Category: Farmer Notes

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

Our March Farmer Notes: Ahhh… the mighty month of March. This year it comes in lamb-like on the coattails of a February wherein we experienced both the coldest, and warmest temperatures of the new year. In truth, February seemed more like March can be with a fierce start but mellow finish. Following a few -10 degree nights, the final couple days rose above freezing and that fast, March is rolling along with stunning, sunny days and a torrent of bird life as the snowy hillsides begin to soften and south ridges shed their winter blanket.

At first there was a shift in the chickadee’s song, then a handful of robins showed up then the winged parade began for real: blackbirds; juncos, finches, grosbeaks; phoebes; geese and yes, even mountain bluebirds! All in a week’s time. Never have I seen the shift so sudden nor so musical. The pace seems almost frantic. Coyotes sing throughout the night and sometimes even during mid-day. Owls keep to the dark woods except one evening just as the sliver of a moon rested atop the Butte with Venus straight above, a great owl soared across the lasting horizon. The silence and swiftness of that bird sanctified the mood. I just love this place!

Meanwhile, back at the Farm the main yard has all melted out. Now freight and grain trucks can come and go more easily as they resupply our field crops, so that in turn we can clean, grade and fresh mill them for packaging and then send them back out to a door near you. Or maybe your own door? Our supply remains solid and our thoughts turn toward spring and subsequent plantings. There remains plenty of snow on the fields here, and I suspect excellent soil moisture this year as we had wonderful late fall rains before the snows that insulated the ground winter-long. This is so important for planting purposes, plus it will ease the strain on irrigation needs. Our grain crops are pretty gentle on water-supply. However, I’d guess there will be good water supply for even the water-hog crops such as alfalfa, too.

I do not like to see winter go yet with the rapidly building daylight and strengthening sun. I can’t help but feel the age-old excitement that spring brings, particularly if one is a farmer. I will do my best to keep skiing so long as it lasts, but I’ve also begun switching the tractors over from their winter duties of snow plowing and removal. Now they are ready for farm implements, instead. By next month the fields will be melted and full of robins. Did I mention this month’s upcoming full moon is the Worm Moon? Here’s to all those wageless workers of the soil.

These are strange and interesting times some might agree. As I’ve been mentioning more in recent notes, policy is very important and current Agricultural policy can use some improvement. The Farm Bill’s latest extension runs out Sept. 30th, if the federal government doesn’t shut down sooner (Mar. 14?). With so much rhetoric flying around right now?? It so happens that I’ve been invited to travel to DC the last week in March as part of the National Organic Coalition to weigh in on farm policy, and lobby for strengthening organic farming support. The organic industry receives very few subsidies and thus, the few that we do receive – such as certification cost share – are very important. Keep in mind we have to PAY for the USDA’s organic certification label. And this certification fee is based not on profit, but on gross sales. In other words, the stronger the sales, the more we pay. Hmmm. Such incentives?

Regardless, as many of you know Bluebird has been a voice for organic agriculture for 20 years now, and I’ve been a certified grower for 25. I believe in what we do as much as I ever have, but also realize the difficulties and realities of all the paperwork involved, and that many small farms can easily become overwhelmed. Also, there is an increasing temptation by some to “cook” the system. Therefore, more and more enforcement of the guidelines is needed.

I will be part of a team meeting with State Rep Dan Newhouse, and also with Maria Cantwell’s team and Patty Murray. Do they have more important things to do? Well, is there anything more important than our health?

I will report back soon. Stay tuned!

Your farmer, Sam

Stunning, crisp, cloudless winter days closed out the long month of January. The holidays are past, daylight lengthens, and the solitude of mid-winter permeates the land. Deep and star-studded night skies: owls at dawn and dusk; lively chickadees, nuthatches and finches in the brilliant afternoon sun; coyotes throughout. Hard as winter is on many creatures, I can’t help but love it as much as any other season. One season, of course, is not the same without the others.

With the late fall rain followed by the snow cycle that lasted until January our soils are cozily tucked in and insulated for the remainder of winter. Weather cycles tend to last a long time in the Valley here. Although high pressure with zero at night; teens during the day was the norm for much of January, snow is beginning to fall again here to start the short month of February. Hard to know how much precipitation we will get out of this incoming cycle, but we remain grateful for what we already have. This month’s full Wolf Moon is less than two weeks away. Maybe if we are fortunate we will finally get to hear the howl of a wolf from our back steps, to go along with the other nighttime sounds I previously mentioned?

Here at the Farm we’ve held off running any of the milling equipment most days until late morning or afternoon as equipment always is more fretful once the mercury drops below 10.

Our daily schedule typically shapes out to be packaging and shipping in the mornings, and milling and filling in the afternoons. So far, we’ve been able to keep up with orders, and the cold will moderate sometime this month I suspect.

I didn’t miss the constant snowplowing and yard clearing last month! Trucks are able to get in and out of our yard easily now, taking our Bluebird goods far and wide. Our website continues to be busy and our faithful wholesale customers keep us cranking along on bulk orders. We are thankful to all. As more and more folks think about where their food comes from, and look to a consistent, reliable supply of a quality product, I feel we are well staged here at Bluebird to meet this demand. We have always promoted, and continue to support this sort of food ethic.

Meanwhile, “Big Ag’ is facing many challenges with well known equipment manufacturing companies structuring vast worker lay-offs; meat processing and packing plants closing down; government hand outs in question… uncertain times indeed. The Farm Bill extension will come up again before spring, and tariff talk could play a significant role in export/import. While this all feels a long way away from Bluebird as I sit and type these notes while watching the setting sun, “Farm Policy”, I realize, affects us all. Again, I’m grateful so many of you know the importance of sustainably raised, fresh foods. Fair labor compensation, community-base decision making, and embracing change is all part of true Regenerative Agriculture. As we enter our 20th year, Bluebird looks forward to continuing its role on the leading edge of farm to table food. This was our beginning; this is our future.

Embrace the calm of the season. Breaking bread around the family table – the friend table – the community table couldn’t be any more important than it is now as we move full-swing into 2025.

Cheers,

Your Farmer, Sam

And the holiday season has begun! This is hard to believe yet as I write this on Thanksgiving weekend I’m quite aware the year is nearing the end-zone and next up is the “Big One”. Like many, I actually enjoy Thanksgiving as much as Christmas. More so, in some ways. No matter, the joy and thankfulness of both sanctify this darker and quieter time of year I love. November.

Blessed and glorious November that, once again, delivered. Big time, giving us the nice, steady rains I’d so hoped for, as these rains softened and opened the soil. Then before the ground could freeze, we received a substantial dollop of first-snow to the tune a foot or so, with more that followed. The snow itself had a lot of moisture in it, as temps stayed barely below freezing. Now we have pliant, soft ground under a beautiful winters’ quilt and this starts a great moisture profile for the next growing season. Thank you, November. My favorite month and perhaps one of the most reliable, like any old friend.

Now the chickadees chime in and the nuthatch crawl up and down the porch beams and winter seems to be settling in as the calendar turns to this final month. It was another fulfilling year here at Bluebird as we still worked out some adjustments and made more efficiencies within our new digs that are already over two years old! Many of you may have noticed that the quality and consistency of our products have remained good as ever. As is our promise, we are just doing more of what we feel we do best: Offering quality foods and punctual service.

Punctual as we can be on our end, that is. Many might have noticed the poor ole’ postal service has been struggling as of late, as have a few other freight companies. We can’t always predict these sorts of things. If you are planning holiday orders please consider giving both us, and you some extra ordering time! We love putting together gifts for so many, but we want to make sure they get to where they are going on time! There are lots of empty spaces out there, still. That isn’t a bad thing.

Thinking of empty spaces, the night skies have been quiet around here lately. If it hasn’t been raining or snowing, there have been some crisp stars and a waning moon. However, I’ve not heard the owls as of late, and the coyotes come and go like usual. To step out and stroll before bed this time of year is a lesson in listening. Deep listening can lead to reflection, particularly when the only sound is one’s own rustling. I remain amazed by Nature.

I am more amazed by Nature all the time, I should say. The sudden and heavy snow is beautiful in my mind, but not all creatures feel this. Most, actually, feel undo stress. Walking up our driveway the other evening several deer were using the roadway and were not anxious to bound out across the snowy fields. I saw where both partridge and quail had moved toward the crabapple tree at the edge of our yard where they’d been scratching away for fruit. Up on the hill above our place, I noticed small partridge tracks weaving among the bunchgrass tips that barely poked above the snow. Not much to eat there, but something at least. Being ground feeders, these poor little birds were having to make fast adjustments. Likely too fast for all to survive. Some silence is lovely; some eerie I suppose. Nature. Resilience. Easy for me to say beautiful.

This time of year we think of Peace on Earth if for some reason we’ve not been thinking about Peace the rest of the year? It is always my wish. And I wish that all of you have had a nice Thanksgiving gathering, and look forward to Christmas as do I. I hope we can all take some quieter moments and think about what we can do for others.

I appreciate all that you customers do for us here at Bluebird as we enter our 20th year! Couldn’t have done it without so many of you and we are most grateful. Here is to your health. Here is to many more years together. More so than ever, we truly do rely on one another.

Merry, Merry and I’ll be in touch with you next year!

Your Farmer, Sam

I simply can not get enough of fall. This fall’s weather has been as pleasant as any, perhaps even too pleasant. We did not receive the moisture I’d hoped for in October, though the final couple days promised storms. Still, it would be hard not to have liked the endless fine, cool nights; the mild, sun-dappled days. This was true most of last month. The latter leaving songbirds stuck around, well, pretty late! Now, the greatest month of all is upon us! Summer birds have left, darkening clouds gather, and badly needed moisture is coming in November – the month of “worsted gray…”

Autumn in the northern prairie couldn’t have been more classic as I made my way through Montana to the Schmaltz Family Farm in North Dakota. Then north from there to O’Canada. I’m not a big fan of driving around much, sometimes even just to town! However, if locked and loaded for a road trip, yee-haw! The drive from here to ‘there’ is stunning as one travels along some of Montana’s fine rivers: The Clark Fork; the Madison; the YELLOWSTONE, and on to the wide open prairie. Western North America has to be one of the prettiest and most varied places on this Earth.

As always, my visit with the Schmaltz Family was rewarding on many fronts. We exchanged deeper conversations about food, farming and places. I got to see how inventive, hard working and successful they have been with their full-scale regenerative farming practices. Their success isn’t so surprising – since they’ve been at it a dozen or more years now – but these restorative systems are very impressive. Their crop yields show for themselves, however, it is the noticeable quality that speaks the loudest. This quality and consistency come only after a great deal of investment and belief in a system that is constantly improving both soils and the food from these soils. Schmaltz’s farm is now working for itself in this sense. Still, the critical decision making and planning is all Kent and Blaine. This is a very involved process, and one that requires having a variety of scenarios since – like with all farming – things often do not go as “planned”! Gosh it was fun to see, and I couldn’t be more grateful for our relationship. Oh, we got some solid pheasant hunting in, too! Much to Clyde’s delight.

Fall is always a busy season at the Bluebird mill as the eating season kicks into full swing. October was a bit busier than the past few months, and we anticipate November being busier yet. Soup, bread, yummy side dishes; ‘ tis the season for firelight and hearty foods as the countryside begins to quiet and soon winter’s blanket will settle in. Our lean, and sometimes mean (not really!) crew here at the Farm are eager to serve up all the good grains and flours for your cozy kitchens. Brad Baylie who grows our soft Sonora white wheat in Connell, Washington brought in another solid crop for us this year. This versatile soft flour works great for pie crusts as well as other goodies.

It is hard not to think about politics this time of year. For those of us who voted early we are left to fret. Once again, things I often fret over never even get onto the political platforms: Environment, education, proactive health care. These issues are all relevant in many ways, and tied closely to the Farm Bill. Two years has passed since the last Bill expired and there still is no renewal of a new Farm Bill. Reelection campaigns are apparently far too important for any issues to actually be resolved during this time. Meanwhile – daily it seems – I learn of more and more (millions) of chickens continuing to be destroyed. More recently, right here in the good ole’ Northwest. And at the same time, an even more potent version of Round-Up (Glyphosate) has hit the market. This proves that not only is animal husbandry in steady decline, but private enterprise is alive and functioning – for better or worse – throughout the election season.

In related news, there continues to be growing concern over the use of glyphosate as a desiccant. This has prompted many cereal grains and pulse buyers to restrict purchases of crops where this pattern of burn-down pre-harvest remains. Truth to tell, up in Manitoba where I just was, some pea processors no longer will take sprayed down peas, and oat and barley producers have been told not to use the glyphosate for harvest any more as well. Now this is some good news!

We have so much to thank the Earth for. I am glad to see small inroads being made as an effort to better care of it, and as people once did not all that long ago. She is our Mother, after all, and somehow continues to give us great, great bounty.

Soon, winters’ chickadees will return, the owls’ nighttime voices will deepen, and coyotes are already talking about the growing darkness during the new moon. Next up, November’s full moon known as the Beaver Moon. And after, my favorite holiday at the close of the month! Plenty to be grateful for, indeed. Please gather ‘round, hold tight, and give thanks together for another year’s food from our always giving Mother.

Cheers,

Farmer Sam

In step, October arrived with the first autumn frosts after a final week of September that hosted several 80 degree days. We are far enough north here in the Methow where seasons can be prolonged, as well as shift overnight. A couple frosty mornings and that fast, one is grateful for the woodpile, breads, soups, hot cereals and whatever other foods or drinks that might keep you cozy. Oh, do I love it. Love September – love October all the more. Those of you long-time readers of my notes know too well, perhaps, my affinity for fall and the colder months in general. Bring it on!

Yes, I will miss the summer birds, sights and sounds. I won’t miss the heat so much, or the dryness plus, new birds have already begun to arrive. The hummingbirds held out until very late last month – in part because it stayed so warm I suspect. We still have bluebirds that fledged here in our yard. However, I noticed around 6 o’clock last evening they are now sharing the birdbath with a flush of gathering robins, as well as chipping sparrows and the last of the flycatchers. I may have heard the last of the nighttime poorwills, yet I still hear a meadowlark. As the landscape changes in hues of purple, maroon and gold, raptors soar the winds while the Sandhill cranes have already passed through. Soon there will be flocks of geese and with all this, we sure hope for fall moisture… and a lot of it.

Despite the bizarre 2 inch rain storm we received late August, we’ve scarcely had a drop of moisture since. We wish for nice, sustained fall rains before the ground freezes and/or it snows. The rewards of a good snowpack are better realized if the ground is soaked first, and softened and pliant so that spring melt can more easily go into the profile and not run off. October can be good for these rains, particularly as we get into the latter part of the month. I have faith. Then, of course, comes the mighty month of November – my most favorite of all!

Here at the beginning of October the cool nights and warm afternoons are not lost on me. Nor lost on our huge cover crop of winter peas that has thrived and grown up through all the left-behind einkorn straw. I charged up our pivot irrigation for the first time since June, and applied a dose of cold-pressed fish and beneficial microbes to kick-start the decomposition of that straw while energizing the peas. It seems as if we can see them growing by the day. And the resident Canada geese sure are enjoying them. The field gets the benefit of all this recycling and we have fun observing each day.

Fall orders are picking up and our cleaning line, milling and packing lines are seeing a jump in hours. Good stuff. This temperate weather is easier on our lean crew, and our processing equipment. Ambient atmosphere plays a big part in how grains both clean, and how grains mill into whole grain flour. Although environmental conditions can add to the challenges of custom milling, these are good challenges, and they keep us tuned into our craft. Bluebird is located in a good, low humidity climate that is ideal for custom milling. Many of you realize this in the consistency and quality of our products. These autumn days only enhance this process.

Meanwhile, as of October 1st we hit the second year mark of no renewal of the Farm Bill. This has become yet another partisan issue with so much at stake. The one side pushes the importance of the Bill on a variety of levels, not the least of which is the SNAP program. Another side wants to guarantee continued payouts to the wealthiest farms. Both sides seem to support continued “biofuel” production which largely means ethanol. There is no heavier resource dependent crop than corn, and here our government supports the use of this heavily subsidized crop as a gas additive that makes our engines less efficient?? Like with so many things, there is a lot left in the middle of the Farm Bill – a bill that is foreign to so many East of the Mississippi who pay the majority of it. Likely the bill will get another extension. Each time this happens it not only costs taxpayers more, but kicks the main issue down the road. Don’t expect anything to change until after November 5th. Who knows what will happen thereafter?

Speaking of subsidies, I get to head to the northern prairie this month! To visit our good friends the Schmaltz family on their recently certified regenerative farm where they farm in complete cycle with Nature and accept no subsidies. I so enjoy visiting their amazing 5000 acre organic farm, which is surrounded by many very large tax-supported farms. This does not keep me from loving the autumn prairie. For a few days I’m going further north into Manitoba – a place I’ve never been. I look forward to this journey through some of the major small grains production areas of North America. Every time I take a road trip across parts of our vast country, I learn so much and have more appreciation each time for how fortunate we are here in North America. We have a major luxury of so many natural resources; we just need to work harder to protect them.

With Halloween up-coming, try not to get spooked by the heavy rhetoric that comes on an election year. Try and keep things in perspective, hard as that may be at times. Most of us want peace and want everyone to get the chance to thrive in a respectful manner- no matter where they are from.

Cheers to Fall,

Farmer Sam

school kids looking at soil health, Bluebird

Sam talks with with the Chelan Middle School agricultural class about soil health during a recent fieldtrip to Bluebird Grain Farms.

Most years I find myself sighing in relief when the mellow month of September finally rolls around, bringing with it the cooling nights and shorter days as summer’s growing season winds down. Indeed, September is the busiest harvest month when one considers the various fruits, grains, and vegetables that are gleaned here under clear, mild eastern Washington skies. However, aside from the first week or so of August, most of last month felt like September! Truth to tell, a couple nights were down in the 40’s and a very unusual rain fell that left 2 inches of moisture across the countryside. Never before had this amount of precipitation been recorded here in the valley not just for the date, but for the entire month of August!

Dawn; I now hear chickadees again, robins, bluebirds, but hummingbirds seem to be staying on longer than years past? Chickadees generally are a sign of autumn. Hummingbirds are often gone by September. June this year was May; July was August; August was September. What all this means and how September will shake out, I’ve no idea. Beautiful…?

Even though all of our Bluebird crops are harvested, we will still take the clear, hot weather as it will likely be the last for the year. As I noted in August notes, our harvest right here at Bluebird was earlier than ever as I harvested the einkorn in late July. The standing straw left behind had the understory of winter peas clinging tight and I’d considered rolling the Gleaner back out, then harvesting them. However, I would have done so simply to clean up the seed for planting as our fall cover. Instead, I hooked up the heavy off-set disk and in two passes, knocked all the stalks flat and spread the peas about in the process. This was the first tillage I’d done to this field since spring of 2023.

By knocking out the peas and turning down the straw, my hope was to have a nice environment for the peas to germinate up through the mulched field. Better, perhaps, than if I’d tried to direct drill them into the standing straw. When the bizarre rain came I knew we’d soon know what sort of cover crop we’d have. Here on the first of this month I’m pleased to report we’ve a wonderful, mulched in crop of winter peas and volunteer einkorn! To which I will apply a good dose of cold pressed liquid fish fertilizer and composting microbes. This will speed up the digestion process of the straw. My goal is to have one big biological, soil feeding combination of available goodies come next spring. It may be the largest amount of organic matter I’ve ever had to try and convert to soil. This could be interesting. Stay tuned.

Farm partner Brad Bailie in Connell, Washington took off a very nice crop of einkorn last month and as soon as we run the last couple loads of 2023 crop, we will be fresh into 2024 einkorn. The Schmaltz family just finished emmer harvest and they have their first Certified Regenified regenerative crop in the bins! We will be taking that in for hulling and grading at our recently Certified Regenified Bluebird facility here in Winthrop. Yes, one more “certification”. This regenerative certification is one that we feel is now legitimate and we believe in it. Even the USDA is beginning to put pressure on producers and processors to substantiate their claims on a variety of sales pitches such as “No antibiotics”, “Free Range”, and yes “Rengerative.” We want you to be confident that we are who we say we are. A 100% certified organic, and now certified regenerative facility using certified crops. That’s a lot of certs!

That said, our grain cleaning line was a bit quiet last month. This can happen in the depths of summer. Commodity prices themselves have been at a low for the past 10 years, and this can sometimes have an effect even on our small market of specialty grains. Right now between inflationary costs of operations, a strong US dollar and lower farm gate price-points, those growing under the subsidized system are reminded that Price support and Insurance support is how they are kept in business some years. This tax-based funding source is common for most non-organic US farms, however, even these farms remain at risk because here a full year since the last Farm Bill expired. The expired bill has been on a one year extension which, in turn, is now due to expire. The House version is still hung up on the House floor. Good thing for some farms that another support mechanism remains alive and well. This month the 39th annual Farm Aid concert takes place on the autumn equinox in New York State. To date, Farm Aid has raised $80 million for family farms in this country. Go Willie and Company!

Here at Bluebird where we have no price safety net, we’ve kept our prices the same as we try to do no matter how the tides rise and fall around us. This isn’t always easy, but it seems to be a good way to maintain long-term relationships. We are fortunate to have such a large repeat customers base. Thank you. It was nice to meet some of you at our Labor Day weekend open house. Brooke and I enjoyed our time with several folks we’d never met before, but that had been buying our products in some cases, for years now!

Schools are back in session country-wide. With this comes our local school’s Classroom in Bloom annual party in support and celebration of the amazing garden we have here on school grounds just across the road from Bluebird. This year marks the 20th anniversary! CIB helps feed the local students fresh and frozen produce throughout the school year, as they reap the rewards of their very own labor. CIB is one of the gems of our little valley and I’m proud of all those involved. I hope to see some of you at the party.

I hope you enjoy the late summer as nights lengthen and deepening shadows flow across the landscape to the easy sound of gathering birds, happy cicadas, and the flutter of just- fading aspen. September is perhaps the mellowest month of all. And I love it.

Yours,

Farmer Sam

Organic Einkorn Flour

Evening birds now