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Letter from a Farmer,
A member requested a letter about what makes a healthy compost pile. While your home-scale compost pile and a farm's compost pile are most likely quite different in ingredients and management, the goal of both is the same; use what many people would consider a waste product to create a material that increases the health and vitality of your soil.
On the farm our compost pile consists almost entirely of animal manures; cow, sheep, pig, and horse, along with straw and old hay we use as bedding in the animal barns. We make long windrows of the manure/straw mix and then cover the piles with a permeable cover to shed most of the rain water and protect the piles from drying out. Then we let the magic of the microbial world take over. Microbes begin breaking down the organic matter. This activity heats up the piles. The goal is to create enough heat that the weed seeds, pathogens that could affect our vegetable crops, and the odor causing organisms are destroyed. If your pile doesn't reach the desired temperature the manure is turned in order to bring in more air and allow the heating up process to happen again. Once the micro-organisms have broken down the activity of the easily degradable materials in the pile slows down. This leads to the cooling of the compost allowing beneficial fungi and bacteria to colonize followed by earthworms and other larger insects. At this point the compost has formed stable organic matter. Spreading this type of compost on the soil will help build organic matter and bring in important micro-organisms that bring life back to the soil.
In order to create a proper compost heap on the farm or in the back yard you need the right structure to allow for air to move into the composting material, the correct amount of moisture, and the right combination of raw materials to foster the micro-organisms that create the compost. The compost pile needs the correct balance between materials that are high in carbon (leaves, straw, wood chips, corn stalks) and nitrogen containing materials (we use our livestock manure at home; this would include fresh grass trimmings, scraps from your kitchen, manure from you pet chickens or rabbits). Don't put your dog or cat waste in the pile or any meat products.
When you start your heap at home you could use some hardware cloth wire bound together to make a large circle with a cover to shed rain or purchase a fancier version. First layer some of your food scraps followed by a layer of leaves or straw. When you add new food scraps bury them in the middle of the pile, this creates aeration and keeps pests from getting into your pile to eat the veggie and fruit scraps. It make take a while to get a large enough pile for the materials to hold heat. Once your pile is about 3 ft x 3ft x 3ft give it a good turning and stirring to aerate the pile. Then let it sit. This is the slow composting method which is less work but may not destroy the weed seeds so make sure not to put weeds with viable seeds in your pile. Then you need to check for proper moisture, neither too dry or too wet. If your pile starts to smell stir up the pile to add air and add more carbon-rich materials. Often people have a couple of piles, one that is maturing and one or two that you add new kitchen scraps and yard waste to. About eight weeks after the big turning & mixing your pile should begin to look like compost, crumbly and more like soil. It should have a pleasant smell. For more info on hot-pile composting and this slower method click here: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1784e/eb1784e.pdf
Compost creation is an amazing process driven by life forms so small we need a microscope to see them. We know they are there by watching a pile of rather smelly manure turn into a sweet smelling material that brings life to our soil. ~Jody
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A newly formed compost pile
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Creamy Carrot & Leek Soup
1 pound carrots
1 to 2 large leeks
1or 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (1 tsp. dried)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup springy white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
Salt and Pepper
Trim the carrots and chop them into rough 1/2 inch chunks. Trim the root-end off the leeks and cut the white section into quarters. Slice across into small 1/2 inch pieces. (Save the greens for homemade stock.)
Place the chopped leeks in a colander and rinse thoroughly--they are often sandy.
Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter, carrots, leeks and garlic and saute for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Then add the thyme, lemon zest, stock, wine, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir and cover again. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the soup looks murky and the carrots are soft.
Ladle the soup into a high-powered blender. (You might have to do this in two batches.) Place the lid on the blender and open the top vent for steam. Lay a dish towel over the top of the blender and hold firmly as you turn the blender on. Pressure from blending hot liquids can blow the top off and burn you, so be careful--open vent, cover with towel, hold tight! Puree until smooth. Then add the sour cream to the blender and puree again. Or use an immersion blender.
If you used a regular blender pour soup back into pot and gently warm before serving.
http://www.aspicyperspective.com/carrot-soup-recipe/
French "Peasant" Beets
4-6 Beets
1 bunch Swiss chard or collards or kale
3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
2 tablespoons white wine (Muscadet is my preference)
2 tablespoons water
0.5 lb soft cheese of your choice
Crusty peasant style bread (warmed in oven)
Scrub and peel the beets. Slice beets into 1/4 inch rounds.
Remove the ribs from the greens and coarsely chop and toss into bowl,
In a large sautee pan, melt butter. Sautee shallots.
Add beet rounds to the shallot butter mixture. Crack some pepper over the beets and a toss on a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and sautee beets, turning over to ensure even cooking.
About 15 minutes later when beets are begnning to glaze and become tender, add greens. Sautee for about 5 minutes, then add wine and cover. Cook until greens are wilted, adding water if necessary. Allow liquid to be mostly absorbed into greens, adjust seasonings.
Scoop greens and beets into a low shallow bowl. Garnish with a sizeable wedge of cheese and some crusty bread. Crack a little bit of pepper over the entire dish.
http://food52.com/recipes/3302-french-peasant-beets?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=f52-huffingtonpost
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Pigs on their deep bed of straw that will become part of our compost pile.
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COMING NEXT WEEK: sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, watermelon radish, kale, carrots, tomatoes, salad mix, onions, and broccoli or cabbage
FRUIT: apples
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Compost covered to protect from too much rain
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MEAT SHARE DELIVERIES:
CHICKEN SHARE - 4th chicken share will go out this week (Oct 20 - 23) and the final chicken share will be the week of Nov 17 - 20.
LAMB SHARE - The 1st lamb delivery will be next week (Oct 27 - 31).
PORK SHARE - You will receive the remainder of your Pork Share in one delivery - the week of Nov 3 - 6.
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VEGETABLE DELIVERIES
There will be deliveries every week in October.
In November, deliveries will be the week of Nov 3-6 and 17-20.
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BEEF AND CHICKEN AVAILABLE TO ORDER We have ground beef, steaks, and roasts available for ordering. Yundwell Pastured Poultry has chicken breasts, wings, thighs, backs, and drumsticks as well as whole chickens available for purchase. Go to www.roxburyfarm, Our Products and Meat Orders to place your order. We will email you when your order will be at your pickup site; there will be an invoice and then send payment to the farm.
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WINTER SHARES ARE AVAILABLE:
The winter share consists of three deliveries:
Dec 1 - 4, Jan 5 - 8, 2016, & Feb 2 - 5, 2016.
Each delivery includes a box of 30 lbs of storage vegetables:
potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, onions, parsnips, winter squash, and celeriac. The Winter Share costs $125 for members; please email the farm to make an order. You may also order more than 1 share.
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