Cloverleaf Farm

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Are Back

2011-03-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

Today, is Dr. Seuss' Birthday Bash at the Effingham Public Library. On March 2, he would have been 107.
To mark the occasion, Thing 1 and Thing 2 will throw a party for him. There will be cake, cookies, apple juice, and of course birthday hats. The kids will get to decorate their own birthday hats to bring home.

The kids will get to meet and pet Penelope the Chicken who lays green eggs.

Once the kids are done with their hats, Thing 2 will do the interacting reading Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham.

After that, cake, cookies and apple juice for all in attendance.

Watch out that Thing 1 and Thing 2 don't get into any mischief.

Weeds That Are Medicinal Herbs...Part Three

2011-03-05T03:21:00.000-08:00

Most people think of a dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and all they see is a weed that they can’t get rid of.
Herbalists think much differently. They consider it a valuable herb with both culinary and medicinal uses. Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. The young leaves can be added to salads or a sandwich, much like lettuce. It can also be used as a tea. The roots make a wonderful “earthy” coffee substitute. You can drink it alone, or add it to your favorite coffee. The flower heads can be eaten or made into dandelion wine. We make fried dandelion flowers that you would swear were fried mushrooms. Yummy!

Dandelion flowers are sensitive to light, so they open with the sun in the morning and close in the evening. The best time to pick them is after the morning dew has passed. Be sure to wash in cool water. Pick the leaves while they are young. Older, they get a bit tough. The roots are picked and dried after the 2nd year of growth. You can dry them in a low oven, or in a dehydrator. Make sure to pick where you know that insecticide sprays have not been used!

Traditional herbal medicine uses dandelion roots and leaves to treat liver problems. It is mainly used for an appetite stimulant, digestive aid, and for liver and gallbladder function. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic to stimulate the excretion of urine.
Dandelion roots act as an antiviral agent, appetite stimulant, digestive aid, and may help promote gastrointestinal health. Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. Herbalists and other alternative health care providers clinically use dandelion root to promote liver detoxification.\

Dandelion leaf is a natural diuretic that increases urine production by promoting the excretion of salts and water from the kidney. Dandelion may be used for a wide range of conditions requiring mild diuretic treatment, such as poor digestion, liver disorders, and high blood pressure. Dandelion contains potassium, am important nutrient for our bodies, that is often lost when taking chemical diuretics.

Fresh or dried dandelion herb is also used as a mild appetite stimulant and to improve upset stomach. The root of the dandelion plant is believed to have mild laxative effects and is often used to improve digestion. Studies show that dandelion root may improve the health and function of natural bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract may help improve liver and gallbladder function.

So, when spring comes, and you see those dandelions in your yard, go pick them and eat them. You’ll be doing your liver a favor.
You can also buy the dried herb, but it isn’t as much fun as being outside in a beautiful field of dandelions.

Weeds That Are Medicinal Herbs...Part Two

2011-03-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

Plantain (Plantago major) is a perennial plant. It is a tall, erect plant with well veined leaves. Grooved flower stalks grow from 6-30 inches high. They are tipped off by a short spike of tiny white flowers. Flowering time is from April to November. Fruiting spike has many small, hard fruits.
Plantain is a very common weed , Plantain grows in waste places, backyards, and in fields. Plantain is native to Europe, but is common throughout the United States.
Some common names for plantain are Lance-leaf Plantain, Buckhorn, Ch’e-ch’ien (it’s Chinese herbal name), and Englishman’s Footprint.
Herbalists use the leaves of the plant, either fresh or dried.

Legend of the Plantain Herb
Plantain’s common name of Englishman’s Footprint, came from the Native Americans. Their tradition maintains that plantain springs up wherever Englishman step their foot. The botanical name is derived from the word “planta,” a foot, and “ago” a wort (meaning plant) in allusion to the shape of the broad leaves as they lay on the ground. In the old days, they use to kill spiders with plantain tea sprinkled on their cobwebs. An 18th century physician wrote: “in his own experience, he has found that fresh plantain leaves, placed upon the feet, will ease the pain and fatigue engendered by long walks.”

Herbal Uses for Plantain
Herbalists consider Plantain an Alterative, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, styptic, and vulnerary. It’s medicinal values make it a widely popular herb in many herbal preparations.
Plantain is a useful remedy for cough irritations and hoarseness. Plantain is good for all respiratory problems, bronchitis, asthma, especially those involving mucous congestion.
The fresh juice pressed from the whole plant, or an infusion or tea is helpful for hay fever, and allergic rhinitis.
Externally, the fresh leaves are crushed for application to insect bites or stings. Chew up a bit, and apply it to the area. Plantain Oil can help with minor burns, ringworms, shingles, scalds, wounds, sores, cuts, scratches, and boils.
These are just some of the uses of Plantain.

Weeds That Are Medicinal Herbs...Part One

2011-03-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea) is a wild relative of Chamomile (Matricaria recutita). It grows in compacted, dry, dusty soil, such as gravel parking-lots, sidewalk cracks, footpaths, trampled sandy beaches and other wastelands. It is also called Disc Mayweed. The weed is an annual herb, mostly found from June into November depending on where you live. It reaches up to about 3-5 inches, but in the right conditions, can reach 10-12 inches in height.
The foliage is rather ferny looking.

Pineapple weed has the same herbal medicinal value as it’s herbal cousin. A tea made with the leaves, flowers, and stems, is relaxing for tension and stress. It is also useful for stomach upset.

Just like Chamomile, Pineapple weed can be drank for insomnia. and enjoy as a beverage, or to relieve nervous tension, stomach upset, and insomnia caused by stress.

When crushed,pineapple weed gives off the fresh scent of pineapple. You will notice that, unlike it’s cousin, it does not have white flower petals. The flower is simply the small green nodule at the end of the stem.

You may use pineapple weed fresh, or dry it for later use. All aerial parts are used to make the tea. Be sure to clean and dry thoroughly. To make a tea from the herb, take a large handful of pineapple weed, and put it into a pan. Cover it with about 1 cup water. Cover pot. Simmer, for 20 minutes on very low heat. Strain, and drink hot or chill and have as an ice tea. Add just a pinch of spearmint, for a minty, pineapple flavor.
Luckily, we have it growing here in our walkways, and use it all summer as a wonderfully tasty cold ice tea. We also dry some for year round use.s

Cosmetically, pineapple weed can be used in treating skin sores. Make an infusion and gently apply with cotton ball. Pineapple weed can also makes a very effective bug repellent. Crush the entire plant, and rub onto you skin.

So, the next time you are out walking, look down and see if you can find Chamomile’s wild cousin, and take some home and have a wonderful tasting tea.
Be sure to pick in an area that is not sprayed with toxic chemicals or pesticides.

If you are allergic to daisies, you should not use pineapple weed, or chamomile. They are both of the Aster (Asteraceae) family of herbs and plants.

Proud To Announce Herbal Baby Products

2011-02-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

To celebrate our granddaughter Autumn's First Birthday, we have developed a line of pure, natural and organic products for baby.

Autumn's Baby Products was specifically formulated for the little ones in your life. We use only organic herbs,organic oils, organic butters and pure 100% organic essential oils.

Your baby or grand baby deserves the best all organic, natural product available. Cloverleaf Farm has just what you need. With Autumn's Baby Products, you don't have to worry if your baby will be allergic to the fragrance or perfumes in them. We don't use them. Never have, never will. They are not natural. We use only 100 % pure organic essential oils to add fragrance.

We blend our organic herbs, and oils into the best natural organic baby products on Earth.

Autumn loves them, and your baby will too.
Raising kids is hard enough. Now you have one less thing to worry about.

We Are Proud to Be Pure

2011-02-05T03:48:00.000-08:00

Natural products are NOT created equal.

We are proud to formulate genuinely pure, 100 % all natural and organic products.

There are however, other companies and websites out there that are claiming to be all natural, and aren't.
While surfing around on the internet, I have several times bumped into companies that use fragrance oils, and claim to produce all natural products. This always get's my goat. Fragrance oils are not natural! They are chemically produced in a laboratory somewhere. There is no such thing as strawberry or lilac essential oil. If you find those in a "natural product", then the product isn't truly natural.

While perusing the net today, I came across a site, that was suppose to be selling a 100 % all natural acne cream. As I was reading down through the list of ingredients, the last ingredient they listed was Vaseline. I was horrified! They actually use Vaseline as the base for their acne cream. Does this company actually believe that because crude oil comes from the Earth, that Vaseline is all natural? Vaseline is petroleum. Petroleum does not occur in nature! It is manufactured from crude oil! Do you really want to put that on your skin? Petroleum is not healthy for your skin.

It also irks me when people put the ingredients in their botanical, Latin name. I happen to know them, but the average Joe does not. To me, why make it look like the ingredients are something more mysterious than they really are. Example; the herbs apis cera, calendula officinalis, passiflora incarnarta, and rosa damascena. Those are the Latin names for beeswax, calendula, passion flower, and rose. Why not just use the common names along with the Latin names, so people understand what they are putting on their skin?

When you buy from Cloverleaf Farm, you can be assured that all our products are 100% natural and organic!

We don't hide behind Latin,botanical names; we publish all ingredients in English.

We use only 100% pure organic essential oils to scent our products...no fragrance oils ever.

We are proud to be pure!

The Groundhog Day Blizzard....Let it Snow

2011-02-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

The Groundhog Day Blizzard is upon us, but we are warm and toasty in our harvest kitchen filling bottles and packaging up orders.
During the winter our shop is closed, so we use our harvest kitchen as our laboratory, packing department, photo studio, and labeling department. It is nice to work by the warmth of the wood stove.
Today, we are filling orders for our Rejuvenating Night Cream.

The wonderful blend of herbs in our Rejuvenating Night Cream will help tone and smooth your face to make it silky soft.

The base of our all natural organic night time skin moisturizer is a blend of organic herbs that are cold pressed in organic Almond Oil, Rose Hip Oil, Jojoba oil, and organic Vitamin E for eight weeks.

The oil absorbs the healing properties of the herbs and then we add organic cocoa butter, shea butter, and beeswax, aloe and green tea extract to create the best herbal rejuvenating cream on Earth.

100 % pure organic Lavender, Palmarosa, and Vetiver essential oils are added for their skin healing benefits as well as natural preservatives.

Rejuvenating Night Cream will help rejuvenate, and revitalize your skin.

It is one of our newest products, and is selling off the shelf.

Creating New Products

2011-02-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

We enjoy creating new natural organic products for our online store and gift shop here at the farm.
I spend much of my down time, experimenting, and testing out new herbal remedies. I am after all, an herbalist.
When our shop is closed during the winter, and I don't have many clients coming in, I enjoy developing new and wonderful herbal healing products. It makes the long winter seem just a bit more tolerable.
Our newest debuts of products are Herbal Infused Oils, and Rejuvenating Night Cream.
The Herbal Infused Oils are a wonderful blend of sesame, apricot and almond oil. They are made for bath, body or massage. The herbs are cold pressed into the oil. As they sit on the window sill of our harvest kitchen the gentle sunshine warms the oil, leaving behind all the valuable herbal healing properties of the herb. They are then scented with pure 100 % organic essential oils of either Lavender, Rose, or Jasmine. The Calendula Infused Herbal Oil has no added scent.
The Rejuvenating Night Cream is a blend of 9 herbs cold pressed in organic Almond Oil, Rose Hip Oil, Jojoba oil for eight weeks. The wonderful blend of herbs, oils and butters in our Rejuvenating Night Cream will help tone and smooth your face to make it silky soft.
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Slow is Good

2011-01-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Luckily, winter months around Cloverleaf Farm are slow. At least slower than the summer months. It allows us time to get things done we don't get to do during the hectic summer schedule.
We start by sorting the seeds to see what we'll have to order for next year. We order all our organic seeds from Johnny's Seeds. We have for years. They have a great selection of organic and heirloom produce seeds. We specialize in organic heirloom for two reasons. One, Organic is the only way to farm...or it should be, and two heirloom veggies are the tastiest veggies you will ever put in your mouth.
What are heirloom veggies you ask? Heirloom produce are vegetables and fruits that were grown by our forefathers. They are seeds that produce the same quality product year after year because it has the same genetic make-up. Cloverleaf Farm grows Black Prince, Mortgage Lifter and other heirloom tomato varieties.
During the winter, our life slows down, but slow is good. It gives you time to peruse seed catalogs and dream of the warm summer breezes during the cold months of winter.

Still Organic...Always Organic

2009-07-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Unlike the gardening "experts" of the world like Paul Parent Garden club, we grow organic and only organic.
Always have...always will.
We enjoy knowing that what we put on our plate is pure, delicious and nutritious.

How Dare I She Asks

2009-06-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

I dare because I have freedom of speech. I am after all, guaranteed free speech by the U.S. Constitution.
After listening to the Paul Parent Garden Club on Sunday, June 21, I decided I have to boycott his garden show.
On Sunday, I emailed him, and expressed my concern over him promoting RoundUp. It concerns me, as well as other organic farmers that there even is such a product. It bothers me to hear a “gardening expert” promoting it. You do not have to use chemicals or poisons in your gardens. They did not exist until WW2. So what did they do before that?
This is the response I receive back from Mrs. Christine Parent:
How dare you want to boycott my husband’s radio show. How would you like it if I put on our web site that the entire gardening world should boycott your products. Most of the products that we have for sponsors are completely organic. Only a few are not. You can not teach the world over night to go organic, it takes time and we have been working on it for the last 5 years. Round up is the safest weed killer for the homeowner and breaks down in the soils in 7 to 10 days by the microbs in the soil, no other weed killer works this way. If you know of an organic week killer that will do the job let us know and we will promote it.
Now, if this is the way she handles dissatisfied customers, then she needs to go back to cutomer relations 101 . This only incited me to blog more about it.
I then received an email from Paul Parent himself:
Apparently, you do not listen very often to the program! Most of my sponsors are natural or organic and we work very hard to find companies who have earth friendly products for the garden. Many companies have both and that is the gardener choice, NOT YOURS. A company like Scotts works very hard to make sure that there product are used wisely. The chemical industry spends many years of testing before products are released to the public. You may not know this but Scotts has many organic products for the homeowner.
Like you, some people take the extreme and want changes overnight, It’s not possible. If you were a Farmer living on the soil, you would know that without chemicals the world would not exist without them. There is not enough Manure to feed the soil for every farm in the world.
The situation you heard part of ‘only’, was in reference to a man whose field was being overtaken by Multiflora roses. This plant is very aggressive and each plant can cover a 6 by 6 foot area of ground in just one year. Thousands of seed are made yearly that are ejected in to the air and the wind can carry them several yards from the mother. In addition, seedpods are eaten by the birds in the fall and dispensed everywhere they land with their package of Manure. Perfect for seed germination. Farmers who have this problem will lose their field to animal grazing in just a few years if not controlled. The average Farmer does not have time to hand dig problem weed growth by hand, as you do.

If you want to keep your farm organic, that is wonderful but do not tell people how they must garden. Not everyone has so much spare time as you, to pull weed from the garden by hand. To pick insects that find there way to the plants on your property and control disease by removing the infested foliage or removing the plant, As you do. With proper management of garden chemicals, everyone can lessened there use. But not everyone has your time available.

Now, of all weed killers Round up is one of the safest as it only affects plants when entering from the foliage. It cannot kill plants from the roots/soil. Also Round up will die in the soil from the bacteria and the rays of the sun hitting it in as quickly as 14 days. Used according to directions it is as safe to this planet as the soap YOU use to wash your clothing and dishes. The products You use to clean your house and the gas you ask your clients to use to come see what you grow, “gas fumes”. The packaging used for your product and the shipping to deliver them, You pollute with your business even if you know it or not. We all do the best we can for this planet. Some more than others.

I have been working in Agriculture for over 25 years and have 2 degrees from University of Massachusetts. I know the problems better that you ever will. I do the best to keep gardening safe for all gardeners as my listeners are like family to me. Every year I work HARD to find a better product for my Family. Believe it or not I am here to stay and educate gardeners about products Organic, Natural and YES chemical! There is a place for them whether you like it or not. So get off your High horse, get your head out of the ground and learn to do the best for Mother Nature and that means with chemicals when needed.

If you think I am wrong call me. Do not let you feelings about the planet be the right way and the only way. In this country we are all allowed to have our opinion, right or wrong. We both try to do the right thing for the gardener.

All the best to stay organic. The more power to you if you can. But do not force your beliefs to others, give them a choice as I do.
My response:
Mr. Parent,

After reading both your email, and the one sent by your wife, I realize I have made the right decision in boycotting your show. You are both unprofessional, and arrogant to say the least. Instead of putting out the fire, you have fanned the flames.
You both will obviously never understand. Perhaps because you are getting funding from Scotts, or maybe you just can’t open your eyes. It is just common sense to know that if you put a chemical in the soil, you will at some point wind up putting it into your mouth. Doesn’t take a degree to figure that one out.
Please take the time to watch “The Future of Food” http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food and possibly you may understand.

Organic Practices are Better Than Poisoning Our Earth

2009-06-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Garden “experts” such as Paul Parent Garden Club, should NOT be promoting poisonous products to the public.
On his radio show, The Paul Parent Garden Club, he promotes using Round Up. Round Up is made by Monsanto, a company who has is trying to take over the seed industry. If Monsanto has their way, we will not be able to seed save and grow our own food. Monsanto wants to own it all. Please watch http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food for more information on Monsanto, and how they are poisoning our planet.
Round Up, and other poisons like it should be banished from the market.
The point being is that Paul Parent, and other “gardening experts”, should know how important it is to grow organically. Everything is best grow organic. From our lawn to our veggies. This earth does not need poisons spread on it like Round Up.
As long as Paul Parent Garden Club promotes the use of poisons such as Round Up, I say we should stop listening to him and his radio show. Boycott the poison pushers, just like you would a drug pusher.For more information, please visit www.hulu.com, and watch The Future of Food http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food.

We Have to Boycott Paul Parent Garden Club

2009-06-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

Paul Parent is supposedly a "garden expert". If this is true, then why would he promote using poisons.
Paul Parent Garden Club promotes the use of Round-Up for killing "weeds". This poison made by Monsanto Corp. is poison. Paul Parent is suggesting we use poison in our gardens, and on our soil.
If you are interested in the future of your food supply please watch The Future of Food on hulu.com. It is a well made documentary on why we should all stop using Round Up and other poisons like it. http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food
Please boycott the Paul Parent Garden Club. As long as he and others promote the use of Round Up, the future of our food is in jeapardy.

Vote For Green Mountain Conservation Group

2009-06-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

You can help Green Mountain Conservation Group win the next round in the “Be an Eco champion” contest on Brickfish.com. They are in the running for a $10,000 grant. This grant would be used by Green Mountain Conservation Group for programs such as their "Green Thumb" for kids ages 5-13. This program runs July 2 - Aug 13.
This year, they have also started a community garden with classes and workshops all summer. Without donations and grants these programs would not be possible.
Vote now at Brickfish.com.
Help them out by voting as often as you can. Right now they are at number 6, and we need to bring that up to number one so that they move on to the next step of receiving the grant from The North Face and Polartec.Vote now by visiting Brickfish.com.Thanks for voting and helping Green Mountain Conservation Group recieve their grant.

Last Day of Planting

2009-06-07T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today, we will finally be done with all our planting. This includes all the vegetables we have planted, as well as the many cut flowers.
It won't be long before the harvesting season will begin, and we will eat delicious, organic fresh veggies from the gardens.

For a daily peek into our life, you can visit http://www.cloverleaffarmblog.com/

Planting Season Continues

2009-05-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

We have gotten most of the fields plowed, and some of them planted. Some of the veggies we wanted to grow are out of stock at Johnny's Seeds, so I guess we shall have to find another source. This has taught us a valued lesson....February is not to early to order produce. Just because we still have snow on the ground, does not mean the rest of the world does.
At Cloverleaf Farm, we take pride in growing organic heirloom produce. This year, we will continue the tradition. For a list of what we are growing, you can visit Cloverleaf Farm.
Organic is always best. Best for taste, best for nutrition, best for you.

Organic Lemon Balm

2009-05-17T07:48:00.001-07:00

Lemon Balm has been used medicinally since the Middle Ages. It is has been used to relieve anxiety, stress and tension since that time and is still used today for those same illnesses.Lemon Balm helps heal naturally.Lemon Balm is used most often as a medicinal herbal tea. It is also used in herbal and medicincal body care products. Lemon Balm can also be used in an extract or tincture form. Our biggest seller is Lemon Balm Ointment followed by Lemon Balm Oil.
Anxiety And Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a wonderful nerve tonic. It is good on it's own for anxiety and stress, but can also be used in combination with other calming herbs such as valerian, catnip, lavender, or passionflower. When using valerian, you should not use any other sleep inducing medication such as valium.
For anxiety Lemon Balm is either given in tea or tincture. A tincture is a concentrated herbal medicine that is made with alcohol. The alcohol draws in the medicinal properties of the lemon balm as it is being made, and is a good way to take herbal medicine. You can easily dissipate the alcohol by letting it sit in warm water for a few minutes. This works well for people who have a sensitivity to alcohol, or don't want to use products with alcohol in them.
If a tincture does not suit you, you can certainly use lemon balm as a tea. The usual dosage for a cup of herbal tea is 1 tablespoon per one cup (coffee cup) of water. Pour hot water over the herb in the cup. Cover with plate to allow the essential oils of the lemon balm to stay in the cup. Strain after 10-15 minutes. Sit back, drink, and enjoy. It is best to take 3-4 cups per day for 2 weeks to allow the lemon balm to take effect.
Herpes / Cold Sores
In studies, lemon balm has been shown to have polyphenols. The polyphenols give lemon balm fantastic antiviral actions. In particular, they help to combat and heal cold sores due to the herpes simples virus (HSV). Applied to the affected area, lemon balm helps heal cold the sores in about 3-5 days. It also helps double the time between outbreaks.
Lemon balm that is used on herpes cold sores is usually found in either an oil or an ointment. The leaves of the plant are steeped in a carrier oil (such as almond, apricot, or olive) for 4-6 weeks. The oil absorbs the medicinal actions of the lemon balm. It is then strained and either used as lemon balm oil or ointment. It is a popular herbal ointment for herpes.
Lemon balm is also useful on chicken pox and shingles. Both chicken pox and shingles are the same virus as herpes. Used topically, lemon balm will help heal the sores of chicken pox and shingles much quicker than on their own.
Flu with Muscle Aches and Pains
Due to its antispasmodic and relaxant actions lemon balm can come in quite handy when a flu hits with muscle aches and pains. It will help relax the body, and the antispasmodic action will help with any muscular spasms. Lemon balm increases sweating, and could help in the case of a fever. By making the body sweat, the toxins are driven out of the body through the pores. It can be used at the first sign of flu for best results.

Green Mountain Conservation Group

2009-05-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Since 1997, the Green Mountain Conservation Group, a non-profit charitable organization, has dedicated its efforts to natural resource conservation in the Ossipee Watershed. Through education, research, and advocacy, and land conservation, they strive to create an awareness and appreciation of our watershed's natural resources and encourage a commitment to protect them. Their guiding principle is to present objective information in a non-confrontational format enabling the public to make informed natural resource decisions.
The Green Moutain Conservation Group has a water quality monitoring program that was began in 2001. The Saco/Ossipee Watershed Water Quality Monitoring Program, created by Green Mountain Conservation Group (GMCG) in New Hampshire and Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC) in Maine, is designed to be one water quality monitoring program that encompasses one watershed, two states, and twenty six towns. Nature does not recognize political boundaries, why should we? The main goal of the program is to provide long term water quality data to study the health of the entire watershed, track changes overtime as development increases, and educate the public.
The GMCG is in the process of trying for a grant. You can help them by voting at brickfish.com.
With this money, GMCG will be able to offer more programs at their campus on Huntress Bridge Road in Effingham.
Vote today!

This is Why Organic is BEST!

2009-05-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

The future of this countries food is in your hands. You have the power to change it for the better.
When you buy food in the grocery store, do you know where it came from, and what they did to it?I just a documentary on hulu.com, about the American food, and the future of it, and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.For those of you interested in the future of your food, I would highly suggest wathcing this documentary about the Future of Food.
The movie describes about how pesticides and herbacides came into use after WWII. It talks of them learning that it was unsafe, but using it anyway.
It describes what genetically modified (GM) foods, and the cause and effects of this on humans.
It states how organic food is what will turn it all around. Well, duh, we knew that.It was fascinating to learn that our governement is more screwed up, and has way to much power.If we are what we eat, then we are screwed.
This documentary only proves what we believe here at Cloverleaf Farm...Organic is BEST. It is the way our ancestors farmed, and it is the way we should be farming.

New Produce At Cloverleaf Farm

2009-05-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

Each year, we grow something new. As always we will grow our heirloom tomatoes that we are famous for, but this year we are trying our hand at a couple of new varities of organic heirloom tomatoes. One of them is the heirloom tomato Black Prince from Johnny's Selected Seeds. We get the majority of our seeds from Johnny's. They have the best selection of organic heirloom seeds that we have found. The other heirloom tomato that is new for us this year is the Nepal.
We grew both last year for ourselves, and they are the most delicious tomatoes you will ever eat. They both have rich, real tomato taste.

Planting Season Has Begun

2009-05-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today was spent sorting out the greenhouse day here on Cloverleaf Farm.
The roof had rotted, and much of the winter snow and debris wound up inside. This left for one heck of a mess.
After getting it all cleaned out, I sorted out all the pots I had in there. Seemed to me I had one to many. I use seedling trays for most of my plants I start in the green house, but some I put in small 4 inch pots. That way if I wind up with too many plants, I can sell the 4 inch pots.
I have 20 seedling trays, and a few 4 inch pot trays. I started to fill them up with our rich organic soil that I have been saving, and I ran out. Right in the middle. Sigh. I was hoping to get all the pots filled. That would allow me to plant in the next few days. I just have to make sure that the temperature is not going to go to low at night, because the green house is not heated.
While I got the green house cleaned, sorted, and most of the seeds planted, Michael worked on the raspberry bushes. Those are new this year, and we can't wait until they start to fruit. We now have 27 plants, with hopes of adding to that each year.
Ah, another planting season at Cloverleaf Farm has begun.

Chicken Manure Tea

2009-04-24T04:42:00.000-07:00

For each chicken you own, you will get about 40-50 pounds of chicken manure in a year. Here at Cloverleaf Farm, we have 55 chickens. You do the math on how much manure we get.

Chicken manure is one of the richest manures around. It makes a wonderful fertilizing tea. You just don't want to use it fresh, because it is considered "hot". You must let it age.
To make the chicken manure tea find yourself an old trash can that is between 35-50 gallons. You'll then need an old burlap bag. We use an old grain sack. Fill the bag about 3/4 full. Then add a big rock or something heavy to weigh it down. We use a couple of bricks. Fill the garbage can with water. Add the burlap bag as if it were a giant tea bag. Now, let the mixture sit for about three weeks.
Once the three weeks are over, you will have nutrient-rich chicken manure fertilizer tea. As the bag sits in the water, it becomes infused with the all the nutrients from the chicken manure. You can use this fertilizer tea to water your plants to give them a vitamin boost. Be sure to water at the base of the plant and not the foliage.

Free Range Chickens

2009-04-06T18:01:00.001-07:00

Free Ranging Chickens.

This of course is a term that is a recent coined phrase. Chickens of yesteryear were all free ranged. It wasn't until the 1930's when farmers decided to coop chickens up for better and more egg production. Up until then, most chickens had the run of the farm yard.

On Cloverleaf Farm, we raise chickens for both meat and eggs. Our chickens are organic free range from the time they come out from under the heat lamp. They eat only and organic diet of grass, bugs, and organic grain. Free ranging is best for both chickens and our feed budget. Chickens that are let to roam free will eat your gardens pests like squash bugs and tomatoe worms. The only down side to free ranging a chicken is that they do sometimes get into the pumpkin patch and peck at the pumpkins. This can be quite easily remedied by a 2 foot high fence.

Why Organic Farming?

2009-04-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Cloverleaf Farm chose organic farming because it is better for you. It always was and always will be. Adding pesticides and other chemicals to gardens has a major impact not only in the vegetables you eat, but in the air, and ground water.
Organic farming is not a new idea. If you explained to a farmer of 100 years ago about organic farming he would probably scratch is head. Or worse yet, laugh at you. That was all they knew. They knew about crop rotation for best yeild. They knew about amending the soil to put back what it taken out by the plants. They used mulch to keep down the weeds. They also knew about companion planting. Those old farmers were wise.
Cloverleaf Farm grows the same way the old farmers did 100 years ago. Best for the environment, best for nutrtion value.

Life is a Zoo...No Wait ...A Farm

2009-04-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to life here at Cloverleaf Farm. We are happy you stopped by. Our main blog is Cloverleaf Farm, but you can visit us here at blogger for all kinds of organic farming articles.
This blog best read sipping a cup of tea.