2009 Annual Report for FNC08-721
Re-establishing the Jerusalem Artichoke, a native plant of North America
Summary
WORK ACTIVITIES
First till has been completed. Due to heavy quack grass there will be additional tilling to be done and then removal of boulders.
Jerusalem Artichokes (JAs) have been ordered. We will not be receiving them until October 2009 due to company’s concern of mold issues when harvested in summer months.
Due to the receiving date of JAs, grant time line will be changing from spring of 2010, to fall of 2010. The reason is to allow time for JAs to become completely established over one growing season. All other items on grant proposal, such as education will stay in original time frame and as well we will still be within grant end date.
Presented grant information as well as Jerusalem Artichoke information at spring 2009
CSA fairs, East Side Coop, Seward Coop, and Earth Day Fair at Universalist Church in Uptown neighborhood. There is a very large interest in them and many people disappointed that they cannot purchase them year round (we look forward to filling that market). Many people were not aware of JAs being a healthy food choice for diabetics. No doubt we gained CSA members, who will be return members based on having JAs in their shares next fall.
RESULTS
• Issues of mildew when harvested in summer months.
• Best results are to harvest them during spring or fall. It is very hard to coordinate buying seeds from company’s that are on different seasonal patterns than where the purchaser is buying for planting.
• Bulk orders have to be placed early spring. Most companies take orders in spring and then are sold out.
• It costs much more than my original price for webpage space. I am contemplating adding to our farm webpage goatsandgardensfarm.com. In doing this I could add JAs as its own page, when surfers type in JAs the title of page will bring up our farm website.
WORK PLAN FOR 2010
• Begin marketing to local markets as well as to coops in Metro area for fall harvest
• Harvest and replant/expand crop field
OUTREACH
• Through the CSA fairs, we spoke with hundreds of people who are interested in healthy diets. As well we spoke with buyers for the coops to find what their interest was in keeping them in stock, response was the same, and they can’t keep them in stock.
• This fall when tubers are delivered we will begin locally in our rural area with the education process at schools as well as retired/seniors facilities.
• Next spring at the CSA fairs we will have samples for fair attendees to taste test and as well have all of our educational info available for them.
• Plans are in the works for the Agricultural class of Clear Lake High School to attend a Sustainable Farm field trip to our farm.