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Plus Volunteer Spotlight & Farmers Market Buzz


Plant a seed, watch it grow…

Yokna Bottoms Farm will be at the Oxford Park Commission’sGet Outdoors Day event  from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. this Saturday, June 8 at  Pat Lamar Park.  We’ll be helping kids get their hands dirty planting seeds in their very own recycled egg carton mini-gardens…National Get Outdoors Day is a wonderful way to reconnect with Mother Nature and learn about fun stuff like fishing, archery, conservation, bike safety, water safety, maps, hiking, camping and more. Not only is the event free to attend, but the first 200 kids to get there will have the opportunity to build their very own fishing pole! We’ll be at Mid-Town Market from 7-11 a.m.as well, so come by and see us there too! Read on to find out how we are able to be in two places at once…

Volunteer Spotlight


Kelly Marcy

Wonderful volunteers like Kelly Marcy help keep the farm farming! Kelly will be running our National Outdoors Day booth on Saturday while we’re at Mid-Town. Here’s a little more about her:

What’s your day job? :)
Morning: Tutor for the Ole Miss athletes
Afternoon: Volunteer with the Yoknapatawpha Bottoms Farms

How long have you been in Oxford?
Since 2003 (ten years)

Why is volunteering important to you?
I see great value in locally grown produce, and I would like to do my part to support Oxford’s supply of naturally grown vegetables.

What do you hope to learn through your work on the farm?
I’ve been interested in organic gardening for many years and wish to have my own garden in the future. I hope to learn how to produce sustainably grown foods. Right now, I only grow herbs, but I’d like to receive tips on how to help other edible plants to flourish.

Favorite vegetable?

Squash

Market Buzz

Upcoming Distributions:
Fri., June 7, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Market-Style)
Tues., June 11, 3 pm. to 6 p.m., Oxford City Market
(Pre-Packed Box)

Upcoming Home/Office Deliveries:
Tues., June 11 - Put out a cooler to keep your food fresh!

Find Us At The Markets:
Sat., June 8, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Mid-Town
Tues., June 11 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Oxford City Market

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Thunderstorm at Yokna Bottoms

Doug’s recent presentation on the impact of 2013 weather on farm productivity at the Mississippi Sustainable Agriculture Network’s first development meeting. Here he discusses the difficulties imposed on field production by extreme weather, standing water crop loss, and how to ‘keep on growing’ in spite of climate challenges.

Presentation for MSAN, 2013

Mississippi Sustainable Ag Network

Promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting Mississippi farmers, and growing a thriving local food economy are key components of the Yokna Bottoms philosophy. We are happy to see folks coming together from across the state to build an organization whose central focus is championing the endless possibilities of sustainable agriculture in Mississippi- the Mississippi Sustainable Agriculture Network (MSAN).

MSAN’s Network Development Session began today in Oxford with the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, Georgia Organics, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, National Good Food Network, EAT South, and Mississippians (including DougBetsy and Ben) from around the state in attendance. Tomorrow, the group will tour the community garden and local farms, including Yokna Bottoms.

Here’s a word from Daniel Doyle, MSAN’s Statewide Coordinator:

It is the hope that over the course of this year, we are able to build a strong partnership with other stakeholders throughout Mississippi in order to establish a viable network contributing toward the growth and support of sustainable agriculture and local food production in the state. There are many already working towards this goal in regions throughout the state and we hope this brings everyone together to further encourage what they’re already doing so well in their respective communities/regions. We also have state-wide leaders in sustainability, in agriculture, and in health so their existing and future contributions to sustainable agriculture is also highly regarded.

Establishing MSAN has been discussed in many circles for several years now. Most states already have strong state-wide sustainable/natural/biological/organic agricultural organizations. Fortunately, the Wallace Center at Winrock International has provided some funds to get this project off the ground and we’ve been collaborating with Jody Holland at UM and the Appalachian Regional Commission for some of this initial development. I have been hired as a consultant to coordinate the project. However, it is going to take many hands working together to help it move forward and flourish.

We have drafted a tentative mission/goals – which you can see at 
http://www.mssagnet.net/about-us/
. Some things on the table for MSAN include developing courses/workshops, establishing demo/learning farms, building a web presence, and establishing a Steering Committee.

Here’s what you can do:

Market Buzz
Important Notice for Tues. Pick-ups: 
We’d like to ask our CSA members to pick up between 3-6 p.m. at Oxford City Market. If you can’t make it by 6 p.m., please call Betsy at 662-380-2367 and she will hold your box until 7 p.m. Thanks!

We’re hoping to harvest snow peas, shelling peas, garlic, carrots, beets, lettuces, broccoli, kohlrabi, chard and a few cabbages this week. Yum!

Upcoming Distributions:
Fri., May 31, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Market-Style)
Tues., June 4, 3 pm. to 6 p.m., Oxford City Market
(Pre-Packed Box)

Upcoming Home/Office Deliveries:
Tues., June 4 - Put out a cooler to keep your food fresh!

Find Us At The Markets:
Sat., June 1, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Mid-Town
Tues., June 4 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Oxford City Market

Yokna Bottoms Full Moon Drum Circle


Bonfire on the Farm

The drums always looked like the best seat in the house.
Levon Helm
Farming is all about rhythm: the seasons, the weather, the life cycle. It’s only fitting that we celebrate the Full Moon down in the field, around a bonfire, drumming up some good vibes with our friends!

We’d like to invite our CSA members and the general public to our Full Moon Drum Circle this Friday, May 24 from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The circle will be led by Oxford musician and blithe spirit Shaundi Wall. Bring something to make some noise with and some rhythm – if you’ve got it!


Upcoming Distributions:
Friday, May 24,
 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Market-Style)
Tuesday, May 28, 3 pm. to 6 p.m., Oxford City Market
(Pre-Packed Box – Don’t forget to return your box!)

Upcoming Home/Office Deliveries:
Tuesday, May 28 - Please remember to put out a cooler to keep your food fresh!

Find Us At The Farmer’s Markets:
Saturday, May 25, 
7 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Mid-Town
Tuesday, May 28 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Oxford City Market

 

CSA Distribution Tomorrow & Farmers Market Buzz

Good food connects us to the community! Nothing makes the hard work we do on the farm more rewarding than the friendships we’ve made along the way and the smiling faces of people enjoying our food.


Rowan like our radishes…a bunch!


Oxford Moms & Tots on the Farm


At Mid-Town Market with cute new tablecloths courtesy of our friend Stacey with Oxford Handmade


Yokna Bottoms baby onions at Oxford City Market


Upcoming Distributions:
Friday, May 17,
 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Market-Style)
Tuesday, May 21, 3 pm. to 6 p.m., Oxford City Market
(Pre-Packed Box – Don’t forget to return your box!)

Upcoming Home/Office Deliveries:
Tuesday, May 21 - Please remember to put out a cooler to keep your food fresh!

Find Us At The Farmer’s Markets:
Saturday, May 18, 
7 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Mid-Town
Tuesday, May 21 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Oxford City Market

 

The strangely cold May weather didn’t do our recently planted heirloom tomatoes much good, but on the bright side, the chilly days and nights have left us with rows and rows of sweet, tender and beautiful mixed lettuces. Our lettuce mix tastes great and provides an equally appealing feast for the eyes, with its multi-textured palette of bright yellow-green, deep burgundy, and speckled red. Harvested and distributed on the same day, we’re proud to offer lettuces that are at their peak of freshness – cool, crisp, and high in sugar content. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Important CSA Reminder: Beginning May 14, our Tuesday distributions will move to the Oxford City Market on West Oxford Loop. Also, please return your empty boxes each week for us to re-use and in return we’ll give you a new one filled with farm-fresh goodness!

To Market, To Market

katie

OXCM’s Katie Morrison at UM Sustainability Fair

We kicked-off the season last Saturday with a great first market at Mid-Town – 15 vendors and lots of customers enjoyed a chilly but sunny morning surrounded by flowers, veggies, fresh baked goods, and the infectious fun of Love Cannon. We’re looking forward to this Saturday at Mid-Town and will be at the new Oxford City Market for its opening from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. We caught up with OXCM coordinator Katie Morrison to get the low down on this new addition to the local food scene.

What is your long term “vision” for the Oxford City Market? My personal vision for the market is to establish the largest farmers market in North Mississippi.  I think that by operating on non-traditional market days, we can attract more farmers from around the region so that we can provide ample supply for the customer demand here in Oxford.  People in Oxford are used to and enjoy doing things differently; having an afternoon market on different days isn’t a jump.  I can’t wait for the day when we have our ideal location locked in, and we have hundreds of families gathered with our farmers on the grass, in the shade, listening to music, attending cooking and gardening demonstrations, and feasting their eyes — and their pocketbooks — on row after row of produce and food vendors.  It may take awhile to build that vision, but I’m determined to get us there.

Why are good farmers markets important to community building and enhancing local culture? You know, these days we are all so busy, and in an era of email and text message, we actually have to make concerted efforts to connect to our neighbors in a personal way. Luckily, we all have to eat so we all have to shop, so why not kill two birds with one stone and connect with your neighbors while you buy food for your family?  The bonuses are many: local food just picked from the farm is more nutritious, tastes better, supports our local economy, and is more environmentally sound as it doesn’t have to be shipped in from parts unknown.  Plus, it’s a great way to engage your senses — and your children — because you can find things you don’t find at a typical big box grocery store:  red carrots, a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, watermelon radishes, duck eggs, and much, much more. Local is a beautiful thing on every level.
What’s your favorite part of your job as market coordinator? Definitely promoting the aspects of living local. I hope our market reminds people of all the benefits of disconnecting from the internet, work, television or other distractions and connecting into the community. We’ll give people some gentle nudges to get their family and friends together to cook and eat, hang at the market and meet other like-minded folks, put their hands in the dirt, support local farms and businesses, and try new things.  I also really enjoy the challenge of incorporating valuable programmatic efforts like accepting EBT and credit cards, and acting on behalf of farmers and vendors to navigate all of the regulations from the USDA and the Mississippi Dept. of Agriculture and Commerce. Hopefully our market can be a weighty force that helps tear down some of the regulatory encumbrances that keep us from being able to easily buy some products locally.
Are you finding that Oxford residents are increasingly demanding locally grown food? Absolutely.  Oxonians are supporting new farms and their CSAs, buying so much local milk that Billy Ray Brown keeps running out of bottles, the Farmers Market store Liz Coppola owns and the BTC Grocery in Water Valley get busier and busier, and the response to the news that we are opening the Oxford City Market on the west side of town has gotten tremendous praise from people across town, but especially in the Wellsgate, Royal Oaks, and Woodlawn neighborhoods.  I’m also excited about the progress that the Oxford School District’s “Good Food for Oxford Schools” (GFOS) program is making in their efforts to introduce local food into the cafeterias and also educate kids about where food comes from. The partnerships between Yokna Bottoms Farm, GFOS, Oxford City Market, and other local farms, restaurants and organizations reminds folks about how tasty local food is, and that it is better for us. We will also be partnering with local agencies and other organizations at the state and national level to help get local produce into the hands of the traditionally underserved.
How can the community get involved in making OXCM successful? As the market grows, we will be rolling out new programming and initiatives, and will definitely need lots of volunteers to make these successful. We will have programming aimed at children, parents, seniors, and everyone in-between that ties local food to health and nutrition, shopping economically, cooking for the family or for one, and growing your own food in your window sill or your backyard.  We want all the recommendations and ideas that anyone has about the kinds of programming they’d like to see, as well as volunteers to conduct these demonstrations.  But mostly, we just want people to come and shop and engage with our famers.  And we’ll have items for CSA’ers too – even if you get your CSA delivered, we hope you’ll stop by the market and see what other vendors have to offer — baked breads, fresh eggs, local meat, and beautiful cut flowers. We’ll even have local dog treats!  We are making this a market for the people, by the people — it will be the consumers’ input that determines the ultimate direction of this market as we grow. We are wide open, and want to make this the market Oxonians have been dreaming about.

Mamma Jamma Fundraiser

9:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9

Proud Larry’s

Friend of the farm and tireless student environmental organizer/activist Taylor Cook’s got a new cause: her mom. Taylor’s mom needs a life-saving surgery and to raise funds to help with expenses she’s organized Mamma Jamma featuring Zak Tillotson and the ever-righteous Silas Reed n’ Da Books.

Taylor said, “For those of you that don’t know, my mom has been fighting a life long battle with lupus and needs surgery. Our family doesn’t have the money to pay for it so I’m raising it the best way I can think of-listening to good music and drinking beer.”

There’s no better way to spend your last Thursday in Oxford than drinking for a good cause! $5 Cover


https://www.facebook.com/events/643246025702166/?fref=ts
 

There’s nothing like looking out across the fields at sunset…Especially when there’s music, hula-hooping, kids dancing, a bonfire, and a couple hundred friends of the farm just hanging out. Love Cannon and Chimney Choir put a heck of a show Monday. Chef Lee Craven’s delicious kale and goat cheese strudel and tasty samples from Joe’s Craft Beer really rounded out the event, making for a perfect spring evening. Thanks to everyone who played, sang, set-up, and came out! Here are a few snapshots of the fun:

Chimney Choir 008 Chimney Choir 028

Chimney Choir 034

Upcoming Distributions:

Friday, May 3, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Market-Style)

Tuesday, May 7, 5 pm. to 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (Pre-Packed Box)

Upcoming Home/Office Deliveries:

Tuesday, May 7, 4 pm. to 6 p.m.

Find Us At The Farmer’s Markets:

May 4 – Mid-Town (Saturdays)

May 14 – Oxford City Market (Tuesdays)

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