Hi Friends & Farm-ily,
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Well, we’ve loaded up the ark and are ready to set sail! Just kidding.. (kind of) but the flood is back! After 7+ inches of rain in the valley last week the rushing rivers are cresting as we speak. El nino certainly has had other plans for us this season compared to last year. Last year it was sunny and 70 and we were able to get in our strawberry and onion plantings. This year, we’re waiting out the rains and testing our patience, as these two farmers are ready to go! Our first plantings of chard, kale, broccoli, beets, lettuce etc are all ready to get in the ground too. The 10-day looks promising as the rains begin to taper off. We’re gonna need a week of sunshine to dry out the soggy fields before we can plant. We’re keeping a close eye on things though for any opportunity we might get! We’re ready to get our hands dirty. #dirtyhandscleanhearts
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It’s crazy to think that we have just a month left of harvest for our first ever Winter CSA. Crazy! The Winter CSA has been a blast and we are so excited to reflect on the successes and to do even better next season. In just 4 months time we’ll be planting for winter harvest. Time sure is a funny thing on the farm.
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Some excellent news! Remember when we asked you guys for a little good luck a few months back? Well, we have some good news: we received the funding through the NRSC’s High Tunnel Initiative and will be putting up a few new high tunnels this Spring and Summer!!! WHOO HOOO! This will allow us to grow even more through the winter months under covered space which is coveted on the farm. Having any bit of insurance when you’re working with nature, the elements and everything in between really helps to mitigate risk. Exciting times!
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New Nitrate Free Products & Winter Pork Sale! We are excited to share that the WHF Farmstore is fully stocked with new nitrite and sugar free items (bacon, fresh sausages, canadian bacon, hams etc), an amazing Winter Pork Sale & individual cuts for purchase!
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We are thrilled to announce that we are working with a new USDA certified processor who is also a lady farmer and has been selling custom cuts at the Beaverton Farmers market for the past 16 years. Her and her husband have built a beautiful new facility and proudly provide a completely allergen free environment (for those concerned about peanut, gluten and dairy allergies). Between their knowledge of providing the finest uncured/no nitrate added options and our unbelievable heritage pork we couldn’t be more excited to offer these new products to you. –
Visit our online WHF Farmstore here: WHF Farmstore
As you all know, our pigs live a wonderful completely stress free life and are raised in the sunshine on pasture. They are fed a supplemental diet of certified organic/non-gmo grain that is grown locally by farmers in the NW and vegetables from our organic garden. And as they are raised on pasture they have more heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids and are higher in conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that’s thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks. As with all of our livestock our animals are raised without use of antibiotics or hormones.
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Know your farmers, know your food! The Spring, Summer and Fall CSA is drawing near and we have a few shares left for the 2016 CSA season! We are really excited and are waiting patiently for the CSA to fill up this year… help us get there by spreading the good word because it makes all the difference. As a farm-ily member once said, “keep your friends close and you farmers closer.”
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3 Steps to Signing Up:
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1 Read all about the 2016 CSA season
2 Fill out the CSA Sign Up Form & Member Agreement
3 Mail or drop off a Check or Make a Payment Online to reserve your share
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We can’t wait for the 2016 growing season to start! Thank you to all of our amazing CSA members both new and old who have signed up for the 2016 Spring and Summer CSA season! Reminder: First CSA payments are due by April 1st!!
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So send some dry and sunny wishes our way… as we are eager to get our hands dirty. Thankfully there are always things to do on the farm so we will be keeping plenty busy in the mean time.
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With kind regards,
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your farmers
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Jess & Brian
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dirty hands, clean hearts
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working hands farm 
