and a touch of blackstrap molasses.  Sound like just the perfect energy bar to power you up a peak or fuel your road ride? Then imagine taking this hearty nugget of wholesome yumminess….and feeding it to your dog.
methow dog logoThat’s precisely what Eric Zytowski and Val Stouffer of Methow Dog want you to do with their line of healthy dog treats.
Inspired by a commitment to the health of their canine companions—retired racing greyhounds Aurelia, Ducati (Duke), and Larry—and discouraged by the dyes and unhealthy or artificial ingredients in many commercial dog food products, Val and Eric set about producing their own high-quality, all-natural dog treats. Eric’s background in retail sales and customer service coupled with Val’s marketing experience enabled the couple to expand into a business centered around creating an appealing product that they could hold to their own high standards. Val bakes the treats herself, in a commercial kitchen in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood; she also tastes every batch.
Although feeding pets with organic ingredients may seem over-the-top to some, Eric responds “Love for your pets knows almost no bounds. We choose organic products because people want to know that the food they choose for their pets is safe, pure, and sourced from reliable producers.” Eric and Val want to feed their dogs as respected members of the family and they believe that other pet lovers do too. Consequently, they source their ingredients through organic growers and producers in the Northwest, most recently Bluebird Grain Farms. These partnerships reflect Methow Dog’s commitment to fresh, high-quality products and sustainable production and they result in slightly sweet and savory dog treats that not only support canine health, but also small local agriculture.
val and eric of methow dogMethow Dog’s product list is succinct, but with offerings as delectable as Peanut Butter Carrot Kisses, Pumpkin Oatmeal Dream Bones, and Peanut Butter Liver Brownies your dog’s decadent desires can be met easily—and nutritiously, to boot. The products contain no corn, soy, or wheat (all of which can cause allergies in pets); they’re also free from dyes, chemicals, and artificial ingredients.
Methow Dog’s latest product, slated for release this fall, features Bluebird Grain Farms rye flour. The yet-unnamed product (all of Methow Dog’s doggie treats are named after canines and since Aurelia and Duke already have product namesakes, this time it’s Larry’s turn) is a Bluebird rye flour base, with Methow Valley honey and cherries as well as spelt and sweet potato. Is your mouth watering yet?
Methow Dog promises products that are “Lab(rador) tested and Hound approved.” And unlike most other pet snacks on the market, they’re all made with human food ingredients. They’re so much like real food that they’re, well, real food! So nibble on the doggie treats all you want, but please--save some for your pooch!
Methow Dog products can be found at these locations.

herbs summer farro saladRecipe of the Month: Farro Salad Dressed Up in Fresh Herbs Summer cuisine calls for fresh, colorful salads and this farro blend offers a host of options. The tender whole grain farro retains its texture and consistency as serves as a hearty vehicle for fresh herbs and spices. It also lends itself to culinary embellishments, flavorfully complemented by extras such as golden raisins or dried cherries, pine nuts or pecans, shelled peas, or steamed beets.
This farro salad is equally delectable as a side dish complementing a chicken or pork BBQ, or as a stand-alone offering in a dinner salad buffet. And with six grams of protein in each serving of farro, farro salad can add a nutritional dimension not usually available in salads.  Or add chunks of chicken or sausage and call it an entrée!

Thank you again for all your support,
Brooke & Sam Lucy