Tropical Leaves

Happy Dancing Blog

Meat CSA Program to Aid Both Local Farmers and Local Watersheds

Jul 16, 2020
2 min

Meat CSA Program to Aid Both Local Farmers and Local Watersheds

Up the Creek Meats came from the simple idea that not all farming is the same, and to farm in a way that protects our soil and water resources takes skills, knowledge and physical abilities that have value beyond that of the cost of a double quarter pounder with cheese. The abundant water resources in our area provide us with many benefits; beautiful scenery, food in the way fish and irrigation for crops, and income as a popular tourist destination. How cattle are raised has

The New Farmers Market

May 22, 2020
3 min

The New Farmers Market

Minnesota residents craving fresh produce won’t have to wait long, as farmers markets are beginning to open across the region — with some coronavirus-related restrictions in place. According to Governor Walz’s stay-at-home order, farmers markets are deemed essential, but in more ways than one. They are a direct line to your producer. Short of heading out to the farm itself and buying right out of the barn, farmers markets are the most direct way to talk and learn and create a

Farm to Home During Stay at Home

May 15, 2020
4 min

Farm to Home During Stay at Home

Some bad news has arisen concerning food production. As the coronavirus pandemic has supply chains disrupted, farmers and producers are being forced to destroy their crops, dump milk, and butcher livestock. The reduction in commercial demand is mainly due, among many other reasons, to fewer people eating out, going to restaurants, and fewer school lunches being produced. However, that doesn’t mean that people are interested in eating less often. (Personally, I’ve been eating

Turtle Talks Podcast – Episode 10: Your Summer Appetizer 3

Aug 3, 2018
1 min

Turtle Talks Podcast – Episode 10: Your Summer Appetizer 3

We love taking the time from planting, harvesting, weeding, and maintaining our garden and grounds to talk on camera. Sometimes, it’s a well-planned and methodical back and forth between speakers. Other times, like this episode, it’s a loosey-goosey and chaotic back and forth between speakers. We discuss the current CSA shares, Colin gives parsley a try, we talk about the winter cover crops, and what we do with rabbits in our “rabbit-proof” garden. A real fun episode to make.

Eating Healthy, Shopping Locally

Jul 9, 2018
4 min

Eating Healthy, Shopping Locally

Finding the time and money to eat healthy has been a problem ever since the microwave was invented. So, I’ve put together a short list of ways to make organic eating a habit. Also, there are several links of local resources where you can learn more about eating organically. 1) Buy from your local farmers market. There are so many great deals at farmers markets. You can find local meats, cheeses, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and many other goodies in one place. The food is fresh

Turtle Talks Podcast – Episode 9: Your Summer Appetizer 2 (Agroforestry)

Jul 6, 2018
1 min

Turtle Talks Podcast – Episode 9: Your Summer Appetizer 2 (Agroforestry)

This is the Garden Crew Podcast team. Not pictured: Colin M, who does whatever he can to keep his hands as clean as possible. In this week’s episode, we talk about the different ways you can incorporate trees and woody shrubs into your garden or farm. This is called “Agroforestry,” and has five different methods to use. Alley Cropping Riparian Buffers Silvopasture Windbreaks Forest Farming HDT is using two methods (alley cropping and forest farming) and will introduce a silvo

Vitamin N(ature)

Jul 24, 2017
3 min

Vitamin N(ature)

Neither “Natural Deficit Disorder” or “Vitamin N” are actual medical terms but rather two phrases coined by Richard Louv. The author of “Last Child in the Woods,” “The Nature Principle”, and “Vitamin N,” and co-founder of the “Children and Nature Network,” Louv claims our culture is experiencing a crisis of nature withdrawal. Today’s kids spend over 50 hours a week on an electronic device and 90% of their time indoors. But it’s not just the vilified electronic device to blame

CSA Update – Shiitake, Broccoli & Peas

Jul 17, 2017
2 min

CSA Update – Shiitake, Broccoli & Peas

Shiitake Mushrooms! Shitake mushrooms taste good in almost anything. Like the rest of the produce, make sure you rinse your mushrooms. The stems can be tough, but they add awesome flavor to your stock. You can add these mushrooms to most dishes, one comment was not to baked ham. You can even dry the mushrooms and store them in a glass container for later use. The Chinese were the first to cultivate these mushrooms. Japanese scientists developed a method of inserting pencil-sh