Give me light and i'll give you Life...

Spring equinox has just occured for the 2010 season. I think even the plants got excited because they seemed to reach and stretch a little taller than the day before. Under the protection of double coverage (that's a low polytunnel inside a greenhouse) we are able to extend our growing season far into the winter and start months before we normally could without coverage. This has allowed for a great harvest through most of our coldest weeks and now we are back to more than 12 hours of sunlight a day. Winter reminded me of how much i love spring!

A Must See, Please Watch!!

Permaculture Design Principles

We were able to sign up for the web content of the latest Winter Permaculture Design Course. Although we were not able to attend the full course we were given access to some amazing powerpoints, handouts and recorded discussion. Over-all it was awesome!

Everyone should look into Midwest Permaculture in Stelle, IL and get signed up for a Design Course.

Fundamental Permaculture Design Principles

Each function is supported by multiple elements.

Catch, store and recycle energy and materials.

Each element performs multiple functions.

Use biological and renewable resources.

The edge effect maximizes yield.

Abundance is unlimited.

Observe and Connect.

Accelerate succession.

Mistakes are tools for learning.

Use small scale, intensive systems.

We can turn problems into solutions.

Make the least change for the greatest effect.

Lack of Posts!

I am extremely sorry for the lack of post on the Blog. Over the last month we have been focusing on the new Facebook Fan Page. It is really coming along and we have quite a following already. I hope everyone will come join in on the fun.

The Power of compost (youtube)

We have been trying to post videos on the blog, but we are having some trouble. In the meantime I will be adding videos to Youtube and posting the link on the blog.

A little info on the video; The video was taken about 9am on 2-7-10. Our greenhouse has a hole in each corner. it is designed that way, so that in the spring, summer and fall, I can roll up the sides. If it didn't have the holes I think that it would be much hotter inside.

Hope you enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjlu_YjrAWA

A Recent Party

Here is a quick look at a recent party. It was hosted by Kara Leak and Xandra Lee. Xandra's kitchen was a pleasure to cook in and we had a night full of good food, fun laughs and great people.

Chef Stu drawing the connection. Locally Produced and Globally Influenced Cuisine.

Slow Roasted Pork, Carrot Linguini, Potato Puree and Caramelized Onion.

Chef Stu's Latest Master Piece

Grass fed pate with carrots and celery root, in- door greens and a fresh baked epi. A little parsley puree, mustard cream and pickles.

It was the best that I have ever had.

Potato Salad

Lately we have been working on a deconstructed potato salad. Yet, every-time we do the dish it ends up going down a different path. Depending on a million different things, the dish becomes unique.

You never step in the same river twice, a dish is never duplicated.

Front: Potato Leafs, Pickled Red Onion and Celery

Back: Potato Balls, Tomato Preserve, Mustard and Parsley Cream

When it's time to grow; it's time to grow...

When sub-zero temperatures arrive in central Illinois it's near impossible to protect any crops still in the ground. We gained a huge advantage through green housing and low lying polytunnels which extended our growing season for months. However, we are approaching the end of our winter harvest. Not to fear because we have full germination of all our crops in a full growing station with another in construction. This will carry us through the next cold winter months with fresh product ready in succession. It's understood that we can't change mother nature.. We can only try our best to adapt with what we have. Function over form.

A Potato Salad...

Potato of Pont Neuf, Black Eyed Peas and Micro Kohlrabi.

Marinated in a 50 year aged sherry vinaigrette.

Pont Neuf meaning "New Bridge" refers to the cut of Potato, it represents the bridge that was finished in 1607. It spans over the Seine River and is actually the oldest bridge that crosses this river today.