In This Edition

Basecamp Waffles

Customer Profile: Northcasecades Basecamp

Bluebird Days help us complete harvest

End of Regular Seattle Market Schedule

Visits from Seattle-based Chefs

Notes from a Farmer

By the hair of our chinny, chin, chin.  Finally a full week of sunshine and clear skies, to remind us that yes, indeed, September can be a month of beauty.
Mother Nature made us wait pretty much month-long but good things take time and this certainly can be the case working with the mighty MN.  From spring planting until harvest, never have I fretted as much as this year as MN really had some real concerns to air season long, beginning with the longest, wettest, coldest spring.  A mild and pleasant not-too-hot June was then followed by a beautiful July until the very last day when MN started her fits of violence in thunderstorms and some hail.  Then a cool and wet September that gave us tiny harvest windows.  Amazingly, however, we have our biggest crop ever!
The overall quality of the grain is quite good and the yields exceeded hopes by 15-20%.  Truth to tell, I’m amazed at both and damn sure relieved.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t come close to losing my patience but when working with MN as your partner, what point would there be in that?  She always has a way of evening things out but she sure took her time this year.  Nonetheless, we are most grateful for the bounty, as always.
Sure, fall field work is crammed a bit now but we’re already preparing our soil test and prepping to put down our soil enzymes, microbes and straw digesters so that our fields get tucked in, in proper fashion for the winter.  The soil, above anything else, could use a long winter’s rest after this season.
Meanwhile, thanks to all you, we’ll be cranking up here at the granary as we welcome in the primo new crop which always brings the excitement of discovery as we actually get a good look at what we’ve grown when we begin cleaning and milling the seasons grains.
Let us know what you think.  And enjoy this bittersweet time of year.  Though I’d be foolish to make any weather predictions after this year, something tells me we’re in for a nice, long, “Indian Summer.”  Just the term conjures up tranquility in my mind. 
Cheers, Farmer Sam

Bluebird News

Last day of our regular Seattle Market Scedule ends Oct 31st, but good news... by popular demand we will continue coming to Ballard Market once a month through December. Here is our schedule: 
Oct 24th:  Cooking Demo at Ballard Market/ Bulk Order Pick UP
Oct 31st:  Last day of our regular Weekly Market Schedule at both U-Dstrict and Seattle Markets
November 20th & 21st:  U-District Market & Cooking Demo at Ballard Market/ Bulk Order Pick UP- Get your goods for Thanksgiving!
December 18th & 19th:  U-District market & Cooking Demo at Ballard Market/ Bulk Order Pick UP-Gift Baskets will be Available!

Peter & Amy Birk from Ray's Boathouse visited our farm and toured our facility.  We appreciate our chef customers taking the time visit us and sharing with them.  In the next month we we look forward to a visit from the Herbfarm staff and John Platt & family of  St. Clouds.

Local Food for the holidays- when you are thinking about your holiday meals and gifts- consider Bluebird grain products.  We offer a variety of gift baskets, and boxes with a personalized notes and  we are always happy to customize any gift basket.  We also have some lovely holiday recipes like Acacia Larsen's Emmer Corn Bread and Sausage Stuffing.


 

Recipe of the Month: 
Basecamp Waffles

North Cascades Basecamp owners Steve and Kim Bondi have been eating Bluebird Emmer Waffles for years, so when they took ownership of the lodge last spring and began serving breakfast to their guests, they knew they wanted Bluebird representation on their breakfast menu. Using a blend of Bluebird Emmer Flour and Bluebird Hard White Flour, the Bondis adapted a recipe they borrowed from a local Mazama lad, Cory Diamond, to create a hearty waffle that satisfies their active and adventuresome clientele. A breakfast of Basecamp Waffles is all you need to head out for a day of skiing, hiking, or exploring the trails at the far end of the Methow Valley. 
 
Cusomer Profile: Kim and Steve Bondi of North Cascades Basecamp 

Kim and Steve Bondi both loved to cook, but they never guessed that one day they would be cooking for crowds. But when they purchased a family-friendly lodge in the heart of the Methow Valley, they found themselves serving thirty to seventy people at a time.

The Bondis, continuing in the tradition of the original owners, operate the North Cascades Basecamp  as a bed-and-breakfast style lodge and retreat center. Although outdoor recreation opportunities and the natural beauty of the Lost River area setting bring guests to the Basecamp, food plays a big part in why guests return. That’s why the Bondis plan their menu around fresh garden produce and local, seasonally-available meats and grains, which, of course, includes Bluebird Grains.

“We’ve been friends with Brooke and Sam for years,” says Kim, “and as soon as they started selling their grains, we began using them in our cooking.” Taking Bluebird grains from their own kitchen to the larger one at Basecamp was natural, says Kim, and the guests have appreciated the fresh, locally grown grains as much as the Bondi family. “The guests are really excited about Bluebird,” notes Kim. “They’re very interested in emmer, in learning more about its protein content, about how versatile a grain it is. They value eating in a healthy and sustainable way and they’re interested in hear how Bluebird figures into that.”  
The Bondis are both biologists and although their primary focus remains maintaining the Basecamp as a family-friendly base of operations for those seeking outdoor recreation or simply a relaxing vacation in a tranquil setting, they are enthusiastic about the potential to further develop the Basecamp’s ecology center, establishing it as a vibrant place for scientists, educators, and conservationists. “We have such a wonderful site here,” says Kim, “we want it to be used as a center for presentations, classes, retreats, and lectures, as well as private vacations.”

The Bondis are very excited about the possibilities for using their beautiful site for different purposes. “We’d like to start a resident chef program,” says Kim. “We also have a commercial kitchen, which gives us the ability to host a cooking class or provide a site for retreats. We’re also thinking about hosting a farm tours program, collaborating with Bluebird, as well as local meat producers, commercial gardeners, and orchardists.” With 25 acres of cedar forest surrounding the Basecamp, the opportunity exists for foraging and learning about edible plants. “We have a lot of energy for creative collaborations,” says Kim. Then she adds with a laugh “and we’re always open to work trades!”
Click here for more information about North Cascades Basecamp. 



 
That's not grey hair that is flour....Tucker where have you been?