Where is Farmer Doug today?
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May 22, 2015
Good Morning! Well, the weather has definitely improved! However, we had 33.9 degrees this morning. But everything looks good this morning. We planted peppers yesterday, but we covered them with a floating row cover. The sunflowers were not covered, but came through beautifully.
Where has time gone? It's hard to believe that it's Memorial Day weekend already. This is the traditional weekend to plant gardens, and it looks like the weather will be perfect. Lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, onions, can all go in with out cover. If you are going to put in tomatoes, cukes, or peppers you may want to have protection ready for cool evenings. But I don't see anything lower than about 40 degrees in the forecast. So now is the time!
This week I had an opportunity to go with our granddaughter Donna's class to Cirus Design. That was a very interesting trip. It seems like a great company to work for, and they make a great product. The kids got to go inside a plane and they had a really good time. Very impressive.
What will be at market tomorrow? Well don't forget that the Saturday hours have changed. We now open up at 8am on Saturdays. I will have lettuce again tomorrow. Fresh basil, too. And a lot of bedding plants. Especially tomatoes. We have about 8 varieties, so big or small we will have the tomatoes you want. We have three varieties of peppers, and lots of cukes, squash, zucchini, and flowers. When you buy your plants from a local grower, you can be assured they will grow here and you will have a very successful garden.
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May 15, 2015
Good Morning! OK, OK, OK....Enough rain already! We were doing so well. And now we have too much water. Looks like a wet week ahead, too. But the good news is that the fire danger has gone down. Maybe we can get our brush pile burned.
This has been a great week with the kids, though. Spring concert at Pike Lake School was really fun. Then our regular dinner with the fam was great. Last week I told you about the science project Doug did in Donna's classroom...Well it was quite a lesson. Plants need water, and newly grafted plants need lots of water and moisture. Long story short, the plants were all dead by Monday morning. But Grandpa Farmer Doug to the rescue....He has grafted a whole new set for them. This time we will keep them in the greenhouse and bring them to the kids to bring home on the last day of school.
What will be at market tomorrow? Well don't forget that the Saturday hours have changed. We now open up at 8am on Saturdays. I am cutting lettuce today, and will have fresh basil. Also, lots of bedding plants. Even though it's wet, it's still great weather to plant your garden. Especially perennials. And we happen to have a lot of strawberry plants. Fresh strawberries in July! How good would that be? They can be planted in the ground, or in baskets. I have some really nice petunia and fuchsia hanging baskets. Getting one of them would definitely brighten up your day. Our second batch of baby chicks came yesterday. You can see pictures of those adorable little creatures by going to our facebook page. Now on to business: We are open every Wednesday and Saturday. New Saturday hours will be 8am to noon. Most vendors take credit cards on their smart phones or IPads, however. ALL vendors take checks and cash. If using a credit card, look for the VISA symbol. Thanks for all of you that signed up for FarmFan. The first texts are going out in the morning, so I want to hear from you on how it goes.
If you want to be reminded to come to the market and receive a text 1 hour prior to the beginning time, then FarmFan is for you. You will only receive the text on the day of the market and you will not be spammed. The text will have current information of that market. (We are doing 5 markets this summer). So you will know how to find our fresh produce and beautiful flowers. It's a fact that people don't always read their emails, but nearly always read their texts. You can choose which market you want to receive the text for. To sign up go to https://farmfanapp.com/hoffbauers/signup. Looking forward to hearing from you!
To keep up daily with Farmer Doug, you can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/farmerdougduluth/. Also check out our new and updated website www.farmerdoug.com. I have been posting the most exciting things that are going on around here. You can see how our garden grows. You can also find the Local Dirt Farm info at www.facebook.com/localdirtfarm/See you at the market. Lois218 591-0632 www.balsamwreath.com www.farmerdoug.com [email protected]
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Monday May 11, 2015
I hope everyone had a great mother's day/fishing opener. With todays lousy weather, 37 degrees and cold driving rain from the east for the last 3 days, hard to do any field work. Here is our update of our season to date. we had a good maple syrup season, and thanks to all who helped. All our greenhouses are planted and the slicing tomatoes are in bloom, which should provide ripe tomatoes in 6-7 weeks. Onions, carrots, beets, glads, potatoes and early sweet corn are planted, with kale, broccoli, and cabbage transplants already in the field. Much improved from last year! Our first baby chicks arrived last week and are doing well. With the H5N2 avian flue throughout the Midwest, we pray daily that a solution be found quickly, to assist all poultry farmers, as poultry is large in Minnesota's economy. Lois and I will be visiting Ireland with a Minnesota Farm group this august, so our chicken production will be half of usual, and over by early August. If interested, please purchase early, as there will be no more later in the season. Our 4000 Christmas tree seedlings are nearly all planted, with a few odds and ends left, should be finished in a couple of days. We welcome our son Derek, his wife Brook, and family whom have spent last 12 years in Alaska. They have become an integral part of our lives and farm. Our son Jesse is busy with his tree spade, digging and planting larger ball and burlap trees. If interested, call 218-591-2064. Hope to see you this spring and summer, as we are at Duluth Farmer's market, Wednesday 2-6 and Saturday 8-noon. Later (July 1) we will start the other 3 markets we attend: Downtown, Lake and Superior, Tuesdays 11-1, West Duluth Thursdays 3-6 next to Walgreens on Grand ave., ad Hermantown Monday 3-6 in front of old city hall (by ball fields, on Maple Grove Rd)
Saturday, March 30th
Another beautiful day here at the farm. Doug's been home from New Zealand for 2 weeks, and things are back to normal, if you haven't heard about his new project, I'll tell you. The project is "Growing for a Cause". What is "Growing for a Cause"? Well, we are looking for people who might have a small garden space that they would be willing to plant for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. The seeds, transplants, compost, black plastic and training will be provided. If you are willing to help, please email Doug at [email protected] or go to www.farmerdoug.com/growing_for_a_cause.htm to download the application and email it back in. We are needing 20-30 people to help, so please don't wait. Contact us today.
In the meantime, one high tunnel is full of tomato and pepper plants. These sunny days sure awesome. The snow is really disappearing.
The new maple sap evaporator has finally been installed, and the trees have been tapped. The bags are filling up and we should be boiling sap by Monday. We are taking tomorrow off to celebrate Easter with our family. Happy Easter, everyone!
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013
It's a beautiful and sunny day today. The seedlings have been moved to the solarium to get some natural sun and heat. Farmer Doug is in New Zealand and the time is flying by. He'll be home in just a week. Some sap bags have been hung on the maple trees and just waiting for even warmer weather. Trying to get the taxes done. That's going to take awhile. We have another foot of snow on the ground, and it must be a while longer before we move into the high tunnels.
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Today, Farmer Doug is out in the sugar house getting ready for maple syruping. We have a new evaporator coming, and the process should go much smoother this year. He is getting to go to New Zealand on Sunday, and when he gets home we will be down and running.
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July 2012
Tuesdays: 11 am - 1 pm Downtown Farmer's Market - Lake Ave and Superior St. - MN Power Plaza.
Wednesdays: 7am - noon Duluth Farmer's Market - 14th Ave. E. and 3rd St.
Thursdays: 11 am - 1pm Esentia Health Parking Lot - 5th Ave. E and 3rd St. - Across the Ave. from the Duluth Clinic Building
Saturdays: 7am - noon Duluth Farmer's Market - 14th Ave. E. and 3rd St.
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Farmer Doug will be at the Duluth Farmer's Market today and every day until about December 20th, selling locally grown Christmas Trees and hand made wreaths. Hours are: M-F 1pm to 7pm. Sat. 9am to 6pm and Sun 11am - 6pm.
You will find the best selection of fresh and locally grown Christmas trees in the area. Stop in and see Farmer Doug for your Christmas tree. See you at the market.
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October 6, Farmer Doug has turned the page to the Christmas Trees. The Downtown Farmer's Market is closed. He will be at the Duluth Farmer's market on 14th Ave. E. every Wednesday and Saturday until the end of October. Today he is putting the finishing touches on the Christmas trees. Getting ready for the season.
Tuesday, September 13, Farmer Doug will be at MN Power Plaza with cooked sweet corn. It's a practice run for Fall Fest this coming weekend.
Duluth Farmer's Market is open every Wednesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to noon. Located on 14th Ave. E. and 3rd St. Look for the Farmer Doug Truck.
On Tuesdays, Farmer Doug is at the Minnesota Power Plaze located at Lake Ave. and Superior St. from 11am to 1pm.
On Thursdays, you can find the Farmer Doug Truck at Esentia Health Center located at 3rd St. and 5th Ave. E. from 11am to 1pm.
