Champaign, OH:  River

It’s coming on Christmas…
They’re cutting down trees…
They’re putting up reindeer…
And singing songs of joy and peace…
I wish I had a river…
I could skate away on…
(River-Joni Mitchell)

Hello, lovely local market of love customers! I couldn’t let the day continue without letting you all know that I love you, I miss you, and I am sending out crazy vibes of peace and joy to each of you!

This song is probably, to me, one of the most beautiful Christmas songs in my bag of songs and tricks.

I have had it on replay, all day, while I prepare for tonight’s and tomorrow’s festivities…going into the weekend that will spill over with some of my best friends, and then, finally, the arrival of my BFF from high school/college.

Joni’s voice puts me in a place of comfort, ease, and tranquility. And, she just fills me with love.

I just had to run out for last minute items to our local big box grocery. Ok, I needed to stock up on bottles of wine and champagne…sorry, I’m not sorry…it was important!

I knew I should have done it, yesterday. I knew the crowds would be crazy. They were, it was a madhouse, and then the lines were endless. But, all of a sudden, I kept hearing my name from all directions…friends, customers, all making sure to chat, give me a hug, ask me about my new plans that are about to happen with Cosmic Charlie. We all laughed at our last minute purchases. Then, a girl was behind me in line. We both continued to load bottles of bubbly up. We looked at each other, laughed, chatted, exchanged funny quips about getting the crowd tipsy at both of our houses, exchanged compliments on both of our outfits, my hair, her coat…then she looked at me and said…Why have we never met, before? We are the same person, the same spirit. We laughed a bit more…and then, just like that, I was out the door with a quick goodbye.

My point to this is that you never know when kindness or laughter or love will help a situation, make a new friend, or at least make their day a bit brighter. Not only now, in this magical season of love, but everyday!

It’s Christmas Eve…I am sending you all my heart, my soul, and my hopes that you are all spending this holiday surrounded by and giving love…raise a cup of Christmas cheer…love is what makes the world go round.

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Old99Farm Market:  Xmas Week, Old 99 Farm

A quick note to remind and state the obvious, will not be open for pickup on Thurs tomorrow. But will be on Saturday 4 to 6pm, for your usual orders. Special arrangements can be made.

Here’s our Year in Review at the Farm.

Old 99 Year in Review.

A friend sent me her 2014 yearly letter with a xmas card and it made me decide to do one too.
The mindmap brainstorm Cami and I did over breakfast yielded these categores: visitors and interns, health and personal, new plantings, rootcellar, kitchen projects, critters and the major building projects.

New plantings
The obvious addition is a polyculture garden beside the new in 2013 farm store planted over several months, mainly by most helpful intern, Janine S. It now has fruit trees, blackberries and raspberries, (watered by swales moving rainwater from the store roof ); currants and kiwis, in addition to the peach, and nut trees already there. We got most of the tree cribs in the 10 paddocks planted and mulched, finishing the work that started in 2013 with the French visitors. Tree cribs,will keep the cows away from about 60 saplings for the next 10 years, while them mature. We planted lots of garlic and squash on ‘Berry Hill’ which early in the year attracted in succession, geese, chickens, sheep and cows to nibble. Still got a crop! Both greenhouses were in use all year, as poultry coop, lambing shed, winter greens, summer tomatoes, and now carrots and greens.

Visitors and Interns
Unlike 2013 when we had about 15 young people come stay with us for weeks at a time, we only had three visitors this year and our intern, Janine S from Ancaster. Thanks to these people a lot of projects advanced faster than they would have. I have many fond memories. We put 800 bales of hay and straw in the barn with help of Old99 customers and friends, mostly women I might add! Friends came from Toronto, and some family help all the way from the UK, thanks Carsons! Michael L from Germany stayed for two months and ran the farm with Cami while I went to a week long permaculture teacher training. Mike could handle milking four cows by hand all alone after a month’s practice. Nicolas from Toulouse stayed for two weeks this very month, helping with chores and harvest.

Kitchen projects.
Cami loves to cook as many of you well know. In fact the feedback in the guestbook from visitors says it best. This year she started making conserves, fermented vegetables and jellies for home and sale in the store. Not so much got canned this year, as the fruit crop was insignificant, but we do enjoy her whey fermented pickles. We got the new rootcellar stocked with bushels (that’s 35L = 1 bu) of carrots, celeriac, beets, potatoes, leek and onions, and squashes of various sorts.

Health and personal
I’ve been putting up with a sore back for years now, but his year it came to a crunch and I went to see various practitioners for relief. Good I did, because an x-ray showed a pinched nerve in the lumbar region which could only get worse.
Cami was ‘stampeded’ by a few sheep last April when we were putting the new lambs out to pasture, knocking her off her feet and breaking a bone or two in her leg, It seems minor at the time, but she was off work for two months and still in a foot cast in July.

Critters
The population swells to about 450 mouths to feed at mid summer. We had 17 lambs, 6 calves, 6 Maremma pups, numerous chickens, ducks and geese all born here. Three piglets had a good life for 6 months before butchering day. I helped a local young farmer get started with her herd of heritage Lynch Lineback cattle, which is gratifying because there are only about 30 known females alive.
The chickens did well pasturing without fences under the guard of the Maremmas, Rama and Sheba and 150 ended up in various ovens, as well as 50 stewing hens and roosters.

Building projects.
The big one this year was a wonderful arched cover over the barnyard for the cows in winter. My friend, Robert vanZanten, a Vineland, market gardener, greenhouse erector and craftsman, designed a unique solution in time for the fall bad weather.
The Hobbit house, a greenhouse built into the side of a hill facing south is now equipped with an underground heating and cooling system, passive sola,r and will soon become the site for growing woody plants, and perennials, as well as a sauna!

Cami and I are enjoying as much time together as we can manage, with her school teaching in Mississauga and my being ‘harnessed with a saddle’ as Robert Lynch likes to say about milking cows. We enjoy the life, believe in the future of local self-reliant homesteading and look forward to more years of doing permaculture here at Old 99. Come by and visit when you can.

Palouse Grown Market:  Restoring and Reconnecting in 2015

Warm greetings to the Farmers, Producers, Artisans, Ranchers, Crafters, Eaters and local-product Consumers of the Palouse region!

My name is Holly, I am on a mission to Restore and Reconnect Palouse Grown Market to our community and region.
(Thank you to the Sutherland Family for originating this wonderful market!)

Palouse Grown Market’s purpose is to create an online marketplace of locally grown/created items, services and products and make them readily and easily available for purchase.
You can make a profile as a “grower” (a.k.a. seller) and display, market and sell your items, or you can be a “member” (a.k.a buyer) and build a shopping cart full of locally grown/produced items, or, both!

Palouse Grown Market is here for the community to showcase the amazing wealth of local Palouse goodness!

More information will be sprouting up as the cultivation process continues….

ALFN Local Food Club:  Merry Market Reminder!

Although many of our farmers are taking a well deserved break this week, there’s still plenty of great stuff to be had! Whether your post-feast plans include a quick juice cleanse or a complete pantry overhaul, we have all the fresh leafy greens and frozen fruit you need to start 2015 off right. So take a few minutes to place your order before The Market closes. Your future self will thank you.

-Rebecca Wild
Program Manager

Do you have questions or comments about this, or any, weblog? Thoughts on local food, goods, or events? Reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!

South Cumberland Farmer's Market:  All Growers Are Checked In ! !

… So if you want to come over to the market early and avoid even more rain, we’re ready for you!!

South Cumberland Farmer's Market:  All Growers Are Checked In ! !

… So if you want to come over to the market early and avoid even more rain, we’re ready for you!!

United States Virgin Islands:  Watermelons, beans, and greens! Holiday hours 3-5pm

Dear VI Locally Grown members,

We have a large selection of crops and crafted items available for tomorrow’s market! Order your items now for those last minute meal additions and gifts, handcrafted and grown organically and with plenty of love from St. Croix to you!

Market ordering closes tonight at 7pm, thanks for supporting your local farmers and craft producers!

Please note: Holiday market pick up hours tomorrow at Little La Grange are from 3-5pm!

Happy Holidays from VI Locally Grown

Cape Locally Grown:  Christmas Time!

Florida Suncoast Locally Grown:  market will be closed until friday the 26th of dec.

hi everyone;)

the online market will be closed until dec. 26th. in which it will be back on that Friday a.m. happy holidays and be safe everyone. and thank you to everyone that has supported the market and local farmers!

Cross Timbers Food Cooperative:  CTFC Market Open for January 3 Pick-up

Hey, folks—

Ordering for the first January delivery is OPEN.

Orders can be placed through Sunday, December 28.

Pickup is from 1:30 – 2:30 PM on Saturday, January 3.

The delivery schedule for the rest of 2015 will be posted in January.

Enjoy,
Wylie
for Cross Timbers Food Cooperative