Posted on by — Leave a comment

🌸 5 Fast-Growing Crops for Spring Gardens

Quick Rewards for Home Gardeners and Market Growers

Spring is the season of fresh starts — and there’s no better feeling than seeing your first harvests sprout to life. Whether you’re planting a backyard garden or planning produce for a market table, fast-growing crops bring early rewards and build momentum for the entire season.

Here are five of the best crops you can plant right now for a speedy, satisfying spring harvest:

🥗 1. Radishes — From Seed to Harvest in 3–4 Weeks

Radishes are the ultimate fast-food garden vegetable.
They germinate in just a few days and can be ready to pull in as little as 21 days. Perfect for early market sales or adding a peppery crunch to spring salads.

  • ✅ Best planted directly into cool soil
  • ✅ Varieties like ‘Cherry Belle’ and ‘French Breakfast’ thrive in spring
  • ✅ Succession plant every 7–10 days for continuous harvests

Tip: Even if you don’t love radishes, they make fantastic soil looseners for future crops.

🥬 2. Lettuce — Crisp Greens in Just 30–45 Days

Nothing says spring like fresh, leafy lettuce.
Most varieties grow quickly in cool weather, and you can harvest baby greens in as little as 30 days.

  • ✅ Sow directly or start indoors
  • ✅ Looseleaf types like ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ mature fastest
  • ✅ Cut-and-come-again harvesting extends your season

Pro Tip: Mix varieties for a colorful, diverse salad garden.

🌱 3. Spinach — A Cool-Season Powerhouse

Spinach loves spring’s cool, moist conditions and grows faster than many leafy greens. Expect harvestable leaves in 35–45 days from sowing.

  • ✅ Direct sow early — it can even handle a light frost
  • ✅ Baby leaves are ready sooner if you prefer tender greens
  • ✅ Rich in iron, vitamins, and spring menu appeal

Fun fact: Spinach yields better with consistent moisture and partial shade in hotter climates.

🌿 4. Peas — Sweet Pods in 50–60 Days

Peas are one of the first crops you can plant outdoors — even before the last frost! Snap peas and shelling peas both offer speedy results with early sowing.

  • ✅ Plant once soil is workable (~40°F+)
  • ✅ Choose sugar snap peas for edible pods or shelling types for classic peas
  • ✅ Harvest in about 50–60 days

Tip: Install trellises or fencing early — peas love to climb!

🥬 5. Bok Choy — A Mild, Versatile Early Vegetable

Bok choy (also called pak choi) is a cold-tolerant green perfect for spring gardens. Baby bok choy varieties can be harvested in 30–40 days.

  • ✅ Direct sow or transplant starts early in spring
  • ✅ Prefers cool temps — bolts if it gets too hot too fast
  • ✅ Tender leaves and crisp stems make it a farmer’s market favorite

Bonus: Bok choy can regrow after cutting if you leave the root intact.

🌿 Final Thoughts: Start Strong, Grow Fast

Fast-growing crops don’t just fill your table early — they build excitement and success for the whole gardening season. Whether you’re growing for home use or preparing for early farmers markets, planting quick crops like radishes, lettuce, and spinach gives you a fresh spring harvest in weeks, not months.

Plant early. Harvest fast. Celebrate often.

At Kearney Family Farm, we believe gardening should be accessible, rewarding, and connected to the seasons. Here’s to a thriving spring garden — and all the beauty (and bounty) that comes with it. 🌱

Posted on by — Leave a comment

🌍 Meet the World’s Shiniest Fruit: Nature’s Metallic Marvel

There’s a tiny fruit growing in the forests of Central Africa that outshines just about everything else in the natural world. At first glance, it looks like a cluster of glowing blue pearls — but these aren’t gemstones or glass beads. They’re berries. And not just any berries.

They belong to a plant called Pollia condensata, and they just might be the shiniest living thing on Earth.

✨ Not Your Average Berry

Unlike most fruits that get their color from natural pigments, the radiant blue of Pollia berries is created by a phenomenon known as structural coloration. This means their skin is made up of ultra-thin layers that manipulate light at the microscopic level — similar to what you see in butterfly wings or peacock feathers.

  • 🌟 Metallic luster beyond any pigment
  • 🔬 ~30% reflectivity, among the highest known in biology
  • 🌀 Color never fades, even after drying

🔬 How It Works: Light + Layers = Magic

The fruit’s skin contains highly ordered cellulose layers stacked like shingles. When light hits them, it scatters and reflects to create an intense, shimmering blue — all without a drop of pigment.

Even dried-out berries can retain their shine for decades, making them a favorite among researchers and naturalists.

🧐 But Why So Shiny?

Interestingly, these berries are not edible and don’t offer much nutritional value. It’s believed that their intense shine evolved to attract animals who mistake them for food, helping disperse their seeds across the forest floor.

🧠 Quick Facts Recap

  • Plant Name: Pollia condensata
  • Common Name: Marble Berry
  • Habitat: African tropical forests
  • Color Source: Structural coloration, not pigment
  • Reflectivity: ~30% of a mirror’s brightness
  • Longevity: Color remains indefinitely

🌿 A Natural Wonder Worth Celebrating

This vibrant plant is more than just a pretty face — it’s a stunning reminder of how much we still have to learn from the natural world. Whether you’re a homesteader, a nature lover, or just someone who appreciates the beauty of biology, Pollia condensata is proof that nature has mastered nanotechnology long before we did.

💬 What’s the Most Eye-Catching Plant You’ve Seen?

Have you ever come across a plant or fruit as visually striking as the marble berry? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s celebrate the brilliance of the botanical world together.

Posted on by

🌿 How to Build Healthy Soil Without Chemicals

🌿 How to Build Healthy Soil Without Chemicals

Composting, Cover Crops & Regenerative Practices for a Thriving Garden

Healthy soil is the foundation of every successful farm and garden. Whether you’re a homesteader growing food for your family or a chef working with local producers, what happens below the surface is just as important as what grows above it.

Building soil without synthetic chemicals isn’t just possible — it’s the key to long-term fertility, better crops, and a thriving ecosystem. Here’s how to do it naturally and sustainably.

♻️ 1. Start with Compost — Nature’s Recyclable Gold

Composting is the most accessible, cost-effective way to restore nutrients to your soil. Whether it’s kitchen scraps, garden clippings, or animal manure (from herbivores only!), a well-maintained compost pile brings life back to tired soil.

  • ✅ Add greens (nitrogen) like veggie peels, coffee grounds, and grass
  • ✅ Balance with browns (carbon) like straw, leaves, and paper
  • ✅ Turn regularly for airflow
  • ✅ Let it break down — then feed it to your soil

Pro tip: Even small-scale compost bins can improve raised beds or backyard plots within weeks.

🌾 2. Use Green Manure & Cover Crops

Green manure — aka fast-growing plants grown to be turned back into the soil — helps improve structure, add organic matter, and suppress weeds without a drop of synthetic fertilizer.

Great cover crops for home gardens & homesteads:

  • 🌱 Clover – Fixes nitrogen, supports pollinators
  • 🌱 Winter Rye – Prevents erosion and compacts weeds
  • 🌱 Buckwheat – Fast-growing and attracts beneficial insects

These crops feed your soil while they grow, and when turned under, they become nutrient-rich organic matter that supports your next planting cycle.

🌱 3. Mulch to Protect and Build Soil

Mulch acts like a blanket — it locks in moisture, prevents erosion, feeds soil organisms, and breaks down into humus over time. You can mulch with:

  • Straw
  • Wood chips
  • Grass clippings
  • Leaves

Avoid dyed or synthetic mulches. Natural inputs are best for soil life and long-term health.

🪱 4. Feed the Soil Food Web, Not Just the Plants

Healthy soil isn’t dirt — it’s a living ecosystem full of bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and microbes. When you feed your soil using compost, cover crops, and mulch, you’re supporting an entire food web that naturally balances nutrients and fights disease.

No chemicals needed. Nature knows what it’s doing — your job is to support it.

🌎 5. Regenerative Soil Building: Think Long-Term

At Kearney Family Farm, we believe that soil health is wealth — for our land, our livestock, and our community. Building fertility takes time, but every regenerative step you take helps reverse depletion and heal the land.

  • ✅ Rotate crops and animals
  • ✅ Avoid tilling whenever possible
  • ✅ Let your soil rest and recover

💡 Final Thoughts

You don’t need synthetic inputs to grow amazing food. With compost, cover crops, and regenerative thinking, you can build a soil system that thrives — year after year.

Start small. Think big. Grow with purpose.

Posted on by

Why Every Homestead Needs Chickens (and How to Start Right)

Why Every Homestead Needs Chickens (and How to Start Right)

Your complete beginner’s guide to adding backyard poultry this spring.

🐣 Introduction

Thinking about starting a homestead or becoming more self-sufficient? There’s no better place to begin than with chickens. These birds are low-maintenance, high-reward, and one of the easiest animals for beginners to raise. From fresh eggs to natural pest control, chickens offer real value to any property — even if you’re just getting started.

In this post, we’ll walk you through why chickens are a smart addition to your spring setup, what you need to get started, and how to keep your first flock happy and healthy.

✅ Why Chickens Belong on Every Homestead

🥚 Fresh Eggs

  • One healthy hen can lay 4–6 eggs per week — which adds up quickly even with a small flock.
  • Fresh eggs are more nutritious than store-bought, excellent for cooking, and great for sharing.

🌿 Pest Control + Soil Boosters

  • Chickens love to scratch and snack on bugs, slugs, and weeds — making them natural garden helpers.
  • They till soil, break down compost, and their droppings make excellent fertilizer.
  • Some gardeners use “chicken tractors” to rotate them across garden beds.

💲 Cost-Effective and Sustainable

  • Feed costs are low, especially when supplemented with kitchen scraps or forage.
  • Coops can be DIY or built from repurposed materials.
  • The return value — in eggs, compost, and pest control — is well worth it.

🧰 Getting Started: What You’ll Need for Your First Flock

🏠 A Safe, Draft-Free Coop

  • Well-ventilated but dry
  • Secure from predators
  • Equipped with nesting boxes and perches

Start small: 3 to 6 chickens is a great beginner flock size.

🐓 Run Space or Pasture

Chickens need room to roam. A secure run or mobile tractor setup gives them space to scratch and forage.

Minimum: 10 sq ft per bird outside + 3–4 sq ft per bird inside the coop.

🍽 Feed and Water Setup

  • Provide a clean water source that can’t be knocked over
  • Layer feed or starter feed (depending on age)
  • Supplement with oyster shells and occasional kitchen scraps

🛠 Tools + Extras

  • Bedding (pine shavings or straw)
  • A basic first aid kit for minor injuries
  • Secure fencing or netting to protect from predators

📅 When to Start Raising Chickens in Spring

Spring is the ideal time to start your flock — hatcheries and feed stores are stocked with chicks and supplies.

You can choose:

  • Day-old chicks – Great for bonding and education (requires heat lamp)
  • Pullets – Young hens, 16–20 weeks old (egg-laying starts soon after)
  • Started hens – Ready to lay immediately, perfect for impatient beginners

🕒 If starting with chicks, plan for 6–8 weeks of brooder time indoors before moving them to the coop.

🐥 Tips for Success as a New Chicken Keeper

  • Handle your birds gently and often to build trust
  • Clean the coop weekly to avoid odors and disease
  • Watch for signs of illness: lethargy, loss of appetite, or odd droppings
  • Join a local poultry or homesteading group for community support

🌱 Final Thoughts

Raising chickens is one of the most rewarding ways to begin your homesteading journey. Whether you’re looking for fresh eggs, soil health, or just a deeper connection to your land, chickens offer it all — with surprisingly little upkeep. Start simple, give your flock a good foundation, and you’ll be surprised how quickly your homestead starts to feel alive.

Looking for more beginner-friendly tips and seasonal guides? Follow our journey at KearneyFamily.Farm as we grow together 🐓🌾

Posted on by

Companion Planting Made Simple: A Quick Guide for Spring Gardens

Companion Planting Made Simple: A Quick Guide for Spring Gardens

Grow smarter this season by pairing plants that thrive together.

🌿 Introduction

Want to grow a healthier, more productive garden this season? Try companion planting—a time-tested method that pairs certain plants together for mutual benefit. Whether you’re growing veggies in raised beds or planting out a full homestead garden, this simple approach can boost yields, reduce pests, and make your garden more resilient.

Let’s break it down into a beginner-friendly guide that works for any scale, from backyard beds to full-on field rows.

✅ What is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants side by side to:

  • Improve soil health
  • Deter pests naturally
  • Maximize space
  • Attract pollinators
  • Improve flavor and yield

It’s one of the easiest ways to work with nature rather than against it—no chemicals required.

🪴 Popular Companion Plant Combos for Spring

Here are a few beginner-friendly pairings you can plant now:

🌱 Tomatoes + Basil

  • Basil repels pests like hornworms and improves tomato flavor.
  • Bonus: These two love the same growing conditions!

🥕 Carrots + Onions

  • Onions help deter carrot flies, while carrots help break up the soil for onions.
  • Both are early spring crops that thrive in cool temps.

🥬 Lettuce + Radishes

  • Radishes grow quickly and loosen the soil for slower-growing lettuce.
  • Shade from lettuce helps radishes stay cool.

🫘 Beans + Corn

  • Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which corn needs to thrive.
  • Add squash and you’ve got a classic “Three Sisters” setup!

🌼 Plants to Keep Apart (Bad Companions)

Some plants compete for nutrients or attract the same pests. Avoid these combinations:

  • Carrots & Dill – Dill can stunt carrot growth.
  • Potatoes & Tomatoes – Both are nightshades prone to blight and beetles.
  • Beans & Onions – Onions can inhibit bean growth.

🧑‍🌾 How to Start Companion Planting

  1. Sketch Your Garden Layout – Note spacing and sun exposure.
  2. Group Plants by Needs – Match those with similar watering/sun preferences.
  3. Choose Pairings That Help – Focus on pest control, pollination, or soil improvement.
  4. Rotate Crops Next Year – Prevent disease and nutrient depletion.

🛠 Need help? There are great free apps and printable planners online to test layouts.

🌱 Final Thoughts

Companion planting is a small change that makes a big difference. It’s practical, natural, and surprisingly powerful. As you prepare your garden this spring, keep in mind that smart pairing can save time, reduce pests, and boost your harvest—no extra sprays or work required.

Looking for more garden-friendly tips or sustainable living ideas? Keep following the journey here at KearneyFamily.Farm — we’ve got plenty more to share as the season grows on!

Posted on by

5 Things to Do Before You Plant Your First Seed

5 Things to Do Before You Plant Your First Seed

Essential early spring garden prep for beginners, homesteaders, and backyard growers.

🌿 Introduction

Spring is here, and the urge to dig in and start planting is real—but a thriving vegetable garden begins long before the first seed hits the soil. Whether you’re a beginner gardener, starting a homestead, or planning a sustainable backyard garden, these five essential steps will help ensure a productive and healthy growing season.

✅ 1. Assess Your Gardening Space

Before planting, assess your garden layout and environment:

  • Track sun exposure throughout the day
  • Look for signs of poor drainage or compacted soil
  • Remove leftover debris, weeds, and obstacles from winter

Pro Tip: Creating a spring garden plan in a notebook or app helps track changes, layouts, and future improvements.

✅ 2. Test and Prepare Your Soil

Good soil health is the key to organic gardening success.

  • Use a soil test kit to check pH and nutrient levels
  • Amend with compost, aged manure, or organic matter
  • Remove rocks and loosen soil for better root growth

Tip: Add raised beds or no-dig garden systems if you’re short on time or dealing with poor native soil.

✅ 3. Plan Your Garden Layout and Crop Placement

Strategic planting now avoids headaches later.

  • Use companion planting techniques to maximize space and health
  • Rotate crops from last season to reduce pest pressure
  • Ensure airflow between plants to reduce disease

Try apps or printable vegetable garden planners to visualize spacing and succession planting.

✅ 4. Gather Tools, Supplies, and Seeds

Being prepared makes gardening more fun and less frustrating.

  • Take inventory of essential gardening tools
  • Organize heirloom and organic seed varieties by planting dates
  • Stock up early on mulch, row covers, and plant supports

Shop at local farm supply stores or trusted online seed companies for high-quality spring garden seeds.

✅ 5. Set Up Your Watering System

Watering is crucial to early seedling health.

  • Test hoses and irrigation systems
  • Install drip irrigation for efficient water use
  • Use rainwater collection barrels to save water sustainably

Pro Tip: Watering early in the morning helps avoid disease and conserves moisture.

🌼 Final Thoughts

Following these five steps will set your spring garden up for long-term success. Whether you’re working a small backyard plot or preparing for a full-scale homestead, good planning makes all the difference. 🌱

Looking for more gardening tips for beginners, homesteading advice, or sustainable living ideas? Stay tuned and follow our journey at KearneyFamily.Farm.

Posted on by

🌱 Planting with Purpose: April Garden Planning for Homesteaders and Chefs

Spring is more than just a season — it’s a fresh start. As the ground softens and the sun lingers longer each day, April invites us to roll up our sleeves, dig into the dirt, and plant with intention. Whether you’re tending a backyard plot, running a homestead, or crafting seasonal menus as a chef, now’s the time to sow the seeds of something meaningful.

🥕 1. Start with Your Plate — Then Plan Your Plot

Before picking up a trowel, think about what truly excites you in the kitchen. What do you crave in summer? What gets your guests or customers excited? Build your garden around those answers.
For chefs and home cooks alike, tailoring your planting plan to your plate ensures that every harvest has a purpose — flavor, freshness, and function.

🌿 2. Let Nature Be Your Garden Partner

Companion planting is like matchmaking for your vegetables — pair crops that support each other and you’ll get a thriving, balanced garden. Tomatoes love basil. Beans boost soil nitrogen. Marigolds keep pests at bay. These natural pairings don’t just reduce your workload — they improve your yields and your soil.

🌞 3. Jump-Start the Season with Smart Protection

April can’t always make up its mind — sunny and warm one day, chilly the next. But that doesn’t mean your garden has to wait. Cold frames, row covers, and low tunnels let you start early and protect young plants. The earlier you plant, the sooner you enjoy fresh spring produce — and for chefs, that’s an edge worth cultivating.

🌱 4. Grow Smart: Multi-Use, High-Value Crops Win Every Time

When space is precious (and it always is), grow crops that go the distance:

  • Kale that’s hearty, versatile, and keeps on giving
  • Zucchini that’s equally brilliant in a sauté or a muffin
  • Herbs that uplift any dish and can be used fresh or dried
    These aren’t just garden staples — they’re revenue boosters and menu stars.

🐝 5. Plant with the Pollinators in Mind

Your garden’s secret workforce? Bees, butterflies, and beneficial bugs. Include flowering herbs like borage, calendula, or chamomile to attract pollinators and keep your ecosystem humming. Healthy pollination means bigger, better harvests — and a stronger environment overall.

💐 6. Form Meets Function — Make Your Garden Shine

A garden can feed people and feed the soul. Thoughtful layout, color, and blooms turn a growing space into an experience. Whether you host farm tours, chef tastings, or simply want a beautiful backyard, a visually stunning garden helps build your brand and your following.

🌍 7. Plant for This Season — and the Next

Every decision you make this month lays the foundation for the months (and years) ahead. At Kearney Family Farm, we believe every seed should do more than grow — it should build resilience, connect communities, and create change. When you plant with purpose, you’re part of something bigger: a better food system, rooted in care and sustainability.

Your soil is ready. Are you?
We’d love to hear what you’re planting this spring! Whether you’re a seasoned grower, a curious beginner, or a chef ready to bring garden-fresh to the plate — we’re here to grow with you. 🌸🌿

Posted on by

The Art of Artisan Ingredients: How to Elevate Any Menu

The Art of Artisan Ingredients: How to Elevate Any Menu

Whether you’re curating a seasonal menu for a boutique hotel or preparing Sunday breakfast at home, the quality of your ingredients makes all the difference. While mass-market products often fall flat in flavor and character, artisan ingredients bring depth, story, and soul to the table.

Why Artisan Ingredients Matter

Small-batch, thoughtfully crafted ingredients offer something that can’t be replicated at scale—authenticity. From hand-pressed oils to stone-ground flours, every detail reflects the care of the producer. These products aren’t just about flavor—they’re about intention.

When a chef or baker selects artisan goods, they’re choosing ingredients with history, connection, and purpose. Whether used in a five-course tasting menu or a farmer’s market pop-up, the difference is unmistakable.

Sourcing with a Story

More than ever, diners want to know where their food comes from. They’re asking questions: Who grew this? What practices were used? Is this sustainable? Artisan ingredients often carry answers in every bite. These items are grown, processed, or produced on a scale that honors tradition and respects the land.

At Kearney Family Farm, we’re laying the groundwork for a diversified operation that will soon include fresh produce, pasture-raised poultry, and much more—all grown with care for the soil, the animals, and our community.

How to Use Artisan Ingredients to Inspire Your Menu

Whether you’re planning a new menu or experimenting in the kitchen, artisan ingredients can be the key to creating something memorable. Here are three simple ways to let their quality shine:

 
🧂 Let simplicity shine
A locally made jam on fresh bread. Olive oil drizzled over just-picked greens. Artisan ingredients don’t need heavy lifting—they speak for themselves.

 
📜 Tell their story
Whether on a printed menu, a website, or a chalkboard sign, sharing where your ingredients come from invites your customers into the experience. People eat with their hearts, not just their tastebuds.

 
🤝 Build relationships
Connect with your producers—ask questions, visit if you can. Working with small farms and Foodmaker’s fosters a supply chain rooted in trust and shared values.

The Future of Artisan Food Is Local

As we continue to expand our offerings, our goal is simple: to provide high-quality, small-batch products that uplift local food systems and empower chefs, stores, and families to cook with confidence and purpose.

Whether you’re a chef sourcing for spring service or a shopkeeper curating new pantry items, artisan ingredients are the bridge between ordinary and exceptional.

Ready to bring more intention to your menu?

We invite you to explore our growing selection of thoughtfully sourced pantry staples and specialty goods on our website at KearneyFamily.farm
Let’s build something beautiful—flavor by flavor.

Posted on by

The Art of Baking with Farm-Fresh Ingredients

Baking is more than just a science—it’s an art form that brings people together, connects us with tradition, and celebrates the beauty of simple, high-quality ingredients. When you bake with farm-fresh ingredients, you’re not only elevating the flavors of your creations but also supporting sustainable agriculture and small farms that take pride in producing the best possible food. Let’s explore how choosing farm-fresh ingredients can transform your baking and why they make all the difference.

Why Farm-Fresh Ingredients Matter

The best baked goods start with the best ingredients. Farm-fresh eggs, dairy, flours, and natural sweeteners bring depth, richness, and authenticity to every recipe. Unlike mass-produced alternatives, farm-fresh ingredients often contain fewer additives and preservatives, allowing the natural flavors to shine. Here are some key benefits of baking with farm-fresh products:

  • Better Taste & Texture – Fresh ingredients, like pasture-raised eggs, have richer yolks and better structure, making baked goods more flavorful and tender.
  • Nutrient-Rich – Whole, unprocessed ingredients provide more nutrients, making your treats more wholesome.
  • Sustainable & Ethical – Supporting small farms helps build a better food system and ensures ethical treatment of animals and crops.
  • Less Processed, More Natural – Many store-bought baking ingredients contain artificial flavors and stabilizers, whereas farm-fresh options keep it simple and pure.

Farm-Fresh Staples for Baking

1. Fresh Eggs

Eggs are the backbone of many baked goods, providing structure, moisture, and richness. Farm-fresh eggs, like those from pasture-raised hens, have vibrant yolks and firmer whites, leading to fluffier cakes, richer custards, and golden, flavorful breads.

2. Raw Honey & Natural Sweeteners

Swap out processed white sugar for raw honey or natural sweeteners for a richer, more complex flavor. Honey adds a deep, floral sweetness and extra moisture to baked goods. Try incorporating it into muffins, bread, or cookies for a healthier alternative to refined sugars.

3. Whole & Stone-Ground Flours

Flour is the foundation of most baking recipes, and using high-quality, minimally processed flour makes a noticeable difference. Stone-ground flours retain more nutrients and flavor, making your bread, cookies, and cakes taste more authentic. Opt for organic or locally milled options when available.

4. Fresh Dairy

Milk, butter, and cream add richness and depth to baked goods. Farm-fresh dairy products, free from hormones and artificial additives, provide a natural creaminess that enhances every bite.

5. Pure Extracts & Spices

For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract and fresh spices. Artificial flavorings can’t compare to the warm, aromatic essence of high-quality vanilla or freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bringing It All Together: A Simple Farm-Fresh Recipe

Rustic Honey & Whole Wheat Bread

This hearty, slightly sweet bread showcases the beauty of farm-fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups stone-ground whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup warm milk (farm-fresh if available)
  • 2 tbsp raw honey
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in honey, salt, and melted butter.
  3. Gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms.
  4. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  5. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
  6. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased pan. Let rise again for 30 minutes.
  7. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Enjoy warm with fresh butter!

Final Thoughts

Baking with farm-fresh ingredients isn’t just about making better food—it’s about embracing a way of life that values quality, sustainability, and tradition. Whether you’re making a simple loaf of bread or a show-stopping dessert, using wholesome, locally sourced ingredients will elevate every recipe. Visit KearneyFamily.farm to explore our selection of farm-fresh baking essentials and bring the best flavors to your kitchen!

Posted on by

Is Snow Better Than Rain for Helping the Environment?

Lately, as the weather shifts between rain and snow, it’s easy to sit back and wonder—what really makes snow different? Watching it quietly cover the ground, I started thinking about how it affects more than just our winter scenery. When you think about snow, you probably picture sledding, building snowmen, or cozying up by a fire. But did you know snow can actually help clean our air and protect the planet? Compared to rain, snow does a better job at pulling carbon and other pollutants out of the atmosphere. Here’s how it works—and why snow is more than just a wintertime treat.

Snow Grabs More Carbon from the Air

Snowflakes form high in the sky and collect carbon dioxide (CO2) and other particles as they fall. Because of their unique shape and larger surface area, snowflakes can pick up more carbon than raindrops. Think of them like tiny air filters that help clean the air as they drift down to the ground.

Snow Releases Carbon Slowly

Once snow hits the ground, it stays there until it melts. This slow melting process gives the soil time to soak up the water and nutrients, including carbon. Rain, on the other hand, can rush over the ground too fast, washing away valuable nutrients before plants can absorb them.

Snow Protects the Soil

Snow isn’t just cold and fluffy—it also acts like a blanket for the soil, keeping it warm during the winter. This protects the tiny microbes living in the soil. These little guys are important because they help break down organic matter and store carbon in the ground, which helps reduce carbon in the air.

Snow Helps Keep the Planet Cool

Another cool thing about snow is that it reflects sunlight, which keeps the planet from getting too warm. When the world stays cooler, it slows the release of carbon from frozen ground (like permafrost), which helps keep the atmosphere balanced.

Snow Cleans More Than Carbon

Snow also pulls down other pollutants like nitrogen and dust from the air, delivering them to the ground instead of letting them float around. It’s nature’s way of giving the air a fresh start.

In Short: Snow Helps the Earth

While rain is good for plants, snow plays a special role in keeping our planet healthy. It captures carbon, slowly releases nutrients into the soil, and even helps keep the world a little cooler. Next time it snows, you can feel good knowing it’s not just a pretty sight—it’s also doing important work for the environment.