Author: Brooke Lucy

It stands to reason that what I’ve always considered one of the longest months is followed by the shortest. Hello February. Some years it could be spelled more appropriately as “Feburrary”. Last year, our coldest temps were in February and I recall other years we received a fair bit of snow. However, I will be surprised if that is the case this year. Maybe the cold, but our big moisture cycle beginning back in October 025’ lasted up to the first of this year, and now has cycled out. I am grateful for all the moisture we did pick up, as our snow pack on the valley floor remains quite thin.

As to the long month of January: Goodbye. It seemed plenty long this year as clear days were few, fog and gray skies dominated while hardly a snowflake fell. Despite the gray days and some chilly temperatures at times, the silence of a frozen landscape in of itself held beauty. Frosted trees; bitterbrush and sage coated in a rhime made them less skeletal looking and more alive. Deer could be first noticed by their crunching footsteps before actually catching sight of them. Our Labrador Clyde loved rolling in the snow at the top of our hill here, then sliding all the way to the bottom on solid crust. Finches pilfer the feeder, and chickadees take a second seat. Here from the afternoon table, I notice our first nuthatch atop the elderberry. Owls speak before dawn and coyotes sanctify twilight. On my evening walk last, I wondered how a landscape so quiet and chilled could be so noisy!

February – being short to March – has always been a month when thoughts turn to farming as daylight grows. Our production rotation is being worked out for another season which fits into the following season, and the seasons after that. Larger the rotations are, the richer the soils stay and the denser our grains become. With last year’s red wheat testing 16 percent protein, emmer 17.5, and our einkorn testing almost 22, Bluebird quality grains certainly add nutritious punch to your menu. Each year we challenge ourselves to hit a higher notch above the last, and this tells us how our soils are balancing out. Mineral balance in the soil equivalates to that balance in our grains and flours.

Speaking of, here at the Farm our mill has been humming with fresh batches of grains and flours being turned out weekly. Thus, the ship-out door has been busy as well. Some might agree there is a lot of uncertainty floating around these days, and at times it is hard to know what is true. Rest assured that we have a great supply of all our Bluebird products, and we remain consistent with quality and delivery. Our crew here, both new and seasoned, is jiving right along. I have spent a fair amount of time the past couple weeks on the fulfillment floor and time flies right by! Thank you one and all for continuing to buy our products.

With the gathering daylight comes a little better chance of spending more time outside each day. I always try to get at least a walk in with the dogs, and on the best days an early morning or evening ski. Although our snowpack is paltry, the ski trails have been good and as long as you put on creeper chains for your boots, the walking isn’t bad either. These are my times for reflection and time to remember how fortunate we are that Bluebird has grown over 20 years, and Brooke and I remain still such a part of it. One of the biggest joys for me is talking to and meeting customers. Please stop by. If I’m not there one of our staff is always happy to help.

Soon after I moved to the Methow in the early 1990’s I met a gal named Wanda Myers. We became good pals. Wanda had grown up here on a homestead on a country road with a 10 acre apple orchard behind her parent’s place. After high school she went to work for a while as a back-country Forest Service and trail crew. She showed me a lot about this beautiful valley I’ve since called home. Wanda passed to the other side early in January, after many years of staying just ahead of a nasty cancer. On what would be our last walk together around Thanksgiving, we stopped and sat on the banks of Methow River not far from her place. We watched the water ouzels play about the rocks with their suction-cup feet. We saw the last of the salmon come to spawn. A pair of bald eagles sat awaiting. We listened then, almost in unison, we mentioned how we loved this place more all the time and could never possibly take it for granted. Because Wanda loved this place, and loved her life so much it is all the harder to say goodbye. However, she never quit on the moment, and enjoyed each one as if it were the last. I am grateful to know this truth. Peace, my friend.

And peace to all of you. Enjoy February, because March comes next and one never knows how the shifty moods of March will play out!

Yours,

Farmer Sam

I begin these first-of-the-New Year notes on the cusp of the full Wolf Moon. How can one not love that name? As we strolled up the driveway last night with the stars still vibrant despite the growing brightness, the only sounds were that of an owl and a chorus of coyotes. Although not the howl of wolves, a couple weeks earlier when daughter Mariah and I went hiking for a Christmas tree not far from our place, there in the fresh snow to greet us was a heavy, solitary line of wolf tracks. To be outside at night under the waxing Wolf Moon knowing there are indeed wolves nearby sanctifies the mood of January for me. What’s more, it fills me with an inner glow of hope.

Then there are all the finches new to the feeder, and juncos, chickadees, nuthatches and quail scattered beneath. Following a truly torrential month of December for most here in the Northwest, we ended, finally, with some cold and snow – enough to whiten the hills and change the atmosphere just in time for the holiday season. We feel grateful, and so enjoyed this time as I hope many of you did, also.

2025 was another interesting year. Given a myriad of uncertainties – economic and otherwise – Bluebird Grain Farms continued to hold its own. In the final quarter of 2025 we engaged with a fair amount of prep work for expanded growth in 2026. Aside from securing the winters’ on-site inventory of our high quality organic grains, travel plans were set for trade shows, speaking engagements, marketing material and such. As things tighten, 2026 is going to be a year I believe where many of us are going to make more choices of value and really make decisions based on those values. Food comes to mind.

There has been much rhetoric this past year about health initiatives and such, and federal funding of $700 million has been promised for a “Regenerative Pilot Program”. This includes helping farms make the switch to more soil friendly, and soil building farming practices. Most of these funds will be channeled through existing programs like the NRCS and other branches of the USDA. I am very interested to see how all this actually plays out.

Having the good fortune to already work with one of the premiere Regenerative certified farms in the country, we have seen first hand the eventual benefits of dedicated Regenerative practices. Without question this is how we hope the world farms one day. It would reduce the landmass needed as crop volumes gradually increase. It will cut way back on carbon emissions: Minimized soil disturbance; minimal crop inputs; more nutritious food; less waste all contributing factors in this. Twenty-five percent of the world’s carbon emissions are generated by agriculture. True Regenerative farm practices would reduce this significantly. I hope these funds go to those that want to make the change for generations, and not just dip into a short-term money pool. We need the next generations of farmers to embrace true Regenerative farming.

Meanwhile, we plan to keep chugging right along here at Bluebird Grains doing what we set out to do 20 + years ago and continue to practice daily and that is to inspire change, and offer up the highest quality whole grains and whole grain flours milled to order. Authenticity is not guaranteed by a label. Bluebird carries a lot of labels, too! Rengentified, Organic, Kosher, Whole Grains, SQF… just to name a few. And while we go through all of these annual inspections and pay the subsequent fees, it is our original story that we lean on the most and want to make sure all of our customers remain confident in. Being pioneers in the small-mill/local grain movement, and first in the ancient wheat movement, here at Bluebird we aim to always stay true. Fear not! We’ve no intention of deviating.

So… Here is to 2026! Most of all, here is to your health. We want to continue our role in promoting good food for all people. My New Year’s resolution is to work to get more whole and nutritious foods into our schools and health care institutions. Please reach out of you have any creative collaborations you want us to entertain. We value local direct connections the most.

Cheers,

Your farmer, Sam

That fast, we are into the final month of yet another year! The full “Cold Moon” is scarcely in the rearview mirror as you dear readers read this. The winter Solstice is not far ahead and if one listens close distant bells can be heard. Such is the sanctity of the short daylight. Such is the grace of the Christmas season. No better bird signifies this than the cheery black-capped chickadee, whose voice the feeling of winter seems to cling to. As the year’s darkest month deepens, the chickadee’s notes seem to grow more urgent, reminding us to remember the light. Amen.

Of course a little bright snow doesn’t hurt. So far this year, very little. November couldn’t have been nicer and I am reluctant to let go of its gray days, abundant, beautiful rains, and sodden country lanes. Just what this farmer had hoped for and to be sure, this year November delivered. The day before Thanksgiving the moisture turned white here in the Valley for the first time. This may be later than many years, but it is okay with me. That deep soaking is now covered, insulated, and well preserved for spring and the fields all tucked in. Thank you, Mother. The real snow may now cometh.

Bluebird had a busy November and we anticipate a bustling December as the holiday season is often true to form. We can not wait to help any shoppers out with gifts, and we love to spread good cheer with our fresh flours and grains that are used in all sorts of holiday meals. We are building our popular gift boxes and we already are shipping some. Get your orders in!

Last year my second book “Colors” was just coming off the press around Christmas time. I can’t remember if it was available on our website then or not, but for those of you who enjoy the style of these Farmer Notes, “Colors” is my latest collection of poems and stories that might make an entertaining present. I am told I do not “push my stuff” enough, so there ya’ go. Glad to get that over with!

On a little less smiley note the various struggles of the country’s farm economy continue. One thing news sources talk about is the climbing costs of Farm chemicals. When we are dealing with finite resources – all the ingredients that make up the wide swath of herbicides and fertilizers that current farm systems seem to be chained to – it is hard to imagine these costs ever going down. Add on tariffs of varying sorts and consistency, and the stage is set for drama, if not disaster. Many “family farms” simply can no longer hang on. Even some much bigger farms, and certainly farm suppliers (read Bayer; Cargill) are shuttering parts of their business or, “restructuring”. One thing you readers may not hear mentioned on news channels, or piled onto the concern table is: The widespread degradation of our country’s soils. In many cases, this is due to the list above. So long as we as a nation continue to prop up, and support these high chemical input systems that degrade the nation’s soils, this treadmill is unlikely to change and more and more producers are going to be forced off the cliff. “Profit” by filing paperwork is no farmer’s dream.

How about Farm subsidies for those who want to build back the soil! And sequester carbon, rather than pump it into the atmosphere through chemical manufacturing and use. I sure hope to live to see the day this sort of tax-support becomes mainstream.

Meanwhile, there are some farms and farmers who have already re-set their systems and whose main focus is soil health and always has been. We are fortunate to have concentrated on that all along, and now work with a couple other farms who have been in this game just as long. Rest assured, from these soils come your Bluebird goods. Unsubsidized, unpolluted, always fresh and tasty. We are indeed fortunate. And we give thanks for this every season of the year, not just during the holidays. As well, we are grateful to all of you customers: New, old, near and far. This holiday season I raise a toast to all of you. And as always, encourage all to lend a hand to those much less fortunate. See ya’ next year –

Cheers,

Farmer Sam

Join us & Special Guests Saturday, Dec 13 | 10 AM – 2 PM

Bluebird Grain Farms is hosting our Annual Holiday Open House and Granary Tour. We will feature fresh-milled flours, ancient grains, grain samples, and holiday gift boxes. You can also enjoy sampling and tasting from regional producers. Granary Tour: 10–11 AM (arrive by 9:45 / free, please fill out this form for the free tour.

Meet, purchase and sample from:

Lagrioth Winery (Manson) – Wine tasting
@chelanvalleyfarms A small family-run farm and winery built from the ground up – no big investors, just our own hands and a lot of heart. Lagrioth farms differently: their grapes are grown organically and grown under Salmon-Safe and Sustainable WA standards, and their wines are crafted with a modern, thoughtful touch that reflects our land and the way we work.
Willowbrook Farm (Carlton) – Seasonal foods & krauts
@willowbrookorganics High-vibe, nutrient dense, certified organic produce and cultured foods grown with Love in the beautiful Methow Valley.
Creative Koji (Twisp) – Fresh miso sauces & sampling
@creativekoji Dedicated to crafting artisanal miso products using locally grown and organically sourced ingredients. We combine traditional techniques with innovative local flavors, offering consumers high quality, non traditional miso options that celebrate the region’s diverse culinary heritage.

Shop and sample Bluebird ancient grains and Fresh milled flours —while meeting exceptional regional farmers and makers behind your food. This is a great opportunity to support local producers. You can also stock up on meaningful holiday gifts. We need you now more than ever.

“See how upon bare twigs they lie,

Raindrops, lately of the sky – “

So begins the autumn poem After Rain by Rachel Field. It sets the tone for the mighty month of November very well. A month sometimes left unloved by many; November is one I love the most. And rain we have had! Perfect and pure; unabashed and soothing to the once parched countryside. I have mentioned before how Mother Nature always seems to even things out, and fall rains before the snow is a recipe for moisture recharge that will be most noticeable come spring. The mountains themselves are already filling with snow which will soon be here in the Valley for keeps. Amen.

As I tap these keys chickadees bounce about the aspen limbs that droop with their load of orange leaves not-quite shed. The woodstove crackles, and snow flakes now intermix with the rain. Robins rejoice in the easy pickings from the lawn, but their time is drawing short. Ravens caw about during weather breaks; coyotes sing before dark; owls hoot sanctifying the cooling, and much faster falling evening time than a month ago. One day sodden skies, the next sharp and brilliant with gathering afternoon shadows catching up in hillside coulees, and casting across golden grasses. One can fairly hear the land sigh in relief after the business of summer. How can one not relish in this month of November?

October stayed dry and mild and beautiful throughout the first couple weeks. This enabled me to do a bit of fall field work, including some deeper undercutting (chisel plow) on the home field where we have a few perennial grasses encroaching after years of minimal cultivation. Given a window of late dry weather – not likely at this viewing – I will pack down the plow ridges and try to get the field as prepped now and with this fall moisture, for next spring’s early crop. The minimal amount of spring disturbance, the better for moisture retention and the less apt I am to stir up weed-seeds I don’t want. My fall soil tests are showing balanced minerals, and good levels of available nitrogen due to the heavy cover cropping.

As has become an annual fall pilgrimage of sorts, last month I set off for the northern prairies with our Labrador Clyde riding along. First along the various rivers of Montana, and then into North Dakota. I love North Dakota; I love the prairie fall. Good news for me, our partner and long time, well established organic and regenerative farmers the Schmaltz family happen to be my destination. Year-long I look forward to this trip and this year was no disappointment as Blaine, Suzie and family welcomed us as always, and we spent a few days talking about farming, walking the land for pheasants, and taking to heart the whole ecosystem and wildlife sanctuary they have created through their farming practices. Good stuff. Their farming not only has made the wildlife happy, but the integrity of their harvests is rivaled by few as their lands now work for themselves keeping in balance. We are fortunate to have such great farming partners and friends! What they have achieved is a testament to the generational dedication to the land, and a stalwart work ethic that doesn’t always exclude some fun and games at times. In regenerative farming, regeneration of all energy is a critical part, not the least of which is human energy and zest.

The quality of these grains shows when we go to hull and clean them, and then when we mill them into flour and ultimately show up on your plates! From the vast wide open, to your cozy little homes, restaurants, and schools you can trust the organic and regenerative certification labels that come with Bluebird products. This is a food system that is secure and consistent and healthy. Elsewhere throughout the American “bread basket” maybe not so much.

It may not surprise some of you but it was commonplace to see mounds of soybeans, some corn and wheat surrounding various elevators. Tariffs anyone? A cruel irony here is the fact many of these “independent growers” are not so. Tied to the realities and whims of a global market, in many cases tied to the banks, many of these subsidized growers are stuck in a bad spot. Does it break my heart to know there may not be near as many GMO crops flooding the delicate prairies lands come spring? No. Does it break my heart to see families under such duress – some of it rather sudden? Of course. Would I rather see our government take this opportunity to begin subsidizing healthy crops taken from healthy, biological soils? Absolutely. Now is the time to double down on our domestic food systems, and make sure this supply feeds everyone in this country first of all. We can do this. While doing this, we may find we do not need near the sheer volume of some crops, but might instead enjoy a greater variety. Yumm.

Which brings us back to our farm tucked away up here in the growing-cold foothills of the North Cascades. We are doing what we do 5 days a week, year round and welcome you to drop by our small but vibrant entrance store. Our staff is awesome, and we will be sure and get you what you need whether at our door, through the various stores we sell into, or on the web. Times are spooky, but let’s not give up the ghost just yet. Food security is vital to society. This has always been.

Gather round, give thanks to our Mother Earth, and be kind to one another and in particular, those who may be in more need.

Yours, Farmer Sam

The slightest taste of autumn reaches here as we enter the golden month of October. Following a September of continuous warm weather, some smoke and no moisture, October arrives with cooler days and nights trailing our first trace of rain. There’s yet to be a frost but my guess is that will change before long. I’ve heard a couple flights of sandhill cranes high overhead on their way south and the hummingbirds have finally left, along with the meadowlarks, poorwill, and bluebirds. Hawks of all sorts abound, as do gathering robins while chickadees have moved back in. When I went onto the south porch for coffee this morning, a great horned owl flushed from a nearby fencepost and into the pre-dawn darkness. That gave me pause… before taking my usual seat to take in the stars – Orion the Hunter front and center in the southern sky.

Soon, we will have the full Harvest Moon – delayed a bit this year as mentioned in my last notes. Our grains are all harvested but up here at the house we remain busy picking apples and pears and will soon dig up our round, large spuds. Elsewhere, corn harvest is full on, and farms that grow later harvested crops such as sunflower will be harvesting month-long. Each year, I am more amazed at the bounty Mother Earth continues to give us, when she has absolutely no obligation to do so whatsoever!

The extension of the Farm Bill, under the “BBB”, has guaranteed many farmers across the nation status quo with continued crop protection programs and price support that comes out of our tax base to the tune of 70+ billion annually. Corn, soy and wheat are the big winners here. This year, however, soy is a big loser… Tariffs anyone? Storage is filling up fast with America’s love-affair for soybean production because of a dead market: Read China. Trains lay silent across the prairies as elevators plug up with crops. This is another example of the interesting, if not unaffordable farm cycle we have here in North America.

Meanwhile Willie, John, and Neil just finished the 40th annual concert of Farm Aid last month, wherein they alone have raised $85 million over this span for family farms across the nation. Chump-change compared to the Farm Bill, yet this is all through charity! And the goodwill of people by choice – people with a voice. This is a complete and different dynamic and perhaps one more easy to love than mandated tax support. We had the good fortune of seeing Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts live last month down in Oregon. It was both enlightening and somewhat depressing to hear Neil singing about the same old things that prove to be relevant still today! One of his last lines was “We have work to Do”… Amen.

In other news… keep in mind, these are Farmer Notes… we are preparing for the change to cooler seasons here at Bluebird by stocking up on cereal mixes, pancake blends and making sure our silos are full of delicious grains from our 3 different production areas. We have a very good inventory of our more popular grains, and have been cleaning and milling every week to fill different orders for those loving top quality, Regen certified, organic certified grains and flours. With our new SQF certification we are now able to serve a larger market area as many customers are requiring this stringent food safety verification. As heavy of a lift as this has been for our small crew, it also seems the right thing to do. So…

We look forward to serving all of you with the efficiency and quality we have been for 20 years now. I am out on our fields here by the Farm beginning fall field prep, as next year will be a grain production year in our cycle, as we come out of a cover-cropping cycle. I am soil testing and doing a certain amount of tillage to help break down all the cropping residue we’ve left covering the soil. The geese are sure loving these activities! And lo, if my dear pal Treebeard didn’t swing by for a visit! Tree was one of the first organic grain farmers in the State of Washington and my only real mentor in that department when I first got going almost 30 years ago now. He also advised us in custom milling, as he was the only person we knew who grew and sold local grains and flour from his farm in Tonasket. Once “Bluebird” got going, he handed over most of his accounts as he edged toward retirement. We will always be grateful for the care and love he shares.

It is a great time of year to be on the land – my favorite as many of you know. The leaves are changing, the air is cooling, the countryside is beginning to sigh in relief from the summer heat and activity. Next up, my favorite of all: November! Wait: Enjoy this final month of harvest and warmer weather, first. Enjoy what the earth has given us for one more growing cycle. Enjoy the beauty while you think of your Halloween costume – which may just include a sickle or scythe!!

Boo –

Farmer Sam

Summer saved the big heat until September this year. As I write these notes, the mercury outside the Farm Porch reads 104. Yes, it’s dry, too. However, the summer as a whole played out pretty decent up until now. In August we even received a few rain showers and no extended periods of heat settled on us all month. Although we have the smoke and heat right now, the end is in sight and by mid-September things will be cooling down as the autumn equinox nears. Did I say autumn? This month! Only time will tell…

The swallows have gathered and left; the bluebirds, too. The wrens and pewees and orioles and tanagers have as well. Soon, it will be the meadowlarks and poorwills. To my surprise, a handful of hummingbirds still remain around, although their time here must be limited. Katydids and cicadas sing us to sleep at night and this month marks the beginning of migrators through our neck of the woods, predominantly that will be raptors as hawks, harriers, golden eagles gather about our hillsides and daylight fades and the later crops come in.

The small grains are all harvested for Bluebird this year! Regenerative farm practices continue to prevail not only in volume but more importantly with quality. We have a new variety of hard red spring that we will be introducing this fall. Preliminary testing shows it coming in at over 15% protein, so it should be a baker’s delight! We will have it on the Bluebird marketplace soon. As always, we continue to grow out and offer the hard white spring wheat which also is around 14% protein. The einkorn and emmer naturally test over 16%, even though they have just traces of gluten.

Lots of talk these days about protein. I’ve always gotten most of mine with wild meat, fish and neighbors beef or lamb. However, if you are looking for less meat in your diet, Bluebird grains are a great source of protein. I like the combo of meat/grains myself. Ask my family!

Our fields here at the farm have been summer fallowed for the most part, following intensive cover cropping earlier in the summer. When the weather breaks, and hopefully we get some moisture I will be doing further crop prep for spring crops. I am still unclear what those will be? We will see what the need is after winter, as we have a great supply thanks to the recent harvest from our partner farms.

The harvest moon isn’t until October this year, which is somewhat unusual. With the moon cycles as they are, this weekend will be the Corn Moon instead. There will be some corn harvesting perhaps, but not for us. I always think of the harvest moon for corn, and so corn must wait until October this round! Ha, ha.

Last evening I retired to the river below the farm here to shake the heat with our Labrador and my fly-rod. No better way to cool down and as trout rose about the pool we fished, I soon connected with one and I could see the fattening moon above the cottonwoods and under the arch of my bending rod and thought this isn’t the worst way to deal with late summer heat. The vigor and health of those trout sure was a contrast to my lazy, unalert self! Another difference between Nature and us, I suppose. Amen.

That fast, autumn orders are coming through the doors of Bluebird and at a seasonal pace as baking season nears. School is back in session so please be cautious of the little ones who may not be paying as close attention to the traffic around the schools as hopefully we are as drivers. Enjoy the final weeks of summer. It has been a great season for fruits here, and time to continue dehydrating and canning the peaches, apples and soon, pears! I look forward to writing next month’s notes when I know we will be in the cool down… Until then,

Yours

Farmer, Sam

August, the month when wheat harvests kick into high gear. This begins with winter wheat nationwide, although depending on region, a lot of winter wheat is already binned. Then harvest moves to the spring wheats, both hard and soft as the month moves along. August is the month of dust, heat, thunderstorms, fires, cloudbursts and by the end, closer to the mountains here, sometimes the first hints of autumn are felt.

I consider August to be the “dog days of summer” , the hottest, most humid time of the year. However, I need to remember as I sit and write and our Lab Clyde lies crashed behind the closet curtain on the cooler, cement floor that the phrase is an ancient one, derived from the star Sirius. Sirius is known as the dog. Still, Sirius could be the hot-dog trying to escape the oppressive heat. I won’t lie, it isn’t my favorite month despite it being a month for harvest. I would take three Novembers to one August yet…

Yet Mother Nature always knows best. And one month cannot be what it is without the others.

Just yesterday from atop the Butte above our house I stood in the early light and watched as a young family of sharp-shinned hawks tested out the west breeze by launching from an old fir snag, taking a few rapid wingbeats, then stalling into a sudden, extended glide. Cool. This is really neat, they may have been thinking. So it appeared to me stuck flat-footed with the downhill part of my jaunt to come. No matter the day, or time of season, there is always something to delight in Nature.

July turned out to be one of our very busiest months here at the granary. Orders stacked up in non-stop fashion and the month seemed to disappear as we tried to keep up. Once more, the crew did outstanding and fortune would have it that we had our annual intern Leo Hass join us just in time for the bustle. He was a big help, and this was his third season with us here at Bluebird.

Weatherwise, July was as pleasant as any I can recall. July often is blistery, and can be smokey and always seems to set off the drought of summer. This year, however, we received the only rain of the spring and summer so far in the month of July! One night it rained a quarter of an inch valley-wide. As well, we did not have much extended heat and therefore what little moisture we had lasted a bit longer. A most nice surprise, July was this year.

Now, that seems a distant memory as a string 95 degree days usher in August, and thunderheads build and the first nearby fire broke out yesterday just outside of town. Yuck!

But so far, the crops look good and we will soon know the state of harvest 2025 so long as the heat and dry weather prevails. One crop that thrives on heat is our cover crop of buckwheat!

Our potassium builder. Our PH balancer. Our organic mass builder. Our bee attractant; I hate to take it down but will be here as it will help to keep the soil balanced. No, “balance” isn’t something one can do with commercial fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers give a crop a quick hit, but they do not last in the soil and therefore do not “build or balance” the soil. It simply is an extraction game. Add, then subtract and the slate is back to zero. Or less than zero as so many harsh fertilizers burn out soil biology.

Speaking of, as far as Agriculture and the Big Beautiful Bill are concerned, the passing of ( H.R. 1) was a positive for Agriculture. If you like the status quo that is. More crop Insurance money, more pricing support for the big three: Corn, soy and wheat. The increase over the next decade in “agriculture – focused spending” is an anticipated $65.6 billion. None of which increases funding for organic Ag.

This, however, will not keep the organic sales sector from growing. The growth in organics has been steady and unwavering and direct-to-consumer ethics still shine, or the thought thereof. If organic producers can continue to prevail against import fraud, meaningless labels (“All Natural” etc.,”) it will be persistence, consumer relations and consistency in the market place that enables them to do so. Here again, not much has changed!

So, once again I thank you thoughtful consumers and wish you the best August you can have. Swim, fish, hike, stay cool! Next up, the harvest report. Until then.

Yours,

Farmer Sam

I can’t begin to list the reasons why I love birds. It might be their cheerful, if not urgent dawn voice? Is it the slower pace of their evening song? Their color, their fragility, their resiliency? Along with so much more, birds sanctify this place spring thru autumn. When the days grow hot – an unwavering July promise – I am glad birds wake me each dawn and lull me to sleep at twilight. Yes, 10 o’clock twilight this time of year is bedtime for some farmers!

What does this have to do with Bluebird Grain Farms? In some ways, everything. Twenty years ago when we thought of what to name our farm, we settled on a bird that sanctifies this place we live and love most of all. As well, by farming in a fashion that respects all of Nature, birds signify the health of a countryside the same way fish might reflect the purity of a stream. When we have large varieties of birds at the Farm it makes us feel good knowing they are here for the habitat and food, whether creepy-crawlies in the soils, or the actual crops themselves. Our partner growers feel much the same, and we often swap photos of the different wildlife at our separate farms.

Lots of birdlife means healthy soil and rich grains that come from these soils. Of course, we take water samples and soil samples but there are few substitutes for actually strolling the fields, touching the earth and seeing what we see with our own eyes and the feeling it gives. It may not always be positive, either. Maybe a crop isn’t looking as we’d hoped, or there are field edges that need improvement. Maybe we are having to water a little more than planned, or there is extra weed pressure. These things do not always show up on tests. As scientific as some have tried to make agriculture, last time I checked it remains inexact. Intuition can tell me a lot and generally if the early morning field is active with birds, bees, deer – I know we have something good going on.

And we do have good things going on here at Bluebird! Lots of good summer visitors show up in our tiny valley to enjoy this scenic place. Customers – both old and new – bring their smiles to the Farm door. My favorite part is meeting new customers, or customers that have known us for years through the internet but stop by and visit for the first time! There are few substitutes for authenticity. We feel very fortunate to be part of a number of very authentic, and very small businesses here in our valley that work hard day in and day out to serve customers with consistency and quality.

Twenty years ago when we started Bluebird Grain Farms, Brooke and I knew we needed to offer the freshest and highest quality 100% organic whole grains and flours. We knew we needed a brand with a signature that spoke to our ethics. In that 20 years, many hatches and generations of bluebirds have come and gone, but each turn around the sun has taught us a ton, and in the end has kept us right here, doing what we have always done. I am grateful we have been able to grow to meet your demands. I am grateful for the support we have always had and continue to have as we maintain quality and consistency in growingly uncertain times. Solid food supply will never go out of style. For sure, this was one reason our forefathers fought for their independence!

June stayed cloudy at times, somewhat cool, but never delivered our rains. July has come in hot – literally. Residual moisture from the late fall rains last year, then the solid snowpack on unfrozen ground is what has kept the hills somewhat green all the way until now. That is all about to change, and we are bracing for what could be a smoky and somewhat scary next couple of months. Not a great scenario, yet Nature always holds surprises.

With our cover crop peas all turned under, and our summer cover of buckwheat up and running, I guess all there is to do is keep milling, packing and delivering our best around the West. Oh, and maybe go fishing?? Or hiking? Or swimming!

A family of grouse pecks around the clover just outside my door as I write these notes. This month’s notes are dedicated, most of all, to our long lived Labrador named Tucker who made it to 15 and knew a thing or two about grouse, and cover crops, and how to wag his tail at most everyone he saw. We said goodbye to him last month. Now he rests down by the cool creek along with our others. He wasn’t necessarily a big fan of summer anyway, though he did like to fish!

Democracy is perhaps the hardest form of government to maintain. Two hundred and fifty years ago our forefathers gave us the opportunity to try and despite the ups and the downs, now is no time to quit. Let’s celebrate by rejoicing in the freedoms we still have in this great country.

Cheers, Tucker. Cheers, America

Farmer Sam

That fast, rising at 5 seems late while 8 in the evening seems early to the table. June’s long light resets my clock year after year, and seemingly without notice. The energy field shifts and across the countryside everything is busy. The full Strawberry Moon is coming up, then the solstice arrives and things will stall, before more slowly tipping the other way by the month’s end.

Most years, June is our wettest of the spring/summer months. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case this year and we sure could use some good rains. With all the surface recharge from a wet last fall, then the early snowpack, the hills remain fairly green even as the blossoms of balsamroot and lupine fade. That will change soon I believe, and the browning of summer will likely take hold for real.

Our winter peas here at the farm are blossoming and I just finished mowing them down so we can grow them out a bit longer. I try to keep a cover crop cycling as long as possible if I am not cropping grain that year. This fixes more nitrogen in the soil and adds biomass, or green manure to the surface. I may plant winter grains toward the end of the summer, or wait until next spring so the more prolonged growth on the peas the better. I will turn them under toward the end of the month.

All the other crops are in, and the long light of June will kick some real growth spurts off. Our first hot weather is upcoming. So far, 80’s have been the highest temps all spring so that, too, has been a bonus. But, here comes summer!

The grain cleaning line and milling line have been busy, and we have been doing a lot of shipping these past weeks. One of the nice things for me has been occasionally meeting some of our walk-in customers I get to help and visit with. This is really enjoyable for me. At times I can feel pretty removed from our customers. Please keep dropping by, and I hope I happen to be in the packaging area when you do!

Here is a poem I wrote called Evening Birds. It is from my newest collection of writing entitled “Colors” . You can find it here at the Farm, on our Bluebird website, Trail’s End Bookstore, or at White Birch Books In New Hampshire.

Evening birds now

Late May arrivals

Reminding us despite ninety degrees

Spring holds fast here to the foothills

Evening hummingbirds, thrush, warbler, vireo

As the last sun turns purple

Over distant and jagged peaks-

A breeze kicks up.

Evening spring birds grow in chorus

Dusk pushing down the ridges

Over the valley fields,

Heavy along the creek.

Evening birds as we finish, finally

Sowing all our seeds

An ancient dog nearby

Who still perks up- recognizes us

When we finish

Soiled head to toe.

Evening birds… so right

Reminders I’ve so much to write

Of hope I’ve not forgotten

These past seasons

Front and center

Of a different play entire.

Evening bird song in late May

So sweet it prevails

Above the travails

As the wind wails

And heat and frost and squalls

Singing of what is faithful

And true.

Congratulations to all the graduates! Go forth with zest, be brave, respectful and I wish you the very best.

Yours

Farmer Sam

A finer April I can’t recall. With a brilliant, boundless blush of Arrowleaf Balsamroot flooding the green foothills and birdsong filling the air against a snowy backdrop of the North Cascades, one has to pause and pinch just to confirm it is real. Beauty at the start of May – a beauty only Mother Nature herself could conjure up. She never ceases to amaze.

As the mountains thaw and the streams and rivers swell I am reminded once more how this specific hydrology affects the soil profile here in the valley long after the last snow patches have disappeared. This May, all the vernal pools are filling to the brim and the hidden lives within are coming forth. Most notably the evening cacophony of various frogs. Such the pleasant sound this lullaby of spring, health and purity. The earlier spring birds have arrived and most are either nesting or working that way fast. It won’t be long into this month of May before we see the tanagers, orioles, buntings, chats… perhaps the first fledglings from resident robins, as well. Stay tuned.

Early April gave us a little rain before drying off from there. However, with all the moisture recharge the fields are in good shape as is the rest of the countryside. The winter peas have awakened and begun to steadily grow. On the home field here at the Farm, we have a thick, lush winter pea crop. These peas will likely go to flower in June and that is when we will turn them under to set the stage for either a fall seeded, or next spring’s grain crop.

Our partners out on the prairie are beginning to roll and currently they are seeding spring peas into their glorious soils built up over many years of their Regen practices. The Schmaltz Family continues to be a leader in Regenerative Organic Agriculture, and continues to push the limits of what is possible not only in crop nutrient density, but harvest volumes as well. As always, we are very grateful to have their support. Here in the lower Columbia Basin Lenwood Farms already has all their peas planted and soon will be onto plating einkorn. Most of you already know the high quality of these grains we process to order, and ship out of Bluebird both near and far.

Yes, we have been doing a fair bit of shipping lately! The flour mill stays busy, we are dehulling another lot of emmer as I write, and our supply of goods is solid until harvest. Being founders in the domestic “ancient grain” movement, we learned early on not to promise more than we can deliver. As the years go by – 20 this year! – we recognize all the more how important it is to be consistent. When I say this I’m talking about consistent service, consistent quality, consistent improvement. We love feedback, and welcome any suggestions on how we can improve anything. We may not always be able to accommodate, but our customers are always paramount, whether a large account or small.

With the continued and increased push back against criminalizing prevalent herbicides such as glyphosate – now on a state by state level in many cases – we feel most fortunate to have taken the organic path from the beginning. Of course, the ancient wheats Bluebird is known for: emmer and einkorn, have been perfect for this path. We will see how much traction the MAHA movement gets? Regardless, you can rest assured that nothing much is different at Bluebird than it was when we began. Custom milled tasty, nutritious, uncontaminated grains from our farms to your plate remains our credo. We feel honored.

Farm Bill update: Nothing new with that, either! The extension that exists until September will likely get extended – the rocky road to bipartisanship notwithstanding. Remember the Farm Bill… the $30 billion annual taxpayer handout to largely corn, soy, and wheat farms? Non-organic remains mandatory criteria for these subsidies. In other words, the funds go to supporting a variety of unsustainable farm practices – not the least being heavy reliance on chemicals from other countries.

Alas, cheer up, it’s spring! Get out and feel the earth, smell the air, listen to the birds. Nature has heeled us before, we can only hope she will continue to. I’d say we owe her the utmost of respect and treat her in a healing manner ourselves.

Yours,

Farmer Sam

Our field peas are just emerging—fixing nitrogen and laying the groundwork for healthy soil. They’re sprouting through a thick layer of Einkorn straw left intentionally from last year’s harvest. This straw isn’t waste—it’s a powerhouse. It locks in moisture, shields out weeds, and feeds the living soil web beneath: fungi, microbes, earthworms, and more.

Here are our April Farmer Notes: April… the month of awakening. March might be noted as the month of change, however April is the month that leads once the script is flipped from winter to spring. With the last of the snow receding from the foothills, a menagerie of birds have returned. Meadowlarks; sparrows; hawks and eagles. Swallows, robins, jays and yes bluebirds! To name only a few. Nothing so brilliant as a handful of male mountain bluebirds flitting about the otherwise drab countryside. Oh my; it is no less shocking of a sight year after year. To be sure, one that sanctifies the season.

I know from the years here that a wet late fall, followed by an earlier and solid winter, often gives way to a damp and invigorated spring such as the one that lies before us. Already spring beauties, yellow bells and bluebells dot the greening slopes. Soon enough we will see our first balsamroot in the lower valley and then the aspen will leaf-out and from there it will be a flood of daily changes. I suspect the wind will kick up any day – another harbinger of April in the Methow. This season for the senses is like no other. Welcome!

As we say goodbye to winter and switch out the snow removal equipment for farming tools, I am always amazed how fast the seasons come and go. This may have something to do with growing a year older myself, but how can a place like this fit 4 full seasons into a year were it not otherwise? As I walk the fields that were buried in snow only a month ago, I see the winter peas are not only awake, but beginning to color up and grow! Our soil profile is in terrific shape moisture wise. The snow pack in the mountains is decent and we will have plenty of moisture for our more user friendly annual crops here at Bluebird. Bluebird farming partners in the Columbia basin and on the northern plains are also stirring and anxious to begin the farming season.

At our Mill

Our flour mill has been staying busy as the baking season never really ends. The fresh milled einkorn flour just flies out the door weekly, and we are pleased how well used it is. As are all of our other whole grain flours, and whole grains themselves. Inventory is solid, and with planting season around the corner, there is little risk we will run short of your favorite grains and mixes.

National Organic Coalition

The organic food business has grown to be about $70 billion in this country. It has done so largely unsubsidized. This speaks volumes to consumer confidence, demand, and choice. It is estimated that for every dollar invested in organic agriculture, there is a $20 return. In the next 7 years, this national value is predicted to almost double. Economy, food security, independence and health are all cornerstones of what organic agriculture has always been. These are all points the National Organic Coalition – of which I was a guest member of this year – brought to Washington DC the last week in March during our “Fly-in” event.

Bluebird was asked to participate this year by NOC member PCC Markets, as we are one of PCC’s suppliers. Their hope was for a farmer from District 4 to join the cause, as Representative Dan Newhouse ( District 4) sits on the Ag appropriations committee, and has shown support for organic agriculture over the years. Thus, yours truly jumped on a plane for Dulles airport, DC.

I will say it was a full 3 days. All of our meetings on the Hill were condensed into one day however, we took a full day to prep, and a full day to debrief. There were about 25 of us in total, and we broke into sub-groups for most of the meetings. Our Washington State group consisted of PCC Markets, Seattle; Nature Path’s Foods, Blaine; the Organic Seed Alliance Port Townsend, and myself from Winthrop.

Policy, policy, policy. Each year, US taxpayers hand out roughly $30 billion… yes billion in subsidies to farm business and agriculture. A whopping $23 million of that goes to the National Organic Program which has to cover label enforcement, research, minimal certification cost share and a host of other things. Still, organic thrives. It remains the only growing sector in Agriculture.

NOC was there simply trying to save what little organic support we have at this point, and did ask for a $7 million increase to and even $30 million. This was an ask directly to Newhouse, who I felt we had a very good meeting with, as well as several other Senators and Congress members while we were there. Given the fact that the Farm Bill flounders along on extensions – going on two years now – all of this “discretionary “ spending is at risk. It may seem like small potatoes, but seed spuds at the very least, to what I like to think will become a much bigger movement. I think the timing could be ripe. Organic: Independent, (import free), free market (capitalism), healthy (MAHA). Making Agriculture Great Again.

I had a dear Uncle who once quipped that there were three basic rules to business: Politics, politics, politics. Everyone seems to be enthralled with politics these days. I encourage us all to be civil as we get involved while attempting to move the needle back toward the middle. One way to do this is to work with one another on the ideas we agree on, not always the ones we don’t. This is politics – frustrating as it is at times.

Thank you NOC for inviting me along on this informative trip. Thanks to all of you conscientious and loyal customers! I wish you all a healthy spring!

Your farmer, Sam

Organic Einkorn Flour

Evening birds now