Creative Outlet Farm

Winter

2012-01-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

Winter months may seem quiet around a farm, but plenty is happening. It's decision time. What was learned from the prior season always plays into the choices for the coming season. Catalogues arrive with enticing pictures and mouth watering descriptions. What to choose?

It may be surprising to learn that some seeds are already germinating, protected in a greenhouse from winter's cold. Soon they will become the first transplants of the year.

Spring. It's coming.

October Produce

2011-10-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Nardello Peppers

Purple Peppers

Jalapeno Peppers

Leeks

Yukon Gold potatoes

Red Onions

Yellow Onions

Red Celery

Organic Eggs

Produce NOW available!

2011-07-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

Pickling cucumbers medium to large size (4.5+lbs)

Sweet cucumbers

Rainbow Chard

Sweet or Purple Basil

Zucchini - Yellow straight neck

Zucchini - Green striped

Yellow Patty Pan summer squash

Round green summer squash

Mojito Mint

Small salad tomatoes (very limited)

and

EGGS - Pastured certified organic chicken eggs

To place your order please email for next day pickup Monday through Saturday!

The PLANNING stage...

2011-01-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's rolled around again, the time to choose what's on your table for the coming year! For your backyard food production, choose varieties for our Pacific NW maritime climate. Your time is well spent when the odds are in your favor!

Be creative & interplant your sunny landscaping with edibles, but don't fall into the trap of planting everything at once - you can't eat it that fast! Should you find too much food ready-to-eat that your family just can't get to, please donate to your local food bank.

Check your local big-box stores for early sales on seed packets, or order soon on-line before your favorites are sold out. If seeds are not your thing check the early Farmers Markets for veggie transplants, and don't forget the herbs!

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Grow organic!

Make your own plastic tote bag!

2010-11-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a great way to reuse plastic bags - be creative and give as gifts!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf7alw4RN5c

12th Annual Tour of Clark County Farms!

2010-09-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Please visit us during the 12th annual Harvest Celebration farm tour on September 18th! We are very excited to be a part of the tour this year and visit with folks interested in organically grown food.

Come & see for yourself how a small 5 acre farm differs from 'the big guys.' Visit with us and stay for a little chat about the importance of beneficial insects in organic farming and why NOT to spray, or learn a few ideas about growing winter veggies in your own backyard.

Visit http://clark.wsu.edu/ for a map & more information. See you on the 18th!

Slowly turning

2010-07-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Awesome heirloom tomatoes are fun to grow! I'm hoping to surpass 2008's weigh-in of 2.4 lbs. One slice fills a sandwich and these are very tasty tomatoes!

WSDA Certified Organic

2010-05-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to announce that Creative Outlet Farm is now Certified Organic through WSDA!

Although our growing practices have always been natural, we felt our customers would like the added assurance of knowing we have been inspected & approved as an organic producer. Our CSA members are invited to tour the farm on pick-up days.

Summer will be here soon!

Food Inc. to show on OPB

2010-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

As you may already know, the best documentary movie category included the nomination of FOOD INC. for an Academy award.

Is ignorance bliss? An opportunity awaits.

Watch on OPB April 21st at 9pm.

The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating - NY Times

2010-02-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Reviewing links in my browser Favorites list I stumbled upon this gem. Okay, it's an older article, but worth the brief read..
The New York Times: The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

The 'informed eater' list

2010-02-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Please forward articles, book titles, movies, lectures, events, research, etc. about food production methods and the possible corresponding effects on health in our society. I will post them on this website (with links if available) as a small resource in an attempt to assist consumers in asking questions about the food we consume. This is a heated topic for many.

Where does education begin? With you. The more I learn, the more I want to know. Please share.

The 'informed eater' list (a small start)
Top 10 Reasons to Label Genetically Engineered Foods The Huffington Post
Michael Pollan
Food Inc.
Sustainable Table
Meet the CSA Farmers event 2/17/10
http://www.appetiteforprofit.com/
http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/
http://www.eatwellguide.com/
http://www.eatwild.com/
http://www.foodroutes.org/
http://www.localharvest.com/
http://www.westonaprice.org/
Ingredients, the movie (short clip here)
Seeds Of Life: Hybrids and the Emergence of Seed Monopolies

Links are limited. Please use your browser to search for related information.

TomatoFest.com

2010-02-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

In a recent email transaction with Dagma Lacey of TomatoFest, I was pleased by the quote displayed at the bottom of her email, "Every Seed A Possibility." Thank you Dagma for the thought of the day (and the awesome selection of tomato varieties!).

Speechless?

2009-12-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

Are you speechless about our nation's food system? Let's back up and ask, what is the awareness level of our nation's food system? Sure, a farmer farms, brokers buy, stores and restaurants stock up, and folks buy food. That's how it works, right? Does your mother-father-sister-brother-neighbor understand exactly what their food went through to be on their plate?

Typical store/restaurant food: Sunshine+soil+water+seeds+fertilizer+pesticides+herbicides+labor+shipping+exposure to the public = your food.

Let's try again.
Food: Sunshine+soil+water+seeds+compost+companion planting+native predator bugs+labor+you = your food.

A farmer farms: Where? Your county? State? Country? Continent?
Brokers buy: From where? How does the food get here? How is the food stored until delivery?
Stores & restaurants stock up: The food is only as good as when it was received by a 3rd party. Then they too handle it and expose it to the public and who knows what else, really.
Folks buy food: Let's just visit the grocery store produce aisle. Good height displays are easy to reach for you, your neighbor, your neighborhood, your neighborhood's children, ah choo! Okay, point made.

Our nation's food system works. What? It does make food available through distribution systems and we often choose to purchase through that system. Choose. That's the key word. I choose to be part of raising the awareness level surrounding our nation's food system. A wonderful dinner topic: From germination to plate, the journey of food to your table. If only the food could speak.

More new additions!

2009-05-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

These two lovely hoop houses were completed spring '09 and are warm & humid! Adding them will extend our growing season for tomatoes, peppers & other yummy veggies. Lovely I say? Yes!

New additions!

2009-03-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to have babies! In this case a total of six baby Araucana chicks. You can see the yet-unhatched eggs (now hatched) under mom. Their foster mom is a Black Sex Link hen, and a very good mom she is!

Beetles & Pollinators; unsung hard workers

2009-03-06T23:01:00.000-08:00

The 9th Annual OSU Extension Small Farms Conference was held in Corvallis on February 21st. One of the sessions made bugs our new Hollywood stars. Just lay out the right carpet and the spotlight shines to attract them, and keep them! The spotlights, as insectaries, are wonderful additions to farms and home gardens as well. When we plant to attract predatory bugs we are building sanctuaries for them to feed, breed, and stay. Increasing our populations of the ‘good’ bugs helps to keep down the populations of ‘bad’ bugs, and we can design their homes to look good too.
Don’t think of flowers as just something you enjoy. Flowers can work for you too! Plant a few to attract some helpful insects in blocks of 6-12 each. Look for these on our farm this year: Sunflowers, marigolds, calendula, borage and others.
Have you heard of Beetle banking? Here’s a great article with comments from some of the speakers I sat in with at the Small Farms Conference: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=390&storyType=news. Beetles love grasses to over-winter in. Native bunch grasses actually. Predacious ground beetles eat a buffet of bugs that like to eat your vegetables. Ewww. We’re planning our strategy for a few Hollywood spotlights of our own.

More info:
http://www.beetlebank.org/
http://www.ipmnet.org/

What is Certified Naturally Grown (CNG)?

2009-01-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

Farmers commit to the following practices:
· Absolutely no use of synthetic chemical insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers on our crops
· Minimal and careful use of even Organically approved soil amendments and sprays
· Care for our soil, water and air quality with crop rotations, cover crops, protective buffer strips and ecologically sustainable farming practices
· No use of chemically treated or Genetically Modified seeds
· Humane treatment of livestock including the use of no hormones or antibiotic-laced feed and consistent access to pasture
· Adherence to sanitary post-harvest practices including proper transport, storage and the use of only potable water for the washing of produce
· A commitment to pass on the land and surrounding environment in an even better condition than it was passed on to us

For additional information, please visit http://www.naturallygrown.org/

Happy New Year! It's Seed Catalogue season!

2009-01-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

You know how it works. If at any point in time you have EVER purchased anything from mail order, you receive their catalogue forever! I try to tell them I shop online, some listen & save the paper & postage. Here are some I received anyway and my shopping is almost complete. Any requests you would like to add?

Outdoor Camp

2008-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

Dirt. That's what I said. I called it dirt. Way back when (I'm kinda old) at elementary school outdoor camp, I said my hand was full of dirt. My patient teacher sternly told me it was not dirt, but soil. S-O-I-L! He was right of course. Healthy soil grows nutritious food for our table. Any little plot of earth with healthy soil and sunshine can put food on your table. I love to grow stuff. It's just me. I'm excited to watch the seeds sprout- leaves spread- plants stretch for the sun. I'm hopelessly addicted! Life is good when you love what you do! It all starts with the, um, soil. Right.

2008-09-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

A trip to the market with a few extra veggies on a beautiful summer day.

Baskets starting in back, left to right:
Green zucchini, Golden zucchini, Spaghetti squash, Scallopini squash, cucumber, Corno Di Toro peppers, Washington Cherry tomato, Ildi tomato and more Washington Cherry - Yum!

Oh my! Surplus is available!

2008-08-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Royal Burgundy and Golden Wax beans have loved our weather- consequently, surplus is available. If you have the time to do some home canning . . .

Update: Items donated!

The GOOD stuff

2008-07-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

Here we go! Wading through spring's lettuce, pac choi & pea pod barrage we are finally at the doorstep of 'the good stuff!" Zucchini varieties are popping out and purple beans are coming on- Cucumbers are making an appearance and swelling and carrots are showing a top with color. Green tomato marbles will need a couple weeks yet as will the pepper buttons. Not to worry - Strawberries will dribble along for another week or two.

Battle Ground Farmers Market 2008

2008-07-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

We are scheduled to be at the Battle Ground Farmers Market on:

July 26, 2008
August 02, 2008
August 16, 2008
August 30, 2008
September 06, 2008
September 13, 2008
October 04, 2008
October 18, 2008 (last day for the 2008 BGFM season) due to early frost, we will not be participating

We will only be there if we have surplus veggies to add to our available flowers & eggs. Please call if you can't find us and would like eggs or a huge dahlia bouguet!

Share distribution

2008-06-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

Distribution will begin:

June 7th for pick up at the Battle Ground Farmers Market
June 10th for pick up at the farm, and
June 11th for deliveries & all other sites

For 2008 Shareholders:

2008-05-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

The weather has been a hot topic lately! Record snow or record heat, the produce isn’t very happy about either one. We may not see our first share available until June. While we wait for the vegetables to catch up I want to keep you informed how things are coming along.

Fortunately, many veggies were started in the greenhouse and are beautiful healthy plants. Several of the squash and cucumber varieties have flowers already. The strawberries are doing great and have many blossoms for first year plants. We may all enjoy a few, we’ll see. I did not list as offered this year, but want you to be aware that we also put in raspberry plants- 250 of them. A few of the ever bearing variety have blossoms and we’ll see if there will be enough in this, their first year, for a taste.

Don't forget, we will have Dahlias and Roses available also!

Packaging preferences

2008-03-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Some answers about produce packaging: I prefer to package each product variety in separate containers and place all of them into one (or more) large container(s) for transport. Container options abound, so here are some thoughts:

Recyclable bags are a wonderful option for picking up your produce. Cotton drawstring bags, fabric shopping bags, plastics made from recycled materials, biodegradable products, and standard plastics are all fairly easy to find.

I have plastic produce bags made by Crown Poly who state they are environmentally friendly. On their website they also state, “Crown Poly Inc. has been environmentally proactive with our business practices by supporting source reduction, the Environmental Protection Agency’s #1 method of waste management.” http://www.crownpoly.com/ They are also EPR accredited. These are the bags I will use to individually package your produce. All items are then placed in a paper bag(s) I provide, or bag(s) you provide.

Evert Fresh reusable bags are $10.00 for 20 bags at http://www.evertfresh.com/, plus shipping. An alternative is available at Wild Oats. It looks like an egg and you place it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. These products will keep your produce fresh longer than regular plastic bags.

Choose what's right for you.

What's growing?

2008-03-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Local and naturally grown!

Here is a sampling from our farm in 2008:

arugula
beans
broccoli
cantaloupe
carrots
chard
corn
cucumbers

eggplant

herbs - Basil; Sweet, Lemon & Thai

herbs - Cilantro
herbs - Dill
herbs - Epazote
herbs - Thyme

herbs - Rosemary
kale

kohlrabi
lettuces

onions
pac choi (baby)
pac choi (standard)
peas - Sugar pod
peppers hot
peppers sweet
pumpkins - Mini
radishes
spinach
summer squash- Scallopini, gold & green zucchini
winter squash - Butternut, Golden Scallopini, Spaghetti, Sugar Dumpling
tomatoes
15 varieties including:
cherry, reds, yellows, black & heirloom

OTHER AVAILABLE ITEMS

FRESH CUT FLOWER SHARES

Dahlias and Roses

$75.00 ~ Mid-June to first frost
Main content of weekly bouquet our choice

FRESH EGGS from our organically fed hens

$4.25 per dz (non-share price)

Battle Ground Farmers' Market

2008-03-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

Schedule and Location:

Open from April 12th-October 18th
Saturday 9:00-3:00

We will be there in June!

The Market will be moving this summer!
Opening at SE 2nd and East Main in Old Town Battle Ground, the Market will move June 7th to our permanent location at the Battle Ground Village courtyard on Grace and Rasmussen in East Battle Ground.