RHODIES RULE!
Hello Chimacum Corner Community!
From a PNW farmer’s perspective, May is an absolutely critical, stressful, blown out month. Everything needs to be planted all at once, while simultaneously starting to harvest the early plantings you’ve assiduously babied along all the livelong cold spring. A song that perfectly captures the lived experience of a farmer in May is “Month of May,” by Arcade Fire. May is also an explosion of beauty in our ecosystem. Our deciduous brothers and sisters are all leafy and lush, lilacs are bloomin’ in the dooryards, and the crowned queen herself, Rhododendron, does the can-can all over town. And can you believe the festival in her honor is 90 years old?! It all goes back to Mr. Clive Buttermere endeavoring to show off his native bloom to the world, and lil Miss Myrtle Olsen, the first “chosen lady” who starred in the Hearst newsreel. Wild to think about what town was like in 1936! Rhody fest always seems like the beginning of all of the summer frivolity, which is part of its charm, we reckon. Before you get your (last!) slice of cake, come on down to CCF and see what’s blooming for us. One whiff of the Daphnes and you’ll need a whole hedgerow!
BIG BLOOMS
We love driving into town from Chimacum this time of year, because it is truly a tapestry of lush perennial bloomers, from Ceanothus to Lilac to even trees like Black Walnut and Pacific Madrone. The buying team here at the Corner Nursery have put together a stunning roster of perennial blooming shrubs this spring for you to add to your collection, and the queen among them is the Pacific Rhododendron, our state flower, chosen to be so in the run-up to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. When you happen to spot them with their little pink lanterns of blooms in the woods, you begin to understand why our community has built up such a tradition of celebration around them. Their habitats are imperiled by rising temperatures, and the Olympic Peninsula is one of the few havens for this treasured shrub. Thus, we are guardians of the rhododendron forest ecotype! Also, did you know that in India they dry the blooms of their native rhododendrons and then make an excellent recipe of chutney? Fascinating! Add perennial color with any of the other Rhody varieties on hand as well. For the truly most potent of the fragrant bloomers, we simply cannot get enough of the Daphne collection at the Corner. With blooms in their emergent stage already on the potted plants, just one bloom cluster of three flowers is enough to transport you to a higher place. No second fiddle to Daphne, we have several tried and true classic cultivars of Gardenias as well, such as “Chuck Hayes” and “Frost Proof”. For fans of Walt Whitman, we have a decent little selection of Lilac cultivars as well, to round out the scented wonderland out front of the store. Go bloom or go home!
TALKIN’ HEADS
It is patently obvious when local head lettuce shows up on the scene at the Produce Porch. Heads are bigger, fresher, and cleaner, almost glowing with their vitality. First to market this year has been Pierce Kennedy of Soft Step Farm. He has been supplying weekly drops of Red Butter, Green Oakleaf, and Red Oakleaf, all of which are totally stunning. Hot on his heels are Jeff and Janet of Stellar J Farm. They will have a steady supply of Red and Green Butter lettuce in the weeks to come. We also have a gorgeous lot of Stellar J’s crisp, sweet spring spinach at the moment, as well as their “Spring Special” spicy salad mix. It’s time to get leafy with the locals in your diet!
PLZ SEND NOODZ
In light of the hot days ahead, the Corner Kitchen team has crafted a super chill offering: Ginger Noodle Salad! A bed of udon noodles sets the stage for a veggie party of carrots, cabbage, snow peas, bell pepper, cilantro, green onion, and peanuts, all slathered in a toasted sesame tamari maple dressing. The ginger sews them all together! For a quick lunch in the dappled shade of your favorite big leaf maple or conifer, look no further than this savory treat. Available every day in our Deli Case at the store, alongside a fine rotating cast of other gourmet “lunchables.”
LIQUID GOLD
As anyone who has done it knows, beekeeping in the Northwest is not for the faint of heart. Extended damp winters with unpredictable early pollen/nectar sources make hive starvation an easy outcome, coupled with the ongoing modern pandemic of varroa mites that are an ever present worry. That is why we are so grateful to have such a strong, consistent local honey producer in Mark of Sailing “S” Orchard. We carry his honey in various jar sizes, as well as luscious squares of “cut comb.” Mark is also a supplier to other vendors as well, such as Live Light Beeswax Candles. His honey is a true expression of all of the pollen/nectar sources of the Dungeness, which is host to a slew of other great small local ag producers as well. Your tea will never be sweeter than with a spoonful of Sailing “S”!
REV YOUR BEVS
Some perennial “deal favorites” are on draft (or rather, can) for the rest of the month - C2O and Nixie sparkling waters! Get your “Nixie Fix” with any of our sparkling water offerings, all of which are “zero sugar” and have well balanced flavors. The Lemon Nixie is a particular favorite. We sell tons of C20 as well, in three iterations: Original, “with Pulp,” and the Ginger Lime Turmeric variety. Did you know that C2O was born out of a quest for relief from the symptoms of the CEOs ulcerative colitis? Their first account? Erewhon. Not bad for an up and coming coconut water producer in the late 2000s. Lock in some cases of your favorite bevs and you’ll be hydrated all summer long!
FARMER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
There are multiple stellar opportunities for learning about farming and homesteading either in person, or via podcast. Produced by some serious local talent, we thought we would highlight two of them.
FARM WALKS PODCAST
We’re pretty proud to share the “Farm Walks” podcast! Hosted with panache by our very own GM, Nicole Witham. Episodes for Season 4 are dropping every Monday in May. So, listen in for the latest or dive into the archives of over 25 episodes. Nicole had a hand is creating the Farm Walks Podcast in the midst of the pandemic, when in person learning opportunities were limited for farmers and food producers. Produced in tandem by the WSU Food Systems program and Tilth Alliance and is a “farmer-to-farmer” style educational series of interviews (including one with local legends Zach and Haley of Dharma Ridge Farm!) focusing on technical topics in all modalities of farming (dairy/meat/veggie/etc.). Really fun stuff for folks who want a window into the lives and operations of legit producers in our state! Oh, and did we mention that Nicole also designed the logo, pod art, and website for Farm Walks too?!! GET TO LISTENING…
LIVING ON THE LAND
Also check out a hybrid in-person/online series titled “Living on the Land” put on by the WSU extension Regional Small Farms Program (Hi Kellie, et al!). This is a series that is free and open to the public (in-person attendees should pre-register to ensure a spot) and perfect for people starting their journey as homesteaders or small ag producers. With topics like poultry care, small ruminant care, composting, and seed saving, it is a thoughtful flow of core techniques/ideas for country livin’. So sign up and get out in the barnyard y’all!
