America's first pumpkin seed oil
Happy Holidays and our best New Year wishes to all our friends and customers. This is a seasonal post, pumpkin seed oil is one of the very rare substances on earth that exhibits the amazing property of dichromatism. When it is in a thin layer it is green, as on the plate, but when in a thick layer, it is the opposite color, red, as in the bottle. That’s diachromatism folks!
At long last it is harvest day. Equipment checked, ready to go. Weeds, wet and deer damage have taken their toll but we’ll see what we get by the end of today. Pretty, sunny weather, as we say goodbye to temps in the 50s for 2019.
We are honored to be featured in this month’s magazine.
https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/fall-2019/wisconsin-table/farming-oil
A beautiful fall day and we are hoping the mild weather holds till next weekend when we’ve scheduled harvest 2019. This was a very tough year for weeds. Believe it or not, underneath those golden weeds are pumpkins. Always the bane of organic farmers, this year was particularly bad. Fortunately, we’re growing pumpkins, not orchids, they are tough plants and have produced well in spite of the competition.
Look Ma, No Hands! Happy to be in the fields again.
Oh we have let way too long go without posting, sorry folks! Spring is finally here, snow long gone and we are indeed happy to be doing our prep work in the fields. We are certified organic so the only way to deal with weeds is cultivation. Ideally you cultivate just ahead of a dry spell so that the weeds dry out and die. Ideally. Actual results may vary. We are looking forward to greenhouse starting seeds on May 24th then will be transplanting in the field about 2 weeks later.
In every way, our 2018 growing season was fantastic, fields were beautiful, our weed and pest control was working and the yields of big, beautiful seeds were excellent. The organic certified company we use to cold press our oil, Botanic Innovations, has been booked and is moving so there is a delay. Our seeds will be pressed at the end of January, they will then sit for 4 weeks to let the fine seed particles settle, THEN we will bottle. Pre-order now and your oil will be the first shipped in March.
Thanks for your patience and we think this amazing crop is going to be worth the wait!
One of our projects this winter is to beat back the trees. In Wisconsin with our abundant moisture and rich soil, trees will rapidly infiltrate cleared land. Over the years the steady march of the forest has moved into our prime fields. It has been perfect weather to rev up the chainsaw and make the world safe again for pumpkins.
Well, harvest is over and done and nearly put to rest. Seeds are in the dryer and soon they’ll be pressed and bottled. Another frustrating year, our field produced nothing and thank goodness our neighbors did!
The first shot is our crew, Adrian, Bob and yours truly being silly. The second is of Bob and Ken about to unload the seeds from Kate’s field. The harvester (Mister orange) works like a charm.
Explains why my posts here have been so scant. Not much to report.
Cool and wet summers do not favor pumpkins. Yet we’re already planning to really work our land into shape for 2016. I know, sounds bonkers and who knows how we’ll feel come spring.
We’re not giving up this dream of ours. We’re not!
Happy Fall Wonderful YOUZ!
Look at this little gem.
Trying its very best to outgrow our ‘organic weeds’. One of the challenges of maintaining a field of pumpkins, or any organically grown field-crop for that matter, is weed pressure. No matter how much you cultivate or disc or fuss or worry, the weeds will march down the aisles and try and take over the dang field! As I walk along the rows, wringing my hands and cussing, I’m also amazed and grateful and full of hope. Farming is pretty nuts especially when no one has done this before.
Maybe there’s a reason…
Okay, so this isn’t the best picture. I am really not known for my action shots. But these people worked their little tales off putting 3 seeds in each little cell and moving like there is no tomorrow. Had a great day with them all. Now I visit the greenhouse ever day to water and hope. HOPE like mad these babies grow. Using one’s own seeds is a little nerve-wracking. You just don’t know if they’re going to germinate. Even though we did a test run over the winter. As the saying goes, results may vary. As in SCARY!!!!!